I, Gu Hao, Will Back Him!

Pei Xuan still wore a defiant expression. He could sense that Qin Chuan's array had no power. "A trifling array? I don't believe it can defeat me."

"Of course the array on the arena can't defeat you, because I only set it up to trap you. The real killing move is here." An array appeared in front of Qin Chuan's chest. He had set it up before stepping into the arena.

"Five Elements Reversal Grand Array!!! Eldest senior brother, dodge!!!" Jiang Lin shouted in alarm the moment he saw the array in front of Qin Chuan's chest, but it was already too late.

Hearing Jiang Lin's shout, Pei Xuan tried to dodge, only to find that he couldn't move at all. There was no time to bring out another defensive artifact, either, so he could only defend himself with all his strength.

Five Golden Light Swords identical to Pei Xuan's slashed toward him, their power even greater than when he had used them just now.

Qin Chuan wasn't about to stand around waiting. The instant the golden light slashed toward Pei Xuan, he followed close behind, ready to take Pei Xuan's life while he was down.

"Ah, isn't the Golden Light Sword a sword art that Sect Master Yun's lineage doesn't pass on to outsiders? Why does Qin Chuan know it? Could he also be a disciple of the sect master's lineage?"

"Are you stupid? Didn't you hear that it's the Five Elements Reversal Grand Array?" A nearby disciple rolled his eyes at the person who had spoken.

"I don't know anything about arrays. What does the Five Elements Reversal Grand Array do? Senior brother, could you enlighten me?" The person on the receiving end of the eye roll wasn't angry. Instead, he humbly asked for an explanation.

"This array doesn't have the slightest attacking power, but it can return every attack to the person who launched it."

"If that's true, wouldn't this array defy the heavens?" someone else asked.

"You're overthinking it. The person using the array has to act as the medium and take every attack head-on. One slip and it could all go horribly wrong. Qin Chuan really is ruthless. I wonder if Senior Brother Pei can withstand his own attack."

The elders on the platform also understood the purpose of the Five Elements Reversal Grand Array after Jiang Lin's explanation. Yun Yao immediately rose, ready to intervene at any moment, while Jin Feng, the grand elder, and Xuanyang also stood, forming a flanking formation, ready to intercept Yun Yao at any moment.

Rumble. Five streaks of golden light struck Pei Xuan, and the arena collapsed completely. Pei Xuan fell to the ground and circulated the last of his spiritual energy, preparing to use the life-saving sword qi Yun Yao had given him.

But Qin Chuan had long been prepared. With sharp eyes and quick hands, he severed Pei Xuan's arm and pocketed his storage ring while he was at it.

Pei Xuan had thought he was certain to win and hadn't prepared any means at all. Everything he had was in his storage ring, and he had no way to resist anymore. Just as he was about to admit defeat-

"I surren-"

Puchi.

Qin Chuan drove his sword into Pei Xuan's body, turning his surrender into a scream. "Ah!!!"

"You...!!!"

Pei Xuan wanted to curse Qin Chuan, but would Qin Chuan indulge him? He plunged his sword into Pei Xuan's body twice more.

All that remained throughout the venue was the "puchi" of Qin Chuan's sword piercing Pei Xuan's flesh. In just a few breaths, Qin Chuan stabbed Pei Xuan more than a dozen times.

Yun Yao had already moved to save Pei Xuan, but Jin Feng and the other two stepped in to stop him. Xuanyang even threw Yun Yao's own words back at him. "Sect Master Yun, it's just a few stabs. It's not as if he'll lose his life. Why are you so worked up?"

At the same time, the grand elder also spoke up, wanting to claim the moral high ground. "Yun Yao, this is a sect martial competition. Even as sect master, you can't interfere."

"Why the hurry, Sect Master Yun? Qin Chuan hasn't shown any killing intent, nor has he dealt Martial Nephew Pei a killing blow. Those few stabs are only flesh wounds. Besides, if Sect Master Yun bullies Qin Chuan, who knows whether the Glazed Glass Immortal Venerable will be angered?" Jin Feng once again used Shen Qingyuan to threaten Yun Yao.

The words "Glazed Glass Immortal Venerable" instantly calmed Yun Yao down. He did not force his way past Jin Feng and the other two. Glancing at the arena, he saw that Qin Chuan's stabs indeed had not taken Pei Xuan's life.

"If anything happens to my disciple, I won't spare any of you three."

"If Qin Chuan tries to kill Pei Xuan, I certainly won't stop the sect master from saving him. But if anyone tries to disrupt the Pure Void Sect's inner sect martial competition, I certainly won't let him have his way, either." The grand elder was the first to state his position, leaving himself room to maneuver.

"As an elder of the Pure Void Sect, I must uphold the sect's rules." Jin Feng also stated his position, though his words were more cautious.

"Hmph!" Xuanyang did not state a position. He simply wanted to make trouble for Yun Yao, though he did not continue fighting.

All four stopped at the same time, and the farce on the platform came to a halt for the moment.

He Zong, the captain of the firefighting squad, had been looking at his nose and his nose at his heart. He had long since sworn to himself that he would never meddle in this fucking mess again, so he had not come out to put out the fire this time.

I keep feeling uneasy, like something else is going to happen. I'd better slip away first, He Zong muttered to himself. He had already left while the others' attention was on the arena.

At that moment, Qin Chuan planted a foot on Pei Xuan's face and said loudly, "Martial Nephew Pei Xuan, only useless cowards surrender. You can surrender if you want, but from now on, you'll be a useless coward."

Then Qin Chuan stabbed Pei Xuan in the throat to keep him from speaking. An array he had prepared long ago suppressed Pei Xuan, preventing him from using spiritual energy. Now, even if he wanted to surrender, he had no chance.

Sword thrust after sword thrust, Qin Chuan stabbed Pei Xuan a full thirty-three times. Unable to admit defeat, Pei Xuan could only make a "heh, heh, heh" sound in his throat and spit out mouthful after mouthful of blood, glaring fiercely at Qin Chuan with his eyes, the only part of him he could still move.

If looks could kill, Pei Xuan's gaze would have cut Qin Chuan into a thousand pieces, leaving not even a scrap of flesh.

Pei Xuan was now a one-armed figure covered in blood and looked rather miserable. Even the elder presiding over the arena tactfully reminded Qin Chuan, "Qin Chuan, you're fellow disciples. Don't go too far."

The disciples below were also talking. Qin Chuan had defeated Pei Xuan and then stabbed him until he was covered in blood.

"This... isn't Qin Chuan being too cruel? Senior Brother Pei has already lost. Why is he still tormenting him like this?"

"Thirty-three stabs. He stabbed Senior Brother Pei thirty-three times. That's terrifying."

"But he doesn't seem to have dealt Senior Brother Pei a killing blow. Apart from the injuries he suffered from his own Golden Light Sword, the rest are all flesh wounds."

"Speaking of which, aren't you curious who this Qin Chuan is, and why he's treating Senior Brother Pei like this?"

"Before the martial competition even started, Senior Brother Pei went looking for trouble with Qin Chuan. Who knows, there might be a grudge between them. If so, Qin Chuan has a reason for acting like this."

"Speaking of which, why is Qin Chuan Senior Brother Pei's martial uncle? Can anyone explain?"

Amid all the discussion, the eyes of an illegal structure shone, and stormy waves surged in his heart. This illegal structure was Gu Hao.

"Qin Chuan is so strong, and he's a disciple of the Glazed Glass Immortal Venerable. From what I've found out, he's only in his early twenties."

"In his early twenties and at the Early Golden Core Stage. No, he's at the Early Golden Core Stage, but he can slay someone at the Late Golden Core Stage, and he's also proficient in arrays."

"He's ruthless enough and plans every step. Pei Xuan has been led around by the nose by him the whole time."

"As long as he doesn't die, he's certain to become a major power on the Origin Spirit Continent."

Gu Hao rubbed the token in his sleeve. It was the token that represented his identity, and there was only one.

After a long while, he let out a breath of turbid air and said, "I'm taking the gamble!"

I, Gu Hao, will back him!