There was a rumor circulating around the populace about the genius Zi Shuang from the Boulder Sect.
It was said that Zi Shuang had fallen for Yu Da-Xia's beauty when he first laid his eyes on her. Although the rumors died down almost immediately, many still remembered it, and seeing how Zi Shuang's reaction and his ardent desire to protect Yu Da-Xia against Wang Xue's attack, the people in the city square were able to get the answer they wanted.
Zi Shuang glared as though he was a beast, his eyes were bloodshot from anger, and his domineering spiritual energy continuously kept coming out of his body.
"Take one step further, and I will cleave you in two." He threatened Wang Xue.
Checking Yu Da-Xia behind him, Zi Shuang asked, "Miss Yu Da-Xia, please get out of here; I will take care of him get proper treatment of your wounds for now."
Plop!
Yu Da-Xia's knees had been shaking after realizing her mistake. Grazing Wang Xue’s eyes, she lost what little strength that remained and Yu Da-Xia fell to her knees.
Yet, the strength of her tongue only became sharper.
"Get out of here, I don't need your help Zi Shuang!" although she was still down on the ground, Yu Da-Xia still had her pride. Even when her fellow disciple came up to assist her, she rejected their offer and stayed there to show she was prepared to face Wang Xue even in her current state.
"I don't need anyone's help."
Seeing her reaction, Zi Shuang only smiled at her before turning his gaze to Wang Xue. He wouldn't allow the beast in front of him to sneak up to him.
The many Young Maidens in the square saw Zi Shuang's action, and they themselves could not help but feel admiration for him; it also goes without saying for the men around the square.
"Zi Shuang, you are so manly, protecting your woman like that from danger; you are so admirable! Kill that Wang Xue person for being too ruthless to a woman!"
"Miss Yu Da-Xia, please take cover from that place. That savage man may not stop until he gets you!"
Zi Shuang was treated with respect, Yu Da-Xia with kindness and thoughtfulness, but Wang Xue was treated disgust and hate. Even the people who cheered for him earlier for being a dark horse now badmouthed his name.
"Get out of there! You dirtied the name of the Jade Province competition. If you continue to fight, you do not even have the right to stand there. Leave, leave, leave, get out of here…..."
A young girl yelled from the crowd. She was the same diehard admirer of Yu Da-Xia who scolded the middle-aged man previously for having lustful thoughts about her idol. From her shouts, the people around her were all riled up and started to chant together with her.
"Leave, leave, leave, leave, get out of here. How dare you do that our goddess, Zi Shuang, cut off his arms for us, and throw him out of the city."
"That kind of punishment is too light for him; just kill him now. Leaving a scourge like that in our Jade Province will only create future troubles. Cut his head off Zi Shuang!"
"Senior disciple Zi Shuang nice going, take the head of that man from his shoulders and throw it out for the wolves!"
Only the Heavenly Sword Sect refrained from barring their fangs on a lone man. Both the Nine Flower Valley and the Boulder Sect were shouting at the top of their lungs. The disciple who got his spot taken by Wang Xue called the loudest and the fiercest.
Wang Xue became the villain; however, even when he heard the countless shouts and insults around him, his gaze didn't leave Yu Da-Xia and Zi Shuang's being. Hate and loathing of this level did not have any effect on him. He couldn't be fazed even if all of the Jade Province people started badmouthing him at the same time.
His intention did not falter even when Zi Shuang stood in front of him. He wanted to make that woman learn her lesson. Although he may not kill her, he wanted to take an arm or a leg from her, which goes for Zi Shuang, who got in his way. It was her who struck first, after all.
'But if I do that, I won't be getting away unscathed. Better get myself leverage.' Wang Xue knew his limits.
Wang Xue could kill at least a dozen before dying, but his end wouldn't change, 'What's the best-case scenario?'
Wang Xue has begun his calculation. Drowning the crowd’s jeers with his own thoughts, and after a few seconds, he was prepared to end everything before anyone could interfere.
"Stoooooooop!!!!!" A loud voice rang around the whole city square, Dongfang Qianyin's body was overflowing with spiritual energy, and the pressure he emitted was strong to the point that everybody around the square felt their hearts beating faster than before.
"How dare you people start a fight on your own on the Jade Province Competition fighting stage!? The fights that are only allowed in that stage are the competition rounds; if you want to duke it out with each other, wait for your turn! Wang Xue, stand down!" Dongfang Qianyin shouted.
He didn't blame a specific person; he was an intelligent person. Although he could pin all the blame on Wang Xue when Qianyin didn't do it because he didn't want to tarnish his unbiased reputation.
Zi Shuang didn't lower his weapon, and he refused to let his eyes leave Wang Xue. His instincts told him that the moment he put away his Martial Spirit, Wang Xue would pounce at him and Yu Da-Xia without hesitation.
"Senior disciple Dongfang please forgive me for doing this, but I believe this man has no intention on giving up his plans of taking out Miss Yu Da-Xia. I have a proposition. Please hear me out, senior disciple Dongfang. My fellow Boulder Sect disciple, and disciple of the Nine Flower Valley who was able to reach the second round!" His voice was clear, attracting the attention of the people around the city square.
"Please let me fight this young man right now. My heart is burning with rage for this man right now, a fellow contender of the competition. I implore you to let the two of us right now!" ZI Shuang shouted with undying fervor.
The disciples of the three great sects and the audience around the city square were all surprised to hear ZI Shuang's proposal.
"Doesn't that mean this fight will decide the whole competition already!? That brat from the Red River State may be strong that he could even beat Yu Da-Xia, so it would also mean his level of strength is the same for Wu Feng and Zi Shuang, so, like the two, he would not have any match with the other disciples."
A man from the audience said, other people also started thinking about what he had said, and they also agreed to what he said. Wang Xue was strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top contenders of the three great sects, so he didn't have anyone equal to him remaining in the competition except for Zi Shuang.
"Even so, do you even think the other disciples will agree to this? Making their way up to this point, they won't be will—"
Before that man could even finish his words, a loud voice suddenly sounded out around the city square.
"I will step down right now, but Zi Shuang, you must let that trash know his place and give him the appropriate punishment of trying to hurt Sister Yu Da-Xia."
The one who spoke out was the young girl from the Nine Flower Valley who took fourth place on the Trial of the Heavens earlier; her eyes were full of hate when her gaze turned to Wang Xue, who stood near Zi Shuang.
She was also one of the top running contenders in the competition; this girl saw Yu Da-Xia as a rival, but seeing her being humiliated by Wang Xue earlier, had the flames of anger burn inside her heart.
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"I also step down and agree to brother Zi Shuang's proposal!"
"I am also willing."
From that young girl who belongs to Nine Flower Valley, everyone chose to back down and let Zi Shuang face Wang Xue in the fight. All of them had been affected by the wave of hate on Wang Xue, and now they were hoping to see him humiliated and hopefully even killed!
After a short, while everyone who still had the right to fight in the competition steps down one by one. Even the disciples from the Heavenly Sword Sect all chose to step down because they would be swept up the wave of hate if they didn't.
Dongfang Qianyin was put in deep contemplation, but he didn't take long before raising his hands and announced, "The fight between Zi Shuang of the Boulder Sect and Wang Xue from the Red River State is about to begin, both contenders prepare yourself."
"Zi Shuang of the Boulder Sect ready!"
His voice was loud and clear. He was pumped up with his blood boiling from anger and hate.
Wang Xue watched all the drama, and he just chose to sigh and go with the flow of things.
"Wang Xue of the River State ready."
Wang Xue steadied his footing and started circulating his spiritual energy around his body the out. Drawing power from the Golden Pagoda, Wang Xue didn't waste time. He pulled his right fist backward then unleashed a powerful punch aimed at Zi Shuang's face.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
His punch actually created a booming sound due to the friction it created.
Clang! Boom!
Wang Xue's punch was met with Zi Shuang's Martial Spirit; the metallic sound rang out in the air. Zi Shuang felt his right hand going numb from the shockwave that he felt through the handle of his shield. Zi Shuang had focused on defense, but he was still forced to take a few steps backward.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
He was only able to steady his footing after taking three steps backward. But Wang Xue didn't stop his attack. Jumping up, Wang Xue pointed his left leg to the skies doing and performed a somersault midair. He started descending from above like a meteor.
Zi Shuang raised his head and saw the kick coming for him. He didn't have any time to counterattack with his ax, so raising his shield up, he poured his spiritual energy to his Martial Spirit to raise his defense.
The engravings on the surface of his Round Shield started glowing in a deep blue color, "Immovable Deep Sea Barrier!"
Bang!
Wang Xue's leg and Zi Shuang's Engraved Round Shilled met once again, the fighting stage wade of Fire Stones started to shake the rounds shield didn't move, and with Zi Shuang's steadied footing, he was not blown away by force.
His body was strong, and his Martial Spirit's defensive capabilities were terrific, but the fighting stage was not like Zi Shuang and his Martial Spirit. Cracks started to appear on his feet.
He waited for an opening, for the blows to lighten or even pause for a second... Wang Xue never let up.
Creak! Crack! Crash!
With a stoic, unchanging expression, he shot a flurry of blows on the shield.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Every strike echoed. Every punch hurt Zi Shuang's hands.
The fighting stage made of Fire Stone was begging to shatter, Zi Shuang was being nailed down on the fighting stage. Wang Xue was like a mountain pressing down over him from above.
Zi Shuang was slowly being nailed on the ground as if he was being hammered.
'How can someone at first level of the Jade Palace realm have this much power? This is absurd!' He was complaining inside his mind, then when he was pressed down all the way to his knees, the pressure from above him suddenly disappeared.
Whoosh!
A white shadow moved from above him. Wang Xue abandoned his match with Zi Shuang and was quickly making his way towards Yu Da-Xia, who still remained in the fighting stage. She refused to leave even when her fellow disciples came to her help.
Wang Xue saw the two disciples around her and gave them a punch to the stomach that was enough to send them flying out of there but not enough to kill them.
Zi Shuang saw this and tried getting out there. However, both of his legs were buried on the ground, "Ha!!!" with a fierce shout, Zi Shuang placed all his strength on both legs, forcing his way out.
"NO!"
But he could do nothing other than watch.
Seeing Wang Xue going for her, Yu Da-Xia's eyes dilated from fear.
What little strength she still had meant nothing before the bloodlust before her. When that cold gaze of Wang Xue's grazed her body, she started trembling from fear. Yu Da-Xia was even willing to crawl away if she could. She wanted to get away. Escape from the devil she foolishly challenged.
Visions of what may happen appeared in her mind.
Hallucinations took over her sanity.
"NOOO! GET AWAY!" she struck out with her whip!
But that familiar steel pliers-like grip latched onto her neck while simultaneously lifting her out up the ground.
Watching her flailing around in the air like a fish that was took fished out the water, Wang Xue heard Zi Shuang screaming behind him.
"Released her!!!!!" With a shout, he grabbed the ax with both hands and aimed for Wang Xue's head, his attack was fierce like a rhinoceros charging in full strength, but for Wang Xue, it was useless as the movements of his ax was simply too slow, this was the apparent effect of his excessive defense.
Wang Xue's deep pool of spiritual energy remained half, while Zi Shuang's was nearly dry.
The ax was so slow Wang Xue could very well move to the side, avoid its useless edge and knock the annoying white knight unconscious. But he didn't.
With Yu Da-Xia in his left hand, a curve appeared on Wang Xue's mouth. He took out his ice steel sword. When the ax was about to touch him, Wang Xue's body swayed and evaded the attack, then a slashing sound was heard as Wang Xue swung his Ice Steel sword towards Zi Shuang.
SLASH!
The soft sound of steel bearing its edge on the bones. But when the flesh was run through by the blade, when the frost affected his meridians, and the arm touched the ground, every bit of detail echoed in everyone's ears.
Their silence fell, replaced by a wail of pain.
"Aaargh!! My arm, you cut my arm!"
With the battle-ax still held by the severed left arm of Zi Shuang, blood sprayed all over the place like a fountain, a small part of the Fire Stone stage dyed red with blood.
Zi Shuang placed pressure on his left shoulder.
He writhed in pain, his eyes tearing, as only his voice remained.
The gasps of the crowds, drown by his pain alone.
Yu Da-Xia's face and body were sprayed with Zi Shuang's blood. Her white skin, tainted red.
Her flailing body stopped. Limped, drained of strength. The defiance overwritten by an overwhelming sense of fear and dread. Her mind didn't have any thoughts of even resisting in fear of having the same end as Zi Shuang.
"Shut up!" Wang Xue's cold voice entered everyone's ears as they watched him feed Zi Shuang's his flat shoes, "Your squealing irritates me."
His tone harsher, and his eyes even more.
He looked down upon Zi Shuang as though he was trash without worth.
The audience was stunned, they were too shocked to even let out a squeal, and as for those who were all badmouthing Wang Xue earlier, all of them could not even breathe, while some even had their pants and skirts wet from fear of what would happen to them if this maniac learns how they badmouthed him.
Dongfang Qianyin stared at the bloody scene created by Wang Xue, and seeing his junior disciple being stepped on by Wang Xue, his anger also peaked.
"Wang Xue, get your hands off him right now…."
But even before he could finish the words, Si Niang had already moved against Wang Xue "You fucking brat, get your filthy hands off Da-Xia!"
Si Niang summoned a sword.
Wang Xue smiled. Not the least bit threatened by her words.
The sword on her hands was clearly out of the ordinary as the world's spiritual energy was constantly being absorbed. It was not something even his knives could beat.
Si Niang was fast as lightning, even Wang Xue, with his full strength, would not be able to get away from her if he tried to run away, but Wang Xue wasn't planning on running away from her. He waited for her to come closer at him, and when her sword was about to slash down on him, Wang Xue also swung his left hand to guard against that attack.
"Senior Sister, STOP!" It was Dongfang Qianyin who shouted at the top of his lungs. Because from afar, he could see Wang Xue timed his movement to use Yu Da-Xia as a shield.
Yu Da-Xia’s tearstained face was now right before her. Realizing what would’ve happen if she hadn’t stop, her anger only increased, “…bastard!”
Yu Da-Xia was an exalted genius of the Nine Flower Valley; it could be said that the future of the Nine Flowers Valley depended on her. Yu Da-Xia was a personal disciple of an Elder back in the Nine Flower Valley. If something were to happen to her here without Si Niang trying to resolve the problem, she would be in trouble; this was also the same for Dongfang Qianyin's situation with Zi Shuang.
‘This bastard is using their prestige against us.’ Dongfang Qianyin’s frustration grew by leaps and bounds, ‘We can’t make a move against him at the moment.’
"Despicable bastard! And you call yourself a man? Using a woman as a shield, how shameless can you get!?" Si Niang was fuming with anger; Wang Xue's method was too despicable and shameless.
"And attacking a First Level Jade Palace warrior when you're already a Ninth Level Jade Palace warrior is honorable?" Wang Xue scoffed at Si Niang while looking at her with disdain, “If you are angry, come on, swing that sword of yours. Cut your beloved idol and then kill me. Come on.” Wang Xue taunted as he showed her a crude smile.
Upon hearing Wang Xue talked to her in such a manner, Si Niang’s blood was practically boiling from anger. She could kill him with a single slap, but with Yu Da-Xia in his hands controlling her fate, Wang Xue was untouchable. Not only that, Wang Xue also had Zi Shuang below him, and that meant he had two powerful shields.
Dongfang Qianyin wanted to slap Zi Shuang to death right now, 'Fighting someone out of your league and having your arm cut off like that, useless!'
But his face still held on to that calm look. Dongfang Qianyin processed the situation calmly.
He could not show he was being pressured, by a mere junior's presence, "What do you want? I would give you anything that you want if you were to let them go."
Wang Xue turned to look at him and smiled, "Ooooh, I thought you were just an ordinary asshole, but it seems you're more useful than you look. I thought I needed to torture the wench in front of you, but I will tell you since you asked so nicely like a pup. I only joined this competition for the rewards. Just give the prizes to me and give me time."
Dongfang Qianyin tossed a storage bracelet to him upon hearing his words, "That's the prize, now give them back to us, and we will let you leave here without any problem."
Wang Xue caught the storage bracelet and checked its content. After making sure that everything was in there, Wang Xue smiled, "Now give me five days, I will leave now, and for every people that follow me, I will cut a finger on this little girl's little hand. If I notice more, I will start cutting her arm like how a butcher to a pig."
"What did you say!? Did you really think I will…"
"Argh!!!"
Even before Si Niang could complete her words, a gut-wrenching scream was heard all over the city square. One of Yu Da-Xia's fingers fell on the platform. Wang Xue wiped the Ice Steel Sword on Yu Da-Xia's face.
Tears flowed down her pretty face upon feeling the pain, sobbing like a girl, her previous gallant attitude disappearing as she pleaded Si Niang with her eyes alone.
She begged to be saved, but Si Niang could only look away and shut her mouth.
"See, look what you made me do. Try speaking up once again, maybe I will cut off two this time." Wang Xue noticed Si Niang's hateful gaze and raised a brow in confusion.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Because I cut off a finger? Because I hurt your precious little junior disciple? How lovely, but keep in mind, I was planning to compete here honestly without raising any ruckus. But she disregarded my warning and tried attacking from behind, like a coward. When she did that, no one did anything, neither did anyone raised their opinions to punish her. You see, this is what happens when backwater fools are praised too much. She’s not even going to reach Manifestation. Tch, this is why you don’t improve. Sigh* if I had to say this is all her fault. And don’t even get me started with this fucking idiot. Acing like he can do anything."
“AAAAAHHHH! STOP! PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU!”
Zi Shuang’s cries echoed as Wang Xue planted his foot on his open wound. Wang Xue kept his Ice Steel Sword in his storage bracelet as he laughed in derision to the Sects.
With his right foot, he lifted Zi Shuang, who was writhing in pain and gave a quick strike to three of the pressure points located on his neck, knocking him out cold. The bleeding was also stopped by halting the blood flow in his veins on his left arm.
"I will also take him with me. If someone objects, I will cut his arm. If someone follows, I will cut his dick and legs." Wang Xue calmly announced.
With two geniuses from the three great sects on each hand, Wang Xue left the city square, all eyes were on him, and everyone was either hating him or fearing him. But no one dared to get closer to him nor stop him, Zi Shuang and Yu Da-Xia were like a charm that warded off others to him. Not even dared to say a thing.
In a place where there were hundreds of people. Everyone was deathly silence. Literal pin drop silence.
With a hostage with each hand, and surrounded by dozens of people with stronger cultivation, Wang Xue walked out without a scratch in his body.
This image of him walking out of the city square became the starting point. This is the starting line when his name would be heard by everyone once again.
Just like that, Wang Xue left Cloud city without any problem; he entered for a clean fight but left after a brutal and bloody show. He entered alone but left with two others; one had blood all over his body while the other was trembling in fear.
Part 1 End