Section Nine: The Hundred Battles Arena (Part Three)

Bu Jingxian was well aware of his fellow disciple Chen’s character—always bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Though highly skilled, his temperament was riddled with flaws. That was why Bu Jingxian deliberately created a display of might, certain of how Chen would respond.

He watched as his seventh junior let out a low shout, his entire body erupting in dazzling golden light. In the next instant, man and sword became one, launching into the King’s Decision—Overlord Sword Technique—charging straight ahead.

Bu Jingxian secretly employed the War Decision’s swift force, his body moving with sudden speed to meet the attack. Before Chen could fully unleash his sword technique, Bu Jingxian used his bracers to parry both swords, the immense power instantly breaking the flow of the Overlord Sword. At the same moment, he twisted slightly, slamming his shoulder plate directly into his opponent. It was a pushing strike—not particularly harmful but carrying tremendous momentum.

Chen had never expected such overwhelming force. His internal strength was insufficient to dissolve the impact. He was flung from the ring like a shooting star, hurtling six or seven yards farther before he came to a stop.

Bu Jingxian knew that injuring Chen would certainly bring trouble to the Wanxia Sect. Chen cared deeply about his reputation; to be a master of the King’s Decision and yet be beaten and wounded by a local martial artist was something he would never let go. So Bu Jingxian had devised this plan, ensuring his defeat would not damage his honor. Others would say he lost due to carelessness—knocked from the ring before he could even begin. His loss was not due to lack of skill, nor did it diminish the prestige of the King’s Decision.

Unexpectedly, just as Chen was about to be flung out, he stabilized himself mid-air. In a flash, the golden light around him blazed brighter, and his shout thundered like a roaring lion, deafening the crowd. He gathered force in mid-air and, in a sweeping arc, flew back onto the ring.

Bu Jingxian was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t expected that, in the time since they last met, his junior had mastered the King’s Decision’s supreme Emperor’s Overlord Sky Technique. Now his physical prowess was exposed, and his junior would never again engage him in close combat.

“A great deal of trouble,” he sighed inwardly, forced to focus his full attention on the fight.

“What tremendous strength!”

“Sir, you are truly formidable. I was born with great power and have never met anyone who could withstand a single blow from me without injury—today my eyes are opened.”

“Hmph! No matter how gifted you are with brute strength, before the King’s Decision, it’s nothing but child’s play!”

At that moment, Chu Gaoge and Ling Luo exchanged incredulous glances from the balcony, their shock beyond measure. Encountering a prodigy like Bai Yue was already unexpected, but the fact that Bu Jingxian’s physical strength soared to 2700 while blocking and striking was simply unfathomable.

What kind of martial arts was this? Or was it some extraordinary talent? Such external power was astonishing; everyone knew he had held back—otherwise, a single strike could have left his junior grievously injured, or even dead on the spot.

“Brother, I think I’ve guessed who this man is!”

As Chu Gaoge spoke, Princess Tianlai sighed inwardly. She had already guessed, but this matter was not for Ling Luo to concern himself with, so she had paid it no mind.

“He is the fugitive Zuo An, the one who killed our country’s General Ling Shaobao,” she quietly confirmed for Chu Gaoge.

“What—!” Ling Luo’s face twisted with rage.

The matter had long been investigated by others; it was beneath his own rank as Marquis to pursue it. Princess Tianlai remembered the case because of the Feixian Sect’s wanted notice, but Ling Luo did not. Yet upon hearing that the fugitive had dared slay a general of Zheng, one of his own kin, he was instantly filled with fury.

“My junior has always been interested in the events of Golden Light City and had heard of Zuo An’s monstrous crimes in Zheng. He’s wanted in Chen as well—rumor has it that the Left Chancellor of Chen led eight thousand troops against him, and Zuo An single-handedly killed over a thousand. In the end, they only trapped him with eighteen siege engines, but even then, he broke thousands of iron chains fitted with hooked blades. His strength is almost without equal in this age. Just now, I saw him recover instantly from the internal injury my seventh brother inflicted. I believe only someone with such power and resilience could be the legendary warrior. He must be Zuo An!” Chu Gaoge finished and bowed to Princess Tianlai. “I did not expect Your Highness had already guessed.”

Princess Tianlai had long heard the stories of Ling Shaobao. Seeing Zuo An today, she found him nothing like a villain. Though the crime of killing an official of Zheng was grave, she was unwilling to force a man undeserving of death into dire straits for the sake of someone like Ling Shaobao. Thus, she feigned ignorance. Now, however, she could no longer keep silent. She also understood Chu Gaoge’s motive: he wished to use Zheng’s pressure to force Zuo An into a corner, then secretly assist him, winning him over.

“My junior’s guess comes at exactly the right moment.”

Chu Gaoge sensed Ling Luo’s words held a double meaning and quickly said, “Indeed, it’s my fault for realizing too late. Brother, rest assured—I will have men seize him and hand him over to you for judgment! This fugitive will not escape.”

“A fugitive?” At this moment, Qiuye returned with July. They had no interest in the duel and had just come back from a stroll, expecting the match to be over. They happened to overhear Chu Gaoge mention a fugitive. Qiuye asked out of curiosity, and the three quickly invited them to watch. Chu Gaoge pointed out Bu Jingxian in the ring.

Unexpectedly, July’s reaction was fierce—her face immediately filled with anger, her jaw set with rage.

“So it was him who killed our sect’s Li Shao!”

Princess Tianlai hurried to calm her. “Martial Venerable, Senior Sister, please restrain yourselves. Though our sect’s vengeance is a solemn duty, it’s best not to disrupt the duel.”

“Fine—July, let’s watch and see what this fellow is capable of.”

July glared hatefully at Bu Jingxian in the ring, refusing to sit, but did not go down to intervene against their wishes.

When the news of Li Shao’s death first reached Feixian Sect, July had been deeply saddened. Though not close to Li Shao, he was still of her sect. In her eyes, Feixian disciples were all family, and Li Shao had returned to the sect twice, bringing gifts for the disciples—not expensive, but heartfelt tokens of care for his fellow disciples. She remembered him, albeit vaguely.

After Bu Jingxian’s fall, July had lost all interest in life. Later, Qiuye persuaded her, saying that there were still countless brothers and sisters in Feixian, all like family. Because of those words, she resolved to do her utmost to uphold the sect’s honor, to repay Zheng Feixian, and to aid her fellow disciples in gratitude for the care she had received since childhood.

Now, confronted with her peer’s killer, her anger was only natural.

Meanwhile, in the ring, Chen Yu recognized his opponent’s might and switched to the King’s Decision—King’s Way Sword Technique. His body became a mass of blazing golden light, darting left and right, wide arcs of golden sword energy slashing everywhere, forcing Bu Jingxian into a purely defensive stance, unable to mount the slightest counterattack.

The crowd, witnessing the ferocity of the King’s Decision, erupted in cheers. Even ordinary spectators, ignorant of martial arts, found the sweeping golden energy dazzling and beautiful, joining in the applause.

The King’s Decision sword techniques were brutally destructive, divided into the King’s Way, Overlord, and Emperor’s Way, all of which the disciples studied. Each path could double the user’s internal or external combat power; the Emperor’s style, combining rigidity and flexibility, increased both by fifty percent. The power was naturally terrifying.

Bu Jingxian’s internal strength was poor; facing his seventh junior’s King’s Way sword energy, he could afford no carelessness. His resistance to internal force was weak, so he dodged and shifted continuously, using his dragon-scale bracers to deflect the sword energy when necessary, greatly reducing harm.

Even with all his efforts, the cumulative damage from the sword energy was considerable. A single glancing blow could cost him five hundred points of stamina. Fortunately, his stamina spiked at the moment of impact, reducing actual damage to one-third.

After thirty-some exchanges and seventy strikes of sword energy, he could not avoid a dozen hits. The toll began to outpace his recovery.

Fortunately, Chen Yu was eager to end the fight and did not conserve his internal energy. After this onslaught, his reserves dropped from five hundred to twenty-five, and the sword energy’s damage waned. He then lessened his attack’s intensity to recover his strength.

This gave Bu Jingxian a chance to catch his breath. The sword energy wounds could no longer outpace his recovery.

He saw Chen Yu splitting into multiple images, attacking from all sides—golden sword energy converging from four directions. Unable to discern the real body, he decided it was better to take a hit from one side than be struck from all. He dashed toward the left corner of the ring, bracing himself for the blow, and punched directly at the mass of golden light.