The battle arena was located in Haze City’s east district. It encompassed an area of 2.5 acres and had a seating capacity that numbered in the tens of thousands.
Although it was still early and long before the appointed time of 11:45 am, the arena was already packed to the brim with people. The noise generated formed waves that soared into the clouds and the bustling atmosphere was practically unrivaled.
They were all here for the highly anticipated duel that would soon begin today. On one side was Lin Xun, who possessed the qualifications to participate in the provincial exam. On the other side was a disciple of one of the Forbidden City’s noble clans, Huang Jianchen.
Most importantly, it was a duel that had been personally arranged by the Little Sword Lord, Xie Yutang!
For the past few days, news of the duel had stirred up the entire Haze City into a frenzy. Everyone knew about it, resulting in the current lively atmosphere of the arena.
There were two types of seats in the battle arena. One was the ordinary seating found all over the arena while the other option was private viewing rooms specially designed for important guests.
Wen Mingxiu, Qi Yunxiao, Yuan Shi, and the other noble disciples were currently seated in one of these private rooms.
On one side of the room was a viewing window that boasted an excellent view of the stage at the center of the arena.
Yuan Shi grumbled, “Have you heard? Miss Liu Qingyan is here as well. I don’t understand what’s so great about Lin Xun that a mere duel involving him would even draw someone like her.”
Qi Yunxiao softly chuckled, “Heh heh, you won’t be feeling so envious when he’s being pummelled in front of thousands of people later.”“The Little Sword Lord has amazing influence. To think that a duel arranged by him would draw out all of Haze City's top dogs. I asked around earlier and found out that every private room today is very possibly being occupied by a bigwig that could shake the entire city!”
“That’s right. I also noticed that earlier. I’m dying to know what thoughts these bigwigs will have when they see Lin Xun being crushed later.”
“Haha, I don’t know what the bigwigs will think but I know that when Lin Xun is defeated, he will also lose all credibility and will never be able to raise his head in this city again.”
Wen Mingxiu could not help but frown at the sight of them excitedly discussing the future after Lin Xun’s defeat. It filled her with disgust.
Since they couldn’t do anything to Lin Xun they were placing their hopes on someone else to defeat and humiliate him. What difference was there between them and clowns?
In another private room, Liu Qingyan was silently seated in front of the viewing window. She could see everything on the outside from here but no one could look into the private room.
Liu Qingyan saw many faces filled with anticipation and heard excited discussions about Lin Xun’s and Huang Jiangchen’s imminent duel. However, none of it was able to erase the slight worry in her heart.
By her side, Granny Feng advised, “Young Mistress, please take it as a bit of entertainment. You shouldn’t think too much about this affair.”
Liu Qingyan murmured, “I only hope that Lin Xun will not lose. Otherwise, I would have committed too great of a crime…”
Won’t lose? Is that possible?
Granny Feng did not believe that the crafty, imp-like Lin Xun would be Huang Jianchen’s match.
Similar discussions were occurring in every corner of the arena as the bigwigs arrived one after another in the private rooms.
There were not only influential figures from the various noble clans but also famous great cultivators like Haze Academy Principal Wei Lingzhen and Violet Plume Army Commander Du Dongtu.
In fact, even the newly appointed Stone Cauldron Alms Chief Manager, Mu Wansu, the great cultivator who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Governor Liu Wudiao, Yao Tuohao, and the Rune Master Association President, Chu Feng, had come.
Of course, the Little Sword Lord, Xie Yutang, and the other Forbidden City noble disciples were naturally not going to miss the entertainment they had personally prepared.
As time passed, more and more figures appeared in the battle arena, making the atmosphere increasingly lively. At a glance, all anyone could see was a black mass of bobbing human heads.
Citizens of the Ziyao Empire naturally had an admiration for martial arts, making them naturally passionate about fighting.
The imminent duel was filled with far too many points of interest and was an unprecedentedly grand event for the entire Haze City.
This was why the atmosphere was already charged with so much excitement even though the duel had yet to begin.
Dong!
A sky-shaking thump of a battle drum boomed, officially declaring the start of the event. The excitement immediately soared to a new peak
Under countless gazes, a dazzling rune screen emerged above the stage at the center of the arena.
It was a rune array that surrounded the stage to prevent the audience from being harmed by the battle.
Lin Xun’s figure soon appeared on the stage and immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“That’s Lin Xun? He looks like he’s only in his early teens. I heard that he not only possesses the qualifications to participate in the provincial exam but also extremely overwhelming battle power, making him one of the top experts of his generation.”
“That’s the guy! I wonder what he did to offend Huang Jianchen and make Xie Yutang personally issue a challenge letter. This is no simple matter.”
“Heh, I think disaster is going to befall Lin Xun in this battle.”
“Agreed, no matter how amazing Lin Xun is, how can he possibly compare to Huang Jianchen, who comes from a noble clan?”
The arena erupted into discussion again, buzzing endlessly like flies. Most were not optimistic about Lin Xun’s chances, especially Qi Yunxiao, Yuan Shi, and the others, who displayed excited expressions and were itching to see Lin Xun’s crushing defeat.
“He’s finished this time!”
In one of the private rooms, a group of disciples from noble clans laughed gleefully. They had felt humiliated when Lin Xun crippled Huang Jianxiong’s cultivation in front of them and were now finally able to get some payback through Huang Jianchen.
Only Xie Yutang remained expressionless. He was not interested in the duel because he was certain that Lin Xun was not Huang Jianchen’s match.
To Xie Yutang, it was merely a passing affair and there was nothing to be happy about.
A commotion suddenly erupted in the arena.
“What? That’s Huang Jianchen? Impossible, how can a noble disciple like him look so ordinary. He displays no hint of being a genius that is the pride of heaven. This is far too disappointing!”
“I thought he would look like a fierce and imposing god of war. Who could have expected that he would look so ordinary instead? Is he really a formidable expert?”
“What do you guys know? This is called ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’ So what if he looks ordinary? The fact that the Little Sword Lord personally arranged this duel is already more than proof of Huang Jianchen’s strength.”
On the stage, Huan Jianchen appeared dressed in black. There was nothing that stood out about him. He was so ordinary that even his presence seemed a little inferior to Lin Xun’s.
However, some of the sharper individuals felt their hearts shiver when they saw him. They could detect a hint of something different in his aura that was silent and solemn like a mountain.
The more unremarkable an expert, the more terrifying he was!
“As expected, it’s him.”
In one of the private rooms, Liu Qingyan’s eyes widened.
“This kid is not to be underestimated.”
“As expected of a noble clan disciple. Huang Jianchen might seem silent like a mountain but his foundations are strong and solid. Anyone who underestimates him will suffer.”
“Not bad, this fight might be a little interesting.”
“There is no lack of outstanding geniuses in the Human Dipper stage and Huang Jianchen is undoubtedly one of the most unique among them. Perhaps, it is because he appears too ordinary that instead lets him leave a deeper impression.”
The bigwigs in some of the other private rooms were evidently able to discern a little more about Huang Jianchen. Although they gave different evaluations, their thoughts were shockingly similar in that they all regarded him very highly.
Lin Xun was also observing his opponent. To be frank, the other party’s ordinary appearance and aura also surprised him somewhat.
However, Lin Xun’s eyes soon narrowed when he sensed a dangerous sensation from the other party. It was difficult to describe and it was as if there was a fatal power concealed under that ordinary appearance.
Huang Jianchen raised his eyes and also looked at his opponent. His gaze was calm and indifferent like stagnant water, completely devoid of all emotion.
When the drum was hit to signify the start of the duel, a chilling, savage light suddenly shot out from the eyes of the originally calm and emotionless Huang Jianchen.
At the same time, wisps of almost material killing intent spread from his thin body.
In the blink of an eye, the crowd felt Huang Jianchan transform into a completely different person. Killing intent pulsed from his body, saturating the surrounding air, making him look like a god of slaughter that had emerged from a sea of blood and a mountain of corpses!
The entire arena fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were wide open and there were horrified looks on their faces. They had just realized that this seemingly unremarkable person could give off a terrifying and intimidating aura when he was ready to do battle!
His almost material bloody killing intent was clearly honed from countless fights. It was hard for anyone to imagine how much blood Huang Jianchen had spilled.
“Amazing!”
“Who could have imagined that a Human Dipper stage youngster would possess such an aura?”
“Lin Xun is in trouble this time!”
Numerous people sighed in amazement.
Qi Yunxiao, Yuan Shi, and the other noble disciples were extremely excited. Huang Jianchen’s performance was absolutely breathtaking to them.
On the other hand, those supporting Lin Xun like Chu Feng, Liu Qingyan, and Mu Wansu felt their hearts sink. Lin Xun had encountered a truly formidable foe this time.
Compared to his opponent, Lin Xun had strangely become the ordinary and unremarkable one instead.
He remained composed as power slowly rippled around his body.
No one knew that Storm Grinder had already begun to circulate at full power in his body. Pure and boundless dipper power surged about like an ocean, suffused with a mysterious and illusory sky-blue glow.
Swish!
Before the thump of the drum could fade, a fifty-foot-long whip appeared in Huang Jianchen’s hand and lashed out without wasting any time!