Chapter 107: The Commotion in the Arena
Gazing upon the aged visage of Master Jinghai on the stage, the audience grew restless.
“How could it be an old woman? Where’s that young girl?”
“Exactly! Who is this old fellow anyway?”
“What happened to the young girl we saw earlier?”
“This is cheating, isn’t it? They swapped players suddenly!”
“The referee should call her out! She’s cheating!”
“This is downright outrageous!”
...
“It’s definitely not the same person!” Seeing Master Jinghai on stage, Feiyan confirmed his suspicion. When he brushed past the old man earlier, he had considered making a move, but since it involved Qin Xiaochuan, he held back. Yet, after seeing the true face of the masked contestant, Feiyan was certain—the old man before them was not the same person as the young girl from before.
Focusing on the Death Spirit Sword before him, Master Jinghai’s breath grew somewhat quickened. Taking two deep breaths, he steadied himself. This Death Spirit Sword was no ordinary opponent—not only had their speed and agility caught up to his, but their angle of attack was cunningly unexpected. Had he not dodged in time, that strike might have taken off his ear.
“Wait, referee, I have something to say.” After calling Miss Xing Meng to his side, Death Spirit Sword snatched the microphone from her hand and addressed the crowd with a live accusation: “I believe everyone saw clearly—this masked player on stage is not the same young woman we saw earlier! If Qin Xiaochuan’s team is using this masked guise to swap players at will, is that fair? If it isn’t, then it’s utterly despicable! Referees, does this not violate the competition rules?!”
Hearing Death Spirit Sword’s complaint, Miss Xing Meng quickly took back the microphone and responded, “Death Spirit Sword has a point. According to the tournament rules, a substitution is only allowed if a team member has died or disappeared. However, none of Qin Xiaochuan’s team members have died. Therefore, if this substitute is to compete, they must present the corpse of the previous girl to prove a team member’s death. Only then can the masked player rightfully take the field.”
“Exactly! That’s just a trick!”
“That clearly breaks the rules!”
“Quickly rule Qin Xiaochuan’s team the losers!”
“They’re cheating!”
“Using the mask loophole to swap players—how cunning!”
“Call them out! Stop the match!”
“Yes, it’s cheating!”
“Absolutely against the rules!”
“They deserve the death penalty!”
“We can’t let them get away with this!”
“They’re exploiting the mask loophole to field multiple players!”
“Exactly! So detestable!”
“Death penalty! Sentence them to death!”
“Death penalty!”
“Death penalty!”
...
“Death penalty!”
“Death penalty!”
“Death penalty!”
...
“Um...” At the referee’s explanation, the crowd erupted in uproar, the calls to condemn the masked player growing louder. Miss Xing Meng, standing on stage, appeared overwhelmed by the unruly crowd. Just then, the arena’s loudspeakers crackled to life, and a melodious female voice echoed through the speakers: “Please remain calm! Regarding the confusion on stage, after discussion by the organizing committee, it has been unanimously decided that the match will continue as scheduled...”
“What! Continue as scheduled? Have the committee members lost their minds?”
“Yeah! If this isn’t cheating, then what is?”
“What is that woman even saying?”
“We demand an explanation!”
“We reject this ruling!”
“Exactly! What a ridiculous decision!”
“We don’t agree!”
“We want a reasonable explanation!”
“Explain!”
“Explain!”
“Explain!”
...
“Please calm down! Mr. Sikong Lang beside me will explain why the match must proceed...” Taking the microphone, Sikong Lang tapped it and tested the sound before turning to Master Jinghai and addressing the crowd: “Why is this so? Because during the previous match against Team G, the young girl and the wrinkled, aged man you see now are the same person…”
“The same person?!”
“How is that possible?!”
“She looked so young!”
“Yeah! How could it be?”
...
“As the heir of the Spirit Wave Fist, one can channel spiritual energy to the extreme, causing the body’s cells to temporarily activate, restoring the body to its prime. So the young woman you saw earlier and this aged man before you are indeed one and the same. Isn’t that right? Master Jinghai!”
“Master Jinghai!”
“That human spirit medium!”
“Exactly!”
“It’s said Master Jinghai is over ninety years old!”
“No wonder he looks so old!”
“So it was her all along!”
...
“So it’s the renowned Master Jinghai! My apologies!” Upon hearing Sikong Lang’s explanation, Death Spirit Sword ceased his objections. Sikong Lang’s words were surely reliable, and there was no reason to deceive himself or the crowd. Gazing at the aged Master Jinghai, Death Spirit Sword’s expression turned solemn. He pulled the hilt of his long sword, and a sinewy, elongated muscle-like mass was drawn from between the handles. The writhing tendons twisted together, gradually forming three skull-shaped figures in the center, emitting ghostly cries.
“Once I kill you, my fame among demons will grow. My purpose will be fulfilled! From now on, I will show no mercy!”
Saying this, Death Spirit Sword began spinning his long blade. “This is the Dark Soul-Stealing Blade, custom-made by Master Ba—a grim reaper’s scythe that can capture souls. It has absorbed the resentments of countless vengeful spirits. Using it to send you off is the least I can do for you.”
The demonic aura emanating from the blade was even stronger than Death Spirit Sword’s own. Feeling the malevolence radiating from the weapon, Master Jinghai calculated silently. He could still summon three spirit orbs by pooling all his spiritual energy. If he were on stage, not a single orb could be wasted. Now that Sikong Lang had seen him, all his spiritual energy would be focused on this adversary. Since parting ways fifty years ago, this fateful enmity had to be confronted again. If he didn’t face him directly, this foe would never let him go. But how to fight such a powerful demon now? This opponent’s demonic aura was formidable indeed.
“Take this!” Death Spirit Sword held the spinning blade in his palm, tip pointing downward, drawing a perfect circle around himself as he prepared to strike.
Meanwhile, on a narrow forest path, Zhang Yang led Feixue and the others toward a new arena. These two venues were located at opposite ends of the island’s north and south. Seeing the path stretch endlessly ahead, Fan Fan couldn’t help but ask, “Are we there yet, Zhang Yang? How much farther?”
“Almost there. Just up ahead.”
“It’s been so long. I hope our team hasn’t lost.”
“No chance! That kid Feiyan is full of fighting spirit. He won’t lose!”
Hearing Zhang Yang mention Feiyan, Feixue turned to him and asked, “Are you talking about that quiet gentleman? Though he looks fierce, there’s always a warm aura in his eyes.”
“Warm aura? He’s not just expressionless—he’s fierce! Feixue, don’t get too close. When he’s angry, he might bite! Better keep your distance.”
“Zhang Yang! That’s rude! You can’t speak like that about someone.”
“Yeah, I agree.” Hearing Xiadan defend Feiyan, Feixue nodded in agreement. Though she hadn’t spoken much with the small man in the black robe, she always sensed a warm, familiar aura from him—something unexplainable, as if she had met him before. It was strange.
“Even so, it’s best to keep your distance. He’s been in a bad mood lately. If any of you accidentally offend him…”
“Zhang Yang, how can you say that? You don’t know Feiyan is Feixue’s…”
At this, Xiadan suddenly realized what she was about to say and quickly covered her mouth, narrowly avoiding revealing the connection between Feiyan and Feixue. Recalling Feiyan’s discreet hint, she smiled awkwardly and waved at Feixue and Zhang Yang, “It’s nothing, just teammates. Didn’t Feiyan once come to your rescue, Feixue? Feiyan is a member of Qin Xiaochuan and Zhang Yang’s team, haha... ha ha ha...”
“Eh?! Isn’t that Qin Xiaochuan sleeping under the tree over there?”
As the three walked and talked, Sister Jingchu seemed to sense something. She parted the foliage by the roadside and spotted Qin Xiaochuan asleep beneath a tree, head resting on a protruding root, snoring deeply. His body was stained with blood—unclear how he got it, perhaps from another fight.
After clearing the bushes, the group gathered around, shaking Qin Xiaochuan’s arm and calling out loudly, but he was as if dead to the world, showing no response. Seeing this, they helped him up together. They had to leave soon to watch the match and couldn’t just leave him by the roadside, especially since he was in such a deep sleep. If some ruffian or pervert came by, it would be far too dangerous.