Chapter Ninety-One: The Snowstorm Arrives

From the judges’ platform overlooking the arena, Master Jade Capital and Sikong Lang watched the match below as Miss Ruoxi, the referee, stood on the stage and announced loudly to the packed audience, “According to the rules of this match, the winner will earn the right to appear in the next semifinal. Who, in the end, will defeat the opponent and claim victory? Let us wait and see.”

With that, Miss Ruoxi swept one hand between the two of them and loudly declared to the contestants, “The match begins now!”

At the announcement, Earthshaper spread the two hands he had been holding together and, with a mocking look on his face, taunted Zhang Yang across from him. “Hmph. Come on then, you half-broken cripple! Do whatever you want.”

“What did you say? Say that again if you dare! I’ll finish you!” Enraged by the insult, Zhang Yang charged straight at Earthshaper without another word. Though his body was already half ruined, he still had enough strength to lunge and seize him. Even if he could fight only with his fists, he meant to beat that obnoxious clown into a pig. But as Zhang Yang rushed in, his speed was badly hampered by his injuries. To Earthshaper, who had rested and conserved his strength until now, he posed no threat at all. Easily evading the charge, Earthshaper landed behind Zhang Yang. Looking at the man’s back, he smiled smugly, then stretched out a foot and kicked Zhang Yang flat onto the ground.

It was simply too much humiliation. That kick drove Zhang Yang into even greater fury. Glancing back at Earthshaper’s cold smile, he struggled to his feet and tried to summon his spirit sword. But the moment he reached out, no matter how hard he tried, his arm felt as though something had locked it in place. The spiritual energy in his body could not flow through the arm, and the spirit sword would not appear. What was going on? Staring at his right hand, Zhang Yang could hardly believe it. Had he truly become this useless?

Looking at his empty right hand, Zhang Yang began to tremble. It seemed he could feel the spiritual energy in his body being severed by his injuries; his whole being felt as though it had been cut apart. The energy inside him had turned fragmentary, unable to connect into a whole. Just as Qin Xiaochuan had once been unable to release his spirit orb, Zhang Yang now felt that the spiritual energy in his body could not pass through either arm at all. Without sufficient power to support him, his spirit sword simply could not be summoned.

Just as Zhang Yang was at his wit’s end, at the arena ticket gate Su Su was loudly arguing with a demon in charge of checking tickets.

“No entry? What are you talking about? Look, isn’t this our ticket? And it’s for VIP seats too. Look at it!”

“What is this, miss? Your ticket is so worn it can’t even be read properly, and in this condition it won’t pass through the scanner. How are we supposed to let you in?”

“What kind of nonsense is that? You won’t let people in even when they have tickets? Do you have a manager here? I’m filing a complaint against you!”

“A complaint? Heh. This is a special passage leading to the VIP seats, only accessible to wealthy humans. The likes of you can’t get through.”

“On what grounds, you mangy guard dog? We bought VIP tickets from you people. Open your damn eyes and look properly!”

“What? How dare you insult me!”

“So what if I insult you? Guard dog! What are you yapping about? You won’t even let people in when they have tickets—where is the justice in this!”

“Justice? Ohohoh! What are you saying, little girl? In this place, I am justice. Still, if you want to enter from here, that’s fine. As long as you can make this old man happy, heh heh heh, you girls can keep me company tonight—how about it, little miss...”

“Go to hell and die!”

At that lewd remark, Su Su said nothing more and kicked immediately. Who did this fool think he was, speaking to her like that and trying to flirt so shamelessly? He was practically courting death. Tossing away the beer can in her hand, Su Su exchanged a glance with Jingchu beside her, then drove a kick straight into the lower half of the lecherous scoundrel. Following it with a sharp upward knee, she slammed it hard into the demon’s shameless face. Her movements were seamless and ruthless, with no wasted motion at all. Clearly, Su Su had done plenty of fighting in the real world. That single knee sent the offending demon sprawling to the ground. Seeing the big lustful brute lying there, Su Su raised a foot and stomped down on his vital parts. Then she switched feet left and right, hammering downward again and again. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! Looking for death, are you, boy? I’ll kill you! You dare insult your big sister? I’ll stomp you to death! Stomp you to death! Stomp you to death! Do you yield? Do you yield? Do you yield... you damned demon! Will you say it again? Say it again! Say it again!! ... Damn it... I’m satisfied. Jingchu, your turn!”

Hearing Su Su, Jingchu, a cigarette between her lips, strolled forward at her own pace. She bent down and looked at the unlucky fellow, then reached out and pried open his mouth. Pinching the cigarette from between her lips, she ground it into the man’s mouth.

“Aah...!”

Before he could even cry out, Jingchu’s small hands snapped his mouth shut. Watching the poor bastard spew white foam from his nose and mouth, Jingchu showed no mercy either. Anyone who dared provoke their Sister Su Su was simply tired of living. Her blows were even fiercer than Su Su’s, and she beat him until he was crying for his mother.

Fan Fan, watching from the side, also joined the fray. That big lecher had actually dared to say such shameless things to Aunt Su Su; Fan Fan had long since been unable to stomach it. Seeing that Sister Jingchu had joined in as well, Fan Fan could no longer care whether she seemed ladylike or not. She drove a hard fist straight into the man’s face.

It felt satisfying, but the guard’s face was so thick that after landing the punch, Fan Fan’s right hand began to sting. “Hurry up and go!”

Just as she was about to kick him once more to vent her anger, Xia Dan reached from behind, grabbed her, and pulled her into the passageway. Blowing on her slightly swollen right fist, Fan Fan looked back a little unwillingly. The scene was truly pitiful: the unlucky demon had already been stomped to the ground by Jingchu and Su Su, crying out for his grandmother. Though he looked sturdy enough on the outside, before the overwhelming force of big sister Su Su and Sister Jingchu of the demon-hunting clan, not even calling for his ancestors would help. Anyone who dared strike the god of one’s own fate would meet only one end: worse than death. After pummeling the gatekeeping little demon senseless, Jingchu and Su Su finally caught up from behind, satisfied at last.

After dragging Fan Fan and Feixue along for several steps, Xia Dan stopped and looked back at Feixue, who seemed a little tense. To ease the girl’s nerves, he asked with concern, “By the way, Feixue, what have you been doing all this time? Ever since you got your permit to stay in the mortal realm, we haven’t seen you. Where did you disappear to?”

As though the question had touched some hidden sorrow, Feixue lowered her head and grew melancholy. “Actually... I still have an older brother. These past days I’ve been trying to find news of him, so...”

“Damn it, what a mouth I have. What was I thinking?” Hearing Feixue’s words, three black lines instantly appeared on Xia Dan’s forehead. Thinking it over, he realized that only three people knew of this matter: himself, Lord Little King of Hell, and Qin Xiaochuan. And among those three, the one who looked most likely to be a big-mouthed blabbermouth was undoubtedly himself.

“If you’re not afraid of death, then keep talking,” he recalled Feiyan warning him as he left. Xia Dan’s heart lurched. He had no idea why Feiyan refused to acknowledge this adorable younger sister, but if he really let something slip by accident, the trouble would be enormous. That madman Feiyan was capable of anything.

“I don’t know why, but I always feel like he’s nearby...”

“...” Xia Dan nearly collapsed in fright at those words. What on earth had he done to deserve this? Surely Feixue hadn’t found out something? This had nothing whatsoever to do with him; he truly hadn’t said a word! Thinking of Feiyan’s terrifying gaze, Xia Dan’s heart lurched again. This guy was definitely telling the truth.

Just when Xia Dan had no idea how to answer, Su Su and Jingchu caught up. Apparently having heard what Feixue said, Su Su hurried over, wrapped an arm around Feixue’s shoulder, and comforted her. “Don’t worry, pretty girl. You’re looking for your brother, right? Big sister will help you find him.”

“That’s right, Feixue. Don’t worry. Do you have a photo or something?” Seeing Feixue’s pitiful expression, Fan Fan also came over to comfort her. “If you have a picture, we can help you look too.”

At the sisters’ words, Feixue brightened. Yes, with so many friends beside her, they would surely be able to find her brother...

Meanwhile, in the arena, Zhang Yang had fallen into a desperate situation. Lying on the ground, he had already lost count of how many times he had been beaten by the arrogant fellow before him.

“Still won’t admit defeat? Keep this up and you’ll die!”

“...”

Looking down at Zhang Yang sprawled on the ground, Earthshaper said with great satisfaction, “Can’t summon your spirit sword, can you? Hahaha. Let me tell you why.” As he spoke, he walked up to Zhang Yang and placed a foot on his head. “Your body has already reached its limit, fool. If an ordinary person were injured this badly, they’d have died long ago. Go to hell!!”

With that, he twisted his foot and kicked Zhang Yang in the face, flipping him onto his back. Seeing Zhang Yang lying there trying to rise again, the man gave two cold laughs, then stepped forward, planted his foot on Zhang Yang’s face, and pressed him to the ground. Driving down with force, he ground his heel viciously. “Heh heh, how about it? Your body was already overloaded. Just recovering has drained you to the limit, and yet you still wanted to use your spirit sword. How ridiculous! So, what now? Do you yield or not? Do you yield or not? Huh? ...”