Chapter 174: Chapter 172: Spirit List Rank 30, Luo Rui

With the tendons in his hands and feet severed, Leng Feng had already lost all ability to fight.

When the referee announced Jiang Chen’s victory, the entire Martial Arts Arena descended into madness. As Leng Feng was being carried away, dozens of experts even rushed down from the Observation Platform.

They pounced directly on Leng Feng.

Amidst the frenzied pulling and tearing of these dozens of experts, Leng Feng was ripped to shreds, not even a complete corpse left behind.

Standing on the stage, Jiang Chen frowned slightly. He could faintly hear the dozens of people cursing at Leng Feng’s mangled remains. "Fuck you! If you didn’t have the skill, you shouldn’t have gotten on stage! You not only made me lose all my winnings for the day, but I also lost my entire stake!"

"You only lost your stake? I bet my house deed! I thought it was a surefire win, but I still ended up losing."

"This piece of trash deserved to die!"

On the Observation Platform.

The experts who had bet on Leng Feng were also cursing furiously.

A wave of sorrow washed over Jiang Chen. ’This is human nature!’

’How ugly!’

’How filthy...’

He looked at the referee and said, "Leng Feng was one of your Martial Arts Arena’s men, after all. He was killed right here, and you’re not going to do anything about it?"

"He was already a cripple. The cost of healing his injuries would have exceeded any benefit he could bring to the Martial Arts Arena!"

Although the referee was an expert at the True Martial Realm Ninth Stage, he had witnessed Jiang Chen’s power firsthand and didn’t dare act high and mighty, so he answered honestly.

Jiang Chen simply grunted, "Oh," and said flatly, "Send the next opponent up."

"Please wait a moment!"

the referee said, momentarily stunned.

Jiang Chen had already won ninety-one consecutive victories. Even a Spirit List expert like Leng Feng had died at his hands. At this point, no one else dared to get on the stage.

Besides...

He had just received word that the supreme lord of the Martial Arts Arena, the City Lord, had already sent for powerful reinforcements. Once that person arrived, they could finally put a stop to Jiang Chen’s winning streak.

Jiang Chen nodded, not pressing the matter.

He had just achieved an epiphany, breaking through to Tier Two Wind Sword Intent, and needed time to stabilize it. He immediately sat cross-legged on the stage, simultaneously recovering his depleted True Essence and consolidating his new Tier Two Wind Sword Intent.

「Meanwhile.」

On the highest level of the Observation Platform, the imposing City Lord tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair. "What? Has Luo Rui not arrived yet?" he asked coolly.

"City Lord, Luo Rui is on his way. However, Luo Cheng just lost a considerable sum of money in Combat Zone Nine and was throwing a tantrum, so your subordinate brought him here," the man on his left said respectfully.

"Luo Cheng?"

The City Lord paused. "How much did he lose?"

The man on the left replied, "One hundred million taels of Gold!"

"Oh, that’s not much..." A sinister glint flashed in the City Lord’s eyes. "Go tell him that if he can kill Jiang Chen, not only will we forgive the one-hundred-million-tael debt, but the Martial Arts Arena will give him another hundred million in Gold. The condition is that he must go all-out to slay that brat. Understand?"

The man was taken aback and asked, confused, "City Lord, Luo Rui will be here shortly. Why have Luo Cheng go up? If he loses, won’t that just give Jiang Chen another victory?"

"Hmph, you and I both know Luo Rui’s temperament. He won’t act without a guaranteed reward. Since we’re the ones asking for his help, he’s sure to demand a sky-high price. But..."

With a shrewd expression, the City Lord continued slowly, "If we send Luo Cheng up, it would be best if he succeeds in killing Jiang Chen. But even if he fails and is killed, when Luo Rui arrives and learns that Jiang Chen killed Luo Cheng... with Luo Rui’s overbearing nature, how could he possibly let Jiang Chen live? He might just take the stage on his own and kill Jiang Chen for us, without us even having to make an offer!"

The other two men in the room exchanged glances, a chill running down their spines.

’This City Lord is utterly vicious!’

’It’s a blatant, overt scheme!’

’A plot designed to ensure Jiang Chen’s death!’

The two men hurriedly flattered him, "The City Lord is brilliant!"

"Go and see to it."

The City Lord waved his hand. He narrowed his eyes, gazing at the cross-legged Jiang Chen on the stage below with a cold, detached expression. ’An ant. I could crush you with a wave of my hand.’

...

On the stage.

After a period of cultivation and comprehension, Jiang Chen had completely stabilized his Tier Two Wind Sword Intent. He had even used the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, absorbed when his True Martial Dao was acknowledged, to temper the Mixed Element Golden Pill within him. His cultivation advanced a step further, reaching the Peak of True Martial Realm Sixth Stage!

His strength was now several times greater than when he had fought Leng Feng!

Opening his eyes, he frowned. "Referee, a full double-hour has passed. Has the person from your Martial Arts Arena still not arrived?"

The referee faltered, about to make an excuse to stall for more time, but then his tone shifted. "And now, let’s give a warm welcome to our next challenger! This man comes from a powerful family in the Imperial Capital! He once trained at the Saint Martial Sword Sect! He now serves as a Vice General in the imperial army! He is the 98th-ranked expert on the Spirit List, Luo Cheng!"

BOOM—

A wave of violent energy surged toward the heavens.

Luo Cheng strode through the air, his battle armor radiating a brilliant True Essence Light. He landed on the stage, his icy gaze fixed on Jiang Chen.

He had recognized Jiang Chen the moment the people from the Martial Arts Arena approached him.

A chance to not only erase his gambling debt but also avenge Luo Hao and Luo Ben? An opportunity this good was something he, Luo Cheng, would naturally never refuse.

And so, he took the stage!

Luo Cheng sneered at Jiang Chen. "Heh heh, brat, you didn’t expect to run into me here, did you? Yesterday at the city gates, you had Cui Zheng and Kumu to back you up, which is how you escaped. I told you then that the next time we met would be the day you die. I just didn’t expect that day to come so soon!"

"Luo Cheng? I never thought the person the Martial Arts Arena found to send to their death would be you!" Jiang Chen was somewhat at a loss for words.

’What a coincidence!’

Luo Cheng snorted, his gaze darkening. "You’ve got a lot of nerve, brat! Daring to say I’m here to be killed? I know you just defeated Leng Feng, but so what? He wasn’t even in the top one hundred on the Spirit List, whereas I am ranked ninety-eighth. Let me tell you, the difference between being inside the top one hundred and outside it is like the difference between heaven and earth. I’m much stronger than that kid Leng Feng ever was!"

"Enough nonsense. Let’s just fight," Jiang Chen said flatly.

"Since you’re in such a hurry to die, I’ll grant your wish!"

With a savage sneer, Luo Cheng suddenly struck.

He opened with a killing blow.

He intended to kill Jiang Chen in one move!

The light of his palm flashed like lightning, forming a colossal, rampaging elephant—it was the Barbaric Elephant Divine Fist, the same technique Luo Hao had once used!

This Luo Cheng was indeed a formidable expert.

His cultivation was at the Middle Stage of Ninth Stage of the True Martial Realm, a step above both Luo Meng and Leng Feng. His True Essence was profound, and the Barbaric Elephant Divine Fist he unleashed was shockingly powerful.

The Barbaric Elephant formed by his fist’s shadow was powerful enough to shatter mountains and stop the flow of rivers.

Two double-hours ago, Jiang Chen would have had to expend considerable effort to face Luo Cheng. But now, with his Sword Intent promoted to Tier Two and his cultivation entering the Late Stage of the True Martial Realm Sixth Stage, his combat prowess had skyrocketed.

"Flood Dragon Soaring to Heaven!"

Jiang Chen rose to his feet and threw a punch.

BOOM—

The Flood Dragon and the Barbaric Elephant collided violently. No matter how strong the Barbaric Elephant was, it was no match for the Flood Dragon. It was instantly torn to shreds!

"How is this possible?" Luo Cheng’s expression changed drastically.

Jiang Chen swept his longsword. A violent burst of Sword Qi shot from its tip, then vanished without a trace. By the time the ferocious Sword Qi reappeared, it was too late for Luo Cheng to defend. A series of sickening, wet tearing sounds echoed out.

The explosive Sword Qi had completely enveloped Luo Cheng!

Blossoms of blood bloomed across his body. No fewer than a hundred wounds were carved into Luo Cheng, each one deep enough to expose bone, each strike aimed to kill.

SWISH!

Jiang Chen took a step forward, grabbing Luo Cheng by the throat with one hand and lifting him into the air. "Luo Cheng, yesterday you wanted to kill me. The moment you stepped on this stage today, you threatened to kill me. And now? I’m doing just fine, while you... you have fallen into my hands. So let me ask you a question: how do you want to die?"

"Jiang... Jiang Chen... Let me go! You can’t kill me. I’m a disciple of the Luo Family! If you dare to kill me, you’re a dead man!" Luo Cheng’s face was beet red as he spat out the vicious threat.

Jiang Chen sneered. "Let you go? If I let you go, will you just forget our past grievances and stop causing trouble for me?"

Luo Cheng said with a look of pure arrogance, "Of course not! The Luo Family is a venerable institution! You have violated the dignity of my Luo Family, and you must pay the price. However, if you let me go, I can put in a good word for you. Then, as long as we cripple your cultivation and make you kowtow in apology, the Luo Family might still let you live. But if you kill me, then you will truly have no way out but death!"

"Heh, how generous of your Luo Family. Cripple my cultivation and make me kowtow? I think I’d rather just kill you first!"

Jiang Chen said coldly, his hand tightening its grip.

"No... no..."

Luo Cheng roared in terror.

Just then... 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

A cold voice boomed through the air above the Martial Arts Arena. "Brat, release Luo Cheng. Otherwise, I will exterminate your entire clan!"

"Hm?"

Jiang Chen paused, looking up at the figure standing in midair. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

The figure, who radiated an icy aura, descended from the sky. With a look of indifference, he announced coolly, "Luo Rui, ranked thirtieth on the Spirit List!"

Luo Rui’s face was a mask of arrogance and confidence.

He was certain that as soon as he announced his name, Jiang Chen would obediently surrender and release Luo Cheng.

However...

reality dealt him a harsh slap in the face.

Jiang Chen pursed his lips and said flatly, "Thirtieth on the Spirit List? Is that supposed to be impressive? You tell me to release him, and I should just do it? Where would that leave my pride? Let’s not even talk about you, who’s merely ranked thirtieth on the Spirit List. Even if Luo Qing himself were here, he couldn’t save him!"

As his voice fell.

He tightened his grip. With a sharp CRACK, Luo Cheng’s head lolled to the side. He was dead.

In that instant, the Martial Arts Arena fell into a deathly silence...