Shrouded by the gloomy Demonic Qi of the Boundless Demon Realm, Jiang Chen’s consciousness plunged into chaos.

This black miasma possessed a soul-shocking power even greater than Zhong Yi’s Eight Extremes Bell. It was also far more insidious and nearly impossible to defend against.

Even someone like Jiang Chen fell into a momentary daze under the influence of the Boundless Demon Realm.

However, Jiang Chen’s Divine Thought Power had reached Tier Two Advanced, and his willpower was incredibly tenacious. By the time the razor-sharp saber aura was just half a meter from his body, Jiang Chen had already snapped out of it.

A flash of cyan-gold light, like a bolt of lightning, shot through his eyes.

In that split second, he raised the Qingfeng Sword horizontally above his head to block.

BOOM—

The unparalleled saber aura slammed down heavily on the Qingfeng Sword.

The Flame-Devouring Saber’s descent faltered for an instant. Seizing that moment, Jiang Chen moved as if his feet were greased, dodging to the side.

Almost simultaneously, the saber aura crashed down!

RRRIP!

The sound of cloth being violently torn apart rang out as the saber struck the Blood Battle Arena.

A massive fissure spread out in a straight line from where Jiang Chen had been standing. Nearly half of the vast Blood Battle Arena had been brutally cleaved in two by that single strike!

Scalding lava poured from the fissure and off the arena, dripping onto the ground below with a SIZZLE.

"H-He dodged it?"

"I thought Jiang Chen was a dead man for sure! How did he break free from the Boundless Demon Realm in the end?"

The crowd gasped in astonishment, each spectator sucking in a sharp breath.

On the high platform, the expressions of Prince Gong and the other three, who had been in a tense standoff, all changed at once. Prince Gong and the Tower Guardian Elder, however, let out sighs of relief, while Zong Rui and Zong Han looked utterly mortified.

They had been certain of Jiang Chen’s death, but he had managed to escape!

"Damn it, this kid’s luck is just too good!"

"It was so close!"

Zong Rui and Zong Han looked completely unreconciled.

Seeing Jiang Chen was unharmed, Prince Gong and the Tower Guardian Elder let their worries subside. They sat back down, crossed their legs, and began to chat leisurely, making the expressions on Zong Rui and Zong Han’s faces grow even fouler.

Not only had they failed to kill Jiang Chen, but they had also offended Prince Gong and the Tower Guardian Elder.

Their plan had completely backfired.

’That useless Luo Qing! He couldn’t even kill Jiang Chen with such a perfect opportunity! Damn it...’ Zong Rui roared inwardly.

Third Elder Zong Han shot Zong Rui a sharp look and transmitted his voice grimly, "Don’t worry, Brother. Luo Qing still has the absolute advantage. He will definitely be able to kill Jiang Chen!"

"Mm."

Zong Rui nodded, but the gloomy look on his face didn’t lessen in the slightest.

...

Luo Qing brandished the Flame-Devouring Saber, the stiff smile on his face slowly fading. It was replaced by a look of shock and an even more intense killing intent. "He can even break free from the Boundless Demon Realm... Just how many secrets is this guy hiding? Damn it, I will kill you!"

"You failed to kill me with that last strike, which means you’ll never have the chance to kill me again in this lifetime!"

Jiang Chen’s calm voice drifted over from the side.

He stood atop the scalding lava, a faint layer of True Essence hovering beneath his soles, shielding them from the heat.

With his sword in one hand and his black hair flowing, a heaven-storming killing intent erupted from him.

"Kill me? You’re not worthy!" Luo Qing sneered.

"Worthy or not, you’ll have to ask the sword in my hand first!"

He darted forward. The lava beneath his feet splashed violently, the fiery-red blossoms of molten rock as bewitchingly beautiful as fresh blood.

Jiang Chen gripped his sword with both hands and traced a circle in front of him. The resulting arc of Sword Qi glowed with a cyan light that contained sharp blades of wind. He pushed it forward—a series of large, overlapping circles, each containing smaller ones, rippling outward layer by layer.

"Break!"

Nine auras of saber light erupted from the Flame-Devouring Saber, spreading out in a fan shape as they slashed forward.

The nine crimson saber lights slammed into the circular Sword Qi.

Cyan and crimson light flared high in the air, seeming to paint the very sky.

In a flash of light, Luo Qing and Jiang Chen charged each other at top speed. Saber and sword moved like flowing water in their hands, extensions of their own bodies. The two distinctly different, yet equally and incomparably sharp, weapons clashed again and again.

Luo Qing’s saber slashed downward. Jiang Chen met it with his sword, and with a flick of his arm, his blade struck the saber with a sharp CLANG.

The savage force sent the Flame-Devouring Saber flying from Luo Qing’s grasp. The violent vibrations from the impact tore open the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.

’Such terrifying strength...’ A look of horror crossed Luo Qing’s face.

He glanced at Jiang Chen from the corner of his eye.

Only to find that Jiang Chen had vanished. ’Where did he go?’

"Right here!"

An icy voice suddenly spoke from behind him, draining the color from Luo Qing’s face. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Not daring to turn around, he dodged to the side with all his speed, but it was still too slow!

"Azure Dragon Emerges from the Sea!"

A thunderous shout exploded beside his ear.

Jiang Chen held his sword in his right hand while his left shot forward. Golden True Essence condensed into a brilliant, golden Azure Dragon. It lunged as if from the depths of the sea, its lifelike body lashing out like a great whip. With a WHOOSH, it viciously struck Luo Qing’s waist.

"WAAH..."

The side of Luo Qing’s waist was blasted open. Blood gushed out as his body was sent flying sideways.

SWOOSH—

Jiang Chen stepped into the air, flying in pursuit. In an instant, he caught up to Luo Qing and smashed a fist straight into his head.

BOOM!

Luo Qing’s entire body convulsed as blood sprayed from his seven orifices. His head plummeted violently toward the ground.

With a sickening THUD, Luo Qing’s head cracked open, blood spraying everywhere.

Leaving a blood-soaked crater in the ground!

With a sharp CRACK, Jiang Chen descended from the air, landing heavily on Luo Qing’s chest.

Luo Qing’s chest immediately caved in. Half his ribs were broken, and he coughed up a constant stream of blood and bits of his internal organs. His eyes filled with terror as he watched the cold steel of Jiang Chen’s sword draw ever closer to his heart. "J-Jiang Chen, what are you doing?"

"Killing you!"

Jiang Chen said flatly.

"No... You can’t kill me! I’m the Young Master of the Luo Family! A prodigy of the Saint Martial Sword Sect! You can’t kill me..." Luo Qing shrieked hysterically.

"I’ve killed people from the Luo Family before. As for prodigies from the Saint Martial Sword Sect, Lu Jie and Zhong Yi are prime examples," Jiang Chen said nonchalantly. He pushed his sword forward a little, breaking the skin over Luo Qing’s heart, on the verge of piercing it through.

But just then, a furious roar like a clap of thunder descended from the sky. A terrifying pressure washed over the arena, causing the blood and qi in Jiang Chen’s body to churn violently. "Wretched creature, stay your hand!"

"Hm?"

Jiang Chen’s gaze hardened. That single shout had nearly given him internal injuries. He frowned and looked toward the newcomers.

It was none other than Grand Elder Zong Rui and Third Elder Zong Han!

The two strode through the air and landed before him, their faces grim. Zong Rui bellowed, "Jiang Chen, how dare you openly maim a fellow disciple! Do you admit your guilt?"

"Guilty? Guilty my ass!" Jiang Chen spat back. "Where were you two old bastards when Luo Qing was about to kill me? Now that I’m giving him a taste of his own medicine and about to finish him, you two decide to show up? Who the hell do you think you are?!"

"Insolent! How dare you speak to the Grand Elder like that! You..." Third Elder Zong Han was so enraged he could only stare, fuming.

Before he could finish, Jiang Chen swept a cold gaze over him. "I don’t care if you’re the Grand Elder or the Third Elder. You said it yourselves: on the arena, life and death are decided by fate. And now you’re jumping out to meddle? What right do you have!"

"Jiang Chen," Grand Elder Zong Rui said, his face a dark mask as he stared at the young man, "My word is final. I order you to release Luo Qing and accompany me to the Law Enforcement Hall to await judgment! Otherwise, I will end you myself, right here and now!"

A furious fire blazed in Jiang Chen’s heart.

Rage!

Pure, unadulterated rage!

’When you thought Luo Qing could kill me, you said life and death were decided by fate. Now that he’s lost, you’re telling me I can’t harm a fellow disciple?’

’To hell with that!’

An icy light glinted in Jiang Chen’s eyes. He met the gaze of Zong Rui and Zong Han without a trace of fear or deference. "Your word is final, is it?" he said, enunciating each word. "What a coincidence. I, Jiang Chen, am also a man of my word. I said I would kill Luo Qing today, and not even the Celestial King himself could stop me!"

The moment his voice fell, Jiang Chen’s sword slashed down violently.

SPLURT—

The sharp edge of the blade entered the top of Luo Qing’s head and was only drawn out after it passed between his legs.

Blood stained the ground red. Luo Qing’s body trembled slightly before splitting down the middle into two halves, lying in a pool of its own blood...