Chapter 707: Slashing (1/10, Autumn Subscription)

Could it be that the Dayang Caravan truly has a chance to challenge for third place in the Sky Commerce Alliance?!

For a moment, everyone was buzzing with discussion.

Before today, no one had ever imagined it.

This Dayang Caravan, a minor group ranked far below the top hundred, unknown and insignificant, had already climbed to this height—and might even challenge a pinnacle no one dared dream of reaching.

All eyes fell upon Fang Yue.

At this moment, the unconscious Tan Jingmi stirred awake from her daze.

"I… lost?"

Seeing the reactions around her and Fang Yue standing firmly on the arena, Tan Jingmi was utterly stunned.

She had no real sense of defeat, yet the Dayang Caravan's rank had already secured tenth place—everything was settled!

"How could this…?"

Tan Jingmi clenched her fists, glared hatefully at Fang Yue for a moment, shoved away those trying to help her up, and stormed off in fury.

"Even Tan Jingmi isn't his match…"

Mang Liuzi stood dumbfounded, mouth agape—could Night Lord's strength actually surpass my master's?

Everyone knew Tan Jingmi was a devoted fan of Luo Yijie, but no one dared point it out.

Now that Tan Jingmi had lost, this scene was fully witnessed by Luo Yijie's eyes—no one knew how the idol would react.

Some glanced involuntarily toward Luo Yijie, only to see him nod with quiet satisfaction, as if an elder witnessing a junior's progress.

No wonder he's the opponent I chose! His strength is exactly as I suspected—this man is worth fighting!

With a casual strike, Luo Yijie defeated his opponent on the arena, his aura surging upward, firmly securing the championship of Group Two.

On the adjacent Group One arena, Tai Yuema, after several exchanges, also dispatched his opponent.

He was better at pretending than Fang Yue—while Fang Yue defeated ordinary opponents in no more than ten or twenty moves, Tai Yuema insisted on a prolonged back-and-forth performance, advancing and retreating, barely scraping by as if barely passing.

Fang Yue observed all the reactions around him, then stepped down to rest.

But soon, Fang Yue sensed something was off.

A gaze was fixed on him—unyielding, intense.

After breaking into the Human Realm, Fang Yue's perception had risen another level.

For instance, right now, he clearly felt that the boy called Jun Shao was acting strangely.

Moreover, Fang Yue realized that the earlier strange, burning gaze had come from Jun Shao.

Watching Jun Shao approach, Fang Yue grew wary and subtly activated his internal energy.

Possession? Or does this fellow have some other trick?

Before Fang Yue could verify it himself, Jun Shao—halfway there—was suddenly intercepted by a Blue Guard and led toward Dou Hongyi.

Yet Dou Hongyi, as if sensing Fang Yue's gaze, paused, then walked over to him and lowered his voice.

"Elder, are you calling me?"

Who the hell is calling you!

Fang Yue's face darkened, but after a moment's thought, he said: "That boy, Jun Shao—he's suspicious."

"You think so too, Elder?"

Dou Hongyi's eyes lit up: "I'll take him away for investigation right away!"

"…Be careful."

"Yes!"

Dou Hongyi trusted Fang Yue's judgment without question.

After all, in his eyes, Fang Yue was a Rain-level elder—didn't he see Night Rain still drizzling intermittently above his head?

Night Rain falling overhead, yet his expression unchanged—just this alone was enough to command respect, let alone the fact that Dou Hongyi knew Fang Yue's "secret."

Returning to his post, Dou Hongyi took Jun Shao away.

At this moment, Fang Yue was called back onto the arena—now, he was no longer the challenger, but the one being challenged.

Whoever stepped onto the arena, upon seeing Fang Yue, would grow solemn, feeling an invisible pressure.

The tree casts a shadow; the man bears a name.

When Fang Yue replaced Tan Jingmi in the tenth position, he inherited her reputation and became the new arena champion!

The battles continued, but no one still believed in Fang Yue's opponents.

To them, only the top ten experts of the Sky Commerce Alliance could possibly defeat someone who had bested Tan Jingmi!

As for others, they simply weren't qualified.

While the battles raged on, Dou Hongyi led Jun Shao and a group of Blue Guards along the road back to the Blue Office.

The sky had gradually darkened.

Human Soul lamps lit up along the streets, providing basic illumination; the warmth of the Earth Core dispelled the night's chill.

This most basic of protections was also the most easily overlooked.

Walking the night road beneath dim Human Soul lamps, Dou Hongyi's mind was filled with arena events—he longed to return to the arena to watch others fight, especially since Night Lord was still there, waiting for the Nuomian Gui to appear.

If he could assist just a little, perhaps he'd earn the Rain-level elder's favor—and rise to greatness!

As he thought of this, he turned a corner—the courtyard of the Blue Office loomed ahead.

But at that moment, Dou Hongyi suddenly stopped.

He no longer heard footsteps.

Qing!

Without hesitation, he drew his sword, spun around, and slowly retreated toward the corner.

There, on the road behind them, lay the corpses of countless Blue Guards—including Jun Shao.

Dead?

Dou Hongyi froze, quickly leaning in to check for a breath.

The moment his fingers touched the soldier's nostrils, two fingers emerged from within, hooking backward and locking his fingers in place.

"【Nuomian Gui】?!"

Seeing the human fingers, Dou Hongyi's face turned pale—he swung his sword at the soldier's neck.

Ding—

A sound like metal clashing rang out.

His sword could not so much as scratch the soldier's neck!

How is this possible?! Dou Hongyi widened his eyes, unable to believe what he saw.

"Gugugu!"

At that moment, the soldier slowly turned his head, twisting his fingers still locked with Dou Hongyi's—snapping them clean off.

Amid Dou Hongyi's scream, the soldier's eyes turned pitch black, oozing black blood.

The black blood dripped to the ground; hundreds of tiny hands burst forth with a rustling sound, clutching Dou Hongyi's feet in a dense mass.

"Get off! Get off!!"

In panic, Dou Hongyi slashed wildly—each strike, like before, failed to sever the tiny hands, only producing ding-ding clashes.

Watching the soldier grin as he lumbered toward him, Dou Hongyi finally lost his composure.

With a roar, he poured all his Qi into his sword; the blade glowed faintly, as if unable to contain the overwhelming force.

At the peak of that power, Dou Hongyi swung his sword straight down into the cluster of tiny hands beneath his feet.

Ssshh—

Black blood sprayed; dozens of fingers flew into the air.

The tiny hands, moments ago seemingly indestructible, now had their fingers severed one by one.

"Gugugu!"

The injured hands recoiled into the ground; as the soldier showed a brief flicker of surprise, Dou Hongyi seized the chance and fled far from him.

Yet his escape route was not toward Qing Si, nor Lan Shan, nor the Tian Shang Alliance headquarters—but… the fighting arena!

"Elder… Master Ye, save me!!"

…

The sun rose—Breath of the Sun, activate!

(End of Chapter)