C6 Either You Leave, or Die

The Wind Devil had a penchant for torturing the weak to entertain the crowd and add a thrill to the betting scene. It wasn't about the money for him; he relished the kill, thriving on the adrenaline rush akin to dancing on a knife's edge.

Licking his lips with a sneer, the Wind Devil taunted, "I have no clue where you hail from, but the audacity to challenge me is sheer folly!"

"You, a weakling, are fated to fall to my blade!"

At the Wind Devil's words, Ye Xu raised his hand, signaling for the referee—a clear call for intervention.

"You truly are clueless, scared already?" The Wind Devil's face twisted into a scornful grimace as he bellowed, "Run on home, boy. This place isn't for the likes of you!"

With that, the Wind Devil turned on his heel and strode away, convinced that Ye Xu was cowed by his murderous aura and plotting a hasty retreat.

The audience's excitement waned, and those who had wagered on the Wind Devil's victory showered Ye Xu with insults.

"What's the matter?" asked the referee, his voice dripping with disdain. "If you lack the courage, you have no business in the Fighting Stadium. What kind of man flees from battle?"

Unruffled, Ye Xu seemed untouched by the contempt. "Is death an acceptable outcome in the Fighting Stadium?"

"Yes," the referee sneered, "So, you're scared of dying and planning to run? What a coward!"

Ye Xu turned away, ignoring the referee, his gaze fixed on the arena. He drew his sword, the blade gleaming with a chilling light.

His presence intensified as he gripped the Nine Tribulation Divine Sword, his eyes resolute, embodying the very essence of a war deity.

With a serene smile, he declared, "Wind Devil, you have two options: leave or perish!"

His voice boomed, reaching every corner of the stadium.

The crowd and the referee were stunned, their jaws nearly hitting the floor.

"Has he lost his mind? To challenge the Wind Devil!"

"At the second level of the Qi Refining Stage, the Wind Devil is unbeatable!"

"The last man who dared speak to the Wind Devil like that vanished without a trace!"

The Wind Devil had long been the undefeated champion of the arena, an invincible legend in the minds of many.

Yet, Ye Xu had the gall to challenge him?

The crowd's excitement surged anew. The young man in the black hood wasn't a coward after all, but a fool.

Why else would he incite the Wind Devil? It was beyond comprehension.

The incensed Wind Devil wouldn't let this slide. Now, they were in for a spectacle.

"How dare a nobody speak to me that way? One slash is all it would take to end you!"

"Wind Devil Sickle!"

The Wind Devil's expression darkened as he bellowed, and a sickle's phantom emerged behind him. He brandished the sickle, his gaze as ferocious as a ravenous wolf.

Surprise flickered in Ye Xu's eyes. He had assumed Wu Xiaotian's moniker stemmed from a wind elemental martial soul. But it was, in fact, a Weapon Martial Spirit—a blade type, known for its formidable strength among Martial Spirits.

The Wind Devil Sickle gleamed menacingly. With a powerful leap, the Wind Devil lunged at Ye Xu like a missile.

The clash of metal rang out as Ye Xu parried the Wind Devil's onslaught. His stance was unyielding, rooted to the ground like a monolith.

Blades met, and Ye Xu's spiritual energy burst forth in a torrent. With a surge of strength, he sent the Wind Devil staggering backward.

Ye Xu looked up with a grin. "Weren't you the one who claimed you could kill me with a single strike?"

"Don't get cocky! I was only using thirty percent of my power!" The Wind Devil's eyes blazed with a wolfish ferocity. Humiliated and enraged, he bellowed, "Now, I'm going all out!"

As the Wind Devil finished his declaration, he positioned his sickle before him, his body radiating intense spiritual energy. The arena's atmosphere churned, the winds howling fiercely.

"That's the Wind Devil's signature Martial Skill, the Ten Waves Kill!" an observant spectator exclaimed.

Martial Skills, like cultivation techniques, were categorized into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. The Ten Waves Kill was a Low Rank Yellow Level skill. Mastered to perfection, it could rival a Middle Rank Yellow Level skill in power, making it a formidable force!

The Ten Waves Kill is akin to relentless, ferocious waves, each strike building upon the last, growing exponentially stronger until the final blow amplifies a hundredfold!"

"That young man doesn't stand a chance!"

Ignoring the gasps from the crowd, Ye Xu watched the Wind Devil's every move with cool detachment.

Suddenly, the Wind Devil let out a fierce cry, launching an attack as swift and powerful as a hurricane.

"One kill! Two kill! Three kill!"

The Wind Devil's roars intertwined with the clash of weapons, spurring the audience to cheer and clap.

Unfazed, Ye Xu waited for the right moment. As a flash of blade light appeared, he raised his sword and met the onslaught with defiance.

A smile flickered across the Wind Devil's face, certain of his victory. His initial strike might have been weak, but his subsequent attacks would only grow stronger. No one could possibly withstand his tenth kill—his ace in the hole. Ye Xu was as good as dead.

The Wind Devil intensified his assault, his aura chilling with murderous intent.

"Eight kill! Nine kill!"

"Ten kill!"

The impact of the final strike sent tremors through the earth, kicking up clouds of dust.

Their weapons collided with a devastating impact.

To his horror, the Wind Devil saw his sickle shatter, sweat beading on his brow.

Ye Xu had broken his weapon!

As the dust began to settle, the Wind Devil looked up to find Ye Xu standing motionless, completely unscathed.

Impossible! He had given it everything he had!

Shock and disbelief surged through the Wind Devil as his eyes widened.

Ye Xu shrugged nonchalantly. "That was your best? You're far too weak. I can't even muster the slightest interest in this fight."

With that, Ye Xu let the Nine Tribulations Sword fall to the ground. As he walked, the sword's tip dragged a deep furrow in the dust.

"What are you doing? I surrender!" The Wind Devil cried out in alarm as Ye Xu approached.

A mocking smile played on Ye Xu's lips. "Did you show mercy to those weaker than you when they surrendered? Besides, I gave you a choice: leave or die. You've missed your chance to leave, so death is all that's left."

Ye Xu's words, heavy with lethal intent, made the Wind Devil stumble backward. "You can't kill me! I am the son of the Wu Family's manager, with a status far above the common rabble. Spare me, and I'll make you the captain of the Wu Family guards. You'll bask in endless glory!"

"Captain of the guards?" A cold smirk curled Ye Xu's mouth.

Thinking he had swayed Ye Xu, the Wind Devil pressed on eagerly, "The Wu Family is one of the four major families in Yunzhong Town, immensely powerful. Just pledge your loyalty to me..."

Wind Devil's confidence swelled with every word he spoke, his smile brimming across his face. As the son of the Wu Family's steward, he held a lofty position and was convinced that Ye Xu would be swayed by his offer.

But before he could finish, a glint of cold steel flashed, and blood began to pour from his throat. Clutching his neck, Wind Devil gaped at Ye Xu in disbelief. He collapsed, his life force ebbing away.

Confusion clouded his dying eyes; he couldn't fathom why Ye Xu would dare to kill him even after learning of his high-ranking identity.

Ye Xu turned away, his expression icy. Wind Devil might have been the steward's son, flaunting his arrogance and tyranny, but should the weak be slain for that? Should those of lower status be condemned to death?

Wind Devil had done nothing but bask in the legacy left by his ancestors of the Wu Family, while he wantonly disrespected others. Had the tables been turned and Ye Xu been the one defeated, Wind Devil would have shown no mercy, only escalating his cruelty.

Such was the lack of humanity in Wind Devil. It mattered little that he was the son of a steward; even if he had been an Elder's offspring, Ye Xu would have deemed him worthy of the same fate.