Devouring Soul Emperor

Inside the Great Xia Martial Palace, a seemingly unremarkable, middle-aged Martial Artist leaned lazily against a wall, occasionally glancing toward the backstage entrance.

’With a Qi Sea ten thousand meters wide and an understanding of Sword Momentum, he might not be completely without a chance, even against a third-level Martial Artist.’

’Chu Qingyun, if you don’t dare to show up, you’ll be a great disappointment to me...’

The stands were incredibly crowded, but strangely, there was no one around this middle-aged Martial Artist.

He seemed to exude a terrifying aura that made everyone keep their distance, not daring to get close.

"Qiqi, I don’t think that Chu Qingyun fellow is going to show. Hmph, a mere Level 9 Martial Artist daring to challenge a Martial Artist. Who does he think he is?"

In the stands, a young master with an aristocratic air spoke to Ye Qi with a smile.

His eyes burned with desire as he looked at Ye Qi.

Ye Qi shot him a look and said, "Impossible. Chu Qingyun will definitely come. Just you wait and see!"

"Even if he comes, he’s just courting death. He’s nothing but a country bumpkin, yet he deludes himself into thinking he can challenge a Martial Artist."

"Exactly! Challenging someone a whole Grand Realm above you? How could a mud-legged peasant possibly do that? Only our brother Ye Lan could pull that off!"

"Haha, Brother Ye Lan is a genius! Back in the day, he killed a first-level Martial Artist when he was only a Level 9 Martial Artist. That story became legendary!"

Listening to the flattery from those around him, the young master who had spoken first offered a few modest deflections, but his face was a mask of smug satisfaction.

In reality, he had relied on treachery to kill a heavily injured Martial Artist who had just opened his Qi Sea. He had been bragging about it for years...

Backstage, the pretty attendant, Mo, paced back and forth restlessly in front of Gao Feng, her lovely face fraught with anxiety.

"Mo, please, calm down for a moment. You’re making my head spin."

Gao Feng said with a hint of resignation.

"Gao, do you think Lord Qingyun will come?"

Mo asked, her eyes wide.

A smile spread across Gao Feng’s face as he countered, "Well, do you want him to come?"

"Of course I want him to come! Otherwise, everyone will call Lord Qingyun a coward!"

"No, no, it’s better if he doesn’t. That old turtle Zhang Han is too powerful. Lord Qingyun can’t beat him. He’ll die."

"Aiya... So is it better for him to come, or not to come...?"

Mo was once again trapped in her dilemma, resuming her pacing and muttering to herself.

Gao Feng, however, simply closed his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.

’Chu Qingyun will definitely come!’

Near the battle stage, a large group from the Blood Wolf Gang clustered around their Elder, Zhang Han, waiting for Chu Qingyun.

Right then, Zhang Han was filled with rage.

The life-and-death battle was scheduled for three in the afternoon. He had planned to arrive a little late to show off his superior status and calm composure, hoping to gain a psychological advantage.

To his surprise, despite arriving at two-thirty, he was still earlier than Chu Qingyun!

The pointing and laughing from the crowd in the stands only irritated him further, making him seethe with anger.

He was a respected Elder of the Blood Wolf Gang, a figure who could make all of Qingshan City tremble with a stomp of his foot, yet now he was being gawked at like a monkey in a zoo!

"Lord Elder, I don’t think that Chu Qingyun dares to come! He’s nothing! How dare he contend with you, Lord Elder!"

"I agree, Elder! If that kid doesn’t show, we’ll go massacre Chu Family Village and avenge Young Master Sun!"

"Yes, avenge him! I, Si Gou, will be the first to charge in!"

Beside Zhang Han, the group from the Blood Wolf Gang was brimming with murderous intent.

With only ten minutes left until the appointed time, Chu Qingyun finally arrived at the Great Xia Martial Palace, unhurried.

"He’s here, he’s here! Chu Qingyun has arrived!"

"What?! He actually dared to come? Youth is truly fearless. Sigh, I remember when I was that bold back in the day..."

"Tsk, tsk, so young. What a pity, a real pity..."

A commotion rippled through the crowd, which spontaneously parted to clear a path for Chu Qingyun.

"Haha, Chu Qingyun, I knew you wouldn’t hide! Enough talk. Get up there!"

A sharp glint flashed in Gao Feng’s eyes upon seeing Chu Qingyun, and he let out a hearty laugh.

"Go, Lord Qingyun! You have to beat that old turtle!"

Mo said to Chu Qingyun, waving her small fists.

Chu Qingyun ruffled her hair and said with a smile, "Alright. Just watch me crack his turtle shell today."

When Chu Qingyun walked out from backstage and stepped onto the battle stage, he instantly stirred up a whirlwind of excitement in the stands.

Everyone’s faces lit up with excitement. At the very least, this trip wouldn’t be for nothing.

’He finally came. He didn’t disappoint me after all.’

’I was the one who scouted this Chu Qingyun fellow, in a way. Since he didn’t let me down, I’ll save your life even if you lose. We in the Assassin Alliance don’t play by other people’s rules...’

The middle-aged Martial Artist by the wall thought silently while watching Chu Qingyun on the stage.

If Chu Qingyun were standing before her, he might have felt a sense of familiarity, because she was none other than a disguised You Yun.

In the stands, Ye Qi’s eyes were filled with both joy and worry. She tugged on Housekeeper Qin’s arm and said, "Sir Qin, you promised me you would intervene at the critical moment."

Housekeeper Qin nodded with a smile. "Rest assured, rest assured. That boy mastered the Sword Drawing Technique and won the City Lord’s favor, so I will naturally protect his life. Besides, the Blood Wolf Gang has become more and more brazen lately. It’s time to knock them down a peg and remind them just who is in charge of Qingshan City."

"Heehee, you’re the best, Sir Qin!"

Ye Qi beamed, her big eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.

Meanwhile, the young master Ye Lan, standing to the side, glared maliciously at Chu Qingyun on the stage, his eyes filled with jealous hatred.

Backstage, Gao Feng threw up his hands in surrender as Mo continued to pester him. "Alright, alright, Mo, I promise you. I will definitely step in at the critical moment. I’ll make sure to return your Lord Qingyun to you in one piece. Is that good enough?"

Gao Feng made the promise with a smile, feeling no reservations about it.

A Great Xia Samurai might not appear even once in several years. Now that he had personally discovered one, he certainly wasn’t going to stand by and watch Chu Qingyun die.

As for his agreement with the Blood Wolf Gang, he couldn’t care less.

Compared to the Great Xia Martial Palace, the Blood Wolf Gang was less than nothing!

Poor Zhang Han was still cracking his knuckles, completely unaware that three supreme experts were already watching the stage intently.

The battle’s outcome was more than half decided before it had even begun.

No matter what, he was not going to complete his mission of killing Chu Qingyun...

Tossing off his outer robe to reveal the fitted combat attire beneath, Zhang Han walked onto the battle stage with a ferocious expression, a wave of Evil Qi emanating from his body.

"Chu Qingyun, you finally decided to grace us with your presence. This day next year will be the anniversary of your death!"

"Anniversary of my death? You old turtle, you sure talk big. Today, I’m going to break your old bones and send you to see Zhang Ning!"

On the battle stage, the two were instantly at each other’s throats.