Chapter 30: Mad World

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Mad World

What was going on?

Upon seeing Gongsun Jie, Murong Kaixin felt a bit dazed. He couldn’t believe the dignified Sect Leader of the Profound Light Sect was actually playing this so-called match with a bunch of Martial World juniors. Yet, there he was on the pitch, wearing a number ten jersey and kicking vigorously...

Aside from Gongsun Jie, Murong Kaixin also recognized many familiar faces from the Profound Light Sect. Clad in yellow martial attire, they were fighting desperately against the red-jerseyed Fun Team for possession of a red-and-white ball. On the sidelines, others in identical outfits waited anxiously. As someone waved a flag, people immediately ran onto the pitch to carry off the players Liu Guangsheng had just severely injured. Immediately after, two waiting players rushed onto the field to substitute them.

Many injured players already crowded the sidelines. Some wore splints on their legs, while others clutched their groins with both hands, but not a single one cared about their injuries. Their eyes remained glued to the ball in play... Murong Kaixin saw only frustration and eagerness on their faces, as if they were dying to heal instantly and get back into the game.

Were they insane?

Murong Kaixin felt his mind could barely process it all. He couldn’t help but frown as he scanned the entirety of Sirius Valley. Sirius Valley was packed to the brim. The stands on both sides were filled with commoners. Their expressions were thrilled and fanatical; at exciting moments, they would stand up, wave their flags, and cheer loudly, acting as if they were possessed.

Fanaticism! Murong Kaixin saw fanaticism on every single face. This was not a good sign! He had only ever seen such fanatical expressions on the faces of believers bewitched by an Evil Cult. Even Gongsun Jie had been bewitched.

Murong Kaixin looked around the arena, his expression growing increasingly grave. The Chancellor was right. There was definitely something wrong with this so-called Lord Li. No matter how brilliant or talented such a person was, he could never be entrusted with important tasks. Otherwise, he would become a disaster for the entire Chu Country.

Kill! Such a menace had to be eradicated. Murong Kaixin made up his mind. The emperor had ordered him to bring Lord Li back, so he wouldn’t beat him to death. But he had already decided that by the time this guy entered the Capital City, he would be a complete cripple.

However, the venue was crowded with commoners, and striking now might harm the innocent. Once the match ended, it would be doomsday for Li Ye. Murong Kaixin had plenty of patience.

His gaze continued to sweep across the arena. Soon, he spotted many other familiar faces: Wenren Chuan, Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect; Shen Tuhong, Third Elder of the Celestial Dao Alliance; Xu Chuan, Left Protector of the Red Flame Sect; and even Wan Peng, Deputy Commander of the Inspection Department, along with several sect leaders from Second-tier Sects.

All of them were sitting in the stands directly facing the valley entrance, watching the match intently. Occasionally, they would whisper to each other with smiles on their faces, getting along exceptionally well.

This scene put Murong Kaixin on even higher alert. The righteous factions, the evil factions, and the imperial court—people from three opposing groups were actually gathered together. Only a ghost would believe there was no conspiracy behind this! This Lord Li’s ambitions were massive!

He just didn’t know if the Grandmasters of the Red Flame Sect and the Celestial Dao Alliance were involved. If those two old fogeys had also joined in, they were likely plotting something earth-shattering. Without realizing it, a fine layer of sweat broke out on Murong Kaixin’s back.

***

"GOAL! Another beautiful goal! The score is now six to four, with the Fun People Club temporarily in the lead. There is less than a quarter of an hour left before the match ends. Time is running out for the Profound Light Sect.

"However, this is the Profound Light Sect’s first time participating in a match. To achieve this score is already very impressive. Although their overall physical attributes are higher than those of the Fun Seekers, unfortunately, their tactical layout and teamwork have faltered.

"But I believe that with the valuable experience from this match, when the Fun Seekers travel for an away game at the Profound Light Sect, they will definitely face a very formidable opponent... Beautiful! What a fantastic sliding tackle!

"Let’s see who pulled off this move! Number eight, Precepts Hall Elder Li Qiang of the Profound Light Sect! Bravo, Li Qiang! Truly worthy of being a Profound Light Sect Elder, his comprehension is outstanding. He has already grasped the true essence of tackling people. Even I didn’t see how he executed that flying tackle!

"Good heavens! The one whose leg was broken is actually Ironfoot Immortal Fan Jie! Indeed, the cycle of the Celestial Dao brings infallible retribution! Fan Jie, who has broken countless legs on the pitch, probably never expected that his own leg would be broken one day! Wait, looking at his agonized expression, it seems not only was his leg broken, but his groin also took a massive hit!

"How did Elder Li do it? He actually attacked two vital areas at once! It’s simply a Divine Hand! Without a doubt, this strike can probably be rated in the top ten plays of the match! If Elder Li can master and promote this move, it might just become his signature technique..."

***

What were they doing?

Tong Yi hadn’t seen it clearly, but Murong Kaixin had. When Li Qiang broke Fan Jie’s leg with a kick, he had simultaneously smashed his fist upward, ruthlessly striking Fan Jie’s vitals. Given the force and speed, Fan Jie’s private parts were absolutely shattered. Any man who suffered such a severe injury would permanently lose his fertility; in worse cases, he might even die on the spot.

What kind of deep-seated hatred was this? To strike so viciously on the pitch? Weren’t they part of the same organization?

Murong Kaixin was baffled once more. At this rate, how many people would actually be left standing by the end of the match? Even Innate Masters couldn’t withstand such torment! Just what exactly were they doing?

He grew increasingly confused. Fan Jie getting his leg broken seemed to ignite the fury of the Fun People Club, making their plays on the field even more ferocious. Slide tackles, elbow strikes, the Shadowless Leg... To fight for control of the ball, both sides resorted to every extreme measure. Even Gongsun Jie was kicked in the backside several times.

The goalkeepers had it even worse, suffering snapped tendons and broken bones, subbed out one after another. The goalmouth was practically sprayed with blood everywhere, yet the subsequent goalkeepers still threw themselves into the fray, risking their lives to block the shots without yielding a single inch.

Insane! These people were all insane!

By the end, this was the only thought left in Murong Kaixin’s mind. But soon, he noticed something amiss. As the match reached a fever pitch, those who had been severely injured—those whom Murong Kaixin deemed beyond saving—actually reappeared on the field and rejoined the fierce struggle...

Was this some kind of joke?

Murong Kaixin looked as if he had seen a ghost. He had clearly seen Fan Jie’s leg being broken, the bone exposed. How could it be that, in just a short while, he was acting like nothing had happened, showing not a single trace of injury?

Had his eyes deceived him? Or was everything on the pitch just a Blinding Technique? But what kind of Blinding Technique could fool a Grandmaster like him? The sound of bones snapping and the metallic stench of blood in the air were all so real...

Something was wrong. Everything in this arena was abnormal.

The match wasn’t over yet, but Murong Kaixin couldn’t care less. In a flash, he arrived at the area where the injured were gathered. With a wave of his hand, the clothes covering an injured player shredded into pieces, clearly exposing the wounds before his eyes.

The wound was split open, jagged bone fragments poking out, and the originally bulging Descendants’ Bag had been kicked completely flat... The injuries of every patient were undeniably real.

Yet, right under Murong Kaixin’s nose, the flattened Descendants’ Bag filled out once more, and the broken bone fragments slowly retracted back into the flesh. The muscles around the wound writhed, and in just a moment, the horrifying gash had bizarrely healed.

What?!

Murong Kaixin’s mouth twitched. At this moment, he felt as if the entire world had turned into an illusion. Looking back at the people still fiercely competing on the field, he subconsciously pinched his own thigh hard...