Chapter 142: VICIOUS BASTARD(1)

News of an arena duel spread through the Nine Valley Sect like wild spirit fire, leaping from peak to peak within the span of half an incense stick of time.

An Outer Sect novice against an Inner Sect veteran!

Elder Fu’s personal disciple, rumored to be thoroughly crippled, stepping onto the Life-and-Death stage against Gao Shan!

By the time Li Yan, accompanied by Gu Jun and Baozi, arrived at the Martial Arena, the surrounding spectator terraces were already packed to the brim with disciples.

Outer disciples in plain blue rubbed shoulders with inner disciples in flowing azure, their excited, murmuring voices buzzing like a swarm of hornets.

At the center of the plaza sat the arena itself—an elevated, octagonal platform spanning a hundred paces wide, paved with slabs of dark-iron granite and carved with ancient protective runes.

Standing on the high platform above the arena was an elder clad in ink-colored robes. His face was stern, his eyes carrying the heavy, unreadable depth of an elder from the Hall of Discipline.

"Who petitions for an open duel?" the Elder of Discipline’s voice boomed down from the pavilion, laced with a trace of spiritual pressure that immediately silenced the clamoring crowd.

Gao Shan strode forward, swaggering like a conqueror stepping onto his personal battlefield. He cupped his fists toward the high platform, his triangular eyes glinting with fierce arrogance.

"Disciple Gao Shan of the Inner Sect petitions to test swords with Junior Brother Li Yan of the Outer Sect!" Gao Shan’s voice was loud and clear, carrying to every ear in the plaza. "To prevent outsiders from claiming that an inner senior bullies a junior, this duel shall be conducted under the three-move challenge of the sect!"

Hearing the words three-move challenge, murmurs broke out across the spectator stands.

In the sect’s traditions, when a higher-ranked disciple challenged someone beneath them, the senior would restrict the match to three formal exchanges. If the defender could withstand or parry all three moves without yielding the stage, it was considered the defender’s victory!

"However!" Gao Shan turned around, his cruel, mocking gaze locking directly onto Li Yan. His lips pulled back over his yellowed teeth in a vicious, predatory smirk. "Since Junior Brother Li was bold enough to strike my wrist outside the training grounds, an ordinary spar would hardly settle this grudge. We must lay down proper stakes!"

Beside the stage, Li Wei stepped into the front row of spectators, his indigo robes fluttering elegantly in the breeze. He wore an expression of grave, solemn distress, sighing softly for the benefit of those around him:

"Senior Brother Gao, Brother Yan is still young and hot-headed. His meridians have only just been battered by the northern miasma... please, for my sake, do not make the wager too harsh!"

Though his words sounded like desperate pleading, his eyes were glued to Li Yan, dancing with twisted, venomous anticipation.

Fight! Stake your life! Let Gao Shan skin you alive in front of the entire sect!

Gao Shan laughed boisterously, wave after wave of cold killing intent spilling from his frame.

"Brother Wei, you are too soft-hearted! In the world of cultivation, since he dares to step onto the stage, he must bear the consequences!"

Gao Shan raised his thick, calloused index finger, pointing straight at Li Yan’s face like an unsheathed blade.

"Li Yan! If you lose—if you cannot withstand my three moves or fall off this stage—not only will you surrender your entire three-year quota of outer-sect medicinal pills and spiritual stones, you will crawl on all fours around this Martial Plaza three times while barking like a mangy dog!"

A collective gasp echoed through the crowd.

Crawling like a dog! Forfeiting three years of cultivation resources! For an outer disciple, that was no different than having their cultivation path permanently severed!

Yet Gao Shan’s wicked smile deepened, his eyes dropping toward Li Yan’s right arm and topknot.

"Furthermore! You will kneel before Senior Brother Cui and Brother Wei, kowtow nine times until your forehead bleeds, and allow me to shatter your right arm at the bone socket, ensuring you never wield a blade in this sect again!"

"You vicious bastard!"

Gu Jun’s eyes turned entirely bloodshot. The veins on his thick neck bulged like coiled snakes, and his broadsword left its scabbard by three inches with a ferocious metallic screech. "Gao Shan! I will tear your mouth off your face! How dare you."

Beside him, Baozi could not hear the shouted words, but watching Gao Shan’s contorted, mocking face and the horrific reactions of the crowd around her, she instantly understood that this wager was venomous to the extreme.

Her small face turned as white as paper. She lunged forward, grabbing the corner of Li Yan’s sleeve with both hands, her head shaking frantically, tears spilling down her cheeks as she signed frantically: "No! Brother Li, don’t! He wants to destroy you!"

Li Yan did not look at Gao Shan. He gently lowered his gaze to Baozi’s trembling hands. Reaching out with his left hand, he gently patted the back of her small fist, his thumb wiping a stray tear from her cheek. He looked straight into her doe-like eyes, mouthing each word with steady, tranquil calm:

"Wait below. I will be down in three breaths."

Baozi froze, staring into his dark, fathomless phoenix eyes. There was neither panic nor hesitation within them—only the unshakeable stillness of an abyss. Her trembling fingers slowly slid from his sleeve.

Li Yan raised his head and stepped toward the stone steps of the arena.

His posture was light and unhurried, as if he were merely strolling through an imperial garden on a spring morning. He looked at Gao Shan, his voice ringing across the silent plaza, clear as ice crystals snapping against marble.

"And if you cannot break me within three moves?"

Gao Shan seemed to have heard the most absurd joke under heaven. He threw his head back and guffawed so loudly that his broad chest heaved.

"Me? Unable to break a crippled novice within three moves?! Hahaha! If I, Gao Shan, fail to shatter your bones in three moves, I will break both of my own legs on the spot, hand over five hundred mid-grade spiritual stones, and crawl back to the Inner Sect on my belly!"

"Done..." Li Yan said flatly.

He didn’t waste a single breath bargaining. Before Gao Shan could utter another sneer, Li Yan walked directly to the arena table where the Elder of Discipline sat.

Without blinking, Li Yan bit the tip of his left thumb and slammed a bloody print onto the Arena Blood Scroll!

Hiss—!

The crimson seal flared with bright light as the heavenly pact was bound!

Gao Shan’s eyes flashed with savage delight. He immediately pressed his own bloody thumbprint beside Li Yan’s.

Buzz—!

The instant the blood pact was completed, the ancient runes carved into the dark-iron granite flared with blinding blue light.

A translucent spiritual barrier rose around the perimeter of the octagonal stage, completely isolating the two figures from the outside world!

In the crowd, Cui Ahjun watched from beneath the shadow of his wide bamboo hat, a cruel, mocking smirk playing on his lips.

Li Yan, ah, Li Yan, Cui Ahjun sneered in his heart. You had the backing of Elder Fu, yet you foolishly walked into an arena where even the Sect Master cannot interfere with the blood pact. Today, you will leave this stage as an armless dog!