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"Hmph… hmph hmph…"
Li Lang's eyes widened, his hands clutched his throat, blood seeping through his fingers, an expression of disbelief frozen on his twisted face.
A few breaths later.
He fell straight backward with a "bang," kicking up dust.
The previously noisy audience.
Was now plunged into a deathly silence.
Many still had their hands raised, hysteria lingering on their faces.
Even the host hadn't left the stage yet.
It was too fast!
One sword, instant kill!
From start to finish, it didn't even take ten breaths!
Li Dixian didn't even glance at the dead Li Lang, who still had his eyes open, and turned to walk towards the backstage passage.
Not until he left the stage.
Did the audience erupt in a cacophony of curses and cries.
A novice participating in his first Soul Arena match instantly killed a quasi-silver badge contestant with four consecutive wins. Who knew how many people had lost everything in this battle.
But none of this concerned Li Dixian.
When he reached backstage, the other contestants looked at him differently.
Through the faceless mask, Li Dixian's gaze swept over the faces of the contestants.
But not a single person dared to meet his eyes.
This was the change in status brought by strength.
The time came to nine o'clock.
Li Dixian's second match arrived.
His opponent had just achieved three consecutive wins, and his strength was formidable even among iron badge contestants.
But, still one sword.
Two Soul Arena matches.
Li Dixian drew two swords.
In just one night, the name "Jian Jiu" was already somewhat famous.
For a period of time after this.
Li Dixian's three-point-one-line life finally underwent some changes.
He continued his routine of eating and fishing with Xue Qinghe during the day, and practicing his sword at home at night.
But in between.
He would also go to the Great Spirit Arena for Soul Arena matches.
Two matches a day.
Only drawing two swords in two matches.
At least, so far, in ten days and twenty matches, from an iron badge to a silver badge, none of his opponents had made him draw a second sword.
The name "Jian Jiu" resounded throughout the Imperial City's Great Spirit Arena, and even the Soul Arenas in other cities had heard of it.
Sizzle—
On the clean bluestone slab.
Fat fish were sizzling with oil.
The fresh, savory aroma, accompanied by the lotus-scented breeze, permeated the air.
"Li Dixian…"
Xue Qinghe looked at Li Dixian, who was grilling fish with his head down, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
"Why do I feel like you're different somehow?"
Li Dixian flipped the fish, not even raising his head as he said:
"How am I different?"
Xue Qinghe frowned, scrutinizing Li Dixian from head to toe.
"It's hard to say…"
He couldn't pinpoint exactly where, but he just felt that the previously unrestrained young man in white had become much sharper.
Occasionally, when his gaze swept around, the indifference he displayed surprised her slightly.
Xue Qinghe thought for a moment, then said:
"Li Dixian, are you sure you don't want to go to the Royal Academy?"
Li Dixian said helplessly:
"Why are you so insistent on me going to the Royal Academy?"
Xue Qinghe said without thinking:
"Because once you graduate, you can become an attendant in the Heaven Dou Royal Family."
Li Dixian took a bite of fish and looked up at Xue Qinghe.
"Thank you."
"You've already planned out my entire future."
Xue Qinghe's eyes lit up.
"So you agree?"
"I refuse."
Li Dixian said lazily:
"Honestly, few students at the Royal Academy can beat me. What would I do at the Royal Academy?"
"I still need to travel the continent later to find more fine wines I haven't tasted."
Xue Qinghe pouted.
He just assumed it was Li Dixian's excuse for not wanting to go to the Royal Academy.
"Oh, your guards are here."
Xue Qinghe was about to speak again.
Li Dixian raised an eyebrow and motioned with his chin towards his back.
Xue Qinghe looked back and saw that Porcupinefish and Snake Lance had arrived.
"Brothers, you're here, want to sit down and eat something?"
Li Dixian said with a smile to Porcupinefish and Snake Lance.
After spending these days together.
He and Porcupinefish and Snake Lance had become somewhat familiar.
As for them being two Title Douluo, he pretended not to know, treating them only as the guards of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, never showing any abnormality.
"No."
Porcupinefish and Snake Lance said stiffly, their gazes turning to Xue Qinghe.
Xue Qinghe's brows furrowed slightly.
Since the two did not speak, it meant that the following words were not suitable for Li Dixian to hear.
"Li Dixian, I'll be leaving now."
"Mm."
Li Dixian nodded, then remembered something and quickly said:
"Hey, bring me a Three Immortals Chicken tomorrow, with lotus seeds stuffed in its belly!"
Xue Qinghe waved his hand without looking back, indicating he understood.
After walking a distance.
Porcupinefish and Snake Lance were still looking at Xue Qinghe with complex expressions.
Tomorrow, there would be one less chicken on Emperor Xue Ye's dining table.
They wondered what kind of bewitching potion this Li Dixian had given their young master, for him to be so good to him.
"What is it? Speak."
Getting down to business, Snake Lance said solemnly:
"Young Master, recently, a formidable sword Spirit master has appeared in the Great Spirit Arena."
"Although this person wears a mask, judging by his posture, he appears to be very young, yet he has won twenty consecutive matches, breaking the record for the fastest promotion to a silver badge."
"Most importantly, so far, this Jian Jiu has only drawn one sword."
Xue Qinghe stopped in his tracks.
"Only one sword?"
Porcupinefish nodded and said:
"Yes, Young Master."
"Twenty opponents, eighteen dead, two injured. His swordsmanship is extremely sharp and ruthless."
"Furthermore, this Jian Jiu also broke Yu Tianheng's record. Yu Tianheng has already signed up for tonight's Soul Arena match, so the two are bound to fight."
Xue Qinghe pondered for a long time, then said:
"I will go and watch tonight."
"Jian Jiu…"
"When did such a powerful sword genius appear in the Imperial City?"
Night.
In the courtyard.
A chilling sword light flashed, and the air seemed to gain a hint of blood.
"The tempering of these days has been greatly beneficial."
"I have found the most fundamental form of swordsmanship."
"My Soul Power has also risen to level twenty-three under the dual effects of cultivation and my Wine Spirit."
"Today's opponent, Yu Tianheng… Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit, captain of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy battle team…"
"Interesting…"
Li Dixian put on his faceless mask.
Under the night, a white-robed figure flashed past like a ghost.
Imperial City Great Spirit Arena.
Eight o'clock in the evening.
Li Dixian stepped onto the stage.
Unlike ten days ago, when the white-robed figure appeared, the entire audience was like a lit powder keg, almost exploding the Great Spirit Arena.
Shouts, roars, and bellows mingled together, forming a tangible sound wave that echoed throughout the venue.
"Jian Jiu! Jian Jiu! Jian Jiu!"
"Ah ah ah ah, will he still instantly kill his opponent today?!"
"Idol! I want to become a swordsman as powerful as Jian Jiu in the future!"
"I, who have lost everything, sold a kidney and bet on Jian Jiu to win!"
Second floor.
In the VIP box.
At this moment, the seven young men and women in the room were standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the stage below…