Chapter 43: This Isn't a Duel — It's Murder!
Murderous intent radiated from Heitian.
He already knew about the conversation between his sect master and the Dugu Clan the day before—how arrogant the Dugu had been, completely disregarding his master's dignity.
So, the only way left was to prove himself in the arena—with power.
Everyone knew the Dugu Clan's reputation. Once their poison touched you, there was no cure.
That was why, before stepping onto the stage, Heitian had swallowed a powerful antidote.
His first soul skill was his greatest confidence—he was sure he could finish Dugu Feng in an instant.
"Evil Blade!"
Heitian roared as he leapt into the air, slashing both clawed hands.
Dozens of black-and-red claw-shaped energy arcs shot forth, radiating an eerie sharpness and toxic fury as they streaked toward Dugu Feng.
They were so fast, they seemed to teleport, vanishing and reappearing in an instant.
This skill combined the cutting force of the wind attribute with the corrosive nature of the evil attribute—perfectly unleashing the dark power of the Black Demon Tiger's martial soul.
Its strength was terrifying.
Heitian could almost imagine his opponent dying instantly, unable even to activate a single soul skill.
Below the stage, Black Demon himself sat at the front of the audience stands, beside the Holy Dragon Sect's Tuoba Xi.
"At rank eighteen, he's already near the limit for a one-ring soul master," Black Demon said confidently. "Add in Evil Blade—Heitian will easily crush the representatives of the Six Great Families!"
He had prepared thoroughly to claim a seat among the arena's managing powers, and Heitian was one of his trump cards.
Tuoba Xi narrowed his eyes, a cruel light flashing there.
Heitian, ruthless and precise, had led with a killing move. This wasn't a duel—it was assassination disguised as combat.
Exactly as Tuoba Xi had demanded.
With Spirit Hall backing them, even if someone died on stage, it would amount to nothing more than a "battle accident."
He cast a sidelong glance at Dugu Shuo and smirked. "The Dugu Clan doesn't have many members. If they lose another one today, I wonder—will Dugu Shuo finally break?"
"Heh. He refused the easy road—now he'll choke on the bitter one," Black Demon sneered darkly.
But then, both their expressions froze.
Up on the platform, even as Heitian leapt, Dugu Feng had already entered Martial Soul possession.
Clouds follow the dragon; winds follow the tiger.
And since the Black Demon Tiger bore both wind and evil attributes, Dugu Feng understood perfectly just how fast his opponent would be—comparable to an agility master like Zhu Zhuqing.
So, by the time Heitian took off, Dugu Feng's soul power had surged through his meridians to his hands.
"Jade Phosphor Twelve Fingers!"
Right hand raised, left hand lowered, his pupils brightened into a toxic violet gleam. His gaze locked on Heitian's every motion—every leap, every swing. Heiyan's Evil Blades came into focus, perfectly predicted.
All those serpent gallbladders he'd eaten weren't for nothing.
Twelve violet streaks launched from his fingertips, tracking with uncanny precision, obliterating every trace of the Evil Blades in midair.
But that wasn't all.
Another twelve followed—this time, left atop right—aimed straight at Heitian's chest.
"Let's raise the difficulty a little," Dugu Feng murmured.
The blasts from his left and right pinkies collided midair, detonating into a violet explosion.
Thick purple mist spread across the air, enveloping the arena's center.
Heitian gasped, twisting midair just in time. His claws scraped against the platform, sending sparks flying as he narrowly avoided the poisonous fog.
He couldn't believe Dugu Feng's speed—it rivaled the velocity of his own Evil Blades.
Gritting his teeth, Heitian's face hardened. If he couldn't end it quickly, fine. Let him taste real power.
"Spirit Possession!"
A surge of grayish energy exploded outward. Lightning crackled as his frame bulged, muscles doubling, height surpassing two meters.
An aura of pure malevolent force spread over the arena—a killing intent so thick it made many spectators recoil.
Such oppressive might shouldn't exist in one so young, yet Heitian radiated it effortlessly.
All eyes turned to Dugu Feng, waiting to see how he'd respond.
"Jade Phosphor Violet Poison!"
"Pfft!"
"With that, it's over."
Dugu Feng exhaled a dense cloud of violet mist, which expanded instantly across the entire arena, swallowing it whole.
His figure vanished within the haze.
In his mind, the fight was already won.
His first soul skill—Jade Phosphor Violet Poison—filled the battlefield completely. His opponent had nowhere to run.
But Dugu Feng wasn't satisfied with victory alone. His eyes glinted coldly. Winning wasn't enough—killing Heitian was the only fitting response to the Black Tiger Sect's greed.
Across the ring, Heitian glared through the fog. Rather than retreat, he surged forward, sheathing himself in a cyclone of gray light as he charged straight in.
The violent hiss of corrosion echoed all around him.
The evil energy cloaking his body was dissolving rapidly, devoured by the toxin—but he was certain he could reach Dugu Feng before it vanished completely.
"I see you!" he shouted gleefully.
He swung both claws, unleashing a new flurry of Evil Blades—larger, sharper, deadlier—aimed right where Dugu Feng stood.
But before they connected, Heitian's face twisted in horror.
His arms itched and burned. He looked down. Tiny punctures—like fangs—were spreading across his shoulders and forearms.
The Jade Phosphor Violet Poison had entered his body.
"Thud!"
Disbelief filled his eyes. He'd used his evil energy as defense—how could it fail so easily?
His vision went dark as his body collapsed.
The air shuddered twice as his released Evil Blades dissipated harmlessly.
In a quiet corner of the arena, Dugu Feng slowly lowered his hands.
The combination of Jade Phosphor Twelve Fingers and the Violet Poison's field coverage made him an unstoppable force among low-level soul masters.
Each of the twelve strikes channeled soul power through separate meridians, granting piercing precision—and when fused with poison, it became impossibly lethal.
Once the defense was breached, the venom would do the rest. There was no escape.
"We surrender! Get the antidote—now!" Black Demon roared from below.
Heitian was one of his most promising disciples. Losing him would cripple the sect's ambitions.
Dugu Feng smiled faintly. "He's already dead. What use is antidote now?"
Disbelieving, Black Demon shot onto the stage. In the blink of an eye, the corpse before him was unrecognizable—a liquefied, decayed mess.
Dugu Shuo too leapt gracefully to the stage, standing beside his son.
"What deadly poison. This isn't a duel—it's murder!" Black Demon hissed through clenched teeth, glaring murderously at them.
But his outrage only drew cold, mocking stares from both father and son. As if the man's hypocrisy disgusted them.
"Spare me," Dugu Feng said, his voice razor-sharp. "He who kills must be ready to be killed in turn."
(END CHAPTER)
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