The gap between hunter and prey closed like two opposing magnets snapping together...

  By the time Wu Xiaowei broke free from the wires and set foot back on the ground, Bubai already got up close and personal!

  Pak! The guarding hand was slapped away, leaving a defenseless face to welcome the flying fist that was powerful enough to give his face a make-over!

  Just when Wu Xiaowei leaned back to evade, that fist morphed into a claw and swooped down towards the pouch tied to his belt!

  A feint! Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

  Wu Xiaowei didn’t even fully register what happened when he felt a hard tug forward and—RIP!

  The pouch was torn off so hard that even the leaning body was jerked back forward!

  Flowing with the downward momentum, Bubai anchored his free hand right onto the soaked ground and his leg spun up to deliver a solid kick to the lower jaws—BAM!

  Fang Bubai Style: One-Handed Senpuu!

  The force of the kick almost knocked the living daylight out of Wu Xiaowei, sending him flying up, up, and away!

  Planting his feet firmly back on the ground, Bubai looked up, just in time to see the fully-ignited explosive tag in the soaring water boy’s hand and his face that became very, very ugly...

  BOOM!

  Bubai’s hand shaded his eyes, watching the ragdoll being blown out from the mid-air explosion and shoot toward the arena wall like a cannon ball...

  “Self-inflicted. Haha.”

  Tossing the soaked pouch up and down in his hand, Bubai looked at the charred potato paint a bloody trail down the white jade and finally fell still, slumped against the arena wall.

  “Dead?”

  But even if not, what chance did this water boy have but to surrender?

  After all, everything he owned was right here in his hand!

  But just when Bubai thought the verdict would come down, his happiness was cut short when he noticed the charred fingers twitching.

  A mortal in this half-dead condition would’ve been paralyzed, but a cultivator showed real tenacity when facing death.

  Slowly, a blackened hand fumbled toward that scorched yet seemingly indestructible belt and did the unthinkable.

  Seeing the charred potato take out another seed of pleasure from under his belt, Bubai’s victory grin vanished like a candle snuffed out.

  Nani?! He kept a spare in there?!

  But this time, Bubai wasn’t about to give the other another chance to recover!

  That injury wasn’t light. Naturally, that charred potato’s hand was slow as a tortoise.

  By the time that dirty seed reached the water boy’s lips, the predator was already at his side.

  “Not happening, buddy.”

  A punched immediately went down, burying itself into the charred potato’s stomach so hard that the half-swallowed seed was choked back out! “Ack!”

  Flicking open the newly-acquired pouch, Bubai scooped up the saliva-coated seed. “Ey, waste not, want not.”

  Bubai then looked back down at the half-dead man with chest heaving like a drowning man gasping for air.

  “Alright, time’s up. Surrender, Stephen, before you do something even stupider.”

  But those widened eyes on the bandit-face only glared back with hatred spilling from them.

  A mouthful of blackened blood was spat out.

  Then, that head tilted to the side and those wide-opened eyes lost all their light.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Bubai: "...???"

  Oi, oi, oi, so suddenly?! What in Merlin’s name just happened?!

  Crouching down, Bubai checked the pulse... Yep, nada. Deader than dead. How? Why?

  Bubai’s racing mind searched for the reason and eventually noticed the fresh blood glistening on the sharp tip of the nail attached to his boot’s toe end.

  “Oh no way…” He swallowed hard. Was it the kick? Did that nail accidentally nick him on the throat or somewhere?

  "...For real? Isn’t this jerk too fragile?"

  Seriously, how much poison will there be left after that nail got washed by water, lightning, and fire?

  Dear Merlin, he’s lucky if there’s even a sliver left! How is it possible to poison anyone to death?!

  Or… could the own poison he extracted from his scorpions be that strong?!

  Wait, wait, wait. Forget about the poison.

  There was a bigger trouble on his hand now!

  This was merely a branch member, but it didn’t erase a cold, hard truth.

  He just killed a prodigy belonging to one of the Big Five of this sect!

  Panic set in fully now. Bubai glanced between the lifeless body and the judge’s platform.

  What to do if a good friend accidentally pokes a hornet’s nest? Waiting online... very urgent!

  Above.

  The laughing Jia Gufan ran a hand over his polished bald head and laughed out loud.

  "Kahaha! Thought this kid wouldn’t dare go too far against our juniors. Who’d have guessed he’d be so bold when it came to Old Wu?"

  Tai Yinjun bobbed his head in agreement. "Aye, king gone, clan falls. Even a little dollie has no respect left for the old."

  The ruddy-faced Ma Pei rolled his eyes and snorted. “Hoh. Quit acting like you’re all not waiting to tear into that piece of fat meat tomorrow!”

  Here, the geezers young and old alike exchanged meaningful smiles, all bearing ruthless glints in their eyes.

  The slyly smiling Mo Badao even took the chance to stir the pot further.

  “Oh, there’s not only wolves out here. Look. Old Wu hasn’t even warmed up his coffin, but his little pups already can’t sit still.”

  With interests piqued by the remark, streams of divine senses redirected and trained on a private box in the arena.

  Inside the private box…

  Staring at the scene below, the face of the dandy named Wu Khan’er had long went pale as a sheet while muttering incoherently.

  “How could he dare… how could that lowly peasant dare…?”

  Standing beside him, Wu Chaofeng was still fanning himself with an air of detachment. “All are equal before life and death. Khan’er, did you forget all my teachings over the decades?”

  “N-No b-brother.”

  “Then raise your head. Put away that fear. How shameful it would be if others are watching.”

  “Y-yes b-brother.”

  Wu Khan’er looked away from the arena.

  Some color returned to his face when he saw the confident face of his big brother.

  But his courage didn’t even bother sparing him a single glance.

  Wu Chaofeng’s eyes never left the panicking yet alive and kicking victor.

  Those who didn’t know would’ve thought he was checking out some beautiful lady, but his casual tone said otherwise.

  “Hmm... Did Dawei come to watch today?”

  Wu’An Gongong demurely standing not far behind bowed his head and replied.

  “No, my lord. According to the latest news, the gang he raised attracted a whole nest of ants. He’s still trying to smooth things over and find a way out through his connections.”

  “Oh?” The fan snapped shut and Wu Chaofeng slyly smiled.

  “Then be sure to bring the news to him. I imagine he’ll take great interest in avenging his younger brother tomorrow.”

  "By your command, my lord."

  Hearing this, Wu Khan’er couldn’t hold his tongue any longer. "But brother! If you do this, then we—"

  Before he could finish, Wu Chaofeng shushed his mouth with his folded fan.

  “This Mo Bubai is not simple. Let others test the waters first. It’s not too late to be the oriole once the depths of the mantises are clear.”

  Understanding his brother’s mind, Wu Khan’er eyes lit up and his face immediately showed fawning admiration.

  “A beautiful plan! A brilliant plan, brother! Yes, let them tear each other apart first. It’s best if both sides are injured. Then we can…”

  The dandy used his own fan to draw a slit over his own throat.

  “Indeed…” Wu Chaofeng still kept his gentle, ever-detached smile, but his eyes only reflected cruelty when they looked down at the chessboard below.

  “When times are tough, it’s wise to cut off the tail to save the body. What’s left will fuel my furnace and let our clan be reborn.”

  Below.

  Sweeping truly had a way of calming the mind.

  A short clean-up session let all the panic in Bubai get swept away.

  So what if he killed this Wu Xiaowei? He’s just a branch member. It’s not really a big deal!

  Even if he had to bear a pot of revenge, it didn’t matter.

  After all, it’s not like he didn’t already have a long-standing grudge with this guy’s dear big brother.

  Merlin’s beard. If what he did to the Flower Picking Gang comes to light one day…

  That Wu Dawei will probably be the first to jump out screaming for a face-slap, huh?

  Now, it’s just merely pushing that ahead of schedule.

  As for whether the Wu Clan will bite him like a mad dog? Unlikely.

  Even if they do, Bubai wasn’t scared.

  Know that the Wu Clan was no longer a force backed by a Golden Core elder!

  Even if there are core disciples left, they are foundation builders all the same.

  His verdict on foundation builders? Come one, come many! See who chickens out first!

  Even if he can’t beat them, the Golden Core standing behind him back won’t stay silent!

  Bubai glanced down at the bracelet strung from prayer beads mysteriously polished by a faint golden tint.

  That was his confidence for playing so big!

  Otherwise, he wouldn’t even dare to push the buttons of those elders above!

  Of course, seeking death for no reason was not his motto.

  There was a deeper reason for playing the game so grandly. The heartbeat of it all: profit!

  With the wild glow of victory almost turning his eyes green, Bubai held up the recently-acquired storage pouch.

  “Time to tally the spoils. What goodies will I get this time?”

  A prodigy belonging to the Wu Clan… what he carries shouldn’t be too disappointing, right?

  Bubai loosened the torn drawstring and opened the gateway to untold riches.

  When he saw what was inside, his heart practically skipped a beat.

  “Holy Merlin’s socks!”