Down in the Arena.

  Swish! A crescent blade of water nicked the cheek of Tie Zhubi, leaving a shallow scratch.

  He barely flinched. It wasn’t the first, nor will it be the last.

  In retaliation, wind sharper than knives fired back.

  But Yu Shusheng was like a fish in water, and the wind at most left tears on his outer robe, but did little actual harm.

  After brushing off another palm, Yu Shusheng chuckled lightly and struck back.

  “It’s useless. I’m a small realm above you. Nothing you do will work. You’re just wasting time. Just give up.”

  Tie Zhubi spat at the other’s face. “Hah! Nonsense! Just watch me break your defense today, mommyboy!”

  A vein twitched on Yu Shusheng’s forehead. “Don’t call me that!”

  Fwoosh! Palm met palm! Wham!

  Qi repelled Qi, and Tie Zhubi borrowed the force to leap back, his chest swelling with power...

  His mouth snapped open and the long brewing spell spewed out: Roar of the Wind Dragon!

  Seeing the tornado spiraling out from Tie Zhubi’s mouth, Yu Shusheng’s brush dotted the air once more.

  Like magic, a whirlpool barrier appeared as a roadblock once again!

  Fwoom! The tornado crashed right into the watery shell, trying to drill into it like it was drilling into the earth!

  The whirlpool warped, its current distorting greatly, but like a hungry mirror swallowing a reflection, it still devoured the raging tornado from tip to tail!

  Once the shaped version of the galestorm spell returned to nature, Yu Shusheng’s eyes darted to the foe who had borrowed force of the violent updraft to soar high up into the air.

  Suspending at his peak, the scholar’s brush quickly sloshed around in empty air as if scribbling some calligraphy.

  To the naked eyes, there was nothing visible, but Yu Shusheng recognized the brush moves and sneered. “Same ol’ futile tricks.”

  Tie Zhubi snarled back. “We’ll see about that—choke on this move of mine!”

  His brush dotted the last stroke—

  “Wind Gentleman Art: Thousand Cherry Blossoms!”

  The mysterious shadow of a runic character seemed to flash into existence for a fleeting second then—WHOOM!

  A whirling sphere of wind-shaped petals exploded outwards, raining down upon Yu Shusheng like rivers converging from multiple directions!

  It was an inescapable flood of destruction! No room to dodge!

  Facing the razor-sharp petals bearing down upon him, Yu Shusheng’s stance changed and his brush elegantly swept out in a full-circle…

  A mysterious aura infused into the whirlpool barrier, causing the water curtain to balloon and transform into a whirling sphere of water that covered every direction!

  “Water Gentleman Art: Four-Faced Whirlpool!”

  Chi! Chi! Chi!

  The wind petals pelted the omnidirectional barrier from every angle, only to leave ripples before dissolving into nothingness like raindrops getting swallowed by the endless sea.

  Once the river of invisible petals left its last ripple, the sphere of whirling water collapsed, pooling around the scholar.

  Yu Shusheng dusted off the nonexistent water from his shoulder and eyed the panting enemy who barely stayed upright after touching down onto solid ground.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “That all you got?” His brush lifted, ready to paint out his counterattack. “Then I suppose it’s my turn—”

  But just when his Qi roared to life, it stagnated and then—Puff!

  A mouthful of inky black blood sprayed out from his mouth!

  His vision swayed. Yu Shusheng staggered, falling to one knee. His fingers clawed at his chest and he glared at Tie Zhubi.

  “Poison. When?!”

  “Kekeke…” Catching his breath, Tie Zhubi popped a spirit bean and smugly grinned.

  “You really thought I didn’t improve all these years? Did you really think I missed all those cuts for show? It’s just to get you to let your guard down so I can sneak the poison over in the wind.”

  Yu Shusheng spat out a curse. “Despicable villain!”

  “Oh, spare me the nonsense! Don’t speak like you’re all upright. You think I didn’t notice the poison you mixed into your water? Too bad for you. I found the antidote for your old tricks long ago. But mine?”

  Seeing Yu Shusheng fumbling for an antidote, Tie Zhubi sneered. “Keke. If you really happen to have the antidote for it, then I can only say the heavens are going against me!”

  The best antidote he got already melted away, but Yu Shusheng frowned, feeling the poison still invading deeper!

  Sweat beaded his forehead. He could only resort to cycling his true Qi to force out the poison, but—

  Once the poison joined with his Qi, it seemed to spread even faster!

  His body convulsed and another mouthful of blackened blood got coughed out. His glare snapped up to see the smug face of the other.

  “Qi-poison?! You actually got your hand on such an extraordinary treasure?!

  “Keke! Yes, yes. I spent nearly all my decades-long foundation just to get it to deal with you!”

  “How does it taste? You can’t even circulate your Qi properly now, can you? The more you try, the worse it’ll become!”

  “Soon, all your meridians will be corroded and you’ll back to being nothing more but a mudbreed! Kehaha—kehahaha!”

  Tie Zhubi cackled like his win was already in the bag.

  Yu Shusheng wiped the blood from his lips and pushed himself up.

  He staggered, but barely managed to plant is feet firmly. His bloodshot eyes then nailed onto the man deliberately delaying time.

  “Delusional. Even if my Qi is stagnant... don’t think... I have no way to deal with you!”

  “Still pretending to be strong? Keke…” Tie Zhubi put away his cackle and sneered.

  “Due to our brotherly affection, I originally wanted to let you live a bit longer, but since you want to go on the road so bad, then let me help you and make you pay for what you did to her!”

  Tap. Whoosh!

  Seeing the other rush over like a tempest loosed from its cage, Yu Shusheng gritted his teeth and his face twisted with ruthlessness. “You forced me!”

  His hand darted into his sleeve and whipped out an archaic-looking scroll.

  Seeing the scroll unfurling like a river, Tie Zhubi’s face changed drastically. “No! You actually dare—”

  "Why wouldn’t I dare?!" Yu Shusheng snarled. "Now, witness the might of my new magic artifact!"

  Once the scroll unfurled all the way, the illicit harem of exquisite beauties painted across the parchment glowed eerily and ominous bloody mist bled out from their eyes...

  Oom!

  A force heavy like mountains and vast like the sea erupted from the scroll, sending Tie Zhubi flying back like a ragdoll!

  Bam! Tie Zhubi crashed into the arena wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

  His venomous glare dark with fury nailed to his foe on the other side. “This… lunatic!”

  Rumble! Rumble! Bloody mist swirled around Yu Shusheng, dyeing his eyes bloodthirsty red.

  "Yes... YESS... THIS IS IT! POWER! GEHAHAHA!"

  The maniac on stage cackled to the heavens like nobody else was there...

  Watching this show from inside the private box and feeling the faint pressure even through the layers of barrier, Bubai’s eyes narrowed. “That is…”

  The other Qian brothers shared solemn faces.

  “Tch. I really didn’t expect this surnamed Yu to have such a card up his sleeve.”

  Qian Zhongta rubbed his chin gravely. “Judging by the pressure it’s exerting, that’s likely a magic artifact at least of the pseudo Golden Core realm!”

  The most experienced Qian Fusha nodded like a sage. “Hmm. And if I’m not wrong… that should be the Thousand Desires Soulsucking Scroll.”

  “The Thousand Desires Soulsucking Scroll?”

  Getting that curious look from Bubai, the professional info dumper followed the cliché script.

  “Hmm. It’s a cursed painting said to be able to arouse the evilness in people’s hearts and can even bewitch those self-righteous orthodox cultivators to fall into the demonic way.”

  “And for those already walking this path, like us... it’s even more dangerous.”

  “Our darkness and desires will be amplified many fold. Not only will we become much more susceptible to manipulation, but we might even suffer from Qi deviation.”

  “If not careful... it can even awaken our inner demons to consume us entirely.”

  Bubai sucked in a breath. “So powerful? Isn’t that like the perfect weapon against every demonic cultivator?”

  Qian Zhongta scoffed and smashed his fists together. “Hah! If your willpower is firm enough, these little tricks can’t affect you.”

  “Ai, ai.” Qian Feifu flashed a disdainful grin.

  “Those face-loving hypocrites even like using these types of treasure to cultivate their willpower and to practice inner demon suppression.”

  “Even we demonic cultivators can find some value in it—testing ourselves, finding weaknesses. Too bad, too bad... what a pity.”

  “Huh? What’s a pity?”

  Qian Bage clapped his shoulder, grinning like a fox who had just spotted an unattended henhouse.

  “Ouu, Brother Bai, think about it. Now that this idiot flaunted it in front of everyone, do you think he can still keep it?”

  Bubai’s eyes flashed thoughtfully. Right... there were packs and packs of hyenas watching.

  Now that they’ve all seen it, will everybody turn a blind eye to such a powerful magic treasure? Obviously not!

  Even he himself was tempted to try!