Chapter 37: Blazing Silver Light, Blood Veiling the Sky

The duel within the arena had reached a fever pitch. One man floated in midair, his once-white garments now tattered, surrounded by countless strands of silver filaments that swirled around him like a school of fish. His opponent appeared as a towering giant, several meters tall, bare-chested, one hand pointing at the man above, the other gripping a long blade that faintly emitted a yellow glow. With a thunderous roar, he bellowed at his airborne adversary, “Come down and face your death!”

The earth-shaking shout echoed across the entire Wastes Arena. Su Mu’s head spun and he hurriedly covered his ears.

“Su Mu, watch closely. Don’t worry if you can’t understand everything—this is a battle between Spirit Origin cultivators. Observing it will do wonders for your growth. It looks like they’re about to decide the victor,” Black Crow said, patting Su Mu’s shoulder.

Su Mu stared wide-eyed at the arena, hands clenched tightly, nodding with all his might. “Don’t worry, Brother Black Crow. These two are incredible—I’ll observe every move they make.”

The furious shout even sent out faint shockwaves, causing the silver threads to scatter uncontrollably, but the man in white quickly waved his hands, drawing the strands back into their places.

Each filament was about a meter long and as thin as a chopstick. There were so many of them, densely packed, their number impossible to count. At midday, the sun broke through the gloom above Deadridge City, and the countless silver threads reflected the sunlight with dazzling brilliance.

The man in white let out a cold laugh. The astral energy in his skull spun, his eyes flashed with a piercing light, and he called out, “Go!”

With a series of rapid gestures, he sent the silver threads surging down toward the giant below, a torrent of shimmering blades.

The giant was about to be engulfed by the wave of filaments, but he suddenly spun his long blade with frenzied speed. The sword, even larger than most men, whirled effortlessly in his grasp. The yellow glow from the blade formed a shield, deflecting the onslaught of silver threads so they bounced off to the sides. The scene looked like a still lake suddenly shattered by a boulder, sending sprays of silver droplets everywhere.

But this couldn’t last. The silver threads were lifeless on their own, but under the man in white’s command, they moved as if endowed with life. With a deft twist of his hands, the threads split into several silver dragons, weaving through the air to bypass the giant’s defense and strike at him from all sides.

“See, Su Mu? That man’s spiritual energy is formidable—he can control so many weapons at once. But the sheer number of threads means they aren’t as powerful as they could be. After all, he’s not yet a Star Sea adept, so he can’t infuse each thread with full spiritual energy. It’s an impressive spectacle, but it doesn’t reflect true mastery,” Black Crow commented, clearly unimpressed by the spiritual energy cultivator’s technique. But Su Mu was oblivious—he was completely mesmerized by the dazzling contest unfolding before him.

Noticing the silver threads changing direction, the giant quickly whirled his blade around himself, not daring to remain still. Blinding golden light erupted from his body, and like a wild beast, he charged toward his airborne foe.

The man in white paled, directing his silver dragons to pursue, but the giant was too fast. The dragons could only gouge deep furrows in the ground behind him, always a step too late.

In an instant, the giant stood directly below the airborne man. It seemed he would leap skyward for an attack, but instead, he spun in place and hurled his blade like a bolt of yellow lightning at his opponent.

From the moment the giant stopped to the instant the blade left his hand, it was but a heartbeat. Yet in that split second, the silver dragons converged, entangling the giant and swallowing him whole, drawing gasps from the onlookers.

But the man in white fared no better. Life and death hung by a thread. He saw the yellow blade soaring toward him, but though spirit energy cultivators could move through the air, their speed was slow, less agile than running on solid ground.

The flying blade was too fast for him to dodge. Without time to think, he instinctively drove several threads into his own body, the pain propelling him backward just enough to avoid the blade. Still, the sword’s edge grazed him, leaving a blood-red line down his torso and nearly splitting his robe in two.

“Why did that uncle throw away his weapon? If he missed, what would he do next?” Su Mu exclaimed, alarmed at the giant’s bold attack. He too cultivated Vital Essence, so he couldn’t help but root for the giant.

“Remember this, Su Mu—never drag out a fight with a spiritual energy cultivator. They excel at wearing you down and will seize any opening for a killing blow. If that giant’s surprise attack had hit, it would already be over,” Black Crow explained, his experience evident as he guided Su Mu through the lesson.

“I see… but it still seems too risky,” Su Mu replied.

Black Crow laughed. “A contest of life and death is always a gamble. If you don’t take risks, your opponent will—and surprise attacks win more fights than not.”

Sweat beaded on the face of the airborne man, his complexion deathly pale, terror etched across his features. He touched the blood at his brow in disbelief, then let out a furious roar, stretching his hands towards the earth and clenching them tight.

In that fleeting instant, the silver dragons had scattered. The giant’s body was covered in lacerations from the threads, but a golden force shield protected his vital points; the wounds were many, but none were crippling.

Shielding his face with his arms, the giant peered through the gaps and saw his foe had escaped the attack. He felt a pang of regret but wasn’t ready to give up. Seeing his opponent preparing for another assault, he narrowed his eyes, then suddenly leapt from the ground.

The man in white panicked, sending his silver dragons shooting upward to intercept. But the giant made no effort to dodge. Instead, he flashed a savage grin and barreled forward like a runaway carriage, aiming straight for his airborne foe.

With a sickening rip, the giant tore the man in white asunder, blood and viscera raining down. The man’s face, frozen in disbelief and terror, rolled across the ground.

“Hahaha! If you can do it, so can I!” The giant crashed to the earth, roaring with laughter, his back a mangled mess of flesh, but he seemed not to care.

In any other place, such a scene would have sent the crowd vomiting. But what was Deadridge City? Everyone here had survived rivers of blood and mountains of corpses—this only roused cheers and excitement. The only outlier was Su Mu, the outsider, but even he showed little fear, only a trace of reluctance.

“Brother Black Crow, every move here is deadly… I’m not very skilled—won’t I get killed the first time I try? I’m not afraid to die, just worried…” Su Mu trailed off, unsure how to voice his concern.

Black Crow burst out laughing, ruffling Su Mu’s hair and pointing to a nearby flag. “See that flag at the edge of the arena? If the red flag flies, it’s a duel to the death—one must die, so every move is lethal. If it’s yellow, the duel isn’t to the death, but the loser pays a hefty price. Look at us—even we have to give it everything we’ve got.”

Su Mu finally understood. The color of the flag decided the nature of the match.

On the other side, Mr. Ji watched the duel patiently before finally saying, “I’ve seen countless matches like this. I’m impressed you still have the patience for it, Brother Baishi.”

Baishi chuckled, pouring hot tea for both of them. “Brother Ji, I’ve wagered half my fortune on that brute Hui Meng—it’s only natural I pay close attention. I can’t compare with you, exalted in the capital, commanding men and wealth as you wish. If someone wanted my head, there’d be a queue for the privilege.”

Mr. Ji’s face remained impassive. “Enough nonsense. I haven’t meddled in cultivation world affairs for a long time. Your petty dealings hardly concern me.”

Baishi’s smile didn’t falter as he sipped his tea. “Of course, of course. I’m just a humble itinerant cultivator—how could I trouble Lord Ji? As long as you’re not here to settle scores, we have plenty to discuss. Tell me, old friend, what brings you here?”

Inwardly, Mr. Ji spat in disgust. Baishi was infamous for trafficking in people, his reputation in ruins, yet his influence was immense, said to be backed by three major sects and four prominent clans. If not for necessity, Mr. Ji would never deal with such a man. But for Su Mu’s sake, he had no choice.

The Wastes Arena was a place for duels, and Mr. Ji hoped Su Mu could be tempered here. But who would willingly fight a nameless youth like Su Mu? There was no profit or leisure in it.

Those who came here to test life and death were ruthless, either heaven’s chosen or notorious killers. Ordinary people advanced steadily, never setting foot here. As for the righteous sects, they avoided it entirely. Most who found their way here were outcast cultivators, driven by profit.

“Su Mu, come here.”

Hearing Mr. Ji’s call, Su Mu responded loudly and hurried over, standing respectfully before him.

“This boy’s name is Su Mu, Baishi. I want you to arrange a duel for him every week.”

Su Mu clenched his teeth, knowing his training was about to begin. He vowed not to disgrace Mr. Ji. Baishi glanced at Su Mu, his eyes cold. “No,” he replied flatly.

Mr. Ji frowned, about to speak, but Su Mu cut in anxiously, “Sir, I may be weak and inexperienced, but I’ll do my best.”

“What’s that to me?” Baishi snorted, refusing even to look at him.

“Baishi, just match him with someone near his level. If he loses, you’re not responsible. I’ll pay you a hundred gold each time. If he wins, you owe nothing, but I’ll still pay you ten gold per match.”

Baishi’s eyes lit up, though he feigned reluctance. “The terms are good, but this kid doesn’t seem capable. This isn’t a place for children to practice. It’ll be hard to find suitable opponents, especially since everyone here is bloodthirsty and arrogant. I keep a tight rein, but sometimes things get out of hand…”

Mr. Ji waved him off. “Arrange one duel. If Su Mu loses, I’ll drop the matter. If he wins, do as I ask.”