Chapter 43: The Moonlight Sings, Veiled Figures Whisper

The War-Torn Verge of Deathridge City remained open as usual every week, and every time it opened, the crowds surged like a tide. People looked forward to these weekly openings, eager to release the bloodlust and pent-up frustration within them. For cultivators seeking breakthroughs on the edge of life and death, this arena offered a relatively fair battleground.

So it went, week after week, month after month, year after year, a ceaseless cycle. Perhaps only when Deathridge City itself was no more would the blood-soaked War-Torn Verge finally fall silent.

“The duel is over. Su Mu is the victor. Please fulfill the requirement—decide whether He Erzha lives or dies.”

A sonorous voice rang out across one of the dueling grounds, echoing through the War-Torn Verge. The stands were packed so tightly it was impossible to move, and the shouts from the crowd rolled like thunder, shaking the heavens.

“That uncanny kid won again! Hah, after all my bad luck, it’s Su who finally turned it around for me!”

“Su Mu, kill him, kill him!”

“Su Mu, I bet on you to kill this time—get on with it!”

“You’re amazing, Su Mu! If you kill him, I’ll show you a woman’s love tonight…”

Oblivious to the frenzied outcry, Su Mu stood in the arena, blood coursing down his body, yet he held himself tall and proud as a god of war. Opposite him, a burly man in brocade lay on the ground, limbs twisted at unnatural angles, his breath ragged but his body limp and unmoving.

“Su… Su… Mu, you really are a freak. I admit defeat… You… you won’t kill me, right? You’ve never killed anyone in the Yellow Banner Arena…”

He Erzha forced calm into his voice, but his eyes were wild with terror, his body twisting desperately away.

Before the match, he’d been arrogant, convinced that though he had not reached the Heavenly Son Realm, his skills far surpassed any ordinary cultivator. He knew Su Mu was impervious to pain and troublesome to handle, but he had not taken him seriously. He never expected that Su Mu’s resilience was not his only strength; his body was as tough as a cultivator’s refined by the Heavenly Son Realm, and his combat experience was terrifying. Su Mu made shrewd use of every advantage, inflicting grave wounds at minimal cost to himself.

After a few rounds, Su Mu was battered but bore no fatal wounds, while He Erzha, seemingly unscathed on the surface, had all his limbs broken, most of his ribs shattered, and his star source dry—his path of cultivation would now be crippled, even if he survived.

Su Mu’s greatsword spun in his hand and pointed straight at He Erzha’s face.

“Hmph. Your mouth was filthy before you entered the arena—hardly the mark of a true man. I thought you would be something, but you’re all show and no substance. As a man, I find it beneath me to kill you. Today, I’ll only take your left thumb as a warning.”

A smirk lifted Su Mu’s lips; the thrill of holding another’s life in his hands was unparalleled.

He thought his words dashing and heroic, but the stands instantly erupted in uproar.

“What?! Not killing him again? Damn this brat—he comes here every week, rain or shine, and never kills anyone. What’s the point?”

“Kill him! Kill him! If you don’t, I’ll lose everything!”

“You little bastard, if you don’t do it, I’ll come down there and kill you myself!”

He Erzha felt a moment’s relief, but a surge of viciousness welled up inside him. He dared not meet Su Mu’s gaze, his eyes burning with violence.

He was unwilling to accept this outcome. He had always been the pride of his clan, respected by all. Cultivators below the Heavenly Son Realm meant nothing to him. Who would have thought he’d fall here, in this barren city, defeated by a mere youth?

Humiliation and rage nearly suffocated him, crystallizing into a single, desperate thought—he would kill this boy, or die trying. He could not live with this disgrace.

Su Mu had no inkling of He Erzha’s intent. He raised his sword to sever He Erzha’s thumb, when suddenly He Erzha drew a dagger from his waist and, with the last of his strength, lunged at Su Mu’s heart.

It was too fast—Su Mu barely managed to channel his power to his chest, but the blade still pierced his flesh. Luckily, He Erzha was spent, and Su Mu’s enhanced body meant the dagger only sank through muscle, stopping short of the heart.

Seeing his attack land, He Erzha threw his head back and laughed maniacally. Furious, Su Mu kicked him several meters away, then, in He Erzha’s terrified gaze, wrenched the dagger from his chest.

“You are truly vicious. I had no intention of taking your life, yet you tried to ambush me. Today, I will not let you go!”

With a roar, Su Mu leapt into the air like a wild beast, his greatsword driving through He Erzha’s chest and deep into the ground.

“You… you said… you wouldn’t kill me…”

He Erzha’s final thought was that Su Mu had broken his word, never realizing it was he who struck first. No matter his regrets, he could only fall in unwilling defeat.

The stands had gasped in unison at He Erzha’s attempted ambush, believing Su Mu doomed. But when Su Mu took his first life in the Yellow Banner Arena, the crowd erupted in wild cheers.

“I knew it! I knew today was my day! Well done, Su Mu!”

“Beautifully done! As cultivators who refine our very essence, this is how we should act. Anyone who stands against us must be prepared for a fight to the death. All that mercy—save it for those spirit and soul cultivators!”

This last remark drew angry glares from others, though the speaker was lost in the crowd.

“Su Mu, don’t shut your door tonight. I’ll come talk to you…”

“Miss, Su Mu can’t handle you. Why not spend the night with me instead?”

“Get lost! I’d rather die alone than be with the likes of you.”

“You little tart, as if I’d want you! Come down here and let’s see what you’ve got…”

Meanwhile, Su Mu’s heart pounded in his chest. This was his first time killing by choice. He felt a faint discomfort, but no guilt, no sorrow—only a sense that the man who died deserved it, and that ending him was no different from kicking aside a stone that blocked his path.

No remorse, none of the distress he had imagined. Was this really him? Had he truly changed so much?

His mind buzzed, a fear of his own transformation creeping in—how had it come so suddenly?

“Are you Su Mu?”

Amid the clamor, a gentle voice carried to him. Though it was soft and mixed with a thousand others, to Su Mu it was as if a god had spoken—every other sound faded away.

He looked around frantically for the source, suddenly stunned, a faint blush rising to his cheeks.

The voice’s owner was at the very front of the stands, her white dress fluttering in the breeze. Not a soul dared approach her, making her stand out all the more in the crowded arena.

Miss Yue smiled faintly, brushing a lock of black hair from her shoulder. Seeing Su Mu had noticed her, she asked again,

“Is your name Su Mu?”

The world’s other sights and sounds faded away. It was as if everything else had lost its color and turned transparent, leaving only that figure in white, shining softly and beckoning him onward.

Su Mu’s heart raced—how was it that Miss Yue had come to see him fight? He hurried toward her, but where he’d never faltered in battle, his steps now stumbled, and he nearly tripped before reaching her.

He stopped a few paces away, remembering one should not come too close to her.

“I—I’m Su Mu. You’re Miss Yue, aren’t you? You’re so beautiful, heh…”

Though Su Mu was awkward, he was bolder than most, unlike other young men who shrank into silence when faced with her.

Miss Yue’s smile suddenly vanished; her tone grew cold.

“I only asked your name. Did I ask for your opinion on my looks?”

Su Mu waved his hands in alarm.

“I meant nothing else—just that you’re beautiful and I wanted to praise you.”

She looked him up and down, then burst into laughter. With her laughter, it seemed to Su Mu that the darkening sky cleared once again.

“I think I’ve seen you before. Yes, there was a day I saw someone covered in blood, absolutely miserable, looking much like you do now. Was that you?”

Su Mu remembered—the first time he met Miss Yue he’d been in just such a sorry state, and now, after another duel, he was filthy and bloodied again. Indeed, he looked much the same.

“Heh, that was me. But I’m not always like this, because…”

Before he could finish, Miss Yue interrupted, “I know. I heard there’s a young man here who seems impervious to pain. I came today just to see for myself. It seems the rumors are true.”

“Yes, it’s true!” Su Mu grinned broadly. Fearing she wouldn’t believe him, he reversed his greatsword and stabbed his own arm, bright blood welling instantly, all to show her.

“You—who said I didn’t believe you? Must you hurt yourself to prove it? What a fool,” Miss Yue scolded, though she did not stop him, instead studying him closely before reaching into her robe for a jade box, beckoning him over.

“Come here, don’t be afraid—this is for you.”

Hearing her invitation, Su Mu nervously approached, relaxing only when he came within three steps of her without consequence. He took the jade box.

“You may not feel pain, but you’ve been wounded so many times. The medicine inside is very effective. I have no use for it, so I’m giving it to you.”

“No, no, there’s no need. Brother Black Crow always prepares a medicinal bath for me—Doctor Ji’s concoctions work wonders and help my cultivation. These wounds will heal in a couple of days.”

Though delighted by her gift, Su Mu was too shy to accept, and tried to refuse.

“Hmph, how can your bath compare to my medicine? I never take back a gift. If you don’t want it, give it to someone else.”

She snorted, standing tall and ignoring the jade box.

“If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

With a slight nod, Miss Yue turned and drifted away, leaving Su Mu staring after her, dazed.

“Foolish lad, the lady’s long gone. What, can’t see your old brother when there’s a beauty around?”

A smack to the head from Black Crow brought Su Mu back to his senses. Black Crow’s ugly face was twisted in mock annoyance as he teased, “A fairy like Miss Yue is not for country bumpkins like you to covet. Get back home—and just look at the state you’re in.”

Su Mu grinned sheepishly and glanced at himself—indeed, he was filthy. Did Miss Yue find him repulsive? But if she disliked him, why give him the jade box? Perhaps she didn’t mind after all? With a heart full of tangled emotions, Su Mu hurried after Black Crow back to their dwelling.