A Week of Respite, A New Rival, and Lingering Shadows

The next Gladiatorial Martial Arts Festival was a week away, so for the upcoming week, You’er and Keane, along with their companions, would no longer need to worry about their survival.

From the moment You’er and Salakriffin sealed their verbal agreement, You’er’s status and position within this eastern district had become equivalent to that of Miekin Hogg, the warden.

Though merely temporary, it was sufficient for You’er to ensure his subordinates could live freely outside the arena and would no longer suffer malicious treatment from the ‘elders’ or the guards.

It was worth noting that after that, You’er never encountered Quia’s faction again; even Quia’s numerous subordinates had vanished without a trace.

You’er specifically tasked Keane with investigating the reason, only to discover that Quia and his group had long since been transferred by Miekin Hogg. While they technically remained prisoners of the East District, their movements had been arranged to avoid any interaction with You’er.

This was not Quia capitulating to him, but rather accepting, or perhaps aligning with, Miekin Hogg, to confront their common enemy: You’er.

Their alliance was certainly not without reason. Miekin Hogg possessed power, yet was restrained by Salakriffin, preventing him from directly acting against You’er. Thus, he needed a pawn in his hand, and the optimal choice was undoubtedly Quia.

Both emotionally and logically, You’er had to eliminate Quia, but the means by which to do so left You’er deeply troubled.

The reason was simple: prisoners from the same district could not face each other in the arena, and within the current East District, You’er could not encounter Quia.

In other words, he currently had no way to act!

By candlelight, You’er hunched over his desk, his gaze fixed on the topographical map of the Death Arena, obtained through special channels. He pondered deeply, when he suddenly felt a touch of warmth on his back, realizing Noelle Noah had draped a garment over him.

“Husband, what troubles your thoughts?”

Noelle Noah knelt down and with slender fingers, traced words upon the table’s surface.

“Nothing, merely trivial matters.”

You’er snapped out of his thoughts, looking at Noelle Noah beside him. He clasped her small hand tightly in his palm and spoke in a gentle tone, “Why are you up? Your body has been quite weak lately; more rest would be better for you.”

“Noelle Noah wishes to spend more time with her husband.”

Noelle Noah wrote in You’er’s palm.

Her movements were light and tender, as if caressing You’er’s very heart.

You’er smiled softly and pulled her close into his embrace.

Under the dim candlelight, the two nestled together, silent, yet sweet.

****

Guided by the Soul Eye’s direction, You’er’s consciousness once again entered that mysterious and seemingly ancient space.

‘Though I have successfully condensed the Divine Soul Sword, the cultivation of that particular sword technique remains stagnant. Is it truly because my current strength is too weak?’

Standing beneath the Divine Sword-Divine Tree, You’er gripped the Divine Soul Sword, practicing the movements again and again, following the paths in his mind, yet always, at some point, the connection would break, and he would falter.

Whenever he had a moment of leisure, while others were lost in slumber, You’er never forgot to cultivate the Divine Soul Sword technique he had acquired. He understood clearly that whether he could ultimately lead Noelle Noah out of this place depended largely on his ability to master this powerful Divine Soul Sword technique.

Countless failures in cultivation finally made You’er realize the core issue: he was currently constrained by his own strength. As someone merely at the Sword Apprentice realm, he was utterly incapable of comprehending the essence of that sword technique.

Helplessly, You’er withdrew from the Divine Tree space back into reality. He resolved that from this moment on, he would strive desperately to elevate his realm and strength!

Seven days later, the second round of the Gladiatorial Martial Arts Festival arrived as scheduled.

The very first match was You’er’s appearance.

To the audience’s fervent excitement, he faced not just one opponent, but two, hailing from the West and South Districts respectively. One was a low-tier Swordsman, the other a high-tier Sword Apprentice, both possessing unaligned magical power.

Given You’er’s previous agreement with Salakriffin, these two were clearly opponents intentionally arranged by the arena, based on their assessment of his strength.

‘Every match must be as spectacular as the last’ was the essence of their agreement. Thus, You’er adopted the same frenzied fighting style from his previous match, and after a fierce battle, with the iron sword in his hand, he mercilessly severed the heads of both opponents.

You’er’s victory was practically a foregone conclusion. This match had merely been arranged by the arena to further gauge his true capabilities. It was believed that in the next match, several days hence, the format would change again, becoming even more arduous and far more thrilling.

Naturally, You’er was an exception. Only his gladiatorial performances diverged so wildly from convention. After his bout, the gladiatorial matches reverted to their usual random 1v1 format.

Today’s gladiatorial contests no longer distinguished between new and old participants, causing the power disparity to widen instantly. Consequently, the outcome of each match was determined incredibly quickly, and for this very reason, the death toll was almost two to three times that of the previous round.

By the time the final match concluded, the arena’s cremation grounds held a grim collection of fifteen to twenty mangled corpses.

Six were from the North District, five each from the West and South Districts, and four from the East District.

You’er had paid little attention to the four who died from the East District in his daily life, yet their deaths still pained him deeply. After all, they too were living souls! They had once played and laughed alongside over 140 other companions…

It was worth mentioning that, due to You’er’s actions, Noelle Noah was no longer on the roster of participants. Just as You’er had hoped, he had successfully used his own hands to shoulder the burden Noelle Noah could not bear.

You’er fought so fiercely, partly, of course, to protect Noelle Noah, but also to hone his own skills, to place himself on the brink of danger, to contend with death and to struggle against fate! To cultivate, to ascend!

Then came a momentous event that shook the entire arena: the second person chosen by Chris was born. It was the number two from the West District, the man cloaked in a black face covering.

His name was Heggel Gale, a tremendously powerful Swordsman wielding wind-attributed magic, and ranked among the high-tier!

In this particular match, Heggel Gale encountered a formidable adversary, essentially the second-in-command of the South District. Only after fully revealing his strength did he succeed in slaying them.

Heggel had a peculiar habit: he would use his iron sword to impale the severed heads, hoisting them high to flaunt his glorious achievements to the audience.

Similar to the last occasion, as he performed this act, he met You’er’s searing, murderous gaze.

You’er and Heggel seemed destined to be rivals from the very beginning. No reasons or words were needed; as they merely stood, gazing at each other from afar, the space between them thick with palpable animosity and killing intent.