"The summoner lost."
Lin Jiu said softly. If the summoner had either completely dodged or fully countered the ice seal, he wouldn't have dispersed the ice shards. This mistake showed he wasn't aware of the later developments in the plot.
"Huh?"
Zhang Chulan wanted to ask why Lin Jiu said that, but the match took a decisive turn.
"Dui Symbol… Flash of the Drum!"
Rhythmic flashes of light began to blink in front of Lie Yan, and the rhythm had a hypnotic effect. The ice crystals scattered around magnified this effect several times through light refraction.
Lie Yan snapped back to reality only to find Wang Ye's hand resting on his shoulder. Knowing it was hopeless, he grimaced and admitted defeat. At this close range, even a desperate counterattack wouldn't succeed. He knew his place — though he was a contractor, his defeat wouldn't significantly alter the power dynamics of the Outcast world.
As Wang Ye's battle wrapped up, the other matches also ended.
"Wang Bing versus Red, contestants ready, let the duel begin!"
"Hahaha, I knew it! Destiny is on my side. Facing a nobody like you is going to be a breeze! Hey, just surrender already, or I won't go easy on you!"
Wang Bing laughed arrogantly, raising his head high, clearly underestimating Lin Jiu.
Lin Jiu took two small steps forward, and seeing that Wang Bing didn't react at all, it was clear he wasn't taking him seriously.
Out in the audience, Lu Ci was already contemplating what kind of gift to prepare for his good friend Wang Ai.
Once Lin Jiu confirmed this, he swiftly unleashed his strength, pushing off the ground and instantly closing the gap between him and Wang Bing.
"How is this possible!"
Wang Bing was shocked. Despite his arrogance, he had received a thorough education. The reason he hadn't defended against Lin Jiu's sudden attack was that he hadn't felt any qi movement — it was purely a physical assault.
Since killing wasn't allowed, Lin Jiu aimed a sidekick at Wang Bing's abdomen. He couldn't kill him, but crippling him was fair game.
Wang Bing was terrified. If this kick hit his dantian, it would be destroyed. His grandfather, Wang Ai, wasn't in the audience, believing that even if someone had the power to defeat his grandson, they wouldn't go too far out of respect.
Seeing Lin Jiu's merciless approach, Lu Ci had an expression of resignation. It seemed like his suspicions were correct.
Wang Bing didn't have time to dodge and could only throw up his arms to block the kick.
Crack!
Thud!
Two sounds echoed: the first was Wang Bing's arm breaking, and the second was the kick landing on his soft abdomen. The pain caused Wang Bing's eyes to widen, and he coughed up blood.
"You dare… I'm—"
Before Wang Bing could finish his sentence, Lin Jiu's elbow smashed into his face. Defeating Wang Bing was even easier than dealing with the iron-fisted contractor earlier. At least those in the reincarnation paradise were cautious when facing enemies.
Wang Bing, who had been pampered his whole life, was supposed to suffer a setback later at Zhang Lingyu's hands. But facing Lin Jiu now meant more than just a setback.
With that blow, Wang Bing's nose bled profusely, and several of his teeth were knocked out.
Wang Bing's initial rage turned to fear as his fierce gaze met Lin Jiu's calm and indifferent eyes. It was as if beating him meant nothing to Lin Jiu, and even killing him would have been just another task. For the first time, Wang Bing felt genuine fear, forgetting entirely about the rule that no killing was allowed in this tournament.
"I…"
Seeing Wang Bing about to speak, probably to issue some threat, Lin Jiu didn't bother to listen. He grabbed Wang Bing's jaw and squeezed forcefully.
"Ugh…"
Wang Bing, unable to speak, felt a wave of despair. Desperately, he glanced toward the Taoist referee, silently pleading for help.
Thud!
Wang Bing felt a sharp pain in his abdomen before being thrown out of the arena like trash.
Lin Jiu had crushed Wang Bing's dantian, and to ensure there would be no recovery, he inflicted a wound that allowed soul energy to invade the area. While this energy didn't have the destructive force of a large-scale attack, it would significantly delay the healing process.
In the original story, Wang Bing, although defeated by Hu Jie, wasn't weak. When Lin Jiu ambushed Hu Jie, it took a bit more effort than dealing with Wang Bing.
Wang Bing was simply too arrogant, believing himself to be the chosen one, untouchable by anyone. Lin Jiu's calculated attack exploited that arrogance, and he didn't hold back.
"After this beating, Wang Ai, the old man, won't be able to sit still. He'll come looking for trouble," Lin Jiu thought to himself as he left the arena.
"The winner is Red!"
Neither Lin Jiu nor Wang Bing was particularly well-known, and Wang Bing's reputation was largely negative. Since the Wang family kept things quiet, not many people had paid attention to this match. However, many had seen it broadcast on the large screen outside the arena.
Good, that's exactly what Lin Jiu wanted. The injuries inflicted in this legitimate tournament match were above reproach. If the Wang family sought trouble over this, Lin Jiu could turn the tables in his favor.
"Damn…"
Zhang Chulan had been keeping an eye on Lin Jiu's match. He hadn't even bothered analyzing Lin Jiu's combat style — the brutality of the fight had left him stunned. This was the same man who Xu Si had said could kill a dozen Outcast without blinking.
Zhang Chulan had been fooled by Lin Jiu's calm demeanor. This side of him was more in line with Xu Si's description of the calamity star.
"Damn, this is going to cause trouble for Brother Red!"
Feng Xingtong, who had been watching, also looked worried.
Zhang Chulan glanced over, having a suspicion but still asking, "Why?"
"The guy who got beat up isn't just anyone! Wang Bing is the favorite grandson of Wang Ai, one of the top ten elders. Wang Ai has been in that position longer than my dad. There's no guarantee that the Wang family won't seek revenge on Brother Red!"
Feng Xingtong explained.
As Lin Jiu left the arena, he ran into Lu Ci, who had also just finished his match.
"Old man Lu, still alive and kicking?"
Lin Jiu greeted with a smile. After all, a smile can resolve grudges — almost killing someone isn't exactly a blood feud, right?
"Little monster, already setting your sights on the Wang family?"
Lu Ci replied, as expected. Their past conflict had been resolved, and only a fool would reignite it.
Lin Jiu shrugged.
"Maybe it's the Wang family setting their sights on me. That was a legitimate counterattack."
Lu Ci, not interested in getting involved, walked away, shaking his head.