After the boar demon was killed, another prison cart was brought forward, this one containing an even taller wolf demon. The wolf demon hunched slightly, its head touching the top of the cart. Its claws gripped the iron bars as it stared at the crowd of humans outside.
"Clang." The one-armed man opened the cage and calmly said to the wolf demon, "The rules have already been explained. Win three matches in a row, and you can return alive, feasting on fine food and wine. If you break the rules, you'll be cut into a thousand pieces!"
"I know," the wolf demon growled hoarsely, stepping into the combat arena. It immediately noticed the blood reeking of demonic aura.
It was from that stupid pig!
Although demons at the bottom of the hierarchy often fought each other, the wolf demon couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow, like the fox mourning the hare. It was likely that it, too, would die in this combat arena.
However, the reality was—
The wolf demon won three consecutive matches, severely injuring one human youth and brutally tearing off the arm of another. The arm was shredded beyond repair.
After the wolf demon retreated, another demon naturally took its place.
One battle after another unfolded.
Both the human youths and the demons sought to kill each other.
The disciples of the eight major Taoist academies were extremely solemn, with some visibly nervous, as each of them was required to take the stage. This was not a friendly sparring match among peers but a brutal life-and-death struggle. The demons would show no mercy.
Liu Qiyue also took the stage, shooting down a cat demon, but when faced with a more ferocious leopard demon, she was forced to jump off the combat arena.
...
"Twenty-three disciples of the Taoist academies have already taken the stage to fight," Clan Leader Meng Yanping said softly. "Da Jiang, it's Meng Chuan's turn."
"Yes," Meng Da Jiang replied, looking toward Meng Chuan in the Jinghu Taoist Academy camp.
Indeed.
It was Meng Chuan's turn.
As the only disciple among the eight major Taoist academies in the Marrow Washing Realm to have comprehended an esoteric technique, he was naturally placed last to take the stage.
"Senior Brother Meng, be careful," Wan Mang said, his chest bandaged and stained with blood. "The demons are very cunning."
"I know," Meng Chuan nodded.
Of the twenty-three disciples of the Taoist academies who had taken the stage earlier, most had been cautious. Only six had suffered serious injuries, all of which were treatable. Except for one... whose arm had been brutally torn off by the wolf demon. That disciple, named Bai Fengqi, was a member of the Bai family, one of the five great Divine Lord families. After jumping off the combat arena, he had been weeping uncontrollably.
His grandfather, who was present today, had scolded him on the spot, "What are you crying about? You knew how powerful the wolf demon was, yet you were so reckless. Who can you blame? In a one-on-one fight, with the demon still chained, you still lost an arm. If this were a battlefield, you'd have lost your life. Go back and train hard. The family has plenty of sword techniques for one-armed warriors."
Though he scolded, the grandfather's eyes were slightly red. After all, this was his grandson, his lifelong pride and joy.
The disciples of the Taoist academies all felt great sympathy for Bai Fengqi, who had lost an arm at just sixteen years old.
However, the principals, imperial court officials, and high-ranking elders of the five major families present remained largely composed. They have witnessed things a hundred, a thousand times more brutal than this. The Demon-Slaying Festival is 'Primordial Mountain's' way of ensuring that some of humanity's elites don't perish the moment they step onto the battlefield. Thus, during their youth, they are made to endure hardships and broaden their horizons, so that they will cultivate more diligently and be more cautious on the battlefield in the future.
"Six humans severely injured, one disabled. Twelve demons have entered the arena, with five slain!" Meng Chuan remained calm, showing no trace of nervousness or fear.
Because at the age of six, he had already witnessed the terror of demons! That time, over a hundred thousand people were massacred! If it weren't for the arrival of a Divine Lord, few within dozens of miles would have survived, and the number of slaughtered humans would have doubled. That Divine Lord single-handedly caused the demons to collapse and flee in panic, allowing the scattered humans to survive. Meng Chuan's survival was not only due to his parents' desperate efforts but also because of that Divine Lord.
Having experienced all that, the one-on-one battle before him, where demons were confined to the arena and human youths could survive by simply jumping off, seemed incredibly mild.
"Next, Jinghu Taoist Academy, Meng Chuan." The voice of the court official rose slightly.
In an instant, all eyes fell on Meng Chuan.
Meng Chuan had been the focus of discussion in Dongning City in recent days. Everyone knew that Dongning City had produced another genius, one with the potential to become a Divine Lord.
"Be careful," Principal Ge Yu instructed.
"Yes, Principal," Meng Chuan replied as he stood up and walked toward the arena.
"Chuan, it's up to you now," Liu Qiyue from Lie Yang Taoist Academy waved her fist in encouragement.
"Leave it to me," Meng Chuan smiled.
In the Yun family's viewing area, Yun Fucheng watched from a distance and chuckled, "Fu'an, this Meng Chuan seems to have a good temperament, but he and Qingping are just not destined to be together."
"Indeed, no destiny," Yun Fuan smiled along, though his gaze toward Meng Chuan grew three parts colder.
The more outstanding Meng Chuan became, the more displeased he felt.
On the other hand, Yun Qingping was watching nervously. Today had been quite a shock for her; it was her first time seeing the legendary demons in person. They were so ugly and ferocious.
At the main seat.
The Lord of Yuyang Palace sat there, his gaze also resting on Meng Chuan. He smiled and said to the person beside him, "Yuan Zhi, Meng Chuan also comprehended a secret technique at the age of fifteen. You are considered the top of the younger generation in Dongning City now, and he is the second in line. Moreover, being from the Meng family, Madam Meng will surely devote all her resources to nurturing him. His path might even be smoother than yours."
"The path of cultivation depends more on oneself! I will enter Primordial Mountain this year," said the frail young man Mei Yuanzhi. "Moreover, the palace master has guided me several times in recent days."
"It's just simple guidance. I must remind you, you are only considered the top genius in Dongning City. Your chances of entering Primordial Mountain are only two or three in ten," the Lord of Yuyang Palace said with a smile. "If there are more geniuses this year, your hope of entering Primordial Mountain will be even lower. Yuanzhi, you need to make plans. What will you do if you fail?"
"No need to think about it now. I'll handle it if I fail," Mei Yuanzhi replied.
The Lord of Yuyang Palace said no more, instead watching the arena with interest. He was willing to guide Mei Yuanzhi because he hoped that with one more Divine Lord, humanity would have more strength. Clearly, 'Meng Chuan' also had potential in his eyes.
Meng Chuan had already stepped onto the arena.
"Demon," Meng Chuan said, looking at the tall sheep demon standing on the arena. The sheep demon was tall and burly, with thick arms, long curved horns, and eyes glowing green as it stared at Meng Chuan.
"Human, if you're afraid, get down quickly," the sheep demon said in a low voice. "My previous two opponents, including that divine archer, were so scared they jumped off the arena."
The sheep demon was among the top two of the twelve demons that had appeared so far.
It was deliberately arranged to be faced later, specifically for Meng Chuan to deal with.
"Scared? Of you?" Meng Chuan looked at it, but his eyes changed, filled with intense killing intent.
"Chuan'er's eyes," Meng Dajiang watched from afar, his heart trembling. His son was usually gentle and amiable, never with such heavy killing intent before.
"Hahaha, not running away? I like brave little humans," the sheep demon said, immediately charging forward with incredible speed, even creating afterimages.
Meng Chuan just watched it, his mind more focused than ever.
He was filled with endless killing intent toward these demons.
"Die."
The sheep demon closed in, snarling as it swung its claws, gray claw shadows slicing through the air.
"Now," Meng Chuan thought, and in that instant, his body, mind, and technique became one!
The intense killing intent, the hatred for demons he had harbored since childhood, allowed Meng Chuan to unite his body and mind more perfectly, unleashing far more strength than usual.
The ancient Divine Lord once said that human potential is immense. At critical moments, one can unleash unimaginable power.
Meng Chuan's battle with the demon... was far more intense than his usual training, more powerful than his matches at Jinghu Taoist Academy.
"Swish."
A blade light flashed, incredibly fast.
A smooth, fluid strike! One filled with killing intent!
The sheep demon's eyes widened, instinctively sensing death approaching. It desperately tried to block with its arms, but it couldn't touch the blade light. The blade light wasn't a straight line but a drifting curve, easily bypassing the demon's frantic arms and slicing across its neck.
"Whoosh."
Meng Chuan's blade was already back in its sheath, as if it had never moved, only his position had shifted by five zhang.
"Gurgle~~" The sheep demon stumbled forward a few steps before collapsing, its head rolling to the side, blood staining the ground.
Just one strike!
The sheep demon was slain!
Gasps of shock erupted. Everyone had witnessed the sheep demon's strength earlier; even its combat skills were highly refined and formidable. A Transfiguration Realm expert would likely struggle to defeat it. That's why it had easily won two matches in a row. Yet, in front of Meng Chuan, it was slain with just one strike?
Meng Chuan looked at the sheep demon's corpse and whispered softly, "You are the first demon I've killed."