"Rumble..." With that sound, Ye Jingyu’s punch landed squarely on Chi Yixiu's head, yet it failed to produce the expected sound of a bone snapping. He felt as if he had struck solid steel; his knuckles throbbed in pain. His still-descending form was seized by Chi Yixiu, who tossed him aside as easily as if flicking away a chick...

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." The wind whistled past his ears. Ye Jingyu knew his body was airborne, and the horror within him intensified...

"CRASH!" Another deafening impact. Ye Jingyu's entire back slammed against the trunk of a tree as thick as a man's waist. A sharp, agonizing pain—a tearing, marrow-deep agony—shot through him. A scorching heat rose in his throat, and as his mouth opened, a mouthful of blood sprayed out...

And the large tree behind him was cleaved clean in two...

He fell heavily to the ground, feeling as if every bone in his body had been shattered. An indescribable agony coursed through him, his vision swam with glittering spots, and his head felt heavy and muddled—a truly wretched sensation...

"Jingyu..." From not far away, Jiu Feng’s startled cry reached him, granting the groggy Ye Jingyu a sliver of clarity: he was in a duel, fighting the foremost warrior of the Chi Yi Clan, fighting for Jiu Feng’s future. He could not die; he absolutely could not fall...

An unprecedented, potent will forged itself in his heart; a singular, driving obsession took root in his soul...

Struggling, he managed to move his arms and forced himself to his feet once more. Seeing Jiu Feng’s worried gaze nearby, Ye Jingyu’s lips twitched—was that perhaps a semblance of a smile?

"What a boy, to still be standing after that..." Chi Yixiu, witnessing Ye Jingyu rise after such a heavy blow, showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes, though it vanished instantly...

"If I haven't defeated you, how can I fall?" Ye Jingyu retorted coldly, instinctively activating the Baxuan Jue. A faint, nearly imperceptible energy surged from his ring, beginning the arduous work of mending his ravaged body...

"Such arrogant words. If so, then let me see what true strength you possess!" Chi Yixiu snorted, his massive frame lunging forward, once again crashing toward Ye Jingyu...

Without even bothering to look elsewhere, he drove a straight punch toward Ye Jingyu...

"BOOM!" A massive sound rang out as the blow landed squarely on Ye Jingyu's chest. The faint, grating sound of cracking bone could be heard. Ye Jingyu’s teetering body was once again hurled backward...

The blood from his mouth jetted out like a fountain, vivid and gorgeously crimson...

He crashed onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. His wounded body spasmed, seemingly still trying to rise...

Chi Yixiu paused, momentarily stunned. He had expected Ye Jingyu to have some trick left, but never imagined he would stand there, inviting the blow. Still, this punch carried seven-tenths of his full strength; it had shattered Ye Jingyu’s bones. Surely, he wouldn't get up again...

"Jingyu..." Jiu Feng, watching everything unfold nearby, felt as if her own heart were being ripped apart, as if that punch had struck her own body. The suffocating dullness nearly drove her to collapse...

Unbeknownst to her, shimmering tear-drops began to well up in her eyes. Was it gratitude? Or profound sorrow?

Yet, from the crowd, a wave of wild cheers erupted. Chi Yixiu, the foremost warrior of the Chi Yi Clan—was his battle prowess truly deserved?

Only Ye Jingyu endured the ineffable agony. He could distinctly feel the rupture of his ribs. He felt so utterly weary, so desperately tired, longing only to drift into a quiet sleep...

The surrounding cheers, Chi Yixiu's dismissive voice—all faded from his awareness. What remained was only the faint sound of Jiu Feng’s choked sobbing...

I... cannot die...

I... cannot lose...

A fierce will supported him as he staggered back to his feet. Blood continuously streamed from the corner of his mouth, staining his robes, soaking the earth. Yet, within his eyes, an intense, burning light still flickered...

It was conviction. It was fighting spirit. It was an unparalleled, stubborn tenacity...

"Boy, I advise you: yield now, or you will surely die..." Seeing Ye Jingyu manage to rise again, the admiration in Chi Yixiu’s eyes grew deeper, and the killing intent directed at him noticeably waned...

"If I do not defeat you, I will never yield," Ye Jingyu stated with unwavering resolve, his blazing gaze brimming with battle intent...

Seeing Ye Jingyu’s demeanor, Chi Yixiu shook his head, took a step forward, and unleashed another punch. Ye Jingyu’s body flew backward yet again...

But after only a short moment, he struggled and hauled himself back up...

Chi Yixiu continued to swing; Ye Jingyu continued to fly, and continued to rise...

Time and again, countless times now, even Chi Yixiu began to feel a slight numbness creeping into his own arms...

The commotion in the arena had ceased. Every spectator—the grotesque women, the burly men, and even the severely injured Chi Yi Leopard that Ye Jingyu had struck—now watched with expressions of profound respect. Regardless of Ye Jingyu’s raw power, this spirit of unyielding fortitude commanded the reverence of every strong warrior of the Chi Yi Clan...

His clothes were already drenched crimson with blood...

Indeed, shreds of lung tissue clung to the fabric on his shoulder...

But his dark eyes remained piercingly bright...

Jiu Feng’s vision was blurred, her voice raspy from crying. Her mind was a blank canvas, holding only a single, desperate thought: Ye Jingyu must live...

The Chi Yi Clan Chief, Chi Yi, had arrived at the scene at some unknown moment. His luminous green eyes stared silently at Ye Jingyu, who stood with his head bowed. His ancient, gaunt face remained utterly expressionless; no one could guess what thoughts stirred within him...

"Chi Yixiu, he is a warrior worthy of respect, and a noble warrior at that. Allow him to meet the death reserved for the highest honor of a warrior," came the Chief’s quiet voice at last. Yet, anyone listening could detect a slight tremor beneath the calm tone...

Was it emotion evoked by Ye Jingyu’s actions? Or reluctance to see him fall?

When the Chief announced his decree, everyone present held their breath, their eyes filled with reverence...

Jiu Feng felt something inside her heart snap. Her vision swam, and she felt on the verge of fainting...

Chi Yixiu nodded slowly, his face etched with solemnity. The muscles across his entire frame tensed. This was a deserving opponent; therefore, he resolved to defeat him with his most devastating power, granting him the greatest honor...

"Roar!" A tremendous bellow erupted from Chi Yixiu's throat. His colossal form suddenly dissolved into a blur of motion as he charged toward Ye Jingyu...

And Ye Jingyu, who had been hanging his head, suddenly looked up. A flicker of silver light flashed across his dark pupils...