The only thought remaining in his mind was how incredibly strong this fellow was. Yet, at that very moment, the spectral figure known as Gui Jianchou—who had just evaded an attack using a wisp of blood shadow—was already beside him, the blood-red scimitar now firmly in hand.

"I apologize. As a human, I ought to stand with you against this monster, but I have been tasked with killing you. Do not hold it against me after you are dead…" Gui Jianchou stared coldly at Ye Jingyu, a cruel sneer playing on his lips as the Blood Moon Saber cleaved downward.

A dazzling arc of blade light flared from the saber, so brilliant it seemed to scorch the very air of the dueling stage. Facing that icy sword energy, Ye Jingyu’s mind was utterly calm. It seemed that, even now, he truly did not know his own identity.

Almost instantaneously, the blade light was upon Ye Jingyu's neck. The sharp energy even managed to slice his skin, threatening to sever his head entirely, when a furious roar echoed through the arena.

"Insolence!" Jue bellowed, unleashing a tremendous cry. An inexplicable force erupted, instantly shattering the sharp blade light into dust. The ensuing violent power slammed entirely into Gui Jianchou’s body, blasting him backward to crash heavily against the thick barrier surrounding the platform. Every bone in his body seemed shattered; he collapsed onto the ground like a heap of wet clay.

"The one Jue intends to defeat—is that something you can interfere with?" The chains wrapped around Jue retracted completely, settling back onto his form. He began to float, his long, disheveled hair moving without wind, his icy eyes fixed on the motionless Gui Jianchou, who had been knocked clear off the stage.

Witnessing this spectacle, Jian on the viewing stands nearly broke down in tears. This was the guest elder he had painstakingly recruited, and now he was reduced to such a state. How would he face the other City Lords now?

But quickly, he noticed the figure sprawled on the ground—Gui Jianchou—move, slowly beginning to pull himself up. A look of astonishment flickered in Jue's eyes; clearly, he had not expected this human to survive such a devastating blow.

However, maintaining his dignity, Jue would not strike again unless Gui Jianchou, abandoning all sense of self-preservation, charged back into the ring to fight.

Gui Jianchou was no fool. He spat out a mouthful of blood, along with large chunks of pulverized flesh, glanced coldly one last time at Jue, and then at the prone Ye Jingyu. He walked away without looking back, yet his gaze sent an unmistakable message to Jue: I will return…

His gait, however, was uneven and unsteady, a clear sign of the grievous injury he had sustained.

Silence gripped the venue. No one could have predicted that a contest for the command of the Blood Demon Legion would escalate into this scenario. Not only had numerous Cosmos-level experts appeared, but three of them were of such devastating power. Their exhibited strength seemed no weaker than that of the Seven Fiends of the Earth Alliance. Especially the one encased in iron chains; the might he displayed had shaken even the Seven Fiends. This was merely a small competition—how could so many powerhouses emerge? Did the Earth Alliance truly possess such an abundance of talent, with Cosmos-level experts appearing ceaselessly?

Jue paid absolutely no mind to Gui Jianchou’s look. Although Gui Jianchou was a rare genius, the sheer number of geniuses who had perished by his hand over the years was staggering. If not for his later birth, or if there hadn't been a Destruction Lord before him, the situation among the demons might be vastly different now.

His body slowly descended back to the ground. Looking at the fallen Ye Jingyu, Jue spoke indifferently, "The extraneous elements have been cleared. You may rise now and display your true strength!" Jue's words were light and soft, yet strangely, every person in the audience heard them with perfect clarity, leaving them all staring at Ye Jingyu in stunned disbelief. Had he truly been holding back until now? Even Yuan looked aghast. In Yuan’s estimation, Ye Jingyu’s performance so far had already far exceeded expectations, yet Jue's words suggested he hadn't even used his full power? Had Ye Jingyu’s strength reached such an unimaginable height?

As for Ye Jingyu, upon hearing Jue's words, he struggled to stand, but a bitter smile touched his lips. His current cultivation was only at the Hong level. If his physical body had not been tempered by the dual forces of Creation and Destruction, even dealing with an average Cosmos-level expert would be troublesome. While he could currently handle ordinary Cosmos-level adversaries, he was nowhere near as formidable as Jue claimed.

It was true he hadn't used his full strength. If he deployed the Eastern Emperor Bell and the Twelve Celestial Witch Annihilation Array, he might indeed have a chance to defeat Jue. But the issue was, could he use those things right now? The mere appearance of the Eastern Emperor Bell would cause Yuan to recognize him instantly. At that point, not only would saving Luo Ling'er become impossible, but the entire plan he and Liang Xiaoke had devised would be ruined. Thus, he absolutely could not expose his identity easily.

"Show me your full power, or you stand no chance against me!" Seeing Ye Jingyu rise, Jue spoke coldly.

The forces of Creation and Destruction spun ceaselessly within his body, already healing the majority of his injuries. Hearing Jue's words, Ye Jingyu pushed aside his reservations, turning his gaze—eyes flickering with lightning and Netherworld Fire—toward Jue.

A fighting spirit slowly emanated from him: unyielding, unyielding, fearless, unretreating…

Sensing the battle intent radiating from Ye Jingyu, Jue smiled faintly, then his figure vanished from his original spot—completely gone—only to reappear instantly behind Ye Jingyu, delivering a punch directly toward his heart without hesitation.

Black light instantly exploded outward. The surrounding air cracked and popped—a sound caused by the violent kinetic energy of the punch compressing it.

Faced with this sudden strike, Ye Jingyu showed no intention of dodging. He swung his rear leg outward—Divine Dragon Tail Sweep…

With a tremendous boom, Ye Jingyu’s kick slammed into Jue's abdomen, staggering him backward repeatedly. However, the sheer force of Jue's returning attack also sent Ye Jingyu flying, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood. The wound in his chest, not yet fully healed, fractured again before he crashed heavily to the ground.

At this point, Jue, who had retreated a few steps, steadied himself, took a single step forward with one leg, and materialized directly above Ye Jingyu’s body in mid-air.

"Since you refuse to exert your full strength, allow me to see you off. Jue Light Flash!" A chilling voice issued from Jue's mouth. Immediately, a blinding radiance erupted from his fist. Under the intensity of this light, everyone present instinctively shut their eyes tight…

(I truly don't understand why some people demand votes as if it’s their due, but when I ask for support, I'm met with interrogation. Is it really necessary? To be honest, many people are reading War Soul now, and the clicks are high, yet the royalties I receive are far less than before. I haven't said a word about that, have I? I continue with my planned bursts of updates and regular releases; I haven't thrown any tantrums. This month’s burst schedule hasn't been light either, has it? Stars shine because they are supported by countless other stars; I have always kept that deeply in mind. I can afford to offend anyone, but there is absolutely no reason to offend the readers who support me! Asking for votes is tiring, asking for Gold Bricks is tiring; I truly don't want to beg, but I have no choice. The current rules of the Dragon-Phoenix Ranking depend on Gold Bricks, Recommendation Votes, and Collections. No matter how many people read my book, if the Gold Bricks and Recommendation Votes are low, my income drops. For example, even if more people read my book and my updates aren't less frequent than others, if my royalties end up lower just because I didn't beg for votes and bricks, how can I feel balanced? Don't compare War Soul to Battle Through the Heavens; the Great God Tudou earns millions a year; I don't even get a fraction of that. They are on completely different levels and cannot be compared. Xingchen just writes a few books to earn some money and live a simple life; that's all. Friends who support Xingchen, please stay; if you dislike Xingchen, please be magnanimous and go support the author and book you prefer. I’m not demanding anything from you, am I? Why pick a fight with Xingchen? Of course, some people might say, "We give bricks whether you ask or not." That is true; many loyal stars have consistently given Gold Bricks since the beginning. But the problem is that many friends often forget to smash bricks. Yesterday, for instance, I didn't ask for bricks, and the result was over a hundred fewer Gold Bricks than usual. Consequently, we slipped in the Dragon-Phoenix Ranking. What should I do from Xingchen's perspective? It's irritating to have to ask for bricks at the end of every chapter. I personally hate reading a bunch of filler after a chapter, too. I will try to minimize such nonsense in the future, and I hope some friends can offer a little more support by throwing a Gold Brick or recommending a vote. For you, it’s just a simple gesture, but it directly impacts our source of income. Alright, I’ve rambled on again. Today will be three chapters. It’s already three in the morning. Tomorrow is the first day of a new month, and Xingchen is planning a surprise for you all. What will the surprise be? You’ll find out tomorrow! To those friends planning to scold me, please be generous and spare this Xingchen. I am truly just a nobody! Truly! More real than real gold! Well, good night everyone!)