At this moment, the only intact part of Ye Jingyu was his face. Now, that blood-streaked visage offered only a faint smile, coupled with a slight shake of his head.

Not only could he not fall here, but he absolutely could not reveal his trump cards, absolutely not his true identity.

Slowly mobilizing the meager reserves of his Bayuan Power, the opening stance of the Cangsheng Seal surfaced in his mind—a palm strike conceived from the very thoughts of all living beings. This was the strike he needed to unleash again. Without resorting to the Donghuang Bell or other artifacts, the Cangsheng Seal seemed to be the only move he knew capable of harming Jue.

Seeing Ye Jingyu slowly raise his right hand, currents of intention began to converge upon his body. Jue merely shook his head lightly. Perhaps the Ye Jingyu of moments ago could have wounded him, but now, even if he managed to gather such psychic force, without the support of his own strength, how could it harm him? He might even have his body rupture from the sheer force of the gathered thought-power before he could even complete the strike.

With just a shake of his head, Jue advanced towards Ye Jingyu, step by deliberate step. His pace was so unhurried, resembling a casual stroll, clearly granting Ye Jingyu ample time to coalesce the Cangsheng mental energy. Though he couldn't grasp Ye Jingyu’s stubborn resolve, he would allow him this chance—a final opportunity to wound him once more.

By the time Jue reached Ye Jingyu’s proximity, his palm was already emanating waves of blinding light, a colossal power gathering upon his right hand. But just as Jue had surmised, executing the Cangsheng Seal demanded a robust physical form for support. Ye Jingyu’s originally formidable physique might have managed it, but now, his body was almost entirely shattered; how could it bear such a strain?

Jue even witnessed the exposed bone fragments continuing to splinter, as if the entire structure was on the verge of total collapse. Watching Ye Jingyu expend his life force to unleash this move, a shadow of sorrow crossed Jue’s face. He slowly raised his left hand, intending to strike Ye Jingyu’s only relatively whole feature—his head. He had decided to end his torment.

“Wait…” But just then, Ye Jingyu suddenly spoke.

“What? Are you finally ready to unleash your full power?” Jue asked coolly.

“No, but I have one condition: you are not allowed to strike my face…”

“Why?” Jue’s eyes were filled with confusion.

“Don’t you think that if someone as handsome as me is disfigured by your punch, countless young maidens would be heartbroken? Killing me is a small matter, but wounding the hearts of thousands of girls would be a grave sin!” Ye Jingyu declared with absolute conviction, utterly lacking the near-death tone he’d possessed moments before.

“……” Even Jue, naturally cold-blooded, found black lines appearing on his forehead at hearing such words under these circumstances. Was his own mind playing tricks, or was this fellow simply insane?

“Actually, I just want to look a little dashing in front of her. I don’t want her to see me disfigured!” Ye Jingyu’s voice softened.

Jue simply rolled his eyes. There wasn't a single intact part on him; he looked more terrifying than a corpse. What difference did disfigurement make? Yet, observing the dimness in Ye Jingyu’s expression, and the young maiden radiating pure innocence by the edge of the arena, Jue sighed inwardly…

“Who is she to you?” Uncharacteristically, Jue refrained from attacking and instead asked.

“My beloved, the one I have searched for agonizingly for a thousand years!” Ye Jingyu admitted without reservation. He trusted that this man before him would never betray his secret. Though he was meeting him for the first time, and as an adversary no less, he felt this certainty, and he trusted his intuition.

“Do you know her current status!” Jue continued to press.

“I do. The adopted daughter of the Earth Alliance’s Destruction Lord, the sworn sister of Yuan, who actually controls the Earth Alliance. She is regarded as a forbidden treasure by both the Destruction Lord and Yuan. Any creature, be it demon or human, who dares harbor designs on her is summarily executed!” Ye Jingyu stated calmly.

“If that is the case, you still dare to provoke her? Aren’t you afraid of being utterly erased by the Destruction Lord?”

“What meaning is there to a man’s life if he cannot even protect the woman he loves most? Furthermore, while the Destruction Lord is powerful, he is not invincible! Sooner or later, I will tread upon him under my feet…” In Ye Jingyu’s eyes, a steadfast light flickered—the purest obsession of his heart.

“Good, good, good, good. ‘Sooner or later I will tread upon him under my feet.’ Besides me, every demon who dared utter such words has already met their end at his hands. I never expected to encounter another today. I will not kill you, and I will concede this duel’s first place to you. Do whatever you wish; I only wish to see how long you can survive?” Jue finished with chilling finality. Instantly, Ye Jingyu felt his right hand move uncontrollably, delivering a palm strike directly onto Jue’s chest, sending his already slender body flying backward until he slammed into the barrier, before dropping heavily to the ground.

Immediately after, his figure staggered to its feet. He glanced up towards Yuan’s private box, then began walking slowly out of the arena…

He actually allowed him to win? He could control his own strike? What did that statement mean—only wishing to see how long he could live?

Ye Jingyu’s mind was a complete blank. He had never imagined winning in such a manner. But as he watched Jue moving away, a surge of divine sense shot out towards him.

“Thank you for yielding today, but one day, I will defeat you myself, completely and openly…” The mental message traveled a great distance, yet Jue did not turn back, nor did he offer a reply. But Ye Jingyu knew he had been heard.

The silent arena erupted once more. Although observers sensed something peculiar about Ye Jingyu’s victory, none dared to question the power he had displayed.

The City Lords who had guessed Jue’s identity were utterly perplexed. They could not fathom why Jue, who never left a living witness, would spare Ye Jingyu today. What exactly had transpired between them?

Yuan’s eyes also held a flicker of surprise, clearly not anticipating this outcome. Jue had chosen to withdraw. Didn't he desire freedom outside this place for a year or two?

However, at that moment, he noticed Ling had somehow already run to the edge of the arena. He hurried out, while Ye Jingyu, amidst the roaring crowd, turned his gaze toward the beautiful silhouette at the periphery. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, and his body instantly succumbed, falling unconscious. He was simply too, too tired…

(Well, readers, I’m posting four chapters now as part of the surprise! The surprises will continue; I’ll keep writing when I wake up tomorrow and update consistently. Stars, give your Star-Giver some surprises too! Last month’s highest Golden Brick record was 1600 in one day—this month, let’s aim for 2000, how about it? And of course, don’t forget the recommendation tickets and collections! Let’s work hard together!)