Chapter 516: Chapter 516

"Everyone, please move to your designated arenas." The host spoke loudly, then waited quietly for the participants to take their places.

On Arena One, two Covert Martial Arts experts from the Blue Star Empire and the Malhar Kingdom stood on opposite sides, locking eyes as if sparks were igniting in the air. Their fighting spirit was surging.

Although the match had not yet begun, the Qi field belonging exclusively to combat artists had already begun surging from their bodies.

The air visibly distorted in ripples around them and gradually expanded. Eventually, the two Qi fields clashed fiercely in the center of the arena, whipping the air into chaos and sending the edges of their garments flapping noisily. This drew the eyes of many spectators from the sightseeing tower.

In contrast, Arenas Two through Four felt subdued, almost as though no one intended to interfere with one another.

The three commanders from the Treatment Ward, all dressed in identical black robes, simply stood there as cold as ancient ice. Their opponents unleashed their Qi fields at full force, sweeping sharp gazes across them, yet received no response at all.

It seemed as though they had already been dismissed by the trio. Indeed, Odo and his two companions had ignored their opponents entirely.

Since the Director had issued an order allowing them to fight at full strength, they could push their fist technique to the limit in this battle. That also meant the fate of the trio's opponents were already sealed, and they were just a little more than walking corpses. No matter how much a corpse might struggle, it was hard for anyone to feel true anger toward it.

On Arena Two, Odo's opponent was a hulking brute, more robust and towering than a bear. His muscles were piled up like a steel tower, and his chest was covered in dark, matted hair, making him appear wildly aggressive. He had a vicious appearance, looking every bit the villain at a single glance.

He was baring his teeth in a grin, revealing yellowed fangs that appeared especially menacing.

"You brat, how dare you ignore me all this time! Once the match officially starts, I'm going to tear you to pieces with my fists, just like that Red Arm Fist elder of yours from the Hongli Empire who died earlier, heh heh. The level of the Hongli Empire's combat artists is really worrying... so pathetic..."

The brute flexed the two blocks of iron-like muscle on his chest in open provocation and said, "What's wrong? Hey, are you mute?"

"Heh heh heh..." Odo slowly raised his hand and let the black cloak fall, revealing a young, handsome face with a refined yet world-weary air between his brows.

His black hair was neatly combed back, exposing a smooth forehead. A pair of eyes were concealed by gold-rimmed glasses, their lenses reflecting the sunlight in two white glints.

It was impossible to read Odo's emotions through his eyes.

He let a faint smile curl at the corners of his mouth as he said, "You're too noisy. Let's start with your mouth in a moment, then your face, then your limbs. I'll shatter your chest, your abdomen, your organs, and your bones bit by bit. Heh heh heh..."

He gave a low, trembling laugh, resembling a deranged doctor, and remarked, "I specifically studied anatomy to refine my fist technique. Be thankful... you get to experience it..."

"You son of a..." the brute cursed, and his body swelled noticeably due to his rage.

On stage, the host announced the start of the match.

"How could a corpse possibly speak?"

The moment the host finished speaking, Odo vanished from where he stood, turning into a hazy black silhouette that quivered at an uncanny angle. He instantly advanced across the arena like mist and wind.

Furious, the brute's body expanded even more, tendons and muscles twisting like steel cables as they throbbed wildly. "You're the corpse! I swear I'll butcher you in this match!"

His exposed skin turned a dark bluish hue, and his skeletal frame suddenly shot upward to over two meters in height.

"Die!" The brute worked his fists, stomped down with his right foot, and flung his arm like a hammer.

The thunderous crash of his foot slamming against the ground overlapped with the bursting roar of tremendous force tearing through the air, sending chills down the spine.

"Too slow, too weak, and such crude movements..."

Suddenly, an arm seemed to sweep through the air like an illusion, tracing a rapid white crescent arc. That crescent clashed directly with the brute's fist, and the collision rang out like colliding metal blades.

Another arm descended like a moon-shaped slash!

"Argh!" The brute let out a scream and staggered backward.

His right fist had been severed at the wrist, with scarlet blood spurting forth. In the time it took him to throw one punch, the opponent had managed two blows.

Bang, bang, bang, bang...

On the arena, one large and one smaller shadow darted about in a furious exchange, blood spraying everywhere.

The brute recoiled again and again, feeling as though a deadly force had invaded his body after only a few clashes. Coupled with the loss of his right hand and the ensuing blood loss, he was rapidly weakening.

He could no longer save face and opened his mouth to surrender. However, the figure in front of him darted forward at a strange and swift curved angle.

Odo's eyes glowed with a crimson sheen, his powerful hands cutting through the air with ease before swiftly slashing down. Two arcs of white moonlight flickered through the air like lightning, followed by two spurts of blood.

The brute's throat and mouth were seemingly carved through by a sharp blade. His ruined vocal cords and exposed gums were horrifyingly visible.

"And now your face..." Odo took an elegant step forward.

The moment he spoke, five fingers suddenly reached up. The brute's head jerked back, and the skin of his face split open under the blow.

Skin, muscle, and bone tore away bit by bit in a shockingly gruesome sight.

"Limbs." Odo spoke another word and then slid his arms, moving with the lightness of a bird.

Two shattered arcs of moonlight tore through the air, slashing diagonally upward toward the brute's armpits. With a sickening squelch, his powerful arms were severed and fell to the ground, still twitching.

Both legs were cut away.

One word after another emerged from Odo's mouth, his smile growing more depraved and more gratified. His arms slashed continuously, slicing and destroying the brute's flesh while relishing the sensation of blood splattering.

The final spray of blood splashed across Odo's face and onto the lenses of his glasses. He retracted his attacking stance with a smile, reached up with his right hand, and touched the thick blood on his forehead.

Then, the five fingers stained with blood stroked his hair backward. He used the slowly congealing blood as hair gel to keep his slicked-back style neat and impeccable, giving him an oddly refined look.

Before this gentleman stood the burly brute, now scattered in gory pieces on the ground like a real silent corpse. Blood-drenched remains and shredded organs lay piled together, occasionally revealing splinters of white bone. It was utterly nauseating.

On the opening ceremony stage, the elderly host watching the fight was stunned. Even for those who had witnessed many horrors, they had rarely seen such a blood-soaked scene of dismemberment. So it took them a few moments to recover.

The old man finally announced, "Arena Two... Odo of Golem Sect is the winner..."

That statement immediately shattered the silence near the sightseeing tower, triggering an uproar among the crowd. Some young disciples were even vomiting at the sight.

It was normal for someone to die in a life-or-death duel. However, the typical result was at most a few holes in the torso or a smashed head. The corpse usually remained whole.

Yet on Arena Two, dismembered remains and scattered organs covered half the stage, a sight far too shocking and revolting for most. The highly respected elders of the Hongli Empire's Covert Martial Arts community, upon witnessing this scene, could not feel pleased and instead wore strangely conflicted expressions.

Yes, the United States of Yana's Covert Martial Arts fighters had indeed killed one of their elders in the arena, and they ought to retaliate to save face. But did it really have to be intense enough to dismember him in broad daylight?

Some elders turned to look at the United States of Yana's Covert Martial Arts audience section, and as expected, they were all seething with anger, with hatred burning in their eyes. Their stares practically wished to devour Odo.

For a moment, the tension at the tournament intensified. On Arena Two, Odo slowly walked off, entirely unperturbed by the stares.

He had finished the fight first partly because his opponent was relatively weak, and partly because he had spent the most time mastering the Illusory Moon Fist. His combat prowess was already close to a top-tier combat artist, and unleashing his strength without restraint allowed him to slaughter his opponent easily.

Meanwhile, on Arena One, both sides remained locked in a stalemate. However, action was already apparent on Arenas Three and Four.

Nine Serpents and Hermit advanced at high speed. Ripple Fist and Fire Stone Fist both tore through the air with bursts of unique power, pummeling their opponents.

Hermit's opponent was an elder from the Flame-Steel Sect. The Hongli Empire's Covert Martial Arts elder who had died earlier, a Red Arm Fist master, had been killed by Miro, the sect master of the Flame-Steel Sect.

Flame-Steel Sect was known for its explosively aggressive fist techniques, never relenting once they gained the upper hand—like flames that ravaged with iron-like hardness.

Yet their fierce technique was instantly extinguished against the Fire Stone Fist. Each time the elder's solid fists collided with Hermit's small, shriveled fists, he felt as though a bomb were detonating, shaking his Qi and body. After several consecutive exchanges, his fists were torn open and bleeding profusely.

Bone was exposed, and vessels ruptured; it was a pitiful sight. The once tiger-like offensive of Flame-Steel Sect turned feeble as the elder began desperately dodging. It resembled a snarling wild dog abruptly smacked by a ruthless hand, left dizzy and tail-tucked.

Yet Hermit showed no mercy; in fact, his punches grew heavier and stronger, like a series of powerful cannons. Not only were his punches shockingly potent, but they exploded on impact.

In an instant, the elder reputed to be made of iron was beaten beyond recognition. His clothes were in tatters, and he was bleeding freely as he frantically dodged about. He did not even dare to pause and surrender, as the pressure was overwhelming; Hermit's fists were simply too devastating.

If he slipped up for even a moment and took a direct hit from those explosive fists, he would have been finished in one blow.

Before long, the first round of matches had all concluded.

Odo and Hermit both killed their opponents. Nine Serpents also could have slain hers but Whale King Arlington appeared on the sightseeing tower side. His dangerous gaze caused Nine Serpents to pause for a moment, exposing a flaw in her offense. Her opponent had seized the opportunity to retreat and shout a surrender, barely preserving his life.

A dozen minutes later, the second round began, but everyone still seemed stuck on the bloody brutality of the previous round.

All kinds of gazes of shock, fear, and hatred were directed toward the Golem Sect. In short, Golem Sect which was once moderately well-known, had now become infamous.

Even after the day's matches ended, people were still discussing that first fight. By dusk, a few elders of the Hongli Empire's Covert Martial Arts community tried to detain members of Golem Sect, apparently wishing to discuss something.

However, they declined because they needed to follow the Director's orders and return to the estate. They intended to review and improve their techniques to aid in the composition of the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance.

As night fell, East Sea City descended into silence. That night, many gifted disciples from various Covert Martial Arts sects began having nightmares of entering the arena and being pummeled into pulp.

Late into the night, a secret conversation was drawing to a close in a secluded grove behind the United States of Yana's residence.

Whale King Arlington nodded slowly. "Naturally, I planned to settle the battle here swiftly. Three days later, we’ll head to the southeastern seas together..."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze profound, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

"Mm, I only came here to confirm," said the black-robed, masked figure as he slowly turned, apparently about to leave. "I'm heading out. Oh, right..."

The First General King turned back as though recalling something. "Where are the Hongli Empire's Covert Martial Arts community and all those minor nations staying? I've sailed a long way to return and haven't eaten in quite some time... I'm a bit hungry..."

Arlington certainly knew what the First General King meant. The man possessed a Soul-Blood Covert Box that allowed him to kill powerful foes and siphon their blood. After a few days of fermentation, he could use it to improve his own strength and temporarily soothe the side effects.

Hence, the First General King frequently killed people to harvest their blood. Arlington remained silent for a moment before divulging the not-so-secret information. As soon as he finished, he remembered the bloody battle scene from that afternoon and frowned. Hence, he casually passed on the address where those four from Golem Sect were staying, effectively borrowing the man's knife to do the job.

He truly disliked the bloodthirsty methods of Golem Sect's members.

"Alright, I've noted it all. I'm off."

The First General King spun around, his black cloak billowing in the breeze. By the time the cloak's hem settled, he was gone from the grove.

Arlington watched his friend depart, and his left eyelid twitched unexpectedly, stirring a vague sense of unease. He furrowed his brow, pondering for a while yet still unable to pinpoint anything amiss.

All he could do was shake his head helplessly, place his hands behind his back, and stroll slowly back toward his residence.