Hou Guo strode onto the stage, his expression confident and filled with disdain. As the announcer opened his mouth to introduce him, Hou Guo snatched the microphone, his voice booming across the arena.
"Huang, you coward!" he shouted. "You claim to be the top rookie, but you can only win with tricks! You've been running from the Golden Warrior Division for months now. Come out, and I'll beat you so badly your own mother won't recognize you!"
The crowd erupted in response, picking up Hou Guo's chant.
"Coward! Show up! Coward! Show up!" The words thundered through the arena, growing louder with each repetition.
In the VIP area, Zhang Chi, Luo Li, Nie Li, and Nie Yang watched with keen interest.
"Did you finally decide to set your champion free?" Nie Yang teased Zhang Chi, a smirk playing on his lips.
Zhang Chi remained silent, unsure if Huang—Yan Jin—would make an appearance.
Suddenly, a high-pitched whistle pierced the air, cutting through the chants like a bullet. The crowd gasped as a projectile hurtled toward the arena, moving with incredible speed.
"What is that?" someone asked, pointing at the fast-approaching object.
Before anyone could react, Yan Jin landed at the center of the stage with a deafening boom. The shockwave from his descent rippled through the arena, sending waves of dust and energy outward, creating a crater beneath his feet. As the debris settled, Yan Jin stood tall, unscathed in a regal purple robe, his long ashen hair flowing behind him.
His aura was cold, chilling the very air around him, and his face was obscured by the ceremonial eyeless wooden mask he always wore.
But before the dust could even settle, a new list of matches appeared on the screens—Yan Jin had issued consecutive challenges to every single member of the Golden Warriors.
The next challenger barely had time to speak before his arrogance was met with a swift and brutal reality. Mid-sentence, he was ruthlessly silenced by a devastating kick to the head from Yan Jin. The speed of the attack was so overwhelming that the challenger didn't even realize his head had been severed until his lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
"Give it back," Yan Jin repeated coldly as the name of the dead challenger was crossed off the screen in red. Another name flashed up as the next opponent, and the arena fell into a tense, eerie silence. The announcer had long since abandoned his role, the crowd now captivated by the unfolding carnage in front of them.
The next warrior, fully alert, wasted no time. He unleashed his cultivation before even stepping on stage, launching a massive energy cleave directly at Yan Jin. The attack tore through the arena, destroying everything in its path with terrifying force. Clearly, this warrior intended to finish Huang with a single, decisive blow.
But Yan Jin remained unbothered, standing motionless as the powerful cleave surged toward him. At the last second, he calmly raised his left hand, and frost began spreading from his fingertips, crystallizing his entire forearm just as the attack collided with him. Discover hidden tales at m,v l'e-novelhall.net
The resulting explosion was deafening, the sheer force shaking the arena. Yet Yan Jin stood firm, his frozen arm acting as an impenetrable barrier. Most of the energy was deflected harmlessly to the sides, creating a powerful gust of wind that barely ruffled his silver hair and flowing purple robe.
He looked ethereal—untouched by the chaos around him—but the chilling pressure in his voice remained unchanged.
"I said..." Yan Jin began, his voice steady, as he closed his fist, effortlessly countering the attack. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight, reappearing above the challenger with terrifying speed. Before the warrior could react, Yan Jin's frozen hand came down, punching through the man's armor and spine with a sickening crack.
His hand emerged from the back of the challenger's body, completely untainted by blood.
The frost began to spread rapidly, overtaking the warrior's body, turning it into a crystal statue. Moments later, the frozen figure shattered into countless pieces, sparkling in the light as it exploded.
"...Give it back," Yan Jin finished, his icy voice cutting through the stunned silence of the arena.
The crowd, which had once been buzzing with excitement, now sat in awestruck silence. Fear, awe, and disbelief rippled through the onlookers. The emperor had returned, and his vengeance was relentless and terrifying.