“I… lost.” He struggled to utter these three words, closed his eyes, and waited for death to come.
However, the anticipated attack did not arrive.
Zhao Mu withdrew his palm and said indifferently, “I won’t kill you. Go back and tell your people not to overestimate themselves.”
Han Lie suddenly opened his eyes, looking at Zhao Mu in disbelief.
He did not expect Zhao Mu to spare him, and for a moment, he was stunned in place.
“Aren’t you leaving yet?”
Zhao Mu’s voice carried a hint of impatience.
Han Lie then came to his senses, picked up the Red Flame Blade from the ground, and retreated embarrassingly to the cultivators’ camp.
He lowered his head, not daring to meet anyone’s gaze, his face full of shame.
The cultivators on the mountainside were silent. The earlier cheers and joy had long disappeared, replaced by solemnity and fear.
Even Han Lie, ranked third on the Martial List, lost so thoroughly, and the opponent was a soul body that seemed disadvantaged. This made everyone realise that the demon soul’s strength far exceeded their imagination.
“How could this be? Han Lie actually lost…”
Someone murmured, their voice full of despair.
“That Zhao Mu is too strong. Soul bodies are impossible to deal with. What should we do?”
“Do we really have to hand over the Sacrificial Scripture and get out of the Sixth Heaven?”
Wu Hao’s face also became extremely solemn. He looked at Zhao Mu standing calmly in the battlefield, then at the silent crowd around him, a sense of powerlessness surging in his heart.
He knew that sending more people up would be futile, but if he admitted defeat like this, he was truly unwilling. The people of the Divine Capital were still waiting for him to avenge them, and the beings of the Sixth Heaven were waiting for him to protect them.
Zhao Mu stood in the centre of the battlefield, his black robe fluttering slightly in the mountain wind, soul mist swirling around him, his eyes coldly sweeping over the cultivators’ camp on the mountainside.
He did not speak, but that calm and composed appearance was more embarrassing than any mockery.
From the demon cultivators’ camp came bursts of low laughter. The Soul Devouring Venerable was even more leisurely stroking the lion’s mane, his empty eye sockets full of mockery.
“Is there anyone else who dares to come?”
Zhao Mu finally spoke, his voice clear but carrying an unquestionable pressure, “If no one responds to the challenge, then obediently hand over the Sacrificial Scripture and get out of the Sixth Heaven.”
The cultivators’ faces turned red and white, but no one responded.
Han Lie, third on the Martial List, had returned in miserable defeat. Among the younger generation, who else could contend with Zhao Mu?
Many people subconsciously thought of the Half-Beast Ming King, first on the Martial List, but his whereabouts were mysterious, and he was nowhere to be seen at the moment.
Despair surged like a tide in everyone’s hearts, even their breathing becoming heavy.
At that moment, a clear but firm voice rang out, “I’ll fight you!”
Everyone looked towards the voice and saw Zi Yuan walking out from the camp. Although her face was still somewhat pale, her eyes burned with unyielding flames.
She had just taken a healing pill, her spiritual power only recovered to thirty or forty percent, but seeing Zhao Mu’s arrogant appearance, she could not stand by.
“Zi Yuan, no!”
Wu Hao hurriedly stopped her, “Your spiritual power hasn’t recovered. You’re no match for Zhao Mu!”
“Yes, Lady Zi Yuan, you’ve already won one match. No need to take risks again!”
Ao Lie also stepped forward to advise.
Han Lie was even more full of guilt, “It’s my incompetence that makes you have to fight again. Retreat quickly. I’ll think of another way!”
Zi Yuan shook her head, broke free from everyone’s obstruction, and walked step by step towards the battlefield, “Thank you all for your concern, but as a cultivator of the Divine Kingdom, how can I watch the demon cultivators be arrogant? Even if I die in battle, I will never let them look down on us!”
As she spoke, a cyan long sword condensed in her hand again. Although her spiritual power was not as thick as before, it carried a determination to face death.
Zhao Mu looked at the approaching Zi Yuan, a flash of impatience in his eyes, “You luckily won against Mu Baiyi earlier, and you think you’re invincible? I advise you to go back, lest you end up with your soul scattered.”
