Master: This Villainous Disciple Is Not The Holy Child

Chu Xiu watched as the others practically tripped over themselves to bet against him. Inwardly, he was practically bursting with laughter. The ones who think everyone else is a fool are often the biggest fools themselves… Wait. That’s not quite right… Chu Xiu paused. I seem to be taking them for fools as well…

But I’m no fool. After a moment’s reflection, he felt at ease. There were no fools here. Only a group of ordinary cultivators bound by the established cultivation mindset of their predecessors.

In the eyes of ordinary cultivators, Foundation Establishment was just Foundation Establishment. It was impossible to defeat someone in the Sea of Qi Realm. And the Sea of Qi Realm couldn’t possibly stand against the Divine Bridge Realm. Especially since Chu Xiu still carried the title of useless Senior Disciple.

Even though he had “struggled” to defeat Zhang Meng, a cultivator of a higher realm, the gamblers would convince their greedy selves with excuses like, “Chu Xiu was just lucky,” or “Zhang Meng underestimated him.”

The disciples from various peaks who had placed their bets exchanged glances, their expressions clearly saying: This is a sure win!

Chu Xiu even saw a Divine Bridge Realm direct disciple grit his teeth as he wagered his only weapon, a Profound-grade saber. Another Sea of Qi late-stage direct disciple tearfully put a pair of Profound-grade boots on the line, enduring the pain to get a share of the potential winnings.

The biggest bet, as always, came from Jian Lingyun. He sneered, tossing out his remaining 400,000 high-grade spirit stones, a set of Profound-grade armor, and several Tier 4 talismans. He didn’t believe Chu Xiu could pull off another miracle.

“Senior Brother, are you confident?” Tao Yao’s voice transmitted directly into Chu Xiu’s mind.

Chu Xiu nodded. “Then I’m relieved,” she replied.

“Junior Sister, aren’t you going to bet?”

Tao Yao stuck out her tongue, smiling sweetly. “I’ll leave the earnings to Senior Brother.”

Chu Xiu understood. She simply disdained these worldly possessions. Including the Seventh-Grade Heavenly Profound Pill.

“Bets tallied!”

“According to the agreement, Yunxia Peak’s direct disciple Chu Xiu must produce a bottle containing six Seventh-Grade top-quality Heavenly Profound Pills.”

“The total value of the treasures and spirit materials wagered by all the disciples present has reached 10 million high-grade spirit stones.”

“I hereby declare the wager valid. This duel will be overseen by the Tianxing Peak.” The Tianxing Peak elder’s voice rang out.

Silence descended. All eyes focused on Chu Xiu, expressions ranging from greed and mockery to anticipation and disdain. This waste is dead. He’s definitely finished. If I can win just one Heavenly Profound Pill, my fire-based divine ability will almost be perfected.

“Yunxia Peak’s Chu Xiu, Tianjian Peak’s Chen Linfei, ascend the Life and Death Stage!” A late-stage Divine Ability Realm elder from the Tianxing Peak announced loudly.

Hummm…

The sword on Chen Linfei’s back unsheathed itself, hovering beneath his feet. He stepped onto the sword, rising towards the stage like a graceful swordsman, his white robes billowing.

“Senior Brother, go for it!” Tao Yao shouted.

Xu Tianzhen’s clear eyes also rested on Chu Xiu.

Chu Xiu nodded, flicking his black robe sleeve as he leaped down. Like a black meteor, he crashed onto the stage, his body ramrod straight. His black robe, embroidered with golden clouds, billowed around him, and his thick black hair whipped back in the wind. The stone slabs beneath his feet shattered within a ten-meter radius.

“What a powerful physique…” A young man in the robes of a Danfeng direct disciple murmured in astonishment.

The ground trembled as the stage’s formation activated, a white barrier descending.

Chu Xiu and Chen Linfei stood facing each other, separated by a thousand meters.

“Senior Brother Chen, kill him!”

“Junior Brother Chen, Chu Xiu is a direct disciple of Yunxia Peak. If you kill him, Master will surely reward you handsomely.”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The surrounding shouts and cheers didn’t faze Chen Linfei. His sharp eyes, like blades, fixed on Chu Xiu. “Senior Brother Chu Xiu, surrender. I don’t want to kill you.”

Chu Xiu remained expressionless, his right hand resting on the hilt of his Bloodcry Sword. “Initially, I had no intention of coming up here. Do you know why I stepped onto this Life and Death Stage?”

Chen Linfei didn’t rush to attack. “Why?” Chu Xiu asked, feigning interest as he slowly walked towards his opponent.

Chen Linfei remained unconcerned. In his eyes, Chu Xiu, at the fourth level of the Sea of Qi Realm, posed no threat. He could kill him at any moment. He was stalling, worried about reprisals from Peak Master Qi Mengdie of Yunxia Peak if he killed Chu Xiu. He was setting the stage. If Chu Xiu wisely surrendered, everyone would be happy. If he didn’t… well, then Qi Mengdie would have no grounds to complain.

“My Junior Sister was gravely injured on a mission,” Chen Linfei began, his tone flat, as if stating a simple fact. “She needs a rare heavenly material to survive, and Senior Brother Lingyun possesses it. Therefore, for my Junior Sister, I had to fight for him. I can only apologize. Swords have no eyes. If you die, don’t blame me.”

“A touching story,” Chu Xiu replied.

Hummm…
Clang!

A hundred meters from Chen Linfei, Chu Xiu suddenly drew his Bloodcry Sword and lunged. Using the Profound-grade movement technique, Afterimage, he propelled himself forward, leaving seven residual images in his wake. A tragically beautiful blood-red sword beam, like the setting sun, slashed towards Chen Linfei’s neck.

Such fast movement… such a fast sword! Gasps rippled through the audience.

“Profound-grade Afterimage, cultivated to seven residual images… It’s perfected!”

“His Profound-grade Azure Edge Three Styles is also perfected!”

The hairs on the back of Chen Linfei’s neck stood on end. Damn him! He cursed inwardly, caught off guard by Chu Xiu’s sudden attack. He had no time to think. He had to block this sword.

Clang!

At the last possible moment, Chen Linfei’s azure Profound-grade sword met Chu Xiu’s deadly strike, the blades clashing inches from his throat. A drop of cold sweat trickled down his cheek, landing on the tip of Chu Xiu’s blood-red sword.

He barely had time to breathe before Chu Xiu’s narrow eyes, gleaming with a bloody light, shifted his attack. His sword moved from a horizontal slash to a direct thrust, aimed at Chen Linfei’s heart with terrifying precision.

The change in swordsmanship was breathtakingly fast.

Pch!

Despite twisting his body, Chen Linfei’s chest was pierced, blood spraying. He’d narrowly avoided a fatal blow to his heart.

Did Chen Linfei think he could create distance now? He was dreaming. Against Chu Xiu, one misstep meant losing everything. Chu Xiu had spent seventy of his hundred years on the Heavenly Firmament Continent in brutal combat, fighting countless battles. His near-insane combat instincts were etched into his bones and soul.

Before Chen Linfei could use his movement technique, Chu Xiu pressed forward, his feet sinking three inches into the ground. His left arm bent like a bow, his body coiled, and then he unleashed a devastating punch. The air itself seemed to scream as his fist connected with Chen Linfei’s chest.

Boom! Crack! Crack! Crack! The sound of shattering bones made the watching disciples wince.

Chen Linfei vomited blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs. His back arched grotesquely, his once-pristine white robe ripped to shreds. He flew backwards like a rag doll, crashing against the stage’s barrier a thousand meters away.

Thud.

He landed in a heap, rolling several times.

Chu Xiu, possessing the Primordial Saint Body, wielded terrifying physical strength. A direct hit from that punch had pulverized Chen Linfei’s internal organs.

Lying on the ground, face covered in blood, Chen Linfei twitched, trying to rise. But his eyes dimmed, and he breathed his last.

Chu Xiu sheathed his Bloodcry Sword, glancing at the twisted corpse. A chilling smile touched his lips. “Remember the golden rule: villains die from talking too much. That’s why I don’t like to waste words.”

The entire fight, from the moment they stepped onto the stage to the final blow, had taken only twenty breaths. From Chu Xiu drawing his sword to Chen Linfei’s death, less than ten.

Everyone had expected Chu Xiu to be crushed. Instead, it was Chen Linfei, almost a full realm higher, who had been utterly annihilated.

Silence.

A stunned silence fell over the audience around the Life and Death Stage.