The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

"Mm." Lin Qian nodded lightly and swam toward the arena.

As he watched Lin Qian's figure disappear into the arena, Zhang Zide's expression grew grim. "This guy, Kill, I've heard a bit about him. He's narrow-minded and enjoys torturing his opponents. During the first round, although he defeated his opponent in one move, all of his opponent's meridians were damaged, and his bones were shattered. It'll take him three to four years to recover fully."

"For someone under thirty, losing three to four years of cultivation is a huge waste," Li Yunfeng agreed, his gaze filled with disdain as he stared at the young man who had entered the arena.

"Things could get tricky," Zhang Wenxuan said, frowning as she also watched the arena.

"Is this Kill really that strong?" Ye Xin asked Zhang Wenxuan curiously, noticing the tense atmosphere.

Zhang Wenxuan, with a serious expression, nodded solemnly. "Sister Ye, your man might be in for some trouble. I've heard of Kill's notorious reputation."

"Kill is from the Bloodthirsty Hall, a human faction known for its brutality. Inside the Bloodthirsty Hall, disciples are allowed to kill each other freely, without any restrictions. To survive, they have to prove their talent and carve a path through blood."

"Only by doing this will the Bloodthirsty Hall recognize their potential and admit them into the inner hall."

"Though the inner hall isn't as full of killing as the outer hall, death is still a common occurrence. The Bloodthirsty Hall assigns tasks that are extremely dangerous, and those who survive such an environment are all lunatics."

"Kill is one of the best among them. He enjoys tormenting his opponents. If his opponent has great talent, he won't kill them outright. Instead, he'll torture them, crippling some part of them."

"Crippling some part of them?" Ye Xin looked confused, not quite understanding what Zhang Wenxuan meant.

"Not in the usual way of crippling their cultivation. He might blind them or cut off a limb, forcing them to live in pain for the rest of their lives." Zhang Wenxuan's face twisted in disgust.

Ye Xin was surprised to hear how vile Kill's character was.

"Aren't you worried about Lin Qian, Sister Ye?" Zhang Wenxuan finally asked, noticing that Ye Xin seemed surprised but not at all concerned.

Ye Xin shook her head gently, her gaze fixed on Lin Qian as he entered the arena. "I trust Xiao Qian. Kill won't be able to harm him."

"Lin Qian is indeed strong, with a formidable physique, but Kill is no ordinary opponent. Even I would find him troublesome to deal with," Li Yunfeng said, shaking his head with a hint of worry in his voice after overhearing Ye Xin's conversation with Zhang Wenxuan.

Zhang Zide nodded in agreement. "Yes, in this tournament, the top contenders are me and Li Yunfeng. It might sound arrogant, but it's true."

"Below us are the top fighters in this tournament, and Kill is probably right behind us in strength."

Despite their concerns, Ye Xin remained confident in Lin Qian. She believed that this Kill from the Bloodthirsty Hall was no match for her Xiao Qian.

In the arena, the female host looked at Lin Qian with a strange expression. This human, Lin Qian, seemed incredibly unlucky. After making a stunning entrance in the first round, he had now been paired with Kill in the second round.

Based on everyone's assessment, Kill was likely the third strongest in this tournament, just behind Zhang Zide and Li Yunfeng.

"Lin Qian's luck is truly terrible," Zhang Tianxin, watching from a distance, remarked with a wry smile as he glanced at Zhou Yian beside him.

But when his gaze landed on Zhou Yian, he was stunned.

Zhou Yian's eyes were locked onto Lin Qian in the arena, his full attention on him. Zhou Yian's soul power was ready to burst forth at any moment, as if he was preparing to act.

Seeing Zhou Yian's tense posture, Zhang Tianxin was baffled. Why was Zhou Yian so on edge?

"Brother Zhou, ever since yesterday, you've seemed distracted. What's going on?" Zhang Tianxin asked, concerned by Zhou Yian's strange behavior.

Zhou Yian finally broke his focus, waving his hand dismissively. "It's something I can't explain in detail, Brother Zhang, but I need you to do me a favor."

"Just say the word."

"Keep an eye on Lin Qian. Make sure nothing happens to him!" Zhou Yian's voice carried a hint of pleading, leaving Zhang Tianxin utterly perplexed.

Even if Zhou Yian admired Lin Qian, it shouldn't have made him this anxious. Zhang Tianxin had never seen Zhou Yian this concerned, not even over Li Yunfeng.

"Don't worry, Brother Zhou. I've got it covered," Zhang Tianxin reassured him, though his mind was still filled with questions.

Whatever had happened to Zhou Yian after they parted ways the day before, it had clearly changed his perspective on Lin Qian. But Zhang Tianxin knew better than to press for answers—Zhou Yian had his reasons.

In the arena, after the female host announced the start of the match, she quickly swam upwards, leaving the arena space.

Now, only two human figures remained in the vast arena.

Lin Qian wore his water-breathing soul device, bubbles rising steadily around him, while across from him, Kill glared at him with a sinister expression, his body surrounded by a faint red hue.

"Lin Qian, for someone your age to reach this level is impressive. Even more remarkable is your physique, far stronger than most soul martial artists at your level," the young man floating across from Lin Qian sneered.

Lin Qian didn't respond, instead observing Kill closely.

Kill, true to his name, was clad in a blood-red robe, his long hair drifting in the water. His eyes burned with madness and killing intent.

What caught Lin Qian's attention was the faint red tint that surrounded Kill's blood-red robe in the water.

"It seems the rumors were true—that your robe was originally white but was stained red from all the blood you've spilled," Lin Qian suddenly said, his gaze fixed on the robe.

Kill grinned, pulling at his hair with both hands, his blood-red eyes locked onto Lin Qian. His tongue flicked out, licking his lips. "Hehe, another talented one. Be a good boy and let me cripple you."

"Aren't you proud of your strong body? I'll shatter your bones, piece by piece, and tear your muscles apart."

"But before that, I'll cut out your tongue. I can't have you surrendering too soon—it's no fun that way, hahaha." Kill's eyes bulged as he laughed maniacally, his tongue flicking across his lips. Behind him, the water burst apart as he charged toward Lin Qian.