Chapter 538: Did You Not Eat? (1)

"Master Naami, please proceed with signing the transfer agreement," Tsukiha Yaiba’s voice was poised and elegant as it cut through the tense atmosphere in the VIP lounge.

Naami Kanichi forced a strained smile and said, "Miss Tsukiha, could we perhaps—"

Tsukiha Yaiba interrupted him without hesitation. "No."

"Don’t push things too far!" Naami Kanichi snapped, his tone laced with anger and humiliation.

"As the head of a family, accepting your losses gracefully demonstrates true dignity. Saying such things only reveals a lack of character and responsibility," Tsukiha Yaiba responded coldly, looking down at him from her position of victory.

Naami Kanichi gritted his teeth in frustration, but he had no choice but to face the consequences of the Naami Family’s defeat.

The Naami Family had bet a mech propulsion system production base located in the southwest of the Northern Island. This base accounted for 40 percent of the family’s annual income, a significant asset they had wagered in hopes of winning an isolated titanium-tungsten gold mine located thirty kilometers outside Urawa Base City.

The Naami Family was not among the elite superfamilies. Losing the production base didn’t just mean failing to ascend into the upper echelons of power but also suffering a catastrophic setback. They had effectively been demoted from a first-tier family to a second-tier one.

They would have no hope of regaining their former status for the next five years, at least. The Martial Arts Arena's high-stakes gambles were no different from a casino’s games of chance.

In the end, Naami Kanichi signed the unconditional transfer agreement. His hands trembled so violently that he nearly fainted. He stumbled out of the arena, a broken man supported by his family’s experts.

This stage of the Martial Arts Arena battles was under the joint protection of the Imperial Royal Family and the Temple. Even the top ten consortiums dared not renege on the results of these battles. Defiance was unthinkable for a family like the Naami.

The news of Shinzu Genshi’s victory spread rapidly across the light-network’s various social media platforms, leaving countless spectators in stunned disbelief. No one had expected that this man, who had been scorned and labeled a coward and weakling, would deliver such an explosive victory in the opening match of the Martial Arts Arena.

The video of the match was replayed repeatedly, analyzed frame by frame in slow motion. Numerous intelligent light cores systems quickly reached a conclusion. Shinzu Genshi’s strength was somewhere between the pinnacle of the Divine Realm and quasi-Saint level.

That was how he had been able to kill Harano Koji in an instant. However, the consensus was that defeating a true quasi-Saint or someone stronger was utterly impossible. This narrative spread swiftly across the light-network.

The deputy editor-in-chief of The Jiepeng Daily, Matsui Ishikawa, wasted no time posting his opinion on social media:

If Tsukiha Yaiba believes that a victory in such a trivial match can redeem Shinzu Genshi’s reputation—or her own—she is gravely mistaken. The crisis of the Sanshang Group cannot be resolved with these bottom-tier fights. They must win every single remaining duel to turn the tide. But is that possible? Clearly not. If I’m not mistaken, Shinzu Genshi won’t participate in another match. He’s just a cunning opportunist—a clown who lucked into this.

This statement was shared at an unprecedented rate, far surpassing the engagement on any of Matsui Ishikawa’s usual posts. However, Matsui was soon humiliated by the turn of events.

Not long after the first, Shinzu Genshi represented the Tsukiha Family in the second match and secured an easy victory against Takeyama Tetsuya, a pinnacle Divine Realm martial artist from the Takeyama Family. The fight lasted approximately six minutes.

Takeyama Tetsuya, who had transformed into a Steel Armored Crocodile Dragon, was ultimately pinned to the arena floor by a spear through the eye socket and killed on the spot.

The Takeyama Family forfeited their wager: a staggering twenty Grade Six Star Beast Inscribed Treasure Bones of perfect quality. Shinzu Genshi had claimed his second consecutive victory. Of course, the second victory was still considered a lightweight duel. It lacked real persuasive power. But it dealt a harsh blow to Matsui Ishikawa, making his widely-shared post an instant joke.

As a seasoned media figure, however, Matsui Ishikawa shamelessly turned the situation to his advantage. He posted:

Fine, I was wrong.

Shinzu Genshi has participated in another match. But so what? He’s still just picking low-hanging fruit by defeating Takeyama Tetsuya, who hasn’t even reached quasi-Saint level. It’s no different from beating Harano Koji—another match that proves nothing.

The benefits Shinzu Genshi has brought to the Tsukiha Family pale in comparison to the losses his incompetence has caused. The difference is astronomical.

Tsukiha Yaiba’s insistence on using this event to redeem her lover is a testament to her deep affection, but it’s utterly meaningless. The Sanshang Group’s true challenges have yet to arrive, and they are destined to lose everything.

Matsui Ishikawa continued to bombard the light-network with a series of posts, relentlessly mocking and belittling Li Xiaofei.

It wasn’t long before internet sleuths uncovered the probable reason for Matsui Ishikawa’s venom. Half a month earlier, he had professed his love to Tsukiha Yaiba during an exclusive interview and was flatly rejected. Bitter and spiteful, he was now seeking revenge.

That said, Matsui’s mastery of public opinion manipulation was undeniable. His persistent analyses kept Li Xiaofei’s consecutive victories from garnering much attention or changing his negative public perception.

That was, until the third match for the Tsukiha Family began. The opponent was none other than Youki Kaiichi, the legendary bodyguard of the Red Shirt Group’s leader. The same man who had publicly humiliated and provoked Li Xiaofei.

In the VIP lounge, Uesugi Tameryū, the leader of the Red Shirt Group, sat with a faint smile on his face. At forty-four years old, he was in the prime of his life. As the head of one of the top ten consortiums in the Jiepeng Empire, his influence was at its peak. He had been named Family Leader of the Year for four consecutive years in the Jiepeng Empire, making him an idol to countless young people.

This time, the Red Shirt Group was after nothing less than control over Urawa Base City. As such, Uesugi Tameryū had spared no expense, putting forth the Distillation Research Institute, the pinnacle of the Red Shirt Group’s technological achievements, as their wager. Unsurprisingly, the Tsukiha Family had agreed to this high-stakes match.

Uesugi Tameryū turned his gaze to Tsukiha Yaiba, who was seated in the same VIP lounge. As per the arena’s rules, high-ranking representatives of both sides were required to observe the match together in the same room and were forbidden from interfering in any way.

She was a stunningly beautiful woman; the kind of beauty that could make any man’s heart race. Uesugi Tameryū was no exception. Yet he possessed a powerful will, allowing him to suppress such base desires with ease.

Not once had he entertained the thought of taking this woman and bending her to his will. For Uesugi Tameryū, power and status were far more enticing than physical beauty. It was this relentless focus that had been key to his success over the past few decades. Thus, he remained silent, his expression calm, as he patiently awaited the start of the match.

Soon, the arena’s spotlight illuminated the stage. Li Xiaofei and Youki Kaiichi both stood atop the platform, facing each other. They were twenty meters apart.

"Little bastard, you won’t get away this time," Youki Kaiichi sneered, his expression full of disdain. "It seems you don’t have a toilet to hide anymore."

Li Xiaofei stood motionless and silent.

"Don’t think that beating two weaklings washes away your cowardice," Youki Kaiichi continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "Today, I’ll show you that the safest places in your life have been a woman’s arms and a toilet. Too bad you’ll never return to either. You’ll end your pathetic existence in disgrace."

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Li Xiaofei still didn’t respond.

Youki Kaiichi pressed on with his taunts. "What’s wrong? Scared? Coward. If you dare step into the arena, you should be prepared to die. You’re a disgrace to the martial artists of the Jiepeng Empire!"

Finally, the bell signaling the start of the match rang. Li Xiaofei’s expression changed instantly as he moved. His powered spear vibrated with a sharp hum. The tip of the spear transformed into a cold star, piercing the air in an instant.

A straight, blazing line! Li Xiaofei had unleashed one of the killing techniques from the Scorching Prairie Spear Technique.

Youki Kaiichi threw himself into a tight spiral as he dodged the spear’s deadly thrust. He closed the distance rapidly, forcing his way within one meter of Li Xiaofei.

Shua!

The blade was unsheathed and slashed horizontally in one fluid movement. The blade gleamed like a silver ribbon as it flashed toward Li Xiaofei’s waist. Halfway through the strike, the silvery blade exploded, splitting into three streaks of light that targeted his head, neck, and abdomen. The precision of this technique was unparalleled.

Against most opponents, such rapid and intricate changes would have been impossible to counter. But Li Xiaofei didn’t flinch. He swung his spear horizontally, its shaft moving like a divine dragon coiling through the air.

Scorching Wildfire visibly distorted the air, as though space around it had been shattered by the sheer force. The spear strike was executed so quickly that it reached Youki Kaiichi faster than his blade could land.

A chill ran through Youki Kaiichi’s heart. He twisted away using a bizarre spiraling Body Technique, but his movements were just a fraction too slow. With no other options, he gritted his teeth and committed fully to defense. He braced his blade with his left hand and pushed outward to intercept the spear.

Boom!

A terrifying explosion of energy erupted as the deafening clash of metal rang out like a thunderbolt striking the arena. The shockwave from the collision rattled the ears of the ten thousand professional martial arts judges seated around the arena. Their ears buzzed as if steel needles had suddenly pierced into their brains.

In the arena, fragments of the shattered blade fell like broken butterflies. Youki Kaiichi had been sent flying like a cannonball, crashing violently into the pale energy shield encasing the arena.

His massive figure dented the shield, causing wave after wave of rippling energy to surge outward in chaotic patterns. The sight was unnerving. It was as if the shield, designed to withstand even the blows of a Saint, might shatter at any moment.

Thud.

Youki Kaiichi fell to the ground. Blood trickled from his nose and the corners of his mouth. Li Xiaofei stood with his spear in hand, walking slowly through the swirling chaos of energy. His gaze was icy, filled with an unrelenting killing intent.

"Heh... heh heh heh..."

Youki Kaiichi licked the blood from his lips and suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"No wonder you dared to step into the ring against me," he sneered. "So this is what your confidence was based on? Quasi-Saint level combat strength. Impressive. You could indeed be considered a strong contender in the quasi-Saint Realm. But it’s such a shame. Even with such a trump card, you still cannot defeat me. Now... open your eyes and watch closely!"

As he spoke, an entirely different wave of energy erupted from Youki Kaiichi’s body. He grew taller and larger. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a four-meter-tall giant.

His dense and powerful muscles resembled rugged mountain ranges. Visible currents of energy radiated from him, distorting the air around him. The sheer density and mass of his body created a chaotic field where physical and energy forces seemed to spiral out of control. He looked like a Demon God.

The professional judges in the audience cried out in alarm.

"Saint Realm!"

Youki Kaiichi had suddenly unleashed the aura of the Saint Realm. He had been concealing his true strength all along. It became clear, as the legendary bodyguard of the leader of a super consortium, Youki Kaiichi was far from ordinary.