Chapter 94: Where Are You at This Moment

　　It was the Ninth Energy Martial Stage Sun Zhixing!

　　Similar to Duan Lang, Sun Zhixing had also graduated from the Celestial River Academy a few years back, joining the county army thereafter, and had since become a deputy general.

　　If he didn’t encounter any special circumstances, then his aptitude dictated that the Ninth Energy Martial Stage would be the ceiling on his cultivation base.

　　However, getting into the Yun Xiao Academy would undoubtedly be a massive turning point in his life.

　　The kingdom bestowed a vast amount of cultivation resources to the Yun Xiao Academy disciples each year, and with those resources, the Spirit Martial Stage would be within his reach. In fact, he could possibly progress even further to the Fourth or Fifth Spirit Martial Stage!

　　Furthermore, the Sun family warriors were being led by Sun Changyu, who had superior aptitude and was also a direct lineal descendant of the Sun family.

　　As such, he took first priority in the distribution of badges, leaving Sun Zhixing with only twelve badges in his possession.

　　Twelve badges weren’t enough to secure him a place in the top ten!

　　Hence, he had to take the opportunity that was being presented to him!

　　He was also extremely fearful toward Qi Ying, but his hopes and dreams for the future quickly quelled those fears.

　　Qi Ying was just a spent Energy Martial Stage warrior! Killing him would be an easy task!

　　Whoosh!

　　Sun Zhixing raised his massive saber, and True Energy revolved around its blade as he sent it crashing down toward Qi Ying’s head.

　　An arm rose just as the saber fell!

　　Clang!

　　“Hmm?”

　　Sun Zhixing raised an eyebrow as his saber-wielding arm went momentarily numb from the impact.

　　He focused his gaze to discover that Qi Ying was shielding himself with his left arm. The saber had struck his arm, but it was as if it had collided with a massive steel pillar, and was completely unable to advance any further!

　　Thump!

　　The earth beneath Qi Ying caved in for about six feet!

　　“Huh?!”

　　Sun Zhixing lifted his saber and stared down at Qi Ying with incredulity in his eyes.

　　‘What the hell is his body made of?’ 

　　“You must be wearing some sort of armor… This time, I’m going to end your life!”

　　A ferocious expression appeared on Sun Zhixing’s face as he raised his saber again.

　　Right at that moment, Qi Ying suddenly sprang into action.

　　He was unable to muster up any strength, so he could only forcefully extract some Blood Moon Plasma and fuse it with his body. Explosive True Energy surged through his entire body again, and the sudden spike in power allowed him to summon a shred of strength.

　　He dodged to the side, missing the falling saber by millimeters. The blade skimmed past his shoulder, slicing off half of the shoulder guard on his Golden Blood Armor. At the same time, Qi Ying sprang forward with all his might, and drove the golden sword into Sun Zhixing’s body.

　　The sword entered through his chest and emerged from his back.

　　Sun Zhixing couldn’t evade in time, and his vital organs were punctured. He glowered at Qi Ying with indignant fury burning in his eyes.

　　He was only one step away…

　　He raised his arm with difficulty, trying to lift his saber, but the weapon that he had wielded with ease in the past was suddenly as heavy as a mountain in his hand, making him completely unable to lift it. Sun Zhixing only came to the realization then, that Qi Ying’s sword had punctured his dantian. His nine energy vortexes had been broken, so he was unable to use any True Energy. He was also losing blood at an alarming rate, and his life was about to come to an end.

　　‘Dammit…’

　　Sun Zhixing glared at Qi Ying as if he were trying to kill him with his eyes, but he soon fell heavily to the ground, completely devoid of any vitality.

　　Thump!

　　Dust and debris wafted through the air.

　　“Another one down…” Qi Ying looked up to find that half of the sun had set below the horizon. It wouldn’t be long until dusk arrived, thereby drawing the tournament to a conclusion.

　　Qi Ying had lost count of how many people he had killed a long time ago. He had struck down so many people that were trying to take his badges…

　　However, there were still over a hundred warriors scrutinizing him like predatorial beasts!

　　Time had never passed so slowly for him.

　　…

　　The sky was already very dim, and the atmosphere outside the hunting grounds was graver than ever. The spectators stared at the screens with complex expressions on their faces.

　　The people from the Duan, Sun, and Wang families were about to be driven insane by fury! Warriors from all of their families had fallen by Qi Ying’s hands. The Sun family had lost an extremely important Sun Zhixing, while everyone from the Duan family had been annihilated with the exception of Duan Lang. They looked on with gritted teeth and clenched fists, wanting nothing more than to rip Qi Ying apart with their bare hands.

　　Everyone else harbored mixed emotions. The circumstances were so cruel for that young man who was half-kneeling under the light of the setting sun. He was so young, but he had accomplished something no one in the Celestial River County was capable of. However, it was the end for him.

　　There wasn’t much time left, but he had to face over a hundred fearsome opponents.

　　“Waah… I can’t watch…”

　　An Ruyi buried her head into An Jiahe’s chest.

　　…

　　“You’re not going anywhere, Qi Kaiyang!”

　　Madam Butterfly yelled as she launched a palm projection to swat aside the descending Qi Kaiyang. She narrowed her eyes and interrogated in a cold voice, “You set up these rules yourself; do you want to revoke them now?”

　　“Rules can be changed!” Qi Kaiyang argued with furrowed brows, “That boy deserves special consideration!”

　　“He’s just a Fifth Energy Martial Stage brat! I can find countless warriors like him with ease!”

　　Qi Kaiyang retorted, “His cultivation base is moot; the other qualities he possesses are far more important…”

　　Madam Butterfly narrowed her eyes and threatened, “Qi Kaiyang, you are not going anywhere, and that is an order! If you get down there before the sun sets, I will dismiss you from your post with immediate effect!”

　　Qi Shun tried to weigh in on the argument, “Auntie…”

　　“Shut up!” Madam Butterfly cut him off in a cold voice. She appeared to be speaking to Qi Kaiyang and Qi Shun, but her eyes fell upon Qin Susu as she said, “I will kill anyone who dares to try and save him!”

　　Qin Susu pursed her lips and didn’t say anything.

　　However, an ambiguous light suddenly flashed through her eyes.

　　…

　　“Qi Ying must have mastered some sort of evil technique! Everyone, stay away from him, and throw things at him to crush him to death!”

　　Duan Lang suddenly yelled as he stared intently at Qi Ying.

　　No one dared to approach him anymore. Qi Ying had just shown that he was capable of killing Sun Zhixing, and he may well have been completely spent after that, but who would be willing to take a gamble with their lives?

　　However, that idea suddenly enlightened everyone.

　　“Eh?”

　　“Alright!”

　　“Let’s crush him to death!”

　　Feng Hemu and Tian Shou didn’t want to approach Qi Ying either. Everyone came to their senses after hearing Duan Lang’s words, and they began to pull out all sorts of miscellaneous items from their spatial rings, including inferior quality treasured tools and weapons. Some had even picked up massive rocks from the ground, and were preparing to hurl them at Qi Ying.

　　Whoosh whoosh!

　　One object after another flew through the air.

　　‘I’m going to die here…’

　　Qi Ying looked up into the air, but the sky was too dark and the clouds were too dense, rendering him unable to capture that figure. Tears welled up in his eyes and he began to feel a little remorseful. If he had known this would happen, he would have talked to her one last time at the Mist Willow Mountain Villa.

　　Qi Ying closed his eyes and awaited the embrace of death.

　　He didn’t want to give up, but he simply had nothing left.

　　Amid the darkness, Qi Ying wondered if she would come to save him.

　　He knew that if his identity were exposed, he would be killed by Madam Butterfly anyway… But if she could show him how much he meant to her through her actions, then he would be able to die with a smile on his face.

　　At that moment.

　　Thump!

　　Thump!

　　Thump!

　　All types of objects fell upon Qi Ying, but a series of resounding booms erupted.