From Death To Dominion

Wait… I wasn't making any noise this time. So how did he pinpoint my exact location?

Lu Wen's heart pounded as unease crept into his mind. He must have used his spiritual perception… but if he did, I should have sensed it! Yet… I couldn't!

Spiritual perception wasn't just a passive ability—it functioned like an all-encompassing 360-degree radar, allowing cultivators to perceive their surroundings in detail. If two cultivators activated their spiritual perception simultaneously, their fields would inevitably collide, revealing each other's locations instantly.

The only exceptions were:

If one cultivator's spiritual perception was vastly superior, the weaker party wouldn't even detect its presence. However, the stronger cultivator would still sense everything with absolute clarity.

If both cultivators were at the same level, they would be fully aware of each other's perception and positioning, making it impossible for either side to act unnoticed.

But Ye Xian was two whole realms beneath him! There was no way his spiritual perception could overpower mine!

Lu Wen's breath hitched as the implications sank in. There were only two explanations. He could think of.

First, Ye Xian hadn't used his spiritual perception at all. But that was absurd. How else could he have detected Lu Wen's precise location without sound, without sight?

Second… Ye Xian's spiritual perception was stronger than him.

Lu Wen felt his scalp tingle. But that's impossible! He's only two realms lower—how could he possess such a terrifying level of perception?!

Unless…

His fingers trembled slightly as the realization struck him.

He's using an artifact!

Yes! That had to be it! Some kind of powerful treasure that could mask his presence while simultaneously enhancing his ability to perceive others!

Lu Wen clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.

That had to be it! There was no other explanation! This bastard planned everything from the start!

"You cheater!" he roared, his voice hoarse with fury. "How dare you use an artifact during a battle? You've already lost the duel by cheating!"

Ye Xian remained silent, his expression unreadable as he slowly advanced toward Lu Wen.

"Why aren't you answering?" Lu Wen spat, his face twisted in rage. "That means I'm right, huh?!"

His anger gave way to manic laughter. "Hahaha!"

Meanwhile, the students watching from outside the barrier stood in stunned silence. Some couldn't believe what they were witnessing. Steve and Fatty, however, reacted instantly.

"HE'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!" Steve shouted, his voice cracking with panic.

"HEY! HE'S GONNA SLAP YOU AGAIN!" Fatty bellowed.

But Lu Wen was too lost in his own thoughts to listen but even he tried to listen he couldn't because of the sound barrier.

Ye Xian took his time, stepping forward until he stood just a meter from his opponent. His cold, indifferent gaze met Lu Wen's swollen, grotesquely grinning face.

Then, without hesitation, he raised his hand.

Everyone eyes widened.

Ye Xian deliberately pulled his palm back to get a full swing, channeling his ki into his hand. Limit Release.

7th SLAP!

Lu Wen's head snapped back violently, his whole body spasming. He staggered, stumbling backward as more teeth flew from his mouth, one of them lodging in his throat. He swallowed reflexively, choking on his own shattered tooth.

Ye Xian looked down at him with scorn.

"You fool," he said, his tone dripping with mockery. "Did you see me use an artifact? If you did—" his lips curled into a smirk, "—why didn't you stop me?"

Lu Wen coughed, his eyes bloodshot behind the blindfold, but no words came out.

Ye Xian chuckled darkly. "That's what I thought."

Lu Wen's cheek burned with the aftermath of Ye Xian's brutal strike, his body swaying as he barely managed to stay on his feet. His mind screamed in humiliation. Yet, through the haze of pain, a glint of madness flickered in his eyes.

No more.

This time, he was ready.

Ye Xian, as calm as ever, took another step forward. His movements were slow, deliberate—each step carrying an air of absolute confidence. To those watching outside the barrier, it looked as if he were toying with Lu Wen, as if he had complete control over the fight.

Lu Wen seethed. You dare look down on me?!

He couldn't allow another slap. He wouldn't.

As Ye Xian raised his hand once more, his aura flickered—vanishing in an instant.

There it is!

Lu Wen had been waiting for this exact moment.

The eerie sensation of Ye Xian's presence disappeared, just like before. But this time, Lu Wen did not panic. He had endured humiliation and pain to study Ye Xian's pattern, to learn the exact moment when he would attempt to disappear.

PAK!

The eighth slap landed, snapping Lu Wen's head to the side. Blood sprayed from his lips, his ears rang, and his vision blurred. His knees nearly buckled. But unlike before, he did not falter.

Instead—

WHOOSH!

A surge of Wind Ki erupted around him as he whipped his leg outward!

His entire leg was coated in a fierce gale, its speed surpassing human limits.

Ye Xian had anticipated a counterattack, and as soon as he felt Lu Wen's energy shift, he instinctively moved to dodge.

But—

BANG!

A razor-sharp whip of wind lashed out at him like an invisible chain, catching him mid-movement.

Ye Xian's body was flung into the air, spinning uncontrollably before—

CRASH!

He hit the ground hard, rolling several times before coming to a painful stop.

Dust billowed around him as he coughed violently, tasting iron in his mouth. His ribs throbbed. That... wasn't just a normal attack.

Lu Wen's Wind Element Ki was deadly.

Unlike brute force cultivators, wind ki users specialized in speed and precision—attacks so swift they were nearly impossible to react to.

And that was why Lu Wen had waited.

He had withheld his Wind Ki for the entire fight because the duel contract forbade it. Both fighters had agreed to fight without elemental ki unless mutually decided otherwise.

But now, Lu Wen no longer cared.

He had already decided that Ye Xian had cheated.

The duel was over. In his mind, Ye Xian's use of an "artifact" had disqualified him.

Lu Wen had already won.

Which meant…

He could do whatever he wanted now.

His expression twisted into something sinister.

"You like to humiliate people, huh? You think you're clever?" Lu Wen's voice dripped with venom as he shot toward Ye Xian at gale-like speed.

Ye Xian barely had time to prop himself up before—

BANG!

Lu Wen appeared before him in an instant, gripping Ye Xian's collar before smashing him into the ground.

CRACK!

The stone tiles beneath them shattered on impact.

Ye Xian coughed out a mouthful of blood, his vision spinning. His ribs cracks.

Lu Wen grinned maliciously, pressing down harder.

"Where's your arrogance now?" he sneered, his voice filled with unrestrained cruelty. "You humiliated me eight times. I'll return it tenfold."

He raised his fist, Wind Ki swirling violently around his knuckles.

Outside the barrier, the spectators erupted in protest.

"He's using Wind Ki! That's against the rules!"

"Why isn't the referee stopping the fight?!"

Among them, Ye Qianying's eyes turned icy cold.

She moved.

In a blur, she stepped forward, her aura flaring with killing intent.

But—

Someone blocked her.

One of the arena attendants, a high-ranking sect enforcer, stopped her advance.

Ye Qianying's eyes flashed with rage. "Lu Wen broke the agreement! He lost the moment he used elemental ki! Why aren't you stopping him?!"

The attendant remained silent, his expression unreadable.

A sickening crunch echoed from within the barrier—

And Ye Qianying's heart pounded in fury.

"Because Ye Xian cheated by using an artifact to hide his aura," the arena attendant declared.

Ye Qianying's expression darkened. "And how exactly do you know that?" she demanded.

Yet, despite her anger, doubt flickered in her heart. Did he really use an artifact?

There was no known technique in the Ye Clan capable of concealing one's aura so thoroughly—especially against someone's two realms higher. The only way to achieve such a feat was through either a high-grade technique or an artifact. But she knew for a fact that the Ye Clan had no such high-grade techniques.

Then… did he really use an artifact?

Her fists clenched.

Inside the Barrier.

BOOM!

The ground shattered as Lu Wen's fist coated with wind smashed down, missing Ye Xian's head by inches.

Lying on his back, Ye Xian had barely twisted his neck in time, narrowly avoiding his skull being crushed. But the sheer force of the punch sent a shockwave and wild gales exploding outward.

Crack! The ground split beneath him.

The impact sent stones flying, and Ye Xian winced as his ears buzzed from the force.

Lu Wen loomed over him, sneering. "What's wrong? Can't even get up?"

Ye Xian tried to push himself up, but—

BANG!

Lu Wen's foot slammed into his stomach, sending him sliding across the ground.

"Hahaha! That's right, Lu Wen! Teach that coward a lesson!"

Steve's voice rang out from the audience, his laughter loud and full of mockery.

Fatty clapped his hands in glee. "Hah! Look at him squirm! I bet he's already regretting ever stepping into the ring!"

"Regret?!" Steve sneered. "He should regret being born! He actually thought he could cheat his way to victory? What a joke!"

"Trash is still trash, no matter how hard it struggles," Fatty laughed. "Lu Wen, make sure he remembers his place!"