Chapter 696 - 690: The Challenge Match Begins

"Ahem... We’re all on the same side here. Let’s get down to business!" Luo Yu said, coughing dryly to break the heavy tension. He had to smooth things over. ’After all,’ he thought, ’these men have followed me for several years. I can’t just let them up and leave.’

Seeing Luo Yu step in to mediate, Shen Haoran withdrew his powerful aura. He then gestured with his hand, and both Ji Lingxuan and Lady Ya stepped back to stand quietly behind him, as if nothing had happened. It was hard to believe that these two incomparably beautiful women possessed such terrifying strength.

With his aura gone, Shen Haoran’s harmless smile returned. He chuckled and moved to help the group of men up, but the moment he approached, all dozen of them scrambled to their feet as if they had seen a ghost. They would never dare to underestimate Shen Haoran again; a deep-seated fear of him had already taken root in their hearts.

At this, Shen Haoran simply shrugged and sat down casually to one side, waiting for Luo Yu to speak. Ji Lingxuan and Lady Ya followed suit, sitting beside him as obediently as a pair of little sisters from next door.

Luo Yu glanced at Shen Haoran and gave a dry laugh. "I’ve called you all here today to introduce Brother Leng Feng," he announced. "Today’s Gold Challenge was initiated by him."

The dozen or so bruised and swollen Golden Martial Artists nodded at Shen Haoran before quickly averting their gaze, not daring to look him in the eye. ’At first, we looked down on him,’ they thought, ’but for two powerful women like them to follow him so willingly, he must be extraordinary. His own strength can’t be anything to scoff at.’

Luo Yu chuckled inwardly, seeing how thoroughly Shen Haoran had subdued the Golden Martial Artists. His expression then turned serious. "The second matter concerns the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave," he said. "As you know, they’ve been making moves lately, plotting against our Underground Boxing Market. They’ve planted spies among us. The men Brother Leng Feng is challenging today are all spies from the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave. I intend to use his hand to eliminate them!"

At these words, the expressions of the dozen or so Golden Martial Artists turned grave. To think that spies had infiltrated their ranks! They were all deeply loyal to the Underground Boxing Market; after all, it had given them everything they had. If the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave were to swallow the market, their good lives would be over.

"Those goddamn bastards! I’ll go mince them!" one of the Golden Martial Artists roared in fury.

"No! This is not the time to be rash," Luo Yu said gravely. "We have a proper plan. If you act now, you’ll alert the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave. Once they’re onto us, we’ll lose our chance to deal with them for good!"

"But how can Leng Feng possibly fend off challenges from eight Golden Martial Artists all by himself?" one of them asked, worried.

"It’s nothing. Just eight Tier Two and Tier Three Spirit Emperors," Shen Haoran said with a casual wave of his hand, a confident smile spreading across his face. "Besides, I haven’t had a good fight in a while. Today, I’ll have some fun."

The dozen-odd Golden Martial Artists stared, stunned by Shen Haoran’s words. They looked at him in disbelief. Eight Spirit Emperor Powerhouses! That was an incredibly formidable force for any faction in the outside world, yet Shen Haoran spoke of them as if they were mere playthings.

Shen Haoran simply chuckled in response. ’Confidence comes from strength,’ he thought. ’My Chaos Divine Body is three-fifths awakened, and I’ve refined three types of the Power of Heaven and Earth. The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian gives me explosive power equal to any Spirit Emperor Powerhouse. The Earth Spirit Profound Nether provides a defense capable of withstanding a Spirit Emperor-level attack. And the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound’s regenerative abilities leave me with no lingering worries. Taking my Martial Skills into account, I can easily defeat ordinary Tier Two or Tier Three Spirit Emperors without even needing to borrow Elder Yan’s power.’

"Then Leng Feng will cripple the spies’ Cultivation, and the rest of you will finish them off!" Luo Yu declared gravely. The surrounding Martial Artists all nodded in agreement.

Time flew, and noon arrived swiftly. 「Led by Luo Yu, Shen Haoran made his way to the largest arena in the Underground Boxing Market.」 By then, the area around the arena was already packed with Martial Artists, all of whom had come to witness the grand event.

Shen Haoran’s gaze fell upon the arena. In the center stood eight Martial Artists dressed in gold robes, their expressions calm as they seemingly awaited his arrival.

Shen Haoran vaulted into the arena. With a casual gait, he walked up to the eight Golden Martial Artists and carefully sized them up.

"So you’re Leng Feng, the one who challenged us?" one of the eight Golden Martial Artists said, stepping forward and fixing Shen Haoran with a cold stare.

"That’s me. I look forward to your instruction," Shen Haoran replied with a light chuckle.

"Hmph. You should know there’s only one consequence for losing a challenge match: death," another Golden Martial Artist sneered, his eyes glinting with killing intent.

"I’m aware. Enough with the pointless chatter. Are you coming one by one, or all at once?" Shen Haoran asked nonchalantly, cracking his knuckles and rolling his neck.

"Hmph. We don’t need to attack you together," the leader of the Golden Martial Artists snorted in contempt. "Old Eight, take care of him."

"Leave him to me," Old Eight said with a sinister laugh. "I’ll show him that there’s a world of difference between a Golden Martial Artist and an ant like the Beast King. Don’t get cocky just because you killed one!" As he spoke, a terrifying aura erupted from his body. He was indeed a great deal stronger than the Beast King had been.

"Just one? How boring," Shen Haoran muttered, pouting at Old Eight’s taunt. His eyes narrowed, and the space behind him began to slowly distort as a purplish-black vortex materialized.

WHOOSH...

All of a sudden, a streak of purplish-black light shot out from behind Shen Haoran. A Sword Light, wreathed in purplish-black flames, instantly appeared before Old Eight, making him jump in alarm. But Old Eight was quick to react. A surge of pure Spiritual Power erupted from him, forming two large hands that easily caught the purplish-black Sword Light.

"Heh, is that all? What a pathetically weak attack!" Old Eight sneered after catching the purplish-black Sword Light. ’I didn’t even use half my strength,’ he thought. ’His attack is a joke!’

"Oh, is that so?" A strange smile played on Shen Haoran’s lips. The next moment, a terrifying Devouring Power erupted from the purplish-black Sword Light. The two hands made of Spiritual Power were instantly absorbed by it. Not only that, but the life force in Old Eight’s arms began to rapidly drain away, and his face filled with terror.

Watching in horror as his arms aged at a visible rate, Old Eight cried out in his mind and hastily threw the purplish-black Sword Light away. ’If this keeps up, all the life force in my arms will be devoured,’ he panicked. ’They’ll be completely ruined!’