Chapter 53: Chapter 53: I Choose... a Death Duel
The Warrior Arena has two types of duels: betting duels and deathmatches. For a betting duel, both parties stake a certain amount of capital—be it Gold Coins, Martial Skills, Cultivation Techniques, or other Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. The winner then unconditionally takes everything their opponent wagered.
As for a deathmatch, the name says it all: a battle to the death, with no end until one person is dead. It was the most brutal form of combat in the Warrior Arena. In the Imperial Capital, the arena was typically used for betting duels; a deathmatch was so rare that years could go by without a single one.
A betting duel or a deathmatch!
Of the two options, everyone subconsciously assumed Qin Ya would choose the betting duel. At least that would leave some room for reconciliation. But Qin Ya’s words were stunning. "I choose... a deathmatch!"
A sharp intake of breath.
The moment he spoke, a wave of shock rippled through the crowd.
Generally speaking, the higher one’s status, the less likely they were to choose a deathmatch—especially for young men of high standing like Wang Yan and Qin Ya. One could predict that when news of this deathmatch got out, it would shake the entire Imperial Capital!
"Qin Ya, are you sure you want a deathmatch?" Forcibly suppressing his rage, Wang Yan dropped the honorific "Teacher" and addressed Qin Ya by name. His mood was clearly foul.
"You wouldn’t dare," Qin Ya stated calmly.
Wang Yan took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were filled with chilling killing intent. "A deathmatch. Very well. I accept. Name a time."
"Ten days later, at noon!"
"Fine. Cherish what little time you have left," Wang Yan snorted. He then led Wang Zilu onto a small skiff at the dock and slowly departed from the Lake Tower.
"Teacher Qin, was that really necessary?" Mr. Li glanced at Qin Ya, sighed, and then departed with the White Fox.
.........
Aboard the skiff, Qin Ya and the two women were on their way back.
"Brother Qin, are you confident?" Leng Ningshuang asked, her face fraught with worry. Qin Yuxiang remained silent beside her, but her expression revealed she shared the same concern.
"Nope," Qin Ya said with a smile.
His unexpected answer made both women’s faces fall. Leng Ningshuang was as anxious as an ant on a hot griddle. "Brother Qin, if you’re not confident, then why did you challenge Wang Yan to a deathmatch? If anything were to happen to you, what would we do?"
"Don’t worry. I meant I’m not confident *right now*. In ten days, however, I will be," Qin Ya said with a faint smile.
"Why don’t we just cancel the deathmatch?" Leng Ningshuang was still not reassured. To her, a single strand of Qin Ya’s hair was more precious than all of Wang Yan. The thought of him participating in something as dangerous as a deathmatch made her so anxious it felt like a giant hand was squeezing her heart, leaving her deeply unsettled.
Hearing this, Qin Ya patted Leng Ningshuang’s head and smiled, then turned to smile at Qin Yuxiang. "You two can relax. Wang Yan may be powerful, but I’m no pushover. I’ll be fine."
’Honestly, this deathmatch isn’t that big of a deal in my mind. Yes, I admit my current Cultivation can’t compare to Wang Yan’s. But if I were to go all out, I’m at least eighty percent confident I could kill him. I can’t forget that I still have the Purple Flame Body, a Great Killing Artifact, at my disposal. That Secret Skill can multiply my combat power several times over.’
Not long after returning to Ningxiang Pavilion at the Academy, Huaa Que rushed over. Seeing the smile on Qin Ya’s face, he flew into a rage. "You’ve landed yourself in this much trouble and you’re still smiling at me?"
An Advanced Academy Teacher dueling the eldest young master of the Wang Family to the death—news this explosive was naturally impossible to hide from Huaa Que.
"Tch. You want me to cry for you instead?"
"Do you have any idea what that Wang Family punk’s Cultivation is? He’s at the Ninth-Grade Spiritual Element Realm, a whole Great Realm higher than you! How are you supposed to win a deathmatch against him with your paltry Cultivation?!"
Huaa Que was absolutely furious this time. He pointed at Qin Ya’s nose and continued to scold him. "You brat! You can’t even go out for a day without stirring up trouble. How on earth did you end up getting into it with that Wang Family kid for no reason...?"
"The Wang Family’s second young master made a move on Ningshuang," Qin Ya said nonchalantly. Huaa Que, who had been in the middle of his tirade, instantly went silent, like a duck with its neck wrung.
"Hey, hey, old man, where are you going?"
"He dared to make a move on my granddaughter?! I’ll fucking demolish the Wang Family! Let go of me! Don’t you dare try to stop me!"
It took every ounce of Qin Ya’s strength to hold Huaa Que back. He looked at the fuming old man and rolled his eyes. ’And this old coot has the nerve to scold me? He’s even more damn impulsive than I am.’
"Grandpa, calm down! Brother Qin already stood up for us. He threw that Wang Zilu fellow into the lake. It was so impressive!" Leng Ningshuang quickly tried to soothe Huaa Que’s anger.
"Kid, listen to me. You have to win this deathmatch. You must put the Wang Family in their place," Huaa Que said, his face dark and menacing, looking for all the world like a grim-faced demon.
"Oh? And who was just scolding me?" Qin Ya laughed.
"Hmph. If you had told me about this in the first place, do you think I would have scolded you?"
News of the deathmatch between Qin Ya and Wang Yan swept through the Imperial Capital like a hurricane. While the name Qin Ya might have been unfamiliar to most, Wang Yan was famous.
For a young prodigy like him to be fighting to the death was naturally a matter of great public interest. And in less than an hour, his opponent, Qin Ya, had been thoroughly investigated.
The young Advanced Teacher of Mingxin Academy!
This title was even more stunning, completely subverting people’s perceptions and shattering their worldview.
Now, the topic was being discussed on every street and in every alley throughout the Imperial Capital. In an instant, the name Qin Ya had become known to all.
The various powers within the Imperial Capital were all waiting to see how things would develop.
「In the Wang Family Estate...」
The current Patriarch, Wang Mingxiu, stared down at Wang Zilu kneeling in the hall, not uttering a single word. But a heavy atmosphere filled the air. Wang Zilu was drenched in a cold sweat, kneeling on the floor, as silent as a cicada in winter.
THUD...
Suddenly, Wang Zilu was sent flying, coughing up a spray of blood.
Yet he didn’t dare show a hint of resentment. He quickly scrambled back into place and bowed his head even lower. Seeing this, a flicker of disappointment crossed Wang Mingxiu’s eyes. "Useless filth that can’t even stick to a wall. It’s one thing for you to be an idle good-for-nothing on a normal day, but to cause such a huge mess over a woman and force your older brother into this situation..."
"Father, I was wrong! I’ll never dare to do it again!"
"Hmph. ’I was wrong.’ How many times have you said that to me over the years? Yet in the end, you never change." Wang Mingxiu snorted coldly, then looked at Wang Yan. "Yann’er, speak. How confident are you about this deathmatch?"
"That Qin Ya is only Profound Yuan Eighth Grade. He might have a few tricks, but he’s still no match for me. You can rest assured, Father," Wang Yan said, his face proud and his tone brimming with confidence.
"Be that as it may, you can’t afford to be careless. For that Qin Ya to become an Advanced Academy Teacher, he is likely not as simple as he appears. Go into seclusion for these ten days. While I don’t expect a breakthrough, you must ensure you are in peak condition."
"Yes, Father."
