This was the God-Demon Death Seal that Su Chen had just comprehended and derived from the Primordial Demon-God Art. Now it seemed that the first God-Demon Death Seal he had comprehended was already extremely tyrannical; he could only imagine how terrifying it would be if he could comprehend the second, third, or fourth.
Xing Yingxue's face was extremely unsightly. Looking at the burly man in front of her, she said angrily, "Tang Hao, I've already told you I don't like you. Here are the points, you can take them."
Tang Hao had a robust figure with a scar across his resolute face. His hair stood up like sharp spikes, and his piercing eyes stared fixedly at the beauty in front of him. "Little Yingxue, I've been pursuing you for a whole year. Where do you find me lacking? Tell me, and I'll change it immediately."
He simply could not figure out what was wrong with him.
He had a good family background, good character, and was hailed as the top genius of the elementary class at the Peak Foundation Establishment Realm. He could break through to the Void Core Realm at any moment and even possessed the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel.
Had it not been for Xing Yingxue, he would never have condescended to come to the Eastern Wasteland Academy to cultivate, all so he could have the advantage of proximity and successfully win Xing Yingxue's hand.
And the result?
One year.
He didn't know how many methods he had tried, but he still couldn't move Xing Yingxue.
"I've said it countless times, I don't like you. Why do you keep pestering me?"
"Little Yingxue, I can promise you that as long as you are willing to marry me, my Tang family will give you our full support to regain recognition within your clan. How about that?"
"Shut up! I am myself, and they are them. They have nothing to do with me."
Mentioning her family seemed to touch Xing Yingxue's reverse scale, and she roared frantically.
Tang Hao sighed deeply and said with helplessness, "I will accompany you across the Eastern Wasteland to see if we can find a way to change your Blood Wheel."
"Tang Hao, I can tell you right now: I don't like you. Please don't pester me anymore in the future."
Having been rejected repeatedly, Tang Hao's anger was already soaring to the heavens. He had given up a lot for Xing Yingxue, yet she still rejected him.
The more he thought about it, the more furious he became. Tang Hao could no longer control himself, and said coldly, "Hmph! Xing Yingxue, I, Tang Hao, also have patience. Since you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, I'll take you first. Once the raw rice is cooked into a mature meal, I'd like to see if you still reject me like this!"
Hearing this, Xing Yingxue's expression changed completely.
"How dare you!"
"Why wouldn't I dare?"
Tang Hao seemed like a different person. Previously, because he was pursuing Xing Yingxue, he had no choice but to disguise himself. After all, he came from the Tang clan and had condescended to pursue Xing Yingxue, only to be met with rejection, rejection, and more rejection.
"The strength of the Tang clan and your Xing clan is on par. Furthermore, no one in the Xing clan cares about your existence at all. The Golden Sparrow Blood Wheel that the Xing clan is so proud of turned out to be the Partridge Blood Wheel when it awakened in you. Even if I use force, the Xing clan will not offend the Tang clan for your sake."
"Aren't you afraid of the Academy?"
"Not at all."
Tang Hao smiled and said, "History is written by the victors. When the time comes, I'll just tell the Academy that you wanted to latch onto my Tang clan and deliberately seduced me. Do you think the Academy will believe you or me?"
"You're shameless."
"Whatever."
Since he couldn't win her over, he would just make it a fait accompli. Tang Hao was unwilling to keep waiting. He had already given Xing Yingxue enough time and face, but she refused to appreciate it, so she had only herself to blame.
Watching Tang Hao walk toward her step by step, Xing Yingxue's face was filled with despair. With her fists clenched tightly, she had already prepared to end her life. Even if she died here, she would not be defiled by Tang Hao, this beast in human skin. It was fortunate she had never agreed to him.
"Xing Yingxue, don't think that just because you come from the Xing clan, you can receive any special treatment in the Eastern Wasteland Academy. You are merely a cultivation trash; otherwise, you wouldn't have lingered in the worst elementary class all this time."
"You're from Class 22?"
An exclamation suddenly rang out.
"Who's there? Get out here!"
Su Chen's figure slowly walked out. He was merely passing by and had happened to see the two of them, never intending to meddle as it had nothing to do with him. He only needed to fight for points and had planned to wait until they finished their private business before stepping in to snatch the points.
He had not expected this so-called Xing Yingxue to actually come from the same class as him—namely, the worst elementary class in the Academy.
"Yes, I'm from Class 22. My name is Xing Yingxue."
Walking up to Xing Yingxue and directly ignoring Tang Hao, Su Chen smiled and said, "I just entered the Eastern Wasteland Academy and I'm also a student of Class 22. Senior Sister is in trouble? Do you need my help?"
Of course she needed it, but after glancing at Tang Hao, Xing Yingxue truly didn't know how to speak up. Tang Hao's strength was plain to see: Peak Foundation Establishment Realm, and his Blood Wheel was the Qilin Hammer. Not to mention students from Class 22, across the entire elementary class, no one was Tang Hao's match.
Being ignored—
And this person actually came from Class 22, the worst class in the entire Eastern Wasteland Academy. As everyone knew, students in the worst elementary class were all cultivation trash, people abandoned by the Academy.
Trash like this dared to ignore him; they truly didn't know whether they were living or dying.
A furious Tang Hao said coldly, "Brat, I don't care who you are, get out of my sight immediately. If this weren't the Eastern Wasteland Academy, I'd take your life."
Suppressing the endless rage in his heart, Tang Hao, despite coming from the Tang clan, still didn't dare to strike casually. After all, this was the Eastern Wasteland Academy, the top-tier force in the entire Eastern Wasteland; no race or sect dared to provoke them lightly.
The Dragon Subjugation Tournament had clear rules: under no circumstances could any deaths occur. Once the Academy executed him, he believed not even the Tang clan would say much.
Looking at Xing Yingxue before him, Su Chen understood her misgivings. It was nothing more than fear that he would be harmed by Tang Hao. He nodded and said, "You can bully others; no matter how shameless and disgusting you are, I won't meddle in other people's business. But as for the people of Class 22, I, Su Chen, will protect them no matter what."
"Just by relying on you?"
Tang Hao found it utterly laughable. Trash from the worst elementary class actually dared to act so arrogant in front of him; he couldn't figure out who had given this person such courage.
"Just mere trash. Today I'd like to see how you play the hero saving the damsel. As long as you can last three moves in my hands, I'll let you take her away."
"Junior Brother Su, be careful! He's from Class 1, Peak Foundation Establishment Realm, and possesses the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel."
Peak Foundation Establishment Realm or not, it didn't matter to Su Chen at all. He could even kill Void Core Realm experts, let alone someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
He was only surprised by the Blood Wheel Tang Hao possessed, because previously at the Su family, he had heard of some top-tier families in the Eastern Wasteland.
For example, the Su clan possessed the Sword Blood Wheel.
And among the many top-tier families, the Tang clan seemed to possess the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel. This kind of Blood Wheel was extremely tyrannical, leaning toward the power type. He hadn't expected to encounter someone from the Tang clan in the Eastern Wasteland Academy.
His eyes lit up, and Su Chen also wanted to witness just how tyrannical a top-tier Blood Wheel of the Eastern Wasteland was.
"The Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel? Then I must try it."
The moment his voice fell, a Blood Wheel instantly condensed above his head, containing an illusory sword shadow within it. Accompanied by a roar like a sword's cry, sharp and tyrannical sword qi raged wildly within the Blood Wheel.
"Level 8 Foundation Establishment Realm!"
Xing Yingxue gasped in surprise, and even Tang Hao was astonished, because a Level 8 Foundation Establishment Realm martial artist could not possibly enter the worst elementary class.
Yet Tang Hao merely smiled contemptuously. Trying to provoke him with a Level 8 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation was simply not qualified.
"Brat, today I'll let you know just how vast the gap is between you and me."
A Blood Wheel likewise condensed above his head, containing a hammer within it with a Qilin pattern carved upon it. Low, muffled roars erupted from the Blood Wheel.
A sword and a hammer; the sword qi and hammer force violently collided in mid-air, neither willing to yield an inch, as if they wanted to completely destroy each other.
"Brat, do you dare to sign a life-and-death pact with me and fight a life-and-death battle?"
"Junior Brother Su, absolutely not!"
Xing Yingxue said anxiously. She understood Tang Hao's intention. The Dragon Subjugation Tournament did not allow fatalities, but there were exceptions to everything.
That exception was the life-and-death pact.
Whether inside the Academy or participating in the Dragon Subjugation Tournament, students inevitably had irreconcilable life-and-death grudges. If even the Academy could not stop them, they could sign a life-and-death pact to conduct a so-called life-and-death battle.
In a life-and-death battle, life and death were left to fate. No matter who lived or died, the Academy would not interfere—a true battle of life and death.
Chapter 21: Life-and-Death Pact, Life and Death Left to Fate.
Chapter 22: Your Attack Has Ended, Now It's My Turn
Xing Yingxue was extremely anxious and worried, terrified that Junior Brother Su would agree to Tang Hao's life-and-death battle.
Once a life-and-death pact was signed, even if Tang Hao killed Su Chen, she believed the Academy would not intervene. Such were the rules of the Academy.
Precisely because of this, unless there were life-and-death grudges, she believed no one would be willing to sign a life-and-death pact.
Su Chen nodded and smiled, "I'll gladly accompany you."
The moment his voice fell, the two of them each forced out a drop of vital blood, which merged together in mid-air to form a peculiar power—this was the life-and-death pact.
As soon as the life-and-death pact was signed, fierce and tyrannical auras erupted simultaneously from their bodies, and their respective condensed Blood Wheels roared toward the heavens.
With cold eyes containing frigid killing intent, Tang Hao didn't take this person seriously at all. Even if Su Chen was at the Level 8 Foundation Establishment Realm, so what? There was a gap of two full tiers between them, and what he had awakened was the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel.
Their figures moved simultaneously, piercing through layers of space and colliding fiercely together.
Without the slightest bit of contempt, Su Chen knew very well that being able to defeat a Void Core Realm expert did not mean he could necessarily suppress every Foundation Establishment Realm expert.
Some monstrous Foundation Establishment Realm martial artists might not be any weaker in strength than himself.
This was the Eastern Wasteland Academy; the fact that he possessed three Blood Wheels must definitely not leak out.
A Qilin Hammer appeared in Tang Hao's hand, transforming to dozens of meters in size as it smashed down fiercely toward Su Chen. The Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel inherently belonged to the power type, focusing on the most direct smashing force.
"Junior Brother Su, watch out!"
Integrating the Nine Tribulations Sword Art into his Sword Blood Wheel, the black-red sword shadow that appeared in Su Chen's hand likewise slashed out toward Tang Hao.
The sword and hammer collided violently, instantly causing ripples to spread in all directions. The ground could not bear the impact and began to shatter inch by inch.
The two retreated simultaneously. Su Chen only stepped back once, but Tang Hao retreated a full six or seven steps. His horrified eyes were filled with shock; he had never imagined that Su Chen could withstand it head-on.
He had absolute confidence in his own strength.
Not only could he sweep across his peers, but he could also kill enemies of higher ranks. Relying on the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel in his hand, he was even able to defeat a Level 4 Void Core Realm expert.
And now?
Reeling back several steps, strictly speaking, he had already lost the first clash, yet he was unwilling to admit defeat.
"Let you witness the Qilin Hammer Art of my Tang clan!"
Disappearing from the spot like a phantom, the Qilin Hammer in his hand swung fiercely once more. Hammer after hammer, endless waves of hammer shadows swept across the sky and earth.
"My body is like a sword!"
Su Chen stood in place without moving, executing his sword right where he stood. Denser and denser tyrannical sword qi formed a sword barrier.
Bang!
Bang bang!
The sharp and tyrannical hammer shadows continuously bombarded the sword barrier, their speed soaring continuously.
Clenching her fists tightly, Xing Yingxue stared fixedly at the scene before her with a face full of worry. Junior Brother Su must absolutely not come to any harm, otherwise, she would never feel at ease for the rest of her life.
Guilty for a lifetime.
Yet she couldn't intervene; after all, her strength was simply insufficient to contend with Tang Hao. She could only hope Junior Brother Su would win.
"Brat, I'd like to see how many of my hammers you can block."
Bombarding fiercely like a sandstorm, the dense hammer shadows enveloped the sword barrier. Su Chen's figure could no longer be seen; only Tang Hao, swinging his Qilin Hammer back and forth, was visible.
The fierce collision, akin to the intertwining of water and fire, generated a wave of air that almost blew Xing Yingxue away.
Puff!
A mouthful of blood spewed out, her pale face written with pain. Xing Yingxue's cultivation was too low; how could she possibly withstand such terrifying collateral shockwaves?
As the battle escalated continuously—
Unabled to hammer Su Chen to death after all this time, Tang Hao's expression grew increasingly gloomy, his icy gaze staring fixedly at Su Chen, who was covered by his hammer shadows.
The Qilin Hammer Art had surged to its limit, totaling eighty-one hammers. Gritting his teeth, he swung continuously, hammer after hammer in an unbroken succession, until he reached the eighty-first hammer.
The sword barrier began to emit a buzzing sound. The more it did so, the more anxious Tang Hao became, because the longer the delay, the more unfavorable it was for him.
It was hard to accept such a fact.
His talent surpassed his peers, and he possessed the Eastern Wasteland's top-tier Blood Wheel—the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel. Let alone martial artists of the same level, he could even hammer a Void Core Realm expert to death.
And now?
Facing trash from the worst elementary class of the Eastern Wasteland Academy, he was still unable to suppress and kill him. To him, this matter was an absolute and utter humiliation.
Suppressing the waves of weakness welling up inside her, Xing Yingxue held her breath, watching the life-and-death battle before her with a face full of worry. Judging by the current situation, Junior Brother Su was clearly at a disadvantage. If this continued, he would likely be in big trouble.
What to do?
A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and Tang Hao's face grew increasingly pale. After all, forcibly executing the eighty-one hammers of the Qilin Hammer brought an immensely huge backlash upon himself.
He had to make a quick decision. If this continued, before he could hammer the other person to death, he would probably perish from his own backlash.
"Eighty-one hammers, smashing heaven and earth, break for me!"
All the hammer shadows completely merged, forming an immensely huge hammer shadow that smashed down fiercely toward the sword barrier in front of him.
Boom!
A crack appeared on the sword barrier, spreading across it like a giant spiderweb. However, the moment the sword barrier shattered, Tang Hao also spat out a mouthful of blood. His body flew backward, crashing heavily into a large tree that snapped right in half.
A trace of blood also slowly seeped from Su Chen's mouth. What a tyrannical Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel! Especially when paired with the Qilin Hammer Art, its power compounded layer upon layer. The compounding of eighty-one hammers was enough to inflict minor injuries even on him.
"Your Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel is not bad. Your attack has ended, now it's my turn."
Tang Hao's gloomy expression could not have been uglier. He simply could not accept this reality; after all, Su Chen's defense had made his heart tremble. He had executed eighty-one consecutive compounded hammers yet still failed to smoothly hammer this person to death.
Could he withstand Su Chen's Sword Blood Wheel?
If it were before, he would definitely have had absolute confidence that he could withstand it. But now, the situation was completely different, and he had zero confidence.
The life-and-death pact had already been signed. Even if he perished here, the Eastern Wasteland Academy wouldn't blame Su Chen upon learning of the matter.
As for the Tang clan avenging him in the future—even if they could get revenge, what of it?
He was already dead, and the dead could not be resurrected.
Thinking of this, a terrified Tang Hao didn't dare to linger any longer; he turned and fled. As long as he could successfully leave the Academy alive, he believed that even with a life-and-death pact signed, he still wouldn't fear this person.
Su Chen's speed was faster than Tang Hao's, appearing in front of Tang Hao in an instant.
"You haven't taken a sword stroke from me yet."
"I come from the Tang clan."
"So what?"
Even the Tang clan couldn't intimidate this person. Tang Hao's expression grew even gloomier. He gripped his identity jade token, his soul surging into it at any moment. As long as he triggered the special power within, the teachers of the Eastern Wasteland Academy would descend at any second.
Chapter 23: Life-and-Death Battle, Why Should I Stop?
At this moment.
Tang Hao felt extreme terror in his heart; no matter what, he could not die here.
Had the life-and-death pact not been signed, he believed this person would never have dared to kill him, given the Academy's rules. Unless someone wanted to commit suicide, who would dare to violate them?
But right now, the situation was completely different.
Feeling the frigid killing intent released from Su Chen's body, Tang Hao's expression abruptly changed. His soul had already surged into the identity jade token, touching the special power dormant within the token.
"Su Chen, even with the life-and-death pact signed, this is still the Dragon Subjugation Tournament. If you kill me, the Academy will definitely hold you responsible."
So much nonsense.
Su Chen didn't hesitate at all. He and Tang Hao had already signed the life-and-death pact; what did it matter even if the Academy found out?
Before a life-and-death battle, not even the Academy would intervene.
With a single step forward,
Su Chen used his fingers as a sword to execute the Nine Tribulations Sword Art. The peerlessly tyrannical Blood Wheel merged into the sword art, and streams of cold, sharp sword qi continuously shot forth.
"You dare!"
Threats? Su Chen didn't take them seriously at all.
Watching helplessly as the sword qi closed in, Tang Hao had no other choice but to grip the Qilin Hammer and swing it out fiercely, fighting a desperate battle. As long as he could hold out until a teacher arrived, he would be safe.
"Stop!"
An anxious voice came from afar, and a massive, tyrannical aura rolled inward—it was a teacher of the Eastern Wasteland Academy arriving.
Tang Hao felt a surge of joy in his heart and sneered, "Su Chen, if you want to kill me, you'll have to wait for your next life."
Bang!
Before Tang Hao could finish spouting nonsense, the dense and tyrannical sword qi had already continuously bombarded the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel.
This time, Su Chen did not show the slightest bit of mercy. The tyranny of the sword qi made it impossible for Tang Hao to resist, and even the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel shattered instantly.
Accompanied by a scream like a slaughtered pig, Tang Hao's body flew violently into the air before crashing heavily onto the ground. Blood stained his chest, and the Qilin Hammer Blood Wheel condensed above his head completely collapsed like shattered glass.
A figure instantly condensed out of thin air. The man stood a full one meter ninety tall, with a square face and small eyes. He immediately shoved a medicinal pill into Tang Hao's mouth.
"Teacher Teng."
Teng Long, a teacher of the Eastern Wasteland Academy's elementary class and a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse, was known for being very strict and upright. Summoned by Tang Hao's power call, he had rushed over immediately, but in the end, he was still a step too late.
With an extremely gloomy expression, Teng Long never expected that Tang Hao's Blood Wheel would be directly shattered. This was going to be a huge mess, after all, Tang Hao's identity was somewhat special.
"I just said to stop. Didn't you hear me?"