Chapter 355: Chapter 355: First Battle of the Bloody Gauntlet, Xiao Tian Died?

"BOOM—!!!"

A dull drumbeat echoed, one that felt heavy enough to shatter a heart.

The second round of the Struggle of the Trapped Beast—the Gauntlet of Death—had officially begun.

As the host nation, the White Eagle Empire enjoyed a few small privileges. As such, they were moved from the first match slot to the last.

And the match originally scheduled for last, the Great Xia Federation versus Sakura Country, was moved up to be the very first!

It didn’t matter, though.

The members of the Great Xia Team were already itching for a fight!

They wouldn’t wait a single second longer to take on Sakura Country.

This arrangement was perfect!

...

"Will the first combatant from each team please enter the arena!"

The referee’s cold voice announced.

As the teams entered from opposite sides... the translucent Energy Shield at the edge of the Beast Fighting Arena rose once more, sealing shut overhead.

This was not just an arena, but a cage.

The rules of the Gauntlet of Death were simple:

As the name implied, each team would send out one person to fight. The loser, or the dead, would be eliminated, while the winner continued until one side had no one left to send.

Beyond that,

there was one more cruel rule.

The shield would absolutely not open until the match was over.

What did this mean?

It meant this was an island of survival with no retreat.

Those outside couldn’t get in, and those inside couldn’t get out.

Even if your limbs were broken or you were disemboweled, you couldn’t leave.

The mentors and medical teams outside could only watch helplessly, unable to enter.

’Want to go in and save someone?’

You’d have to wait until the match ended... or your team could surrender. Only then could you go in for a rescue.

This was how it earned the name "bloodbath."

...

On one side of the Beast Fighting Arena, with the Great Xia Team.

Everyone was a little hyped up.

"Who’s up first? We need to set the tone and be wary of their dirty tricks."

Shen Yixuan’s gaze was steady as he quickly considered their strategy.

"I’ll go!"

Qin Feng couldn’t hold back. His Black Eagle’s injuries had fully healed, and his fighting spirit was soaring.

"I’ve been dying to beat up those Sakura Country punks!"

"No. I’ll take this one."

Before Qin Feng could even take a step, a figure shot out like an arrow from a bow.

It wasn’t Gu Yuexi, but Xiao Tian.

It was Xiao Tian!

This chosen one, who had always proclaimed himself the "future Great Emperor," now had a face filled with eagerness and pride.

His performance in the previous Desperate Straits test had been mediocre, one might even say pathetic.

And in the free-for-all just now, the spotlight had been completely stolen by Shen Yixuan and that "freak" Gu Yuexi.

’I’m Xiao Tian!’

’The super genius that both Jing University and Huaqing fought over!’

This feeling of being sidelined made his proud heart bleed.

He desperately needed a resounding victory to prove that he was the core of the Great Xia Team!

"Xiao Tian! Be careful!"

Shen Yixuan barely had time to shout before Xiao Tian was already standing in the center of the Beast Fighting Arena.

Opposite him, someone slowly walked out from the Sakura Country team.

It was an extremely short, almost stooped man.

He wore a tight-fitting, black and purple Ninja uniform, his face covered by a black cloth, revealing only a pair of eyes as cold and sinister as a snake’s.

He moved without a sound, his aura so faint it was nearly undetectable, like a living shadow.

The combatant from Sakura Country—Tanaka Jiro.

"Begin!"

BOOM!

At the referee’s command,

Xiao Tian wasted no time on pleasantries and immediately unleashed his full power!

"Emperor’s Shocking Fist!"

His entire body transformed into a streak of golden light, carrying a terrifying fist intent powerful enough to shatter mountains as he instantly blasted toward Tanaka Jiro!

So fast! So ferocious!

Faced with such a direct and powerful assault, the short Ninja seemed to panic.

"Damn it!"

Tanaka Jiro let out a strange cry, his figure retreating explosively as he brandished the shuriken in his hand, attempting to defend himself.

However, in the face of absolute power, all techniques were futile.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The golden fist shadows fell like a torrential storm, directly shattering Tanaka Jiro’s defense.

"Die for me!!"

There was a very good reason Xiao Tian had been chosen for the team!

With a furious roar, the golden light on his right fist condensed into a dragon’s head and smashed viciously into Tanaka Jiro’s chest!

CRACK!

The sound of breaking bones was clearly audible.

"PUH—"

Tanaka Jiro violently spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying like a rag doll. He crashed heavily to the ground, twitched twice, and then went still.

The entire process took less than ten seconds!

The entire arena fell silent, then the Great Xia spectator section erupted in a deafening cheer.

"Holy crap! A one-hit kill?!"

Zhao Cheng leaped to his feet in excitement. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Xiao Tian is insane! Is it over already? It just started!"

Xiao Tian stood in the center of the arena. He retracted his fist, lightly blew away some nonexistent dust, and a contemptuous smile played on his lips.

"Is that all?"

"Utterly pathetic."

’Finally, I get to show off again!’

He turned, ready to receive the cheers of his teammates.

However, at that very moment in the Great Xia rest area, Shen Yixuan’s brow suddenly furrowed.

And beside him,

Gu Yuexi’s cool, clear eyes narrowed slightly.

She had clearly seen it. The moment the Ninja was "killed," the look in his eyes wasn’t fear, but rather...

the vicious glee of a successful plot!

On her shoulder, Chu Sheng slowly closed his eyes.

In his Nether Vision, everything on the field was laid bare:

"Bzz. (This moron is still posing, and the other guy has already snuck up right behind him.)"

Chu Sheng complained speechlessly.

Hearing this, Gu Yuexi was about to shout a warning!

Although she despised Xiao Tian’s personality, this was a battle between nations, and against Sakura Country at that.

As much as she disliked Xiao Tian, she hated Sakura Country far more!

However, just as she was about to speak...

on the field, something unexpected happened!

Xiao Tian, still basking in extreme confidence, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. An intense premonition of death instantly enveloped him!

"Who’s there?!"

He whipped his head around.

In the distance, the "corpse" of Tanaka Jiro that had been lying on the ground suddenly went "POOF" and turned into a rotten log!

Substitution Technique!

"Not good!"

Xiao Tian’s expression changed drastically. He subconsciously tried to leap into the air.

But it was too late.

SHIIING—!

The dirt beneath his feet suddenly exploded as a black shadow shot out like a phantom.

The real Tanaka Jiro, wielding a shuriken that glinted with a sinister green light, stabbed viciously at Xiao Tian’s back, right toward his heart, from an incredibly tricky angle!

The strike was fast, precise, and ruthless!

It was aimed to kill!

"Get lost!!!"

But Xiao Tian was a top-tier prodigy, after all. In that split second between life and death, he forcefully twisted his body, avoiding a fatal blow to the heart.

SQUELCH!

The sound of a blade sinking into flesh rang out.

The poisoned shuriken, though it missed his heart, plunged deep into Xiao Tian’s left side!

"Ugh!"

Xiao Tian cried out in pain. He threw a backhanded palm strike, blasting out a golden light that forced the successful ambusher, Tanaka Jiro, to retreat.

The two quickly put distance between themselves.

Xiao Tian clutched his wound, his expression hideous.

"You despicable bastard!"

Xiao Tian glared at the Ninja opposite him. "To think you’d use such underhanded tricks! But this is all you’ve got. It’s just a minor injury. I can still crush you like an insect!"

"A minor injury?"

Tanaka Jiro landed but didn’t press the attack.

He stood in the distance, his eyes filled with mockery and pity, as if he were looking at a dead man.

"Sir, I believe you’ve misunderstood something."

"This match... I’ve already won."

"No... to be precise."

Tanaka Jiro extended his crimson tongue and licked the corner of his mouth.

"You... are already a dead man."

Xiao Tian froze. Just as he was about to retort, he suddenly felt the world spin. An indescribable burning sensation spread from the wound in his left side, rapidly coursing through his entire body!

It felt as if countless ants were gnawing on his meridians and bone marrow!

"This... This is..."

Xiao Tian staggered, unable to keep his footing.

"My shuriken was coated with an improved version of the ’Seven-Step Soul-Breaking Powder’."

Tanaka Jiro laughed sinisterly.

"It’s a potent poison ranked in the top ten globally, specifically designed to corrode a Martial Artist’s Qi Blood and Divine Soul."

"Whoever is afflicted will die within three minutes. Guaranteed."

"Even if an Emperor Realm Powerhouse were here, they couldn’t save you without the specific antidote!"

"Enjoy the last moments of your life, oh genius of Great Xia. Heh heh heh!"

BOOM!

His words struck everyone present like a bolt from the blue.

A top-ten poison in the world?!

Guaranteed death in three minutes?!

"Despicable!!!"

In the Great Xia rest area, Zhao Cheng’s eyes were red with fury as he slammed his fist on the railing.

"Using this kind of poison in a Martial Dao competition?! Have those animals from Sakura Country no shame?!"

"Dammit!"

Shen Yixuan’s expression changed drastically as well! However, the rules for this Struggle of the Trapped Beast were that there were no rules!

Because of this, the referee made no move!

Meanwhile, outside the arena in the Sakura Country rest area,

the sharp-featured female mentor was excitedly clapping her hands, shouting her approval in the Sakura tongue.

Her laughter was shrill and grating. To the members of the Great Xia Team, it sounded more loathsome than the shrieking of a demon.

...