Li Tao's chest heaved violently.
His golden righteous qi shimmered wildly, flickering like a dying flame as he struggled against the suffocating grip of the Yin Devouring Aura. Each breath burned, as if the air itself had turned into molten iron.
His arms trembled, and his legs felt like lead.
"I… I will not…lose!" he roared, his voice hoarse, cracking under the pressure.
He clenched his teeth and poured every last ounce of his cultivation into one desperate strike. Golden rays erupted from his body, forming a colossal, blinding sword of light. The aura radiated so fiercely it scorched the air around him.
"Take this…!" he screamed, charging forward at blinding speed, leaving a trail of golden light behind him.
The crowd held their breath. This was a 5th step cultivator's final, all-out strike. Many thought even a peak mortal couldn't withstand it.
"H-he's sacrificing his vitality for a final strike!"
Su Ye's crimson eyes narrowed. He didn't flinch.
The Yin Devouring Aura writhed, spiraling and splitting into thousands of tendrils that shot outward, striking the golden sword from all angles. The attack hit the aura, but instead of shattering it, the light were erased, dissolved into nothingness.
Li Tao staggered back, choking. "Impossible…!" he gasped, his voice trembling. Sweat drenched his face, and golden qi leaked from his body uncontrollably.
His arms flailed as he tried to stabilize himself, but the Yin Devouring Aura had wrapped around his body like black chains, restraining him completely.
Su Ye stepped forward slowly, his steps calm, measured, but each one made the black aura pulse and constrict tighter.
"Do you feel it now? This is the weight of your so-called justice. You punish what you see as evil, yet you fail to protect what truly matters. All your righteous qi…all your ideals…are meaningless. I wonder...how many wrongful souls you've killed?"
Li Tao roared, desperation cracking into panic. He tried another surge, another technique, pouring everything into a flurry of golden light.
The air burned and sparks flew, but the Yin Devouring Aura twisted, flowed, and absorbed every fragment of his assault. Each failed strike drained him further.
"Why…why…can't I…?!" Li Tao screamed, tears mixing with sweat. His once-proud aura flickered and dimmed, his breathing ragged, as if the very essence of his cultivation was being eaten away.
Su Ye's lips curved into a cold smile. "What goes around, comes around. It's ironic isn't it? Your righteousness has given birth to my heart full of hatred."
Li Tao's knees buckled. His vision swam. The golden sword that had once been his ultimate weapon disintegrated in his hands.
He was gasping, trembling, utterly exposed.
Su Ye stopped a few steps away, letting the black aura pulse and tighten around Li Tao like a living prison.
The crowd was silent, the tension so thick it could be cut with a blade.
Li Tao's screams echoed across the arena, mingling with the whispers of horrified spectators.
He clawed at the black aura, but it only twisted tighter. There was no strength left. He was cornered, desperate, and completely powerless.
"Don't worry, Li Tao," Su Ye said softly, yet every word cut like a dagger. "I won't kill you."
He looked at Li Meng. A smile creeped up.
My revenge isn't solely on Li Tao after all.