THE MARTIAL KING - Season 8 Episode 49

In the entire history of the Central Region, Arnold was the one who represented the peak of rune attainment. The sect-protecting array that he had once drawn still served and played a great role in the Ethereal Spirit Sect.

The array was guarded by six warriors who, regardless of their strength, would be able to annihilate and resist anyone that came with evil intentions so long as they understood the principle of the array’s operation. This was proven to be true when the array had been enough to push back against an attack by warriors at the Virtual Tribulation Realm.

For independent warriors who did not belong to any sect or see the need to establish their own sect, a protecting array wasn’t anything valuable. For sects, however, it was even more important than a sacred weapon.

For independent warriors who did not belong to any sect or see the need to establish their own sect, a protecting array wasn’t anything valuable. For sects, however, it was even more important than a sacred weapon.

Unfortunately, ever since Arnold’s death, there hadn’t been anyone in the world who had Perfect Brushwork. Even if the other sects copied the sect-protecting array of the Ethereal Spirit Sect, the effect would be far from satisfactory.

That was why it took everyone by surprise when Zen was able to boost the power of the arena’s enchanted barriers to the point that they could withstand a punch from a warrior at the Life and Death Realm, by drawing up just over a hundred runes. It was quite unbelievable. Did he truly draw those runes? If so, just what kind of rune was able to stimulate the energy to form such a strong barrier?

They did not realize that what Zen drew wasn’t exactly runes. Instead, they were divine textures loaded with more power that enabled Zen to significantly strengthen the arena’s barriers.

Naturally, none of the Central Region’s sect leaders could fathom the power of these divine textures. It wasn’t something that they had ever seen before.

In the Genuine Dragon World, the cyan dragon’s Grand Marvelous Array was powerful enough to resist an attack from a super legendary beast.

However, due to the restriction of the materials in the Central Region, drawing up the Grand Marvelous Array proved to be an impossible task for Zen. Moreover, he still didn’t have the ability to draw a nine-star or even a ten-star rune.

Eddie was extremely surprised when he realized that his attack had been simply absorbed by the barrier. He could only watch as Zen pressed his sword upon Marilyn’s neck. “I don’t want to discuss conditions with an ant,” he told Zen. “But you are an exception. Tell me, what do you want?”

From the scene in front of him, Eddie surmised that had Zen truly wanted to kill Marilyn, then he would’ve done so earlier. No, he must be up to something if he was dragging the matter on like this.

Zen looked up at Eddie with a furious glare. “Release Yan,” he said coldly.

Zen’s words shocked him and there was only a handful of things that could shock someone like Eddie. Zen’s request had him thinking hard, not truly understanding why he would ask him something like that until he realized something. “I remember now…”

Eddie murmured, his face brightening in recognition. “I’ve seen you before.” And indeed he had. He remembered that time back in Cloud Sect when he had first met Zen.

He should’ve thought about it since the beginning, but given his status, he had not cared about Zen at all despite thinking he was familiar. It wasn’t until Zen had destroyed his son, Eden’s dedication to martial arts that Eddie finally noticed Zen. Bubbling with anger, he had wanted Marilyn to avenge his son during their match.

He had ignored the fact that Zen came for Marilyn and that his goal had been the same as Owen’s.

Eddie hadn’t expected that the young man he had simply glanced at in the Cloud Sect would actually become so strong in such a short amount of time. It was truly unbelievable!

“Ha ha…” Eddie shook his head as he laughed. “I really don’t understand. Just because I took those two girls away, Owen and you were all but ready to come at my neck. Do I, the strongest warrior in the Central Region, not live up to my name? Do I look like a patsy?” he said, suddenly laughing at himself.

“No,” Zen said in an emotionless tone. “It’s because you took away my sister.”

His words elicited a gasp from everyone present.

A lot of people thought that Zen was simply being too arrogant. Sure, Eddie had taken his sister, but the fact remained that Eddie was still hailed as the strongest warrior in the entire Central Region and that title wasn’t to be taken lightly.

To insinuate that Eddie would have to pay just for taking away his sister was ridiculous.

It was as if Zen was courting death.

The audience didn’t know what to think anymore. Most of them, however, had a burning question.

How big exactly was the difference between the Illuminating Soul Realm and the Life and Death Realm? In between those two were the Internal Elixir Realm and the Virtual Tribulation Realm. It might seem like a small difference, but in truth, it was like comparing a mortal to an immortal.

Eddie snorted in anger, “You seem even more arrogant than I was in the past! What if I do not release your sister?”

“Then Marilyn will die,” Zen said calmly but the hand holding his sword let out a slight tremble.

Eddie’s expression darkened. “You dare kill her?!” he shouted in anger, knuckles turning white as he glared at Zen with white-hot fury.

Zen scoffed, like the effect his words had on Eddie. “Why not?” he asked innocently despite fully knowing the reason. If Marilyn did not die then, once free from the sealing of six senses, Yan would definitely be tormented by Eddie.

Hence, there was no other possibility: either he took Yan back or Marilyn died. He had already promised his sister that he would save her and he would do good on that promise.

“Evil East Lord,” Raven, Black Mountain Sect’s leader, interrupted.

“Why not just let this matter go? After all, Yan is Zen’s sister,” he reasoned.

“Raven’s right, Eddie,” Lady Poison-blood softly agreed. “This is not a life and death grudge. It is understandable that Zen wants to take his sister back.”

The two leaders’ goal was simple. They pretended to be fair and persuaded Eddie, but they were truly doing it to help Zen. If they were able to convince Eddie to let Yan go, then they would be able to ask Zen to draw up a protecting array for their sects. As said before, a protecting array was even more precious than a sacred weapon for a sect. If they had one, then it would only be a matter of time before they ascended from a fourth-grade sect to a fifth-grade one.

“Shut up!” Eddie snapped.

The two immediately fell silent. Although they had both reached the advanced level of Virtual Tribulation Realm, they still had miles to go before they could compare with Eddie’s strength.

Angered by this sudden turn of events, Eddie forcefully yanked Yan towards him and placed his large hand on her white, delicate neck. “Zen!” he roared. “I propose an exchange: let Marilyn go and after I take her virginity energy, I will return Yan to you unharmed!”

Zen’s eyes narrowed. He spat on the floor before raising his head and laughing loudly, “HAHA!”

“Why, why are you laughing?”

Eddie asked.

Zen glared up at Eddie and said, “You must be dreaming if you think I’ll agree to your proposal. You take away her most precious thing, yet you claim that you will return her to me unharmed?

Ridiculous!” Zen roared, laughing once again. He wanted his sister, whole, unharmed, and he would not hesitate to take down everything that stood in his way.

Eddie’s face darkened at Zen’s words. “Either you accept my proposal or Yan will die a miserable death after I complete the Lustful Demon Array. I will rape her and then grind her bones to ashes!”

he declared, tightening his hold on Yan’s neck. Yan, however, remained as motionless as a blank piece of wood.

Her sealed six senses meant that she couldn’t hear, see, smell, or even feel anything. She was completely numb.

Zen let out a sound of disbelief, “A miserable death? Grind her bones to ashes?”

It didn’t sit right with him at all, so he held Marilyn up, the sword digging deeper on her neck. “So what if I kill her then?”

His eyes flashed dangerously. Without any warning, he slid the long sword he had pressed upon Marilyn’s neck, slicing through flesh and bone. Marilyn couldn’t even let out a single cry as she suddenly began to choke on her own blood. She raised her hand to her throat and glanced at Zen with disbelief but was met with his unmoving gaze. She choked, attempting to speak, but the blood simply spurted from her body before she collapsed and remained still. Blood pooled around her now lifeless body. Zen had truly killed her with a single sword strike.

Eddie’s eyes almost popped out of his sockets, “Y-YOU!”

He never thought Zen would actually do it. He didn’t think he actually had the guts to do so, but the bloody scene in front of him now told him that Zen truly was courting death.

All the other sect leaders were equally surprised. Just now, it felt as if Zen was merely bluffing, but Marilyn’s dead, bloody corpse on the ground proved just how serious he was when he made his threat.

Xander sighed and murmured a quick prayer, “This is bad!”

The faces of the World Commercial Alliance’s three leaders were grim. With Marilyn’s death, a big fight was surely brewing.

All three of them immediately flew towards the front of the arena. Even Letitia walked off the stand, her body emitting a cold aura as she conditioned herself into a battle-ready state.

In the audience stands, some warriors were panicking and quite a lot had already started running away.

The power unleashed by a Virtual Tribulation Realm warrior was enough to crush the entire arena and everyone in it to pieces. The strongest warrior of the Central Region, who had reached the Life and Death Realm, was about to make his move. The results were to be nothing short of devastating. If a fight between Zen and Eddie broke out, the shock wave would undoubtedly be enough to harm, if not kill, anyone in close proximity. It was wise to run away now before it was too late.

Patrick shook his head at the scene in front of him. “Zen was too rash. He shouldn’t have killed Marilyn.”

Lewis curled his lips. “This fellow truly is too fierce. He really dared to kill Marilyn. He was simply giving it his all. Is there anyone in the world more ferocious than him?”

“If it were me, I would’ve also killed her,” Rocher thoughtfully replied.

Patrick raised an eyebrow. “Why?” he asked curiously.

“Without Marilyn, Eddie is one girl short for his Lustful Demon Array,” Rocher explained. “Because of this, his plans will surely be delayed. Finding another virgin with a Purple Power Body will not be easy. It could take years, decades, maybe even centuries. In that time-frame, Zen would surely get stronger and be given the chance to defeat Eddie. Today, Zen may not die.”