At that moment—
words were no longer needed.
Li Zhexian's breath burned hot and ragged.
The boiling blood coursing through his meridians felt as if fire were searing his organs from within.
He raised his gaze—
and met Qian Renxue's golden eyes, shimmering like spring water.
Her lashes trembled, eyes tinged with red,
her lips flushed from the wine, radiant and dangerously beautiful.
"Hah…"
Li Zhexian exhaled a long, heated breath.
He brought two fingers together like a sword.
A flash of cold light—
Crash!
The dishes shattered, food scattered; porcelain shards sparkled beneath the moonlight.
In a sweep of white sleeves, Li Zhexian leapt onto the table—
and Qian Renxue, her white gown billowing, landed softly at the other end.
Beneath the withered tree now blooming with petals of light,
the two faced each other across the mess,
their pounding hearts thunderous in the silence.
An inch…
an inch…
closer still—
until their lips finally met.
In that instant, the raging blood within them both abruptly calmed.
It seemed that the fiercest killing intent in the world
could only be soothed by the gentlest touch of affection.
…
The surging Blood Energy from before gradually subsided,
melted into this quiet, wordless embrace.
From sitting apart across the table,
they slowly drew together—
until Li Zhexian held Qian Renxue in his arms.
Her heart pounded like a startled deer's.
Even her Spirit Power leaked out uncontrollably—
Pop—
A faint sound.
From the branches above, the luminous blossoms shattered into starry motes,
falling like fine jade dust onto their shoulders.
When they finally parted,
Li Zhexian lifted his head slightly,
the faint fragrance of flowers lingering on his lips.
He brushed his thumb along the corner of his mouth,
then looked down at the girl hiding her face against his chest.
"Xue'er, I…"
Li Zhexian—the man who could laugh in the face of slaughter,
who had slain thousands without flinching—
now found his throat tight and words lost.
Qian Renxue hesitantly raised her head.
Seeing his dazed expression,
the shy flush faded from her exquisite face.
Her hand loosened its grip on his robe.
"You… don't have to feel pressured."
"I know… what happened just now… it was the impulse of blood energy running wild…"
"I… I don't mind…"
But in her golden eyes, sorrow flickered faintly.
Feeling her trying to pull away, Li Zhexian's brows suddenly drew together.
She's a girl and dares to face it—how can I, a man, falter?
The thought flashed through his mind.
He caught her shoulders, his deep black eyes locking onto hers with steady resolve.
"I wasn't acting on impulse."
As his words fell—
He bent down,
and captured those crimson lips once more.
Qian Renxue's eyes widened in surprise.
At such close distance, even the texture of his skin was visible to her trembling gaze.
An indescribable calm and certainty spread through her once-confused heart.
He had… finally answered her.
The small courtyard grew still.
The starlight dimmed.
Only the lonely purple moon poured its glow across the world.
The courtyard itself seemed cold and quiet—
Yet in Qian Renxue's heart,
there was only warmth.
The kiss of the one she loved was like the tide drawn by the moon's halo—
wordless, yet inexorable—
washing away all her defenses and pride, leaving only gentle surrender.
"Li Zhexian…"
Qian Renxue's arms slid around his neck.
A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
"From this moment on, I, Qian Renxue, belong to you alone."
…
No one knew how long that tender silence lasted.
When Li Zhexian finally lifted his head,
he looked at her slightly swollen lips,
and a teasing smile curved his mouth.
"Why waste words?"
"Actions speak louder."
"You—!
Qian Renxue's face burned scarlet as she swatted at him,
then buried her blazing cheeks against his chest.
Li Zhexian chuckled, tightening his embrace—
holding her warmth close amid the cold of the City of Slaughter.
But then—
Something flickered in his mind.
His arms tensed slightly.
The smile froze upon his lips.
Qian Renxue, ever perceptive, noticed at once.
She lifted her face from his chest.
Li Zhexian fell silent for several heartbeats before he finally spoke, voice hoarse:
"Xue'er… Zhuqing… I cannot betray her."
Qian Renxue's slender body trembled violently.
She stared at him for a long time,
then raised her hand gently to caress his cheek.
Her voice was soft—but unwavering.
"I know."
"Zhuqing has given everything for you—heaven and earth bear witness to that."
"If I ever held resentment, it vanished the moment I saw the look in her eyes back then."
"Li Zhexian…"
"We'll walk the Hell Road together."
"And bring Zhuqing back."
…
From that day forward,
Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue began their bloodstained journey.
Their hearts were steadfast—
devoted wholly to the endless battles of the Hell Slaughter Arena.
Three months later—
Li Zhexian achieved fifty-one consecutive victories.
Another half-year passed.
The name Blood Slaughter Sword hung atop the victory lists of all four districts of the Slaughter City—
a name that inspired dread across the entire realm.
More than once, remnants of the East District's defeated forces tried to band together for revenge.
After all—Li Zhexian had once trapped and annihilated over three thousand of their men,
leaving the district crippled.
But those new mobs—barely a hundred desperate souls—
fell one after another beneath the combined might of Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue,
their bodies staining the arena crimson.
Terrified witnesses realized—
The Blood Slaughter Sword's edge had grown even sharper, more voracious,
and his body—far tougher than before.
After that battle—
Within the Slaughter City,
none dared provoke him again.
Half a year slipped by.
Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue's victories both climbed to ninety-nine.
Only one final match remained before they could enter the Hell Road.
At the same time—
Other prodigies had risen within the remaining districts.
The CharmingFox and the Asura Hammer—
both names spreading like wildfire,
their wielders considered candidates for the title of "Hundred-Battle King,"
and possible companions of the Blood Slaughter Sword and Angel to challenge the Hell Road.
…
After achieving their ninety-nine victories,
the arena could no longer find suitable challengers for the final match.
Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue could only wait patiently for the Slaughter Arena to reopen.
That day—
Li Zhexian sat cross-legged in their courtyard, meditating and refining his sword intent.
Qian Renxue smiled softly, preparing to go out for her usual errands.
Their days had followed this rhythm for more than a year now—
wordless, harmonious understanding between them.
With light steps, she left the secluded courtyard,
heading toward the city's gathering grounds.
The Slaughter City—a living hell filled with malice and death,
a place that chilled the hearts of all who heard its name.
Yet to Qian Renxue,
these nearly two years of blood and carnage
had been the happiest time of her life.
As she turned a corner,
her graceful figure flickered once—
and slipped into a narrow alley.
…
The moment her beautiful silhouette vanished around the bend,
a shadowy figure moved—
Hu Liena, who had been tailing her, quickly followed.
But—
as soon as Hu Liena stepped into the same alley,
she froze.
The dark, narrow passage before her
was empty.
Her face paled instantly.
A chill ran up her spine.
She spun around—
and a slender, ice-cold hand,
smooth as polished jade,
clamped violently around her throat.
Bang!
A surge of overwhelming force slammed into her.
Hu Liena was thrown backward, crashing hard against the stone wall.
Dust rained down from the impact.
The pain and suffocation made her vision blur.
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the breathtakingly beautiful face before her—
a face now covered in frost and murderous intent so intense
that it made her throat tighten, words dying before they could form.
Qian Renxue's fingers tightened slowly around her neck.
Crack—
Crack—
The sound of bones grinding filled the narrow alley.
Her golden eyes remained calm and merciless as she looked at Hu Liena's twisted, pain-stricken face.
"You dare follow me?"