Chapter 144: Submission

The camp was filled with cries of despair.

In the sky, twelve seals hovered menacingly.

The tents, caught in the aftermath of the battle, were now buried deep beneath the rubble.

The man responsible for all this stood tall against the dusky night sky, gazing down at the people below like a deity.

Suddenly, inspiration struck him, and a rather interesting idea emerged in his mind.

The Heavenly Slaughter War Ruins had performed exceptionally well in actual combat, but its enhancement was immensely difficult, requiring the gradual collection of pure Battle Intent for permanent improvement.

“Fighting people one by one is too inefficient. Is there a way to gather everyone in the central region of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground and make them willingly engage in battle?”

Jiang Yan had a rough idea in mind. However, implementing it might be troublesome and would require certain resources.

He then looked up at the four True Intent Realm Martial Artists confronting him.

“Submit to me, and I will spare your lives.”

“Hahahaha! I, Zhao Yin, would rather live as a hero and die as a valiant spirit! No one in this world can make me submit!”

Zhao Yin laughed heartily, looking down on Jiang Yan with contempt, like an unyielding god of war, his spirit unbreakable.

With that, he threw a punch toward Jiang Yan.

“Die for me!”

Boom!

The twelve seals erupted with red light, piercing through Zhao Yin’s skull with absolute speed.

Thud—

Zhao Yin’s body plummeted from the sky, crashing into the wailing crowd below.

Someone tremblingly reached out to pull at his body, immediately letting out a cry of shock.

“Zhao Yin is dead!”

Everyone stared in terror at the man in the sky, finally realizing that this man was a ruthless character who killed without blinking.

Fear gripped their hearts, afraid they would meet the same fate as Zhao Yin. Some had already knelt on the ground, begging Jiang Yan for mercy, their humility reaching its peak.

Killing one to warn a hundred.

Jiang Yan smiled. “He said he wanted to be a valiant spirit. I was just helping him fulfill his wish.”

Jiang Yan clearly lacked a sense of humor. This remark was not funny at all; instead, it sent chills down everyone’s spines.

He turned his gaze to the other three in the sky.

“What about you? Do you also want to be valiant spirits?”

“No! No! No! I want to be a hero! Let me be a hero!”

The other True Intent Realm Martial Artist from the Starfall faction was the first to make a choice. His legs trembled so violently he nearly fell from the sky, and his speech became stuttered, clearly terrified by Jiang Yan.

Logically, those who could survive in the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground were not cowards who feared death. But when true death approached, no one could remain calm.

The only other True Intent Realm Martial Artist from the Starfall faction showed a brief struggle on his face.

The seals before Jiang Yan stirred restlessly as he chuckled. “Time is running out~”

“I submit!”

The man swallowed hard and chose to yield without hesitation.

He sighed inwardly.

“I thought coming to the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground would prove to my family that I am not a coward who fears death, but…”

“Alas~”

A trace of unwillingness flashed across his face, but he quickly convinced himself.

“I’ll find a chance to leave the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground later. He can’t chase me outside, right?”

Thinking this way, he felt much better.

“And you? What do you want to be?”

Jiang Yan looked at Xue Han.

Xue Han, with her heroic demeanor, was undoubtedly the strongest among this group. She stared coldly at Jiang Yan and declared resolutely,

“Do as you wish—kill me or cut me to pieces.”

“I, Xue Han, will never submit to anyone in this life!”

She closed her eyes, having already made her choice.

Jiang Yan did not hesitate.

The long saber in his hand solidified, slashing towards Xue Han’s throat.

The saber cut through the night sky, slicing open Xue Han’s skin with a sound like the howling wind and crying cranes.

Then came the neck, and finally… the windpipe.

“I surrender!”

Jiang Yan paused in his movement, looking at Xue Han in surprise.

“What did you say?”

Xue Han’s face was grim, showing humiliation and disbelief.

“I… I…”

She touched herself in disbelief, unable to believe that the plea for mercy had just come from her own mouth.

“I… shouldn’t I be fearless of life and death…”

A clear tear streamed down her face, her worldview collapsing in that instant.

Just now, she had been afraid.

Fearful of death, like the ants and weaklings she had once looked down upon the most.

The academy and her family had taught her to have the heart of a strong warrior. Xue Han had always held this as her creed, believing that even if she wasn’t the most powerful prodigy in the world, she was certainly the Martial Artist with the most tenacious Heart-Nature.

Until—death descended upon her.

Thud!

Xue Han seemed to lose all her strength, falling from the sky like a piece of scrap metal crashing to the ground.

Her eyes lost focus, her body trembling uncontrollably. Dust rose everywhere, covering her disheveled figure, allowing her to hide with some dignity for a while.

As the dust settled, a thick layer of ice rose around Xue Han’s body, encasing her completely.

The people from Myriad Pottery Academy witnessed all of this, their eyes filled with expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

“Boss… surrendered?”

“This, this, this… is this our Boss?”

“No! Impossible, the Xue Han I know isn’t like this!”

Some refused to believe it, shouting excitedly. The strong warrior they had always respected had now bowed to someone else—the impact of this moment was unprecedented.

The scene became chaotic due to Xue Han’s surrender.

Jiang Yan rubbed his brow.

“Sigh, they’re making it so tragic, making me seem like the villain.”

Jiang Yan descended, kicking the ice crystal to pieces. Shards of ice flew everywhere, and Xue Han inside was sent tumbling into a deep pit.

Lying on her back, Xue Han’s despairing face was revealed.

“If you surrender, just surrender. Who are you putting on such a tragic show for?”

Jiang Yan grabbed another True Intent Realm Martial Artist from the Starfall faction, pointing at him and looking at Xue Han.

“If you act so unwillingly, how is he supposed to face others?”

This True Intent Realm Martial Artist was the first to surrender to Jiang Yan. Xue Han’s actions now made him seem like he was in the wrong no matter what.

The man nodded frantically.

“Look, I just want to live. With you being so tragic, Boss, you’re making me look bad~”

Jiang Yan looked at the man and asked, “What’s your name?”

The man replied, “I’m Yang Qing!”

Jiang Yan patted Yang Qing’s shoulder, acknowledging him. “On Blue Star, there’s an old saying: ‘A wise man knows when to yield.’ You did well.”

“Blue Star…” Yang Qing’s face lit up with excitement as he looked at Jiang Yan with admiration. “You’re the Blue Star Person who defeated the demon!”

Whoosh~

Jiang Yan revealing his identity immediately caused a commotion among the crowd.

“So he’s Jiang Yan!”

“Damn, are Blue Star People this powerful now?”

“Yeah, if he can slay a demon, dealing with us must be a piece of cake!”

The matter of slaying the demon was of great significance, known even to most people in the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground.

If it weren’t for the darkness, his identity would have been recognized much earlier.

Jiang Yan scanned the crowd, feeling that the groundwork had been laid sufficiently, and then spoke.

“Everyone, I have an opportunity for you to enjoy the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain for free. Would you like that?”

Upon hearing this, the crowd looked at Jiang Yan with a mix of shock and suspicion.

“Free? In this day and age, can the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain really be enjoyed for free? Don’t we have to fight tooth and nail for it?”

Someone voiced their doubts.

Jiang Yan, as if he had anticipated such a question, calmly replied.

“My method requires no deaths, nor does it involve attacking cities or seizing territories. Would you like to know?”

“Yes! Yes!”

“I want to know too!”

…

His words immediately stirred the crowd’s emotions, though most were merely humoring him, fearing that this Demon Lord might kill them at the slightest provocation.

Jiang Yan smiled.

“I intend to establish a Dueling Arena!”

“As long as everyone participates, whether it’s the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain or other treasured lands, everyone will have a chance to enjoy them!”