"Elder Brennan, is that all you've got?"
Ian Song looked at Brennan Cliff, mocking him mercilessly.
"You're courting death!"
Brennan Cliff's eyes turned cold. Suddenly, a broad sword appeared in his hand.
The sword looked ancient and simple, but it radiated a forbidding aura. The next moment, Brennan Cliff poured his divine power into it—instantly, the sword burst with divine light, unleashing a three-zhang-long earth-yellow sword beam. A terrifying pressure erupted from the blade, nearly condensing the entire space of the God-Demon Arena.
"God-King artifact!"
"That's definitely a God-King artifact!"
"I never thought Elder Brennan would have a treasure like a God-King artifact!"
All the spectators stared fixedly at the sword in Brennan Cliff's hand, their faces full of shock and envy.
"Die!"
With a thunderous shout, Brennan Cliff gripped his sword in both hands and struck at Ian Song from midair.
"Rip!"
It was as if the void were torn like ragged cloth—a terrifying sword aura, dozens of zhang long, roared straight at Ian Song, as if to split him in two.
God-King artifacts are powerful, but it still depends on who wields them.
With the artifact in hand, Brennan Cliff's strength soared dozens of times, but Ian Song still showed no fear.
A black iron longsword also appeared in Ian Song's hand.
As the sword aura closed in, Ian suddenly vanished from his spot, darting out like lightning—instantly arriving right in front of Brennan Cliff.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their weapons slammed together violently, unleashing such powerful force that the God-Demon Arena's barrier flickered wildly. The supervising elder hurriedly cast stabilization seals to reinforce it.
In the blink of an eye—
The two exchanged dozens of moves, but even with a God-King artifact, Brennan Cliff still couldn't do anything to Ian Song.
"Impossible! How can that kid be so strong?"
Below the stage, Gavin Gu muttered darkly to himself. Right now, he was full of worry—not out of concern for Brennan Cliff, but because if Ian Song won, he'd have to pay out three hundred thousand God-Demon Merits.
As for everyone else, they were all utterly dumbfounded.
After Brennan Cliff brought out the God-King artifact, everyone thought Ian Song was doomed. No one expected he could fight Brennan to a standstill.
"It's time to end this!"
Ian Song narrowed his eyes. The power and speed of his sword surged, and with a series of slashes—blood splattered as his blade easily cut through Brennan Cliff's protective divine power, leaving several wounds on him.
"You little punk, I'll fight you to the death!"
Brennan Cliff's eyes burned red with rage as he roared, his aura exploding and his strength soaring several times over.
"It's useless!"
Ian Song looked at him with disdain, his own strength rising in turn.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Instantly, Brennan Cliff gained several more wounds.
"Well, Elder Brennan, I suggest you surrender." Ian Song sneered.
"Dream on!"
Brennan Cliff hurled a strange artifact, which turned into a streak of black light shooting toward Ian Song.
"Slash!"
Ian Song called out lightly, sending his sword flying out to slice through the black light.
After that, Brennan Cliff unleashed several more special artifacts, but none could touch Ian Song—instead, Ian destroyed them one by one.
"Just lie down!"
Sword light flashed, and Brennan Cliff's body was covered in hundreds of wounds. On his face, Ian Song carved two bloody characters—'Old Dog.'
"Elder Brennan, just admit defeat. If you keep fighting, you'll only disgrace yourself!"
The elder overseeing the God-Demon Arena spoke up.
"Heh heh!"
Just then, Ian Song let out a weird laugh and swung his black iron longsword with a thunderous strike.
Brennan Cliff tried to block, but was sent flying by a single blow.
Ian Song chased after him, unleashing hundreds more sword strikes—each one leaving a wound on Brennan Cliff. By the time he crashed to the ground, not a single spot on his body was unscathed.
With a wave of his hand—
Ian Song seized the God-King artifact and, without hesitation, stored it in his storage God-ring.
"This challenge—Ian Song wins!"
The elder presiding over the God-Demon Arena made the announcement at just the right moment, worried that if he delayed, Brennan Cliff might be killed.
Even so—
After this incident, Brennan Cliff's reputation was ruined. He'd likely never have the face to serve as an elder again.
"Pathetic!"
Ian Song tossed the remark at Brennan Cliff, then drifted off the stage in a blaze of glory.
A day later—
Ian Song arrived at Gavin Gu's residence to claim his God-Demon Merits.
But the Mid Heavenly God who greeted him said Gavin Gu was away on business, and wouldn't be back for quite some time.
"Trying to dodge his debts?"
Ian Song's face turned cold. "Tell Gavin Gu: if I don't get my God-Demon Merits within three days, don't blame me for what happens next!"
A flash of anger crossed the Mid Heavenly God's eyes, but recalling Ian Song's ferocity, he swallowed it down.
After Ian Song left, he headed to the backyard—where Gavin Gu was waiting.
"Sir, I don't think Ian Song will let this go."
The Mid Heavenly God said anxiously.
"It's nothing!"
Gavin Gu waved it off. "Ian Song won't live much longer anyway!"
"Why?"
The Mid Heavenly God was baffled.
Gavin Gu sneered. "Heh! Ian Song must have a death wish. That God-King artifact wasn't Brennan Cliff's—it belongs to a certain God-King, and that one is infamous for his narrow-mindedness. For Ian Song to snatch his God-King artifact? He must have a tiger's courage and no sense of self-preservation!"
After defeating Brennan Cliff, Ian Song's reputation in the God-Demon Corps skyrocketed.
Many God-Demons came to visit, hoping to befriend him. Quite a few even invited him to banquets at top restaurants.
One day—
Ian Song was entertaining a group of God-Demons eager to build connections.
Suddenly, a woman strode in uninvited.
She wasn't a God-Demon, but her cultivation was at the Upper Heavenly God level.
"Who's Ian Song?"
She stood proudly, her tone anything but polite.
"How dare you! Who are you to barge into Brother Ian's courtyard?"
An Upper Heavenly God eager to please Ian Song shouted at her.
The woman glanced at him with contempt. "If you don't want to die, shut up. Otherwise, don't blame me for sending you to your grave!"
"Big talk! Let's see what you're made of!"
Angered by her disdain, the Upper Heavenly God's eyes flashed with killing intent.
"Hmph!"
She stepped forward—appearing before the Upper Heavenly God in a flash. Before he could react, she'd sliced off his arm, then retreated to her original spot, mocking, "With strength like yours, you can't even withstand a single move from me. And you dare act up in front of me?"
"Then let me try!"
Ian Song suddenly stood up, his gaze icy. She'd actually dared to attack someone in his own home—clearly, she didn't take him seriously.
"Fine, I'll oblige you!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she appeared before Ian Song, trying to repeat her move and slice off his arm. But Ian Song slapped out with his palm.
Smack!
With a crisp sound, the woman was sent flying into the courtyard by Ian Song's slap.
"Well done!"
Someone cheered loudly.