South Market of Mingling County, the Dog Pit.

The second dog fight ended quickly, followed by the third and fourth.

In the fifth match, the reigning champion favorite Black Silk Panther made its appearance. Its owner was Boss Hong.

Black Silk Panther was a massive black dog. The dog-fighting sheet introduced Black Silk Panther as born from a crossbreed between a Tibetan mastiff and a wolf dog, with the rebellious, fierce, and bloodthirsty blood of a Tibetan mastiff flowing through its body.

The black dog had willow-branch-thick scars crisscrossing its forehead. On its enormous face, they looked like hanging silk threads. Combined with the dog’s fierce and agile movements like a panther, it earned the name Black Silk Panther.

Black Silk Panther’s opponent was a yellow wolf dog. The yellow wolf dog appeared quite wary of Black Silk Panther, yet couldn’t go against its master’s will. So it bared its teeth and roared for a while. Black Silk Panther held its head high, disdainful of the yellow wolf dog.

The wolf dog was enraged. It opened its blood-dripping maw to bite toward Black Silk Panther’s neck.

In a flash of lightning, Black Silk Panther turned its body. Its strong hind legs kicked the wolf dog’s head. The wolf dog, carrying a gust of wind, crashed into the pit wall, then fell heavily. After twitching a few times, it went still.

Black Silk Panther’s prowess left all the spectators sighing endlessly. Those who had bet on Black Silk Panther shouted wildly with joy, while those who hadn’t bet on Black Silk Panther regretted their poor judgment.

The subsequent dog fights continued one after another. Black Silk Panther won through to the end without any suspense.

The final dog fight was rather special—the Dog Pit would dispatch a youth to challenge the dog-fighting champion. Before the official challenge, bets had to be placed anew with the betting clerk gentlemen. The odds were ten to one—if you bet correctly, you could take away ten times your wager.

Black Silk Panther’s terrifying performance that dominated the entire venue made spectators place their silver bets without hesitation.

Before the gong for the final battle rang, in another much larger isolation room within the pit sat Ji Liang with a face full of cold malice.

The door stirred lightly. Huang Mazi had arrived.

“Young Master, your strategy is brilliant,” Huang Mazi praised admiringly. “First sending Black Silk Panther to lead the charge, letting spectators witness Black Silk Panther’s power—in the final match, the patrons will definitely spend silver betting on Black Silk Panther to win. Heh, but they could never imagine that Young Master still has a trump card in hand—Xia Jiuying.”

“Doing business requires brains. Everyone who comes to watch dog fights is a gambler,” Ji Liang pressed down on his palm with his fan, speaking smugly. “Though this group loves gambling, they’re not stupid. Without complete confidence, winning the silver they grip tightly would be no easy matter. But too bad for them—their silver is about to fall into my pocket.”

“Go see if Xia Jiuying is ready,” Ji Liang instructed.

Huang Mazi went halfway out, then turned back and said, “Young Master, today at Black Tiger Mountain, Xia Jiuying faced that white wolf alone and was injured quite badly. Are you really that confident?”

In the incense smoke and mist, Ji Liang’s gaze revealed a trace of cruelty. “Rest assured, no problem. Don’t forget—he’s a child who fought wild dogs at age seven and killed a lone wolf at age nine! He’s a calamitous disaster star who only brings misfortune to those who approach him.”

Huang Mazi froze in a daze. He couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his back. He said no more, lowered his head, and ducked out the door.

Xia Jiuying still lay on the cold stone bed. His back, face, eyes, and heart gradually became as cold as the stone bed, almost completely frozen together. The door rattled and clattered. A trace of fluctuation appeared in Xia Jiuying’s dull eyes. He slowly sat up from the stone bed.

Huang Mazi walked in and tossed Xia Jiuying a set of new clothes. “Put on this new outfit. Throw away those blood-stained rags.”

Xia Jiuying didn’t even glance at the new clothes. Like a walking phantom, he headed toward the doorway.

“Wait!” Huang Mazi gritted his teeth. “Xia Jiuying, be careful. Black Silk Panther is very vicious and not easy to deal with.”

Like a stone statue, Xia Jiuying waited for Huang Mazi to finish speaking, then disappeared into the dark passageway.

The betting clerk gentlemen organized the betting slips, then reported back to Huang Mazi. After that, this battle between youth and Black Silk Panther began.

There were two entrances within the pit. Black Silk Panther blocked the left entrance. Xia Jiuying walked into the pit from the right entrance with staggering steps.

Xia Jiuying still wore his old clothes stained with blood. His left leg and lower back showed conspicuous bloody flesh—wounds left from fighting the white wolf still bleeding outward.

Xia Jiuying paid no attention at all. His eyes stared vacantly at Black Silk Panther.

Black Silk Panther’s dog master had already begun sneering wickedly. This so-called human-dog fight was utterly absurd. How could this youth covered in wounds with a dull expression withstand even a single claw swipe from Black Silk Panther?

Unlike the dog master, Black Silk Panther’s reaction was somewhat strange. The rebellious Black Silk Panther that had dominated all evening stared deadly at Xia Jiuying with its dog eyes. Its two front legs shook erratically. The dog master patted Black Silk Panther’s head. “Don’t make trouble. Fight well through this last match, and when we return, I’ll reward you properly.”

The golden gong let out a piercing “clang.” Man and dog, the two protagonists, finally faced each other.

After the gong sounded, Xia Jiuying glanced slightly to the left. There was only a cold pit wall. No one would imagine that behind this cold pit wall, a fan-wielding man was leisurely sneering coldly, filled with all kinds of desirous anticipation for this bloody battle.

Xia Jiuying moved one step toward Black Silk Panther. Black Silk Panther’s nostrils flared, sniffing some strange scent.

Xia Jiuying’s dull, vacant gaze gradually changed—gradually transforming into a needle piercing into Black Silk Panther’s body.

Black Silk Panther grew more confused. Accompanying Xia Jiuying’s second step forward, Black Silk Panther made a surprising move—it… took a step backward.

“Black Silk Panther! Attack! Charge forward!”

“Damn it, bite him to death! Finish off that little brat in one bite!”

“…”

The many spectators above the Dog Pit could no longer sit still. They had bet much silver on Black Silk Panther. Black Silk Panther’s bizarre behavior made them restless and uneasy.

Of course, Li Si and his companions were not among these agitated people.

However, Li Si’s astonishment was no less than these gamblers’. He wasn’t astonished by Black Silk Panther’s retreat, but rather by the killing aura emanating from the youth in the pit—like bone-chilling cold wind blowing from the depths of a frozen ocean stretching ten thousand miles, making those who tried to approach the youth shudder involuntarily, let alone the youth’s opponent.

Dogs, like wolves, were animals with the keenest spiritual sensitivity. Li Si believed Black Silk Panther was also intimidated by the youth’s terrifying killing intent, which was why it chose to retreat.

But in this enclosed space, how far could it retreat?!

Every step Xia Jiuying moved forward, Black Silk Panther retreated one step. The pit totaled only about twenty-some steps. Xia Jiuying walked forward twenty steps, while Black Silk Panther retreated twenty steps.

The previously proud and terrifying Black Silk Panther had completely lost its fearsome momentum. This was unbearable for Black Silk Panther’s master. He beat on the iron gate and shouted, “Black Silk Panther, attack! Don’t retreat anymore, or I’ll slaughter you!”

Black Silk Panther no longer listened to its master’s commands. On the twenty-first step, Xia Jiuying walked to within inches of Black Silk Panther. Black Silk Panther’s massive body, large even compared to Xia Jiuying, was squeezed against the pit wall. It pressed forcefully inward, wishing there was a hole in the pit wall it could immediately burrow into.

All the spectators jeered at Black Silk Panther. But the next instant once again shocked these violence-minded gamblers. Black Silk Panther, which had been labeled invincible all evening, prostrated at Xia Jiuying’s feet like a newborn puppy, letting out “woo woo woo woo” sounds of begging for mercy.

Xia Jiuying gazed into Black Silk Panther’s deep black pupils. In a moment, he turned and walked back toward the entrance.

“What kind of thing is Black Silk Panther anyway? And it’s called Qingzhou’s invincible? Made me lose all my money! Bah, worthless dog!” Spectators vented their dissatisfaction.

The final battle ended. Everyone departed from the Dog Pit in disappointment.

Xia Jiuying returned to his wooden expression. He became a stone statue once again, until there was sound behind him. By the footsteps, it was Huang Mazi.

“Young Master is very satisfied with your performance. He told me to tell you—the item will be delivered to your hands tomorrow evening.” After Huang Mazi finished speaking, Xia Jiuying showed no reaction.

Li Si stood up and said to Situ Bo, “It’s almost the hour of Zi. Let’s seek out Ji Liang tomorrow. Lord Situ should return first. We’ll be leaving as well.”

“Very well, it is quite late.” Situ Bo bid farewell to Li Si and left alone.

Wu Wen said, “Big Brother Li, did you send Situ Bo away because of that youth?”

Li Si smiled faintly. “What do you think of him?”

“He has a special aura about him—not something that can be trained. That’s what makes him most terrifying.”

“Exactly right.” Li Si’s eyes flashed. “That aura can instantly turn the mortal world into an Asura purgatory.”

“I’m extremely curious about this youth,” Li Si said softly.