Chapter 231: Kun’s Death

“Ziyang of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle Clan, at the divine advanced supreme realm—second elder of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle Clan!” Lilith whispered beside Rod.
“Ziyang!” Rod murmured, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.
“Is he provoking us?” Sognar said coldly, narrowing his eyes. Usually so proud, how could he tolerate being provoked? If it weren’t for Rod and the others being present, things would have already escalated.
As they spoke, they saw Ziyang approaching, accompanied by several members of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle Clan— the first elder, the third elder, and the young clan leader, Ao Ying.
Frowning, they all grew alert, ready to act at any moment.
“Rod?” Ziyang said, raising his eyebrows slightly as he looked at Rod.
Looking at the man who had nearly driven the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle Clan to the brink, the man who had driven the Nash family mad, Rod felt a hint of doubt—could one person really drive two clans to such extremes?
He remembered his previous match against him, especially that final strike, and felt uneasy. The strongest opponent had appeared! His fighting spirit surged; he was confident of winning this competition and wasn’t worried about anyone threatening his position. If anyone could, it would be after seeing Rod’s two matches—that man who had brought shame to his clan.
“Ziyang?” Rod retorted, unyielding, his seemingly friendly greeting laced with tension. The atmosphere grew tense. The back area was reserved for contestants and friends, and those still there stopped in their tracks, arms crossed, waiting to see what would happen.
After those two matches, Ziyang of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle Clan and the mysterious Rod had become the hottest contenders. Everyone knew of their feud, and excitement grew as they wondered what kind of clash these two supreme warriors would have.
“Not bad. You’re worthy to be my opponent. You haven’t disgraced our clan’s name. Blood for blood—see you in the finals!” Ziyang said slowly after sizing Rod up.
“Who lives and who dies is still unknown. Speaking too boldly will only bring trouble!” Sognar, who had long disdained Ziyang, stepped forward to help Rod fight back.

“Proud Eagle? How dare you come here?” Looking at Proud Eagle with a smirk, Rod ignored Zi Yang completely. He never took such arrogant folks seriously. Such people might be martial arts geniuses or peerless warriors, but they were by no means the strongest enemies! Their fates were never good.

Watching Rod, Proud Eagle’s gaze flickered, as if time were flowing backward. It took him back to the days in Dark Moon City, to their first meeting. That guy, whose strength was on par with his own, had offended him—offended him for a strange woman, stole the Colorful Crystal he had set his sights on, and angered the third elder, who held a high status in their clan.

He had also blocked the Thunder of Nine Heavens in a terrifying manner. Then came their second meeting, when they became sworn enemies, drawing down the God-Annihilating Thunder Tribulation. Just when everyone thought he was doomed, he appeared, appearing with great pride, destroying a branch of the Nash clan and slapping them in front of everyone from the Source of Darkness.

Then there was his own Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan. All of this filled Proud Eagle with utter fear. A man like a devil—if possible, he really didn’t want to confront him. He secretly regretted offending such a damned guy back then.

“What… what do you want?” Proud Eagle asked, trembling.

His tone and expression made the members of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan frown in displeasure. “Young clan leader, how can you act like this? Will the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan have a future in your hands?” they worried secretly.

“We’ll settle our feud slowly. Hehe, we have plenty of time. The game has just begun!” It seemed that Rod had also grasped the third level of the Sword Way in that moment. His pride soared, and his aura changed dramatically.

“You… Rod, don’t go too far!” The third elder shouted angrily, his face full of rage. The remaining elders looked gloomy, their eyes flickering as if deep in thought.

“See you in the final!” Turning to look at Zi Yang, he spoke slowly before leading his group away calmly, leaving the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan members with ever-changing expressions and furious anger.

The onlookers, who had thought something exciting would happen and wanted to watch, were surprised and disappointed by the outcome. They quickly left in shame. If the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan was angry, staying there would only bring trouble. They didn’t want to suffer unjustly. Although the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan had lost face and been mocked lately, they were not a small clan that could be offended by people like them.

“Hehe, kid, not bad! Look at the expressions on those people just now—what a satisfying sight!” Sognar, walking beside Rod, was excited, feeling immense pleasure at the thought of those Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles looking grim earlier.

“Brother Rod, congratulations on winning again. You really surprised everyone in this battle. Talent emerges in every generation, and it’s even more true for us. But if we talk about the best, it has to be you!” As soon as he arrived outside, he saw Gu Yi, the second prince of the pro-war faction. Upon seeing Rod, he quickly came over to offer his congratulations.

“Too kind. It was just luck.”

“You’re being modest, brother. When fighting against the people from Water Curtain City in a few days, please be lenient and avoid killing them.”

The two exchanged polite words. It was then that Rod learned his next opponent would be from Water Curtain City. The pro-war faction of the Imperial City… Heh, it seemed to be getting increasingly interesting.

“Just joking. What merits does Rod have? It’s the other side who should be lenient!” With a slight bow, Rod continued talking. The two engaged in back-and-forth banter, laughing and chatting, while Sognar rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Everyone knew Sima Zhao’s true intentions—there was no need for pretense here. He didn’t like this kind of atmosphere.

“Well then, I won’t disturb Brother Rod any longer. Heh, come visit my residence when you have time. The doors are always open to you, Brother Rod. Also, please give some thought to Gu Yi’s sincerity that day!” With a slight bow and a knowing look, Gu Yi turned and left. Yet his gaze carried deep implications, especially his words, which immediately put him in the spotlight and drew strange looks from the others.

He truly was a ruthless person. If he hadn’t confessed that day, Gu Yi’s words might have led to suspicion and trouble. Fortunately, everyone still trusted Rod, so they didn’t press further.

“Be careful with Duan Tianren from Water Curtain City. He’s ruthless in his attacks and is at the peak of the divine realm’s later stage. His moves are bold and similar to Charles’s, but far superior. Be prepared for a tough fight!” After Gu Yi left, Lilith gave instructions. She knew these people quite well.

“Mm, I know.” Who among those who reached this level could be easily defeated? Rod certainly understood that.

“That’s good. Don’t be careless!” Nodding, Lilith felt a bit redundant. Rod’s thoughts were far more cautious than hers. He must have known about these things long ago.

Looking at Rod beside him, his expression was filled with complexity. With a sigh, he wondered when he had started caring so much about him. Was it because of that person? Or was it because of Rod himself?
…
That very day, Rod became famous. The fierce battle in the arena, where he killed Kund with a single, invisible strike, spread like wind to every corner—through streets and alleys. Rod’s fame soared once again, becoming the hottest topic of conversation.
“Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Killing a god-tier advanced fighter with just one move! Damn, is he even human?”
“He’s fierce and powerful!”
“Who is Rod?”
“Damn it, you barbarian! Get lost!”
“Ugh, stupid barbarian! Go back to your jungle!”
People on the streets were all discussing this. Rod was suddenly labeled a hero. After two battles, along with his previous achievements, no one doubted his strength or identity anymore. Heroes like him were rare in the Land of Darkness. As for those who still didn’t know who Rod was or what he had done, they were called barbarians, treated like fools, and met with disdain and scorn.
This situation spread continuously—from City of Carefree Days to City of Dark Moon, to City of Water Veil… The entire Land of Darkness was going crazy over one person. Such a scene hadn’t been seen in a thousand years.
Some reclusive powerhouses or ancient families were also shaken by this news. Looking up at the sky, everyone sighed, thinking that the spectacular scene unseen in a thousand years might appear once again through this mysterious young man. They all expected him to recreate the glory of ages past.
As the person involved, Rod wasn’t concerned at all about his influence or others’ opinions. He focused on training peacefully in his mansion. The quarterfinals would start in a day, and this match was crucial—perhaps the most important of all.
A victory would secure him a spot in the next round, giving him the right to enter the Netherworld. Even the final was less important in comparison! It was clear just how vital this match was.
With everything he had achieved, there was no reason to fail! His only goal was victory—absolute victory! Rod prepared himself wholeheartedly for this upcoming battle.