Awakened: The Spirit King!

A young man with clear skin and sky-blue hair jumped on stage, standing opposite Xie Yang.

The young man was wearing robes linen with spiritual crystals and had unique features, but the most eye-catching aspect about him was the intricate blue tattoo that stretched from his eyes, rolling to the back of his eyes.

There was a string of blue orbs on his wrists, and they brightly shone as if to express their worth that was in thousands of gold taels.

Xie Yang raised his eyelids to get a good look at his opponent, and he narrowed his eye because he found him familiar, 'Wait, this guy looks familiar. I seem to have seen him somewhere before, but where?'

It wasn't just him who thought that but also the many spectators.

"Hmm, I'm sure I've seen him before."

"Me too."

"Are we mistaken?"

"It's not just you two. I also feel like I have seen this guy not too long ago."

"Count us in too."

"Ah! I remember! He is the eldest child of the patriarch of the spirit weavers, famously known as the Four Hero Killer Song Ru!"

The four heroes were all sinners who were doing minuscule good deeds to mask their evil deeds.

On the surface, they liked to protect villagers from beasts and escort traders from one place to another by taking a huge sum, but in actuality, they were the ones controlling the beasts to threaten the villagers, and they were also the bandits killing others on the roads!

Song Ru found that out and not only killed them with a plan but also didn't forget to gather evidence and expose their crimes to ruin their reputation and bring truth to light!

What he got from them, he split it up amongst the victims of their crimes.

Hence, he got famous for his deeds. Many feudal lords invited him to serve their sons, and some wanted him to act as their sword, but he declined them all.

It wasn't without a reason that he refused to serve everyone so far.

His reason was simple.

He wanted a lord that would always be ahead of him!

He didn't want to serve someone that didn't even enter his eyes.

Not many thought he was arrogant.

While he was prideful and had great ambition, he had the skills to back them!

"Young Master Xie Yang is bound to have a hard time against him."

"I was tired of watching one boring match after another, but it seems like heaven will soon reward me for being patient!"

"I'm already feeling goosebumps rising on my skin! I am sure their battle will make us feel a rush of adrenaline!"

The Spirit Weaving Clan was a part of both the northern & eastern provinces.

It existed in the wilderness shared by the two provinces of the empire.

It had existed for a thousand years, and it was pretty big.

Before the Glorious Sun Empire came into being, Patriarch Song had sided with the Ancient Xie Clan and the emperor's clan, giving them their full support to fight off the other clans vying for the ownership of this significant piece of land.

As a result, after winning the war, the emperor favored them heavily, granting them the right to stay tax-free for a hundred years.

The offsprings of the Spirit Weaving Clan would occasionally step out of the wilderness to join the army or find a lord worthy of their servitude.

Unless they made outstanding achievements in the army or helped their Lords to reach great heights, they couldn't return home!

In a sense, once they head out, they can't return home.

"You're Song Ru, am I right?" Xie Yang questioned the young man.

"I feel honored to find out that you know about me." Song Ru pleasantly smiled towards Xie Yang, "Young Master, you're such a talented combatant that I can't help but want to spar with you. Please exchange moves with me."

Seeing that the other didn't come with ill intentions and only wanted to have a good fight with him, Xie Yang stretched his lips back into a smile, "I accept your challenge."

"I don't like to beat around the bush, so I'll start with using the signature move of my clan. If you beat it, I'll admit my defeat. Depending on how you deal with it, I might even consider accepting you as my lord." Song Ru confidently challenged Xie Yang.

Xie Yang smirked. People begged to serve him ten thousand years ago, but if they failed to pass his screening, he would not give them a second look. Yet now, a brat of the mortal realm was screening him. What a joke! But he didn't dislike it. Young ones should be arrogant and full of ambition.

Not to mention, the one before him was Song Ru, a person many wanted to recruit.

The members of the Spirit Weaving Clan were natural talents.

All of them had a special bloodline, and they could control spiritual energy better than others.

On top of that, thanks to their bloodline, they were also able to establish contact with the offspring of Sage Spirits and use bloodline skills.

Those with a hint of pure bloodline like Song Ru had a chance of summoning a sage spirit to fight for them!

Song Ru was a rough blade that, if horned by Xie Yang, would become sharp enough to slay immortals in mere years!

"Show me what you got." After unsheathing his sword, Xie Yang beckoned him to make his move.

Song Ru's eyes jumped.

'Why did he pull back his sword?'

'Is he looking down on me?'

"No, I don't think he is such an arrogant person.'

'Just what is this person planning?'

'Ah! I can't make sense of his action! Whatever! Won't I find out after fighting him!'

"As you wish." Song Ru raised his hands and chanted out loud, "Manifest the Great circle, guardian spirits of my clan. My offering is all the spiritual energy present in the items bound to me and my spiritual core."

Violent winds raised around Song Ru and surged out, smashing towards Xie Yang, who, instead of advancing towards his opponent, gave him the chance to activate his clan's signature skill.

Xie Yang raised his eyelids, and three waves of spiritual rolled out into existence, shielding him from the gusty winds.

When the dust cleared up, Xie Yang saw a magical symbol spinning before Song Ru.

Song Ru placed his hand on the back of the round symbol, and it lit up in an eerie purplish glow.

"A gentle melody from ancient times ripping apart the sky." Just as Song Ru said this, his eyes turned red, and a countless number of dreadful pale hands with razor-like red nails burst out of the circle and rushed towards Xie Yang.

Xie Yang smiled, impressed by the young man. "You're good for your age, but sadly, your opponent is me." He said as he raised his hand in slow motion. In an instant, the three waves split into ten parts and each part condensed into an orb with four sharp blue blades sticking out of its center. He outstretched his forefinger towards the hands crisscrossing towards him, and it thundered.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

The orbs shot out like lightning bolts, moving so fast that those who couldn't see them were almost the entire crowd and those who could only see them, leaving behind a trail of blue light.

The orbs spun, shredding the super long hands into pieces, making fresh chops.

"Is he a butcher, or was he a swordsman's?!"

"What the hell!"

"He has been hiding his strength all this time."

"Heck, I thought Song Ru would give him a run for his money, but it seems like we won't get to see him getting serious anytime soon."

"I've never seen such a spiritual technique! It is so fierce I am afraid it can cut the throat of spirit masters! He is ridiculously strong!"

"They both are, you big loaf! Young master Song Ru hasn't even started yet."

A gentle breeze smashed on Song Ru's face as the orbs went for his throats.

"Master of gluttony, blesser of unending hunger that brings famine, heeds the call of your lord and open your eyes!" Blood trickled down Song Ru's chin as the circle turned black and sucked the orbs by releasing a suction force so great that it cut off Xie Yang's spiritual connection with them by absorbing the spiritual thread which physically connected Xie Yang to them.

"You don't seem well, my friend."

Xie Yang pointed at his face.

Song Ru blinked his eyes before wiping away the blood on his chin with his thumb.

He regretfully looked at Xie Yang and said, "It's regretful, but I can't enjoy sparring with you for long as my cultivation is lacking. It restricts my ability to use my clan's skills greatly. My next move will be my last for today. I hope you can overwhelm it too."

Xie Yang pulled out his sword and pointed at him, "Show it to me."