Chapter 0699: The True Loser

Chapter 0699 The Real Loser

No one expected that Xiao Yuelan, who seemed like an untouchable fairy, would agree to something like this with another man.

Though Jian Ruyan was secretly pretty wild, hearing Xiao Yuelan speak so openly still made her turn beet red.

Qin Yun remained calm, knowing Xiao Yuelan was pushing Pan Yunhua's buttons.

Pan Yunhua said furiously, "Xiao Yuelan, do you think this will anger me? You've indeed made me furious—what exactly makes me inferior to Qin Yun?"

"You're not as handsome as him, nor as polite. At least he's never disrespected me. Besides, he's a Runes Master who can refine all kinds of Mystic Runes and artifacts—you're not even in his league!" Xiao Yuelan retorted.

"Xiao Yuelan, since you think Qin Yun is so outstanding, I'll grind him into dust piece by piece right before your eyes!" Pan Yunhua's face twisted into a snarl as he broke into maniacal laughter.

Xiao Yuelan wasn't worried at all, having complete faith in Qin Yun's strength.

"Pan Yunhua, you can definitely defeat Qin Yun!" The speaker was Sun Taicai, one of Jian Ruyan's persistent suitors.

In fact, Jian Ruyan had no shortage of admirers.

Even those who weren't her suitors were dying to see Pan Yunhua kill Qin Yun rather than let him have both beauties for himself.

Soon, young disciples throughout the crowd began chanting Pan Yunhua's name.

Qin Yun shot Xiao Yuelan a look.

Her eyes sparkled mischievously in response.

Jian Nanhu laughed, "This Qin Yun has become everyone's enemy! Yan Sis, I might soon be drinking your wedding toast. Being with Qin Yun isn't bad—it might even weaken him!"

"Brother Hu, what do you mean? How would being with him weaken him?" Jian Ruyan shot back in a heated whisper, cheeks flushing.

"Isn't he married? If he adds you to his harem, his focus will scatter, and then..." Jian Nanhu chuckled.

"Stop talking nonsense! Your father and grandfather had plenty of women yet stayed strong. You're single but weaker than Qin Yun—and he's beaten you three times!" Jian Ruyan's words hit Jian Nanhu where it hurt.

Jian Nanhu fell silent.

Jian Ruyan snorted triumphantly and turned to the arena.

The square echoed with chants of "Qin Yun must lose!"—much to her annoyance.

Many genuinely hoped Qin Yun would lose. His victory would mean not only gaining Xiao Yuelan but securing another Immortal Essence for Immortal Armament City.

With three Immortal Essences, they'd crush rival sects that possessed only one.

Pan Yunhua roared with laughter, "Qin Yun, open your eyes! Everyone wants you to lose, and I'm giving them what they want! When I defeat you, I'll be their hero—hahaha!"

"Hero? You're not fit to say that word!" Qin Yun sneered.

Xiao Yuelan seethed—Qin Yun had been her hero since he protected her when she was little.

"Qin Yun, defeat means death. Beg for mercy now while you can! Once we begin, you won't get another chance!"

Drunk on the crowd's adoration, Pan Yunhua swelled with pride.

The Muzhou King suddenly bellowed, "Yunhua, spare his miserable life! That dog can be traded for a Star Monarch Rune Soul!"

Upon hearing this, Pan Yunhua also recalled the matter and grinned viciously, "Qin Yun, gotta say, you're really lucky! To actually know an extraordinary woman like Yang Shiyue. Is she yours? Rest assured, I'll definitely capture you and make her my slave, hahaha..."

Everyone knew that those who sought to obtain the Star Monarch Rune Soul through Qin Yun would only meet one fate—death!

Qin Yun's expression gradually darkened.

Xiao Yuelan was also furious, glaring at Pan Yunhua with gritted teeth. She had deep feelings for Yang Shiyue.

Not only were they close friends in their past lives, but they'd also spent time together in the Blue Spirit Eastern Palace and Moon Mystic Valley, building an unbreakable bond across both lifetimes.

Jian Nanhu, noticing Qin Yun's expression, muttered, "Pan Yunhua's a dead man walking!"

Qin Yun said nothing more. His silence spoke volumes.

When his face turned calm yet darkened ominously, it was at its most fearsome.

Pan Yunhua looked at Jian Shitian and shouted, "Senior, we can begin! I'm ready!"

Jian Shitian turned to Qin Yun and asked, "Qin Yun, what about you?"

"Qin Yun... are you ready?" Jian Shitian repeated when Qin Yun didn't respond.

"Ready!" Qin Yun clenched his fist and said solemnly.

Jian Shitian sensed something amiss with Qin Yun but merely frowned before bellowing, "Begin!"

It had finally started!

The crowd below the arena fell silent, their shouts ceasing as they watched intently.

Pan Yunhua's eyes suddenly flared with blue light.

Qin Yun, standing motionless, was instantly shrouded in the blue glow.

Xiao Yuelan tensed up, gripping Jian Ruyan's hand tightly.

She'd been exposed to this same blue light earlier, which had flooded back with her most terrifying memories.

It made her relive the fear of her previous life's final moments, along with the crushing pain of watching friends and loved ones die.

As Qin Yun was enveloped in blue light, shards of painful memories flashed through his mind—every childhood hardship he'd endured.

Though he'd suffered as a child, he'd remained tough as nails, reversing his fate and punishing those who'd wronged him.

Yet the blue light still ripped open old wounds—his mother's death, parting from his father, Xie Qirou's suffering, Xie Wufeng's agony when his arm was severed...

Though it magnified every painful memory, it didn't distract Qin Yun.

Instead, it stoked his fury to grow stronger!

Pan Yunhua, grinning viciously, grew even more delighted seeing Qin Yun's faraway look. He lunged forward and punched Qin Yun's abdomen.

BOOM!

Pan Yunhua's fist detonated with blue lightning, slamming into Qin Yun's gut as a tidal wave of blue electricity swallowed the arena whole!

The crowd went wild.

"Qin Yun's done for!"

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

"This punch packs serious power, shaking the whole damn arena!"

"That lightning’s no joke—and it’s charged with Divine Arts."

"That bastard Qin Yun has finally met his match."

The crowd roared as they watched the arena swallowed by lightning.

When the lightning cleared, Pan Yunhua’s fist was glued to Qin Yun’s abdomen.

But Pan Yunhua’s face was twisted in terror, his throat clamped in Qin Yun’s grip, fingers crackling with dark energy.

"Pan Yunhua, did you know? The last guys who tried stealing my Star Monarch Rune Soul ended up corpses in this very arena!"

Qin Yun’s icy stare bored into Pan Yunhua’s fear-widened eyes.

Pan Yunhua’s punch landed—only for his power to get swallowed up like a rock tossed into the ocean.

Qin Yun’s Mingyang Dao Core had devoured it whole.

The folks who’d yelled "Qin Yun’s done for!" gaped, stunned to see Pan Yunhua manhandled by Qin Yun’s chokehold.

The Muzhou King arched an eyebrow but stayed silent. Pan Yunhua’s insane healing factor meant even serious injuries would mend fast—no way he’d fall this easily.

Pan Yunhua’s fist stayed suctioned to Qin Yun’s gut, yanking back uselessly.

His other arm was pinned, legs tangled in root-like claws—utterly immobilized.

Only he understood the truth: Qin Yun was draining him dry. But speech was beyond him now.

Ling Yuner was giddy as she puppeteered the Mingyang Dao Core, siphoning every drop of energy from Pan Yunhua.

"Xiao Yun, this guy’s special—he’s got a Regenerative Martial Soul and Regeneration Runes! Cultivated a whole Regenerative Profound Body. His Mind-Warping Divine Arts are top-tier too!" she chirped with glee.

Pan Yunhua thrashed like a trapped animal, blue eyes leaching to black as his Divine Martial Soul got consumed.

Qin Yun was running on fumes now.

CRACK!

He smashed a palm across Pan Yunhua’s jaw, sending him sprawling to the arena’s edge, face already purpling.

"You think trash like you can take me down?" Qin Yun lunged, black thunderflames licking at his heels.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

His stomp geysered black fire, dark lightning spiderwebbing out to engulf Pan Yunhua.

"GAAAH—!" Pan Yunhua’s guttural, broken shriek tore through the air.

Seeing his lips move, Qin Yun let loose with the Dragon Vanquish Five Palms—each strike a black thunderflame weighed down with crushing force.

KABOOM!

The sky itself seemed to split from the blast.

Pan Yunhua’s body disintegrated in the surging black tide, without so much as a speck left. The Muzhou King, cool as ice moments before, stood rooted, jaw slack at the utter annihilation.

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

The suddenness of it all caught him completely off guard.

Even Jian Shitian hadn’t expected Qin Yun to vanquish Pan Yunhua so swiftly!

After all, everyone had just witnessed Pan Yunhua's incredible healing power, which had even allowed him to suppress Xiao Yuelan.

Yet now, he had been crushed by Qin Yun in a single blow!

"I won!" Qin Yun shouted, staring down Jian Shitian.

"Yun… Yunhua!" Muzhou King's bellow reverberated through the heavens and earth.

Bao Changshou and several half-immortals from the Sword Immortal Pavilion were on high alert, while even the Cloud Demon Matriarch swiftly released an aura and swooped down to the platform's edge.

Jian Shitian summoned his Lifebound Sword, his immortal power surging violently, enveloping the entire plaza.

The enraged Muzhou King glared at Qin Yun on the platform, his murderous glare burning. "You… you killed my disciple!"

"Indeed. Come at me whenever you want your revenge!" Qin Yun sneered. "I warned you—anyone who tries to obtain the Star Monarch Rune Soul through me will die! Your disciple was no exception!"

The Muzhou King was merely a half-immortal, while Jian Shitian, Bao Changshou, and the Cloud Demon Matriarch were all protecting Qin Yun. Moreover, several other half-immortals from the Sword Immortal Pavilion were present.

Jian Shitian declared, "No one is allowed to act recklessly on the Sword Immortal Pavilion's grounds! Casualties in such duels are hardly unusual!" The Muzhou King suppressed his fury and turned to the half-immortal from the Long family, his voice low and grim. "Kill Qin Yun, and I will make it worth your while! Get Long Yue in there now! With her strength, she will surely slay Qin Yun!"