Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Anger Control Expert VS Black Sky
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Gonic, Anger Control Expert.
Her true identity was the Palace Lord of the martial world's supreme palace, Crimson Night Palace.
With no faction or backing to her name, she had risen alone to the position of the world's greatest martial artist, ultimately becoming an object of worship and awe—the Blood Burning Demon God, Crimson Night.
"Eheheh. Newbie punk—no, should I call you Mod now? Anyway. You did something pretty cute there."
Around Anger Control Expert, the air was blazing blood-red.
Blood Burning, true to its name.
Just walking was enough to heat the atmosphere to a sweltering boil, and even from this far away, the searing heat reached them fully.
'Well, maybe not fully.'
According to the gallery description, this sparring arena was protected by a dimensional barrier, for sure.
If that was true, then the radiant heat reaching them now was probably just a tiny fraction of the inferno raging around Anger Control Expert herself.
"Even a fraction is this intense? Then how hot is it right up close?"
As he muttered to himself in awe—
Swoosh.
A massive shadow fell over his head, followed by someone's voice.
"The Blood Burning Tyrant Blade, forged in Crimson Night Qi, is a technique specialized for slaughter. It's dismissed as crude and simplistic for ascending to the Martial God's throne, but its raw power is undeniable. The more slaughter's karma it accumulates, the fiercer it burns, eventually reaching temperatures rivaling a star's core."
Crazy.
A person could get as hot as a star's core?
That had to be on par with the sun's surface, right?
A natural doubt rose about whether that was even possible, but before it, another question popped up first.
"Uh... who might you be...?"
He looked up, staring straight at the colossal being casting the shadow overhead.
Its form was truly enormous, like a storm cloud in broad daylight. Soon, a thunderous laugh boomed from within, as if lightning had struck.
"Hahaha! Forgive the late introduction. You're the newbie mod, right? I am the ancient dragon Leviathan. In the gallery, they call me Dragon Money."
'Dragon Money...'
The gallery user who'd commented "Why eat it?" when he'd asked if this world was xianxia and if they ate people.
"Um. Nice to meet you. So... are you an actual dragon right now?"
"Indeed. It seems even you, as mod, can't see my true form clearly."
"Even Dragon Money?"
"Haha. Being called by my real name here feels off. Dragon Money's fine. And as you said, I can't make out your identity either. You look all hazy, like there's a thundercloud over you."
A massive gaze from the sky slowly scanned his entire body.
Soon, another voice like cracking thunder resounded.
"When I seized the Dragon Pearl and ascended, I thought I'd gotten good at reading heavenly qi. But our karmic ties are hazy—I can't discern them. Probably the gallery's will at work."
Dragon Money's wording was tough to parse in spots,
but it boiled down to the gallery policy preserving user anonymity.
Just from that massive presence alone, he could've passed for some divine beast other than a dragon, no problem.
'So, in the sparring arena, you can only identify the two participants.'
Naturally, his gaze shifted to the arena.
Just then, a new figure appeared opposite Anger Control Expert.
"And now, today's stars have all taken the stage."
"That's..."
"Gallery's Black Sky. One of the top sword experts in the Martial God Gallery—the Heavenly Sword Martial God, White Snow Lotus."
Hair white as fresh-fallen snow.
A refined, ethereal blue gaze.
An Ice Soul Sword so transparent it gleamed like glass, revealing its inner workings.
In stark contrast to Anger Control Expert, who scorched everything in her path,
Black Sky arrived trailing a cascade of pure white frost, coming face-to-face with her.
Though this was surely their first direct meeting, the two gallery users grinned at each other like old acquaintances.
"Finally, I get to see that ugly mug of yours, you sword-addled bitch."
"As expected. That trashy mouth of yours isn't just for the gallery."
"Today, I'll beat you down and proclaim to the world the supremacy of the Dao over the sword."
"Oh dear. Too bad. I have no plans to let that happen."
"Scared already?"
"No? No need—the world already knows the sword is the king of all weapons."
"This fucking bitch?"
The two exuded the vibe of friends who'd known each other for over a decade.
At that moment, a hologram appeared above their heads, displaying numbers.
[10, 9, 8, 7...]
The characters that sprang up, clearly symbolizing a countdown, prompted the two—who'd been exchanging friendly jabs—to simultaneously grip their weapons and assume stances.
[6, 5...]
Hot winds gathered around Anger Control Expert,
[4, 3...]
while bitter cold swirled around Black Sky,
[2, 1...]
and as the fateful clock struck its final toll,
MATCH BEGIN
both gallery users charged at each other simultaneously.
Boooom!!
The opener was a massive blaze. No sooner had the spar begun than a gigantic fireball engulfed the arena, crimson waves of blood-flame claiming the field.
"Kyahahaha!! How's that!!!"
Anger Control Expert's mad cackle echoed over the arena, now shrouded in blood-flame haze.
An outrageous AoE right from the start.
As regret welled up that the Dao of the jianghu had fallen to the ground—at Anger Control Expert unleashing her ultimate from the jump—
CrackcraCK—
the rising flames froze solid, white crystals sprouting like frost.
"As expected. Simple. Crude."
Stab, stab, stab, stab, stabstabstab!
Dozens, hundreds of white thorns erupted next.
Freezing the flames in place, the ice thorns swiftly turned the arena's superheated hell into a frozen one.
Hiss—whoosh!
Steam billowed massively from the clash of fire and ice, crystallizing instantly upon formation.
Next, a refined voice rang through the arena.
✨ Thousand Year Flower
Each crystal transformed into a petal.
In the blink of an eye, a colossal ice flower bloomed over the arena. As eyes unwittingly drew to the breathtakingly beautiful sight, the petals scattered in all directions.
Pewpewpewpewpewpewpew!!!
'That's Heavenly Sword something?!'
"A true sword heaven. Weaving foe and self qi into one ultimate bloom."
Dragon Money narrated from behind, but he couldn't follow what was happening.
All he saw was an ice storm manifesting in an instant, engulfing Anger Control Expert with terrifying momentum.
"Is the match decided already?!"
They were petals in name only—thousands upon tens of thousands of man-sized ice chunks hurtling forth.
Martial God or not, anyone hit by that would be shredded to bits.
But,
"Normally, yes. But she's a different story. Not for nothing is she called Demon God."
Dragon Money shook his head lightly, seeing through what he couldn't, denying it.
And the spectacle that unfolded next proved him right.
"Huuu..."
At the site of the ice storm's passage.
Anger Control Expert emerged, body torn to shreds, blood dripping from countless wounds.
It looked like severe injuries at a glance, but,
"Tickles, you bitch."
"...You didn't even dodge, it seems."
"Hmph. Dodging's for those you plan to burn alive. This? Tank it."
Ptoo.
She spat out the blood pooling in her mouth, her smile turning even more sinister.
"Showed you one move, so fair's fair."
"Not really curious..."
"No refusals."
Roooar!!
Flames erupted around Anger Control Expert's body, surging even fiercer.
Sensing the threat, Black Sky swung her Ice Soul Sword once more.
The scattered ice crystals reformed, blooming anew.
"Wait, isn't Black Sky the cheater here?"
He urgently turned to Dragon Money.
"What do you mean?"
"Looks like those ice crystals can be reused indefinitely once made?"
Melted steam or shattered shards—it didn't matter to Black Sky.
They'd refreeze and bloom as she willed.
Once she set up a field in her favor, she could deploy it at will. In a prolonged fight, the advantage was obvious.
But,
"Who knows."
"Huh?"
Dragon Money stayed cryptic.
"Why?"
"I told you. Among sword experts, she's top-tier in the Martial God Gallery—the Heavenly Sword, Black Sky. But for prolonged wars? That'd be Anger Control Expert, Crimson Night."
No "why" escaped his lips.
More precisely, a massive explosion drowned it out before it could, seizing all attention.
'What the.'
Snapping his gaze back, he spotted it.
A colossal pillar of fire erupting from the arena's center, stretching to pierce the heavens.