C11 Animal Fighting Ring

Near the central square of Night City stood a colossal, circular amphitheater, towering three levels high and constructed from massive blocks of green mountain stone. From a distance, it exuded an indescribable sense of solidity.

This was Night City's arena, a place rumored to exist in every city of the Qi Dynasty—a place of life and death combat. Challengers here could battle Origin Beasts or engage in mortal combat with other contenders.

Each fight could end in victory or death.

The arena was categorized into three tiers: Primer, Master, and King Yuan. The most common were Primer-level matches, as Master-level individuals were prominent figures in the modest Night City and would not risk their lives for mere wealth.

Upon their first victory at the Primer level, challengers received ten azurite coins. Currency on the Chu Yuan Continent came in three denominations: the lowest being white crystal, followed by azurite—worth a hundred white crystals each—and the highest, amethyst, valued at a hundred azurite each. For the average family, ten azurite coins could sustain them for an entire year.

Thus, many were willing to risk it all for those ten azurite coins.

After the initial win, if a contender kept challenging and achieved two consecutive victories, they would earn twenty azurite; three consecutive wins would net forty azurite, and four in a row would yield eighty azurite.

However, after ten consecutive victories, unless someone actively issued a challenge, further Primer-level challenges were prohibited.

The vicinity of the arena buzzed with people coming and going. Most were not there to compete but to gamble. During each public fight, onlookers could place bets, paying out according to the odds.

A figure donning a black, menacing mask appeared at the entrance of the arena. While the crowd showed a flicker of surprise, they paid it little mind. After all, whether for challenging or gambling, many preferred to conceal their true identities.

The Masked Man made his way into the animal fighting ring, stepping into a spacious hall that opened up before him. To the left, a row of bustling counters teemed with the lively chatter of patrons placing their bets. To the right, the atmosphere was decidedly quieter, with only three lavishly decorated rooms, each guarded by an attractive woman.

Turning right, the Masked Man approached one of the rooms. The woman at the door bowed respectfully and asked, "Your Excellency, have you come to take on the challenge?"

He nodded in affirmation, yet remained silent.

The woman ushered him inside, saying, "Please wait here, Your Excellency. I shall notify the steward."

Shortly after, a middle-aged man entered. "Welcome to the Night City Beast Fighting Arena," he greeted. "I am Wang Han, one of the stewards. Are you here to participate in the challenge?"

"Yes," the Masked Man replied coolly, his voice revealing his true identity as Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao had come to a realization, thanks to his master's guidance. What he lacked was the experience of life-and-death combat, and the animal fighting ring was the perfect crucible for such trials, where one could engage in battles with various people and Origin Beasts.

Of course, Ye Xiao couldn't reveal his true self here; to everyone else, he was nothing more than the Ye Family's cultivation-incapable, fallen young master.

"Please come with me. We must first verify your level of cultivation," said Steward Wang Han, leading Ye Xiao out of the room and towards the rear of the hall.

They entered a serene, empty room with several upright black pillars, devoid of any other furnishings.

"Place your hands on the pillar and channel your Essence into it," instructed Wang Han. "In the animal fighting ring, concealing one's cultivation level is forbidden, so please do not hold back."

Ye Xiao stepped forward to the pillar, which stood just over a meter tall, marked with nine major divisions, each subdivided into nine smaller increments. Placing his hands upon it, he circulated his Essence. Being at the sixth level of the Provener stage, he had nothing to conceal.

A ring of white light soon emerged at the base of the pillar, climbing steadily until it reached the top of the sixth minor division within the first major division.

"Your cultivation has reached the sixth level of the Provener, allowing you to participate in any Primer-level challenge. Additionally, until you secure ten consecutive victories, you have the right to decline challenges from those with higher cultivation levels."

Steward Wang Han took a brief pause before adding, "You'll also need to sign an agreement with us before you challenge. Should you be injured or even killed by an opponent or an Origin Beast, our animal fighting ring assumes no liability."

"Understood," Ye Xiao replied with composure. "Am I eligible to enter the challenge now?"

The steward was taken aback, not expecting such eagerness, particularly from a first-time challenger who faced a high risk of death. Nevertheless, he responded promptly, "Certainly, you may. But first, you must register a name and sign the agreement. After that, you're free to take on the challenge whenever you're ready."

He produced a registry and a copy of the contract, asking, "What name shall I register for Your Excellency?"

After a moment's thought, Ye Xiao, unwilling to reveal his true identity, chose the name "Yama."

The steward raised an eyebrow at the unusual name but refrained from further questions. Once Ye Xiao had completed the registration and signed the agreement, the steward proceeded.

"We have ten arenas here; five are held by other cultivators as arena masters, and the remaining five are for combat against Origin Beasts. Would you prefer to challenge another arena master or face an Origin Beast?" inquired Steward Wang Han.

"Origin Beast," came the reply from behind the mask, Ye Xiao's expression unchanged.

The steward found Ye Xiao's choice somewhat peculiar. After all, facing human challengers allowed one to gauge the opponent's cultivation level, increasing the odds of survival when the discrepancy was minimal. Origin Beasts, however, were a different matter entirely. Ranging from one to nine, each tier was further categorized into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Each beast either possessed tough, thick skin or moved with incredible speed, presenting a formidable challenge to any Primer-level Cultivator, especially those unable to learn specific techniques. What's more, the Origin Beasts in the animal fighting ring were wild, captured from the mountains, and not domesticated, making them exceptionally ferocious and bloodthirsty.

For newcomers stepping into the animal fighting ring for the first time, a bit of knowledge is enough to steer clear of challenging an Origin Beast.

Steward Wang Han, upon witnessing Ye Xiao's decision, refrained from dissuading him. Yet, he couldn't help but inwardly lament another rash soul on the brink of losing their life. This sentiment, however, was quickly dismissed.

The annual toll of lives claimed by the animal fighting ring had long since become routine. As long as the spectacle turned a profit, concern for individual fate was a luxury they couldn't afford.

"What weapon will you choose?" the steward inquired.

Ye Xiao simply shook his head. He knew his capabilities well; with a sword in hand, even a Primer-level Origin Beast would hardly pose a challenge, rendering the fight meaningless.

The thrill of a life-and-death battle is lost when the outcome is certain.

Seeing this newcomer's apparent death wish, the steward's desire to offer consolation faded.

With a respectful bow to Ye Xiao, he turned to make the necessary arrangements for the impending challenge.