C29 Returning to the Animal Fighting Ring

Atop the animal fighting ring, in a room with a view of the chaos below, a young girl in violet attire lounged in her chair with an air of languid grace. Nearby, a black-robed elder paced restlessly, his features etched with anxiety and irritation. At the doorway, the ring's steward, Wang Han, stood with bowed head and lowered gaze, silent yet clearly uneasy.

This girl was none other than Xue Yaner, who had serendipitously encountered Ye Xiao in the Black Wind Forest outside Night City and saved his life.

With a flicker in her eyes, Xue Yaner addressed the elder, "Grandfather Tong, it was as mother mentioned—there could be opportunities in the Black Wind Forest. She encouraged me to explore on my own, which is why I sustained some minor injuries."

"Really?" The elder eyed her skeptically, his disbelief apparent. But with her mother's words invoked, he refrained from probing further.

"By the way, Steward Wang Han," Xue Yaner interjected thoughtfully, "that challenger who wore the hideous mask a few days ago—his skills may be modest, but his potential is noteworthy. Keep an eye on him, and lend a hand if he needs assistance."

Wang Han and the elder racked their brains before realizing she was speaking of Ye Xiao, who had previously visited the ring. Xue Yaner rarely concerned herself with the affairs of the arena, so her sudden request took them aback. Nonetheless, Wang Han promptly nodded in agreement, and the elder held his peace.

Her suggestion, though peculiar, was not beyond the capabilities of the arena. Whether nurturing or protecting an individual, the task was well within their means, and they saw no need to question Xue Yaner's motives further.

After all, the whims of such a capricious young lady were anyone's guess. As long as the esteemed miss was content, they would comply without hesitation, reason or not.

The silence was broken by a soft, rhythmic knocking. Wang Han's brow creased slightly as he turned to answer the door. Moments later, he returned with a respectful bow.

"Miss, the challenger you spoke of, Yama, has arrived," he reported. "He wishes to continue his battles against the Origin Beasts and inquires whether he may face a higher-tiered one. Your thoughts?"

Wang Han was fully capable of handling such minor issues himself, but with the young lady present and showing interest in this individual, it was only natural for him to consult her.

"Oh? How fortuitous. In that case, set him up against the highest-level Origin Beast! Open the viewing screen; I want to watch," Xue Yaner instructed.

Wang Han was puzzled. The last time Ye Xiao visited, his cultivation was merely at the sixth level of the Provener stage, a fact Xue Yaner was aware of. Yet now, the young lady wanted him to take on a top-tier Origin Beast? Could this young man possibly hold his own?

Typically, a Provener of the same rank would be at a slight disadvantage against an Origin Beast, let alone one that surpassed their own level of cultivation.

Despite his doubts, Wang Han didn't hesitate. Fulfilling the young lady's command was his priority. The fate of a mere challenger was of little concern to him, so he promptly set out to make the arrangements.

Ye Xiao had been practicing at home for several days, his vital energy becoming more solid. He had attempted to compress the energy in his meridians to form Elemental Beads, but despite repeated efforts, he was unsuccessful. The Qian Yuan Sword offered no better advice, leaving Ye Xiao frustrated and forced to put his attempts on hold.

With the Black Wind Forest off-limits for the time being, he had no choice but to head to the animal fighting ring, hoping to find a path to advance to Yuan Master through real combat.

Led by a woman with a striking figure, they reached the reception room. Soon after, hurried footsteps announced the arrival of Wang Han, the manager of the animal fighting ring.

"Mr. Yama, welcome back to our animal fighting ring. I'm aware of your previous request and will arrange a battle with a top-tier Origin Beast for you," Wang Han said with a hint of reverence.

Ye Xiao nodded slightly. "I've had a breakthrough in my cultivation recently. Do I need to verify my level again?"

"Oh?" Wang Han expressed surprise. It had been just half a month since Ye Xiao's last visit. While advancing through the Provener ranks was relatively straightforward, the rapid progress in such a short time was nonetheless astonishing.

"Congratulations, Mr. Yama. Please follow me for another verification," he said, leading Ye Xiao toward the room with the testing column.

Upon entering the room, Ye Xiao placed his hands on one of the pillars. The white halo encircling the column began its ascent, and in short order, it reached the first major and seventh minor scale.

Wang Han, witnessing this, realized that Ye Xiao had indeed made a breakthrough to the seventh level of the Elemental stage. He was about to step forward with congratulations when he noticed that Ye Xiao hadn't stepped away from the pillar, and upon closer inspection, the white halo was still climbing.

"Could it be that this kid has not only broken through but also refined such a vast amount of Essence Qi?" Wang Han was taken aback.

Yet his astonishment didn't end there. With disbelief in his eyes, he watched the white halo continue its ascent, effortlessly surpassing the seventh and eighth markers and still rising.

As the steward of the animal fighting ring, Wang Han had seen his fair share of oddities. Nonetheless, advancing two levels in half a month, even for an Elemental, was exceedingly rare.

Shaking his head to clear it, he focused intently on the halo. What he saw next left him with his mouth agape and eyes bulging. The white halo had boldly crossed the eighth marker and entered the domain of the ninth.

Having spent over a decade in the Night City Beast Fighting Arena, Wang Han had encountered numerous so-called geniuses, but never had he seen anyone ascend three levels in a mere half month.

Ye Xiao completed his test and let go of the pillar, turning to face Wang Han, who stood with his mouth wide open and a vacant look in his eyes.

Scratching his head, Ye Xiao called out gently, "Steward Wang?"

Startled, Wang Han snapped back to reality and saw the white halo firmly positioned at the pinnacle of the ninth scale. Had he not had immense trust in the testing pillar, he would have suspected a malfunction.

"Ah, Mr. Yama, you truly are exceptional! I'll arrange your challenge right away!" Asking Ye Xiao to wait, Wang Han hurried to the top floor of the animal fighting ring to inform Xue Yaner.

Old Man Tong, upon hearing of Ye Xiao's rapid progression from the sixth to the peak of the ninth level of the Elemental stage in just half a month, was equally astounded. What kind of cultivation technique and physique could yield such a rate of advancement?

Suddenly, both he and Wang Han turned their curious gazes toward Xue Yaner. Could this young lady possess some prescient ability? Otherwise, how could she have arranged for a top-tier Origin Beast to battle Ye Xiao?

Ye Xiao was blissfully unaware of the astonishment his swift rise through the ranks had caused. Shortly after settling into the room, a stunning woman entered. "Lord Yama, your challenger has been arranged—a top-tier Origin Beast known as the Ironback Blue Wolf. Here is the dossier on the beast. You have fifteen minutes to prepare, after which I will escort you to the Challenge Ground. Additionally, should you require it, you may select from the array of weapons and armor provided by our animal fighting ring."

With a slight nod, Ye Xiao took the Ironback Blue Wolf's profile and began to scrutinize the details.