Chapter 143: Asura Arena

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Asura Arena

After chatting for a bit, Yi Xiaoyao bid Yun Mengling farewell and left, preparing to head to the Asura Arena.

Just then, a black shadow shot out, and Yi Xiaoyao felt something land on his shoulder.

"Little Hei?"

Yi Xiaoyao was stunned. The little guy had actually woken up. It was currently exuding the aura of a peak first-rank Demon Beast and looked like it was on the verge of breaking through to the second rank. It seemed that giant Demon Core had helped it immensely.

Little Hei wrapped its arms around Yi Xiaoyao’s neck, affectionately clamoring, "Eat! Eat! Eat!"

"This little guy has been following me around, begging to eat. You’re here at the perfect time. Take him with you so I can focus on my Cultivation in peace," Yun Mengling said, pouting helplessly.

"Alright, I’ll go get Little Hei something to eat."

Yi Xiaoyao smiled, gave his assent, and departed.

...

The Asura Arena. It was a place of brutal combat and also the largest gambling stage in the Great Shang Dynasty. Countless people flowed in and out of the Asura Arena daily, and the amount of money changing hands for each match was staggering. Naturally, it was an incredibly prosperous place.

At that moment, Yi Xiaoyao, dressed in a long, black-hooded cloak, stood outside the massive Asura Arena, observing his surroundings.

The number of people coming and going was extremely high. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Yi Xiaoyao deliberately pulled his hood low, keeping his entire face in shadow to ensure no one could recognize him.

As soon as he stepped into the Asura Arena, a deafening wave of cheers washed over him.

"Fire God! Fire God!"

"Annihilate him!" ...

Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze shifted to the central platform. A man wearing a flame-patterned mask had just obliterated his opponent with a single punch, causing the body to burst into a shower of flames.

The man in the flame mask had a Cultivation at the Golden Core Eighth Layer, while his opponent was actually at the Golden Core Ninth Realm.

"Victory to the Fire God! That’s a 360-match winning streak, a new record!" the referee on the Asura Platform announced. The cheers from the stands grew even more thunderous.

To Yi Xiaoyao, the spectators in the stands seemed to have lost all reason, consumed by a crazed fanaticism.

For the man known as the Fire God to achieve a 360-match winning streak, his power must be unimaginable.

"The Fire God is too strong. Could he be some expert from the Hidden Dragon List?"

"No way. The Fire God’s age is clearly beyond the range for the Hidden Dragon List. But I’m afraid even the number one on the Hidden Dragon List, Shangguan Tianjian, might not be his match!"

"Yeah, ever since the Fire God came to the Asura Arena, he’s become a legend!"

Hearing these voices, Yi Xiaoyao also noticed that although the Fire God wore a mask, he had a head of silver hair, suggesting he was quite old.

After that, no one else dared to challenge the Fire God. The man descended through a special passage reserved for fighters, his identity a complete mystery.

Walking through the passage, the Fire God removed his mask. His face was expressionless, and he didn’t spare a single glance for the winnings he had just earned.

’If the Asura Arena didn’t offer him sanctuary,’ he thought, ’why would he bother fighting a group of juniors here for mere wealth?’

If Yi Xiaoyao had seen the Fire God’s face, he would have surely recognized him, because this person was none other than Flame Medicine Hidden, who was hiding here from the Cloud Transformation Sect’s pursuit!

Meanwhile, Yi Xiaoyao found a spot in the stands, planning to gather some information before deciding on his next move.

Next to him was a young man and woman who looked like a couple.

Yi Xiaoyao turned to the young man and asked, "Friend, what are the requirements to win the Bright Light Saint Sparrow Demon Pill?"

"A fifty-match winning streak." The young man glanced at Yi Xiaoyao and sneered. "But a greenhorn like you thinks you can win the Bright Light Saint Sparrow Demon Pill? More like you’re going in there to get yourself killed."

Yi Xiaoyao paid him no mind, simply nodding. "Thank you for telling me."

The red-clothed woman beside the young man also looked at Yi Xiaoyao mockingly. "Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of going up on the Asura Platform?"

"And what if I am?" Yi Xiaoyao gave her a cool glance.

The red-clothed woman rolled her eyes. "Why don’t you give me that Little Black Monkey on your shoulder? It’s not like you’ll be coming back alive from the Asura Platform anyway. I can help you take care of it."

Yi Xiaoyao ignored her and walked into the passage leading to the backstage of the Asura Arena. This place was like a winding mountain range, with dark tunnels leading to different areas, providing extreme secrecy.

"Newcomer or veteran? Cultivation Realm? Name or codename?" a person beside the passage asked Yi Xiaoyao.

"Newcomer, Golden Core Second Realm, Yi Jian," Yi Xiaoyao said.

After the man recorded it, he said, "The rewards for each victory include Demon Cores, Elixirs, Spirit Stones, and so on. Which type of reward would you like to choose?"

"Demon Cores," Yi Xiaoyao said. ’Perfect for getting some food for Little Hei.’ Then he added, "Right, and could I have a mask, please?"

The man led Yi Xiaoyao down a passage and into a stone room filled with items for concealing one’s identity, such as masks and cloaks. After all, death on the Asura Platform was a frequent occurrence. Nearly everyone who entered the ring deliberately hid their identity, so even if they killed someone, no one would know who the killer was.

Yi Xiaoyao chose a blood-colored mask and a blood-colored cloak to change into. This way, no one would recognize him.

Seeing that Yi Xiaoyao was ready, the man said, "Alright, newcomer. I will now match you with an opponent of the same Cultivation."

After waiting for a moment, the man led Yi Xiaoyao onto the Asura Platform.

On the platform, a man also wearing a mask stood opposite Yi Xiaoyao. His codename was Violent Fist.

"Violent Fist, Golden Core Second Realm. Record: ten wins, one loss!"

"Yi Jian, Golden Core Second Realm. Record: zero!"

The referee’s loud announcement piqued the interest of many. A match involving a newcomer was the most exciting because no one knew the newcomer’s strength.

"A newcomer? You know, they call me Violent Fist, the newbie killer!" Violent Fist said to Yi Xiaoyao, his face alight with excitement as he flashed a cruel grin.

Yi Xiaoyao remained indifferent. ’A battle like this is no challenge for me at all. My only goal is to earn Demon Cores for Yun Mengling and Little Hei.’

After a short while, the spectators in the stands had finished placing their bets.

"Begin the fight!" the referee declared, before scurrying off into a passage.

The instant the referee finished speaking, Violent Fist threw a punch that created a sonic boom, carrying an aura of total destruction as he charged at Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao’s eyes flickered. ’From this one punch, I can tell this man possesses great innate strength. His combat power is far above that of others in the same Cultivation.’

The crowd in the stands had bet almost exclusively on Violent Fist. After all, his record of ten wins and one loss was quite impressive.

As for Yi Xiaoyao, a newcomer, very few people were optimistic about his chances.

Everyone in the crowd could already picture the scene: Yi Xiaoyao being shattered to pieces by one of Violent Fist’s punches.

Watching the fist come at him, Yi Xiaoyao threw an equally straightforward punch of his own, meeting Violent Fist head-on.

Violent Fist grinned. ’In the Same Realm,’ he thought, ’when it comes to tough fists and raw power, who could possibly be my match?’

But he had no idea that Yi Xiaoyao was a Body Refining cultivator with an incredibly powerful physique. Moreover, the Dark Spiritual Power coating his fist was unrivaled by anyone in the Same Realm.

DONG!

In an instant, their fists slammed into each other. It was a clash of fist against fist—the most direct and domineering kind of collision.

It was as if the entire space paused for a moment.

CRACK!

Violent Fist felt his arm shatter as the impact caused severe internal injuries. He let out a muffled grunt and spat a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward.

The next moment, Violent Fist jerked his head up, his eyes wide with terror. A dreadful blade of Sword Qi had formed in Yi Xiaoyao’s hand and was now pointed right at him.

"I surrender! Please don’t kill me!"

Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze flickered. In the end, he withdrew his hand and gave Violent Fist a slight nod.

...