Chapter 1263: Hong Yang

"How about it? It's still not too late to back out!"

The young man beside him, seeing his expression change, let out a sneer.

He had seen many young masters from noble families who, before arriving, made all sorts of solemn vows and acted arrogantly, but once they witnessed the brutality of the arena, they would be scared stiff, unable to even walk.

"No need!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

His shock was merely at the internal strife among humans, not from bloodshed or fear.

If one were to speak of terror, who could be more terrifying than the alien spirit race?

Devouring humans, bloodthirsty, carrying a killing aura... sometimes not even sparing their own kind. When he first encountered such beings, he was told to kill himself; how could he possibly be afraid of some human battles?

"Since that's the case, go on in!"

Seeing him recover his composure so quickly, the young man was somewhat surprised and said no more.

Descending the stairs, before long they arrived at a room. The walls were lined with all kinds of weapons, all at the Saint Domain lower grade level, and none of them possessed sentience, making them easy to control and master.

"You can choose any of these weapons... one is fine, ten is also acceptable. However, if you damage them, you'll have to pay compensation, and after the match, you must return them!"

The young man gestured casually.

"Mm." Zhang Xuan nodded, glanced around, and walked a few steps to a weapon rack.

There were a full hundred types of blades laid out here: single-blade, waist-blade, ghost-head blade, long blade, short blade, wind-splitting blade, minghong blade, nine-ring blade, green dragon crescent blade... densely packed, dazzling the eyes.

His fingers lightly brushed over each weapon. He picked up one that looked somewhat heavy, swung it a few times, shook his head, then immediately switched to another. He repeated this several times before finally setting down all the weapons.

"Forget it, I won't use any."

With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"No weapons?" The young man found it strange.

Having witnessed the cruelty of the arena, many participants wished they could take all the weapons with them to be prepared for any need. This guy just casually touched them and chose none... his nerves must be incredibly thick!

"If I can't win, more weapons are useless." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Very well."

Saying no more, the young man pushed open another door in the room. Following behind, Zhang Xuan entered and saw dozens of people sitting cross-legged on one side, cultivating.

Each of these people carried a bloody aura, clearly indicating they had many lives on their hands.

"Wait here. When it's your turn, just go out directly."

With that, he turned and left.

Zhang Xuan glanced around.

The dozens of people in the room, though cultivating, were constantly alert, watching their surroundings as if ready to strike anyone who approached.

"Are you new here? Never participated before?"

Finding a place to sit, a faint voice sounded in his ear.

Turning to look, he saw a young man in his thirties with a knife scar on his face, still fresh and bloody, likely just injured and not yet healed.

Everyone around seemed somewhat cold and aloof, so the fact that this person took the initiative to speak to him surprised Zhang Xuan.

"Can you tell?"

"Those who have participated in arena matches have eyes like wolves, full of ferocity. Otherwise, they'd only end up dead... You look like a lamb. How could I not tell?"

The scarred young man sneered.

In a life-and-death arena, strength is certainly a factor, but what's more important is 'ruthlessness'!

Be ruthless to the enemy, and ruthless to oneself!

Only then can one inspire fear. This guy before him had a naive look, a dazed expression, clearly a noble young master who had never experienced anything.

"A lamb?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Wherever he went, he caused upheaval and headaches for countless masters, yet in this man's eyes, he was just a lamb?

It seemed he was still too good-natured.

"Of course! If you've never participated in a match or undergone the baptism of blood, you're a lamb! To tell you the truth, I've won six consecutive matches at most. Unfortunately, the seventh opponent was too strong, and I had consumed too much true qi. Otherwise, I might have already earned the title of Ten-Time Champion!"

The scarred young man said with a proud expression.

"Impressive!"

Zhang Xuan nodded sincerely.

A genius like Zhang Jiuxiao hadn't even participated in the sixth match; for this man to win six consecutive matches was already remarkable.

"Creak!"

As they were chatting, the door in front opened, and immediately everyone felt a wave of killing intent rush toward them, bringing an intense sense of oppression.

"It's him?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was none other than the man who had just stood on the arena and torn his opponent to pieces.

This man was extremely tall, like an iron tower, clad in thick, blood-red armor that looked eerily strange.

"This is the most powerful existence in the black market right now, Hong Yang."

Seeing that Zhang Xuan didn't recognize him, the scarred young man nodded, full of admiration: "He is also known as... the Hundred-Battle King!"

"Hundred-Battle King?"

Zhang Xuan was startled: "He's won a hundred matches?"

"Not a hundred matches, but he has consecutively defeated ten Ten-Battle Kings! Moreover, anyone who challenged him was torn to shreds, dead beyond dead!"

The scarred young man showed a look of fear.

He admired the strength of the man before him, but was also extremely terrified of his brutality.

Not just him, but everyone else who saw this man emerge was also on high alert.

"Scram!"

Taking a few steps to a spot in the corner, Hong Yang looked at the two youths sitting on the ground cultivating and barked.

These two didn't even dare to breathe loudly; they turned and left.

Swish!

Towering like a pagoda, Hong Yang sat down, took out a pill, swallowed it, and his aura seemed to boil.

As soon as he sat down, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and those around quietly backed away, leaving a large empty space.

"So he's also at the late stage of the Primordial Spirit realm..."

As the other cultivated, Zhang Xuan discerned his cultivation level.

Like himself, he was at the late stage of the Primordial Spirit realm.

However, at the same level, the other's killing intent was thick and powerful, giving a strong sense of oppression even before battle.

Activating his Eye of Insight, just as he was about to carefully examine the other's strength, Hong Yang across from him looked up, his eyes flashing, and stared back.

"Such strong perception..."

Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed.

As expected of someone who had consecutively defeated ten ten-time champions; this perception was terrifyingly powerful.

With just a few glances, he could identify the direction and pinpoint the location among so many people. With such sixth sense, attempting a sneak attack to kill him was already impossible.

"Life-and-death situations greatly temper a person. Although this man is at the late stage of the Primordial Spirit realm, even a half-step Nascent Soul realm master teacher might not be able to match him. Even... if locked in a cage with a battle master of the same level, the one who survives would surely be him!"

He nodded to himself.

A person's strength is not solely about power; the understanding and application of danger are also crucial.

For example, an ox is stronger than a wolf, but if placed in the same room, the former would surely die.

This Hong Yang was a wolf, even a starving tiger that hadn't eaten for who knows how many days. Once encountered, he would immediately bare his sharp fangs, making it difficult to withstand.

"Newcomer, get lost... Do you think this spot is for you?"

As he was pondering, a cold voice sounded.

Looking up, he saw it was one of the two youths who had just been driven away by Hong Yang. Having no place to sit, he was venting his anger on Zhang Xuan.

"Is your name carved here?"

Without getting up, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

Scared into not daring to stay by Hong Yang's words, and seeing that Zhang Xuan was a newcomer, he came to bully him—a classic case of bullying the weak and fearing the strong!

"Oh? Newcomers are pretty cocky these days!"

"Qian Xu, seems like you don't have much deterrent power!"

Seeing that the newcomer not only didn't move but also talked back, the others who had been cultivating all opened their eyes, wearing mocking expressions as if watching a show.

"Carve my name? Heh, since you want it, I'll carve it for you right now!"

The youth named Qian Xu, not expecting a newcomer to confront him directly, squinted his eyes and grinned. Before his words faded, a dagger had somehow appeared in his palm, and he stabbed it straight at Zhang Xuan's forehead.

The move was extremely fast, without any hesitation, as if he were stabbing not a person but a branch or a plant.

If struck, his head would surely burst, and he would die on the spot.

"Killing over a word?"

Zhang Xuan was somewhat displeased.

If it were a mortal enemy, such ruthlessness would be understandable, but just because he wouldn't give up his seat, he directly attacked, treating human life like a game—that was too cruel!

He raised his finger and met the attack.

Ding!

Flicking the back of the dagger, with a "whir," the low-grade sacred artifact snapped in two.

"So you have some skill, no wonder you're so arrogant!"

Stunned for a moment that his weapon was broken by a finger flick, Qian Xu then licked his lips, revealing an excited gleam.

He had thought it was a rookie he could easily handle, but now it seemed not so simple.

Sizzle!

Without any extra movement, several more daggers appeared in his palm, and he suddenly threw them at the upper, middle, and lower paths.

The upper path aimed at the eyes, the middle at the heart, and the lower at Zhang Xuan's thigh as he sat on the ground.

This move was both vicious and fast. For an ordinary late-stage Primordial Spirit realm cultivator, even a genius like Zhang Jiuxiao, it would be hard to dodge, and they would be killed on the spot.

"Impressive!"

Seeing that so many attacks were launched without any prior warning, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but nod.

As expected of someone who had long experienced life-and-death situations; his killing skills were perfected. With attacks on the upper, middle, and lower paths, no matter which one was blocked, the other two would inevitably strike, making it extremely dangerous.

However...

Encountering Zhang Xuan, this attack was also ineffective.

He gently swept his hand, drawing a semicircle in the air. The three daggers instantly appeared in his palm, jumping and twitching like caught live fish.

"You've made me even more interested..."

Seeing that his second attack was also blocked so effortlessly, a murderous intent flashed in Qian Xu's eyes. Just as he was about to strike again, a faint voice sounded in the hall.

"Late-stage Primordial Spirit realm Zhang Xuan, arena match begins, against same-level Meng Fuxing!"

"My turn..."

Ignoring the other, Zhang Xuan stood up and strode toward the arena.

"Hey, you think you can leave after provoking me? Not so easy!"

Seeing him about to leave, Qian Xu flicked his hand again, and two more daggers shot straight at Zhang Xuan's back, wind whistling, cold air piercing the skin.