The Blood Arena was an immensely popular place within the underground world of Falling Stone City. Controlled by the Zhang Family, it attracted numerous wealthy nobles and aristocrats. Even throughout the entirety of Qingyun Province, it was known to many.
This was the place where those wealthy nobles, seeking to alleviate boredom, kill time, crave stimulation, and pursue gore, came for their entertainment!
Though called an "arena," it was not a place for fights between wild beasts. Here, it was people who slaughtered each other.
......
Bai Yunfei's eyes were wide open, his mouth slightly agape in shock, his whole body trembling uncontrollably – he had never imagined that people could slaughter each other with such cruelty.
In the "arena" outside, two crimson figures exchanged blows with fists and kicks. To prolong the slaughter, weapons were generally forbidden here. To survive, you had to use your hands, your feet, your head, even your teeth to ensure your opponent could never rise again. Only then did you earn the right to live. And defeat, more often than not, meant death.
The reason they appeared crimson was because they were practically drenched in blood! Their own, and their opponent's.
A bear-like man, thick-browed and broad-faced, breathed heavily. One of his eyes was a ruined mess of flesh and blood; even his left ear had been torn off. His body shook, but the single eye that remained burned with madness. He let out a bestial roar, swinging a massive fist towards a middle-aged man opposite him, who was significantly smaller.
The middle-aged man was also injured in multiple places, though his wounds seemed lighter than his opponent's. Yet, when the bear-man's fist slammed towards him, he didn't dodge or evade. Instead, he raised his own fist, intending to meet the blow head-on!
As his right arm shot forward, it seemed to suddenly swell in size. When the two fists collided, it was the bear-man who screamed in agony, staggering back several steps. The fingers of his right hand were bent into grotesque angles, blood streaming freely; splintered bone fragments even pierced through the skin!
The middle-aged man shook the blood from his hand – it was his opponent's. He even licked some off his fingers with seeming relish. The terrifying glare he shot out was utterly inhuman, more like a beast savagely toying with its prey.
The "spectators" outside the arena let out waves of excited shrieks. These noble aristocrats had shed all traces of the dignified grace they displayed in the outside world. Their faces were flushed with excitement, eyes wide open, terrified of missing a single thrilling moment.
They trembled incessantly, just like Bai Yunfei. The difference was, they trembled with excitement, while Yunfei trembled with fear.
Around the two fighters in the arena, pools of blood, some bright red, some dark, stained the ground. This blood belonged not only to the current combatants but also to the participants of previous, equally brutal bouts.
Above Bai Yunfei, on a raised "viewing platform," stood a few luxurious chairs. Three individuals currently sat there, observing the carnage below.
The person on the left was none other than Zhang Yang!
Looking every bit the refined young master, he pointed towards the middle-aged man in the arena and said to the companion beside him, "Second Young Master Zheng, what do you think of my Blood Arena? It's a place that truly sets the blood boiling, isn't it? That man is the fiercest fighter here; they call him Fierce Wolf…"
Beside him, a young man clad in magnificent purple robes, his features even more handsome than Zhang Yang's, watched the slaughter below with an expressionless face. He gave a slight nod. "Not bad. This man is already in a semi-awakened state. Soon, once his soul power fully awakens, he can step into the realm of a Soul Apprentice." Though his words acknowledged merit, his tone was dismissive, bordering on perfunctory.
Zhang Yang, however, didn't seem to mind. He flashed an ingratiating smile. "A mere Soul Apprentice naturally wouldn't catch Second Young Master Zheng's discerning eye. The Zheng Family boasts a wealth of talent and numerous experts; how could our humble family hope to compare…" He knew this Second Young Master Zheng, visiting from the capital, held no regard for his family. His visit to the Falling Stone City Blood Arena stemmed from curiosity. Zhang Yang's goal was simply to serve him well and avoid giving offense.
The person on the right was entirely shrouded in a black cloak, his face hidden. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head slightly bowed, seemingly… asleep…
Meanwhile, the fight in the arena was nearing its horrific climax. The bear-man was no match for the middle-aged man. His movements grew slower, wounds multiplied, and the spectators' frenzied shouts intensified.
Finally, the middle-aged man kicked the bear-man to the ground. He planted one foot on the man's chest, then grabbed one of his massive arms with both hands and wrenched with all his might!!!
The thick arm was torn off at the shoulder!!!
The spectators erupted in an unprecedented roar of approval. Some women, seemingly overwhelmed by the brutality, turned their heads away, yet their peripheral vision still stole glances at the spectacle, their faces flushed with excitement.
Finally, the middle-aged man brought his foot down, crushing the opponent's skull like a watermelon beneath his heel…
Watching the splash of red and white matter that followed, Bai Yunfei could hold back no longer. He slumped against the wall and vomited violently. Uncle Wu trembled all over, clutching Yunfei tightly.
Even the dozen or so fierce-looking men imprisoned opposite them now stared out with undisguised terror in their eyes.
At that moment, the wooden "cell door" was thrown open from the outside. A dozen men holding weapons appeared at the entrance. The man who had brought the steamed buns earlier bellowed at the captives, "All of you, out! Collect weapons! Prepare to fight for your freedom!"
The group of men exchanged uneasy glances, but finally filed out one after another. Uncle Wu and Bai Yunfei brought up the rear.
As each man exited, the guard at the door retrieved a weapon from a crate behind him and handed it over, then directed him towards the arena floor.
Bai Yunfei followed numbly at the back of the group. Soon, he and Uncle Wu reached the doorway. Uncle Wu was given a worn, rusty axe.
Bai Yunfei stood helplessly at the threshold, waiting for the man to issue him a weapon. But the man, as if acting on prior instructions, merely looked at Yunfei with a mocking half-smile, offering him nothing.
"I… aren't you giving me a weapon?"
"Heh. Don't you already have a weapon in your hand? What more do you need? Stop wasting breath, get out onto the field!" The man sneered, his gaze deliberately flicking to the brick clutched tightly in Yunfei's hand – Yunfei had held onto it, as if its solid weight offered some faint shred of security.
Then, without ceremony, the man kicked Yunfei hard, shoving him towards the arena floor.
Yunfei hurried after Uncle Wu, his mind still a fog of confusion. Seeing the richly dressed spectators gazing at their group outside the cage with looks of curiosity and disdain, a sudden, chilling thought crystallized in his mind.
"In the eyes of these people... I must seem like nothing more than an ant..."
Zhang Yang stood up and took a few steps forward. Raising his voice to address the audience, he proclaimed, "Esteemed guests! What follows is today's special bonus event! Our victor from earlier, Fierce Wolf, will face off against this band of vicious desperadoes!"
As he spoke, his eyes scanned the arena floor. When they settled on Uncle Wu and Bai Yunfei at the rear, a flicker of malice and satisfaction passed through them. His gaze lingered particularly on the brick in Yunfei's hand; he paused, clearly taken aback, then chuckled softly, casting an approving glance towards one of his subordinates nearby.
In the arena, Uncle Wu was the first to turn sharply at the sound of Zhang Yang's voice. He stared fixedly at Zhang Yang high on the platform, his body shaking violently, eyes blazing with intense hatred.
Bai Yunfei recognized Zhang Yang too. He felt it acutely – the moment Zhang Yang's gaze fell upon him, it was filled with mockery and venom…
"It really is him… Why? Just because I offended that young lady yesterday? But… how dare you decide my life and death so casually? How dare you look at me with that gaze, like I'm just a dying ant?"
Bai Yunfei felt an indescribable emotion begin to churn within him, threatening to boil over, impossible to suppress any longer.
Zhang Yang pointed directly at Fierce Wolf and addressed the captives below: "You are all death row prisoners I bought from the jail – vicious scum who've spent your lives pillaging and killing! You were meant to die. But today, I offer you a chance at life! All of you together, fight him! Anyone still standing in this arena after half an hour, I grant freedom!"
His words clarified the grim situation. The spectators buzzed with conversation, pointing at the men in the arena. Many wore expressions of keen, morbid interest.
"So they're all death row convicts? So many of them, armed... can even Fierce Wolf win this?" "The first dozen look the part, but look at those two at the back! Clearly just an old man and a boy!" "Hey, look! What's that the boy is holding?!" "A brick???" "A brick… haha! A brick!!" "......" "..."
The captives, upon hearing Zhang Yang's pronouncement, felt a surge of desperate hope. After all, faced with the prospect of life, who truly wants to die? The dozen men at the front huddled together, whispering urgently amongst themselves.
Fierce Wolf, clearly aware of this impending "entertainment," remained where he was, arms crossed, scanning the armed men opposite him with an air of utter nonchalance. At his feet, the bear-man's corpse still leaked fresh blood onto the sand…
Uncle Wu also tore his gaze away from the platform. He stared intently ahead for a long moment before tugging at Yunfei's sleeve, whispering urgently, "Yunfei, listen to me. We stay at the back. If that beast comes for us, we run. Don't fight him. We stand no chance against him. Thirty minutes… The grounds are large enough. If we just focus on dodging, maybe… maybe we can survive!"
Zhang Yang settled back into his chair and waved a dismissive hand. "Begin!"
At the command, a cruel smile twisted Fierce Wolf's lips. He lifted his foot and began to advance slowly, deliberately, towards the gathered prisoners.
The dozen or so condemned men, clutching their mismatched weapons, spread out slightly. Fear radiated from them; not one dared to step forward first.
Step by measured step, Fierce Wolf closed the distance. Having stood amidst the pooled blood of his last victim, his feet were practically soaked. Now, each step left a vivid red footprint on the sand. Combined with his blood-drenched body, he resembled a demon emerging from a charnel house. Every heavy tread seemed to resonate like a drumbeat against the prisoners' frantic hearts.
Finally, the suffocating terror became too much for one prisoner. He erupted in a terrified roar, "He's already hurt from the last fight! Charge him together! Kill him, and we live!"
The extreme fear inverted itself into a desperate, primal struggle for survival. Almost as one, the group surged forward, eyes bloodshot, faces contorted with frenzy, brandishing their weapons as they rushed headlong towards Fierce Wolf.
A flash of contempt sparked in Fierce Wolf's eyes. He casually caught the thrust of a spear shaft. With a slight twist of his wrist, an immense force travelled up the pole, wrenching the wielder off balance. The man stumbled, crashing into the two prisoners beside him.
Fierce Wolf shifted his weight, effortlessly dodging a thrown dagger. He spun, his boot connecting sharply with the head of a heavy bronze mace, sending it flying wildly off course. Then, bending low with predatory grace, he swept the captured spear in a wide, devastating arc. Prisoners crashed to the ground like felled wheat.
The entire group was shattered, scattered like broken toys, in the blink of an eye!!
What followed was a merciless, one-sided slaughter…
A kick snapped a neck with a sickening crack. A heavy stamp crushed a ribcage inward. He snatched a large blade from a falling man and, with a single, brutal horizontal sweep, cleaved three men in half at the waist…
At first, the audience was momentarily stunned into silence. But as Fierce Wolf dispatched prisoner after prisoner, they erupted into shrieks of unprecedented, ecstatic frenzy! Accustomed to drawn-out struggles, this sudden, whirlwind of carnage ignited a new, terrifying level of excitement and stimulation within them…
Half an hour? It was unnecessary. Barely ten minutes had passed before nearly all dozen men lay slaughtered upon the blood-soaked sand!
A few, realizing the futility too late, dropped their weapons and tried to flee. But they couldn't outpace the predator. Mere steps were gained before they were overtaken.
And when caught… death was instantaneous!!
Finally, Fierce Wolf stood alone amidst the carnage. No one else remained standing near him.
His chilling gaze shifted. It settled, with predatory focus, on Uncle Wu and Bai Yunfei!