Beast Arena, Arena Eight
"Young Master, please proceed to the challenge," a black-robed arena enforcer said, clasping his hands.
Lan An's silver eye snapped open, its crescent moon glinting. Rising, he nodded faintly at the enforcer.
The man flinched. In that fleeting glance, Lan An's gaze seemed to strip him bare, exposing every flaw. A mere Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator, he felt naked before that eerie eye. "This man is terrifying," he thought, cold sweat beading as he bowed lower, leading the way.
Chen Jiang darted off to place the bet, clutching Lan An's pouch.
Following the enforcer through a tunnel to Arena Eight, Lan An caught the crowd's rising buzz as they neared the entrance.
"He's here!"
"So young!"
"What's with that eye? Never seen anything like it."
"Hmph, doesn't look tough."
"Haha, I bet right—this kid's no match for the Golden Fang Tiger!"
"Tch, such a handsome little brother… a night with him would…"
Lan An's brow furrowed. The noise was overwhelming. He channeled a thread of spiritual energy to shield his ears, muting the cacophony.
"He's intriguing," Li Zhu Lan giggled, her veiled eyes sparkling at Lan An's white-robed elegance and otherworldly aura. She'd wagered 30 Upper-Grade Spirit Stones on him—a modest sum for her Li Clan status, but enough to show her faith.
"Hmph, just a pretty boy," Li Lin muttered, jealousy flaring. Seeing his beloved cousin fixated on Lan An stoked his resentment.
"Honored guests, meet Young Master Xiao Nan, our challenger against the Golden Fang Tiger!" the announcer's voice boomed, infused with spiritual energy.
"Young Master Xiao Nan, ready to begin?" the announcer called.
"Start," Lan An said, his Spirit Earth Cauldron humming within his dantian, spinning slowly.
Creak.
Opposite the arena, a ten-zhang iron gate, studded with spikes, groaned open.
"A formation," Jin'er's voice chimed in his mind. Beyond the gate, a sealing array cloaked the beast's cell, retracting only to release it.
ROAR!
A heaven-shaking bellow rocked the arena, paling weaker cultivators in the stands, their legs trembling.
Lan An's expression hardened, his silver eye flaring.
White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye activated.
Thousand-Mile Insight—Weakness-Piercing Vision.
A monstrous tiger materialized in his vision, its tank-like frame scarred with battle-won marks. Blood-red eyes gleamed with killing intent, its maw dripping saliva, golden fangs glinting like molten metal. Razor-sharp claws shimmered, ready to rend anything apart.
Scenting human flesh, the Golden Fang Tiger roared, maddened, its gaze locking onto Lan An. Its muscular limbs, thick as ancient trees, surged forward.
A golden blur—it vanished.
"Too fast! Terrifying speed!"
"He's done for—frozen in fear?"
"Ha, a calf facing a tiger."
Seeing Lan An stand motionless, the crowd groaned in pity.
Lan An silently admired the beast's speed, but his White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye rendered it futile. Every move was laid bare, its instinct-driven attacks riddled with flaws.
As the Golden Fang Tiger lunged, its claws slashing like a seasoned predator, Lan An moved.
"Spirit Fist," he said calmly.
Earth Spiritual Energy surged into his fist. He raised it, meeting the beast's claws head-on.
"Is he insane?" the crowd gasped. Bare hands against beast claws—madness.
BOOM!
Fist met claw, shockwaves rippling. Lan An unleashed a barrage of punches, clashing with the tiger's talons.
Pop, pop, pop!
His fists danced, blocking every swipe. The beast's claws couldn't pierce the spiritual energy cloaking his hands.
Jaws dropped. Lan An, dwarfed by the tiger, stood firm, his fists unscathed, repelling claws that could shred steel.
"Hmph, just a Yellow-Grade skill," Han Ming sneered. "A stalemate at best."
"Haha," Han Lie scoffed. Their Han Clan insight pegged Spirit Fist as low-tier.
Indeed, thwarted, the Golden Fang Tiger retreated, circling Lan An like a seasoned hunter, seeking an opening. But Lan An stood still, unshaken, his gaze impenetrable, as if a thousand eyes tracked the beast.
No beast can find my flaws with the White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye, Lan An thought smugly.
ROAR!
Impatient, the tiger vanished again, its jaws gaping to tear Lan An apart, its form flickering to disorient him.
Lan An smirked. No speed escapes my eye. His hands flicked, conjuring earthen orbs—Spirit Bullets—and fired them seemingly at random.
ROAR!
The tiger howled in pain, bullets striking its scars with uncanny precision. Despite its blinding speed, Lan An's shots hit true, unsettling it.
"What's happening?" the crowd muttered, baffled. The tiger's speed outpaced their eyes, yet Lan An's casual shots landed perfectly.
"His perception's unreal," Yan Yang growled, his Nascent Soul vision clear. Lan An's bullets targeted the tiger's scars with surgical accuracy—something even he couldn't have done at Golden Core.
Lan An frowned, dissatisfied. The bullets grazed the tiger's hide, causing mere scratches. Earth-based Spirit Bullets can't match Strange Flame's power.
Then, the tiger rallied, summoning Metal Spiritual Energy. A golden armor coated its body, its claws extending, their sharpness doubled.
"Not bad for a Third-Tier beast," Lan An nodded, recognizing Spirit Fist and Spirit Bullet—Yellow-Grade skills—wouldn't suffice.
His Spirit Earth Cauldron thrummed, Earth Spiritual Energy surging. A colossal Earth Bear materialized behind him, towering like a war god.
The crowd gaped as the majestic bear, larger than the tiger, loomed. The Golden Fang Tiger's bloodthirsty eyes flickered with fear.
"What skill is this? Summoning a beast projection?" spectators whispered, awestruck.
"Cousin, this skill's extraordinary," Li Zhu Lan said, her tone serious. Even Tian Mu Sect lacked such techniques.
Li Lin shrugged. "Just a spiritual construct. No match for a real beast."
Lan An, if he'd heard, would've agreed. Without Soul Force, the Earth Bear was weaker than true beasts. The Four Spirits Soul Guardian Technique shone only with Soul Force, surpassing flesh-and-blood creatures.
"But for you, this is enough," Lan An said, his killing intent locking onto the tiger. Time to end this.
Muttering an incantation, his feet traced arcane steps, activating something profound.
The Earth Bear stood resolute behind him.
Suddenly, a blur—Lan An vanished, the massive Earth Bear dissolving with him, trailing his movements.
"So fast!" Yan Yang leapt up, shouting. He'd lost Lan An's trace.
"What movement art is this?" Han Lie and Han Ming gaped, stunned. A technique that erased both Lan An and the Earth Bear from perception was unthinkable.
Lan An grinned inwardly, his body weaving like a specter, feet gliding silently.
Phantom Shadow Free Wander Step—Phantom Shadow.
The first tier of his Supreme Spirit-Grade art, though unmastered, was devastatingly effective.
"Why don't I have this art? Damn it!" a white-haired youth in noble robes seethed from another stand, his eyes burning with envy and greed.
ROAR!
The Golden Fang Tiger roared, bolstering its aura, its Metal Spiritual Energy flaring as it spun, searching for Lan An.
A chill from its left—it lashed out with its claws.
Pop!
A fist struck, sending the tiger skidding, its left cheek's armor rippling from the blow.
Lan An darted, appearing where the tiger least expected, the Earth Bear's fists hammering its flanks as it countered elsewhere.
ROAR!
Pop, pop, pop!
Fists rained down. The tiger's evasions and counters missed—Lan An's speed and White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye made it a punching bag. His Phantom Shadow outpaced it, his vision piercing every weak point.
Silence gripped the arena, save for the pop of fists on flesh. Thousands watched, speechless, as white afterimages battered the Third-Tier beast.
Raw power. Lethal precision.
The fearsome Golden Fang Tiger, shielded by Metal Spiritual Energy, was helpless, spared from pulp only by its armor.
"He's untouchable," Li Lin muttered, wiping sweat. Lan An's prowess dwarfed his, hinting at a terrifying backer.
"So strong! Barely older than me, yet this powerful?" Li Zhu Lan's eyes sparkled. At Tian Mu Sect, few peers rivaled her, but Lan An showed her the truth of her master's words: Beyond every peak lies another.
Li Lin's heart sank, seeing her admiration. Lan An's brilliance outshone him, fueling his unease as he glanced between her and the arena.
"Damn it, my bet's gone," Han Lie growled, seeing the tiger's inevitable defeat.
"Who is this guy? Never heard of him," Han Ming mused, puzzled. Lan An's distinctive appearance should've been known, yet he was a mystery.
"Investigate him. Everything," Yan Yang ordered Yan Wei, his tone grave. Despite his Nascent Soul cultivation, he viewed this Golden Core youth as an equal, wary of underestimating him.
"Yes, Brother Yan Yang!" Yan Wei hurried off.
Other factions in the stands dispatched agents to probe Lan An's origins. His talent and strength demanded attention.
Crack!
A bone-chilling snap echoed. The Golden Fang Tiger's spiritual energy dimmed, its neck twisted brutally by the Earth Bear, collapsing lifelessly.
White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye—Soul Seize.
Lan An didn't relent. As the tiger's soul lingered, he snatched it into his eye. Ancient scriptures within his soul churned, refining the captured essence.
Feeling his Soul Force grow slightly, Lan An smirked, satisfied. Killing Han Qing with Strange Flame had incinerated the man's soul, a minor regret. This time, he'd gained spirit stones, Prestige Points, and soul power—a rich haul.
"Congratulations, Young Master Xiao Nan, for a stunning victory! Will you continue? The next challenge is one versus two. Ten seconds to decide!" the announcer's voice boomed, rousing the crowd.
In that instant, a thunderous chant erupted, shaking the arena and echoing across Ling Wu City for a thousand miles:
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"