Xu Yang didn't dare take the main roads and slipped through one alley after another, finally arriving at the slums of Beixuan City.
This place was filthy, chaotic, and a den of all kinds of people!
Desperadoes, gamblers, pickpockets, fugitives... you name it, it's here!
It was beyond messy, but right now, it was the safest spot.
"This place is only good as a temporary hideout. If I want resources and to recover my cultivation, I'll have to find another place."
Xu Yang frowned tightly. He thought about leaving the city to hunt spirit beasts, but after fleeing the royal mansion, Zheng Ming's men would start searching everywhere—first stop would definitely be the city gates.
Leaving the city wasn't going to be easy!
"Wait, there's one more place."
Xu Yang's eyes lit up.
He thought of a spot even better than leaving the city.
A place not just safe to settle, but one where he could get a ton of resources.
"Hey, who's this dandy young lord?"
Three burly men stepped out at the corner ahead, their eyes instantly greedy when they saw Xu Yang's fine clothes.
"Wait, isn't that Xu Yang, the Seventh Young Lord of the royal mansion!" One of them suddenly grabbed his buddy, his face changing instantly.
"What? Why would the prince show up here?"
"Xu Yang, that loser?"
"Then what the hell are we afraid of? Xu Yang is lower than a dog in the royal mansion, even servants can bully him as they please. Let's just rob him and be done with it!"
That suggestion won immediate agreement from his two buddies.
They all strode forward with sinister grins, closing in on Xu Yang.
"Xu Yang, hand over everything you've got and we'll spare your life!"
Hearing about all the stories of him getting pushed around now echoing even here, Xu Yang's heart filled with sorrow and shame!
But starting today, I won't take this crap any longer.
Killing intent surged in his eyes.
"Just you lot?"
"Look at his balls. A loser dares to act cocky in front of us?"
"Who do you think you are, the Sixth Young Lord? As long as we don't kill you, nobody will stick their nose in!"
"Hell, even if we kill you and escape the city, no one will find out, hahaha."
"Teach him a lesson!"
The three of them didn't hold back, grinning coldly as they attacked.
Swish!
Xu Yang's body flickered, and with one swift move, he gripped the fist of the lead brute, coldly smiling as his five fingers clenched tight!
With a crisp "crack," the brute's fist was crushed to pieces.
"Aaaaghhhh~~~"
A blood-curdling scream echoed through the alley, sending chills down anyone's spine.
"How the hell is this possible... ahhh!!"
Bang!
In just a few seconds, the three didn't even get a chance to resist. They were sprawled across the ground, eyes wide open in death, souls unrested—as if to say: How can that loser have cultivation?
If Zheng Ming saw this, his eyes would probably pop right out of his skull!
Xu Yang's heart was calm as still water. He squatted by the corpses and rummaged carefully. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
There were actually a dozen silver leaves.
"That solves a pressing problem!"
Xu Yang's face showed joy—he already had a detailed plan in mind.
Half an incense stick later—
Xu Yang came out from a shabby little shop in the slums, changed into new clothes, and wore a vicious black Asura Demon Mask—then rushed straight to the destination: the Life and Death Martial Arena!
Here, martial artists fought to the death with other martial artists, barbarians, or spirit beasts!
Even the hottest beauties fought in the ring, grabbing everyone's attention!
Savage killing and wild betting ran rampant!
They walked a tightrope between life and death!
Some got filthy rich overnight, others died and went to hell!
The Northern Territory bordered the Barbarian Race, and Beixuan City was the greatest gateway stronghold—its chaos hidden beneath a facade of order, unimaginable to outsiders.
Any newcomer to Beixuan City had to see the Life and Death Martial Arena at least once!
Arriving outside, the guards were all muscle-bound and radiated menacing Evil Qi—every one of them was Innate, their sweeping gazes enough to chill the soul!
"No wonder it's the Life and Death Arena. They say the force behind it has a hand in all of Daqian."
Xu Yang marveled inwardly, took a deep breath, and strode forward.
"I want in on the life-and-death fights!"
The guard glanced at Xu Yang's mask—already used to weirdos—waved his hand, and someone led Xu Yang inside.
A few moments later—
Inside one of the arena's rooms—
A middle-aged martial artist looked at Xu Yang and explained, "Currently, there are two types of life-and-death fights. First, one match at a time. According to your cultivation, you might face spirit beasts, barbarians, or other martial artists. Each win gets you ten gold leaves!"
Daqian's currency was copper leaf, silver leaf, and gold leaf; ten gold leaves could buy just two True Essence Elixirs—essential for Innate martial artists to cultivate!
One match is all it takes!
No wonder people are willing to risk their necks for it.
"The second option—Hell Mode!"
The man grinned, giving off a chilling vibe.
"You'll have to survive nine death matches—two every day, and on the last day, one final match!"
"Based on your Middle Stage of Fetal Breathing Realm, your final fight will be against an Innate! No matter how much you improve, once you enter, there's no backing out—otherwise, you die!"
"Of course, if you sign up for Hell Mode and sign the death waiver, you'll get one hundred gold leaves up front—exchangeable here for any resource you need. For every win, you get even more, and if you win the final bout, you earn a whopping ten thousand gold leaves!"
As his words fell, the room was so silent you could hear a pin drop!
Xu Yang couldn't help but draw a cold breath!
Ten thousand gold leaves!
With that much, he could exchange for enough resources to cultivate beyond Innate!
No wonder Hell Mode was so damned terrifying!
The strongest Innate...
Any normal person hearing about Hell Mode—even career desperadoes—would break out in cold sweat and back off.
But Xu Yang was instantly tempted, flames blazing in his eyes.
Innate?
He had once been an Innate expert, and while he lost his spirit bone, his foundation was even stronger; he still had his experience!
Now with the Celestial Refining Divine Scripture, if he wanted to recover his power and surge to strength in no time, Hell Mode was his best shot!
Afraid?
From the moment he escaped the royal mansion, there was no more forbearance or fear left in his heart!
Between life and death lies great terror, but also great opportunity.
"I choose Hell Mode!"
"What!?"
"Hell? You really want to choose Hell Mode?"
The middle-aged man's pupils contracted, staring at Xu Yang in amazement.
"That's right. Any problem with that?"
Gulp!
The man swallowed, his shock instantly morphing into wild excitement: "No problem, absolutely no problem!"
He'd been asking just out of habit; he never expected Xu Yang to actually pick Hell Mode!
Just so you know, the Life and Death Arena has seen countless death matches, but Hell Mode tops them all for horror.
Once you choose it, you've got to fight to the bitter end—either you live, or you die!
It's been four years since anyone last cleared Hell Mode!
No wonder it's infamous!
Once word gets out about this Hell Mode challenge, it'll send shockwaves through all of Beixuan City!
Just one win would make the arena bank enough to fill a mountain of gold!
"Do you want to use your real name or a codename?" the man's gaze was burning as he eyed Xu Yang.
Xu Yang touched the mask on his face and slowly said, "Codename: Asura!"
"Asura, very good!"
The man enthusiastically guided Xu Yang as he signed the death waiver, worried he'd back out at any second.
The moment Xu Yang signed, the man's face was flushed with excitement.
Just this death waiver alone would earn him a fat bonus!
Of course, inwardly he was full of mockery—actually daring to choose Hell Mode? Dead man walking!
"Asura, the arena will now immediately prepare your opponents. The first match could be as soon as tomorrow!"
"Are you staying in the arena or...?"
"I'll stay here."
"Also, exchange all 100 gold leaves for elixirs for the Fetal Breathing Realm," Xu Yang said blandly.
"Don't worry, I'll get your room set up right away."
The man couldn't wait to go inform the manager.
Once it was arranged, the man dashed off like his butt was on fire.
News that someone was challenging Hell Mode in the arena had the whole place buzzing at lightspeed.
Publicity, hype!
In less than half a day, the news would be all over Beixuan City—with its millions of martial artists!
Then came the opponent selection!
Nobody cared if Xu Yang lived or died, not even if he got killed in the first match.
Just one fight and the arena would rake in a fortune!
In the room—
Xu Yang threw all the elixirs he'd gotten into the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod!
He absorbed the energy while simultaneously meditating on the Heaven-locking Seal!
Hell Mode—the difficulty was beyond imagination!
For regular folks, it meant certain death!
But Xu Yang's confidence came from the Celestial Refining Divine Scripture, and the Heaven-locking Seal!
The three major Heaven-locking Seals: Spirit Lock Seal, Lock God Seal, Heaven-locking Seal!
The first seal could suppress the enemy's strength—or at the very least, send their power spiraling out of control.
The second seal could seal the enemy's mind and soul.
The third seal—locks the heavens and earth itself!
With his current ability, he could only practice the first seal!
But that was more than enough.
Even a single instant of power disruption could be fatal in combat!
"Nine rounds of hellish duels; I'll use each brush with death to forge myself—grow stronger in the shortest time possible!"
Zheng Ming was a royal house princeling—his resources were unimaginable!
But adding up all the reward gold leaves from the death matches—over ten thousand—that was the capital Xu Yang needed for revenge and to utterly devastate Zheng Ming!
Too bad that bitch Qingxue can't be here to see the lickspittle she worships end up like a dog!