Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

“Hmph. Just wait and you’ll see.”


Voices rang out from the two private rooms…and the battle below them instantly began. The red-haired Diremonster instantly transformed into a strange, four-hooved monster of fire. Its body was covered with armored scales, and it howled as it charged towards the Immortal practitioner while belching forth fiery light from its mouth.

“Vermin, accept death.” The sword-wielding Immortal practitioner let out a cold laugh. Swish! The sword on his back instantly flew out, and as it slashed through the air, it left a rainbow-colored scar through the air…

Ning watched the battle progress beneath him. He nodded to himself. “The Immortal practitioner should be the winner.” After having battled for some time, the Diremonster let out a grief-stricken bellow, then collapsed. The Immortal practitioner’s face was ashen as well; he had been forced to execute a forbidden technique in order to achieve this victory. However, in the end, he had won. Previously, his master-uncle, Qu Yihang had told him that so long as he won, he would help him become a inner disciple.

“Success.” The Immortal practitioner had excitement in his eyes. Although he had used a forbidden technique, he hadn’t used it for very long. In a year or so, he would be fully recovered.

“Hahaha….” Young master Qu immediately began to laugh. As for Meng Leshan, she had an ugly look on her face.

…..

In Ning’s private room. Baiwei said with a laugh, “Meng Leshan and Qu Yihang are both dazzling, outstanding talents. Both of them have joined the Raindragon Guard as well. Rumor said that while on a mission for the Raindragon Guard, the two formed a grudge against each other. Outside Stillwater City, the two would most likely be plotting each other’s deaths. Within the city itself, they are still going all out to harm each other.”

“Much like you and Northmont Fox, actually,” Wuji said with a laugh. “Hahaha, yes, just like me and Northmont Fox,” Baiwei replied with a loud laugh.

Wuji looked towards Ning. “Brother Ji Ning, although these betting duels appear casual, in truth, many mysteries hide within. You have to select a particularly astonishing individual at the Zifu Disciple level…but the more talented an expert is, the less willing they will be to risk their lives. Thus, it’s actually quite difficult to arrange for these betting duels. Both sides have to come up with a way to recruit someone, and if they lose, not only will they lose money and their fighter, they will also lose face. Sometimes, if they grow desperate due to their losses, they might even personally join the field of battle.”

“Personally join the field of battle?” Ning was surprised. These Immortal practitioners all had extraordinary statuses; they would personally join and fight?

“What’s so surprising about this? These geniuses rose to prominence through combat to begin with. When enraged, they will personally join the field of battle. Every year or two, there will be Wanxiang Adepts, unparalleled geniuses all, who will fight a duel to the death here in the Carefree Caverns. If someone dies, no one can be blamed for it!” Baiwei continued, “But of course, aside from those who have grudges against each other, most are just trying to win some money through using the servants and retainers under their command.”

“For example, myself,” Wuji said with a laugh. “I have quite a few servants and retainers. I can send them down to engage in betting duels, and the stakes for each duel must be at least two hundred taels of liquefied elemental essence. I can make quite a bit of money in this manner.” Ning nodded.

Ning now understood that although Hun Wuji and Northmont Baiwei were two of the more amiable figures amongst these exalted young masters…they were still figures of high status. They had high standards. It was precisely because they thought well of Ning that they were willing to treat him as an equal and as a friend. To them, ordinary Zifu Disciples were nothing more than retainers or servants; why would they care about their deaths?

Some time later. More than ten betting duels had already been carried out, and the atmosphere of the entire hall had become noticeably more heated and wild. There was currently a very tall and muscular Fiendgod Body Refiner standing in the middle of the hall. As a Zifu-level Fiendgod Body Refiner with a divine ability, he possessed astonishing combat power.

“Hahaha, everyone, I’ve won six rounds in a row. It seems that the ‘spiritfruit wine’ for today’s betting duels will be mine for the drinking.” A chubby-faced, big-eared youth in a private room was laughing merrily. “Is there anyone else? As long as you can beat my subordinate, you will gain three hundred taels.”

“Su-Su! You’ve won enough. Have your man go down.” A deep voice rang out. Instantly, Ning turned to look; the speaker was Northmont Fox. Fox flashed a fierce glance towards Ning, giving him a long stare, then grinning with a clearly wicked idea in mind.

Ning laughed as well. He had overheard quite a few things today, and now understood that these young masters couldn’t quite be considered the movers-and-shakers of the Commandery. The truly top-tier figures of Stillwater Commandery were the likes of Northmont Blacktiger. Northmont Fox? Ning didn’t fear him at all.

“Bang!” The hall suddenly trembled. A two-meter tall horned man with massive muscles and azure skin strode into the hall, his every footstep causing it to shake. His eyes radiated with azure light as well. Upon seeing him, every single person understood…that this was a Diremonster! Normal people could rarely reach the height of six meters, much less be horned.

The giant, muscular, horned Diremonster strode to the two jewels in the corner, then filled them with his elemental ki and his divine power. “Fiendgod Body Refiner, Ki Refiner. A dual refiner.” Miss Ziyi, standing in the corner, immediately made this report. “Both are at the peak Zifu level. A Diremonster under the control of young master Fox.”

Whoosh. The grand sealing formation once more lit up, and the Diremonster stared directly towards that Fiendgod Body Refiner cultivator. “Die, then.” The azure-skinned, horned Diremonster let out a loud roar, transforming into a rhinoceros with a single horn that was more than thirty meters tall. Its entire body then radiated with light, and the body of the Monoceros once more swelled, transforming to sixty meters in height. The enormous Monoceros…it stared at its opponent as though he were an ant.

Bang! The Monoceros moved as fast as lightning, intending to trample its opponent. Whap! Whap! Whap! After three exchanges of blows, the Fiendgod cultivator had been trampled to the point of having only half his body left. He immediately called out in a high voice, “I admit defeat!” Only then did the azure-skinned Monoceros come to a halt.

If one side perished or admitted defeat, that represented the end of the battle! If one insisted on forcibly killing someone who had surrendered, one would be punished with a fine equal to ten times the stakes of the bet.

“Grrr…” The Monoceros raised its head, letting out a growl, then transformed into mist before recondensing into that azure-skinned, horned man who was six meters tall.

“Northmont Baiwei. Three hundred taels. Dare you engage in a betting duel with me?” The distant Northmont Fox pointed from his window towards Baiwei. “I know that you are as cowardly as a mouse, and won’t possibly dare to engage in a betting duel. Hahaha…as cowardly as a rat!”

The sound of his laughter was so repugnant and vile. Ning now finally understood why some people would personally go enter the arena.