The Arena was divided into three levels. The Highgod Arena, the God Arena, and the Demigod Arena. There was only a single Highgod Arena, three God Arenas, and just three Demigod Arenas as well.
“Boss, which level should we visit first?” Bebe hurriedly asked.
“The Highgod battles should be the most exciting. Naturally, we’ll go there.” Linley laughed. The others also were rather more interested in the Highgod battles, and so all of them followed the directions on the walkway and headed directly towards the Highgod Arena.
Moments later, Linley’s group arrived at the vast Arena.
The Highgod Arena. The central dueling area was a round, empty expanse of land that was five kilometers in diameter. Around it was an extremely dense cluster of spectator seats. At a glance, there were nearly a million seats.
“The Highgod Arena is a large one. The other two arenas aren’t nearly as large.” The big-bearded Bates said. Linley’s group headed through the corridors to find some empty seats, then sat down.
Deity-level combatants were able to see to a very great distance. Thus, everyone was able to see clearly across multiple kilometers to view the two men battling in the central dueling area.
Currently, in mid-air, two figures were hovering while staring at each other. One was a muscular, one-horned man. The other was a devilish, bewitching red haired woman. What attracted Linley’s attention wasn’t these two people who were preparing for combat; it was the edges of the central area. In front of the viewing platforms was one blood red armored warrior after another!
At the edges of the circular viewing platforms, every few meters, there was an island guards warrior.
“There are actually over a thousand island guards here!” Linley inspected them carefully. These people alone represented a force of a thousand Highgods. In addition, these were just the ones who were standing at the edges. It must be understood that other areas, such as the roving patrols going through the corridors, had quite a few island guards as well.
The number of island guards present at this arena was simply astonishing!
“Wow. There’s quite a few island guards.” Bebe sighed in amazement.
Aches laughed. “This is the Highgod Arena. They are here to prevent the shockwaves from the battle from harming the viewers. Thus, they arranged for so many island guards present. The number of island guards at the God Arena are far fewer, while the Demigod Arena has virtually no island guards present.”
“How much damage could shockwaves from a Demigod-level fight cause?” The big-bearded Bates chuckled as well.
While chatting, Linley’s group also carefully watched the battle going on in the center of the arena. Two figures, transformed into blurs, were currently battling as fast as lightning. In mid-air, multiple rays of light flashed, while Linley’s group continued to watch carefully.
“Rumble…”
The devilish red haired beauty actually brandished forth a red staff, striking down like lightning towards the horned man. “Aaaah!” A desolate scream could be heard, and the horned man was sent smashing away. And then, with a queer ‘boom’, his body exploded.
“Clarinda, second victory!” A voice rang out.
The devilish red haired beauty flew directly down towards the corridors below the arena.
“Too weak!” Watching this battle, Linley secretly shook his head. “Just by using a slight amount of the rather unique ‘Explosion’ profound mystery of the Elemental Laws of Fire, she was able to win twice. The quality of the combatants in this Arena is really low.” Linley had simply seen far too many powerful experts.
Bluefire, Beirut, Learmonth, Royalwing, Elquin, Phusro…
Even the Ganmontin he had defeated was far superior to these people.
Next to Linley, the big-bearded Bates said softly, “Linley, any Highgods who wish to participate in this arena are permitted to, so of course there will be differences in quality. However, true experts will occasionally appear as well, which is why the ordinary battles will of course be considered by you as uninteresting.”
“Occasionally appear?” Linley shook his head, feeling resigned.
The reason he had come was to watch experts do battle. According to their plans, they would only stay for a day or two at this Miluo Island. After finishing their shopping at the Free Castle, they would leave. He didn’t have time to wait here for experts to appear.
“Unfortunate.” Linley sighed.
“The experts here at the Arena are actually fairly common.” Bates said in a hushed voice. “The Highgod Arena has a rule; if one can defeat ten combatants in a row, then all items at the Free Castle will be 10% off. If one wins fifty victories, everything in the Free Castle will be 20% off. But if you win a hundred victories! All items in the Free Castle will be at half price, and in addition, a reward of ten billion inkstones will be given! At the same time, one will be qualified to enter a secret area of the western part of the island to do a special viewing!”
Half price shopping and a ten billion inkstone reward? Linley didn’t care too much about those, but…
“A special viewing of a secret area in the western island? What does that mean?” Linley was rather puzzled.
The eastern part of the island was publicly open to anyone, but the western part of the island was forbidden to outsiders. However, Linley had never heard of a ‘secret area’ in the western part of the island.
“Miluo Island is jointly controlled and run by five great clans. The disciples of these five clans, as well as the island guards, all live on the western part of the island. However, supposedly, the western part of the island has an extremely important hidden area. Only someone who receives a joint invitation from the five clans or someone who wins a hundred victories is qualified to go pay a visit.” Bates sighed.
Linley couldn’t help but feel curious.
Five major clans jointly managed Miluo Island. Then…what was this so-called secret area on the western part of the island?
“Bates, you’ve never gone to take a look?” Linley looked at him.
“I would very much like to.” Bates shook his head and laughed. “Only, I value my own life rather highly. Winning ten victories, for me, wouldn’t be too hard. But a hundred? After all, not all combatants will be very weak. If an expert suddenly appears, won’t I be finished?”
“Can it be that nobody has been so lucky as to only encounter weaklings during the hundred battles?” Linley asked.
“Impossible.” Bates shook his head. “Even if you are lucky and only encounter weak Highgods during the first 99 battles whom you defeat, at the 100th battle, the five clans will arrange for one of their own experts to go test the challenger! Every single person who was truly victorious in a hundred battles is a true expert, and has at least my level of power.”
Linley nodded slightly.
It made sense. The five clans wouldn’t so casually toss out ten billion inkstones to someone who was lucky but weak.
“The reward alone is ten billion inkstones. The five clans truly are rich and profligate.” Linley said to himself.
“Linley, if you try for yourself, winning a hundred battles would be very easy.” Bates said enticingly. “Generally speaking, someone at the Six Star Fiend level is capable of winning a hundred battles. Lucky Five Star Fiends also have a shot. After all, generally speaking, you might not see a Seven Star Fiend participate in the Arena even so much as once every ten thousand years.”
Linley chuckled. That was of course the case.
Would an almighty Seven Star Fiend care about ten billion inkstones? But of course, as time passed, over the course of ten thousand years, perhaps a Seven Star Fiend might appear to take part.
“Boss, quick, look!” Bebe said urgently.
“Eh?” Linley looked at Bebe, puzzled. Not just Bebe; even Delia and the others all called out, “Linley, quick, look at the person who appeared in mid-air. That’s the person we encountered back then!”
After having seen the first battle, Linley wasn’t too interested in the arena battles any longer.
But at this moment, Linley immediately turned to look. What he saw shocked him!
In the wide, empty space, there was a familiar figure!
“Him?” A look of amazement appeared on Linley’s face. “Who would have expected that an event which happens perhaps once every ten thousand years is happening right now. Such a powerful expert really has come to participate.”
In the empty space of the arena, a cold, callous man, dressed in a long black robe and carrying a warblade on his back was standing there. His long black hair fluttered loosely in the wind. He stood there like a glacier who had existed for countless years, icy and unapproachable.
In his eyes, electric sparks were dancing.