Watching powerful humans fight Demon Beasts to the death in the gladiatorial arena was a hallmark of the rich and powerful. Chu Lingguang had never set foot inside one, let alone imagined that he would one day be fighting a Demon Beast there himself.

To become a spectacle for the scions of nobility.

However, both he and Guo Wei understood that Mr. Du had arranged this to foster his growth, allowing him to fight a Demon Beast in a relatively safe environment.

An Attendant from Du’s Mansion escorted Chu Lingguang to the gladiatorial arena. After Chu Lingguang presented the numbered bamboo slip given to him by Du Wushuang, he was led by the staff into a narrow corridor. There, he was first given a black mask. Once he put it on, Chu Lingguang was ushered into a large, circular hall.

Inside the hall, a dozen or so people in black masks were scattered about. Some were sitting and resting, some were performing Breathing and Exhaling exercises, and others were polishing their weapons.

Lining the hall’s perimeter were several Soldier Landing Platforms, stocked with every imaginable type of weapon. Sets of protective gear hung on the walls, and some people were selecting their sizes and putting them on as if no one else was there.

Chu Lingguang’s arrival didn’t draw any attention from the others.

Chu Lingguang glanced at his number.

Fourteen.

’Not a very lucky number, it seems.’

He hadn’t brought his Lightning Spear; Mr. Du had specifically arranged it that way. Chu Lingguang could only choose a weapon from the Soldier Landing Platforms. Unsurprisingly, he picked a Long Spear that was about two meters in length.

WHOOSH!

In front of everyone, Chu Lingguang performed the Basic Thirteen Spear Techniques.

The others gave him a brief glance.

’It’s much heavier than the Lightning Spear—I’d say fifty or sixty pounds at least. But with my current Qi Power, this weight is perfect.’

Chu Lingguang inwardly approved.

Although the material of this black Long Spear wasn’t as fine as the Lightning Spear’s, it was leagues better than any weapon from Boss Zhuang’s smithy. On the open market, it would certainly be considered a fine spear.

"The bone broth and meat are here!"

Just then, staff from the gladiatorial arena brought in several basins of freshly roasted Demon Beast Flesh and Blood slathered in sauce, along with two large cauldrons of Demon Beast bone broth.

The dozen or so people waiting in the circular hall rushed over, grabbing chunks of the Demon Beast Flesh and Blood and tearing into them. They also gulped down bowl after bowl of the snow-white bone broth.

Chu Lingguang didn’t hesitate. This was a fortifying meal before his fight with the Demon Beast. He wasn’t made of iron; he needed to fuel up just like everyone else.

He feasted with the others, and after his bowl of broth was empty, he lifted the earthenware pot and poured more directly into his mouth. Then, he used the Zhenyuan Technique to digest the food and broth, eliminating the feeling of being full.

"Number Seven."

A man who had already finished his meal and was sitting on the floor performing Breathing and Exhaling exercises—and who was already clad in a suit of black armor—was called out by a member of the arena staff.

Chu Lingguang watched the man’s retreating figure. Unsurprisingly, he was being called to fight a Demon Beast.

From snippets of conversation, Chu Lingguang learned that the Kong Family Gladiatorial Arena both trained its own Martial Artists to fight Demon Beasts and recruited external ones. Each recruit had to complete at least three battles, unless they were defeated before then.

Win or lose, every recruit received generous pay. The more battles they fought, the more they earned, and each victory came with an additional bonus.

The gladiatorial arena, however, was a for-profit enterprise.

Chu Lingguang understood that the level of danger for those recruits was certainly much higher than his own. Even if they managed to survive three matches, they would typically leave injured, sometimes with irreversible internal damage.

They were trading their lives for money.

The world was a harsh place, and life wasn’t fair. Chu Lingguang felt a secret sense of relief that he had his connection to Mr. Du. He might not be earning a generous income in silver taels, but he could improve his cultivation bit by bit in a relatively safe environment. Once he adapted to the arena, and then went to fight in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, his cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.

"What number are you?"

a man with a gruff voice asked.

"Fourteen."

Chu Lingguang showed him the bamboo slip.

"I’m fifteen, so you’re before me. You’re not planning to wear any protective gear?"

the man asked, curious.

Chu Lingguang looked at the man’s armor. It was similar to that of the Black Armored Warriors from the Trial Ground, covering him from head to toe.

Most of the armor on the walls was of this type.

Chu Lingguang took a closer look, hefting a few of the sets. He found that their weights varied. Some were woven from Iron Wire Grass and coated with a layer of oil; while their defense couldn’t compare to Qi Phase Scale Armor, it was better than nothing.

The heavier sets were assembled from solid iron plates, and their defensive capabilities seemed to rival Qi Phase Scale Armor.

But regardless of whether it was the lighter or heavier armor, Chu Lingguang had no intention of wearing any. He already had an invisible, yet supremely safe, layer of protection: Mr. Du.

’After all, I’m here to fight a Demon Beast primarily to improve my cultivation. My safety is already guaranteed by Mr. Du.’

’Wearing armor would hinder my performance, and it would also show a lack of trust in Mr. Du. Besides, being overly cautious would affect my mindset.’

So he smiled and said, "None of this armor really suits me."

"Hmph. Suit yourself, then."

The gruff-voiced man shook his head slightly and didn’t bother with Chu Lingguang anymore. This wasn’t his first time fighting Demon Beasts in the Kong Family Gladiatorial Arena. He’d seen plenty of people like Chu Lingguang before—those who were overconfident in their cultivation or considered armor a hindrance, only to be gravely wounded or even killed by a Demon Beast.

He’d noticed that Chu Lingguang was a new face, likely here at the Kong Family Gladiatorial Arena for the first time to earn silver taels, which was why he had offered a kind reminder. Since Chu Lingguang didn’t appreciate it, there was no need to waste any more of his time.