The Times Have Changed

Three months later, the "Number One Martial Arts Tournament" was in full swing in Black Dragon City.

Similar martial arts tournaments have been organized in various territories across the Ice Ridge Wasteland in the past. However, no force has been able to offer any truly attractive rewards, not even the royal families of the two former empires.

The prizes weren't attractive enough, so even grandmasters and Grandmaster rarely stooped to participate in martial arts tournaments where people would judge each other's skill levels.

Most of the time, they send some of their younger disciples to participate in the competition.

Therefore, no martial arts tournament has ever dared to use such an arrogant title as "the Number One Martial Arts Tournament".

But Black Dragon City has the confidence this time!

This is a treasure that would make even a level 5 expert's heart flutter, even just as a prize for the competition.

The top 100 will receive a complete set of Gold Quality potions from First Tier to Tier 5 as a reward. The top 100, top 30, top 10, and top 3 will receive even more unimaginable prizes.

The exclusive inheritance of the "Seventy-Two Divine Generals Sequence" includes everything from magic potions, Cultivation Method, martial arts skills, Famous Weapons and Swords, to Advanced Mechanical Equipment.

This is something that no other territory can provide; only Black Dragon City can offer such a "grand gesture"!

This is the true temptation that even High-tier Extraordinary cannot resist.

Olga, the "One-Blade Style"Blind Eye Grandmaster who had been retired for many years, Igor, the Great Mountain Shield, and Baji, the "Thorn Witch," were among the many familiar veteran masters who appeared at the tournament.

Details of their epic battle circulated throughout the taverns and alleys of Black Dragon City.

With more top-level participants, the conference naturally becomes more prestigious.

In recent years, some of the former "Ten Great Legends" have died or disappeared. Others, like Master Cavo, became teachers in Black Dragon City and retired; Bazel stopped being a phantom thief and never appeared again.

The debate over who is "Number One Under Heaven" has gradually taken on new interpretations.

This has attracted a large number of true experts to compete for the title and the prizes.

Countless true Transcendent gathered in Black Dragon City, attracting a large number of onlookers.

Black Dragon City was bustling with activity for a time.

The high-ranking officials of the two great empires Sid and Omar, once thought that this martial arts tournament was a "scheme" of Black Dragon City.

They secretly dispatched a large number of intelligence agents to investigate.

They assumed Black Dragon City wanted to recruit these Transcendent experts from all over the world, or perhaps use underhanded tactics to secretly eliminate those who had previously been hostile to Black Dragon City.

For example, the top experts from the official Xid Empire.

Later it turned out that there was no such thing at all.

This was just a perfectly normal martial arts tournament. Many nobles even mocked Black Dragon City's extravagant spending, calling it a waste of resources. Giving away so many treasures just for a little bit of popularity?

The "Number One Martial Arts Tournament," which has lasted for nearly half a month, is drawing to a close.

The top 32 teams for both the Youth Group and the Unrestricted Advanced Group have been determined.

In such a nationwide event, the most lively places are still the various taverns.

Black Dragon City has now been transformed into a sub-city specifically for the development of the entertainment industry, boasting thousands of taverns, gambling dens, and brothels of various kinds.

In the city, at the "Giant's Tavern".

This tavern is famous for selling "Black Dove Wine," a specialty from the remote mountains of northern Sid.

Because of the martial arts tournament, the tavern was packed with people even though it was daytime.

The list of the top 32 finalists was posted on the notice board at the tavern bar.

The bookmakers have already set up the betting odds. Even the Black Dragon City government has released a "fighting betting lottery" that costs only two copper coins and promises a prize of five million if you guess correctly.

The patrons eagerly guessed the winners and placed bets on their favorites.

"Haha. I think 'Iron Wall' A Tong from the 'Unlimited Group' will definitely be in the top three! Even Grandmaster didn't get the upper hand in the competition the other day."

"I think that 'Soul Reaper' Roberts will definitely be the champion. I bet 100 Gold Kron crowns on him to win."

"Yes, I think so too. After all, he's a 'legend,' and I heard he used to be a gladiator slave."

"If it weren't for this martial arts tournament, we wouldn't have known that there were legendary masters on the 'Ten Great Legends' list. The Ice Ridge Wasteland truly is a place where hidden talents abound!"

"."

The drinkers gathered in small groups of two or three to chat and joke around.

In a corner by the window, a burly man with a rough appearance and a young man wearing a hat were drinking.

The young man seemed to really like the "Black Dove Wine," and drank several pitchers in a row.

"I must say, senior Bazel, your tavern is doing quite well."

"Hehe. You see, in case I have to leave the Ice Ridge Wasteland someday, I want to leave my people a way to make a living. We werewolves aren't very good at business, and we can't always be phantom thieves or bandits, can we? We're really grateful to Miss Canossa for her idea to set up this unique tavern."

"."

These two are naturally Bazel and Rein.

The two got carried away with their drinking, gulping down drinks one after another.

At this moment, Bazel asked again, "Hey, Rein, you organized this 'Number One Martial Arts Tournament' and even pretended to participate, how come you withdrew after only reaching the top 32? I thought you were trying to win a championship or something."

Rein smiled faintly and said, "I just went to see the top experts in each profession. There were indeed some very powerful experts among the contestants, and I met them all. Their Transcendent abilities inspired me a lot. Now that I've achieved my goal, there's no need to compete for any titles."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Bazel's eyes, and he asked with some surprise, "What, are there no formidable opponents among this batch of contestants?"

"There are still a few very skilled individuals."

Rein shrugged and took another sip of his drink.

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes, and then smiled as he added, "But if you go all out, there's no way."

"."

When Bazel heard what Rein said, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

After a moment of contemplation, he smiled wryly and said, "When you were at the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent, I felt I could still manage to control you. Now, I have absolutely no idea how strong you are."

"."

Rein smiled noncommittally.

At that moment, for some reason, Bazel suddenly recalled the first time he met Rein in City of Radiance.

That was outside Ilubeck's laboratory.

Bazel feared that Rein would reveal his whereabouts and planned to kill him to silence him.

Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, a solution was found to remove the Fine Needle from his body.

And then I just watched this guy cause trouble all the way.

Then it progressed at an astonishing speed.

Second Tier, Third Tier, and Fourth Tier.

In just a few years, he went from being First Tier Transcendent who could be killed with a single finger to becoming a top-tier powerhouse that even he couldn't fathom.

Can one simultaneously comprehend the three laws of power, healing, and lightning?

Hehe

Bazel felt a mixture of helplessness and envy.

Since emerging from the Tomb of the Black Emperor, Rein's cultivation level has advanced by leaps and bounds.

He lived for over two hundred years and had never heard of anyone who could reach such a level.

For Transcendent individual to comprehend a law upon advancing to the fifth rank is considered a talent that is one in a billion.

The Great Shaman Mafat, who had comprehended two laws, was already considered an enigmatic and mysterious figure. And now, Rein has comprehended three?

This guy always manages to redefine his understanding of things, and suddenly he felt like he was used to it.

Unable to figure it out, Bazel didn't dwell on it.

He picked up the wooden wine cup on the table, clinked glasses with it, and said, "Come on! Let's drink!"

Rein smiled and raised his glass.

Actually, this "Number One Martial Arts Tournament" was Metternich's idea.

The purpose, you know.

Naturally, this was to eliminate some "future troubles" for Black Dragon City!

Now that Rein and the others know of the existence of the "outer realm," they also know that if they want to advance to a realm above the Fifth-tier Extraordinary, they must leave the Ice Ridge Wasteland, which is suppressed by laws, and go to the outer realm.

When they leave, they will definitely take a large number of high-end combat forces from Black Dragon City with them.

As things stand, although Black Dragon City is very strong, the stability of the city largely depends on top experts like Cavo and Mafat, which prevents those with ulterior motives from making any rash moves.

Once they are gone, the mechanics or the Wyvern Legion alone will be vulnerable to being taken advantage of.

Sid and Omar are the two biggest hidden dangers.

One of the purposes of holding this conference is to attract top-level Transcendent individuals from the general public.

The experts arrived, and they received the "prizes" and tangible benefits. This also made everyone aware of the precious "Seventy-Two Divine Generals" legacy that Black Dragon City possessed.

The reward will definitely only be a portion.

It whetted their appetite, but didn't completely satisfy them.

This lured those experts to stay in Black Dragon City, hoping to obtain those complete inheritances, magic potions, and cultivation resources.

There's no need to steal or rob; the city has military recruitment and Scavenger Mission exchange programs that provide them with a way to get what they need.

For example, a million mission points can be exchanged for a complete book of "Epic Seventy-Two Divine Generals Martial Technique".

Even top-tier players would need several years to grind and accumulate points for high-level missions.

For top-tier Transcendent, spending several years to obtain the exclusive inheritance they need is absolutely worthwhile.

This will cause most of the experts who came to Black Dragon City to participate in the martial arts tournament to remain in Black Dragon City.

That is the brilliance of Metternich's plan.

There's no need to force those experts to sign any contracts. Let them spend a few years in Black Dragon City and familiarize themselves with everything here.

Rein and his men were absolutely confident that anyone who stayed in Black Dragon City for a long time would never want to leave this "livable city".

The Black Dragon City system is far more humane than that of other human territories.

Only here can you find true "freedom".

Therefore, after a few years, 90% of the Transcendent masters who chose to stay in Black Dragon City will not choose to leave.

Moreover, Black Dragon City has a special policy of "preferential treatment for talent settlement".

Years later, those masters might become "permanent residents" of Black Dragon City, holding certain positions such as officers, instructors, officials, or even martial arts school directors.

Talented individuals are continuously flocking to Black Dragon City.

Moreover, this "Number One Martial Arts Tournament" will not be held only once, but will continue to be held in the future.

This plan will make Black Dragon City stronger and stronger.

Of course, this plan was known only to a few people in the Black Dragon City leadership.

As Rein and Bazel drank, their thoughts drifted away.

At this moment, Bazel suddenly frowned, his expression turning serious before relaxing again.

He calmly said to Rein, "A top-tier vampire has arrived."

"Oh?"

Rein listened without much surprise, because at that moment, a glamorous woman appeared in the tavern.

The one that Bazel calls a "top vampire" is none other than the "Blood Ancestor" Lilith Dracula.

The Blood Ancestor was originally handsome with fair skin, and even the most ordinary-looking vampire had eight-tenths of the beauty of a human.

This Lilith was wearing a low-cut V-neck dress, and her heavy, proud breasts were faintly visible.

As soon as she entered the tavern, she immediately attracted the attention of all the patrons.

The burly, bearded men all forgot to drink, their eyes fixed on the sexy woman.

Of course, if they knew that the alluring woman in front of them was Sid's ancient vampire who had lived for thousands of years, probably no one would dare to offend her like that.

Amidst the envious and jealous gazes of the men, Lilith walked to the small table by the window, where Rein and Bazel were sitting.

Lilith, with a touch of familiarity, sat down next to Rein and asked, "Handsome, would you like to buy me a drink?"

This snuggling position allowed her ample breasts to press against Rein's arm.

Rein smiled slightly and said, "Okay."

A vampire's skin is cool and icy, like a snake's.

Werewolves and vampires are sworn enemies, with deep-seated hatred between them.

Bazel looked at Lilith with obvious annoyance and immediately retorted sarcastically, "Heh. You're an old woman who's lived for over a thousand years, and you're still trying to be seductive. I'm about to throw up all the wine I've been drinking."

"Oh"

Lilith wasn't angry at all, and just snorted.

Werewolves are like dogs in the eyes of vampires, and she wouldn't take such sarcasm to heart.

Moreover, although they were both once among the "Ten Great Legends," she felt that Bazel was no match for her at all.

She casually remarked, "Oh, so now that the stray dog has found a new home, it can bark again?"

This refers to the time when Bazel was being hunted down by a group of high-ranking vampires from Sid and fled Sid.

In the past, such taunts would have definitely made Bazel fly into a rage.

Because what she said was true, and he couldn't beat this old woman.

However, now that Bazel has learned those secret techniques from the Black Emperor's tomb, he doesn't respect anyone in the slightest.

Confident in his abilities, Bazel naturally wouldn't get angry. Besides, he knew that Rein had been wandering around the city these past few days specifically to wait for this woman!

Lilith was surprised to see that Bazel had actually calmed down.

However, she didn't come here today to cause trouble for this werewolf.

She looked at Rein, who remained calm, and with a flick of her bright eyes, said in a soft, seductive voice, "Oh, this handsome young man has a much more composed demeanor than some wolfhounds. I'm really a little fascinated."

Rein raised his hand to Mei, but she wasn't buying it. He had no shortage of beautiful women around him.

Now that the person he was waiting for had shown up, he didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Madam Lilith, I have something to discuss with you."

"Um?"

Upon hearing that tone of voice, Lilith instinctively felt a sense of crisis and her pupils contracted sharply.

Was the other person deliberately waiting for me here?

Could we have fallen into an ambush?

She immediately looked around the tavern but didn't find anyone lying in ambush.

Looking at her like this, Bazel scoffed, "Old woman, no need to look anymore, there's no one else here."

Rein also frankly said, "Since it is an invitation to Lady Lilith, as the city lord, I naturally have the sincerity to entertain guests."

Lilith suddenly felt as if she was being manipulated at every turn, which was very disadvantageous for the negotiations. She wanted to gain some initiative, and with a dangerous glint in her eyes, she said, "Handsome boy, I'm going to kill you. At this distance, Bazel can't protect you."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Bazel, who was drinking wine from his glass, suddenly had a strange expression.

He glanced at Rein beside him, his rough face twitching: Kill him? Ha!

There may still be a few beings in the Ice Ridge Wasteland with Transcendent abilities that can counter Rein, but how can one kill this guy whose healing abilities are practically monstrous?

Tsk tsk, you're probably overthinking it.

This woman probably doesn't know that I'm not here to protect this guy, but simply to keep him company while he drinks.

Lilith made a threat.

Bazel remained calm and silent, continuing to pour himself a drink.

Upon hearing this, Rein narrowed his eyes and said with a half-smile, "Heh, is that so?"

That vampire wasn't joking; there was genuine killing intent in her aura.

Although Rein wasn't the kind of person who was tyrannical and unpredictable, he didn't like being threatened, so he said calmly, "I don't like being threatened."

Moreover, in order to negotiate, the other party must be made aware of the position and situation of both sides.

"Oh?"

Lilith raised an eyebrow, a hint of disdain in her eyes. "So, handsome young man, what do you like?"

So what if I don't like it?

She would dare to say the same thing even if it were in front of Cavo Ramirez, who is known as "the Number One Under Heaven".

She possesses the bloodline of a vampire progenitor, and even in the Black Dragon City teeming with experts, no one can hold her back!

Lilith was very confident, and even leaned her body closer to Rein's, pressing her soft breasts against Rein without any hesitation.

She breathed into Rein's ear again, as if a pair of sharp teeth were about to bite Rein neck, "Do you want to become my bloodline? I can bestow upon you the most precious bloodline of the first prince."

"Vampires? No."

Hearing these words, which carried a hint of spiritual allure, Rein shook his head.

He paused, then uttered a profound statement, "Mrs. Lilith, times have changed."

The next instant, an incomparably domineering purple battle aura erupted.

Rein's eyes sharpened, and he unleashed a powerful punch!

Before anyone could react, a disheveled yet beautiful figure crashed through the tavern's wooden wall.

Then, it crashed down dozens of meters away on the other side of the street.

Amidst the ruins, Lilith stared at Rein in the tavern, her face contorted with disbelief, inwardly screaming, "How is this possible!"