Indiscriminate Arena

"This way, honored sir."

The attendant at the Suo Tuo Great Soul Arena respectfully led the way, showing no sign of disdain for Zhao Xuan's young age.

Along the way, many passing guests and Soul Masters looked at Zhao Xuan with surprise. The first reason was his outstanding appearance, and the second was that he looked far too young.

Holding the mask Flender had given him, Zhao Xuan seemed to understand why Flender handed it to him.

"Is the Indiscriminate Arena underground?"

After putting on the mask, Zhao Xuan looked at the somewhat deep stairs before him and asked the attendant beside him.

"Yes, the more dangerous arenas are below. On the first floor, there's only the Gambling Arena," the attendant replied.

Zhao Xuan nodded, showing no surprise. It was perfectly normal for darkness to hide beneath the surface of light.

Bright candles were lit on both sides of the deep stairs, but their flames couldn't dispel the darkness. The candlelight was confined to a very small area, making the entire staircase feel chilling.

Zhao Xuan followed the attendant down. On the stairs, he faintly heard subtle sounds from below. As they got closer, the sounds grew louder.

The moment he stepped out of the stairs, the light swallowed by darkness returned to the human world. Simultaneously, a huge uproar echoed in his ears: roars, curses, gasps, sobs...

These noisy sounds came from all directions. Zhao Xuan felt a bit uncomfortable. He frowned and turned to look around.

It was a large circular hall. Many crystal lamps hung from the ceiling, adorned with bead curtains strung with crystals that emitted dazzling light.

In the very center of the hall was a circular counter, where the most people were gathered. Others were scattered in small groups throughout the hall.

Along the edges of the hall were over fifty passages. Zhao Xuan was in one of them, and the clamorous sounds were emanating from some of these passages.

"Sir, you can register for whichever arena you wish to participate in at the counter over there," the attendant beside him said, pointing to the center of the hall.

Zhao Xuan nodded and walked towards the counter, his figure attracting many gazes.

Many people talking in the hall stopped, their eyes fixed on Zhao Xuan, most of them with ill intent.

"A newcomer?"

"Interesting, another prey has arrived."

"Heh heh, it's a shame I can't see his face through the mask. Otherwise, I could imagine the scene of my fingertips tearing his face apart."

Someone laughed strangely, their voice sharp and irritating, like a stuck door being dragged open.

Beneath the mask, Zhao Xuan's expression was calm, as if the surrounding environment had no effect on him.

He reached the counter and presented his Iron Soul Badge.

"Hello, I'd like to register for the Indiscriminate Arena," Zhao Xuan said, his voice a little deep but still carrying a hint of youth.

A flicker of surprise flashed in the eyes of the counter staff, but he quickly and respectfully took Zhao Xuan's badge.

"Please wait a moment, honored sir," he said after briefly recording some information.

"Your match will begin in ten minutes on the Earth Character Number Three Arena. You can wait here until then."

Zhao Xuan nodded and casually stood in a corner of the hall.

The people around them withdrew their gazes from Zhao Xuan, but Zhao Xuan's attention was once again drawn to them.

These people had varied appearances. Some, like Zhao Xuan, concealed their faces, clearly not wanting to be recognized. Many, judging by their appearance, couldn't be identified as Soul Masters, but Zhao Xuan could sense the Soul Power fluctuations emanating from them to varying degrees.

There was a disheveled old man sitting in a corner of the hall, holding a wine gourd, his face deeply lined like ravines, and flushed red.

A young woman in an elegant red dress, dignified and radiant, was like a spotlight just by standing there, drawing people's attention.

And then there were others...

Here, the Soul Masters who were highly respected in the outside world were like common goods, their nobility unrecognized. Soon, they would even be gawked at like monkeys.

During the wait, sounds occasionally erupted from the hall as Soul Masters, whose nicknames were called out, hurried into a passage.

Zhao Xuan stood quietly, feeling a sense of awe at this place. Who could have imagined what the world was like here?!

"Please, 'Ink Black Profound Mechanism,' proceed to the Earth Character Number Seven Soul Arena." The announcement was made three times in the hall.

"It's my turn."

Zhao Xuan smiled, a blazing fire instantly igniting in his heart. He felt the blood in his entire body boiling.

Sometimes he found himself strange. He wasn't someone who craved battle. His dream was to be a salted fish, living a lazy, leisurely life.

But deep within his body, there seemed to be an inextinguishable flame burning, driving him to fight.

He walked into the passage leading to the Earth Character Number Seven Arena, where a waiting attendant stood at the destination.

At this moment, there were two deep, dark passages leading left and right. In the distance, an exit filled with light was faintly visible. The attendant pointed to one of the passages.

"Sir, please."

Zhao Xuan stepped into the darkness. The surroundings became surprisingly quiet, a scene that could make one uneasy, as if one could hear their own heart pounding.

This seemed to be the designer's intention. He seemed to whisper from an unknown corner: feel the darkness, feel the surging hot blood, feel the loneliness, then emerge from the darkness, step into the light, and fight!

The moment he stepped out of the darkness, the surging hot blood rushed to his head, making his face flush.

"Let's welcome our other challenger, 'Ink Black Profound Mechanism'! He is a Level 34 Control System Battle Soul Elder!"

"And his opponent is the Level 45 Battle Soul Sect Master, 'Blood Colored Lone Wolf,' who has already achieved five consecutive victories in this arena."

"This is a long-awaited rank-difference battle! Roar, everyone!"

Before he could see the person, he heard the voice. Zhao Xuan, who had just walked out of the passage, heard the host's frenzied shouts.

The surrounding audience seemed to have boiled over, their clamorous voices echoing in the enclosed space, with excited and wild shouts rising one after another!

"Lone Wolf! Take down that rookie!"

"Kill him! Let his blood spill!"

"..."

The surrounding audience was wild, but the scene on the stage was strangely calm.

Zhao Xuan first surveyed the environment on the stage. They were standing on a platform fifty meters square. Surrounding the platform were high stands, where the audience, screaming their lungs out, sat.

The arena was dim, as if to enhance the atmosphere. Dim yellow crystal lamps were hung all around.

Then, Zhao Xuan looked across at the man whose gaze was like a falcon's