Liu Zishan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. Clearly, the name had left a deep impression on her. She said unhurriedly,
"The person Young Master Su speaks of, of course I know him."
"He has become quite the celebrity in our Heavenly Revelation Arena lately..."
At this, Liu Zishan glanced at the expressionless Xuan Ning beside her and let out a tinkling laugh.
"Strange, isn't it? He is clearly from the Ancient Clan Xuan Family, yet he came to this little place of mine to fight for a Qualification Token."
"He has now won ninety-five consecutive matches. He only needs five more victories to complete a hundred wins."
At those words, Xuan Ning's face turned icy. With an unhappy expression, he snorted coldly.
"Humph!"
"As a member of the dignified Hidden Ancient Clan Xuan Family, how could he enter such a motley, low-class place to entertain others as a spectacle?"
"He truly wants to drag the Xuan Family's reputation through the mud!"
Liu Zishan shrugged helplessly and said,
"Our arena has never forced anyone to participate."
"This little place of mine cannot afford to provoke the Ancient Clan Xuan Family."
"The hundred deathmatches were Young Master Aotian's own choice. They have nothing to do with our arena."
She had operated the arena for over a hundred years precisely to find exceptionally gifted young prodigies within it, to place her bets on them and have them help her return to the Purple Yin Spirit Snake clan.
Originally, she had finally found Xuan Aotian. Whether in talent or background, he was no ordinary man.
She had intended to place her bet on him, but after seeing this Imperial Clan Young Master today, she changed her mind.
Ding! Destined Female Lead Liu Zishan has decided to abandon her investment in Xuan Aotian. Xuan Aotian has lost 1000 Luck Points! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining 1000 Villain Points!
She had already shifted targets?
What a cold yet practical woman.
Su Chenxiao did not pay it much mind. Instead, he looked down at the arena below.
The arena had a total of twelve sections, with nearly a hundred battles every day for people to wager on and enjoy.
Below, the crowd was a sea of people, and not a single seat was empty.
The cultivators in the spectator stands were flushed with excitement. Some stared fanatically at the battlefield below, raising clenched fists and shouting, while others beat their chests and stamped their feet in furious regret over their wagers.
"Hit him! Hit him!"
"I bet ten thousand spirit stones on you!"
"Smash him to pieces!"
Looking at the blazing, bustling scene below, even Su Chenxiao could not help but remark,
"It is quite lively indeed."
"When will Xuan Aotian's deathmatches begin?" Su Chenxiao asked.
Liu Zishan smiled softly. "So this is what Young Master Su came for."
"Xuan Aotian's final five deathmatches were originally scheduled to begin this afternoon."
"But if Young Master Su wishes to watch, then there is no reason they cannot begin now."
Su Chenxiao cast a rather amused glance at Xuan Ning beside him, then nodded.
"Then let him begin now."
"As it happens, I also wish to meet this Xuan Clan's Discarded Son, Xuan Aotian."
"Certainly, Young Master Su~"
The third underground level of the arena.
Within the dark, damp dungeon, the roars of terrifying fiend beasts and frenzied cries echoed without end.
"Roar!!!"
"Let me out! Let me out!"
Those imprisoned here were all death-row prisoners and fiend beasts consigned by others for battle, or purchased from outside by the arena.
Inside an open, cramped cell.
A cold-faced young man dressed in black sat cross-legged atop a hard stone bed, his eyes closed as he cultivated.
Dao essence circulated around him, while an incomparably black Great Dao coiled at his side, as though nothing around him could affect him.
His black hair fell loosely over his shoulders. Handsome and stern, his face looked as though it had been carved by a blade, and his brows bore some resemblance to Xuan You, the Xuan Clan Head.
Tap, tap, tap...
At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded.
As the cell door was opened, a potbellied man with shifty eyes entered.
He said with utmost respect,
"Um, Young Master Aotian, are you still cultivating?"
The man was an Arena Deacon.
Though the man before him was nominally an arena fighter, everyone knew that his true identity was a young master of the Ancient Clan Xuan Family!
It was only because he had severed ties with the Xuan Family that he had come to their Heavenly Revelation Arena to obtain a Qualification Token.
Xuan Aotian, seated cross-legged on the stone bed, slowly opened his eyes. A brilliant gleam burst forth from them, carrying an air that seemed capable of swallowing the heavens!
Boom
Cracks instantly spread across the surrounding stone walls. Powerful currents of air erupted from his body, sending ripples through the air.
Undying Realm, Second Layer!
The Fat Deacon was startled by the sudden scene.
The flesh all over his body trembled in waves as he said fearfully,
"Y-Young Master Aotian..."
Xuan Aotian withdrew his cultivation aura and looked indifferently at the Fat Deacon before him.
"What is it?"
The Fat Deacon hurriedly explained,
"Um, Young Master Aotian, you still have your final five battles."
"The Pavilion Master has ordered that your battles scheduled for this afternoon be moved forward. They will begin shortly."
"What do you think, Young Master Aotian...?"
Moved forward?
Xuan Aotian's expression remained calm, his emotions unreadable.
Earlier was fine too. After these past few days of deathmatches, his cultivation had improved considerably.
Not only that, he had now leapt straight into the Second Layer of the Undying Realm.
The time had come. It was time for him to obtain the Qualification Token and leave...
Thinking of this, Xuan Aotian spoke with utter indifference.
"I understand. Go make the arrangements."
"Today, I, Xuan Aotian, will complete a hundred deathmatch victories!"
The Fat Deacon sighed in relief upon hearing this, nodded, and immediately left to arrange the duel.
Within that cramped, oppressive, pitch-black room.
Xuan Aotian stared into the darkness before him, and scenes from the past years flashed through his mind once more.
"You wretch!"
"If you say one more word, then I, Xuan You, will act as though I never had a son like you!"
"You gave birth to me but never raised me. When have you ever fulfilled your duty as a father?!"
"Fine! Since you think you have no son like me and detest me so much, then from this day forward, I, Xuan Aotian, will sever all ties with the Hidden Ancient Clan Xuan Family!"
"Xuan Clan Head, you may pretend you never had a son like me, and I have never had a father like you!"
Ever since he was young, his father had exiled him to other Dao Domains. He had not even seen his mother for the last time.
He had thought they must have had some unspeakable reason, but after his father brought him back to the clan, he inexplicably found himself with a younger brother!
Born with the Two Forms Divine Body, he had reached the Ninth Layer of the Undying Realm at barely twenty years old!
Pulling his thoughts back, Xuan Aotian's gaze became especially cold and resolute.
"Enough..."
"I, Xuan Aotian, have never needed to rely on anyone from childhood to this day!"
He would make that biased father understand.
Even without relying on the Lineage, he could still obtain a Qualification Token to enter the Crimson Meteor Burial Ground!
Before you continue