Martial Arena, A Century-Old Noble Clan

"Have you ever heard of the Martial Arena?"

Huang Hui asked with a faint smile as he led Lu Yuan toward the exit.

"I have. It seems to be a place where martial artists engage in gambling matches."

Lu Yuan nodded.

In truth, he had considered going to the Martial Arena to gamble and earn money before.

However, he hadn't possessed many trump cards at the time, and given the inherent uncertainty of such matches, he hadn't dared to take the risk.

After all, the pugilistic world was vast, and he wasn't the only one who knew how to keep a few tricks up his sleeve; if his luck were poor, he might run into some truly cunning veteran.

But now, he had officially entered the ranks, was on the verge of mastering Iron Skin, and had even condensed Blazing Sword Qi. It might be hard to say for other places, but in Qinghe County, it would be no exaggeration to say he could sweep through the competition.

As long as the pay was sufficient, he wasn't opposed to a gambling match.

"Our Qinghe County has three great clans that have been passed down for over a century: the Qian Family, the Zheng Family, and the Zhang Family. Their foundations are far deeper than those of ordinary wealthy households like the Zhou Family or the Zhao Family. It is a pity that they rarely sponsor geniuses of other surnames; otherwise, both you and Cao Yang should have been able to choose one to rely upon."

Huang Hui smiled, then continued, "The three families have many members, and even among the younger generation, it isn't hard to find true martial geniuses. Even if there are one or two top-tier geniuses with excellent bone structure, it is likely only those legendary super-tier geniuses who would make them take special notice."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan remained calm.

Although the Zhou Family was not a century-old clan, their sponsorship was enough to support him until the Martial Examination.

When he first entered the path of martial arts, he had no resources and was indeed in urgent need of support.

But now, not only had he officially entered the ranks, but he was also about to master Iron Skin. With sufficient confidence and the Zhou Family's decent support, there was no need to be greedy for more.

Moreover, even if the three great clans offered more generous support, there would inevitably be invisible shackles attached.

More importantly, he was about to pass the Martial Examination and head to the Prefecture Martial Academy. The resources he would be able to obtain then would be far beyond what a county-level clan could compare to.

In short, even if the three families were willing to sponsor him now, it wouldn't tempt him in the slightest.

"This gambling match was arranged by two direct descendants of the Zheng and Zhang families. It consists of three rounds, and one is allowed to invite others to assist. The seventh young master of the Zheng Family, Zheng Shuang, has promised that as long as you are willing to fight, you will receive five hundred taels regardless of the outcome. If you win, the reward will double!"

Huang Hui turned to look at Lu Yuan, his eyes showing a hint of surprise as he said, "Lu Yuan, although you have opened your dantian and are a quasi-ranked martial artist, the helpers invited by the Zhang Family may very well be quasi-ranked as well."

Lu Yuan simply nodded, saying nothing more.

He would naturally take the one-thousand-tael reward.

"This match requires signing a Life-Death Contract, and any means are permitted. Your hidden weapons might prove to be a surprise, greatly increasing your chances of victory."

Huang Hui pondered for a moment before adding.

"Master Huang, do the Zheng and Zhang families not have any quasi-ranked experts of their own?"

Lu Yuan nodded slightly, then asked with curiosity.

Logically, in such century-old clans, let alone quasi-ranked experts, even ranked experts should exist.

"They naturally do. But unless they are completely tearing off the mask of civility, the two families generally do not easily deploy their own quasi-ranked experts. Otherwise, there would be no need for this gambling match to take place at all."

Huang Hui explained with a smile.

There was something he didn't say: cultivating a quasi-ranked expert consumed an unimaginable amount of silver and resources. Even for a century-old clan, losing one was a significant price to pay.

Inviting a helper, however, cost at most one thousand taels. Regardless of whether they lived or died, it wasn't a major loss for either family.

Simply put, they weren't their own experts, so they wouldn't feel the sting of loss if they died.

"Could there be ranked martial artists, or even a ninth-rank expert who has mastered Iron Skin?"

Lu Yuan's gaze flickered as he asked.

If he were truly to face a ninth-rank expert with Iron Skin, he would likely have to use his Blazing Sun Sword Qi to ensure victory.

"It is almost impossible!"

Huang Hui shook his head and laughed, "Not to mention that the ranked experts in all of Qinghe County can be counted on one hand, their status and position alone would prevent them from personally entering the arena to gamble for a mere one thousand taels."

The implication was that no ranked expert would be that poor, nor could they afford to lose that much face.

Lu Yuan could only shake his head helplessly at this. That was right; he was exactly that kind of poor ranked expert.

However, earning money wasn't shameful.

Once he passed the Martial Examination, he would head to the Prefecture Martial Academy. The expenses there would be far greater than what he faced now; how could he not save more to prepare for a rainy day?

Furthermore, before he left for the prefecture, he needed to ensure the best possible living conditions and safety for Madam Yang and Little Nannan, which would also require a significant amount of silver.

Before long, the two arrived outside the Martial Arena.

After passing through a rather hidden and special portal, they walked into a massive underground plaza.

Though it was underground, it was brightly lit and teeming with people.

"Damn it... kill him!"

"Use an uppercut, smash him in the gut!"

"Trash, you made me lose again!"

On every stage, people were engaged in fierce combat.

Not only did every punch land with visceral impact, but they also employed every conceivable underhanded tactic.

There were no flashy techniques, only the most direct and lethal killing moves, such as eye-gouging, groin-kicking, and throat-locking.

Below these rings, crowds gathered, each person watching with unbridled excitement.

Yet, as the battles on the rings concluded, some rejoiced while others despaired.

Those who had placed winning bets were naturally overjoyed.

Those who had failed to bet correctly could only hang their heads, cursing and sighing in frustration.

"Screw your mother, give me my money back!"

Some, blinded by their losses, even shrieked for refunds.

The result, naturally, was being carried out and tossed away.

The atmosphere was incredibly intense; even Lu Yuan, who had just arrived, couldn't help but feel his blood begin to boil.

He could also tell that most of the people surrounding these rings were either wealthy or influential.

They likely came to this Martial Arena not just to make money, but to chase the thrill of adrenaline.

In his past life, many wealthy individuals would personally attend various stadiums to experience the intensity of sports like football or basketball firsthand.

Compared to those games, the combat and slaughter between martial artists before his eyes naturally brought a far greater rush of adrenaline.

"These are just ordinary rings, and they are basically only used by martial artists below the Transformation Realm for gambling matches."

Huang Hui smiled at Lu Yuan and introduced, "The Martial Arena generally has three types of matches. The first is the 'Living Stake'; as long as you can endure for the duration of one incense stick, you can earn one to five taels of silver."

"The second is 'Fierce Combat' to decide the victor; the winner takes ten taels, and the loser takes five."

"The third is the 'Life-and-Death Draw,' where one not only decides the victor but also determines who lives and who dies. The winner can take fifty taels."

"As for the loser, their life stays behind!"