Be the Freest Person in the World!
As he spoke, a burning fighting spirit flashed in his eyes.
"The opponents in Eastsea City are too weak; they quickly lose their appeal. I've heard that here, Soul Ancestor fighters are quite common. And if a winning streak is triggered, the arena manager might even send out a Soul King level expert to fight!"
I need to become stronger.
He spoke his last words softly, yet with a heavy sense of certainty.
The wind whipped his black hair, and the alleyway light shone brightly in his eyes.
It's not for any other reason.
Only when you are strong enough can you protect whomever you want and go wherever you want.
Only by standing at the highest point can you avoid having to consider anyone's feelings and protect the people you care about.
Be the freest person in the world!
Gu Yue followed behind him, watching his back, and remained silent for a moment.
She could hear the seriousness in his tone.
This isn't just empty talk; it's a genuine, desperate effort to climb higher.
This guy, when he gets serious, he actually looks quite impressive.
"Hello."
Gu Yue called out to him.
Bai Yushan turned around. "What?"
I'll go too.
Gu Yue raised her chin, her tone somewhat matter-of-fact. "I have to keep an eye on you for Na'er. Who knows what might happen if you get carried away and cause trouble? I'll have to help you out as needed."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yushan paused, turned around, and looked her up and down with surprise in his eyes, as if he had heard something incredibly new.
"You'd be so kind?"
He uttered the sentence slowly, his tone revealing undisguised suspicion.
"Go to hell, Bai Yushan!"
Gu Yue immediately bristled, her purple eyes glaring, and she almost raised her hand to hit him.
"I was just trying to be nice and prevent you from getting into trouble, and you're making sarcastic remarks?" She puffed out her cheeks, her long, silvery-white hair swaying with her anger. "If you're so capable, then don't come crying for help later!"
"Did I scream for help?"
Bai Yushan scoffed, pointing to himself, "Me? Need you to save me? You little brat, you'd better take care of yourself first. Don't hide behind me when the fight breaks out."
"It's still uncertain who's hiding behind whom!"
The two walked along the street, exchanging words and refusing to back down, but their steps unconsciously kept pace with each other.
The harbor wind, carrying the salty smell of the sea, blew in, lifting the hems of their clothes and strands of hair.
Skysea City was still bustling at night. Cargo ships were still loading and unloading at the dock, and noisy drinking games could be heard from the taverns on the street. Occasionally, taxi drivers in naval uniforms would walk by in formation, their footsteps in perfect unison, exuding a tough and efficient air.
As they walked along, many passersby subconsciously glanced in their direction.
After all, even in ordinary casual clothes, these two were too eye-catching. One was tall and straight with flamboyant black hair, exuding a carefree and fearless vibe; the other had silver hair and purple eyes, with skin as white as snow, and was as cold and beautiful as an ice sculpture. It would be difficult for them not to stand out in a crowd.
After walking for about fifteen minutes and turning two corners, a huge building came into view.
Instead of the dilapidated entrance to the underground boxing ring I had imagined, it was a magnificent auction house.
The main building is five or six stories high, with its exterior walls covered in polished white marble bricks. A two-person-tall gilded soul-guided beast statue stands at the entrance, and the Soul Guidance Lamp at the entrance are so bright that they illuminate the steps in front of the door as if it were daytime.
The people coming and going were all dressed in fine clothes; some were wealthy merchants in long robes and mandarin jackets, others were Soul Master carrying swords, and there were even a few officers in naval uniforms, who were greeted with smiles as they were welcomed inside.
The entire building exudes an air of extravagant wastefulness, which has absolutely nothing to do with the words "underground boxing ring".
"This is what you call underground fighting?" Gu Yue paused, raising an eyebrow at Bai Yushan. "Isn't this just an auction house?"
"It's ostensibly an auction house."
Bai Yushan shrugged and walked towards the side entrance. "The real venue is underground. Enter through the side entrance. They openly conduct auctions, but secretly hold boxing matches, making money from both sides. It's the same old trick."
As he spoke, he stopped in the shadows beside the side door and took out two masks from his Storage Soul Tool.
One was his usual white tiger mask, pure white with sharp tiger stripes, revealing only the eyes and jawline. The other was a silver-gray fox-shaped mask with soft lines, perfectly covering half of his face.
"Put it on."
Bai Yushan handed over the fox-shaped mask.
"Why do you still need to wear a mask?" Gu Yue took the mask, examined it in her hand, and looked a little puzzled.
"Don't show your face in a place like this."
Bai Yushan had already put the white tiger mask on his face, his voice muffled, "This kind of place is a mixed bag, you'll find all sorts of people. Just watch the game quietly and don't talk to strangers."
His tone carried an unusual hint of admonition.
Gu Yue's heart stirred slightly, but she didn't mince words.
"You don't need to tell me." She snorted and put on the silver fox mask, revealing only a pair of shimmering purple eyes and a delicately shaped jawline.
Her originally aloof and elegant demeanor, once concealed by the mask, gained an added touch of mysterious allure.
Bai Yushan glanced at her, said nothing, and turned to walk into the side door.
Gu Yue quickly followed.
Stepping through the side door, you enter a long, narrow corridor with dark wood paneling on the walls. Every few steps, there is a wall lamp, casting a dim but quiet light, a world apart from the hustle and bustle outside.
At intervals along the wall, there is an inconspicuous tiger head mark, each facing a different direction.
Bai Yushan kept walking, turning left and right in the direction of the markers, as if he knew the way well.
Gu Yue followed behind, winding and turning so many times that she almost got dizzy herself.
After turning countless corners, a heavy metal elevator finally appeared ahead. Standing beside the elevator door was a waiter in a black suit, his back straight and his aura calm, clearly Three-Ring Soul Elder Master.
Even the gatekeeper is Three-Ring Soul Elder?
Gu Yue was secretly surprised.
The underground boxing ring in Skysea City was indeed much larger in scale than that in Eastsea City.
"Excuse me, gentlemen."
The waiter stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said in a formal yet respectful tone, "This is a restricted area inside the auction house; please stop here."
He spoke to the two of them, but his gaze subtly swept over Bai Yushan, carrying a hint of wariness.
Bai Yushan didn't speak, but reached in and took out a token.
The token was forged from dark silver, about the size of a palm, and engraved with a fierce tiger descending a mountain. Two dark red soul guide crystals were inlaid in the tiger's eyes, gleaming faintly in the dim light.
He casually tossed the token to the waiter.
The waiter quickly caught it with both hands, took out a palm-sized reader, and placed the token on it.
"Drop--"
With a soft click, the identifier lit up with a green halo.
The waiter immediately returned the token with both hands, bowing even deeper.
"Respected Level 4 boxer, welcome to the Skysea City Underground Fighting Arena."
"Please come in."
He stepped aside to make way and reached out to press the elevator button.
The metal elevator doors slowly opened, revealing a spacious interior with simple yet substantial decor. All four sides were made of alloy steel plates engraved with defensive patterns.
Bai Yushan nodded and led Gu Yue inside.
The elevator doors closed slowly, gave a slight jolt, and began to descend.