NOVPUBThe combat stage was often repaired, and the repairs were funded by the Ragefire Clan.
Moreover, in the contests of victory and defeat, the rules and order were managed by the Ragefire Clan; whoever violated the agreement, the Ragefire Clan would also help retrieve the Fusion Stones.
There was an interesting rule at the combat stage if you came from outside and had no Fusion Stones but still wanted to participate in the combat and win Fusion Stones.
You could take a loan from the Ragefire Clan, staking your freedom as collateral.
Using the freedom of your future to exchange for Fusion Stones at the Ragefire Clan, if you couldn’t repay within the stipulated time, then you would have to serve as a slave for the Ragefire Clan.
When everyone arrived at the center of the city, they saw people coming and going, with contestants and spectators arriving one after another.
Vendors pushing carts were busy all around, presenting a bustling and prosperous scene.
In the very center of the city, the combat stage opened like a lotus flower, divided into five arenas.
All around, like an amphitheater, was a particularly spacious spectator stand that could accommodate at least ten thousand people at the same time.
The combat stage occupied more than half of the city center, with many shops built around it.
When Xu Zimei and the others arrived, they saw that several thousand people were already seated in the vast spectator stands, creating a lively atmosphere.
In front of the combat stage was a barrier gate; to enter and watch the competition was actually quite simple - it required only one Fusion Stone.
When the group arrived, they were stopped by the disciples of the Ragefire Clan guarding the gate.
"One Fusion Stone per person, don’t you know the rules?" said the disciple.
"We don’t have any," said Mu Zhoubai.
"Don’t have any?" The disciple casually pointed to several places and exclaimed, "You must be new here, there are pawnshops over there; you can exchange valuable items for Fusion Stones.
Next to it, there is also the loan shop of our Ragefire Clan, you are free to choose."
The group looked at one another, then Liu Rufeng asked, "Do any of you have anything valuable on you?"
"Each of us should take out one item," Huangfu Xianyue took the lead and said.
"I have a Venerable’s Vein Skill, unrelated to the Sect Gate, I acquired it incidentally before."
"Then I have a stalk of Netherwood Grass, left over from my previous practice."
...…
Everyone started to take out some items, and Xu Zimei casually took out a Vein Skill book she had seen at the Nine Heavens Imperial Sect before.
After taking these items to the pawnshop, upon examination, they were surprisingly able to exchange them for twelve hundred Fusion Stones.
Fusion Stones were a daily necessity here; although treasured, they were also inexpensive.
"Let’s go, to the combat stage, and win spectacularly. Damn that Ragefire Clan," Mu Zhoubai said.
The group walked into the combat arena and finally experienced its vastness.
There were two passages in the front, the right one for spectator seats, and the left for the contestant’s entry.
"You girls should go to the spectator stands, let us men handle this raucous affair," Fang Xiang said. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
"What, you look down on us? Believe it or not, even if all of you went up, you couldn’t beat me," Huangfu Xianyue retorted.
Being the Saintess of the Realm Emperor Holy Sect, her strength was certainly far above everyone else’s; note that being a Saintess requires both strength and talent.
Mu Zhoubai chuckled next to her and said, "We are just spearheading this, if we can’t manage, then you can take our place on the stage."
"That’s a better way to put it," Huangfu Xianyue smiled and said, "But let’s still go together, that’ll be more reassuring."
Everybody nodded and walked into the contestant’s passage together.
This contestant’s passage seemed to be built underground; the lighting on both sides was somewhat dim.
The corridor wasn’t very long before there was a large door directly ahead, with a desk in front of it; someone seemed to be registering something there.
As everyone approached, the person looked up and asked, "Which level of the competition are you participating in: hundred, thousand, ten thousand, or higher?"
"A hundred matches, right?" the crowd thought for a moment and replied.
After all, there are only so many Fusion Stones; those unable to participate cannot enter here.
"Take your Tokens and go register," the man said casually as he handed several iron Tokens to Xu Zimei’s group.
Xu Zimei held the Token and examined it, noticing it was just made of ordinary iron with the number one hundred engraved on it.
When the people passed through this door and entered inside, their field of vision finally opened up completely.
This was a massive underground city.
Irregular walls lined with clusters of flames, the fire burning atop skulls.
People were coming and going, all competitors.
Xu Zimei glanced around, estimating there were several hundred people.
These people had a heavy murderous aura, their eyes showed disregard for life, you could say they existed on the edge of the knife.
People of various sorts shuttled through this place.
Straight ahead, there was a line of people waiting, the area where the upcoming fighters were preparing.
"Be careful, everyone," Huangfu Xianyue cautioned.
"Let’s split up and queue, so we don’t all end up facing each other later on."
"That probably won’t happen," Liu Rufeng said as he looked at the rules carved on the wall nearby.
He said, "After each duel is finished, those in the waiting area can choose whether to challenge the person on the Combat Stage.
If there are too many from the waiting area wanting to challenge, the next contestant will be decided through a lottery."
Everyone nodded, and Mu Zhoubai added, "Then if someone challenges later, we simply won’t go to the waiting area."
"Who will go first?" asked Huangfu Xianyue.
"I’ll go," Mu Zhoubai pondered for a moment before saying, "I’ll take the lead and gauge the difficulty of the Combat Stage."
The others nodded, and in this underground hall, there was a large projection mirror on the left wall.
The battles outside were visible here as well.
After Mu Zhoubai waited in the holding area for a few minutes, the action on the Combat Stage was very quick.
Soon, an opponent was matched up with Mu Zhoubai.
...
Mu Zhoubai followed through the door that opened in front of him, walking up the stairs and gradually stepping onto the Combat Stage above ground.
"Hundred matches Combat Stage, Mu Zhoubai versus Mad Wind, the battle begins now,"
The referee held up a flag, waved it vigorously at the side, and shouted.
The rules of the Combat Stage were simple: surrender or fight until death.
When Mu Zhoubai ascended the stage, he saw his opponent was a one-eyed man dressed in a black robe.
The man’s left eye was covered by a black eye patch, giving off a rather fierce look.
"Kid, you’re not even fully grown and you dare to come here," the one-eyed man sneered.
"Noisy," Mu Zhoubai snorted coldly, drawing the Curved Blade behind him and lunging towards the one-eyed man.
"Chaotic Wind Blade Technique," Mu Zhoubai shouted softly as he leapt into the air.
Wielding two Curved Blades in his hands as if they were his own arms, he moved with ease, very naturally.
"Brother Mu has been using double blades since he was young; his personal strength ranks in the top five among the True Disciples," Huangfu Xianyue commented from the sidelines.
