Dragon Blood Saint Emperor

「Three days passed.」

Ye Wushuang slowly went through the Refinement of the Heaven and Earth Essence. He was stunned by its extraordinary power. Just a single sliver boosted his Cultivation significantly, making it even more potent than an Ancient Medicine King.

In particular, the profound and mysterious Heaven and Earth Rules, though not yet absorbed through Refinement, were branded upon his Divine Sense. This allowed his Divine Sense to gain a trace of the Power of Heaven and Earth, strengthening it considerably.

However, Ye Wushuang wasn't eager for a quick breakthrough. He suppressed the urge and instead focused his attention on the Heavenly Sword Technique.

It wasn't until the fourth day that he finally left his room.

'It's time to go.' Ye Wushuang thought to himself. What he needed now was an all-out battle to temper his Cultivation, forge his will, and ultimately increase his strength!

He then left the inn with Lan Xinyu and the Xiaoo Yue Celestial Roc, running right into Dongfang Youdi on his way in.

"Where are you all headed?" Dongfang Youdi sidled up to them, asking with a sly grin.

"The Dueling Arena."

Ye Wushuang uttered two words and left the inn.

"Holy shit! The guy just put Zong Min in her place, and now he dares to waltz onto the Zong Family's turf? I'm impressed."

It took Dongfang Youdi a moment to process what Ye Wushuang had said. He only snapped out of it and turned to follow after Ye Wushuang was already out of the inn.

The Dueling Arena wasn't far from the inn. After about fifteen minutes, Ye Wushuang could hear the sound of frenzied shouting.

Countless figures moved about, their backs to him, completely obscuring the view ahead. Just as before, all he could make out were the words "Dueling Arena" on a sign; everything else was a blur.

A moment later, Ye Wushuang entered the crowd, and the shouting grew louder and clearer. Only then did he realize the crowd had formed a circle around a massive, ring-shaped area. The space was enormous, with countless tunnels leading into it from all sides.

People were frantically jostling and pushing their way into the tunnels, leaving no gap in the throng.

"There are so many people!"

Lan Xinyu exclaimed. Before them was a dense, dark sea of people.

"This is pretty much the liveliest spot in the Holy City. Over a hundred thousand people come here every day."

Dongfang Youdi straightened his crooked headdress and commented, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Dongfang!"

At the same time, a voice called out. A young man with long, unbound hair walked toward them. He was in the Yin Yang Realm, and his Cultivation was formidable.

'Heh heh, I knew this guy would be here!'

Dongfang Youdi grinned upon seeing the man.

"And who are these people?"

The long-haired young man stepped forward and sized up Ye Wushuang. His pupils constricted when he suddenly realized he couldn't probe Ye Wushuang's Cultivation. The discovery startled him.

"These are my friends," Dongfang Youdi said, rubbing his nose.

'Friends?' Ye Wushuang's eyes narrowed as he watched Dongfang Youdi, a playful smile suddenly touching his lips.

"Hello, my name is Zhuang Hao. I'm a friend of Dongfang's as well." Hearing Dongfang Youdi use the word "friends," Zhuang Hao didn't hesitate to introduce himself, a friendly smile on his face. After all, there weren't many people in the Holy City that the great troublemaker Dongfang Youdi would call a friend.

"Ye Wushuang."

Ye Wushuang introduced himself, then introduced Lan Xinyu and the Xiaoo Yue Celestial Roc.

"Oh, right! You have a VIP Card, don't you? Let's use it!" Dongfang Youdi said to Zhuang Hao, a glint in his eye.

"Are you trying to get into the Dueling Arena?"

Zhuang Hao asked, looking at the group.

Ye Wushuang gave a slight nod.

"I see." Zhuang Hao nodded. "It's too crowded here. Please, follow me."

With that, Zhuang Hao led Ye Wushuang's group to another area.

There were far fewer people here. It was a VIP entrance, accessible only to cardholders. Since Zhuang Hao had a VIP Card, the group entered with ease.

Upon entering the Dueling Arena, the first thing Ye Wushuang saw were rows upon rows of tiered stands, packed with countless people. Below the stands lay a massive field, like a sunken canyon.

A giant iron cage covered the canyon-like field. At this very moment, figures were moving inside, clashing violently in a desperate struggle. Surging waves of energy slammed against the iron cage, making it tremble violently, yet it remained completely unscathed. Its Defense Power was astounding.

And on the tiered stands, a multitude of spectators stood, looking down and watching the battle.

"This is the Prisoner Arena, the place where the prisoner fights happen. Down in that field, countless frenzied and terrifying battles break out every day between Cultivators, or between Cultivators and Demon Beasts and Barbaric Beasts. The moment you step inside, you are locked into a fight. It only ends when one side is dead. The victor walks out of the cage; otherwise, it's a fight to the death!"

Ye Wushuang's gaze faltered upon hearing this. 'A fight to the death... How brutal.' It meant that every match was a duel to the death. The victor lives, the loser dies. In every single battle, a person, a Demon Beast, or a Barbaric Beast would perish.

'A place this cruel is just like Purgatory. The only way to survive is to keep getting stronger.'

"This place is as brutal as any battlefield, but it's also a place that tests one's mettle," Zhuang Hao continued. "Only those with true courage dare to step inside. Through endless life-and-death battles, they build their courage and temper their Dao Heart."

Zhuang Hao gazed at the iron cage below and added solemnly, "This place is an Asura Field. Many die here every day, their blood soaking every inch of the ground. But there are also those who rise from the piles of white bones, growing ever stronger and becoming powerful Cultivators."

A glint flashed in Ye Wushuang's eyes. 'Isn't the path of a Cultivator just one life-and-death battle after another? The losers fall and become nothing but withered bones, while only the victors can continue to pursue the apex of the Dao. Only by experiencing death time and again can one truly soar above the heavens.'

"Brother Zhuang, do you know the rules here?" Ye Wushuang asked.

Zhuang Hao explained, "The Prisoner Arena has a ranking list for the fighters, based on their number of victories. The higher the rank, the more terrifying their strength. For example, the person ranked tenth has won forty matches without a single defeat. A challenger can look at the opponent roster to choose who to fight, or they can have the Dueling Arena arrange a match for them."

Ye Wushuang listened quietly, shocked. 'Forty victories in these life-and-death prisoner fights... That means not a single loss. Because one loss means death.'

'Furthermore, in an Asura Field like this, where every duel is life or death, each Prisoner Fighter has to give it their all just to survive. They must use their greatest strength to kill, stepping out only after being bathed in their opponent's blood. One can only imagine how terrifying the people who emerge from this place must be.'

'Someone who has survived forty such battles is no ordinary person.'

'What an excellent place to temper oneself, this Asura Field!'

Ye Wushuang's gaze shone with a sharp light. Only a place like this could provide the ultimate training. Only the tempering that came from the brink of life and death could truly forge his Invincible Dao Heart.