15 The First Battle of the Martial Arts Arena Swift Victory, A Fearsome Reputation

The Martial Arts Arena is divided into three tiers: the low tier in the Fifth Inner City, the mid-tier in the Fourth Inner City, and the high tier in the Third Inner City.

Any newcomer to the arena, whether they win or lose, starts with a record of zero. According to the rules, they must begin fighting in the low-tier area of the Fifth Inner City.

By winning 30 matches, they can advance to the Fourth Inner City.

In the Fourth Inner City, winning 80 matches earns a promotion to the Third Inner City.

To become a family elder in the Third Inner City, one must defend their position for 18 battles.

However, becoming a family elder is not easy. Currently, the most dominant figures in the Martial Arts Arena are the two Four-turn Gu Masters, Giant Kai Bei and Yan Tu. Both have reached the initial stage of the Fourth-turn and have established their dominance in the arena, constantly battling each other, swearing not to leave until one has completely defeated the other.

In truth, both of them are secret pawns set by Shang Yanfei.

The family rules of the Shang clan state that any Gu Master who can dominate the arena and defend their position for 18 battles will be promoted to an elder of the Shang family. Giant Kai Bei and Yan Tu are part of Shang Yanfei's control over the arena!

To dominate the arena, one must first face these two, meaning they must defeat both of them to claim victory.

Qi Tian, however, is confident that even though he has not yet advanced to the Fourth-turn, he may still be able to defeat them in battle.

Not long after, Qi Tian arrives at a grand hall.

The hall is noisy, with Gu Masters applying for challenges, checking match schedules, and so on.

Some are here to compete, others to watch the battles, and some have set up betting booths.

After registering and paying 500 yuan stones, Qi Tian receives a Vine Information Gu, which resembles a vine with a large green leaf and contains his personal information.

He then applies for a fight.

There are restrictions on the number of matches one can fight in the Martial Arts Arena. A person can only fight once per day, and they must participate in a battle at least once every ten days. If they fail to meet this requirement, their victories will be erased. If they accumulate five defeats, their qualifications are revoked, and they must reapply to compete.

Qi Tian's Gu insects are nearly complete, so he plans to fight continuously. With his strength, he aims to win 30 battles and move into the Fourth Inner City within a month.

Soon, Qi Tian reaches the designated arena, where his opponent is already waiting.

The opponent stands at a height of eight feet, with broad shoulders and a muscular build. His arms are as thick as Qi Tian's thighs, and he is bare-chested with thick black chest hair, exuding a fierce aura.

When the opponent sees Qi Tian, a look of disdain flashes in his eyes. Qi Tian appears to be a young boy, no older than sixteen. What cultivation could he possibly have? Meanwhile, this man is a two-turn high-level Gu Master with some reputation in the Fifth Inner City, surely a novice to be defeated.

Only a dozen people are watching the battle. Watching battles requires paying yuan stones, and Qi Tian is still an unknown. His opponent, Xiong Da, however, is somewhat famous.

"This boy is unlucky! His first battle and he's facing Xiong Da."

"Yeah! Xiong Da has the strength of three bears, able to fight at the peak of the Second-turn. I wonder if this boy will get slapped to death, haha."

"I was hoping for an exciting match, but seems like it's a waste of my yuan stones."

The audience murmurs, clearly not optimistic about Qi Tian.

Ding!

A crisp bell rings, signaling the start of the battle.

"Kid, surrender now! Otherwise, I might not be able to stop my strength, and you'll end up as meat paste," Xiong Da mocks.

Qi Tian remains silent, raising his right hand, and a jade knife appears in his grasp.

The jade knife is not a Gu insect; it appears so easily because Qi Tian has a convenient Empty Storage Gu.

Seeing this, Xiong Da realizes that Qi Tian is no ordinary opponent. While he doesn't believe Qi Tian can beat him, he becomes more serious.

Xiong Da appears brash and reckless but is actually shrewd. His earlier display was just to put psychological pressure on Qi Tian, as well as to test his abilities.

Qi Tian recognizes Xiong Da's shift in attitude. It's clear that someone who has managed to make a name for himself here isn't just a loudmouth. However, in the face of overwhelming strength, all strategies are meaningless.

Swift Shadow Gu! Blade Qi Gu! Blade Intent Gu!

Qi Tian charges at Xiong Da, leaving only a faint afterimage that quickly fades.

Shiiing!

Before Xiong Da can react, Qi Tian's jade knife cuts through his chest.

In an instant, Xiong Da is struck with intense pain, and when he looks down, he sees a deep wound on his chest, with bone visible.

"You... you're a Third-turn Gu Master... My brother... he will avenge me..." Xiong Da mutters, before collapsing to the ground.

"What! He's dead already?"

The dozen or so spectators are left stunned.

Although battles in the Martial Arts Arena are frequent, deaths are rare.

First, both sides have measures to avoid fatalities, and second, the arena's host can intervene when needed. Most importantly, the fighters usually exercise restraint, as they often see each other in daily life. They may fight for interests but rarely cause true harm.

Qi Tian kills his opponent quickly because of the vast difference in strength between them. Additionally, his Gu insects are adept at attacks, while Xiong Da clearly underestimated his opponent, leading to his swift demise.

By the time the arena's host arrives, Xiong Da is already dead, with a heart exposed through the wound, making it impossible to save him.

Ignoring the host's disapproval of his killing, Qi Tian takes his spoils and leaves the arena.

"While killing my opponent might hurt my reputation, what's the use of fame? Sometimes, a fearsome reputation is more useful. Besides, I will only stay in Shangjia City for a year, and building a good reputation takes time. It's a hassle. Achieving a fearsome reputation, however, is straightforward."

"As for Xiong Da's brother seeking revenge... heh, perfect for my rise to a fearsome reputation."

Qi Tian is not worried about retaliation. His current Gu insects are built around the Core Gu of Same Branch Connection, with Qi Source Gu as the foundation. His main attack method is Blade Qi Gu, while other Gu insects, like Blade Intent Gu and Lock Qi Gu, enhance the individual power of the blade's energy. The Same Branch Connection Gu turns the numerical advantage into a single combat advantage.

Even without using the Same Branch Connection Gu, his combat strength can reach the peak of the Third-turn.

His Gu insect setup is a combination of Qi and Blade techniques. Qi Tian also has other options, like Qi Armor Gu and Explosion Qi Gu, which can generate explosive power similar to force. However, this method consumes a lot of energy and would not maximize his current strengths.

At present, Qi Tian prefers the Blade Qi route, at least until he inherits the Blessed Land.