Chapter 43: Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace
“Hmph!”
Liu Chuanshen let out a cold snort, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked out, saying in a deep voice, “You unfilial son, you’ve disgraced the Martial Market Bank. Apologize to Miss Shan immediately!”
Hearing Liu Chuanshen’s voice, Liu Chengfeng immediately turned to look, his face turning pale. The arrogance and insolence from moments ago vanished completely.
“F-Father... I was just joking with Xiangling... joking. I’ll go apologize to Miss Xiangling right now...” Liu Chengfeng’s heart was filled with fear, and he immediately began to tremble.
Seeing Liu Chengfeng like this, Liu Chuanshen sighed deeply in his heart, feeling even more disappointed. He shook his head and said, “This unfilial son has made a fool of himself before the Ninth Prince. Let’s go to the Martial Market Combat Arena now!”
Under Liu Chuanshen’s lead, before long, Zhang Ruochen, the Ninth Commandery Princess, and Shan Xiangling arrived at the Martial Market Combat Arena.
The Martial Market Combat Arena was packed with people, and martial artists with powerful cultivations could be seen everywhere.
Of course, there were also many martial artists with very low cultivation levels. They stood at the outer edges of the arena, observing and learning the combat techniques of those stronger martial artists.
Liu Chuanshen arrived at the Martial Market Combat Arena and immediately left, heading to the deepest palace within the arena for some important business.
Zhang Ruochen, the Ninth Commandery Princess, and Shan Xiangling entered the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace.
The Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace was a circular building, very ancient, divided into six floors. Each floor had three hundred and sixty spectator stands, and every stand had a clear view of the battles on the central Yellow Level Battle Platform.
Each person paid ten silver coins to enter the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace.
“Ninth Brother, do you really want to participate in the combat? Your current cultivation is still a bit too weak; there’s a big gap between you and the Yellow List martial artists,” said the Ninth Commandery Princess.
The Ninth Commandery Princess wasn’t looking down on Zhang Ruochen; she simply understood the cruelty of the Martial Market Combat Arena very well. After all, no one who dared to step onto the battle platform was weak.
Shan Xiangling said, “I heard that before stepping onto the battle platform, martial artists have to sign a life-and-death agreement. Because those who step onto the platform are all madmen, wanting to become famous in one battle. They use life-risking fighting methods, and with a slight carelessness, they can be severely injured, or even die on the platform.”
“That’s right! Ninth Brother, you should wait until you’ve cultivated to the Great Perfection of the Yellow Extreme Realm before participating in the combat! For the money you’re short of to buy the alchemy furnace, you can ask Father King for it. With your talent, even if you ask for a million silver coins, Father King would definitely give them to you,” the Ninth Commandery Princess advised.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Let’s take a look first.”
At that moment, a middle-aged martial artist in his thirties stepped onto the battle platform. He held a crimson red long spear, and a powerful aura emanated from him. He said, “I am Nie Heng, the senior disciple of the Heavenly Crane Sect. This is my first time at the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace. Who is willing to be my first opponent?”
Shan Xiangling said, “Nie Heng, I’ve heard of his name. He reached the Great Perfection of the Yellow Extreme Realm at the age of twenty-two and has stayed there for fifteen years. His strength is quite formidable; he should be able to win seven or eight consecutive matches.”
In the Kunlun Realm, the number of sects and clans was countless. Some small sects only had a few dozen disciples.
Some large sects had over a million disciples, ruling over the martial arts world of dozens of commanderies, with immense power.
Therefore, sects and clans were divided into “Three Grades and Nine Streams.”
For example, Shan Xiangling’s “Red Cloud Sect” and Nie Heng’s “Heavenly Crane Sect” belonged to the Seventh Stream sects.
The Yunwu Commandery had one Sixth Stream sect, five Seventh Stream sects, seventeen Eighth Stream sects, and countless Ninth Stream sects.
All these sects had to be managed by the official forces.
If they refused to be managed, they were considered heretical sects and would be attacked and besieged by the official forces.
The Ninth Commandery Princess said, “Nie Heng’s strength is indeed strong, but there are even stronger experts in the Martial Combat Palace. I guess he can only win at most six consecutive matches.”
Shan Xiangling said, “In that case, let’s go place our bets!”
“Alright!”
The Ninth Commandery Princess and Shan Xiangling went together to the highest spectator stand of the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace to participate in the betting.
“I bet a thousand silver coins that Nie Heng can win six consecutive matches.” The Ninth Commandery Princess took out a spirit crystal and placed it in a grid marked “Six” on the betting table.
“I bet five hundred silver coins that Nie Heng can win eight consecutive matches.” Shan Xiangling took out a silver pouch and placed it in a grid marked “Eight” on the betting table.
“In that case, I’ll bet on a middle number.”
Zhang Ruochen also became a bit interested. He took out a spirit crystal and placed it in a grid marked “Seven” on the betting table.
There were many people participating in the betting. If one could guess correctly every time, they could also amass a great deal of wealth.
Nie Heng’s strength was indeed very strong. Some even bet that he could win ten consecutive matches and become a Yellow List martial artist. Although the probability was very low, if Nie Heng succeeded, the person who bet on him would win a fortune.
The first martial artist to challenge Nie Heng on the Yellow Level Battle Platform appeared to be over forty years old, with a cultivation at the Great Extreme Position of the Yellow Extreme Realm.
“Boom!”
Nie Heng stood in the center of the Yellow Level Battle Platform. With just one move, he blasted that martial artist at the Great Extreme Position of the Yellow Extreme Realm flying, sending him crashing off the Yellow Level Battle Platform.
First match, victory!
Second match, victory!
...
Fifth match, victory!
Sixth match, victory!
Nie Heng won six consecutive matches, causing a huge stir in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace. The martial artists in the stands all cheered and shouted.
In the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace, having one martial artist win six consecutive matches in a day was already quite remarkable.
One had to know that the further he went, the stronger the opponents Nie Heng faced.
By the seventh match, only martial artists who had a record of winning seven matches in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace were qualified to challenge him.
Among those who had a record of winning seven consecutive matches in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace, which one was weak?
In the seventh match, Nie Heng finally encountered a formidable opponent.
Huang Zhenlong, a martial artist at the Great Perfection of the Yellow Extreme Realm, had achieved a record of winning seven consecutive matches three times, but was defeated in the eighth match each time. His strength was quite formidable.
Nie Heng fought Huang Zhenlong for half an hour. Finally, he executed a Human Grade Middle Rank martial technique, “Snowflake Spear Art,” pierced through Huang Zhenlong’s chest, severely injuring him, and threw him off the battle platform.
However, Nie Heng was also struck by Huang Zhenlong’s palm and suffered internal injuries.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
At that moment, a man in his twenties stepped onto the battle platform, holding a white folding fan. He said calmly, “You’re already severely injured. It’s impossible for you to win eight consecutive matches. Admit defeat now.”
The battles on the combat platform were this cruel. They wouldn’t give you time to rest and recover from your injuries. You had to keep fighting continuously.
To win ten consecutive matches was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
Even with Nie Heng’s powerful strength, after seven consecutive battles, most of his true qi was already consumed, and he was severely injured.
In his current state, winning the eighth match was almost impossible.
Nie Heng gritted his teeth, staring at the man holding the folding fan, and said, “Who says I can’t fight the eighth match? Who are you?”
“Hehe! This young master is from the National Preceptor’s Mansion. My name is Xue Bingsheng. I have a record of winning eight consecutive matches twice in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace.” Xue Bingsheng said with a faint smile, gently shaking the folding fan in his hand.
“Fight!”
Nie Heng mobilized all his true qi and infused it into his long spear.
The long spear in his hand immediately emitted a layer of flame-like light as he thrust it towards Xue Bingsheng.
“Whoosh!”
Nie Heng’s vision blurred, and Xue Bingsheng’s figure disappeared.
Xue Bingsheng was using a Human Grade Upper Rank footwork technique. In an instant, he appeared in front of Nie Heng. He swung his folding fan, a flash of blood appeared, and Nie Heng’s head flew off.
Xue Bingsheng looked at the corpse lying on the ground, a mocking smile in his eyes. “I told you to admit defeat, but you wouldn’t listen. Ah! Foolish!”
A powerful martial artist at the Great Perfection of the Yellow Extreme Realm died on the battle platform just like that.
Nie Heng’s junior brothers and junior sisters immediately rushed onto the battle platform, crying as they carried Nie Heng’s body away.
What could they do? Who told Nie Heng to sign the life-and-death agreement when he stepped onto the battle platform?
A few people died every day in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace. Everyone was already used to it.
In truth, it was mainly because Xue Bingsheng’s cultivation was far stronger than Nie Heng’s, so Nie Heng didn’t even have a chance to admit defeat before he was killed by Xue Bingsheng.
“Ah! Knowing the gap in strength was huge, yet he didn’t admit defeat. Too stubborn. Although becoming famous is important, life is even more important,” the Ninth Commandery Princess sighed.
Shan Xiangling also gently shook her head. “With Nie Heng’s talent, if he cultivated for another ten years, he would have a good chance of becoming a Mysterious Extreme Realm expert. Many talented martial artists fall just like this.”
“Wow! Ninth Brother, you won the bet! Go see how much you won?” said the Ninth Commandery Princess.
“It was just luck,” Zhang Ruochen said. He had placed the bet casually and hadn’t really expected to win.
Although Nie Heng died on the battle platform, he had indeed won seven consecutive matches.
Zhang Ruochen had bet one spirit crystal on the betting table and won back eight spirit crystals.
“It’s about time. I’ll go try the battle platform too.”
Zhang Ruochen signed the life-and-death agreement, paid one spirit crystal, and walked towards the battle platform.
“Ninth Brother, I know I can’t stop you, but you must promise me that if you encounter an unbeatable enemy, you will immediately admit defeat,” the Ninth Commandery Princess said with concern.
The Ninth Commandery Princess thought Zhang Ruochen was just going to experience the atmosphere of the battle platform, not really intending to participate in the combat.
After all, his cultivation was only at the Middle Extreme Position of the Yellow Extreme Realm, far inferior to Nie Heng’s. Winning three consecutive matches would already be very good.
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled slightly, looking very relaxed, and stepped onto the battle platform one step at a time.
The moment he stepped onto the battle platform, a commotion arose in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace.
“Who is this youth? So young and daring to fight in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace?”
“Probably trying to become famous too. There are too many such hot-blooded youths. Dozens die every month. Nothing strange about it.”
...
At that moment, Liu Chengfeng stood on a higher spectator stand in the Yellow Level Martial Combat Palace, staring at Zhang Ruochen who had stepped onto the battle platform. A ferocious smile appeared on his face. “Haha! There’s a road to heaven, but you refuse to walk it; there’s no gate to hell, yet you barge right in. If you die on the battle platform, even the Yunwu Commandery King probably won’t have anything to say, right?”
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