"Finally, someone from the Third Layer of Meridian Opening is making a move."
The Martial Artists below the platform were eager to see Luo Tian get crushed.
Honestly, many of them couldn't stand the sight of a student like Luo Tian showing off so arrogantly in the Martial Arts Arena.
"Third Layer of Meridian Opening? Perfect timing!"
Luo Tian's eyes lit up as if he were seeing double the wager in Gold.
"Junior, you'll soon pay the price for your arrogance and ignorance!"
The burly man's expression turned fierce. The True Qi from his three Qi Veins surged in unison, erupting with a violent aura.
Mountain-Cracking Saber!
The burly man unexpectedly drew a large saber and slashed out with a powerful, domineering blade of light. The wind from his True Qi howled, carrying the force to split a mountain with a single strike.
"What a powerful slash!"
"Yeah, yeah, teach that kid a lesson."
some of the Martial Artists cheered.
The Martial Arts Arena had always been a world for adults. They were thoroughly displeased to see a mere student like Luo Tian dominating the competition.
Luo Tian's expression grew serious.
His opponent had higher Cultivation and a tyrannical Saber Technique; his own advantages in True Qi and strength would be nullified.
Wandering Body Step!
Luo Tian moved like a slippery fish, his steps seeming leisurely yet fluid and swift.
SWOOSH! WHOOSH!
The burly man chopped out a torrent of whistling saber light and True Qi, but Luo Tian dodged most of it and easily neutralized the rest.
After a dozen or so moves,
Luo Tian remained calm and composed, trading blows evenly with the burly man. The advantage his Spiritual Power and Spiritual Sense gave him allowed him to track the trajectory of his opponent's every move.
He hadn't activated his Divine Vein Power; otherwise, he could have won quickly.
On one hand, Luo Tian wanted to use the burly man to hone his combat experience and Body Technique.
On the other hand,
he was afraid that if he won too quickly, no one else would dare to challenge him.
After twenty or thirty moves,
Luo Tian seized an opening in the burly man's defense and struck suddenly.
"Open!"
Luo Tian covertly used a force-channeling technique from the Star Condensing Sword Point, striking the back of the burly man's saber with a single finger.
The point of impact was precisely where the man's power was weakest.
CLANG!
The large saber fell from the burly man's hands, and in the next moment, Luo Tian sent him flying off the Martial Combat Platform with a palm strike.
"I was careless."
The burly man looked regretful but had no choice but to admit defeat.
Another uproar erupted from the crowd below.
This time, he had fought above his level and defeated a cultivator at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening.
A three-win streak!
Even the referee of the Martial Arts Arena was a little surprised.
Others believed the burly man had lost due to carelessness.
Only he could see that Luo Tian's Martial Arts Realm had completely crushed the burly man's, and that Luo Tian had controlled the situation from start to finish.
"Because your opponent was one Realm higher than you, you've won two thousand taels of Gold for this match,"
the referee said to Luo Tian.
'Not bad! I've already won four thousand Gold.'
Luo Tian was delighted.
Adding his own seven thousand, he now had over ten thousand taels of Gold.
He was halfway to his goal.
"Quick! Go inform Young Master Du."
Below the platform, two figures whispered to each other, their faces filled with surprise.
One of them quickly departed.
...
The battles on the Martial Combat Platform continued.
Next, Luo Tian went on to defeat three more challengers. Two of them were at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening, earning him another five thousand taels of Gold.
"Haha! This is happening so fast."
Luo Tian was ecstatic.
By now, his Gold had accumulated to more than sixteen thousand taels.
Just a few more matches and he would have the twenty thousand taels of Gold.
However, from that moment on, no one came forward to challenge Luo Tian.
The combat prowess Luo Tian had displayed was considered strong even among those at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening.
If other Third Layer cultivators challenged him, there was no glory in winning, but losing would be a complete disgrace—not to mention they'd have to pay double the wager.
Therefore, no matter how Luo Tian tried to taunt them from the platform, no one stepped up to challenge him.
Besides, there was more than one Martial Combat Platform in the arena; many people had gone to spar on the other platforms instead.
'Damn it. I was just a few matches away.'
Luo Tian felt a bit frustrated.
'Perhaps being invincible is a kind of loneliness.'
At least on the Low Tier Martial Combat Platform, he had achieved a brief period of invincibility.
Of course, Luo Tian could go challenge someone on the Middle Tier Martial Combat Platform.
However, the Middle Tier Martial Combat Platform was a stage for Martial Artists at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening and above, and the minimum bet was ten thousand taels of Gold.
In the Meridian Opening Realm, a huge gap in power appeared every three layers.
The difference between the Second and Third Layer wasn't too significant.
But once a cultivator reached the Fourth Layer, their strength would take a leap, enough to instantly kill someone at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening.
And Luo Tian was still only at the Second Layer of Meridian Opening.
"Du Yuncheng is here!"
Suddenly, a commotion stirred near the Martial Arts Arena.
"Well, well, look who it is. A piece of trash, embarrassing himself in the Martial Arts Arena..."
a harsh, arrogant voice called out.
A young man with a fat face and large ears, surrounded by his family servants, arrived before the Martial Combat Platform.
"Du Yuncheng!"
Luo Tian's face darkened slightly. He hadn't expected Du Yuncheng to get the news so quickly.
At that moment, Du Yuncheng's gaze was sinister, hiding a murderous intent.
When he learned that Luo Tian had advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm, he had pressured him, shortening the two-month engagement agreement to just three days.
Unexpectedly, Luo Tian had broken through to the Second Layer of Meridian Opening Realm so quickly.
'This kid must have had some great opportunity. The Martial Vein he awakened is definitely not ordinary.'
'This boy... I must crush him, no matter the cost.'
Killing intent boiled in Du Yuncheng's heart.
That Ning Xueyao was only fifteen or sixteen, yet she was already breathtakingly beautiful. She would surely grow into a nation-toppling beauty in the future, and he had to have her.
As long as he killed Luo Tian, Ning Xueyao would be his for the taking.
"Du Yuncheng, your timing is perfect."
"I'm about to collect twenty thousand taels of Gold. When I do, everyone here can bear witness as I cancel the engagement with Xueyao."
Luo Tian laughed heartily.
Although Du Yuncheng had a Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Cultivation, he was not allowed to participate in the betting matches on the Low Tier Martial Combat Platform.
The Martial City was present in every country and city across the Continent, and the power behind it was transcendent and immense.
Even a City Lord would have to abide by its rules.
"Luo Tian, you want to clear your debt, don't you?"
Du Yuncheng suppressed his anger, a confident smile playing on his lips.
"How about this? If you can defeat one of my subordinates, this young master will give you ten thousand Gold."
Ten thousand taels of Gold?
A sensation swept through the area around the Martial Combat Platform.
One battle worth ten thousand in gold?
"A subordinate?"
Luo Tian frowned. He was no fool.
"Don't worry. My subordinate is a Martial Artist at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening, which complies with the Martial Arts Arena's rules."
Du Yuncheng raised his hand.
SWOOSH!
A tall, thin man clad in a Black Robe, like a specter, leaped before the crowd.
This tall, thin man's gaze was chillingly cold, and his face was rigid, devoid of any emotion.
"The referee can check; his Cultivation is at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening,"
Du Yuncheng said with a shrug.
"I know who he is... No need for an inspection."
The referee glanced at the tall, thin man, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Luo Tian, do you dare to fight? All you have to do is sign a 'Life and Death Contract' and engage in a 'deathmatch.' If you defeat my subordinate, you will receive ten thousand in gold."
There was a hint of conspiracy in Du Yuncheng's cold smile.
Hearing this, Luo Tian's heart stirred.
Another ten thousand taels of Gold would be enough to clear his debt instantly.
But just then, Luo Tian noticed the referee beside him giving him a look, signaling him not to agree.
"Kid, whatever you do, don't agree!"
Below the platform, an elderly Martial Artist, who seemed to recognize the tall, thin man, had his face drain of color.
"A deathmatch? Why wouldn't I dare?"
Luo Tian's gaze was firm and unwavering.
He firmly believed that no one below the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening could defeat him.
In his previous battles, he hadn't even used his true strength!
"Deathmatch! Begin!"
The referee gave Luo Tian a regretful look before letting the two, who had now signed the "Life and Death Contract," take the stage.