NOVEL WEB Ch. 101
Chapter 101: Arena Challenge
The two landed. Nanyun did not approach the crowd, merely pointed at the arena from a distance and said:
"This is the Zongmen’s Martial Practice Plaza. Those arenas in the middle are where disciples usually spar."
As he spoke, he looked toward Gu Fan and suggested,
"Most of those gathered here are Inner Sect Disciples. If you want to find someone to spar with, I suggest you observe others’ strength first. After all, this is your first time making a move in the Upper Realm—better to be cautious."
Gu Fan cupped his hands in gratitude.
"Many thanks for the guidance, Senior Brother. I will be careful."
Nanyun nodded, then flew away from the area.
Seeing the person depart, Gu Fan slowly walked toward the center of the plaza.
There were many disciples here, and the arena battles were ongoing one after another.
Some were organized challenges—the winner would take the prize, while the loser left behind a treasure of equal value as the reward pool.
The next successful challenger could claim all of it.
Others were private duels, either for sparring or to settle grudges.
In short, all kinds of situations existed.
Everyone here was a cultivator. If there was dissatisfaction, they would directly agree to a fight.
However, this did not mean it was safe. Gu Fan casually watched a few battles; the least injured among them still needed ten days to half a month of bed rest.
In severe cases, he saw people’s Spirit Sea crippled, turning them into useless cripples.
Such people clearly could no longer survive in the sect.
One could say that the law of brutal competition permeated every corner.
Gu Fan wandered aimlessly and, after a while, finally settled on a particular arena.
On it stood a youth about his age, holding a stone radiating tri-colored flowing light.
It was a Yuan Crystal Stone!
Gu Fan knew this item was the primary circulating currency in this world—extremely valuable.
Whether for exchanging treasures or using it for cultivation, it was an excellent resource.
He had seen some disciples receiving this as part of their benefits, but since he had only just joined the sect, he still had to wait another month.
Now that someone was offering it as a wager, it might be worth trying to win it.
At this moment, the youth on stage swept his gaze across the surroundings, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile as he declared:
"My cultivation is at the Second Layer of Primordial Yang Realm. I accept all challengers within the Mid-stage Primordial Yang Realm. The wager: one tri-colored Yuan Crystal Stone!"
"Anyone willing to take me on?"
Though the onlookers heard him, they merely glanced over; no one actually stepped forward.
Some wanted to fight but didn’t meet the realm requirement, which the other party clearly wouldn’t accept.
Those who met the realm requirement didn’t dare step up.
This left Gu Fan rather puzzled—someone at the Second Layer of Primordial Yang Realm could intimidate this crowd of Fifth or Sixth Layer cultivators?
It seemed this youth either had an unusual background or truly possessed the strength to fight across realms!
Seeing no response, the youth mocked again:
"I see many of you here are in the Primordial Yang Realm. What? Are you afraid of someone like me, just a Second Layer? Still dare call yourselves cultivators?"
His words immediately provoked quite a few people.
"Hmph, everyone can see through your little ploy. Think a few words will trick someone?"
"Yeah, you take us for fools?"
"If you’ve got guts, lift the realm restriction to late stage! I’m at the Eighth Layer of Primordial Yang Realm—if you dare agree, I’ll dare come up!"
Gu Fan laughed out loud upon hearing this. That youth was asking for ridicule.
No one here was stupid. If he dared to be this arrogant, of course people assumed he could battle above his realm.
Who would step up without certainty?
This provocation tactic was far too crude.
The youth’s face turned ugly from the scolding. So many people shouting at once, he didn’t even know who to respond to.
Feeling agitated, he saw a youth around his age laughing mockingly and instantly flew into a rage, pointing and shouting:
"You! You’re laughing so happily. I see you’re at the Third Layer of Primordial Yang Realm, a realm higher than mine. Do you dare come up for a fight?"
Gu Fan was completely bewildered. He had merely chuckled—how did that make him a target?
But it was nothing. He had originally planned to step up if no one else did.
The Yuan Crystal was still quite tempting.
"Dare to say something or not? Don’t be such a coward, like some woman!"
Gu Fan was a bit speechless.
"You’re sure you want me to come up?"
The youth sneered.
From his expression, he clearly regarded Gu Fan as a fool.
In his heart, he thought—once you come up, you’ll know what a nightmare really is.
But just as he nodded in confirmation, he saw Gu Fan sigh.
With a hint of helplessness, he muttered,
"There’s a path to the heavens, yet you refuse to walk it. You insist on barging into hell with no door—aren’t you asking for death..."
As soon as his words fell, Gu Fan’s figure already appeared atop the arena.
His extreme speed drew quite a bit of attention from those present.
"His speed isn’t bad, but what a pity—looks like a newly recruited fool."
"I’ve seen that brat a few times. He relies on his ability to fight across realms and has already defeated several disciples at the Fifth Layer of Primordial Yang Realm. Snatched quite a few treasures too."
"That being the case, this guy’s really unlucky. He probably thinks being one layer higher gives him the advantage..."
"All the better. Hopefully the opponent won’t hit too hard—just consider it a paid lesson."
...The spectators all talked over each other, seemingly having already foreseen Gu Fan’s defeat.
No one believed he would win.
At this moment, the youth placed the Yuan Crystal Stone to the side and sneered:
"Do you know who I am?"
Gu Fan felt a headache coming on.
How would I know who you are?
"Hmph, just so you won’t be clueless about who crippled you, I am..."
Before he could finish, the youth’s expression shifted drastically in shock.
Gu Fan’s figure had vanished, murderous intent bursting forth in mid-air as he appeared behind him.
Before the youth could even turn around, a wave of intense pain spread through his body. Like a tattered sack, he was flung straight off the arena!
Gu Fan now stood at the center of the arena in his place.
"Sorry, not interested in knowing the name of a weakling. Just lie there obediently."
With that, he casually picked up the tri-colored Yuan Crystal and weighed it in his hand.
Below the stage, the disciples who had just been gossiping stared wide-eyed at the arena.
None of them had seen clearly what had just happened!
All they knew was the youth who issued the challenge had been introducing himself—and the next instant, he was flying out of the arena.
He still lay unconscious on the ground.
By the looks of it, he wouldn’t recover in less than ten days.
"Where did this guy pop up from?"
"No idea. Could it be we overestimated that previous kid? Maybe he didn’t even have the ability to fight across realms and was just at Second Layer of Primordial Yang Realm strength?"
Some even began to doubt.
"Don’t be foolish. If a Second Layer of Primordial Yang Realm dares to act like that, he definitely has the ability to battle beyond his realm. The fact he got insta-defeated just proves that kid on the arena is the real deal!"
At this moment, Gu Fan seemed to recall something and paused his hand from retrieving the Yuan Crystal.
Then he grinned at the crowd and said:
"How about I issue a challenge too? I just broke through to the Third Layer of Primordial Yang Realm and haven’t figured out my full combat strength yet. So, let’s do this—anyone within the Primordial Yang Realm is welcome to come up and try. As long as you’re not at True Yang Realm, you qualify!"
With that, Gu Fan placed the Yuan Crystal to the side.
He beamed at the entire crowd.
"Half-step True Yang Realm is fine too. Opportunities like this don’t come twice. Anyone interested in trying?"