Seeing the look on Lofley’s face, Zhang Wen knew she had misunderstood him. He couldn’t help but shake his head with a chuckle, “Relax, I’m not that cruel. Others might be helpless against the poison of the Sea Urchin Stone, but I’m not. In fact, I’d wager I’m the only one in the world who can deal with it.”
“What?” His declaration caused Iniel to look at him in astonishment.
“What’s so surprising? It’s just one of my special abilities. I can neutralize the poison of the Sea Urchin Stone, and each treatment can last up to a year. So as long as you come to me for treatment once a year, you won’t have to worry about the poison. As long as I live, you live; if I die, you die too. It’s really that simple.”
“This… simple?” Lofley’s trembling gradually ceased, but her face grew even paler.
“Of course. Isn’t this the most generous condition you could hope for? All you have to do is cover for me in front of your teacher. Considering your current situation…” Zhang Wen suddenly reached out and grabbed Lofley’s chin.
“Do you really think you have the courage to refuse anything I ask of you?”
“…,” Thinking of the pain of the Sea Urchin Stone’s poison, a flicker of fear passed through Lofley’s eyes.
“Then it’s settled. Now, wake those two up, and let’s leave and find the airship.” Zhang Wen smiled mysteriously, releasing Lofley’s chin and standing up.
“Weren’t you planning to kill her in the first place? You said that just now because you wanted to…” Watching Zhang Wen walk smilingly toward Kai and Si, a sudden realization flashed through Iniel’s mind. Her face flushed red with suspicion as she glared at Zhang Wen.
“What are you talking about? She tried to kill me,” Zhang Wen replied with a look of surprise. “I was only being merciful for your sake. What? Are you saying you’ve changed your mind and want me to kill her now?”
“Of course not! You’ve already taken your… your reward. How could you go back on your word now?” Iniel stammered slightly when she said the word “reward,” her face turning even redder.
“I just feel like you never really wanted to kill her. The more I think about it, the more I believe she’s more useful to you alive than dead.”
“Miss Iniel of Kentucky, now that he’s decided to spare me anyway, why are you still thinking about useless things? Do you think he’ll return the ‘reward’ he just took if he admits he never wanted to kill me in the first place?” Lofley suddenly sneered from her seated position, regaining her strength.
“Of course…” Iniel was left speechless by Lofley’s retort.
“You bastard! How dare you be disrespectful to the wise lady!” Si, who had just been woken up by Zhang Wen, happened to witness this scene. The First Warrior of Kentucky immediately flew into a rage, charging toward Lofley in a few quick strides. But halfway there, he suddenly tripped and fell with a loud thud.
“Hmph! Even if I’ve fallen from grace, I’m not about to be bullied by the likes of you.” Lofley sneered again, her figure seated in the corner gradually disappearing and reappearing behind Si.
“Alright, a little friction is good for your health.” After waking up Kai, Zhang Wen walked between the angry Si and Lofley, separating them. “But we don’t have time to waste here. We’ve already stayed too long. Also, Miss Iniel of Kentucky, don’t forget—you owe me a favor.” Finally, Zhang Wen leaned close to Iniel’s ear and whispered softly.
“I know.” Iniel bit her lip hard.
“Follow me. From here to the nearest airship, it’s about an hour’s walk. If we don’t hurry, someone else might get there first.” Lofley sneered and walked toward the locked door first.
※※※
“Hey! What’s going on? Aren’t we back on Pico Island again?” Seeing the familiar castle, Si couldn’t help shouting as he walked out the door.
“This isn’t Pico Island. Pico Island is the entrance to the Infinite Arena. This place is just a part of the Infinite Arena.” Lofley glanced at Si.
“But this castle…”
“The Infinite Arena isn’t like the arenas you’ve seen before, where people just fight in a single building. How could it be called ‘infinite’ if it were like that? Let me tell you. There are a total of 1,473 islands across the Abyssal Sea. Excluding the 631 islands that are too close to the mainland or already have owners, the remaining 842 islands all belong to the Infinite Arena. The founder of the Infinite Arena built identical castles on each island, planted the same types of plants, and made all the islands look almost exactly the same.”
“What? More than 800 islands, all exactly like this one… are all Hassan’s property?” Si’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“What are you thinking?” Lofley looked at Si with even more disdain. However, Si was too stunned by his own imagination to notice.
“This is the Infinite Arena! How could it all belong to Hassan? Even if Hassan is rich, he’s just a local tycoon in the South. He did invest a large sum of money into the Infinite Arena, but among the actual owners of the Infinite Arena, he’s barely considered third-rate. The Infinite Arena is far more significant than you can imagine!”
“Oh?” Iniel frowned in confusion.
“Hehe! It seems like Miss Iniel of Kentucky still doesn’t believe me. Then I’ll reveal a bit more information. In your opinion, who is more powerful between Hassan and a Super-class warrior?”
Seeing Luo Fulei’s expression, Zhang Wen knew she must have misunderstood his intentions. He couldn’t help but laugh and waved his hand dismissively, “Don’t worry, I’m not that cruel. The toxicity of the sea urchin stone might be untreatable for others, but not for me. In fact, I might be the only person in the world who can handle it.”
“What?” Zhang Wen’s declaration left Yinier staring at him in disbelief.
“Why the surprise? This is just one of my special abilities. I can neutralize the toxicity of the sea urchin stone, and each treatment can last up to a year. So, as long as you come to me for treatment once a year, you’ll never be in danger of succumbing to its poison. If I live, you live; if I die, you die. It’s as simple as that.”
“Simple?” Luo Fulei’s trembling gradually subsided, but her expression grew even more grim.
“Of course. Isn’t this the most generous condition you could ask for? All you need to do is help me cover up in front of your teacher. Given your current state…” At this point, Zhang Wen suddenly reached out and pinched Luo Fulei’s chin.
“Do you have the courage to refuse any demand I make of you?”
“…” Remembering the agony of the sea urchin stone’s toxicity, a flicker of fear passed through Luo Fulei’s eyes.
“Then it’s settled. Now, wake those two up. We’re leaving this place to find the airship.” Zhang Wen smiled mysteriously, released Luo Fulei’s chin, and stood up.
“Did you never intend to kill her in the first place? Was all that just a ploy to…” Watching Zhang Wen walk toward Kai and Si with a smile, a sudden realization flashed through Yinier’s mind. Her face flushed red as she glared at Zhang Wen suspiciously.
“What are you talking about? She wanted to kill me,” Zhang Wen said with a look of astonishment. “I only spared her out of consideration for you. What? Are you regretting it now, wishing I had finished her off?”
“Of course not! You’ve already taken your… reward. How can you go back on your word?” When she mentioned the word “reward,” Yinier stammered slightly, and the blush on her cheeks deepened. “I just feel like you never intended to kill her. It seems to me that she’s more useful to you alive than dead.”
“Miss Sage of Kentucky, since he’s already decided to spare me, why bother overthinking it? Even if he admits he never wanted my life from the start, can you make him return the ‘reward’ he just took?” Luo Fulei, who had been sitting on the ground recovering her strength, suddenly sneered.
“Of course not…” Yinier was left speechless by Luo Fulei’s retort.
“Bastard! How dare you disrespect the Sage!” Si, who had just been awakened by Zhang Wen, happened to witness this scene. The first warrior of Kentucky immediately erupted in anger, charging toward Luo Fulei. But halfway there, he stumbled and fell with a loud crash.
“Hmph! Even if I’m down, I’m not so weak that I can be bullied by ants like you.” Luo Fulei sneered, her figure gradually disappearing from the corner and reappearing behind Si.
“Alright, a little friction is good for the soul,” Zhang Wen said, having also awakened Kai. He stepped between the furious Si and Luo Fulei, separating them. “But we don’t have time for bickering. We’ve already wasted enough time here. And, Miss Sage of Kentucky, don’t forget—you owe me a favor now.” Finally, Zhang Wen leaned in close to Yinier’s ear and whispered.
“I know,” Yinier bit her lip hard.
“Follow me. It’ll take about an hour to walk to the nearest airship from here. If we don’t hurry, someone else might beat us to it.” Luo Fulei sneered and led the way toward the locked door.
※※※
“Hey! What’s going on? Aren’t we back on Pico Island?” Seeing the familiar castle in front of him, Si couldn’t help but shout as they stepped out of the door.
“This isn’t Pico Island. Pico Island is the gateway to the Infinite Arena. This is part of the Infinite Arena itself,” Luo Fulei glanced at Si.
“But this castle…”
“The Infinite Arena isn’t like the arenas you’ve seen before, confined to a single building for matches. How could it live up to the name ‘Infinite’ if it were like that? Let me tell you something. Across the Abyssal Ocean, there are a total of 1,473 islands. Excluding the 631 islands that are too close to the mainland or already claimed, the remaining 842 islands all belong to the Infinite Arena. The founder of this arena built identical castles on each island, planted the same types of vegetation, and made all the islands look almost exactly the same.”
“What? Over 800 islands, all identical to this one… all owned by Hassan?” Si’s jaw dropped in shock.
“What are you thinking?” Luo Fulei gave Si an even more disdainful look. However, Si, deeply shocked by the image in his mind, didn’t notice.
“This is the Infinite Arena! How could it all belong to Hassan? No matter how rich Hassan is, he’s just a local tycoon holed up in the Southern Realm. He did invest a significant amount in the Infinite Arena, but among the actual owners of the arena, he’s at best a third-rate figure. The origins of the Infinite Arena are far greater than you can imagine!”
“Oh?” Yinier frowned in confusion.
“Hehe! It seems the Sage of Kentucky still doesn’t believe me. Let me share a bit more information. In your eyes, who holds more power—Hassan or a super-tier powerhouse?”
“Uh… well… I guess they each have their strengths,” Si and Kai exchanged glances and reluctantly answered.
To be honest, Si and Kai both felt that comparing Hassan to a super-tier powerhouse was giving Hassan too much credit. No matter where you go, super-tier powerhouses are at the pinnacle of humanity.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of wealthy and influential merchants like Hassan, and even more powerful noble families in the Empire, Federation, and Alliance.
But the total number of super-tier powerhouses in both psychic and physical arts across the three major powers has never exceeded fifty!
The difference in status between the two is clear just from the numbers.
“Haha…” Luo Fulei didn’t expose Si and Kai’s little scheme. Instead, she smiled mysteriously and extended a finger toward them. “Among the bounty fighters of the Infinite Arena, there are ten super-tier powerhouses with the title of ‘Overlord.’ And above these ten, there is a legendary ‘Overking.’ Moreover, I’ve heard some even more interesting rumors…”
“What rumors?” Not only Si and Kai, but even Yinier was intrigued by Luo Fulei’s words.
“It’s said that the person who holds the title of ‘Overking’ in the Infinite Arena isn’t a physical artist but a psychic. The psychic channels set up on the islands of the Infinite Arena were all created by this ‘Overking.’ And I’ve also heard that this ‘Overking’ was personally acknowledged by the ‘King.’ He is the only person in the world capable of killing the ‘King.'”
“Kill the ‘King’? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” As soon as Luo Fulei finished speaking, Si and Kai couldn’t help but shout in disbelief.
In this world, the ‘King’ has been the undisputed strongest for over seventy years! Even behemoths like the Empire and the Federation dare not offend the ‘King’ in the slightest! In fact, they have designated the planet where the ‘King’ resides as an independent entity, revered as the ‘Throne.’
In everyone’s hearts, the ‘King’ is the ultimate symbol of strength. How could there possibly be someone capable of killing the ‘King’?
“You don’t need to yell at me. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard.”
“How do you know so much about the rumors of the Infinite Arena?” Yinier pressed again, puzzled.
“Hehe. Isn’t it obvious? My teacher, Thunder God Omega, has always been the ‘Seventh Overlord’ among the ten overlords of the Infinite Arena.” Luo Fulei chuckled, then suddenly cast a meaningful glance at Zhang Wen. “And the ‘Sixth Overlord’ of the Infinite Arena is the former Southern Realm Overlord, the Silver Dragon Clasus of the Ruby Serpent.”
“No wonder Thunder God Omega is so determined to claim the position of Southern Realm Overlord. With the former sixth figure dead, as the ‘Seventh Overlord,’ it’s only natural for him to inherit all the titles of his predecessor and even advance further. Otherwise, wouldn’t he be forever overshadowed by a dead man?” Kai couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Luo Fulei, if the Infinite Arena is as massive as you say, hiding an airship here isn’t as simple as finding it and taking off, is it?” Zhang Wen raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly as he questioned Luo Fulei.
“Of course not,” Luo Fulei replied with a cold laugh. “You’ve encountered me, so others will naturally have to pass some tests as well.”
※※※
Woo! Woo! Woo!
About a hundred kilometers west of Pico Island, on a nameless islet, a flock of black birds cawed as they took flight from the forest.
The air currents stirred by the battle of super-tier physical artists occasionally exploded through the island’s thickets, accompanied by flashes of combat energy.
“Damn it! These guys really want to kill us! Don’t you understand? We’re just here for Hassan’s selection! You can’t kill us!” Facing the relentless assault of a saint-tier powerhouse, several super-tier fighters screamed in terror.
“Are you all idiots? Who cares about Hassan or Hajji! This is the Infinite Arena! All I know is that anyone who steps onto this island is my prey. If you want to keep your lives, you shouldn’t have come here in the first place.” The saint-tier powerhouse sneered, pouncing on the four super-tier fighters who had been cornered…
Similar battles were taking place simultaneously on various nameless islets within a 300-kilometer radius of Pico Island.
Of course, not every bounty fighter of the Infinite Arena succeeded in taking their opponent’s life.
On an islet two hundred kilometers east of Pico Island, not far from the castle’s exit, three saint-tier bounty fighters were secretly observing a group of four emerging from the castle.
“Hehe! Coming here was the right move,” one of the three saint-tier fighters chuckled darkly. “Three saint-tier experts suddenly appeared on my territory. Even with the advantage of terrain, I couldn’t take on three alone. I had to watch them board an airship and leave.”
“Same here. Three saint-tier experts appeared together. I couldn’t make a move alone. Luckily, it seems only the guy at the back is a tough opponent here. How about this? We each take one of the easier targets. After we beat the last one half to death, we’ll leave him to you. Deal?” Another saint-tier bounty fighter suggested as he observed the four targets.
“Deal,” the one in the middle nodded with a cold smile. The three figures vanished into the dense forest of the islet.
A few seconds later, three gray figures burst out of the forest like lightning, appearing beside the group of four who had just left the castle.
“Ah…” The three super-tier fighters at the front let out terrified screams but had no time to react.
“Hehehe!” The three bounty fighters released the three corpses, letting them slump to the ground.
Then, the three bounty fighters unleashed their full combat energy, and in a flash of starlight-like brilliance, they quickly surrounded the last remaining “prey” among the four.
“You’re quite clever, walking at the back while letting three weaklings lead the way. That way, they could indeed help you guard against sneak attacks. Unfortunately, you were too cautious, and it backfired. If they were all alive, with the four of you working together, you might have stood a chance. Now that they’re dead, you’ll have to join them on the journey to the afterlife.” The saint-tier bounty fighter standing in front of the last “prey” laughed triumphantly, expecting to see the panic he loved in his target’s eyes.
However, the “last prey” surrounded by the three saint-tier bounty fighters showed no sign of panic. His gentle smile didn’t waver, though a hint of mocking coldness seemed to flicker in his eyes.
“Hmm… You suddenly jumping out and killing them is quite troublesome. I heard that the airship requires four people to operate. Is that true?” The young man with the gentle smile suddenly looked up and asked the bounty fighter in front of him.
“You… you bastard, asking for death!” The bounty fighter caught the disdain in the young man’s tone and roared, charging at their “last prey” along with his two companions.
Boom!
The full-force attack of three saint-tier experts struck the young man standing in the center without any fancy moves.
The massive combat energy overturned the ground, uprooting the surrounding trees. The violent air currents exploded with a roar, sending leaves and dust flying into the sky.
The aftermath of such a fierce attack was something even the three saint-tier experts themselves didn’t want to be caught in. The moment they unleashed their attack, they leaped back, retreating from the area engulfed by the shockwave.
“Hmph! Seeking your own death…” The bounty fighter who had been taunted by the young man sneered, but his words were abruptly cut off.
In the center of the clearing created by the attack, a figure with a strange smile stood.
“Hehe! I just thought of a great idea,” the man said, looking at the three saint-tier experts, his smile growing even brighter.
“You are…” Seeing that face, the bounty fighter who had been sneering moments ago trembled, instantly drenched in cold sweat.
“Shh! It’s better not to say my name,” the man said. In the next instant, he suddenly vanished from his spot, as if teleporting, and reappeared in the midst of the three saint-tier experts.
“This… this is…” Without even moving a finger, the overwhelming pressure emanating from the man crushed the three saint-tier experts to the ground.
Half an hour later…
The airship carrying Zhang Wen and his group slowly landed on the deck of the Stellar Moon. Zhang Wen and the Kentucky trio stepped out of the airship, and several beautiful maids immediately approached, gesturing respectfully to the four.
“Please follow me.”
“Alright,” Zhang Wen nodded, glancing around. He noticed that besides their airship, two other airships of the same model were already parked on the deck.
“That’s Mr. Ruhl’s airship. Also, Mr. Shura, who was with you, returned with the other gentlemen,” one of the maids whispered to Zhang Wen, winking.
“Thank you,” Zhang Wen chuckled in surprise and winked back.
“No need to thank me! Do you remember Lina and the others? The girls you met in the hall earlier. They’re my good friends.”
“Oh! So we’re all on the same side.”
“Hehe! Exactly! From now on, if Teacher Zhang Wen needs any information, just leave it to me,” the maid said proudly, puffing out her chest as she led Zhang Wen and his group forward.
Not long after Zhang Wen and his group left the deck and entered the floating staircase leading to the cabin, a small black dot appeared on the horizon to the east of the Stellar Moon.
“Quick! Clear the deck!” The sailors on the deck immediately sprang into action.
The small four-person airship flew at a considerable speed. In no time, it had landed on the deck of the Stellar Moon.
A young man with a gentle smile stepped out of the airship.
“Oh! Welcome back to the Stellar Moon!” One of the maids waiting on the deck immediately stepped forward, smiling sweetly as she approached the airship.
“Thank you,” the young man smiled gently and stepped off the airship.
The maid waited by the young man’s side for a moment but was surprised to find that the other three inside the airship showed no intention of leaving.
“The other three… aren’t they coming out?” The maid glanced curiously into the airship.
“They’re not coming out,” the young man said nonchalantly.
“Huh?” Not only the maid welcoming the young man but also the sailors nearby were stunned.
A total of six airships were scheduled to return to the Stellar Moon, but only four had arrived so far, with two more potentially appearing at any moment. Therefore, the sailors needed to clear the deck to make room for the remaining airships to land.
But if the three physical artist masters inside the airship currently on the deck refused to come out, how could they clear the deck? They couldn’t just close the airship’s door and stuff the three masters along with the airship into the ship’s storage hold, could they?
“Um… Master Physical Artist…” The sailors, feeling awkward, quickly approached the young man with the gentle smile, explaining their predicament.
The sailors’ intention, of course, was to hope that the young man would persuade his friends to leave the airship quickly so they could continue their work. However, the sailors didn’t notice the look of terror on the faces of the three saint-tier physical artists inside the airship as they spoke to the young man.
“Oh. I see. Got it,” the young man smiled and nodded to the sailors.
“Ugh!” The three saint-tier physical artists inside the airship suddenly struggled in panic.
Then, the sailors saw the young man gently wave his hand toward the airship that occupied a significant portion of the Stellar Moon’s deck.
Boom!!!!!
A towering pillar of combat energy erupted from beneath the airship, shooting straight into the sky in an instant! The pillar’s range precisely enveloped the airship parked on the deck. Within seconds, the airship, along with the three saint-tier physical artists inside, turned into dust in the air.
“That should solve the problem, right?” The young man smiled gently and walked straight toward the floating staircase leading to the hall.
The maid and sailors behind the young man stared in stunned silence at the gradually dissipating pillar of light, unable to utter a word.
To be honest, even Si and Kai themselves felt that saying Hassan was on par with a Super-class warrior was actually giving Hassan too much credit. No matter where you went, Super-class warriors were always at the peak of humanity.
In the Empire, the Federation, and the Alliance—the three major powers—there were at least hundreds, even thousands, of wealthy merchants and noble families who were as rich and powerful as Hassan, or even more so.
But in all three major powers combined, the total number of Super-class warriors in the fields of Mind Techniques and Body Techniques had never exceeded fifty!
From these numbers alone, it’s clear who was superior.
“Hehe…” Lofley didn’t expose Si and Kai’s little calculation. Instead, she gave a strange smile and held up one finger toward them. “Among the bounty fighters of the Infinite Arena, there are a total of ten Super-class warriors with the title of ‘Overlord.’ And above these ten Super-class warriors, there is one legendary ‘Sovereign.’ Moreover, I’ve heard some even more interesting rumors…”
“What rumors?” Not only Si and Kai, but even Iniel, were drawn in by Lofley’s words.
“They say that the person who holds the title of ‘Sovereign’ in the Infinite Arena is not a Body Warrior, but a Mind Warrior. All the Mind channels set up on the islands of the Infinite Arena were designed by this ‘Sovereign.’ Moreover, I’ve also heard that this ‘Sovereign’ was personally acknowledged by the ‘King.’ He is the only person in the world who can kill the ‘King.'”
“Kill the ‘King’? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” As soon as Lofley finished speaking, both Si and Kai couldn’t help but exclaim in excitement.
In this world, the King had been recognized as the strongest for over seventy years! Even the Empire and the Federation, such massive powers, dared not show the slightest disrespect to the King! In fact, they had even set aside the planet where the King resided, declaring it eternally independent and respectfully calling it the “Throne.”
In everyone’s hearts, the ‘King’ was the symbol of the strongest. How could there possibly be someone in the world capable of killing the King?
“You don’t have to shout at me. I only heard it from someone else.”
“Infinite Arena rumors, how do you know so much about them?” Iniel asked suspiciously again.
“Hehe. Isn’t it simple? My master, Omega the Thunder God, has always been the ‘Seventh Overlord’ among the ten overlords of the Infinite Arena.” Lofley laughed and suddenly cast a meaningful glance at Zhang Wen. “And the ‘Sixth Overlord’ of the Infinite Arena was the former South Overlord, the Ruby Serpent’s Silver Dragon, Clasus.”
“No wonder Omega the Thunder God was so determined to claim the position of South Overlord. Once the former Number Six died, as the next in line, the ‘Seventh Overlord’ naturally wanted to take on all the previous titles and even go further. Otherwise, wouldn’t he be forever overshadowed by a dead man?” Kai couldn’t help but mutter softly.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Lofley, if the Infinite Arena is really as massive as you say, hiding the airship in a place like this probably isn’t as simple as just finding it and flying it away, right?” Zhang Wen curled his lips into a half-smile and asked Lofley with a teasing expression.
“Of course not.” Lofley naturally sneered and shook her head. “You encountered me, but others will also have to go through some trials.”
※※※
Waa! Waa! Waa!
Over a hundred kilometers west of Pico Island, on a certain unnamed small island, a flock of black birds screeched and flew up from the forest.
Occasionally, the air currents stirred up by the battle between Body Warriors who had surpassed the Tenth Stage exploded among the bushes on the small island, and flashes of battle energy flickered continuously.
“Damn it! Do these guys really want to kill us? Don’t you understand? We’re just participating in Hassan’s selection match! You can’t kill us!” Facing the fierce attack of the Saint-stage warrior in front of him, several Tenth Stage warriors screamed in terror.
“Do you guys have problems in your heads? Who cares about Hassan or whatever his name is! This is the Infinite Arena! All I know is that anyone who steps onto this island is my prey. If you want to keep your lives, don’t come here in the first place.” The Saint-stage warrior sneered and finally lunged at the four Tenth Stage warriors who had been forced into a corner…
The same battles were simultaneously taking place on various unnamed small islands within a radius of 300 kilometers centered on Pico Island.
Of course, not every bounty hunter of the Infinite Arena could successfully take their opponent’s life.
On a small island about 200 kilometers east of Pico Island, near the exit of the castle in a patch of jungle, three Saint-stage bounty hunters were secretly observing the group of four walking out of the castle.
“Hehe! It was definitely right to come to you.” One of the three Saint-stage warriors sneered in a sinister tone. “Earlier, three Saint-stage experts actually came to my territory all at once. Even though I had the advantage of terrain, there was no way I could fight three alone, so I had to watch helplessly as they flew away on an airship.”
“The same happened to me. Three Saint-stage experts appeared together, and I couldn’t make a move. Fortunately, it seems like only the guy at the back here is a bit difficult to deal with. How about this? We each take one of the three easy ones. We’ll beat up the tough one at the back and leave him for you, how’s that?” Another Saint-stage bounty hunter observed the four targets while talking to the leader standing in the middle of the three.
“Deal.” The one in the middle nodded coldly with a sneer, and the three figures flashed and quickly disappeared into the dense jungle of the island.
A few seconds later, three gray shadows shot out from the dense forest like lightning and appeared beside the four people who had just exited the castle.
“Ahh…” The three Tenth Stage warriors at the front of the group let out terrified screams but had no time to react at all.
“Hehehehe!” The three bounty hunters released the three corpses and let them fall limply.
Then, the three bounty hunters unleashed their full strength again, and in a flash of meteor-like battle energy, they quickly surrounded the last of the four “preys.”
Seeing Luo Fulei’s expression, Zhang Wen knew she had misunderstood him. He couldn’t help but laugh and waved his hand dismissively, “Don’t worry, I’m not that cruel. The toxicity of the sea urchin stone might be untreatable for others, but not for me. In fact, I might be the only one in the world who can do it.”
“What?” Zhang Wen’s declaration made Yinier look at him in disbelief.
“Why the surprise? This is just one of my special abilities. I can neutralize the toxicity of the sea urchin stone, and each treatment can last up to a year. So, as long as you come to me for treatment once a year, you’ll never be in danger from the sea urchin stone’s toxicity. If I live, you live; if I die, you die. It’s that simple.”
“This… simple?” Luo Fulei’s body gradually stopped trembling, but her face grew increasingly pale.
“Of course. Isn’t this the most generous condition? All you need to do is cover for me in front of your teacher. Given your current state…” At this point, Zhang Wen suddenly reached out and pinched Luo Fulei’s chin.
“Do you have the courage to refuse any demand I make of you?”
“…” Thinking of the pain when the sea urchin stone’s toxicity flared up, a flash of fear crossed Luo Fulei’s eyes.
“Then it’s settled. Now, wake those two up, and let’s leave this place to find the airship.” Zhang Wen smiled mysteriously, released Luo Fulei’s chin, and stood up.
“Did you never intend to kill her? Was all that just to…” Watching Zhang Wen walk towards Kai and Si with a smile, a sudden realization flashed through Yinier’s mind. Her face flushed red, and she glared at Zhang Wen with suspicion.
“What are you talking about? She wanted to kill me,” Zhang Wen said with a look of surprise. “I was only being merciful because of you. What? Are you saying you regret it and want me to kill her now?”
“Of course not! You’ve already taken your… reward. How can you go back on your word?” When she mentioned the word “reward,” Yinier stammered slightly, and the blush on her cheeks deepened. “I just feel like you never intended to kill her. It seems to me that she’s more useful to you alive than dead.”
“Miss Sage of Kentucky, since he’s already decided to spare me, why bother with these pointless thoughts? Even if he admits he never intended to kill me from the start, can you make him return the ‘reward’ he just took?” Luo Fulei, who had been sitting on the ground recovering her strength, suddenly sneered.
“Of course…” Yinier was left speechless by Luo Fulei’s retort.
“Bastard! How dare you disrespect the Sage!” Si, who had just been awakened by Zhang Wen, saw this scene and immediately flew into a rage. The first warrior of Kentucky charged towards Luo Fulei, but halfway there, he tripped and fell with a loud thud.
“Hmph! Even if I’m down, I’m not so weak that I can be bullied by ants like you.” Luo Fulei sneered, her figure by the wall gradually disappearing and reappearing behind Si.
“Alright, a little friction is good for the soul,” Zhang Wen said, having also awakened Kai. He stepped between the furious Si and Luo Fulei, separating them. “But we don’t have time for squabbles. We’ve already wasted enough time here. Also, Miss Sage of Kentucky, don’t forget—you owe me a favor.” Finally, Zhang Wen leaned close to Yinier’s ear and whispered.
“I know,” Yinier bit her lip hard.
“Follow me. It’ll take about an hour to walk to the nearest airship from here. If we don’t hurry, someone else might beat us to it.” Luo Fulei sneered and led the way towards the locked door.
※※※
“Hey! What’s going on? Aren’t we back on Pico Island?” Seeing the familiar castle in front of him, Si couldn’t help but shout as they exited the door.
“This isn’t Pico Island. Pico Island is the gateway to the Infinite Arena. This is part of the Infinite Arena itself,” Luo Fulei glanced at Si.
“But this castle…”
“The Infinite Arena isn’t like the arenas you’ve seen before, confined to a single building for matches. How could it live up to the name ‘Infinite’ if it were? Let me tell you—there are 1,473 islands across the Abyssal Ocean. Excluding the 631 islands that are too close to the mainland or already claimed, the remaining 842 islands all belong to the Infinite Arena. The founder of this arena built identical castles on each island, planted the same types of vegetation, and made all the islands look almost exactly the same.”
“What? Over 800 islands, all identical to this one… all owned by Hassan?” Si’s jaw dropped in shock.
“What are you thinking?” Luo Fulei shot Si an even more disdainful look. However, Si, deeply shocked by the image in his mind, didn’t notice.
“This is the Infinite Arena! How could it all belong to Hassan? No matter how rich Hassan is, he’s just a local tycoon in the Southern Realm. He did invest a large sum in the Infinite Arena, but among the actual owners of the arena, he’s at best a third-rate figure. The origins of the Infinite Arena are far greater than you can imagine!”
“Oh?” Yinier frowned in confusion.
“Hehe! It seems the Sage of Kentucky still doesn’t believe me. Let me share a bit more. In your eyes, who holds more power—Hassan or a super-tier expert?”
“Well… they each have their strengths,” Si and Kai exchanged glances and reluctantly answered.
To be honest, Si and Kai themselves felt that saying Hassan could rival a super-tier expert was an overstatement. Super-tier experts are at the pinnacle of humanity, no matter where you go.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of wealthy merchants and noble families in the Empire, Federation, and Alliance who are as rich and powerful as Hassan, or even more so.
But the total number of super-tier experts in both psychic and physical arts across the three major powers has never exceeded fifty!
The difference in status between the two is clear just from the numbers.
“Haha…” Luo Fulei didn’t expose Si and Kai’s little scheme. Instead, she gave them a strange smile and extended a finger. “Among the bounty fighters of the Infinite Arena, there are ten super-tier experts with the title of ‘Overlord.’ And above these ten, there is a legendary ‘Supreme Overlord.’ Moreover, I’ve heard some even more interesting rumors…”
“What rumors?” Not only Si and Kai, but even Yinier was intrigued by Luo Fulei’s words.
“Rumor has it that the person who holds the title of ‘Supreme Overlord’ in the Infinite Arena isn’t a physical artist but a psychic master. The psychic channels laid out on the islands of the Infinite Arena were all created by this ‘Supreme Overlord.’ And I’ve also heard that this ‘Supreme Overlord’ was personally acknowledged by the ‘King.’ He is the only person in the world who can kill the ‘King.'”
“Kill the ‘King’? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” As soon as Luo Fulei finished speaking, Si and Kai couldn’t help but shout in agitation.
In this world, the King has been the undisputed strongest for over seventy years! Even behemoths like the Empire and the Federation dare not slight the King in the slightest! In fact, they have set aside the planet where the King resides as an eternally independent entity, revered as the ‘Throne.’
In everyone’s hearts, the ‘King’ is the ultimate symbol of strength. How could there possibly be someone in this world who could kill the King?
“You don’t need to yell at me. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard.”
“How do you know so much about the rumors of the Infinite Arena?” Yinier pressed again, puzzled.
“Hehe. Isn’t it obvious? My teacher, Thunder God Omega, has always been the ‘Seventh Overlord’ of the Infinite Arena’s ten overlords.” Luo Fulei chuckled, then suddenly cast a meaningful glance at Zhang Wen. “And the ‘Sixth Overlord’ of the Infinite Arena is the former Southern Realm Overlord, the Silver Dragon Clasus of the Ruby Serpent.”
“No wonder Thunder God Omega is so determined to claim the position of Southern Realm Overlord. With the death of the former sixth figure, as the ‘Seventh Overlord,’ it’s only natural for him to inherit all the titles of his predecessor and even advance further. Otherwise, wouldn’t he be forever overshadowed by a dead man?” Kai couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Luo Fulei, if the Infinite Arena is truly the colossal entity you describe, hiding the airship here probably isn’t as simple as finding it and taking off, right?” Zhang Wen raised an eyebrow, smiling ambiguously as he asked Luo Fulei.
“Of course not,” Luo Fulei sneered and shook her head. “You’ve encountered me, so others will naturally have to pass some tests as well.”
※※※
Woo! Woo! Woo!
About a hundred kilometers west of Pico Island, on a nameless islet, a flock of black birds cawed as they flew up from the forest.
The air currents stirred by the battles of physical artists beyond the tenth tier occasionally exploded through the island’s thickets, accompanied by flashes of combat energy.
“Damn it! These guys really want to kill us! Don’t you understand? We’re just here for Hassan’s selection! You can’t kill us!” Facing the ferocious attacks of a saint-tier expert, several tenth-tier experts screamed in terror.
“Are you all idiots? Who cares about Hassan or Haji! This is the Infinite Arena! All I know is that anyone who steps onto this island is my prey. If you want to keep your lives, you shouldn’t have come here in the first place.” The saint-tier expert sneered, then lunged at the four tenth-tier experts who had been cornered…
Similar battles were unfolding simultaneously on various nameless islets within a 300-kilometer radius of Pico Island.
Of course, not every bounty fighter of the Infinite Arena succeeded in taking their opponent’s life.
On an islet two hundred kilometers east of Pico Island, in a thicket not far from the castle’s exit, three saint-tier bounty fighters were secretly observing a group of four emerging from the castle.
“Hehe! Coming here was the right move,” one of the three saint-tier fighters said with a sinister grin. “Three saint-tier experts suddenly appeared on my territory earlier. Even with the advantage of terrain, I couldn’t take on three alone. I had to watch them board an airship and leave.”
“Same here. Three saint-tier experts appeared together, and I couldn’t act alone. Luckily, it seems only the guy at the back is a tough one here. How about this—each of us takes one of the easier targets, and after we beat the tough one half to death, we leave him to you. Deal?” Another saint-tier bounty fighter, while observing the four targets, proposed to the one standing in the middle.
“Deal,” the middle one nodded with a cold smile, and the three figures vanished into the dense forest of the islet.
A few seconds later, three gray figures burst out of the thicket like lightning, appearing beside the group of four who had just exited the castle.
“Ah…” The three tenth-tier experts at the front of the group let out terrified screams but had no time to react.
“Hehehe!” The three bounty fighters released the three corpses, letting them slump to the ground.
Then, the three bounty fighters unleashed their combat energy at full force. Amidst the dazzling flashes of combat energy, they quickly surrounded the last remaining “prey” among the four.
“You’re quite clever, walking at the back while letting three weaklings lead the way. That way, they could indeed help you guard against ambushes. Unfortunately, you were too timid and miscalculated. If they were all alive, with the four of you working together, you might have been able to hold out. Now that they’re dead, you’ll just have to join them on the journey to the afterlife.” The saint-tier bounty fighter standing in front of the last “prey” laughed triumphantly, hoping to see the panic he loved in his target’s eyes.
Unfortunately, the “last prey” surrounded by the three saint-tier bounty fighters showed no sign of panic. The gentle smile on his face didn’t waver, though a hint of cold mockery seemed to flicker in his eyes.
“Hmm… You suddenly jumping out and killing them is quite troublesome. I heard that the airship requires four people to operate. Is that true?” The young man with the gentle smile suddenly looked up and asked the bounty fighter in front of him.
“You… you bastard, asking for death!” The bounty fighter, sensing the mockery in the young man’s words, roared in anger and, along with his two companions, lunged at their “last prey.”
Boom!
The full-force attack of the three saint-tier experts landed squarely on the young man standing in the center.
The massive combat energy upheaved the ground, uprooting the surrounding trees. The violent air currents exploded with a roar, sending leaves and dust flying into the air.
Such a fierce aftermath was something even the three saint-tier experts themselves didn’t want to be caught in. The moment they unleashed their attack, they leaped back, retreating from the range of the shockwave.
“Hmph! Seeking death…” The bounty fighter who had been mocked by the young man sneered, but his words were abruptly cut off.
In the large clearing created by the attack, a figure with an eerie smile stood in the center.
“Hehe! I just thought of a great idea,” the man said, looking at the three saint-tier experts, his smile growing even brighter.
“You are…” Seeing the man’s face, the saint-tier expert who had sneered earlier trembled, instantly drenched in cold sweat.
“Shh! It’s better not to say my name,” the man said, and in the next instant, he suddenly vanished from his spot, as if teleporting, and reappeared in the midst of the three saint-tier experts.
“This… this is…” Without even moving a finger, the man’s overwhelming pressure forced the three saint-tier experts to collapse to the ground.
Half an hour later…
The airship carrying Zhang Wen and his group slowly landed on the deck of the Stellar Moon. Zhang Wen and the Kentucky trio stepped out of the airship, and several beautiful maids immediately approached them, gesturing respectfully.
“Please follow me.”
“Alright,” Zhang Wen nodded, glancing around. He noticed that besides their airship, there were already two other four-person airships of the same model on the deck.
“That’s Mr. Ruhl’s airship. Also, Mr. Shura, who was with you, has returned with the other gentlemen,” one of the maids whispered to Zhang Wen, winking at him.
“Thank you,” Zhang Wen chuckled in surprise and winked back.
“No need to thank me! Do you remember Lina and the others? The girls you met in the hall earlier. They’re my good friends.”
“Oh! Then we’re all on the same side.”
“Hehe! Exactly! From now on, if Teacher Zhang Wen needs any information, just leave it to me,” the maid said proudly, puffing out her chest as she led Zhang Wen and his group forward.
Just as Zhang Wen and his group left the deck and entered the floating staircase leading to the cabins, a small black dot appeared on the horizon to the east of the Stellar Moon.
“Quick! Clear the deck!” The sailors on the deck immediately sprang into action.
The four-person airship flew quite fast. In no time, it had landed on the deck of the Stellar Moon.
A young man with a gentle smile stepped out of the airship.
“Oh! Welcome back to the Stellar Moon!” One of the maids waiting on the deck immediately stepped forward, smiling sweetly as she approached the airship.
“Thank you,” the young man smiled gently and stepped off the airship.
The maid waited by the young man for a moment but was surprised to find that the other three in the airship showed no intention of leaving.
“The other three, aren’t they coming out?” The maid curiously peeked into the airship.
“They’re not coming out,” the young man said nonchalantly.
“Huh?” Not only the maid welcoming the young man, but even the nearby sailors were stunned.
There were supposed to be six airships returning to the Stellar Moon, but only four had arrived so far, with two more potentially appearing at any moment. Therefore, the sailors needed to clear the deck to make room for the remaining two airships.
But if the three physical artist masters in the airship currently on the deck refused to come out, how could they clear the deck? They couldn’t just close the airship’s door and stuff the three physical artist masters along with the airship into the ship’s storage, could they?
“Um… Master Physical Artist…” The troubled sailors quickly sent their leader to explain the situation to the young man with the gentle smile.
The sailor leader’s intention, of course, was to hope that the gentle young man would persuade his friends to leave the airship so the sailors could continue their work. However, the sailor leader didn’t notice the look of terror on the faces of the three saint-tier physical artists in the airship as he spoke to the young man.
“Oh. I see. Got it,” the young man smiled and nodded at the sailor leader.
“Ugh!” The three saint-tier physical artists in the airship suddenly struggled in panic.
Then, the sailors saw the young man gently wave his hand towards the airship that occupied nearly half of the Stellar Moon’s deck.
Boom!!!!!
A towering column of combat energy erupted from beneath the airship, shooting straight into the sky in an instant! The column’s range precisely enveloped the airship on the deck. Within seconds, the airship, along with the three saint-tier physical artists inside, turned into dust in the air.
“That should solve the problem, right?” The young man smiled gently and walked straight towards the floating staircase leading to the hall.
The maid and sailors behind the young man stared in stunned silence at the gradually dissipating column of energy, unable to utter a word.
Unfortunately, the “last prey” surrounded by the three Saint-stage bounty hunters did not show the slightest panic. The gentle smile on his face did not change at all, but his eyes seemed to gain a hint of mocking coldness.
“Hmm… You suddenly jumped out and killed them, making it quite troublesome. I heard that the airship must be operated by four people together. Is that correct?” The young man with a gentle smile suddenly looked up and asked the bounty hunter in front.
“You… you bastard, looking for death!” The bounty hunter heard the contempt in the young man’s words. He roared and, together with his two companions, charged toward their “last prey.”
Boom!
The three Saint-stage experts’ full-force attacks hit the young man standing in the center without any embellishment.
The massive battle energy overturned the ground, uprooting the surrounding trees. Violent air currents roared and exploded, swirling up leaves and dust into the sky.
Such violent aftershocks, even the three Saint-stage experts themselves were unwilling to be caught in them easily. At the moment of launching the attack, the three of them leapt with all their might, retreating from the range of the aftershocks.
“Hmph! Seeking death…” The bounty hunter who had been provoked by the young man sneered, but his words were cut off halfway.
In the large empty space left by the previous attack, a figure with a strange smile stood in the center.
“Hehe! I suddenly thought of a good idea.” The person looked at the three Saint-stage experts, and the smile on his face suddenly became even brighter.
“You are…” The Saint-stage expert who had sneered earlier saw that face and trembled, his entire body instantly soaked in cold sweat.
“Shh! It’s better not to say my name out loud.” In the next moment, the figure had suddenly vanished from his original position, as if he had crossed space, and abruptly appeared in the middle of the three Saint-stage experts.
“This… this is…” Without even moving a finger, an enormous pressure like a mountain pressed the three Saint-stage experts down, making them collapse on the ground.
Half an hour later…
The airship carrying Zhang Wen and his group slowly landed on the deck of the Xingyue. Zhang Wen and the three from Kentaki stepped out of the airship, and immediately several beautiful maids respectfully approached them and gestured.
“Please follow us.”
“Hmm.” Zhang Wen nodded slightly, glancing around briefly and noticing that besides their airship, there were already two other identical four-person airships on the deck.
“That’s Mr. Luhr’s airship. Also, Mr. Xie Luo who came with you returned with some other gentlemen.” One of the maids winked at Zhang Wen and whispered secretly.
“Thank you.” Zhang Wen smiled secretly and winked back at the maid.
“No need to thank me! Do you remember Lina and the others? The two girls you met in the hall earlier. They are my good friends.”
“Oh! Then we are all on the same team.”
“Hehe! Exactly! In the future, if Teacher Zhang Wen wants to know any information, just leave it to me.” The maid proudly puffed her chest and continued leading Zhang Wen and his group forward.
Not long after Zhang Wen and his group left the deck and entered the floating stairs leading to the cabin, a small black dot appeared on the horizon to the east of Xingyue.
“Quick! Clean up the deck!” The sailors on the deck immediately got busy.
The speed of the four-person small airship was quite fast. Not long after, it had already landed on the deck of Xingyue.
A young man with a gentle smile stepped out of the airship.
“Oh! Welcome back to Xingyue!” One of the waiting maids on the deck immediately stepped forward with a sweet smile.
“Thank you.” The young man smiled gently and stepped off the airship.
The maid waited beside the young man for a moment but was surprised to find that the other three in the airship showed no sign of leaving.
“Didn’t the other three come down?” The maid curiously looked into the airship.
“Eh?” Not only the maid who came to greet the young man, but even the nearby sailors were stunned.
A total of six airships were scheduled to return to Xingyue, but currently, only four had returned, with two more expected at any moment. Therefore, the sailors had to clean the deck to make space for the two remaining airships to land.
However, if the three Body Warriors in the airship currently parked on the deck refused to disembark, how could they clean the deck? They couldn’t just close the airship door and stuff the three Body Warriors and the airship into the ship’s hold, could they?
“That… this Body Warrior gentleman…” The boatswain among the troubled sailors quickly stepped forward to explain their predicament to the young man with the gentle smile.
The boatswain’s intention was naturally to hope that the gentle young man would persuade his friends to hurry up and leave the airship so the sailors could continue working. However, the boatswain didn’t see the terror on the faces of the three Saint-stage Body Warriors on the airship as he spoke to the young man.
“Oh. I see. I understand.” The gentle young man smiled and nodded to the boatswain.
“Waa!” The three Saint-stage Body Warriors suddenly struggled in terror inside the airship.
Then, the sailors saw the gentle young man suddenly wave lightly toward the airship behind him, which occupied almost half of Xingyue’s deck.
Boom!!!!
A towering column of battle energy suddenly flashed from beneath the airship, shooting straight into the sky in an instant! The column of light just covered the airship parked on the deck. A few seconds later, the airship within the column, along with the three Saint-stage Body Warriors inside, turned into dust in the air.
“That should be fine now?” The young man smiled gently and walked directly toward the floating stairs leading to the hall.
Behind the young man, the maids and sailors stood there with their mouths agape, staring at the gradually dissipating column of light, unable to utter a single word.
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