Chapter 21: The Temptation of Leonora

What exactly is going on here?

Just now, Douglas had clearly stated how much battle energy was stored inside the weapon known as Poseidon’s Wrath. Unless Douglas was a complete idiot, there was no way he could have mistaken such an important detail.

Moreover, judging from the way Douglas had produced the weapon, it was obvious that Poseidon’s Wrath had always been in his personal possession. That meant there was no possibility that someone else had used it without his knowledge.

So, what kind of trick had Zhang Wen used to make Douglas commit such a basic mistake? Almost everyone who had witnessed the scene was asking the same question.

“I didn’t use any tricks,” Zhang Wen said calmly, continuing to walk steadily toward Douglas.

“Then why did the battle energy inside Poseidon’s Wrath suddenly vanish? And why did it absorb my energy out of nowhere?” Douglas roared furiously, but he kept backing away as Zhang Wen advanced.

“Oh, that? Well, we should thank today’s arena for that,” Zhang Wen replied with a faint smile.

In fact, it was all thanks to the extensive reading he had done in the library of Almestus Academy. Without that knowledge, he probably wouldn’t have discovered the only weakness of Poseidon’s Wrath.

“The arena?” Not only Douglas, but also the spectators around the hall, the bounty fighters in the lounge, and even the martial arts instructors from Thamis Academy, couldn’t help but echo the word, their eyes fixed on Zhang Wen, who had now backed Douglas to the edge of the arena.

“Exactly, the arena. As you just said, when sea-urchin stone is mixed into a weapon at a certain specific ratio, it becomes a divine weapon capable of storing battle energy. However, you probably didn’t know that sea-urchin stone has another important characteristic—what we call ‘internal fusion.’” Zhang Wen’s lips curled slightly beneath his mask. “Do you know why sea-urchin stone is considered the best material for constructing arenas? Because when two martial arts experts fight on a sea-urchin stone arena, the residual battle energy from their attacks gets evenly dispersed across the entire arena due to its ‘internal fusion’ property, minimizing damage to the structure itself. No matter what enchantments are inside your Poseidon’s Wrath, as long as it’s made with sea-urchin stone, it cannot escape this inherent characteristic of the material…”

“Oh!” A chorus of realization echoed through the hall.

“I get it now,” Douglas stared at Zhang Wen, murmuring to himself. “That’s why you kept luring me into using Poseidon’s Wrath all along. Every time it touched the arena, the energy inside was being absorbed without my noticing…” He suddenly lifted his head, a smirk returning to his face.

“I really should thank you for explaining all this. I finally understand everything. Heh! You really are an idiot! Telling me all this before pushing me off the arena! Sure, I might have run out of battle energy, but how much better off are you, really? Besides… I’m not limited to just one weapon like Poseidon’s Wrath. So die!”

Douglas spoke slowly and deliberately at first, but as soon as he reached the word “besides,” he suddenly pulled out a crystal dagger about half a foot long and lunged at Zhang Wen with a cold sneer.

According to the traditional rules of Kaimur Arena, Douglas’s act of questioning Zhang Wen about his defeat was practically equivalent to conceding the match. Yet, no one had expected him to suddenly turn around and attack again. His treacherous move almost prompted the audience to erupt in loud curses.

However, before their voices could escape their lips, a sharp punch landed with a crisp sound.

Then, under the stunned gazes of the audience, Douglas’s body spun sideways through the air and flew out of the arena. On the arena, for a brief moment, it seemed as if there were two Zhang Wens!

One was pierced by Douglas’s dagger, while the other stood fully extended, still in the posture of having just thrown a punch.

Crash! Douglas’s body flew off the arena and landed outside. The Zhang Wen pierced by the dagger quickly vanished before the audience’s eyes—it had merely been an afterimage.

An unexpected yet entirely logical reversal! The hall was silent for a moment, then erupted into thunderous applause.

The fight began with an intense pressure that was almost suffocating, and ended with a punch that released all that tension—though the battle wasn’t particularly long or bloody, the excitement it contained was enough to leave every citizen of Kasares with lifelong memories.

“Hermit! Hermit! Hermit!” The audience rose to their feet in excitement again, waving their arms as the chant of “Hermit” rhythmically echoed throughout the hall. Even the two commentators couldn’t help shouting along.

In the explosive atmosphere, Linoah’s beautiful eyes never left Zhang Wen, her lovely face flushed with excitement.

From the moment she met Zhang Wen, she had not only failed to uncover any of his secrets, but had instead become increasingly fascinated by the miracles he kept producing. Every time she thought she had finally figured him out, he would reveal something even more astonishing, drawing her deeper into curiosity. This helpless, sinking feeling was something she had never experienced with anyone else.

Linoah watched as Zhang Wen turned around nonchalantly, bowing to the audience in all directions, then walked away without even glancing at Douglas, who had been thrown off the arena.

After Zhang Wen disappeared into the lounge, Linoah saw the two Thamis Academy instructors who had yet to fight rush out to help the unconscious Douglas back.

The two instructors no longer wore their earlier arrogant expressions. Amid the audience’s jeers, they kept their heads down and quickly helped Douglas retreat into the locker room.

Glancing at the firmly shut door behind her, Linoah smiled faintly and strode toward the opposite side of the arena.

Back in the locker room, Zhang Wen closed the door and collapsed heavily onto the bench in the center without even bothering to remove his helmet. The shadow technique he had used to counter Douglas’s final attack had completely drained his last bit of battle energy. If not for sheer willpower, he would have collapsed from exhaustion long before reaching the locker room.

He had won! Lying on the bench, Zhang Wen clenched his fists tightly as the cheers from outside continued unabated. This was his victory, his rightful triumph.

Before this match ended, no one would have dared imagine that Zhang Wen could defeat an opponent at the peak of the eighth stage. When Douglas had pulled out his sea-urchin weapon, Zhang Wen had almost considered retreating—but in the end, he had persisted. Even Zhang Wen himself couldn’t believe he had found the courage to keep going.

Click! Just as Zhang Wen was still immersed in the memory of his battle with Douglas, the locker room door opened again. Zhang Wen lifted his head to glance toward the entrance.

“Oh? It’s you?” To his surprise, Zhang Wen smiled. It wasn’t Ironmask or any of the others who had entered, but Linoah, who had previously been with Douglas.

“Surprised, Teacher Zhang? Don’t tell me you’re not happy to see me anymore?” Linoah smiled and sat down beside Zhang Wen on the bench. As she did, the hem of her “cheongsam” naturally parted, revealing glimpses of her elegant, slender legs.

“What do you think?” Zhang Wen sat up, fixing Linoah with a teasing gaze. “You’ve been with the Thamis Academy people all along, standing with my enemies during my match. Did you really expect to be welcomed here? Linoah, this is a fighting arena, not Almestus Academy. Here, anyone who stands with the enemy is the enemy!”

“I had no choice…” Linoah hadn’t expected Zhang Wen to be so harsh. Under his piercing gaze, even a mature beauty like her couldn’t help feeling flustered.

Ever since she joined Almestus Academy, hadn’t all the male teachers treated her like a goddess straight out of their dreams? If she ever made a mistake, those men would practically line up to cover for her. No one had ever confronted her so bluntly before!

“No choice?” Zhang Wen scoffed, making Linoah’s beautiful face flush even more.

But Linoah wasn’t some inexperienced girl. She quickly realized she had lost composure. After a brief silence, she regained her calm.

“Alright, alright,” Linoah crossed her legs casually, speaking in a resigned older-sister tone. “Going to Douglas’s place was my mistake. I apologize. And I’ll even tell you a piece of information I overheard from them. That should count for something, right?”

“Go ahead,” Zhang Wen shrugged indifferently, not dwelling on her tone. In truth, if a sexy, mature, and intellectually appealing woman like Linoah spoke to him like a teenage girl, Zhang Wen would have felt nothing but goosebumps.

“The one who fought you before Douglas—Kapono—he’s not actually a mentor from Thamis Academy, but…” Linoah began seriously.

“He’s from the Fira Planet Arena,” Zhang Wen interrupted with a smile, finishing her sentence.

“How did you know?” Linoah’s face showed a mix of genuine and feigned surprise.

“Of course I know. During our fight, he had many habitual moves that no one could have learned in a traditional academy. His fighting style was completely different from those from Thamis Academy. Also, without encouragement from the Fira Planet Arena, would those arrogant martial arts instructors from Thamis Academy have even come here to the arena?” Zhang Wen shook his head at Linoah. “Is this the best you can do to apologize? Should I say you underestimate me, or that you lack sincerity?”

“Then I give up,” Linoah shrugged gracefully, then fixed her gaze on Zhang Wen with a playful challenge. “So, what do you think I should do to make it sincere?”

“That’s your problem,” Zhang Wen said, his eyes shamelessly lingering on Linoah’s beautiful face just inches away.

“Alright…” After a long stare, Linoah sighed softly. Then, to Zhang Wen’s surprise, she slowly leaned in and gently kissed him on the lips.

“This is my first kiss. Is this apology sincere enough?” Linoah stood up, half-joking, half-sadly. “Teacher Zhang wouldn’t want me to get down on all fours and let you spank me, would he?”

Although Linoah’s tone wasn’t particularly flirtatious, she seemed to possess a natural charm. After a moment’s shock, Zhang Wen’s gaze drifted to Linoah’s shapely backside. In his mind, he couldn’t help imagining her lying on the floor, her long, jade-like legs half-exposed, her round, perky bottom raised high, and her beautiful face wearing a mix of sadness and grievance, awaiting punishment.

If Linoah really did pose like that, wouldn’t it drive any man crazy? Zhang Wen thought to himself, barely hearing anything Linoah said afterward. By the time he snapped out of it, Linoah was already walking toward the locker room door.

This woman was simply too dangerous! Watching her graceful figure depart from the locker room, Zhang Wen let out a faint, almost imperceptible bitter smile. He had merely imagined the scene for a moment, yet his desire had already surged, and the last remnants of his Spring Water Technique energy were wildly stirring within him.

Bang! Not long after Linoah left, the locker room door was pushed open with force. Before Zhang Wen could figure out what was happening, Shura and Old Drunk entered first, followed closely by a crowd of people.

Still confused, Zhang Wen quickly put his mask back on while Shura and the others blocked the crowd. Then, several excited bounty fighters rushed in and lifted him up.

“Whoa!” Laughing, the bounty fighters tossed Zhang Wen into the air several times before carrying him out like a king.

“What’s going on?” Zhang Wen helplessly rode on the shoulders of the excited fighters, shouting toward Ironmask and the others following behind.

“The remaining two gave up. Brother Hermit, you’ve won!” Before Ironmask could speak, the fighters supporting Zhang Wen shouted excitedly.

Zhang Wen looked toward the blue lounge and indeed found no sign of Douglas. His previously anxious heart finally relaxed. Honestly, in his current condition, even if the other two Thamis Academy instructors had no desire to fight, he couldn’t be sure he could win. Scaring them off was the best possible outcome for Zhang Wen.

The excited crowd carried Zhang Wen around the four-tiered hall before setting him down at the locker room door and dispersing.

“Where’s Ironmask?” After straightening his clothes, Zhang Wen approached the grinning Shura and Old Drunk.

“He went to arrange training for your students,” Old Drunk patted Zhang Wen’s shoulder. “With Ironmask’s help, you can rest easy.”

“Of course,” Zhang Wen nodded with a smile and walked back into the locker room. A few minutes later, having changed out of the Hermit’s attire into casual clothes, Zhang Wen exited through a private room directly opposite the lounge.

The bounty fighters and spectators of Kaimur Arena were long accustomed to the Hermit’s elusive style—appearing like a dragon’s head and vanishing like its tail. After the celebration, no one thought it strange when the Hermit suddenly disappeared from the locker room, nor did anyone pay attention to Zhang Wen walking out from a private room far away. Only Old Drunk and Shura watched him from afar with knowing smiles. Zhang Wen nodded at them and walked away.

As he returned to the first floor, Zhang Wen spotted Ironmask. This time, however, Ironmask wasn’t standing boldly in the crowd like before, but silently appeared in the deepest chamber of the first-floor arena—the referee’s room.

Among the many arenas of the Empire, Kaimur Arena was known for fairness and impartiality. Even with Ironmask’s current reputation and status, openly cheating the referees was impossible. However, arranging specific opponents for a few “apprentice fighters”… even the most rigid referee wouldn’t object to such a minor favor.

After exchanging a few silent signals with Zhang Wen from across the crowd, Ironmask disappeared again. Zhang Wen didn’t approach him, simply smiling before turning his attention to searching for his three students.

Though the first-floor hall was vast, for Zhang Wen with his sharp senses, finding three people among dozens of small arenas wasn’t difficult. It didn’t take long for him to spot Zack and Cloud near Arenas 15 and 24. However, to his surprise, he couldn’t find Amyris anywhere.

The first-floor hall of Kaimur Arena was always a place where all kinds of people mingled. It wasn’t unheard of for lucky fighters to face only second or third-stage opponents and earn the right to challenge upper-tier fighters within a couple of hours.

Could she have been that lucky to quickly earn the chance to challenge an honor fighter? Zhang Wen thought in surprise, then focused on watching Zack and Cloud’s matches.

Zhang Wen could immediately tell that Zack and Cloud’s opponents were around the fourth stage in martial arts. Normally, such opponents would be no match for Zack and Cloud, who were at the peak of the fifth stage. However, under Zhang Wen’s strict orders to use only the Spring Water Technique, both found themselves restricted and struggling.

The two fourth-stage fighters clearly hadn’t expected that their terrifying fifth-stage opponents would turn out to be such soft targets. Overjoyed, they fought more and more fiercely, driving Zack and Cloud into a frantic retreat, looking quite pathetic.

Two fourth-stage fighters chasing fifth-stage fighters around like that was quite a rare sight even in Kaimur Arena. Thus, both Zack and Cloud’s arenas attracted many amused spectators. Each time Zack and Cloud dodged an attack, the crowd below erupted in deafening jeers. Even the pretty female staff around the arenas couldn’t resist commenting on Zack and Cloud’s performance.

Fortunately, this was just the first-floor arena, where no money was at stake. If such a match had occurred in a higher-level honor fighter competition, the entire hall would have likely erupted in accusations of match-fixing.

However, Zhang Wen wasn’t angry at Zack and Cloud’s poor performance. He himself had gone through such a stage, knowing how much practice it took to accumulate combat experience. Even the most extraordinary genius couldn’t become an invincible master overnight when first learning martial arts.

Frankly speaking, both Zack and Cloud’s talent and effort were more than satisfactory to Zhang Wen. From their movements, he could see that after an afternoon of continuous matches, their familiarity with the Spring Water Technique had improved significantly. At the beginning, when facing third-stage opponents, they could only rely on overwhelming battle energy to defeat them. Now, though still at a disadvantage, they could hold their own against fourth-stage opponents using techniques alone.

The outcomes of both matches further proved their progress. Finally, both Zack and Cloud used the same technique—they managed to seize an opportunity after a series of desperate dodging, anticipating their opponent’s move in advance. When the two fourth-stage fighters’ crystal swords were blocked, they suddenly realized their opponents had transformed from gentle deer into monstrous beasts from the Karuiliu star system!

Under the overwhelming onslaught like a flood, the two fourth-stage fighters barely managed to parry a couple of attacks before being mercilessly knocked off the arena.

The spectators around the two arenas were clearly unable to accept the sudden 180-degree turn. After the two fourth-stage fighters were thrown off the arena, they all wore expressions of stunned disbelief. However, Zack and Cloud calmly stepped off the arena, handing their number plates to the equally stunned female staff. Clearly, this wasn’t their first time experiencing such a situation.

Looks like they should be fine from now on; all they need is time. Zhang Wen nodded slightly, when his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of Amyris, whom he had been searching for.

As expected, Amyris appeared near the stairs of the first-floor hall. When Zhang Wen saw her, the girl looked as if she had just finished exercising, slightly out of breath. Her forehead was sweaty, her cheeks flushed with a healthy red. But aside from that, there was no sign of her having just fought a fierce battle. Her long hair was still neatly tied back, her delicate face unmarked, and even her dress remained intact.

After returning to the first floor, Amyris didn’t engage in any more matches and quickly left the arena.

Hmm? Zhang Wen glanced at Amyris’s retreating figure in surprise. Then, checking the time, he also walked out of the arena hall.