Chapter 144

Xuantian Gate, Outer Gate training ground, Life-or-Death Arena.

There are nine Life-or-Death Arenas in the Outer Gate, all identical: square platforms nine zhang per side, covering roughly 1.3 mu, compacted from yellow earth.

Solid! Durable! Easy to repair!

At all times, the Life-or-Death Arenas remain in use; Xuantian Gate has ten thousand Outer Gate disciples.

Cultivators, with their vigorous blood and qi, often clash at the slightest provocation.

Conflicts arise daily; disciples fight on the Life-or-Death Arenas daily—today is no exception.

At this moment, five of the nine arenas host duels, and one is about to begin—Chen Yun’s arena.

On the arena, Chen Yun stands with arms crossed, proud and relaxed, utterly unconcerned about the impending duel.

Below the arena, the Lietian Gang members wait boredly; Chen Yun’s deputy chief’s opponent has not yet arrived—the leader of that small gang.

At this moment, many Outer Gate disciples, drawn by the prospect of a duel, gather around, inquiring about the identities and cultivation bases of the combatants.

Someone recognizes Chen Yun and laughs: “Isn’t that Chen Deputy Chief of Lietian Gang? Who’s the fool dumb enough to challenge him? Did he eat a leopard’s gallbladder? How dare he offend Lietian Gang?”

As he speaks, he glances at the Lietian Gang members and spots a familiar bald man—Chen Dahu.

After his lower body was crippled, Chen Dahu became infamous in the Outer Gate—everyone knows him, no one is unaware.

He smirks inwardly, yet wears a serene smile: “Brother Chen, Deputy Chief Chen is dueling whom? Where’s his opponent?”

Chen Dahu recognizes him too—Beigong Wang, Fifth Layer of Martial General, Lord of the White Tiger Hall of the Blood Saber Gang.

The Blood Saber Gang is the second strongest faction in the Outer Gate, after Lietian Gang; its leader, Xiao Jun, nicknamed Blood Saber, is Ninth Layer of Martial General and ranks among the top ten disciples in the Outer Gate.

“Brother Beigong!”

Chen Dahu bows respectfully, then glances toward Xuantian Town with disdain: “Just the leader of some small gang. He hasn’t arrived yet.”

“A small gang’s leader?”

Beigong Wang frowns—he knows Lietian Gang is expanding again!

Lietian Gang rose to become the Outer Gate’s top faction by seizing power through coercion and swallowing smaller gangs.

Any small gang targeted by Lietian Gang that refuses their “alliance” policy is crushed under fabricated excuses, then absorbed.

The lucky ones have their entire gang absorbed; their leader becomes a minor commander, joining Lietian Gang.

The unlucky ones, like this small gang, are forced onto the Life-or-Death Arena—end up with nothing, and risk death.

Clearly, Lietian Gang is tyrannical!

Blood Saber Gang is no better!

Beigong Wang sighs slightly, then asks: “What is this small gang’s leader’s cultivation base?”

“Cultivation base?”

Chen Dahu freezes—right, what is Cang Luo’s cultivation base?

The last time he saw him was two months ago—was he a Warrior Ninth Layer?

Chen Dahu hesitates: “Seems like Warrior Ninth Layer... maybe not...”

“Seems like?”

Now it’s Beigong Wang’s turn to freeze—is this a joke? They don’t even know the opponent’s cultivation base, and they’re about to duel?

Is Lietian Gang so arrogant?

Beigong Wang smirks: “At least you know the opponent’s name, right? And the gang’s name?”

“Cang Luo!”

Chen Dahu spits out those two words, teeth clenched, each syllable dripping with hatred.

“Cang Luo?”

Beigong Wang freezes again—he’s heard that name.

Two months ago, a delegation from the Imperial-level sect Kong Sheng Academy came to Xuantian Gate; the two sects held several duels, with participants limited to Warrior-level Outer Academy and Outer Gate disciples.

One of Xuantian Gate’s fighters was named Cang Luo—was it the same person?

Beigong Wang was present that day; he remembers Cang Luo, at Warrior Sixth Layer, defeating Kong Sheng Academy’s Warrior Ninth Layer disciple, Long Zhantian.

At the time, Long Zhantian, confident in his higher cultivation, stood still and let Cang Luo strike three times, enduring three palm strikes.

He easily blocked the first two—but failed to block the third, and was ultimately defeated.

Beigong Wang believed Cang Luo’s victory owed much to Long Zhantian’s arrogance, yet Cang Luo was no weakling—he had real strength.

Especially that third palm strike—it was no ordinary technique. Beigong Wang judged it at least a Low-Grade Earth-level Martial Art.

Recalling this, Beigong Wang looks again at Chen Yun on the arena—and laughs.

If the Cang Luo Chen Dahu speaks of is the same one who fought Kong Sheng Academy, this duel just got interesting.

Two months ago, the opponent was Warrior Sixth Layer and still defeated Warrior Ninth Layer.

What about now?

He’s certainly stronger!

Chen Yun may not win.

Thinking this, Beigong Wang’s interest spikes—he eagerly awaits the duel and immediately calls nearby Blood Saber Gang members over to watch.

“Brother Chen,” Beigong Wang asks again, “what’s the name of this Cang Luo’s gang?”

“Wolf War Gang!” Chen Dahu replies casually.

“Wolf War Gang? Like the Wolf War Barbecue?”

Beigong Wang freezes again—Cang Luo owns Wolf War Barbecue?

Few know Cang Luo’s name—only two or three hundred people witnessed the sect duel, and most likely forgot after.

But Wolf War Barbecue’s name? He’s certain most Outer Gate disciples know it; even many Inner Gate seniors have visited.

Even the Sect Master’s daughter, Xuan Qingqing, has eaten there several times and praised the demonic beast skewers.

Many, seeing Wolf War Barbecue’s booming business, copied it and opened their own barbecue stalls; the Blood Saber Gang even opened one—but their barbecue tasted worse, sales were dismal, barely covering rent.

Chen Dahu nods: “Yes, that Wolf War Barbecue’s Wolf War Gang.”

“So that’s it...”

Beigong Wang mutters—he now understands why Chen Yun is dueling Cang Luo. Lietian Gang runs two barbecue stalls too, but neither does as well as Wolf War Barbecue.

This duel’s goal isn’t just to absorb Wolf War Gang—the real aim is probably to seize Wolf War Barbecue.

He believes that even if Cang Luo defeats Chen Yun, Wolf War Gang will still be swallowed by Lietian Gang—Ouyang Lie will never let go of a profitable barbecue stall.

In martial cultivation, talent is the foundation, but resources are the root.

Without resources, how can one cultivate? How can one grow stronger?

Ouyang Lie’s current cultivation stems from vast resources; he’s preparing for the year-end Grand Competition, aiming to break into Martial Master—right now, he’s desperate for resources.

Thus, he will never abandon this money-making barbecue stall.

Beigong Wang shakes his head slightly, thinking of Cang Luo and Wolf War Gang’s impending fate—feeling a pang of sorrow.

He fears Blood Saber Gang may face the same fate—Lietian Gang has long wanted to strike them.

Ouyang Lie has challenged the Blood Saber Gang’s leader to duels multiple times, but the leader always dodged, fearing defeat would shatter the gang’s morale and invite Lietian Gang’s takeover...

As Beigong Wang thinks of this, his ear twitches—he hears a strange sound behind him, like a giant serpent slithering swiftly across the ground.

Who’s idle enough to summon a demonic beast?

Beigong Wang frowns, turns—and many others, having heard the noise, also turn toward the source.

“What demonic beast is that?”

“Is that even a demonic beast? Have you seen one like it?”

“No—it’s not a demonic beast! Look, it has wheels!”

“Wheels? And someone’s sitting on it—is it a mechanical cart? But such a small one?”

The crowd, upon seeing the source of the noise, reacts with astonishment—some think it’s a demonic beast, others a mechanical cart.

Beigong Wang’s eyes sharpen—he doesn’t care whether it’s beast or machine—he recognizes the rider: “Cang Luo?!”

“It’s him...” Chen Dahu nods in shock—he recognizes the vehicle Cang Luo rides: it’s the one parked outside Wolf War Barbecue... the mechanical cart.

He’ll call it a mechanical cart for now—he’s only heard of it, never seen one.

He’d assumed it belonged to some powerful patron who ate at Wolf War Barbecue—but now Cang Luo is riding it...

Is the mechanical cart his?

What nonsense!

Even many Inner Gate true disciples, elite disciples, and the Sect Master’s daughter don’t own one—and yet an Outer Gate disciple has one?

Chen Dahu is still stunned, but Beigong Wang’s lips curl slightly—he finds the situation increasingly amusing.

This Cang Luo is the same one who fought Kong Sheng Academy’s Outer Academy disciple two months ago, now a gang leader and owner of Wolf War Barbecue.

No doubt, his strength is formidable—otherwise he wouldn’t be a gang leader.

Hah! This will be good entertainment.

Chen Yun’s boy might’ve just kicked a steel plate.

Should I open a betting booth? Make a fortune? Everyone’s sure Chen Yun will win...