Chapter 169: Martial Arts Arena

After raising his strength, Yan Buji got up and calculated the time.

Two months passed.

"Unbeknownst to me, another year has passed." Yan Buji stood by the window, it seemed he truly had no chance to go find Chen Li.

But it didn't matter.

The Lingyu before him might not lack a great opportunity; his current progress was indeed not slow.

Do you expect a rootless loose cultivator to break through mid‑Qi Refining in just a few years?

Impossible, right?

That wasn't just Yan Buji plotting step by step, plus a bit of luck and strength, that got him to today.

He also had many things of unknown origin on him, possibly treasures or possibly disasters, but for him, the thing he should do now must not be forgotten.

The Martial Arts Arena should have started a month ago; I don't know what the situation is like inside the Lingyu now.

Yan Buji walked out of the wine house; although he had just reached the fourth layer of Qi Refining, he still maintained the strength of the third layer, which seemed insignificant to outsiders.

Blending into the crowd, Yan Buji headed for the Martial Arts Arena site, gathering information.

"Come take a look, the latest ranking list! Luo Tianyu of the Luo Family has thirty‑three wins, zero losses, zero draws, ranking first at the eighth layer of Qi Refining!"

"Wow, the Luo Family really produced an extraordinary martial arts genius! At the eighth layer of Qi Refining he actually defeated a peak Qi Refining cultivator outright!"

"After all this, it turns out the Martial Arts Arena still comes down to background."

"So what? You don't use an accumulation device when fighting outside?"

"Loose cultivators shouldn't speak; if you're capable, get a first‑place ranking too, and I'll still call you a genius!"

Yan Buji glanced at the list; almost all were late‑stage Qi Refining cultivators, and indeed there was no room for anyone else.

As for Foundation Establishment cultivators?

At least they count as notable figures; in family sects they can even hold the position of Elder, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator fighting on this small arena wouldn't have enough room to throw punches and kicks.

Yan Buji saw that the list basically gave the origins of those ranked cultivators; most were disciples of family sects, and he rarely saw any loose cultivators.

Yan Buji saw that on the list, basically all the ranked cultivators had their origins and titles noted; most were disciples of clans and sects, and he rarely saw any loose cultivators.

Yan Buji actually saw the names of Blaze Fire Sect and Back Mountain Sect disciples on the list, and they also had full‑win records in the top ten; it seemed they also wanted to climb the rankings and make a name for themselves.

Perhaps someone else was secretly pulling strings.

Yan Buji narrowed his eyes, watching the fight on the arena end, then his eyes shifted.

"Eh? I have a way now!"

He saw that although those disciples from external forces wanted to climb the rankings, their leading Elders had probably exchanged greetings with the local powers.

These major powers are more worldly than ordinary human relations; you still have to pay respects to a mountain head elsewhere, same principle.

So the local powers allow those external cultivators to climb the rankings, but they surely wouldn't really let them lose face, right?

So the local powers allow these outside cultivators to rush the rankings, but they couldn't really let the outside cultivators embarrass them, right?

Since there are worldly connections involved, although these disciples' rankings are all in the top ten, the top five are all cultivators from the local powers.

Since there are human relations and worldly affairs involved, although these few disciples' rankings are all in the top ten, the top five are all cultivators of the local powers.

Yan Buji chuckled and went straight to the nearby registration desk:

"I want to sign up!"

"Who are you?"

"I am Huang Hao, a mere loose cultivator."

The cultivator at the registration desk glanced at Yan Buji a few times, nodded, and said: "Just pay a hundred spiritual stones."

"Do I also have to pay spiritual stones to fight on the arena?" Yan Buji frowned; this was truly unexpected.

"If you have no money, get lost—can't you see the notice nearby?!"

"No money? Get lost—can't you see the notice beside?!"

Yan Buji was speechless; he really hadn't noticed there was another arena notice beneath the list.

The notice said that as long as you make it onto the list and keep your rank unchanged for half a month, you'll receive a reward.

But not just anyone can go up and fight on the arena; this hundred spiritual stones is meant for loose cultivators to gauge themselves—if you have the strength you naturally won't lack these stones, and if you don't, you shouldn't go up and embarrass yourself.

Furthermore, the more cultivators who fight on the arena, the more this registration fee earns for these local powers.

It must be said, the Martial Arts Arena still draws high attention; whenever there's a match, a crowd of cultivators will gather here to comment on the fights.

Of course, there's certainly gambling involved as well, but Yan Buji doesn't need such means to earn spiritual stones right now.

He sold his excess spiritual materials for a hundred spiritual stones and entered the competition directly!

He checked the match schedule; the next bout happened to have an opening for him.

Yan Buji waited a while and also noticed some patterns.

Namely, the late‑stage Qi Refining cultivators on the list won't step down lightly unless someone threatens their ranking, after which they'll come up to stabilize their position.

As for the strength division of the two opponents, the Martial Arts Arena is fairly balanced. If two late‑stage Qi Refining cultivators are waiting at the same time, they'll be paired directly; otherwise they have to wait.

Naturally, someone like Yan Buji at the early stage of Qi Refining will face an opponent also at the early stage.

Yan Buji's match began!

Seeing the opponent's confident expression as he pulled out an accumulation device long sword, and noticing Yan Buji had nothing in his hand, he couldn't help but sneer:

"I'm a cultivator of the Zhou Family; if you're sensible, hurry up and admit defeat and leave, or don't blame me for cutting you down!"

Yan Buji blinked, then cupped his fists and said: "I am Huang Hao; may I ask your esteemed name?"

"Hmph, I am Zhou Xiong! Remember, since I've warned you, if you don't leave, I won't hold back!"

Watching Zhou Xiong activate the accumulation device, with his entire mana flowing into it, Yan Buji wore a strange expression.

"No, you're an early‑stage Qi Refining cultivator and you're already using an accumulation device—do you really think your mana is as abundant as mine?"

No, you, just at the early stage of Qi Refining, come up and immediately use the Accumulation Device—do you really think you have as much magical power as I do?

Could you still be some kind of immortal aptitude holy fetus, with limitless magical power?

Seeing the opponent's foundation was indeed solid, in the blink of an eye they finished accumulating magical power and sent that flying sword flying over to attack!

A flash of sword light, and it thrust straight at Yan Buji's forehead!

The strike was decisive, though.

Yan Buji sidestepped and realized this was merely his feint.

As expected, after the flying sword missed its first strike, it suddenly changed direction in midair and stabbed toward Yan Buji's back!

Yan Buji narrowed his eyes and immediately channeled magical power behind him to conjure a spiritual shield!

Clang!

At the moment the flying sword struck the spiritual shield, Yan Buji secretly withdrew his magical power. It seemed as if his spiritual shield could not block the flying sword at all, and as the shield shattered he barely rolled to the side to dodge the attack!

"Hahaha, with only this bit of strength you dare to step onto the fighting platform? That's just laughable!"

That Zhou family cultivator laughed a few times, and, unwilling to let it go, drove the flying sword again.

Yan Buji 'with difficulty' dodged several times, then spat out a mouthful of spiritual fire!

The fierce spiritual fire surged forward, frightening the Zhou family cultivator into having no reaction; in panic he activated a spiritual shield to block it, but it was different from Yan Buji's spiritual shield technique—it was a far more powerful spiritual shield!

The spiritual shield blocked Yan Buji's spiritual fire attack, but at this point Yan Buji felt the act was enough; he rushed forward and kicked him away!

"Oh dear!"

Yan Buji, panting and sweating profusely on the fighting platform, bowed with a smile to the Zhou family cultivator below the stage and said:

"I accept your concession!"

"You! You just wait for me!!"

The Zhou family cultivator's face fell, and the surrounding spectators cultivators began to laugh.

"Good grief, is that all the Zhou family has?"

"Being beaten up like this by a lone cultivator, all I can say is...."

"Hahaha, you didn't see him thrown down like a dog eating feces—hilarious!"

The mocking voices of the crowd reached him; the Zhou family cultivator's face flushed red as he covered his face and left.

"Winner, Huang Hao! Record: one win!" the referee shouted, not caring about this low-level match.

Come on, everyone's here to watch the cultivators on the list duel—what's there to see in early Qi Refining?

"Huang Hao, you can choose to defend the platform next; if you succeed three times, thereafter you won't need to pay spiritual stones to participate in the duels." the referee said from the side.

Yan Buji nodded: "Alright, I'll defend the platform!"