Chapter 479: Death Battle

"Really lively, huh." The child gave a crafty smile.

"Old thing, restrain a bit."

"Oh, it's so lively, I really like the atmosphere here."

Xiao Ran: "...."

Ling Yan laughed as she walked over and sat down: "Xiao Xuan really likes the hustle and bustle."

"Yeah, following that silly, blockheaded brother around to cultivate every day is so boring." The child cheered.

"You really know how to show off, old thing—didn't you teach me how to cultivate?"

Xiao Ran sighed helplessly.

Ling Yan smiled, rubbed the child's head, and looked at Xiao Ran: "Xiao Ran, your little brother is really cute."

"Cute... cute?"

"Hmph~" The child gave a light snort, smiling smugly as he raised his eyebrows.

Xiao Ran, speechless: "Alright, I heard today is that Martial Immortal's debut match; I want to see what the opponent is capable of."

Ling Yan nodded: "I heard the Dongxing Sea Region is also in chaos lately; better to figure out these local cultivators' ways early to prepare a response. By the way, how's your Accumulation Device coming along?"

"Almost there; in a few days we can try the sealing and refining process, estimated to reach the level of an Immortal Accumulation Artifact." Xiao Ran said.

Ling Yan blinked: "That impressive?"

"In just a few days you've refined an Immortal Accumulation Artifact?"

"Mainly because I couldn't find suitable Celestial Material; otherwise I'd have finished it yesterday."

Ling Yan: "......"

The child beside them frowned: "Kid, you're also good at showing off."

"Huh?"

"It's started!"

Since the opening bout isn't a fight to the death, the so-called feast is saved for last, and that Martial Immortal's debut match is also at the end, roughly in the afternoon.

The opening matches were still pretty good, with back-and-forth action, featuring both Magical and Martial Cultivators.

But in Xiao Ran and the others' eyes, it seemed a bit strange.

"It's like playing house." Ling Yan said, speechless.

"Probably just to make money; it's not chilling." Xiao Ran said he could accept that.

Everyone's thoughts about coming here are obvious; ordinary matches might excite those who don't understand much, after all the fights are still quite impressive.

For battle-hardened cultivators, only a fight to the death can spark their interest.

This is also why the arena can be commercialized: cultivation is dull, places for entertainment are few, and not all cultivators have the leisure to enjoy poetry and mountain-water outings.

Only the purest violence can make the blood boil!

And in this regard, Martial Cultivators are quite popular in the arena.

Flesh-to-flesh combat doesn't look as flashy as Magical Cultivators opening with distance, each setting up turrets to blast each other, but close-quarters combat is always the hottest violent trend.

Even though many Magical Cultivators have never encountered Martial Cultivators, they actually understand that in real combat, being able to get close is also quite dangerous.

Precisely because of that sense of danger, they can more clearly perceive how stimulating the moments of close-quarters combat are.

With the blazing sun overhead, more vendors selling drinks and fruit wandered among the spectators.

The child grabbed a handful of melon seeds and started cracking them.

Xiao Ran ate a bite of dried fruit and took a sip of wine.

"The drinks in the Dongxing Sea Region are a bit bland, and they have a strong fishy smell." Xiao Ran frowned, not knowing whether the arena's drinks were bad or it was his own taste.

Ling Yan took a sip, nodded: "It's okay, not too bad."

"I want to drink too!" the child pouted, dissatisfied.

"Be good, kids can't drink alcohol." Ling Yan rubbed the child's head and smiled.

"Me!"

Xiao Ran gave a hehe laugh.

"Old thing, you're pretending to be young to take advantage!"

Meanwhile, on the other side.

While Yan Buji was waiting in the preparation room, someone suddenly walked in.

The surrounding fighters glanced over, their faces changing: "Han Lin?!"

"He must have come for that guy."

"Aren't fighters prohibited from meeting during the competition?"

"Who knows?"

Long Zhou and Wu Qian stood up, frowned: "Han Lin, what are you doing here?"

Han Lin glanced at Yan Buji sitting nearby, snorted coldly: "Naturally I'm here to see who that expert is who opened the way for the Martial Dao."

"The match is this afternoon; can't you wait even this little bit of time?"

"Hmph, I'm just here to look; who said you can't move around during the match?" Han Lin retorted.

The attendant nearby frowned: "Han Lin, go back to your room."

"What are you to talk to me like this?!"

Those around were shocked—Han Lin's become badass, daring to speak to the arena staff like that?

Could it be that the earlier rumors were true, that Han Lin has gotten close to the arena's higher-ups?

"You!"

"Heh heh, fine, I'm leaving. But that kid over there, don't die an ugly death out there later, making it hard to collect the corpse."

Yan Buji did not speak; Han Lin let out a cold snort and then turned and left.

Wu Qian had a dark expression, looking at the attendant nearby: "What's going on with this Han Lin?"

The attendant shook his head: "Since there was no private contact, and I am also present, I can prove to you that there was no collusion."

"Is that enough?" Wu Qian's face turned cold.

Long Zhou beside him grabbed Wu Qian, smiling: "Forget it; after Daoist Friend Xu goes on stage later, we'll see who's superior."

Wu Qian let out a cold snort, sat down, very dissatisfied, saying: "This Han Lin, could it be that he's really cozy with that person? That's why he dares to ignore the rules and come over to give us a show of force?"

"Perhaps not just that." Long Zhou furrowed his brows, looking at Yan Buji: "Daoist Friend Xu, have you sensed anything?"

"That person has a deeply hidden power on him, not his own."

"What does that mean? Someone is helping Han Lin...."

'"Shh." Long Zhou made a hushing sound, looking around.'

'"Just knowing this is enough; do we really need to speak it out?"'

'"But this clearly violates the rules!"'

'"The rules are set by them!" Long Zhou sighed: "Daoist Friend Xu, do you have confidence?"'

'"He can continue to flaunt his might to the end." Yan Buji said lightly.'

The time came to afternoon.

At this moment, the host of the Arena shouted loudly, transmitting sound in all directions: "Everyone has waited long; the Arena's final battle today is between Martial Immortal Xu Long and Shui Mo Han Lin, begin! Let us welcome the two onto the stage!"

The first to step onto the stage is our Arena's five consecutive death-match victor, known as Shui Mo, Nascent Soul Mid-stage cultivator Han Lin! His strength has long been acknowledged by all; will he continue to bring glory and win today?!

The second to step onto the stage is Xu Long, a Martial Dao cultivator making his first appearance in the Arena, having passed the assessment, his official debut's first stop! Everyone is likely familiar with him, with many rumors circulating; today, can he achieve a leap over the dragon gate here?!

The host's excited cheer rose: "Let us wait and see, the final death match begins!"