The original four beasts each stood roughly thirty feet tall, and their cages were built spaciously, measuring some fifty feet square. Once transformed, although the Yao beasts remained significantly larger than ordinary humans, they appeared much smaller than before. The wide gaps between the crude iron bars were now large enough for them to thrust out long arms tipped with sharp claws. They hissed with sinister laughter, restless and agitated, clearly desperate to burst from their cages and tear apart the humans who had tormented them.
Wang Guangqi did not forget his wager. With a sinister smile, he said to Agawa, "The bet is this: if you lose, you must immediately withdraw from Jiben. The Mogu’lan Yao slaves shall be disbanded, and you shall never rise again!"
The crowd erupted. This wager was far too massive! Even commoners understood that one should not set conditions that were too overbearing when placing a bet; making wild, extortionate demands often backfired, causing the wager to fall through entirely. Wang Guangqi was so arrogant that even if Agawa refused, no one would call him a coward.
I tugged at Wei Qingming’s sleeve and whispered, "Does this Master Wang have a grudge against Master Agawa?"
Wei Qingming smiled faintly. "If he fails to seek his revenge and turns his shame into rage, it could be a bit of a problem."
That said, I knew full well that the Lord Envoy must have made arrangements long ago. Though the nobles came here for excitement, she would never allow the gathered dignitaries to be overly endangered... Moreover, today she had brought me and my siblings to see something new; she would surely ensure everything was handled properly.
Agawa remained impassive upon hearing the terms. In a voice that was neither high nor low, yet perfectly clear to the entire arena, he replied, "If you lose, Your Excellency, you cannot afford an equivalent stake."
Wang Guangqi threw his head back and laughed wildly. He spread his palms and summoned an object. "This item is worth more than your entire fortune combined!"
The arena broke into a deafening clamor. The object looked like an antique sculpture of a miniature landscape, yet it was wreathed in swirling mists and glowing clouds. Within it, winds rose and rain fell, displaying a myriad of atmospheric phenomena. It was actually a "Small World" that possessed its own internal laws of heaven and earth, held in Wang Guangqi’s palm like a mere toy.
Even Lu Kaifeng found it highly suspicious. He murmured pensively, "Impossible. The capacity of true essence required to control a Small Thousand World is simply not something the Canxia Realm can withstand. Only at the late Zhaixing Realm is there any hope, and even then, the success rate is barely one in a hundred."
His sister had already seen through the scene with her Heavenly Eye, adding timely, "The laws of this Small World are not quite right."
"Hmm, I see..." Lu Kaifeng said. "Perhaps one could exploit incomplete laws of manifestation to subdue it, but the possibility remains infinitesimal..."
The person least interested in this Small World was Agawa himself. He merely gave a weary, bored wave of his hand to signal the agreement. He didn't even care if the item was real or fake, showing no interest in verifying it. Or perhaps, he was certain of his side's victory and was fighting only to defend his arena and reputation, unconcerned with mere wealth.
Wang Guangqi was even more convinced of his own victory. The stake he had put up was so extravagant that it could buy not just one Mogu’lan, but nearly the entire city of Chongzhou. Clearly, he had only brought it out for show and had no intention of actually losing it.
Wugeli handled the formalities on his father’s behalf. Several servants brought out a set of red sandalwood armchairs and small side tables draped in brocade covers, placing them at the side of the arena. They served fragrant tea and fruit, inviting Wang Guangqi to take a seat. The Perfected Man sat down with great bravado, while Agawa did not linger, returning once more to the backstage. He clearly had absolute confidence in his son’s management.
No more words were exchanged, and no further ceremony was needed. The four cages opened simultaneously. The Yao beasts leapt out, letting out joyous roars as they swung their claws toward their four opponents. Meanwhile, the servants patrolling the sidelines shouted at the top of their lungs, hurriedly announcing that previous bets were voided and stakes would be returned in full after the match, as they began hawking new betting slips.
Those four Dragon-Lizards were all quite hideous. When they first appeared, I had only glanced at them briefly to identify their species. Now, I couldn't help but observe them closely. The largest and most solid was the Earth-Sand Beast. Its head bore a crown-like horn harder than refined gold, which firmly covered its entire face; one had to avoid its frontal assault at all costs. Unfortunately, this beast was old, its strength no longer what it was in its prime, and its human form appeared as an elderly man. The horn-crown rose high upon his head, and his arms and legs were covered in the same keratinous material, forming natural, sharp barbs. He had transformed from a creature suited only for defense into one capable of both offense and defense.
The second land beast was verdant green all over, with a bloated belly, a wide mouth full of fangs, short legs, and a long tail. Its tail resembled a segmented steel whip or a long serpent, hence the name Green Python Lizard. After transforming, it became a young man with lush green hair that covered his back. That long tail truly became a whip, coiled around his waist, moving and peeking out restlessly as if it possessed a mind of its own.
Next were the two flying beasts. One was the Poison Bird Lizard, adorned with the iridescent feathers of a peacock, the head of a bird, and the wings of a bat. Its eyes were orange-red, and its beak was incredibly sharp. It transformed into a seductive, charming woman in colorful robes, though her original bat wings remained, spoiling the view and adding a touch of eerie, discordant ugliness to her beauty.
The last and most powerful beast was called the Azure Dragon. It was originally covered in thick, silver-gray feathers that bordered on blue, looking from a distance like a wolf of the snow mountains. It did indeed hail from a cold place, yet it was located at the southernmost tip of Leitian—a miraculous island where extreme Yang birthed Yin. Spanning less than a hundred miles, it was a place where magma and glaciers clashed, and the Azure Dragon was born amidst those glaciers. His transformation was the most complete; he became a handsome, tall, and slender man, nearly indistinguishable from a human. His magnificent gray-blue feathers became a light fur coat, with wings on his back and dense, pale wind-fur around his neck, framing a clean, cold face filled with melancholy.
As they burst from their cages, the four iron collars that had previously restrained them fell to the ground with a clatter, as they no longer fit their transformed sizes. The collars were stained with bright crimson blood, a sight that made every observer’s skin crawl: inside each collar was a steel beam an inch thick, engraved with restrictive runes, which had been driven straight through their bodies! No wonder Wang Guangqi had spoken with such disdain and fury, saying the fighters' victory relied only on the convenience of the rules. With such a long spike embedded in their bodies, what torture they must have endured, and how much must their strength have been diminished!
But humanity’s enslavement of the Yao race went far beyond a single spike. In noble households, the Yao slaves who worked themselves to the bone could only sleep in cramped, sunless rooms like ant nests, bound for life by family crests and inscriptions. In the pleasure quarters of Pingkang Ward, the lowest-ranked women were Yao, and they were the ones who most often suffered the humiliations of various perversions or met violent ends. Even the likes of the Honghu Duan Clan, with their rare and noble bloodline—supreme among the Yao—were nothing more than entertainers and "fat sheep" to be fleeced for money among humans...
Seeing the grief and indignation in my eyes, Wei Qingming gently stroked my back with pity. Her expression was one of helpless compassion, consistent with her usual gentleness. She was indeed a human who treated the Yao race with considerable empathy and care.
The tragic scene in the arena was too real and direct, making me feel a sense of shame for my own privilege and luck.
The Poison Bird Lizard let out a hearty, wild laugh. Her grayish-black bat wings kicked up the dust on the ground, wrapping herself in a gust of yellow wind as she took flight first, lunging toward An Zhe. As An Zhe retreated with a mocking grin, the huntress Luo Shan had already raised her left hand, firing a steel cable with a hooked claw as fast as wind and thunder. With the dull thud of metal piercing flesh, the claw embedded itself deeply into the outer side of the Poison Bird Lizard’s left leg. It turned out she did not use her bow and arrows, but instead used a mechanical device mounted on her left wrist to strike her enemy. In an instant, the first drop of blood was shed.
Hearing the female Yao’s shrill, angry cry of pain, Luo Shan gripped the steel cable and swung it with great force, intending to hurl the Poison Bird Lizard down to crash against the stone pillars set as obstacles in the arena. Simultaneously, she leapt toward her opponent, her short spear already in hand. She flipped the handle with a deft toss and stabbed forward with swift ferocity.
Unfortunately, before the female Yao could fall, the elderly Earth-Sand Beast and the young Green Python Lizard arrived together. One blocked her attack with the hardened shield on his arm, while the other simply opened his massive maw and snapped at Luo Shan. Luo Shan’s reactions were incredibly fast, but her strength was no match for theirs. She was forced to twist her body, using the tip of her spear to pivot on the ground, dodging the Green Python’s fangs like a swift swallow. The steel cable also curved in a flexible arc as the mechanism originally bound to her left arm detached, whistling as it coiled three times around the Green Python, binding him. Though he could break free with a single struggle, it stalled him for a moment. Luo Shan had already dodged the Earth-Sand Beast’s powerful headbutt and the poisonous stingers spat from the bird-Yao’s mouth.
In the opening round, Luo Shan fought three beasts alone. Though she had no chance to counterattack, her movements were truly as agile as a leaping hare or a diving falcon. The situation shifted several times within a single breath. She was quick-witted and light on her feet, but it was a pity that due to the disparity in strength, she was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot when compared to the naturally powerful land beasts.
The Poison Bird’s face was filled with resentment and pain. Her already large and protruding bird-like eyes turned a more vivid red, like surging magma buried deep underground. That hook should have hit her abdomen, which would have taken half her life; she had realized the danger just in time and dodged frantically, but one of her legs was nearly crippled. Fortunately, she relied on her wings. She quickly spread her bat wings again, conjuring a whistling gale from the ground. In her state of extreme rage, she directly activated her Yao talent, intending to release a poisonous mist to cover the entire arena!
In the previous exchange, the beast side had cooperated with unexpected sincerity. The human fighters, likely being rivals in their daily lives, did not help each other. The withered tree-like cultivator, Rudous, stood far from the combat zone, watching coldly as if his feet were rooted to the spot. An Zhe was even worse, using Luo Shan as bait in front while he retreated with a smirk. Wugeli’s calmness was quite beyond my expectations; he merely observed the fight between Luo Shan and the three beasts, appearing composed and in no hurry to strike, or perhaps he was contemplating a strategy.
Soon, he made his move just as I expected. He waved his hand to summon a giant axe and, with a simple, unadorned, and heavy leap, he swung it downward. However, it was completely contrary to what I had anticipated—he was striking at the Azure Dragon, who had remained out of the fray, standing quietly atop a cage!
"Madman..." I was dumbfounded. "Is he choosing the strongest one to attack first?"
"That Yao is close to the Canxia Realm; in this arena, only Wugeli can barely match him," Wei Qingming said. "If he isn't pinned down from the front, the Azure Dragon could strike at any moment, taking the opportunity to kill the warriors entangled with the other Yao beasts in a single blow. Once they fall into a three-against-four situation, let alone winning, their lives would be in peril."
The Azure Dragon’s handsome, cold face lifted slightly, filled with arrogance and disdain. He spread his wings and tilted his body to dodge the attack. Unexpectedly, Wugeli’s giant axe slammed into the steel cage where the Azure Dragon had just stood, instantly severing a steel bar as thick as a wrist. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Wugeli threw the bar casually; it whistled through the air and pierced through one of the Poison Bird’s wings, pinning her to the ground!
The situation had indeed turned into a three-on-four. With Wugeli’s very first move, he had completely neutralized the mobility of the enemy's weakest member. Sure enough, the Earth-Sand Beast and the Green Python Lizard abandoned the immobilized Poison Bird. Not daring to meet Wugeli head-on, they both turned to attack An Zhe and Luo Shan, who had just broken away from the previous engagement.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
棘盆 | Jiben | A specific district or location, likely where the arena is situated.
摩古兰 | Mogu'lan | The name of the arena or the organization running it.
餐霞境 | Canxia Realm | "Glow-Eating" Realm; a stage of cultivation.
摘星后期 | Late Zhaixing | "Star-Plucking" Realm; a high-level stage of cultivation.
小千世界 / 小世界 | Small Thousand World / Small World | A pocket dimension or miniature world with its own laws.
土砂兽 | Earth-Sand Beast | One of the four dragon-lizards; specialized in defense/earth.
绿蟒蜥 | Green Python Lizard | One of the four dragon-lizards; has a whip-like tail.
毒鸟蜥 | Poison Bird Lizard | One of the four dragon-lizards; flying type with toxic abilities.
苍蓝龙 | Azure Dragon | The strongest of the four; a feathered, draconic beast from a volcanic/icy island.
乌格力 | Wugeli | Agawa's son and a top fighter.
罗珊 | Luo Shan | A female hunter/fighter using mechanical weapons.
鲁道斯 | Rudous | A cultivator described as looking like a withered tree.
平康坊 | Pingkang Ward | A famous historical entertainment/red-light district.
鸿鹄段氏 | Honghu Duan Clan | A noble clan of the Yao race (Honghu refers to a large swan/swan-goose).
