Lin Hao opened his eyes, a cold and sharp light flashing in his pupils. As he glanced around, confusion washed over him.
"Where is this?"
Suddenly, with a forceful kick, he was thrust out into the open.
"Beast, it's your turn to play!"
An indifferent voice echoed as the iron gate behind him slammed shut.
Lin Hao looked up and was shocked to find himself in a vast arena, reminiscent of the Colosseum, its circular structure stretching several kilometers in diameter.
Cheers surged like a tidal wave, roaring into his ears and shaking his very core.
From all directions, a sea of people filled the stands, their eyes wild with excitement, cheering and shouting with earth-shattering intensity.
"The Colosseum?" Lin Hao thought, but as he tried to speak, only a snake-like hiss escaped him.
Panic gripped him as he inspected his new body, horrified to discover that his dantian was gone, replaced by a black demon core. His slender, sinuous form confirmed it—he had transformed into a snake!
"I've turned into a snake!"
Despite his normally calm demeanor, Lin Hao's face twisted in shock.
He fell into memories of his past—Lin Hao, one of the six true immortals of the Vault of Heaven Continent, wielding the power of Thunder Punishment. Proficient in alchemy, formation, and weapon refining, he was known as the Destroyer Lei Zun, feared for his tyrannical temperament and ruthless pursuit of vengeance.
Three thousand years ago, a cataclysm struck when the six heavenly wheels appeared, igniting a brutal conflict between humans and demons. Top masters from both sides clashed in a bloodbath, leaving millions dead and staining the land.
As a human immortal, Lin Hao plunged into the demon realm, cutting down countless foes, even slaying three demon immortals who dared to oppose him. His strength incited the wrath of the demon lord, who challenged him to a legendary duel.
That battle became known as the most tragic in a million years. With the demon lord's death, the demon realm fell into chaos, easily overrun by the allied human forces.
Yet in that moment of triumph, Lin Hao's most trusted disciple, Sword Master Xinghe, betrayed him. Struck by a lethal blow, Lin Hao realized too late that their bond had been shattered by greed.
"Master, your strength has frightened them. Only your death can bring peace to the continent!" Xinghe's chilling voice echoed in his mind, revealing his desire for Lin Hao's six heavenly wheels.
In that moment, the years of master-disciple camaraderie crumbled, leaving Lin Hao in disbelief. His rage boiled over as he recalled the bloodshed he had caused, all leading to this treacherous end.
"I, Lin Hao, swear by the heart of Taoism, if there is an afterlife, I will enter the realm of the gods and take my revenge!" With that vow, he was consumed, his soul dissipating into the void.
Originally, it had been a mere empty declaration, but fate had other plans—Lin Hao was truly reborn!
Stunned, he took a moment to absorb his new reality. A smile crept across his face. "Haha! Fate has smiled upon me!"
Though his form was that of a snake, he was still a human soul at his core.
"Bang!"
The iron gate opposite him swung open, revealing a massive, muscular man stepping into the arena. Over two meters tall, his body was a fortress of muscle, shackles adorning his feet, his presence reminiscent of a beast.
The crowd erupted into thunderous cheers and roars.
"Haha! The Blood Demon has entered the ring!"
"He's won nine fights in a row! This time, they've matched him against the black yin snake to up the stakes."
"To win his freedom, he must triumph ten times. I fear the Blood Demon is desperate!"
"Desperate? The Blood Demon is finished! The black yin snake is the strongest among these beasts—he'll surely lose!"
"I bet five hundred taels on the Blood Demon to win; he must die!"
The stands buzzed with anticipation, the audience a pack of bloodthirsty spectators eager for violence. The Colosseum had become a pit of madness, where captured monsters were forced to fight for their lives.
Xue Sha, a slave in chains, bared his teeth, his voice a low, animalistic growl. "Wuwu, kill! I can only survive if I kill you!"
Lin Hao observed the man before him, realizing he had been drugged, turning him into a mindless killing machine, his body marred with wounds from previous battles.
"Roar!" With a primal scream, Xue Sha lunged forward, the crowd's excitement reaching a fever pitch.
Seeing the brute rush at him, Lin Hao sighed, resigned. "If you are in such pain, then I'll grant you release."
Yet as he prepared to strike, an unsettling sensation rippled through his bones. He understood—he had been poisoned.
"Roar!" Xue Sha was upon him, the threat imminent.
In a moment of urgency, Lin Hao employed a swift, elusive body technique to evade.
"This poison erodes bones, unseen yet deadly. Too much force will turn my body to mush!" he thought, grimacing at the cruelty of the situation.
Xue Sha, battle-worn and relentless, pursued him, the atmosphere crackling with tension.
"Fleeing will not save you!"
The crowd watched, incredulous, as Lin Hao darted around the arena, a serpent escaping its captor.
Ten minutes passed, and Xue Sha began to falter, his strength waning as blood seeped from his numerous wounds.
"What's happening?" he gasped, bewildered. "Why is this beast running?"
The spectators, expecting a fierce battle, were left dumbfounded as the black yin snake chose to evade rather than confront.
"Damn it!" some shouted in frustration, anger mounting as they sensed their entertainment slipping away.
As Xue Sha grew weary and stumbled, Lin Hao seized the opportunity.
"Now's my chance!" His eyes gleamed with determination as he unleashed a stream of venom from his poison sac, targeting Xue Sha's eyes.
"Ahhh!!!" Xue Sha howled in agony, blinded by the venom.
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
"Is it over?"
"Did the black yin snake win?"
When realization dawned, cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
"Haha! Victory!"
"I've hit the jackpot!"
Amid the jubilation, a black-robed middle-aged man in the stands slammed his chair in fury, sending debris flying.
"What's going on?" he bellowed, glaring at a young man beside him.
"Hu... Hu Guanshi, I arranged for bone erosion, but the beast escaped!"
"You fool! If you can't succeed, then at least don't fail me! Get out!" The black-robed man struck, sending the young man crashing to the ground, bloodied and broken.
The middle-aged man seethed, realizing he would incur significant losses because of this mishap.
As Xue Sha's cries grew faint, the crowd chanted with bloodthirsty enthusiasm.
"Eat him! Eat him!"
What could be more thrilling than devouring a living opponent?
Lin Hao slithered closer, the anticipation palpable in the air.
Yet, instead of feasting on the fallen warrior, he snapped Xue Sha's neck with a swift flick of his tail, granting him a merciful end.
He turned away, leaving the arena behind.
Eat him? Lin Hao had no interest in that. The true monsters were the spectators, reveling in the bloodshed.
Xue Sha had fought valiantly, and Lin Hao had ended his suffering—not for himself, but to liberate the fallen fighter.
"Why didn't you eat him, you wretched beast?"
"Dead snake! Swallow him whole!"
As Lin Hao passed the iron gate, two disgruntled spectators hurled stones at him.
With an icy glare, he met their eyes, a surge of killing intent enveloping him like a shroud of darkness.
The two men recoiled in terror, dropping to the ground, paralyzed by fear.
"What... What was that?"
Lin Hao turned away, his gaze focused ahead.
"Ding! System activated!"
"Player Lin Hao, do you wish to activate the most powerful dragon system?"
Just as Lin Hao was about to crawl back to the iron gate, a voice resonated in his mind.