The iron gates slammed shut behind Xiao Lan.
He stepped forward, his boots crunching against dried bloodstains embedded in the dirt. The air reeked of sweat, blood, and death, a suffocating mix that sent shivers down the spines of lesser men.
But Xiao Lan?
He felt alive.
Above him, the crowd roared, hungry for violence. Warriors, mercenaries, and criminals all gathered here, betting fortunes on life-or-death battles.
This was their world.
A world ruled by strength.
And tonight—
Xiao Lan would claim his place in it.
From the opposite side of the arena, a massive iron gate rattled open.
A figure stepped through.
His opponent.
A hulking man, nearly two meters tall, covered in scars and adorned in piecemeal armor. A bronze-ranked cultivator, judging by the faint Dao fluctuations in his body.
The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.
"New challenger! Xiao Lan, an unknown fighter! Facing off against Gorin the Bone Breaker—a five-time winner of the Blood Trials!"
The crowd exploded into cheers and laughter.
"That kid is dead meat!"
"Hah! Another fool throwing his life away!"
Xiao Lan smirked.
They had no idea who they were dealing with.
The referee, a thin man with a hawk-like nose, raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Gorin moved first.
A blur of muscle and steel, charging forward with a massive iron hammer, swinging it in a brutal arc.
Xiao Lan barely dodged.
BOOM!
The hammer shattered the ground, sending dust and debris flying.
The sheer force of it was enough to turn a normal man into paste.
But Xiao Lan was no normal man.
He darted forward, fists clenched. His Dao energy flared, channeling through his veins.
Gorin snarled.
"You think your fists can break my armor, boy?!"
Xiao Lan smirked.
"Let's find out."
He twisted his body—
And struck.
A single, precise palm strike aimed at Gorin's side.
At first, it seemed ineffective.
Then—
CRACK!
A sickening noise echoed through the arena.
Gorin's ribs shattered instantly.
The brute stumbled back, gasping for air. His eyes were wide with shock.
The crowd fell silent.
No one could believe what they had just seen.
Xiao Lan didn't hesitate.
He moved in again—
And finished it.
A devastating elbow strike to the skull.
BOOM!
Gorin's entire body lifted off the ground before crashing down like a lifeless doll.
The announcer hesitated for a moment.
Then he raised his hand.
"W-Winner… Xiao Lan!"
The crowd erupted into chaos.
Some cheered. Others cursed.
But one thing was clear—
Xiao Lan had arrived.
Back in the waiting area, Xiao Qing stared at him in disbelief.
"You shattered his ribs with one strike?"
Xiao Lan wiped the blood off his knuckles.
"I held back."
Xiao Qing shook her head.
"You're a monster."
Xiao Lan laughed. "Took you this long to figure that out?"
Before she could respond, the scarred man from earlier—the arena master—approached.
He studied Xiao Lan carefully.
"That was impressive," he said. "But one fight means nothing."
Xiao Lan met his gaze.
"Then give me another."
The arena master grinned.
"You're either brave or stupid."
He tossed Xiao Lan another token.
"Come back tomorrow. You'll fight again."
Xiao Lan took the token, his eyes burning with determination.
"Good."
This was just the beginning.