Chapter 111: The Bloody Official Arena

Second update, seeking recommendations!
The pressure from behind is mounting.
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After a two-day stay, the team received orders from the Blood Mansion to depart and head to a small town several hundred miles away. There, they would undergo semester training for new recruits—which, in reality, was their first true trial as mercenaries, testing their ability to engage in life-or-death combat against magical beasts of equal or higher rank.

Naturally, for the duration of this period, they would be under the full guidance of professional mercenary instructors.

When Irene called Xu Wen out from his underground training chamber, the members of the Soul-Extinguishing Mercenary Group had already gathered in the luxurious side hall of the trading house. He Chen, Sa Keqi, and the others were seated around a round table, discussing the equipment and daily supplies needed for the upcoming excursion.

The first trial would last for three months, involving a significant number of junior and intermediate missions. It would likely be difficult to return to the Blood Mansion during that time, and since the supplies in the remote town were not as comprehensive as those at the Blood Mansion, everyone intended to gather all necessary logistics here before embarking on the trial. This was one of the fundamental survival rules for a mercenary...

As Xu Wen entered, the entire Soul-Extinguishing Mercenary Group was present.

"Huh?"

Several members noticed something off. After looking him up and down, a fire mage named Zhai Hui asked Xu Wen hesitantly, "Deputy Captain Xu, your spiritual cultivation seems to have improved a bit..."

"A bit? Didn't he seem to be at the second stage of the fourth star just the day before yesterday? He's at the fourth stage now."

"That's right, that's right. I thought I misremembered. What's going on? Deputy Captain, what kind of medicine have you been taking?" The astonished voices of the members drew the attention of everyone in the hall, and all eyes converged on Xu Wen.

Only Irene, who followed closely behind and had the lowest cultivation level, didn't feel much. Ever since Xu Wen mastered the Black Flame Snake, she had vaguely sensed that his rapid improvement seemed linked to the number of Earth-Emperor-level spells he mastered.

"You're the ones who have been taking medicine. Deputy Captain Xu’s strength was never lower than mine; he’s just recovering now..." He Chen stepped forward to resolve the group's confusion.

Xu Wen shrugged and could only tacitly agree. He absolutely could not reveal the fact that he possessed so many Earth-Emperor-level grimoires.

"So that’s it."

The group suddenly understood. They all knew a little bit about the Breath-Suppressing Pills, so they didn't dwell on it further. Moreover, they didn't believe anyone could drastically increase their cultivation in just a few short days.

The topic turned back to the preparations before their departure.

He Chen told Xu Wen that the orders had been issued the previous night, and they would set off in the afternoon. They only had the morning to purchase the items on the list, as other mercenary groups had already begun to head out.

"The funding for this will come from everyone’s subsidies. We’ll split into four groups to handle the acquisitions. We don't need medicinal pills since we can refine our own low-to-mid-grade ones, and high-grade ones are too expensive and unnecessary for now. We’ll focus on increasing our defensive capabilities and gathering essential field supplies."

"Understood, Captain. Just handle the arrangements."

"Cut it out, you aren't really going to do nothing, are you? I’ll lead one group with Sa Keqi to buy equipment and herbs. You, Irene, and those three others will handle daily supplies—here is the list. The last group will be responsible for signal flares and camping gear."

"Oh, and if you need anything for yourselves, buy it now as well."

Xu Wen nodded and took the list from He Chen. There was quite a lot of miscellaneous stuff on it.

*Why didn't they have people prepare this in advance?*

The thought flickered in Xu Wen's mind before quickly vanishing. This was part of mercenary experience; if everything were prepared for them, they would just be a group of spoiled pampered soldiers.

The four groups quickly left the royal trading house named "Qingyun."

The streets were teeming with crowds and were exceptionally lively. In many places, one could see high-level mercenaries negotiating with customers over beast furs, unknown herbs, or ores. Xu Wen also noticed that in the open spaces within the city, crowds were surging, and shouts were echoing. Medium-sized arenas had been set up for duels.

Compared to the prosperous and luxurious Qingyun Imperial Capital, the air in this city carried an extra quality...

Bloodthirst!

Of course, it could also be described by another word: violence. If this were on Earth, it would certainly require tens of millions of armed police and military personnel to maintain order.

Collecting daily supplies was actually quite easy; one only had to look in specific places and toss everything into a storage ring, unlike the other groups that had to visit many shops to pick and choose.

While Irene and the others were busy with these tasks, Xu Wen followed the habits of some mercenaries on the street and sat down on the steps outside a shop.

Across from the shop was a small plaza where numerous muscular warriors and swordsmen were shouting, shirtless, alongside mages and other professionals in various outfits. In the center rose a medium-sized arena where two young men, who didn't look much older than him, were trading blows. Sparks flew, and the deafening sound of clashing weapons was constant. Both appeared to be quite skilled.

"You're from the Qingyun Academy, right?"

A strange, lazy voice drifted from beside him, catching Xu Wen's attention. "Since you've come to the Blood Alliance, why not go up there and play?"

"Hmm?"

Xu Wen was startled. He turned his head and realized that a swordsman had sat down beside him at some point.

The man had a rugged, stubbled face tilted toward the sky, holding a high wine skin. He took a swig, and the crisp, intoxicating liquor poured down his throat. *Gulp, gulp*—his throat moved rapidly, looking very satisfying. He didn't even mind that his chest was soaked with spilled wine.

"Ha!"

The man wiped his mouth fiercely and didn't shy away from offering the wine skin. "Want some?"

"I don't drink."

As Xu Wen examined the markings on the man's person, he pondered the previous sentence. "You know people from our Qingyun Academy?"

The man seemed to find the idea of not drinking hilarious. He laughed coldly and pointed toward the arena. "How did you grow up without drinking? We don't have men here who don't drink. Thankfully, your empire still has a few tough guys... That guy in the gray clothes on the stage, isn't he with you?"

"..."

*This body is only fifteen, a mere kid. Why would I drink?* Xu Wen ignored the seven-star swordsman's attempt to provoke him. He shifted his gaze and realized there really was someone on the stage who looked vaguely familiar—a student from Qingyun Academy named... "Leie," he thought.

"Why is he here?"

Xu Wen finally showed a look of surprise. He remembered that among all the students, this kid was the only one who hadn't joined a mercenary group—a maverick outsider. Why would he be lingering here instead of seeking out his group?

Irene and the others had just finished purchasing their supplies and also spotted Leie on the arena.

"What is that arena for?"

The stubbled swordsman took another swig of wine. "I told them not to just memorize things by rote. How can reading in a room compare to the impression of personal experience? They don't even know about the official arena matches..."

"Who are you?" Irene asked hesitantly.

The man turned his head and flashed a toothy grin.

"Your teacher. Yes, don't look around; it's me. Dean Nordin found me and asked me to train you into qualified mercenaries in the shortest time possible."

He glanced at the youth who had refused his wine skin. "Now it seems that task... is a bit daunting."

"Are you really hired by Dean Nordin? I just asked about the arena; why are you rambling on? Besides, you should prove your identity before calling yourself a teacher."

"Hmm, not bad, not bad. You have a bit of a sense of humor. At least you aren't a complete bore, haha..." The seven-star swordsman laughed heartily, not offended in the least. He patted Xu Wen’s shoulder and explained to the five of them:

"Official arenas are very common in our Blood Alliance. They are reward-based arenas meant to stimulate competition among high-level talent."

"Every day, the official mercenary groups of the Blood Mansion or the wheel provide a piece of equipment, a valuable item, or even gold coins as the prize for the arena. If a single person wins twenty consecutive valid matches on the stage, they are declared the champion of the day and receive the prize, at which point the daily matches conclude."

"Of course, this competition is only open to practitioners below the seven-star level, and those over thirty years old are not allowed to participate."

"Below seven stars?"

"Doesn't that make it the domain of six-star experts?"

The three people behind Irene lost most of their curiosity and interest the moment they heard the restriction.

"Of course not," the seven-star swordsman chuckled. "There's another official restriction: members of official mercenary groups cannot participate. Six-star mercenaries (by mercenary rank, not cultivation rank) cannot participate, and members of the Royal Mercenary Group are also excluded. Most practitioners under thirty who reach the six-star level are snatched up by the major official mercenary groups, so usually, you won't see six-star young people in these arenas. Even if one appears, they are immediately recruited by the authorities."

Xu Wen nodded to himself. Reaching six stars before the age of thirty meant limitless potential; breaking into the seven-star level was a certainty. They were highly sought-after prospects, so it was only natural they were recruited.

"So, the people up there are generally five-star cultivators?" one asked.

"There are four-stars, too," the seven-star swordsman replied.

Hearing this, Xu Wen glanced at him calmly. The man's tone was clearly leading them, trying to tempt them into participating in these so-called official arena matches. The three people behind Irene were all four-star intermediate cultivators, and even Irene, a magic swordsman, seemed somewhat moved by the words of this man who hadn't even proven his identity.

As he pondered, the man pointed to the fighters on the stage. "Isn't your classmate up there? He's already won two matches. Looks like the prize is quite attractive to him." The seven-star swordsman smiled at Xu Wen.

Xu Wen dismissively turned his gaze elsewhere.

Irene was the calmest one besides Xu Wen. Having lived in border cities for a long time, she knew more about the Blood Alliance than the average person. Seeing her three companions tempted, she frowned and said, "Twenty matches without losing—how could we manage that? Our tactics would be exposed to everyone watching."

"You're completely wrong to think that way. The purpose of the official arena is to inspire young people, broaden your horizons, and increase your experience in handling various difficulties, rather than sitting in a room and staring at the sky. If you are purely chasing the prize, I guarantee..." At this point, the seven-star swordsman’s expression turned solemn as he held up three fingers:

"You'll end up just like that kid—you won't even make it past three matches!"