After walking for some time, they finally arrived at the participant's waiting area.
As they entered the area they saw all types of people sitting there waiting to be called for their turn, Kai Ren and Sofia were amazed when they saw the diversity of people sitting in the waiting area.
The entry of the trio garnered attention for a few seconds, but then everyone just went back to what they were doing.
“Let’s go find someplace to sit,” Said Jian Li as he turned toward Kai Ren and Sofia.
“Let’s go,” Kai Ren replied to Jian Li and the trio started to walk toward the sitting area there.
After they got seated Kai Ren turned toward Jian Li and asked, “Brother Jian, can you tell me a bit more about these matches?”
“Certainly, the matches you are going to participate in are called mock battles, and they are mainly used for entertainment purposes,” Jian Li started to explain about the matches, “The risk of death in these matches is minimal, and killing or crippling your opponent is punishable by death.”
“Wouldn’t that create trouble for the arena if a cultivator with a strong background got executed?” Sofia questioned as genuine puzzlement coloured her beautiful face.
“You are right about that Sofia, but the thing is that the person behind this arena himself is a very strong cultivator,” Jian Li started to answer Sofia’s question, ”That person is just one step away from breaking through the peak of the Ascension realm and ascending to the higher realms.”
“Ohh, No wonder they dare to execute anyone who causes trouble without fearing anyone,” Sofia exclaimed as she understood that it was only because the arena had sufficient strength that they were able to operate without any issues.
Hearing the conversation between Sofia and Jian Li, a question popped into Kai Ren’s mind and he asked, “But, won’t there be problems when the person supporting the arena finally ascends?”
When Sofia heard the question she also got curious and looked toward Jian Li who was smiling at the moment.
“Well I never said there was only a single Ascension realm cultivator, did I?” Asserted Jian Li.
Hearing his word a look of realization came onto the faces of both Kai Ren and Sofia but, just to be sure Kai Ren further inquired, “So you mean that the arena has more than one Ascension realm cultivator supporting it?”
“While it’s true that most of the deterioration comes from the Peak stage Ascension realm cultivator, it won’t be anywhere near enough to deter everyone,” Jian Li answered Kai Ren’s inquiry while still maintaining a smile, “In fact, the arena has three Ascension realm cultivator supporting it and two of them are early stage Ascension realm cultivator.”
“Wow, I never knew that the arena has such a huge backing,” Sofia exclaimed after learning about the backing of the Champion’s Arena.
“How come you didn’t know this, you said you grew up in this city. In fact you don’t know almost anything about the city, why is that?” Jian Li suddenly turned toward Sofia and asked a question that had been on his mind for a while now.
Hearing Jian Shen’s question, Sofia’s face flushed and she said in a stammering voice, “I-it’s because my father never allowed me to roam in the city”
“Okay, but why is your face red?” Jian Li questioned as he could not understand the reason behind Sofia’s embarrassment.
“NO, IT IS NOT RED,” Sofia replied loudly, which made everyone in the waiting area, participants and their helpers, turn their attention toward her.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
When Sofia realized that she was the focus of everyone’s attention, she got a little nervous and sat on her seat with her head hung low, just as she felt she would explode from embarrassment, a loud voice came from the arena, win Sofia’s ear sounded like a heavenly melody.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Champion’s Arena!” The announcer's voice was filled with excitement, building anticipation in the crowd. “Today, we have an extraordinary lineup of talented cultivators ready to showcase their skills in the champions’s deathmatch. Before we begin the main event, let us enjoy some preliminary matches to warm up the crowd!”
As the announcer created hype in the crowd, a beautiful lady came in the participant's area and said in a formal tone. “Everyone who is here to participate in the mock battles, please proceed to the stage.”
A wave of excitement swept through the waiting area as the participants started to stand up.
Jian Li turned to Kai Ren, his expression a mix of encouragement and seriousness. "Brother Kai, don’t worry about anything. Just focus on gaining combat experience," he advised, his voice steady. "It doesn’t matter even if you defeated a few times, ok?"
Kai Ren nodded with a determent shine in his eyes and started to walk toward the platform in the center of the arena.
As all the participants were finally gathered in the center of the arena, a man with a lanky build came on stage, “Alright everyone settle down,” the man spoke, his voice was clear and like thunder that forced all the participants to look toward him.
“Welcome to the preliminary rounds of the mock battles, for those of you that are new I will go through the rules once so make sure to stay focused,” the lanky man said as he looked toward the participants with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
The lanky man surveyed the group of participants with a confident smile. "First things first, the rules," he began, his voice projecting across the arena. "These mock battles are designed for entertainment, but they are also an excellent way for you to hone your combat skills. Here’s what you need to know."
He raised a finger. "Rule one: No lethal force. These are mock battles, not life-and-death duels. Any attempt to kill or cripple your opponent will be punished severely. You’ve been warned."
He raised a second finger. "Rule two: The matches will be determined by drawing lots. We have twenty participants today, which means ten matches in the preliminary round. Win your match, and you move on to the next round."
A third finger went up. "Rule three: Each match lasts until one participant is unable to continue or concedes defeat. There is no time limit, but dragging out a match unnecessarily will not be looked upon favorably by the judges."
The lanky man then motioned to a table set up at the side of the stage. On it was a large box with a slot on the top. "Inside this box are numbered lots. Each of you will draw one, and the numbers will determine your opponent for the first round."
He gestured for the participants to approach the table. "Step forward, draw your lots, and then return to your places. Once everyone has drawn, I will announce the matchups."
Kai Ren and the other participants formed a line, each taking turns to draw a lot from the box. When it was Kai Ren’s turn, he reached in and pulled out a small wooden token with the number seven etched into it.
As the last participant drew their lot, the lanky man called for attention once more. "Now, let’s see who you’ll be facing." He pulled out a scroll and began to read the matchups:
"Match one: Number one versus number eleven.
Match two: Number two versus number eight.
Match three: Number three versus number fourteen.
Match four: Number four versus number fifteen.
Match five: Number five versus number thirteen.
Match six: Number six versus number twenty.
Match seven: Number seven versus number nineteen.
Match eight: Number nine versus number eighteen.
Match nine: Number ten versus number twelve.
Match ten: Number sixteen versus number seventeen."
Kai Ren looked around to see who had drawn the number nineteen. His opponent was a tall, muscular man with a stern expression.
The lanky man continued, "Now, for the rewards. Winning your preliminary match earns you a token of recognition and a small reward of spirit stones. Progressing to the later rounds will grant you better rewards, including rare cultivation resources and techniques. The overall winner of the mock battles will receive a special prize: a Spirit Enhancing Pill, which can greatly aid in your cultivation."
Excitement buzzed through the participants as they envisioned the rewards. The lanky man clapped his hands. "Alright, participants, prepare yourselves. The first match will begin shortly. May the best cultivators win!"
As the participants dispersed to prepare for their matches, Kai Ren felt a mixture of nervousness and determination. He clenched his fists, ready to face his opponent and prove his worth in the arena.