Nine-Five Island:
More and more experts gathered at Nine-Five Island, searching for Gu Hai.
It was not just Nine-Five Island. Countless cultivators searched many of the islands in the surrounding region, activating the various minor factions of the islands to do so.
However, Gu Hai seemed to have evaporated into thin air. After a month passed, there was still no news.
Now, even more cultivators gathered at Nine-Five Island. As the only major casino in the sea region, the Great Feng Mafia Family received the patronage of the many cultivators. A large number of them flocked to the casino, bringing the Great Feng Mafia Family boundless spirit stone profits.
The countless cultivators vented their frustration at failing to find Gu Hai at the casino, over and over again.
Little did they know that Gu Hai, whom they could not find, was right before them.
Great Feng Mafia Family, Evil Men Valley:
Gu Hai and Gao Xianzhi had remained in their corner for more than a month already. However, the two did not rush to figure out how to unseal their cultivations.
“Milord, it has already been a month. The people outside must be getting anxious. Will your family…” Gao Xianzhi asked worriedly.
“The longer we do not appear, the safer my adopted sons are.” Gu Hai shook his head.
Shaking his head, Gao Xianzhi said, “Yes. It would be good if Milord’s family is safe. This subordinate is single and doesn’t have a family. There is nothing to pressure me.”
“Speaking of which, sometimes, having a family that can be threatened might be a good thing.” Gu Hai smiled.
“Oh? This subordinate does not understand,” Gao Xianzhi said, feeling confused.
“If you have an enemy seeking trouble for you, you can lure him into a trap,” Gu Hai guided.
“Oh?” Gao Xianzhi’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Currently, we are locked up, so we can put this aside for now. After we get out, you can set up some ‘families. If you make an enemy, this can buy you some maneuvering space,” Gu Hai whispered.
Gao Xianzhi thought for a while before his eyes lit up. Then, he nodded and said, “Yes. Many thanks for Milord’s guidance. This subordinate will fulfill any of Milord’s orders to the best of my abilities in the future. I absolutely would not dare to delay!”
Gu Hai looked at Gao Xianzhi and smiled faintly. Gu Hai could tell from these words that Gao Xianzhi now sincerely wanted to follow him.
“Milord, it has been more than one month already. Are we just going to waste away here and fight to our deaths in the beast arena?” Gao Xianzhi asked somewhat worriedly.
“The situation is not good for us. What have you learned about this Evil Men Valley during this period?” Gu Hai asked as he looked at Gao Xianzhi.
“They are a group of ruthless people. Furthermore, they are ruthless people with brains. They can’t really be called bad, but the environment turned them ferocious and vicious,” Gao Xianzhi said.
“Indeed. When we first arrived, we had to be ruthless in order to obtain food. If one is not ruthless, one will be bullied,” Gu Hai said.
“According to what Chen Tianshan previously said, these evil men are the criminals of the Thousand Islands Sea. They committed great crimes, and the various sects of the Thousand Islands Sea captured them and sold them to the Great Feng Mafia Family,” Gao Xianzhi recalled.
“These are all ruthless people who managed to make sects their enemies all by themselves? Those that offend a sect might not be bad. Who said that the sects are definitely good? The winner is king, and the loser is evil; that’s all. Furthermore, after surviving countless rounds of slaughter, all that remain are the most ferocious people,” Gu Hai said.
“Milord, are you thinking of…” Gao Xianzhi looked at Gu Hai.
“Let’s wait first. These are all unruly people, not kind souls. Let’s discuss this again after Chen Tianshan returns,” Gu Hai said softly.
“They selected Chen Tianshan for the beast arena. I wonder how he is…” Gao Xianzhi said worriedly.
“There’s no need to worry about him. He is a Golden Core Realm cultivator. Furthermore, he ate the Century Lifespan Immortality Peach. Did you not feel the benefits of that peach?” Gu Hai said.
“Yes, this subordinate felt it. The Century Lifespan Immortality Peach contained a vibrant lifeforce. While Milord’s life vests played a significant role in our surviving that disaster, perhaps the Century Lifespan Immortality Peach played a huge role as well,” Gao Xianzhi whispered.
Gu Hai nodded.
“Milord, that man looked over again,” Gao Xianzhi suddenly said.
“Oh?” Gu Hai turned his head and looked. “Scar?”
“That’s the one. Since Milord knocked him back when we were snatching rats, he has been setting himself against us in the past month or so. However, he is no match for Milord, so his hatred has grown over time,” Gao Xianzhi said with narrow eyes.
Gu Hai looked at Scar in the distance. Then, he showed a cold smile and said, “It’s fine. He won’t be able to do anything.”
Rattle! Rattle!
Suddenly, chains jangled at the valley entrance, immediately attracting everyone’s attention.
A group of black-clad men entered the valley again. This time, only one person followed behind the black-clad men: Chen Tianshan.
Chen Tianshan had shackles on him. Blood covered him, and his hair looked messy. Chunks of flesh seemed to have been torn off his hands, revealing white bones.
“Unshackle him!” the leading black-clad man ordered.
“Rattle!” The black-clad men quickly undid Chen Tianshan’s chains.
“Gather!” the leading black-clad man shouted.
The surrounding evil men gathered swiftly. This time, no one dared to be slow.
Gu Hai and Gao Xianzhi quickly joined the crowd.
Chen Tianshan walked in weakly, standing between Gu Hai and Gao Xianzhi.
“Milord, I survived.” Chen Tianshan showed a despairing bitterness in his eyes.
“Twenty people left, and only you survived. You can feel proud of yourself,” Gu Hai consoled.
“However, they were all just Innate Realm cultivators. It’s too cruel, and they are too ruthless. I nearly failed to return.” Chen Tianshan trembled.
“You still managed to return in the end. Rest up and recuperate,” Gu Hai said after taking a deep breath.
Chen Tianshan nodded weakly.
The leading black-clad man looked at the three thousand-odd evil men. Then, he said coldly, “All those of the alpha serial number, step out and follow me!”
“What?” Gao Xianzhi and Chen Tianshan goggled.
The serial number on Gu Hai’s bronze mask had an “A” in it.
Gu Hai got selected?
Gu Hai narrowed his eyes.
The expressions of the evil men with an “A” in the serial number on their masks changed.
However, no one dared to object. They could only step forward.
“Milord!” Gao Xianzhi said anxiously.
When Gu Hai walked past Gao Xianzhi, he handed a small bottle to Gao Xianzhi.
This happened in a flash. No one noticed it.
“Treat his injuries and wait for me to return!” Gu Hai ordered softly.
After he spoke, Gu Hai followed the others to the very front.
There was a total of sixteen people.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!
A group of black-clad men quickly shackled the sixteen.
“Hehe! Brat, do you still remember me?” A malicious voice came from beside Gu Hai.
It was Scar, the person who lost to Gu Hai previously.
“You are just someone I already defeated. Move to the side,” Gu Hai said coldly.
“Humph! Let’s see how you will die when you get to the beast arena!” Scar glared.
Crack!
Suddenly, a whip landed on Scar’s body.
“What’s with all the nonsense? Come with me!” a black-clad man shouted angrily.
Scar lowered his head, not daring to resist.
The sixteen followed the black-clad man, slowly making their way out of the valley.
After the black-clad men left, Gao Xianzhi supported Chen Tianshan back to their previous corner, avoiding everyone else.
“What should we do? Gao Xianzhi, the beast arena is a battle royal among Innate Realm cultivators and Golden Realm cultivators. How will Milord fare there?” Chen Tianshan said anxiously.
“Milord gave this to you. Quickly eat it. Recuperate from your injuries and wait for him to return.” Gao Xianzhi handed the small bottle to Chen Tianshan.
Chen Tianshan did not hesitate to consume the medicinal pill in the small bottle. His complexion immediately improved, and flesh started to regrow at his wounds.
“The beast arena is a battle royal between Golden Core Realm cultivators and Innate Realm cultivators? Aren’t your cultivations sealed?” Gao Xianzhi looked at Chen Tianshan.
“The seal got temporarily lifted. It does not matter what cultivation one has. As long as one is selected, one has to fight. In our batch, I was the only Golden Core Realm; the rest were Innate Realm cultivators. Hence, I managed to last to the end,” Chen Tianshan said bitterly.
“You managed to recover your Golden Core Realm cultivation, and you still got so badly beaten up by a group of Innate Realm cultivators?” Gao Xianzhi glared at Chen Tianshan.
Chen Tianshan retorted bitterly, “You don’t understand. One does not fight with just one’s cultivation in the beast arena. One fights for one’s life.”
Gao Xianzhi’s eyelids twitched. Then, he turned his head to look at the evil men in Evil Men Valley. Fights rarely happened here; these people seemed like docile lambs. Who could have thought that they would be so ruthless and ferocious after they left this place?
“Milord will be fine,” Gao Xianzhi said after taking a deep breath.
Chen Tianshan nodded. However, he still said worriedly, “Milord is extremely smart and wise. However, one needs power and ruthlessness in the beast arena, as they pit their lives against each other. Smarts and wisdom are useless there. I hope Milord will be fine.”
——
The Great Feng Mafia Family watched their prisoners very carefully. Even though they sealed the evil men’s cultivations, they still brought the prisoners out in shackles.
Gu Hai followed the group as they traveled through a mountain forest. Soon, they arrived at a large mountain.
The mountain had been hollowed out, and ritual arrays carved to make it incredibly tough. Doors filled a dark corridor as they slowly walked through it.
The interior of the mountain had been carved out into rooms of various uses.
The sixteen men were placed in sixteen different small cells. Each cell had a window overlooking a huge plaza in a valley outside.
The mountains around the plaza were carved out into large seating areas for audiences.
“This place looks like the ancient Roman Colosseum, only ten times larger.” Gu Hai’s eyes narrowed as he looked out.
There was a small table filled with beef placed in the cell.
“This might be your last meal. You will fight tomorrow. Eat your fill and die full!” said the black-clad man who had escorted them to the cells.
[TL Note: The Chinese believe that if one dies hungry, one will return as a hungry ghost, which is supposedly ferocious.]
Clang!
After the black-clad man closed the doors to the cells, he left.
All sixteen evil men received the same treatment. Food filled the various cells.
All the evil men started eating quickly.
These people had to eat dead rats in Evil Men Valley. They had not eaten well for a long time already. Of course, these people no longer cared about the aesthetics of the food. As long as the food could replenish their strength, they would eat it.
Even if it were a table filled with dead rats, they would have to eat it. Their lives and deaths would be decided the next day. With more energy, their chances of survival would improve.
A few of the evil men even showed a ferocious expression as they held back tears and ate.
