Beastmaster of the Ages

Dao Feng immediately ran out while confusion festered in the guild.

”Let’s go!” Around five hundred of the thousand ran out immediately too. Most of them didn’t have divine defects and had only come for their families. ”Hurry!”

They seemed cold and agitated, disappearing in a flash. The remaining hundreds who didn’t leave were those who could barely move, but they were also filled with indignation and anxiety. Ying He looked towards the exit and said, ”The couple are good people who are always out to help others. I hope nothing bad will happen to them...”

”Why did so many people leave?” Tianming asked.

Mu Qingqing sighed. ”The bets here aren’t regulated by law, only brute force. It’s all too common for people to go back on their word. All we have here is an honor system, and if one side doesn’t honor the bet, there’s nothing that can be done about it. That’s why when things like these happen, people will gather in large groups to try to hold people to their word with the threat of numbers.”

It sounded rather barbaric. Even a cosmic god who had fallen ill would have little use for dignity or reputation.

Tianming said, ”I’ll go and take a look.”

”Okay.” Mu Qingqing knew that he would go to check it out and followed him out.

The others in the arena had thought that Tianming’s arrival would only merit a bit more attention, but one look at the situation told them that a bet was about to go down.

”I heard Young Master Yueling Xi challenged Dao Feng’s wife to a duel.”

”Dao Feng also got a divine defect, right?”

”Why else would Qin Yan accept the challenge?”

”It’s suicidal. She’s being too rash.”

”What do you expect? They’re a loving couple.”

”I guess one will follow the other to the next life, then. Hahaha...”

Tianming followed the Mu Clan’s cosmic gods through the dilapidated streets of the arena until they reached a huge citadel ahead shaped like a hemisphere. It seemed to be a new addition constructed using the fortress’s materials. At the entrance was a black stone pillar tens of thousands of meters in height with the words ’Godly Sands’ painted on, seemingly with real blood.

”Is the mastermind behind Godly Sands Yueling Momo?” Tianming asked.

”It should be. Yueling Xi seems to be his son,” Mu Qingqing said.

”It seems like an angle we can work at,” Tianming said.

”Yes, but... you can’t deal with those from the Yueling Starcage like you did with the Violetblitzers and the torchdragonoids. Make sure they don’t get ahold of your weakness, or you’ll be in deep trouble.”

”Is it because Yueling has four imperatores?”

”Not just that. Their modus operandi is characterized by unreasonable violence. They didn’t show up at your banquet, remember? Either way, they are forceful people who will not listen to reason unlike Imperator Jian. If you dare to mess with them, they will also stop at nothing to get back at you.”

”Also? Are you calling me a vengeful avenger?”

”I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intent,” Mu Qingqing nervously said.

Tianming smiled. ”Well, I don’t think being vengeful is a bad thing. But don’t worry, I might be a bit brash sometimes, but I’m not brainless.” He had already expanded his dynasty in the Upper Star Ruin to some extent. Though it was only the beginning, laws and regulations were already being implemented.

”Alright...”

Soon, they entered Godly Sands, one of the many subzones within the Dongshen Arena. The most eye-catching part of it all was the raised platform at the center. Dao Feng and Qin Yan were both vice guild leaders of the Nullity Guild and had a reputation in the Dongshen Arena, but Yueling Xi was on a different level, being the scion of the Yueling Starcage. He personally went to the platform and drew lots of attention.

Fortunately, the battle hadn’t started yet, but thousands of people had already gathered. Most of them were cosmic gods from Yueling and other starcages. When gathered together, their combined radiance contrasted starkly against the other half of the platform, which was quite dark. They were sinister folk who growled and jeered savagely.

”Move aside!” Dao Feng and the others from the guild forced apart the crowd and squeezed in.

”Do you want to die?!” said some in the crowd, but they smiled and moved aside when they saw who it was.

”Oh, you’re here!”

”How fast!”

”Brothers, make space for him near the platform so he can have a good view of the fight.”

”That kid has offended quite a few people in his time, and now, he got the divine defect! That’s karma, I tell you!”

The worst part of this is that his woman is about to die because of him. What a masterful double bind Young Master Yueling Xi has put them in!”

”Why would he raise the stakes so high?”

”I heard that he wanted to court Qin Yan, only to be rejected. That’s why he’s pissed off.”

”As expected of the scion of the Godly Sands. He has refined taste in married women...”

The discussions were reflective of the darkest part of this lawless society. Their human nature was warped and amplified to the worst degree.

”Yan’er!” Dao Feng watched as the purple-clad cosmic goddess stepped onto the platform with her fists clenched.

”That woman really isn’t afraid of dying for Dao Feng’s sake!” Countless cheers shook Godly Sands.

Qin Yan shuddered when she heard her husband call out to her. She turned around and forced out a smile. ”Don’t come here. You were the one who bet your life for other people’s sake before. Now, let me do it for you.”

”Don’t!” Dao Feng’s tears began to flow nonstop.

On the other side of the platform was a youth clad in golden, flaming armor with a scroll in his hand. ”Brother Dao Feng, you’re too late. She’s signed the contract and anyone that dares to break it will be killed by Godly Sands management and have their assets divided among everyone here! This is a fundamental rule of the Dongshen Arena. Don’t tell me you’re not aware of it despite your long stay here.”