In the Blood Arena, most battles ended with the death of one combatant. At this moment, the victorious demon stood atop a mountain peak, hoisting a dripping severed head in one hand while clutching a still-throbbing demon heart in the other. He turned in a circle, letting the surrounding spectators admire his triumphant form. This gruesome, savage spectacle seemed to please the demon race to no end, their cheers swelling in wave after wave.
After a long while, the victorious demon stuffed the still-beating demon heart into his mouth and bit into it with large chomps, as though devouring a delicacy, his expression one of pure delight, blood smeared across the corners of his lips...
The central arena suddenly went dark, plunging into total blackness. Only then did the cheering from the surrounding seats gradually die down. No one seemed surprised by this; Yang Kai, following local custom, simply observed quietly and waited to see what would happen next. He and Xiao Wu found their seats and sat down.
While waiting, a number of scantily clad women carrying trays moved through the spectator rows. The trays were lined with cups filled with a deep crimson liquid of unknown origin. Yang Kai noticed many demons calling these women over, producing demon crystals to pay for a cup, and drinking with great relish.
Out of curiosity, he bought a cup as well. It cost a thousand high-grade demon crystals.
He took a sip and tasted a faintly bloody flavor. Turning to Xiao Wu, he asked, "What is this?"
Xiao Wu's face went pale. "Some women who committed offenses are locked away and fed special substances. After a few years, their blood becomes... unique. The blood is drawn out, refined, and then prepared into this..."
She didn't dare finish the sentence, but Yang Kai understood what she was leaving unsaid.
He nodded slightly. "Quite the eye-opener."
As he spoke, he drained the entire cup in one go and even wore an expression of lingering satisfaction.
Xiao Wu stared at him in stunned silence! She couldn't help but think — wasn't this man supposed to be human? How could he be just as bloodthirsty as a demon?
After a brief wait, the central arena below suddenly lit up again. This time, however, the environment was no longer an icy wasteland but a stretch of ground blanketed in yellow sand. Just as Xiao Wu had mentioned before, the Blood Arena was equipped with remarkable array formations — activating them allowed the setting to be freely transformed.
A Demon King flew high into the air and shouted with manic excitement, "The next battle is Poison Wasp versus Savage Python! If Poison Wasp wins this fight, it will be their tenth consecutive victory in the Blood Arena, and they'll walk away with the lavish prizes provided by the Blood Arena! Poison Wasp is a seasoned veteran with cunning strikes. Savage Python has only fought three matches in the arena, but those three performances shouldn't be underestimated — they crushed all three opponents completely. Who will prove stronger in this battle? Let's find out!"
As his words fell, a demon emerged from each side of the Blood Arena.
Both demons were at the Demon King level, demonic energy churning around them, their cultivation roughly equal. One was small and wiry, the other broad and imposing — a stark contrast between them.
The desert environment stretched out in full view. The two Demon Kings stared at each other across the arena, their eyes filled with cold, sharp killing intent, yet neither made a move, simply waiting in silence.
Throughout the spectator stands, many were busily taking out their numbered tokens, their divine sense surging.
Yang Kai looked on with interest, and Xiao Wu explained from beside him, "They're probably placing bets, my lord. If you'd like to bet, all you need to do is channel your divine sense into your token. Once the bets are placed, the fight should begin."
So that's how it works! Yang Kai immediately sank his divine sense into his token and, sure enough, found that the information within had changed — a betting option had appeared. However, judging by the odds, the Blood Arena clearly favored the nearly ten-victories-in-a-row Poison Wasp, with the odds standing at only two to one. In contrast, Savage Python's odds were a full one to one.
Beyond that, there was also his personal betting record, which currently showed all zeros.
Yang Kai only had ninety thousand demon crystals on him. As a newcomer, he had no idea which of the two was actually stronger, so he naturally had no intention of placing a bet. He decided to watch for a while first.
At the very least, he needed to understand the rules of this place.
Before long, the demons in the spectator stands had presumably all finished their betting, and those who weren't betting had no intention of doing so. There was no need to wait any longer.
Two gongs sounded — clang, clang — and the battle was set to begin.
The instant the sound rang out, the two Demon Kings were already hurtling toward the center of the sand-covered arena, clashing within a dozen breaths. Just as the announcer had described, Poison Wasp's combat experience was extremely refined, their strikes impossibly cunning, and with their nimble physique, they immediately put the burly Savage Python on the defensive.
However, Savage Python — true to the name — appeared to be a Stone Demon, possessing a body of copper skin and iron bones with exceptional defense. They simply guarded without attacking, and Poison Wasp's scattered strikes were essentially ineffective against them. For a time, the two fought fiercely across the desert.
Two Demon Kings clashing — the spectacle was naturally explosive. Demonic energy roiled, demonic essence trembled, sending sand and stones flying across the central arena.
But after watching for a while, Yang Kai had his assessment. Although Savage Python's defense was solid, the opponent's movements were far too agile for them to land a hit. Meanwhile, the opponent was steadily draining their strength and demonic essence. If Savage Python didn't have some trump card up their sleeve, the outcome looked grim.
The battle lasted a full half-hour. Just as Savage Python seemed about to collapse, Poison Wasp lunged forward recklessly, a dagger flickering in their hand, ready to deliver the killing blow. But at that very moment, a brilliant golden light erupted from Savage Python's body, instantly engulfing the area within a hundred-zhang radius.
Poison Wasp's body went rigid, their movements freezing, leaving a fatal opening.