The third fight hadn't even begun before the Ink Clan members started arguing among themselves.
They had watched both preceding battles, and in the second one especially, Yang Kai had clearly been wounded. His strength would have been drastically reduced — and in the Ink Clan's eyes, there was no way he could win the third fight.
This was a golden opportunity to score easy money, and no one wanted to miss out.
Nu Yan was watching with a cheerful smile on the surface, but inwardly he was feeling somewhat uneasy. Yang Kai had indeed given him a signal that he could keep fighting, and had demonstrated formidable combat strength — but whether he could actually win this third bout, Nu Yan had no confidence at all.
If he lost, it would be like lifting a stone only to drop it on his own feet.
Still, things had gone too far to stop now. This involved a thousand Ink Coins, after all. If this method worked, he would never have to worry about Ink Coins again.
The Ink Clan members argued back and forth before finally settling on the original arrangement: let Yang Kai choose his own opponent, and whoever he picked would fight him — no objections from anyone else.
The third fight commenced, and everyone watched with rapt attention. Nu Yan looked particularly tense.
The situation on the battlefield shifted in the blink of an eye. The two Ink Slaves exchanged blow after blow in a savage exchange. Yang Kai once again manifested his half-dragon form, playing what appeared to be his final card, yet he still ended up drenched in blood, standing on the brink of collapse.
Nu Yan's heart sank. He was nearly certain his side was going to lose, while his opponent was overjoyed, seemingly envisioning the moment he claimed a powerful new Ink Slave for himself.
However, reversals always arrived when least expected. The side that had clearly held the advantage suddenly turned the tables, and despite having fought three consecutive bouts and looking utterly wretched, Yang Kai only grew fiercer with each setback.
When the opponent was blasted out of the sky and crashed to the ground, remaining motionless for a long while, the entire arena fell silent.
Yang Kai also tumbled from the sky, but at the last moment managed to steady himself, his face pale as parchment.
"He won!" Ding Si, standing beside Nu Yan, whispered in a low voice.
Nu Yan burst into hearty laughter, the tension that had been building in his chest finally releasing.
The opposing side handed over a spatial ring. Nu Yan accepted it, counted the contents, and confirmed that the thousand Ink Coins were all accounted. He smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for the match!"
The Ink Clan member's expression was placid. Losing a thousand Ink Coins stung a bit, but it was hardly enough to cause real harm. He gave a slight nod and asked, "Any interest in another round?"
Nu Yan immediately shook his head. He might have been treating Yang Kai as a money tree, but he wasn't a fool. Yang Kai was in no condition to fight again — if they pushed for another match, he would certainly lose. There was no way he'd agree.
The Ink Clan member said, "Two thousand Ink Coins."
Nu Yan kept shaking his head. "Five thousand and I still wouldn't do it!" Though he didn't close the door entirely. He grinned at the other party and said, "Perhaps next time. Next time there's a chance, we'll have them spar again."
He turned and ordered Ding Si, "Bring him back."
Ding Si obeyed, flying down into the basin to retrieve Yang Kai and escort him back.
Nu Yan didn't linger. He led his Ink Slades back to their previous resting place, distributed some cultivation and recovery supplies, and left Yang Kai to tend to his injuries on his own.
Three fights, and Yang Kai had earned him sixteen hundred Ink Coins. It wasn't a massive fortune, but this wasn't a one-time transaction. After a few more rounds, Ink Coins would be flowing freely.
Watching Yang Kai seated cross-legged in meditation, Nu Yan seemed to see a path to untold riches opening up before him.
Several days later, Nu Yan brought Yang Kai and the others back to the fighting arena.
Having learned from the first experience, Nu Yan placed considerably more confidence in Yang Kai this time.
It was true that Yang Kai's three consecutive victories days earlier had demonstrated his formidable strength. Many Ink Clan members and Ink Slaves alike now knew he was not to be trifled with.
But everyone harbored a gambler's hope — what if they happened to catch him on a bad day? After all, even if they lost, the losses wouldn't be devastating.
So the moment Yang Kai's side stepped into the arena, an Ink Slave answered the call and flew down into the basin.
Nu Yan's rules remained unchanged. All three bouts were fights to the death, with escalating stakes — one hundred Ink Coins for the first, five hundred for the second, a thousand for the third.
The number of Ink Slaves stepping into the arena grew with each round, and every time, Yang Kai simply chose his opponent at random.
Three fights, three victories! Nu Yan raked in another sixteen hundred Ink Coins, positively beside himself with joy!
Over the following month, Nu Yan brought Yang Kai to the fighting arena every few days, and each visit followed the same pattern.
Yang Kai never once let him down. This Ink Slave was undoubtedly his greatest treasure — one that would bring him staggering wealth.
He secretly rejoiced at his good fortune. When he had stopped to rest in that Ink Cloud, he had unwittingly acquired such an extraordinary servant.
In just one short month, Yang Kai's name rang throughout Gale Territory.
Both the high-ranking Ink Clan members and the Ink Clan Lords had taken notice of him. They had never seen an Ink Slave who could fight like this. Most of the Ink Clan had been to the battlefield, and those who survived had crossed blades with human warriors, giving them a sense of those warriors' strength. If every human fighter was like Yang Kai, that would be truly terrifying.
Some Ink Clan Lords at the Lord rank even approached Nu Yan directly, expressing their desire to purchase Yang Kai — and the prices they offered were nothing if not sincere.