The Cleansing Flame Hall was clearly placing greater importance on this bounty arena with each passing day. This much was evident from the caliber of personnel they had dispatched to handle reception — a noticeable step up from the registration phase.
After verifying Jiang Chen's participation token without issue, the Cleansing Flame Hall staff courteously and politely allowed him inside. A steward-level figure even escorted him personally. The man did not let Jiang Chen's youth color his expression with suspicion; instead, he wore a warm smile throughout, professionally guiding Jiang Chen to the selection area.
It had to be said — even if Jiang Chen had been looking for fault, he would not have found a single thing to criticize.
"So the Cleansing Flame Hall truly earned its standing as one of Pill Fire City's most formidable powers. They really do have a few tricks up their sleeve — nothing like the run-of-the-mill factions."
Inwardly, Jiang Chen gained a renewed appreciation for the Cleansing Flame Hall.
Upon entering the selection area, Jiang Chen discovered that the number of candidates was not as staggering as he had imagined. He had anticipated somewhere between eight hundred and a thousand entrants. In reality, after a quick sweep with his eyes, he counted only one or two hundred.
A moment's reflection set his mind at ease, however. This was, after all, the selection for the main arena champion position. Anyone lacking sufficient confidence in their abilities would never throw away that kind of money on a whim.
The deposit alone was one hundred million saint-grade spirit stones, and if a candidate was not selected, ten million would be deducted as a registration fee. While ten million was not necessarily unaffordable, many people choosing to skip the process when they knew it was essentially throwing money away was perfectly understandable.
After all, beyond the main arena champion, there was also the sub-arena champion to compete for. Although sub-arena champions were appointed by the main arena champion, they were required to pay no deposit and undergo no screening process whatsoever.
Without question, a seat as sub-arena champion was, in certain respects, even more attractive than the position of main arena champion.
Of course, when it came to bounty earnings, the main arena champion undoubtedly took home far more. But the sub-arena champion had the advantage of zero risk and zero investment.
When Jiang Chen walked into the selection area, the candidates already present looked visibly shocked. It was clear that not everyone was prepared for a contender this young to be vying for the main arena champion position.
Jiang Chen did not make a show of himself. He found a seat and quietly sat down, keeping a low profile.
Once settled, he surveyed his surroundings and realized he was indeed the youngest person among all the main arena champion candidates.
His gaze drifted from far to near before he suddenly sensed a pair of eyes beside him, secretly sizing him up. Jiang Chen turned his head to find a face caught between a smile and a smirk.
The smirking face belonged to a shabby-looking man seated to his left. But the moment Jiang Chen laid eyes on the fellow, he couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
"Well, well — a fellow traveler!" Jiang Chen recognized instantly that this scruffy character had to be disguised. That appearance was clearly a deliberate fabrication. With his keen eye for detail, Jiang Chen could tell at a glance that this man was roughly the same age as himself.
In other words, Jiang Chen was not the only young person here.
This discovery piqued his interest in the shifty-looking man with the weasel grin.
The fellow was remarkably perceptive. Seeing the amusement in Jiang Chen's smile, he seemed to realize his disguise had been seen through. He chuckled and addressed Jiang Chen: "Brother, you sure are bold and open about it. I at least made an effort — dressed myself up as a little old man. But you? You've disguised yourself a bit, yet you still look young as anything. Aren't you afraid these old codgers will talk?"
The man had actually initiated conversation, winking and grimacing at Jiang Chen.
Finding the fellow's personality lively and unguarded, Jiang Chen saw no reason to be standoffish. He offered a faint smile: "The bounty arena rules never said young people couldn't compete for the main arena champion position."
The man let out an odd laugh: "Fair enough, but if you're too young, even if you stand out and become the main arena champion, those patrons might not choose us — might not hand the commissions over to us."
It had to be admitted, the man's concerns were not without merit.
But for Jiang Chen, it was a non-issue. In his view, everything ultimately came down to ability. The bounty arena ran for a full half-month, not just an hour or two. Whether someone had genuine skill or not, there would be ample time to put it to the test.
Seeing how composed and at ease Jiang Chen appeared, the fellow's eyes darted about like a rat's as he studied Jiang Chen, clearly brimming with curiosity.
Suddenly, the man grinned broadly: "Oh right — let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Zhirong. What's yours, brother? Which noble house in Pill Fire City are you from?"
"Shao Yuan." Jiang Chen offered just those two simple words.
"You're called Shao Yuan?" asked the man who had called himself Lin Zhirong.
Jiang Chen nodded. This name was not one he had made up on a whim. In his previous life, because his father had been the Grand Emperor of the Grand Abyss, people had generally addressed him as Crown Prince Shao Yuan.
Shao Yuan was simply a homophone of that title.