Another sliding door opened inside the pa.s.sageway. Owl Nine went in, and then he brought out a couple of masks that could cover half of one's face.
Gu Zuo took one and pressed it onto his face. It felt a bit like a novelty.
Was this a legendary item that could hide one's ident.i.ty? Something that must be used to go to this thing. In other words, this indicated that the stronghold's affairs were not fit to be seen in the light… Part of the rules and all that.
He didn't think about it for too long. After waiting for Gongyi Tianheng to put on his own mask, a group of people walked in a line.
— In an instant, many clamorous noises reached their ears. Before their eyes was a bright glare.
Gu Zuo blinked. Once he adjusted after a few seconds, he discovered that everything here seemed to have practically switched like heaven and earth. To compare, it gave a person such a strong sense of mental pressure, not at all like the outside.
However, not only were the people here very raucous, but the fiendish auras about them were quite heavy. Just as they came in, the stench of blood a.s.sailed their noses and instantly, many heated gazes were directed at them.
There were many people, but not everyone wore masks. And the people who wore masks gave others the feeling of incompatibility.
Clearly, those wearing masks were people who were given referrals and came in from the outside. Those who didn't wear masks were either people who'd been here a long time or were a.s.sa.s.sins of the ghost division.
Within the crowd was an elevated stage made of black rock.
On the stage were two people in the middle of fighting to the death. Unexpectedly, there was a beautiful woman near the edge of the stage. She wore tight-fitting clothing, which especially accentuated her figure's s.e.x appeal.
The three were all martial artists, but apparently the beautiful woman was the arbitrator for the stage.
Gu Zuo's sight fell upon the elevated stage.
The current him also had a bit of visual acuity so he could make out that the two people fighting had the strength of the Bone Forging third stage. As for his own cultivation progress, his true qi realm was merely one stage below theirs. He achieved Bone Forging second stage, but Gu Zuo knew that if he really fought with these men, they'd definitely kill him in less than a minute. He didn't have the power to resist them whatsoever.
And at this time, the man who was on the left side of the stage also didn't have the power to resist.
After watching those two exchange blows for a bit, the one on the right suddenly took an evasive step. With an incomparably sharp wind in his hand, he made a horizontal slash. It struck the other man's face, and immediately, there was the sound of the man's skull cracking. The man on the right abruptly leaped forward. He flipped his long leg and shot a kick that unleashed a frightening gale. This move directly shattered the left man's skull. So much red and white brain matter flowed out of the man's face.
That beautiful female martial artist's expression was icily arrogant. She immediately declared: “Luo Qiuhua wins!”
After she spoke, she bent her waist and used her fair hand to hoist the corpse on the ground by its ankle. She casually threw it into a corner. This strength truly wasn't small.
There was a person in the corner who specialized in dealing with corpses, and he dragged it away like taking out the garbage. A long trail of blood was left behind.
Martial artists surrounded the elevated, black stone stage. Many of them exposed bloodthirsty smiles.
On another wall, there were two words that were etched in gold: “He Hong.” At once, they were harshly erased by a large brush.
Everyone was used to it.
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Gu Zuo was speechless.
He wasn't so scared of corpses like before, but this world's att.i.tude towards human life still left him with lingering fears. He couldn't help thinking that if it weren't for luck and successfully joining up with his patron, his life would probably be like an ant's. A person's soft pinch could turn him into meat paste… Sure enough, he had to persevere in hugging his patron's thigh.
Once Gongyi Tianheng watched this round, he gained some understanding of the situation here. Then, he turned around and walked across to a tavern and went past the entrance's awning [1].
There were many people on the side drinking alcohol and watching the Arena of Life and Death in amus.e.m.e.nt. There was the stench of blood on each person's body. The smell was heavy and completely intimidating.
At the back of the sales counter stood a skinny and shriveled shopkeeper, who used a brush to scribble in a filthy book. He seemed ordinary, but his eyes would occasionally shine with vitality. It could let a person see that he wasn't so simple.
Owl Nine gave them the run down: “Purchasing human lives for gambling tiles are done here.”
To speak bluntly, the stronghold had so many people. It was the wizened shopkeeper who was responsible for everything.
Tianheng took large strides up to the front of the sales counter and directly slapped twenty two gold onto it: “Shopkeeper, give me a tile. I want to go have some fun on the stage!”
The wizened shopkeeper's voice was exasperatingly slow: “Once in the arena, life and death are left up to the heavens. Young master has a rich and n.o.ble life. Don't waste it all for nothing.”
Gongyi Tianheng chuckled: “Thanks for the warning.”
The wizened shopkeeper slowly continued. This time, he just took out a black tile and directly gave it over: “As it happens, there is only one seat remaining ahead, if the young master can wait a little.”
Tianheng s.n.a.t.c.hed the tile up, and proudly said: “That's good enough!”
Owl Nine and the shopkeeper glanced at each other. They already had a mutual understanding. Therefore, Owl Nine gave a flattering smile towards Gongyi Tianheng: “Since the young master is interested, wouldn't it be better to bet? This can be very enjoyable…”
Gongyi Tianheng pretended that he couldn't hold back his interest, listening to what Owl Nine had to say.
Gu Zuo, who watched on from the side, was dumbstruck. For the sake of preventing his expression from ruining everything, he lowered his head.
That spectacle a moment ago, why did it seem rather like an act set up on TV? Gu Zuo's face was practically overshadowed with helplessness.
It's good that his patron wanted to conceal his ident.i.ty, but his acting was too lifelike… If his patron was like that when they first met, Gu Zuo definitely wasn't ready to deal with it. Tianheng was like a burgeoning villain, and following him would turn Gu Zuo into cannon fodder.
Gu Zuo quickly stopped paying attention to his patron's acting skills. Rather, he focused on what Owl Nine had to say.
To put it simply, one could initiate a game of chance with certain odds. Each and every person who came here could gamble if they wanted to. Merely, they could only use gold to bet. The lowest ante was one to two gold.
Gu Zuo had a bit of a mood.
His patron, he could certainly bet on himself, right?
One could conduct life or death battles here, and there were only martial artists below the Xiantian realm. His patron was at Meridian Condensing third stage. His fighting strength was high and he had many skills. He was definitely not worried about setbacks.
Thinking up to here, Gu Zuo was a little gloomy.
Ah, if he was wealthy, he could've definitely placed a bet… But currently, he was being provided for by his patron. He was penniless, with only a huge pile of medicinal herbs.
He thought it over again. Actually, winning a bet had no meaning. His patron would package up anything he wanted. Money in his hand was just money. He only felt bad about this kind of situation. Wanting to play, but not being able to play and such… Forget it. Watching his patron play around was the same. He still kept a low profile.
Gongyi Tianheng didn't fail to live up to Gu Zuo's expectations. After listening to Owl Nine's gossiping for a bit, he still maintained his persona of an arrogant nouveau riche. Facing Gu Zuo, Tianheng beckoned him by hooking his finger.
Gu Zuo's eyes shined. Right, his patron's money was all with him!
He promptly scampered over, each footstep practically creating eddies of wind.
Tianheng scoffed: “Give me twenty thousand in golden banknotes.”
Gu Zuo heard this and reached his hand into the lining of his robe, fishing out two ten-thousand denomination banknotes. With a fawning smile, he handed them over: “Young master, here they are.”
His acting skills weren't as excellent as his patron's, but he could still be particularly attentive to his patron.
Tianheng's eyes flashed with a hint of laughter. He plucked the banknotes between two fingers and threw them down onto the counter in a forthright manner: “Then, I'll just go have some fun now. I'll wager a bit of money on this young master.”
When the shopkeeper and Owl Nine saw the twenty thousand in banknotes, an unusual color streaked across their eyes.
At this time, sufficient information on Gongyi Tianheng's ident.i.ty was leaked.
Casually fishing out twenty thousand in golden banknotes to “play” proved that his Family's position was at least second-tier or higher. His arrogant posturing proved that his position in the Family was not low. Since his position wasn't low, it was proof in itself that his innate skill was pretty good or that he had a powerful supporter. As for his fighting strength, it could only be seen after a match on the Arena of Life and Death.
The shopkeeper's eye was twitching.
An unremarkable person in a side corner received the hint. His figure quickly flashed out, preparing to give Gongyi Tianheng an appropriate opponent.
After just a few words, the two martial artists on the black stone stage were already finished.
This time, the battling martial artists were a man and a woman, but the man didn't have any tender or protective feelings for the fairer s.e.x in his heart. The woman also was exceptionally vicious. Two people gambled on their lives and all their moves were aimed at the other person's vital points. Finally, both sides were heavily injured and neither was able to climb back up from the ground. Soon after, in a contest of willpower, it was the female martial artist who grit her teeth and got up. She used a dagger to end the male martial artist's life! She showed no mercy!
Gu Zuo: “…”
When he was in the Qi household, he met that energetic servant girl. When he was in the Gongyi mansion, little sister Mingxia's martial strength was out of the ordinary. Previously in the Stampeding Oxen Mountain Range, there was the older sister who relentlessly tried to kill that raptor, as well as that arrogant and cruel young miss. And finally here, one who grabbed corpses like they were vegetables, and another who killed people like slaughtering chickens…
Did this world actually have any soft girls?
The female martial artist was victorious. The referee, who also was a beautiful female martial artist, extended her hand to grasp the victor and threw her off the stage, directly into the arms of a man with a knife scar. Soon after, she grabbed the corpse of that male martial artist and dumped it into the corner for the a.s.signed personnel to handle.
Immediately after that, it was Gongyi Tianheng's turn to fight.
His opponent wasn't wearing a mask, and his appearance was a little ugly. Altogether, his face was pa.s.sable, but it didn't have the same appeal as Gongyi Tianheng's half-covered face. [2]
However, this wasn't a problem. Because the people here found that Gongyi Tianheng wore a mask and was a new arrival, the gazes directed at Tianheng carried some contempt.
Then, the first round of bets were in full swing:
“Ugly Bull! I'll wager two hundred gold!”
“Fifty gold on Ugly Bull!”
“A hundred thirty, Ugly Bull!”
“I'll bet on Ugly Bull!”
Regardless of whether they saw Gongyi Tianheng's behavior before, practically no one bet on Tianheng. Although the odds on the man called Ugly Bull was one to two and Tianheng reached one to eight, no one chose him. Because in their minds, the seasoned Ugly Bull who'd yet to die was much too powerful compared to the young master who was pampered and spoiled at home.
For this reason, Gu Zuo could only light a candle for them.
Conveniently, he also gave the accountant [3] here a good point… His dear patron absolutely was a dark horse [4].
Reality was also like this.
When Gongyi Tianheng jumped onto the stage, they all snorted disdainfully at his mediocre footwork. But when Tianheng started to fight, they no longer believed that they'd win.
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[1] 篷子 - Peng zi, awning. However, I think the author is referring to the j.a.panese noren (暖簾).
[2] It seems Gu Zuo's standards have gotten impossibly high. Haha.
[3] 庄稼 - Zhuang jia, the person in charge of handling the wagers. Also known as the book maker or bookie.
[4] Actual term is 冷门, figuratively, a complete unknown who wins a compet.i.tion.
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T/N: Gu Zuo, just look in a mirror if you're looking for a softie. Thanks to user Charysa for the suggestions.
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