23: Ace of the Duel Field
"One slash, two slashes, three slashes!"
Inside the training room, Li Canglan was sweating profusely.
His proficiency with Thunderbolt Slash was also rapidly increasing.
Duel Arena manager's office.
Looking at the bills from the previous few matches, the manager had a splitting headache.
After witnessing Ghost Reaper's strength, except for a small minority who wanted to bet on an upset, the vast majority of gamblers chose to bet on Ghost Reaper!
Only in such extreme situations would the Duel Arena fail to make ends meet!
When adjusting the odds, they would deduct the Duel Arena's commission in advance.
However, in a one-sided situation, the odds could not infinitely approach one.
If that were really the case, the Duel Arena wouldn't need to stay open.
No one would bet at all!
Even if they lost money, they had to set the odds to a level that gamblers could accept.
After all, this was a Duel Arena jointly run by major martial arts halls, not some illegal gambling den operating outside the law.
To make money, one had to consider various factors.
Plus, they still had to give Ghost Reaper a 2% commission!
Ghost Reaper's matches were completely a losing business!
"Damn it, why hasn't that guy Lone Wolf arrived yet?"
Those gamblers had already tasted the sweetness of Ghost Reaper's victories.
If Ghost Reaper didn't enter the arena soon, the Duel Arena would probably be torn apart by these gamblers!
After waiting for who knows how long, the manager finally waited for that familiar figure.
"Lone Wolf, take a look at the combat video of that guy Ghost Reaper first."
Following the principle of "know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
The manager handed the phone playing the video to Lone Wolf.
Lone Wolf didn't take the phone. "This is the last Body Tempering Realm match I'll be fighting for the Duel Arena."
"Don't forget what you promised me. After this battle ends, I need the resources to make a Breakthrough to the Martial Artist Realm!"
His eyes were filled with visions of his future as a Martial Artist.
The Duel Arena and fighters like them had a mutually beneficial relationship.
They fought for the Duel Arena, defeating those contestants who wanted to earn rewards.
The Duel Arena provided them with the resources needed to Cultivate.
Of course, even after they broke through to become Martial Artists, they would still need to work for the Duel Arena.
"The Duel Arena will naturally not go back on what it has promised."
The manager said in a deep voice, "However, I advise you to take a good look at Ghost Reaper's fighting style."
"That guy, his fighting style looks very... mediocre."
"But it's hard to find his weaknesses!"
The manager really couldn't find a suitable word to describe Ghost Reaper.
Although 'mediocre' was a highly praised term historically, nowadays it is generally used in a derogatory sense.
What the manager wanted to express was that in Ghost Reaper's battles, it was almost impossible to find flaws in other Body Tempering Realm fighters of the same level!
For a Martial Artist, Ghost Reaper still lacked many things.
But the Body Tempering Realm had not yet entered the door of the martial path.
Even if they could see many weaknesses, those Martial Apprentices couldn't execute them.
"No need."
Lone Wolf walked straight out.
"Just a Body Tempering Realm Late Stage, nothing to worry about."
His current Body Tempering progress was already close to covering his whole body.
He could completely be called a quasi-Martial Artist in combat power!
Apart from a true Martial Artist, he didn't believe there was any Body Tempering Realm Martial Apprentice in this Duel Arena who could be his opponent.
After Lone Wolf left, the Duel Arena manager's eyes spewed fire, and he slammed his palm heavily on the table.
"Just a small Body Tempering Realm Peak, even if he breaks through, he's only a One-Star Warrior! How dare he speak to me like that!"
As the manager of the Duel Arena, his strength was not weak at all.
A few days ago, he had even reached the Three-Star Martial Artist level!
Even in the entire Luofeng City, he could be considered a strong expert.
If it weren't for the fact that the Duel Arena still needed this Lone Wolf, he would have definitely punished the other party for the crime of disrespecting a strong expert!
"If you win this battle, that's fine, but if you lose..."
A flash of murderous crimson flickered in the manager's eyes.
...
Training room.
"Mr. Ghost Reaper, it will be your tenth match soon."
The staff member knocked on the door and shouted.
"Wait a moment."
Li Canglan was still continuously slashing, sweating profusely.
He felt that he was just a hair's breadth away from breaking through to a Minor Achievement level of proficiency!
The staff member could only wait outside the room.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before Li Canglan walked out.
"Let's go."
Inside the octagon cage.
Lone Wolf stood with his arms crossed, eyes closed, resting.
Lone Wolf's appearance attracted the attention of all the spectators who were watching other Martial Apprentice Realm octagon cages.
"My God, Lone Wolf, who hasn't been in the arena for a long time, has actually come!"
"This Duel Arena is determined to make Ghost Reaper lose!"
"If he wins one more match, that's a 3% commission. It would be strange if the Duel Arena could accept that."
There were also some spectators who hadn't seen Lone Wolf fight, asking questions.
"Who is this Lone Wolf? Is he that strong?"
"You don't even know Lone Wolf?"
A patient spectator explained, "Lone Wolf can be said to be the strongest among the Duel Arena's Body Tempering Realm contestants, perhaps even the absolute strongest."
"Every time another contestant completes a winning streak, he comes out to defeat those contestants!"
"Doesn't he participate in matches usually?"
"He does, but it's basically always a crushing victory. Wouldn't that just be the Duel Arena giving away money?"
"Sigh, in that case, Ghost Reaper's winning streak is probably going to end."
In the spectator stands.
There was also a group of Qi Blood Realm students with colorful dyed hair, surrounding a luxuriously dressed young man.
"Brother Xu, is this the legendary underground fighting ring?"
"Sure enough, only by following Brother Xu can we see the world!"
After a round of flattery, Xu Yifan started to feel puffed up.
His attention quickly fixed on Lone Wolf.
"See that person? It's said that his strength is infinitely close to a Martial Artist!"
"The gap between a Martial Artist and you is too huge. Even if you watch their battles, it won't be of much use."
"Watch Lone Wolf's battle carefully later; it will be of great benefit to your future."
Xu Yifan's words were filled with a condescending attitude.
In his eyes, he was a man destined to become a Martial Artist.
Although Lone Wolf could be called invincible in the Body Tempering Realm, that was as far as it went.
Meanwhile, Lone Wolf in the octagon cage opened his eyes, filled with ferocity.
"Is that guy called Ghost Reaper coming or not?"
The referee glanced sideways at the staff member next to him.
The staff member hurriedly said, "We have already sent someone to urge him."
On his way to the octagon cage, Li Canglan also opened his phone to place a bet on himself.
When he saw the odds, he was startled.
"Good grief, do these people look down on me that much?"
The odds had actually reached 1:3.2!
In the previous few matches, his odds were not even 1.05.
This sudden change made Li Canglan's expression turn serious.
"Just right, I'll use you as my whetstone!"
Seeing the late-arriving Li Canglan, Lone Wolf's anger had reached its Peak.
"You are the first person who has dared to make me wait for you on the ring for so long."
Lone Wolf flexed his wrists.
"In return, I will shatter every inch of bone in your body!"