55: Chapter 55 Let's find a place to fight!

The Rong City Huiyue Arena was built behind a commercial district just south of the city center.

The exterior walls were made of dark gray metal, and a massive electronic screen hung in the center of the building.

It scrolled through the day's match information, odds, winning streaks, and promotional clips featuring people covered in blood who were still roaring.

Walking into the Arena, one could hear the chime of metal broadcasts, the jeers and heckling from the spectator stands, the dull thuds of fists and kicks hitting flesh on the field, occasionally mixed with the crisp sound of bones dislocating.

The air was thick with the smell of sweat, medicine, and disinfectant, along with an irrepressible, faint scent of blood that made one's nasal cavity go slightly numb.

The front lobby was very bright, with stark white lighting and polished floor tiles that reflected the light, but looking further in, the circular Arenas at the end of the corridor exuded an indescribable wildness.

Names and prize amounts constantly flickered on the electronic screens, and people crowded along the guardrails.

Even in a regular Arena in this high-martial world, whenever violence and money were involved, it was impossible for people not to go crazy.

"Bang!" A dull thud exploded in the distance.

A burly man was knocked directly to the ground, blood from his mouth spraying onto the guardrail, and a huge cheer immediately erupted from the side.

"Get up!"

"Trash! I bet thirty thousand on you!"

Lu Cheng felt a little uncomfortable looking at this place, yet also felt an indescribable excitement... He suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and walked toward the registration desk.

Sitting behind the counter was a woman in her thirties with short hair, light makeup, wearing the Arena's uniform black outfit, and a name tag hanging on her chest.

She had been looking down recording information, but when she heard footsteps, she looked up, and when her gaze fell on Lu Cheng's face, her expression clearly paused.

He was too young. Although he had taken off his school uniform jacket, that student vibe was still irrepressible.

The woman looked him up and down, her tone relatively calm: "First time here?"

"Yeah." Lu Cheng nodded. "I want to fight in a competitive match."

"Identification, martial artist information, basic physical examination."

Lu Cheng handed over his phone and documents.

The woman took them and scanned them, her movements pausing slightly before she looked up at him again: "From No. 3 High School?"

"Yes."

"A student, huh..."

She drew out the sound, her expression showing a mix of nonchalance and professional warning,

"There have indeed been more students fighting in challenge matches over the past two months, especially seniors. Some want to make quick money, others want to practice real combat.

But let me warn you first: this place is different from sparring at school. Once you sign the agreement and get on the stage, you are responsible for your own injuries."

Lu Cheng nodded: "Understood."

The woman turned the tablet around and tapped a few times:

"Read the rules first. First, you must purchase insurance to prevent being left without coverage in case of serious injury.

Second, challenge matches are settled by match; every win comes with a cash reward of 800!

Third, winning streaks have bonus prizes; three-win, five-win, and ten-win streaks will increase the prize money by 50%.

Fourth, active surrender, referee termination, or loss of combat capability all count as the end of the match.

Fifth, intentional killing is prohibited; malicious pursuit will result in being blacklisted and facing legal punishment."

She said this, looking up at Lu Cheng.

"Don't push yourself. Many people come for the first time thinking they're good fighters at school, only to end up in the hospital two minutes after getting on stage."

The woman tapped the screen: "You can only enter the Basic Zone for now. Based on your registration information, you are defaulted to matching with Body Refining Realm opponents.

After you win, the system will continue to arrange matches, or someone might actively challenge you.

Every match you fight, the prize money is settled on the spot."

Lu Cheng finished signing the agreement and paid the insurance fee, spending five thousand yuan before he had even started fighting.

"This insurance is quite expensive."

The woman handed him the participant wristband: "Life is more expensive. Go in, A3 corridor, Basic Challenge Zone."

Lu Cheng took the wristband, fastened it to his wrist, and walked inside.

The further in he went, the louder the noise became.

On both sides of the corridor were semi-open rest areas, where many martial artists preparing to take the stage sat on benches.

Some were wrapped in bandages, some were looking down eating high-calorie energy bars, and some were closing their eyes, adjusting their breathing, with their Source Power slightly undulating.

There were also a few middle-aged men with fierce-looking faces, broad shoulders and thick backs, their arms covered in old scars, and even their eyes carried the ruthlessness of having spent many years on the streets.

Lu Cheng scanned the area, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Even though this was clearly just the Basic Zone, even the weakest one among them was likely at the peak of the Body Refining Realm.

He followed a staff member to a small ring; the ring was surrounded by metal guardrails, the ground was covered with high-strength cushioning mats, and dark bloodstains that hadn't been wiped clean remained in the corners.

Many people had already gathered around, including spectators and contestants waiting to take the stage.

Someone saw Lu Cheng coming over, paused for a moment, and then laughed.

"A student?"

"Kids these days have real guts."

"He's so tender, hope he doesn't cry when he leaves."

"Looks pretty green, probably won't last a minute."

Those gazes fell on him one by one—some curious, some disdainful, and some simply excited to watch the spectacle.

Lu Cheng loosened his shoulders, his expression still relatively calm.

The referee checked the information and directly raised his hand to signal: "First match, Lu Cheng versus Chen Hu."

A burly man with a crew cut stood up opposite him.

The man wasn't particularly tall, but he was thick-set, his neck was incredibly thick, and his knuckles were covered in calluses. When he walked onto the stage, he lifted his chin slightly, his eyes filled with scrutiny and disdain. He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Kid, remember to call it quits early if it hurts later."

Lu Cheng glanced at him, having no time for trash talk.

The smile on Chen Hu's face faded slightly.

The referee stepped back and brought his hand down.

"Begin!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chen Hu rushed up. His movements were much more agile than his physique suggested. He started with a low kick, the angle very insidious, aiming straight for the hollow of Lu Cheng's supporting knee.

The kick missed, but his upper body had already pressed in, his left hand feinted, and his right fist smashed directly at Lu Cheng's Adam's apple.

Very dirty.

And very practiced.

Someone in the audience immediately whistled.

"That old dog Chen Hu is at it again!"

Lu Cheng's eyes darkened, he shifted his feet, lightly dodging the low kick, and thrust his shoulder forward, crashing directly into Chen Hu's chest.

Bang!

A dull thud.

Chen Hu's whole body swayed, his chest felt stuffy, and his face changed on the spot.

Before he could retreat, Lu Cheng's fist followed. Crushing Fist!

Lu Cheng didn't dare to use the Collapsing Fist - Three Styles: Origin version; this guy was 'tender-skinned', and one punch might actually kill him.

The moment the fist hit his abdomen, Chen Hu's eyes bulged, his stomach churned, his body curled up like a shrimp, and he was blasted back several steps, falling heavily to the edge of the ring.

The whole Arena was silent for a moment.

The next second, it erupted with a roar.

"Holy shit!"

"So fast?"

"Chen Hu was taken down in one punch?"

Chen Hu clutched his stomach, the veins on his forehead bulging. He struggled to crawl up, but just as he propped himself up halfway, his legs went soft and he knelt back down.

The referee immediately stepped forward:

"Loss of ability to continue fighting, Lu Cheng wins!"

The gazes from below had changed... No one expected that Chen Hu, who had been hanging around the Basic Zone for years, would be KO'd by a student in one punch...

To have such means at this age... He probably wasn't simple...

"Next match, get ready."

Lu Cheng didn't even really rest before his second opponent came up.

This time it was a tall, thin man with long arms and legs and shifty eyes. As soon as he got on stage, he circled Lu Cheng, his footwork slippery, obviously wanting to drag out the rhythm and find an opportunity.

He specifically aimed for the eyes, temples, crotch, and knee joints, even deliberately spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva halfway through, trying to distract Lu Cheng.

The surrounding spectators watched excitedly, their cheers rising in waves.

"Old Ghost, gouge his eyes!"

"Kick his legs! Kick his legs!"

"The kid's about to lose it!"

But no matter how they shouted, the rhythm on the stage didn't go the way they expected at all.

Lu Cheng took two hits, then swept an elbow strike against his ribs, like hitting an iron plate; the tall, thin man ended up wincing in pain himself.

The next second, Lu Cheng raised his hand, grabbed his wrist, pulled him forward, and drove a knee strike into him.

Bang!

The man's nose bridge collapsed halfway on the spot, blood gushing out. Before he could stand steady, Lu Cheng pressed his head down with one palm and smashed it into the ring.

Thud!

The whole platform shook.

The referee rushed up to pull them apart.

"Stop! Stop! Lu Cheng wins!"

Some in the audience gasped, some cursed, and some had bright eyes.

"This kid is pretty fierce."

"Is there someone like this among the Body Refining Realm students?"

"Damn, is he playing the pig to eat the tiger?"

Third match, fourth match...

Lu Cheng fought all the way through without a single loss!

These street martial artists were indeed experienced and cunning, their dirty tricks endless, and their martial arts proficiency high; many of them were no worse than those who had just entered the Source Gathering Realm.

Most of them, in order to earn the rewards of the Basic Zone, suppressed their levels to the Body Refining Realm, constantly tempering their martial arts or other combat methods.

But there was no help for it, they met Lu Cheng... Lone Hero and Hardening Pulse... These Body Refining Realm martial artists in the Basic Zone couldn't even break through Lu Cheng's defense.

After the fifth match ended, Lu Cheng stood by the edge of the ring, only a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

The opponent was carried off, but the discussions around him grew louder.

"What's this student's background?"

"So fierce in the Body Refining Realm?"

"He's got a five-win streak, right?"

"Damn, I bet on him just now, I made money!"

A staff member walked over with an electronic board, his smile much warmer: "Mr. Lu, five-win streak, plus the previous prize money, totaling 5800, has already been deposited into your account."

Lu Cheng looked down at the amount, his eyes brightening slightly.

It was quite a lot.

This money came... much faster than he thought.

Just then, a middle-aged man in a gray vest walked over. The man's hair was neatly combed, his face wore a smile, but his eyes were sharp; he was clearly the type of person who specialized in keeping an eye on the floor in the Arena.

"Student Lu?"

Lu Cheng looked at him: "Something up?"

The middle-aged man smiled: "You fight well. You've already won several matches in the Basic Zone; continuing to fight here doesn't mean much.

Are you interested in trying the Source Gathering Realm ring?"

The few people around changed expressions upon hearing this.

"Straight to the Na Yuan Zone?"

"This kid is only in the Body Refining Realm... Looks like he's still in the Blood and Flesh Realm, right?"

"Fighting across levels? Is he crazy?"

The middle-aged man seemed to know how to manipulate people's hearts, continuing:

"Don't worry, I'm not asking you to take risks for nothing. Cross-level competition has extra bonuses. The money for winning one match will be four times your current five-win streak base of 1800 per match."

That's over seven thousand per match... Before the Wasteland Zone, all his money had gone to buying that puppet, and now he was truly penniless...

To be honest, the money didn't matter, but... the Basic Zone was just too boring, and it was a perfect chance for him to test what level he was at now!

Lu Cheng looked up at the middle-aged man: "No problem, let's do as you say."

The middle-aged man's eyes brightened, his smile deepening: "Sign a cross-level agreement, and as soon as you nod, I'll arrange it for you immediately."

Lu Cheng didn't hesitate too long and nodded directly.

"Fine, arrange it."

As soon as he said this, a low uproar broke out among the nearby spectators.

Lu Cheng didn't pay attention to these gazes. After signing the cross-level agreement, he loosened his wrists and followed the staff member to change rings.

The ring in the Source Gathering Realm area was larger, the guardrails were higher, and there were significantly more spectators around.

The restlessness in the air was heavier, the shouts coming in waves. Many people had heard about a Body Refining Realm student challenging across levels and had specifically squeezed over from the nearby rings.

"Is that him?"

"So young?"

"Hope he doesn't get taken out in one punch, that would be boring."

The broadcast soon sounded.

"Cross-level challenge match, Lu Cheng versus Wu Lie!"

A man in a black tank top walked onto the ring, around thirty years old, with broad shoulders, bulging veins on his arms, and very deep eyes.

After he stood still, he slightly released the Source Power within him, and his aura immediately pulled ahead of those in the Basic Zone by a notch.

Someone around whistled.

"Wu Lie is pretty ruthless."

"This student is going to suffer."

Lu Cheng stood opposite him, his expression unchanged.

The referee waved his hand.

Immediately after, Wu Lie stomped his foot, his speed much faster than those in the Basic Zone, his fist wrapped in a layer of faint Source Power, aiming straight for Lu Cheng's chest!

Wu Lie wouldn't be stupid enough to underestimate someone who dared to fight across levels!

The gust of wind hit his face, carrying a very tangible sense of oppression.

Lu Cheng's eyes narrowed, and he met it head-on.

Bang!

The two fists collided. A dull thud exploded, and Wu Lie's brows jumped violently.

He felt that the place he had hit was outrageously hard; after his Source Power rushed in, it was like hitting an extremely tough object, shaking his hand bones until they felt slightly numb.

Lu Cheng had already taken the opportunity to close in, shoulder, elbow, and fist all in one go!

Wu Lie reacted quickly, his Source Power erupting, blocking twice, but he couldn't block the third hit. He was smashed near the collarbone by Lu Cheng's fist, retreated three steps, and his face finally changed.

The audience below immediately went wild.

"Holy shit! He can really fight!"

"Body Refining crushing Na Yuan?"

"What kind of monster is this?!"

Wu Lie relied on his Source Power to force a few outbursts, but when they landed on Lu Cheng, the effect was outrageously poor.

It just so happened that Lu Cheng's close-quarters outburst was extremely fierce; once he got close, his fists were like iron hammers, each one heavier than the last.

After a few rounds, Lu Cheng seized an opening and slammed a Crushing Fist hard into Wu Lie's abdomen.

The Source Power on Wu Lie's body dissipated by more than half on the spot, he bent over, and a mouthful of sour water surged out of his mouth.

The referee quickly intervened.

"Lu Cheng wins!"

The whole Arena was in an uproar.

The second Source Gathering Realm match soon followed. This time the opponent relied on footwork and Source Power to drag things out, wanting to slowly wear Lu Cheng down with the Source Power in his body.

But this was the type of fighting style Lu Cheng feared the least. Finally, he seized the moment the opponent was changing breaths and knocked him straight to the ground.

When the referee announced the result, the sound from the surrounding spectator stands was almost lifting the roof.

"Seven-win streak! This kid... where did this monster pop out from?"

"One more! One more!"

The lights swept across the ring, and more and more people gathered by the guardrails; many were no longer just watching for fun.

A young student fighting Source Gathering Realm across levels... Many companies in Rong City were planning to make contact with Lu Cheng...

Lu Cheng stood on the stage, gently shaking his hands; he was even a little disappointed.

The Source Gathering Realm was indeed a tier stronger, but the previous two were still lacking.

Just as the staff by the ring were preparing to arrange the next match, a small area behind the crowd suddenly went quiet.

Lu Cheng looked over in the direction of the commotion.

A man walked slowly from the corridor. He was wearing a very clean white martial arts uniform, had a slender figure, and an elegant temperament, standing out from the fierce-looking street martial artists around him.

Most noticeably, he carried a long sword in its scabbard in his right hand; the scabbard was pitch black, its edges polished until they shone, clearly from frequent use.

The man walked slowly, his expression gentle, his eyes even carrying a touch of refinement. When he stood by the ring, he even politely nodded to the referee.

But the reactions of the people around him clearly changed.

Someone frowned and muttered.

"Why is Lin Tianjian here?"

Lu Cheng looked at the man and was slightly stunned; this guy's name sounded a bit familiar.

He remembered: Xia Xi's little simp, this guy is Lin Tianjian, right?