132: A shady shop in Hailong City? You guys look a lot like loose change!

Sea Dragon City was less of a city and more of a giant Magic Treasure floating on a dark green ocean.

The entire city was built from billions of "Sea Soul Stones," a type of Ore that was not only incredibly hard but also possessed natural water-repelling effects. Layer upon layer of levitation Formations were inscribed at the city's base, allowing it to take root firmly amidst the raging waves, supported by the ten-thousand-fold water pressure of the Endless Sea.

Gu Yang strode across the defensive light screen, which was powerful enough to make even a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator's Divine Soul tremble. Everywhere he looked, he saw a sense of "luxury" that made his eyelids twitch.

The streets here were extremely wide, and the ground was paved not with ordinary bluestone, but with squares of "Low Grade Spirit Jade."

In the Mortal Realm, such spirit jade was a treasure fought over by major Sects, but here, they were trampled by Seahorse Beasts pulling cargo, leaving them covered in white scratches.

"Fellow Daoist, the entry fee is three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Crystals. If you are carrying a demon pet, an additional thousand is required." An Inner Sect Disciple wearing the standard robes of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect stopped Gu Yang. His tone was stiff, and his eyes swept over Gu Yang's oppressive muscles and Er Gou, radiating a sense of superiority from the bottom of his heart.

"Four thousand Spirit Crystals? Is this city gate made of gold, or is that stone lion alive?" Gu Yang frowned.

He had only found a few hundred Medium-Grade Spirit Crystals in that commander's Storage Pouch earlier. Based on the official exchange rate of one to one hundred, it wasn't that he couldn't afford it, but the feeling of being slaughtered like a "fat sheep" made him very unhappy.

"These are the rules set by the Holy Land. Either pay up or get lost. The Endless Sea doesn't take in useless trash." The Ten Thousand Swords Sect Disciple sneered, and the Flying Sword in his hand emitted a slight hum, clearly a show of force.

*Slap!*

A purple token bearing the mark of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect was slapped onto the Disciple's chest.

Saintess Feng Ni stepped forward slowly, her eyes slightly cold. "I've paid his share. Furthermore, since when did the rules of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect become so 'flexible'? I recall that on Sea Dragon City's tax list, guests of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect are exempt."

When the Disciple saw the divine runes on the token clearly, his Face changed drastically, and cold sweat instantly poured down. He hurriedly bowed in greeting, his attitude doing a complete 180-degree turn. "So... so it is Saintess Feng Ni's arrival! This lowly one failed to recognize Mount Tai, a thousand apologies! This lord, please, this way!"

Gu Yang dropped his posture of wanting to crush the other's neck and swaggered through the city gate, lamenting as he walked, "Sister Feng Ni, it seems that in your Three Thousand Dao Provinces, Face really is more useful than fists."

"That depends on whose Face it is." Feng Ni shook her head helplessly. "But you must get used to it, Fellow Daoist. In these hubs controlled by the Holy Lands, Low-Grade Spirit Stones are just loose change, and Medium-Grade Spirit Crystals are for daily use. If you want to buy something useful, high-grade spirit crystals are the entry ticket.

As for true treasures..." She pointed toward the large palace at the city center that looked like a dragon's head overlooking the area. "Transactions there are all done in 'Source Stones.' The Law Fragments contained within each Source Stone are worth a million Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

...Half an hour later, Gu Yang and Feng Ni walked into a restaurant named "Sinking Sea Fragrance."

This was the place in Sea Dragon City with the most well-informed news. As soon as Gu Yang sat down and glanced at the menu on the wooden board, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch. A pot of the most ordinary "Heart-Clearing Dew" cost one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Crystals, and a plate of Tier 4 Yao Beast meat called "Deep Sea Cod Steak" was actually priced at one thousand two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Crystals.

"Sister Feng Ni, I suddenly feel that it would be more cost-effective for me to go rob those Sea Patrol Yakshas." Gu Yang gritted his teeth and ordered several plates of meat. Although he was currently at Divine Demon Golden Body Second Turn Perfection and his body density was extremely high, that bone-deep hunger—the need for energy points—had never dissipated.

"Fellow Daoist must be joking. If you kill a deacon, the Sea Emperor Palace might not pursue it too deeply for the sake of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect. But if you truly start a hunting mode in the Endless Sea, those few Body Integration Stage old demons in the sea will likely come out personally to 'fish' for you." Feng Ni poured two cups of tea and said softly, "The fastest way to make money is actually in the west of the city."

"Oh? Tell me more." Gu Yang's eyes lit up.

"Sea Dragon City's order is jointly maintained by the Sea Emperor Palace and the Grand Void Holy Land. To vent the hostility of passing Loose Cultivators and Body Cultivators, they established a 'Sea Soul Beast Fighting Arena' in the west. As long as you win ten matches in a row, you not only receive a massive reward of Spirit Crystals, but the final champion can even obtain a 'Top-Grade Source Stone'."

"Source Stone?" Gu Yang rubbed his chin. He heard the System's notification sound frantically clicking: "High-level energy source detected."

"The rules there are simple: life and death are not guaranteed. And..." Feng Ni glanced at the myriad poison star shattering hammer on Gu Yang's back, "the betting odds for Body Cultivators there are very high, because the vast majority of Spell Cultivators believe that Body Cultivators are just thick-skinned living targets."

"Thick-skinned living targets?"

Gu Yang grinned, a smile that looked exceptionally ferocious under the dim lights of the restaurant. He casually grabbed a Spirit Ginseng, chewed it up, and stood up. "I love businesses with bias. Come on, let's see what that Beast Fighting Arena looks like."

...West Sea Dragon City, Sea Soul Beast Fighting Arena.

The place looked like a giant white jade bowl inverted on the ground, reinforced by layers of Formations. At this moment, bursts of deafening cheers were erupting from within.

As soon as Gu Yang stepped into the registration office, he felt several Divine Senses sweep across him without restraint.

"Name, cultivation path, Realm." The person in charge of registration was an Early Spirit Transformation Stage Cultivator from the Grand Void Holy Land. He didn't even look up, boredly fiddling with the Jade Slip in his hand.

"Tie Niu, Loose Cultivator, Second Turn Body Cultivator." Gu Yang casually made up a name.

The Cultivator looked up, first glancing at Gu Yang's oppressive muscles, then sweeping over the sickly-looking Er Gou. A contemptuous arc formed at the corner of his mouth. "Another barbarian here to try his luck. Listen, if you get eaten by a Yao Beast in the arena, we don't collect bodies. It just so happens the next match is short one person to make up the numbers, you can go on directly. Your opponent is the 'Deep Sea Demonic Flood Dragon' raised by the Sea Emperor Palace. If you can last three minutes, you win."

"Three minutes?" Gu Yang sneered. "I'm afraid it won't last three seconds."

"Arrogant." The Cultivator snorted and tossed out a Black Iron Plate engraved with the word "Death." "Next match, the human 'Tie Niu' versus the 'Deep Sea Demonic Flood Dragon'! Odds are one to fifty! Place your bets!"

...Center of the Beast Fighting Arena.

As the gate thundered open, a foul-smelling water vapor mixed with violent Demonic Qi surged out.

A hundred-zhang-long demonic flood dragon, covered in pitch-black scales with a single horn on its head, charged frantically toward the center of the arena. Its giant vertical pupils were full of tyranny, and a flick of its long tail left a pitch-black crack in the air. This was a genuine Peak Soul Transformation great demon, and having devoured its own kind for years, its Killing Intent was so heavy that the Cultivators in the audience felt a chill.

Gu Yang didn't bring the myriad poison star shattering hammer into the arena. He cracked his neck, making a crisp sound.

Currently, the Divine Demon Qi and Blood within him were in a state of extreme compressed saturation. This feeling was like a tank filled with high-explosive fuel, desperately needing a spark to ignite it.

"Roar—!"

The demonic flood dragon roared, its massive body turning into a streak of black lightning. Its sharp claws tore through the edge of the protective Formation, aiming straight for Gu Yang's heart with a piercing whistle.

"Slow, too slow."

Gu Yang stood his ground without moving. In the instant the crowd cried out that "this barbarian is scared stiff," he slowly raised his right hand and suddenly spread his five fingers.

"Extreme Path — Force Vibration!"

BOOM!!

The moment Gu Yang's palm made contact with the demonic flood dragon's hard scales, there was no sound of bone-cracking as expected. Instead, an extremely subtle high-frequency vibration wave followed the base of his palm and instantly penetrated the demonic flood dragon's entire body.

That was the absolute control over "physical structure" after reaching Divine Demon Golden Body Second Turn Perfection.

In that instant, the demonic flood dragon's black scales, which were enough to withstand the impact of a high-grade Spiritual Artifact, actually disintegrated layer by layer like sand.

*Crack!*

A look of extreme terror flashed in the demonic flood dragon's giant eyes, and its body came to a bizarre halt mid-charge. Then, under the dumbfounded gaze of everyone, the entire hundred-zhang-long deep-sea great demon looked as if it had been viciously twisted by an invisible giant hand. Its entire skeleton shattered in an instant, and it collapsed limply at Gu Yang's feet.

One palm strike.

It didn't even take three seconds.

Gu Yang looked down at the flood dragon, which was already losing more breath than it was taking in, with a look of disdain. "The meat is too tough. It seems these so-called raised goods really aren't as exciting as the wild ones."

He leaned down and, under the terrified gaze of the demonic flood dragon's handler, performed what could be called "Extreme Path Looting." He reached out and pierced the flood dragon's abdomen, directly grabbing a still-beating black Yao Core and tossing it into his robes.

[Absorbed Peak Soul Transformation Yao Core energy, current progress +2%!]

"Any more?"

Gu Yang turned his head to look at the registration official, who was already as still as a wooden chicken. His dark gold skin shone brilliantly under the arena lights, and his messy hair flew in the wild wind, looking like a demon god stepping out of ancient times.

"I think the manager here looks quite like loose change as well. How about you and I have a go?"

The entire arena was silent.

Those gamblers who had originally bet on the demonic flood dragon to win were now gaping, unaware that the Spirit Crystals they held in their hands had fallen all over the floor.

In a private room on the second floor of the Beast Fighting Arena, a long-bearded old man in the golden robes of the Grand Void Holy Land (Early Void Refining Stage) crushed the teacup in his hand into fine powder with a *pop*. He stared fixedly at Gu Yang below, his eyes brimming with Killing Intent.

"Which family's barbarian is this? How dare he... publicly destroy my money tree on my territory?"