After registering, the two were quickly assigned their slots, both in Sub-Arena No. 3. However, Lin Yang's opponent was a Grand Soul Master, while Xiao Wu's opponents were all Soul Masters. As they headed toward Sub-Arena No. 3, before they even reached the entrance, a staff member stopped them.
"Sorry, you two. This is the Life-or-Death Zone. The Competition Zone is on the other side."
The names of the two distinctly different zones made their meanings obvious. In the Competition Zone, fights stopped once a victor was clear. Killing was strictly forbidden. In the Life-or-Death Zone, however, anything went. As long as the opponent did not verbally surrender or jump off the platform, even if unconscious, the other party had the right to kill them on the spot. Undoubtedly, the Life-or-Death Zone was the bloodiest, most insane, and highest-mortality area in the Great Soul Fighting Arena.
Hearing the staff member's kind reminder, Lin Yang's expression remained unchanged. He simply said in a deep voice, "We registered for the Life-or-Death Zone." A strange look flashed quickly in the staff member's eyes before he regained his composure. "Please sign the Life-or-Death Battle Contract." It was a simple contract stating that the contestants voluntarily entered the arena and would not hold the arena responsible for any consequences. Lin Yang and Xiao Wu signed without hesitation and entered Sub-Arena No. 3.
The moment they stepped inside, deafening noise crashed over them, instantly overwhelming their ears. After adapting for a few seconds, Lin Yang turned to look at the spectator stands. At a glance, the seats were almost completely full. Everyone's eyes were bloodshot as they roared at the top of their lungs, as if attending a grand, joyous feast.
On the platform, two one-ring Soul Masters were engaged in a life-or-death struggle. Both were covered in blood, yet their eyes held only extreme killing intent and hatred. When their soul power ran out, they used their hands to claw, their feet to kick, and their teeth to bite. No matter the method—open and honest or sneaky and underhanded—as long as they could walk off the platform alive, they were the winner. This… was the Life-or-Death Arena!
Seeing this scene, Xiao Wu's face paled. She subconsciously grabbed Lin Yang's arm. Lin Yang remained expressionless. He had seen scenes far more disgusting and bloody than this countless times. He had long since grown numb to them. He glanced calmly at Xiao Wu and said in her ear, voice steady and clear, "Look closely. The people on and off the stage right now are not humans. They are Demons—bloodthirsty, man-eating demons wearing human skin. Hypocrisy, cunning, treachery, and shamelessness are the true colors of this place, and the most authentic side of human nature. Before you step onto the stage, I have only one piece of advice: do not use your sympathy or kindness to pity them. Those things… are worthless here."
After speaking, Lin Yang turned and headed toward the contestants' resting area. Xiao Wu stared at the frenzied fighters on the platform. Her eyes shifted several times before finally flashing with determination. She lifted her feet and quickly followed Lin Yang.
All soul fighting contestants shared the same resting area. When the other contestants saw two teenagers who looked only about ten years old walking in openly, their expressions varied. Some were surprised, some suspicious, but most were indifferent or simply ignored them. Most of them were meditating, trying to stay in peak condition for the upcoming life-or-death battles. Here, everyone was a potential opponent. Unless someone had a bleeding heart, no one would think these two children had entered the wrong place. If they had, then they could only congratulate them on their incredible luck!
Soon, a staff member came to inform Lin Yang that it was his turn. Lin Yang stood up with a calm expression and walked to the waiting area. Staff were currently cleaning up the remaining blood and flesh on the platform. The host was hyping the crowd, keeping the atmosphere heated. "Next up is the seventh one-on-one life-or-death soul fight in our Sub-Arena No. 3." The host's voice was loud and amplified by a yellow soul ring beneath his feet.
"This time, we have two Grand Soul Masters. One is our old acquaintance, the 'Head Hunter Maniac' Gan Kang, a Grand Soul Master. His martial soul is the Hyena. He has already achieved seven consecutive victories." As the words fell, a thin, hunched middle-aged man appeared on the platform. His eyes were sinister and vicious, exactly like a real hyena. The moment he appeared, the entire arena erupted in wild cheers. Clearly, he had a strong fanbase.
"Tch, small fry!" Xiao Wu curled her lips in extreme disdain from the spectator stands. "The other is our newcomer, the Blade Demon Grand Soul Master. His martial soul is Blade." When Lin Yang stepped out, the spectator stands immediately filled with boos. Compared to the fierce and ruthless Gan Kang, this "Blade Demon" had a cool-sounding name, but he didn't look intimidating at all. Was he just all talk?
"Haha, this little chick probably won't even last one round before the hyena eats him." "Little brat, go home and drink milk!" someone jeered. Lin Yang ignored the foul language and silently stepped onto the platform.
"Looks like I'm really lucky today," Gan Kang licked his lips. His blood-red eyes gleamed with dark delight and cruelty. Lin Yang paid him no attention and simply closed his eyes, waiting for the fight to begin.
"Dear audience, will our Gan Kang Grand Soul Master continue his streak to eight consecutive victories, or will our newcomer Blade Demon deliver an amazing debut? Let's wait and see!" Once the atmosphere was sufficiently hyped, the host announced, "Soul fight—begin!"
The moment his voice fell, Gan Kang turned into a yellow afterimage and charged. A white and a yellow soul ring swirled around him. "Kid, this isn't a place for a young master like you. In your next life, be smarter." His hand covered in cold, claw-like light reached for Lin Yang's head.
As the distance closed, he seemed to already see the scene of brain matter exploding in his hand. At that moment, Lin Yang opened his eyes. His pitch-black pupils were filled with indifference, calm without the slightest ripple. Wrong!
Years of life-and-death battles had sharpened Lin Yang's instincts. Gan Kang's heart turned cold as he instantly sensed something was off. He immediately braked and retreated violently.
Want to leave? Too late! Lin Yang moved. He didn't even release his martial soul. He simply raised his hand, lightning-fast, and pressed down on Gan Kang's head, smashing it fiercely downward. Boom! The gray crystalline rock ground caved in, forming a crater. Gan Kang lay crumpled in the broken stones, blood flowing from all seven orifices. His body twitched a few times and then went still.
Time seemed to freeze. The spectators, who had been watching with amusement just a second ago, now had their expressions frozen. The noisy atmosphere was cut off as if by an invisible giant hand. The entire arena fell into dead silence. But only a few seconds later, an even louder uproar threatened to flip the roof off—shock, doubt, excitement, ecstasy. Everyone's eyes widened as they stared, trying to see clearly what kind of person was hidden behind that mask.
Lin Yang shook his hand lightly, then turned to the host and said softly, "Can you announce the result now?" The host snapped back to his senses and quickly announced loudly that Blade Demon had won.
After returning to the resting area, Lin Yang could clearly feel the wariness from the others. He exited through another door, went to the spectator area, found Xiao Wu, and sat down beside her. In a deep voice, he asked, "Are you ready?" Xiao Wu took a deep breath and nodded heavily. "I'm ready."