Chapter 473 71: Undead

The Life and Death Arena!

Hearing those four words, Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan couldn't help but frown at the same time.

The Imperial City Academy was home to Noble Disciples and members of the Royal Family and Relatives. However, there were also a few individuals like Li Longji. Exceptionally talented, they were cultivated by the powers behind them and sent to the academy to protect a family's young master and serve him.

But the majority of students were top prodigies recruited from various Advanced Level academies. These individuals had high Cultivation but lacked any background. Once they entered the academy, they had to be extremely cautious, terrified of offending someone important.

However, no matter how powerful these students were, their ingrained fear made them seem useless to the Empire even after being trained. Therefore, the Empire gave them a form of powerful backing—the Life and Death Arena!

Regardless of whether they were a Noble Disciple or a member of the Royal Family and Relatives, any conflict with these background-less students could be resolved in the Life and Death Arena. Stepping onto the platform meant accepting a battle to the death. Once the fight was over, all grievances were erased. Even if a Prince or Princess were killed, no complaints could be made. The Royal Family itself had to accept this reality!

And don't think for a moment that this was just for show. Within the Imperial City Academy, this was an iron rule that superseded the laws of the Dynasty. This was not only because a terrifying existence presided over the academy, but also because this rule was established by a certain ruthless figure from the past. No one dared to defy it.

It was precisely because of this iron rule that countless geniuses from Advanced Level academies vied to come here. As a result, the Imperial City Academy's status rose, and it was now the second most authoritative place in the Imperial City, behind only the Imperial Palace's forbidden grounds.

"You want to challenge me to the Life and Death Arena?"

Ye Tian frowned. 'I just entered the academy and don't know anything about the people from the Holy Land yet. If I rashly kill someone and cause a scene, I'm afraid they'll notice me first. That would put me in the open while they remain in the shadows.'

"Hmph! Are you scared? In the Life and Death Arena, there is only death. Do you dare to accept?"

Li Longji's eyes were filled with arrogance. He possessed the Cultivation of a Five Veins First Layer expert. Even across the entire Imperial City Academy, he was ranked near the top. After all, many of the Royal Family and Relatives and Noble Disciples only had the strength of the Four Veins Realm.

This was the fundamental reason he, the son of a mere Little Commander, was able to enroll in the Imperial City Academy. One could predict that as long as Li Longji developed smoothly, his future prospects would be limitless. Therefore, Li Longji was eternally grateful to the Ouyang Clan for this favor and would risk his life to defend their honor!

Ye Tian watched Li Longji calmly, his expression unchanging. 'Am I scared? Yes, I am. But I'm not scared of Li Longji. I'm scared I might slip up and kill him. Li Longji is indeed talented. It's just a shame he's serving the wrong master.'

"Once a match in the Life and Death Arena is set, there's no turning back. Are you sure?"

Ye Tian sighed. 'I really can't bear to crush Li Longji. After today, he'll suffer a devastating defeat. Not only will the Ouyang Clan abandon him, causing him to lose his bright future, but I know his mentality will also be severely affected.'

Zhang Xinlan watched coolly the entire time, not saying a word. She knew Ye Tian would find an opportunity to handle it well. 'If he can't even handle a small matter like this, he'll stand no chance against those monstrously talented geniuses in the Holy Land in the future.'

"Let's do this!"

Li Longji said no more and turned, walking toward the arena platform behind him.

While Li Longji and Ye Tian were speaking, the few people he had brought with him had already used Spirit Stones to quickly set up an Array. Ye Tian glanced at it and couldn't help but marvel. 'The Imperial City Academy truly lives up to its name as the Empire's top academy. If a few mere students can learn such profound Arrays, then the instructors who teach them must be even more extraordinary.'

"Sigh. I am a kind person by nature, but alas, the heavens won't allow it. Since you're so determined to die, you can't blame me for being ruthless!"

Ye Tian sighed again, earning a wave of eye-rolls from the crowd of onlookers.

'Is he for real? This is just too much. A good-for-nothing with a Three Veins Cultivation fighting a Five Veins expert? That's going to be a complete stomp. And he's acting like he can't bear to do it?'

Everyone sneered, watching as Ye Tian followed Li Longji onto the Life and Death Arena. They all waited to see this newly enrolled brat who didn't know his own limits get a beating.

"Make your move. I won't bully you. I'm only here to restore Young Master Ouyang's dignity. It would be embarrassing to kill someone as weak as you."

Li Longji was a prideful man himself. He spoke to Ye Tian with his eyelids half-raised in a look of disdain.

"What's this? Are you going to suppress your Cultivation to fight me?"

Ye Tian let out an exasperated laugh. 'Do I really look that weak?'

"There's no point in talking. You will not escape death today. However, before you die, I will give you a chance to show what you've got. I just don't want you to die so pathetically in front of your woman."

After Li Longji finished speaking, Ye Tian was actually a little moved. 'This guy does have his own principles and a moral compass. But unfortunately, it's just as I thought—he's serving the wrong master!'

Just as Ye Tian was about to make his move and quickly end this farce, the War Dragon Remnant Soul suddenly spoke: 'Spare his life. You can subdue him and make him your subordinate when the time is right. This kid is not so simple!'

Hearing the War Dragon Remnant Soul's words, Ye Tian's interest was piqued. He also felt that this kid was not simple. 'In terms of talent alone, he's actually quite formidable, at least on par with some of the disciples from the Holy Land. And even with the Ouyang Clan's support, how much could they really provide?'

Therefore... Ye Tian made a bold guess. 'He doesn't have a Dragon Pearl too, does he?'

But after thinking about it, Ye Tian felt it was unlikely. 'If Li Longji also had a Dragon Pearl, I should have been able to sense it.' Furthermore, the War Dragon Remnant Soul said nothing more, so he couldn't get an answer.

However, since the War Dragon Remnant Soul had said to spare his life, Ye Tian decided not to push things to the point of no return.

"Li Longji, is it? I'll remember you. But if you want to restore the Ouyang Family's dignity and avenge that profligate good-for-nothing Ouyang Hongxiang, I'm afraid you're not qualified!"

WHOOSH!

The moment his voice fell, Ye Tian attacked!

Ye Tian didn't use his Divine Dragon Battle Body or the Dragon Form Hundred Transformations. Relying purely on an eruption of Spiritual Power, he transformed into an afterimage and instantly appeared before Li Longji!

"Not good! You've been hiding your strength!"

Li Longji was no slouch either. He could tell with a single glance that the power Ye Tian had just unleashed was far beyond that of the Three Veins Realm. No longer daring to underestimate him, he roared, "Tiger Roar Celestial Spirit!"

A white tiger's head materialized above Li Longji, followed by a ground-shaking roar. Fortunately, the Death Arena's Array Barrier blocked the sound. Otherwise, the students in the outer ring who were only at the Four Veins Realm would have likely been knocked unconscious by the shockwave!

But Ye Tian was completely unaffected. Seeing Li Longji's fists hurtling toward his face, he easily dodged them with a slight shift of his feet.

Then, Ye Tian finally used a Combat Skill: Thunderbolt Fist!

It was a Low Level Combat Skill, but it was the one Ye Tian had mastered most thoroughly. Although its explosive power seemed insufficient, it was more than enough to deal with Li Longji.

BOOM!

A tremendous force hammered into Li Longji's chest. His Protective Qi Gang shattered instantly, and he stumbled back several steps, his face flushing red. He had clearly suffered internal injuries.

"You... you're not at the Three Veins Realm! What Realm are you actually in?!"

Hearing Li Longji's question, Ye Tian replied softly, "I'm not going to tell you what Realm I'm in. If you're capable enough, make me use my full power. We'll see if you have what it takes!"

"Hmph! Arrogant fool! I'll show you just what the Five Veins First Layer Realm means!"

Although Li Longji was at the Five Veins First Layer, in Ye Tian's eyes, he was far stronger than an ordinary Five Veins Third Layer expert. In other words, he was a genius capable of fighting above his Realm!

But in front of Ye Tian, this was nowhere near enough. A trace of golden light flickered on his right fist as he unleashed an attack ten times fiercer than the previous Thunderbolt Fist!

"It's over. Get out!"

Li Longji's head spun. His ultimate move, which had always been invincible, had no time to even be released in the face of Ye Tian's attack. A single punch sent him flying backward. As he landed outside the Death Arena, the only thing in his vision was that unfathomably deep, handsome figure, from whom he could sense no fluctuations of Cultivation at all...