The forests up ahead suddenly became sparse. A large area of valleys and plateaus had been carved out by a meandering river of crimson water.
Beside the valley, a large crimson city was built against the mountain. The city walls were all made of red "Crimson Steel Stones", and a crimson aura was faintly rising. It was able to isolate the invasion of snakes, insects, rats, and ants, but it did not cause people to feel unbearably hot. Looking from afar, the clouds were rising, and it had a sense of a myriad of phenomena.
It was the stronghold of the Fire Rude Clan, the largest tribe in the Southland of Sorcerers. It was also the economic, political, and military center that the Great Qian Dynasty had infiltrated the Southland of Sorcerers most deeply and educated.
At this moment, on the two sides of the Fire Rude Clan's stronghold, more than ten kilometers away from each other, were continuous tents with fluttering flags. A colorful, bizarre-shaped army of barbarians was stationed there.
It was the army of Huo Wuji and Huo Wujiu.
The two of them had been fighting for half a year, but neither of them could do anything to the other. They were already exhausted. If they continued fighting, the entire Fire Rude Clan would probably fall apart and cease to exist.
Also, Master Black Moon, the most prestigious Great Sorcerer of the hundred tribes in the Southland of Sorcerers, came out to mediate. It was not until then that the two of them finally stopped fighting unwillingly.
In the meantime, they had secretly asked for reinforcements from the Great Qian Dynasty and Ghost Qin, their biggest backers, waiting for the arrival of the reinforcements so that they could have another battle.
At this moment, although the barbarian soldiers on the two sides had stopped fighting, several barbarian Cultivators were still fighting fiercely in the sky.
Colorful venomous fog was flying randomly, and colorful venomous gas was spreading everywhere. Now and then, hideous, rare, protected animals were baring their fangs and brandishing their claws.
They were all the barbarian Cultivators that Huo Wuji and Huo Wujiu had invited.
The barbarian Cultivators were trapped in a corner and did not have much interaction with the Cultivators in the central plateaus. Instead, they often had deep grudges with each other. In order to compete for the poor population, resources, and natural paradises in the Southland of Sorcerers, they often had irreconcilable grudges.
If a pair of enemies happened to be invited by Huo Wuji and Huo Wujiu respectively and belonged to different sides, they would naturally be particularly jealous of each other when they saw each other and would immediately attack each other. It was not because of the 'competition of beliefs' such as which side to stand on but because they were merely settling their personal grudge.
When Li Yao arrived in the middle of the army, he happened to see a barbarian Cultivator, who was covered in gold skin and looked as hideous as a boa, having half of his arm cut off by his opponent. Blood spurting out in midair, the barbarian shrieked and fell.
Immediately, dozens of barbarian soldiers rushed out from Huo Wuji's camp, and hurriedly carried him back to their camp. Then, bursts of "eh eh" sounds came from their camp.
Huo Wujiu's army, on the other hand, was in an uproar. Drums were beating, and cheers were echoing in the surrounding dozens of miles.
"Huh. Even the third brother of the Golden Hoop has been defeated. One of his arms has been cut off. Hehehehe. His good days are coming to an end, too."
Meng Duo and Gu Siduo, the two barbarian Cultivators, were gloating. They did not feel that the 'third brother of the Golden Hoop' was on their side at all.
"Brother Snake Swallower, do you see the big black rock over there? That is the Black Stone Great Arena. If the barbarian Cultivators want to rise to fame, we have to go to the Black Stone Great Arena."
Meng Duo and Gu Siduo grimaced and said, "Today is just a small fight and not a real competition. When the Black Stone Great Arena officially begins three days later, if you can win ten matches in a row, I guarantee that every tribe in the Southland of Sorcerers will know your name."
Li Yao frowned, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry.
The so-called 'Black Stone Great Arena' was actually an abrupt black rock next to the Fire Rude Clan's town. It was as smooth as a table and almost eighty meters in length and width.
It was said that the hundred tribes in the Southland of Sorcerers would settle their disputes with fists, blades, and venomous fog in the Black Stone Great Arena under relatively fair conditions.
This time, the dispute between Huo Wuji and Huo Wujiu regarding who would be the chief of the Fire Rude Clan would be decided in the magnificent 'Hundred Victories Great Arena'.
The so-called 'Hundred Victories Great Arena' was a competition where the two parties would send hundreds of warriors to the arena. The winners would stay, and the losers would be kicked out of the arena. The competition would continue until one of the parties won a hundred matches first.
In case a certain party invited a super expert, such as a Core Formation Stage Cultivator or a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, resulting in a hilarious situation where one of them fought against a hundred enemies, the rule of the Hundred Victories Great Arena was that an expert could only win ten battles in a row at most before they were banned from fighting again.
Even an expert like Yuanying could only win ten matches for his own party at best. The other ninety matches would still depend on the efforts of his other comrades.
However, there was another rule in the Hundred Victories Great Arena, which was that one could only lose but not surrender. If one were to give up, they would be considered to have completely failed.
It meant that, if one of the parties really sent an expert like Yuanying to the arena, the other party would have to send ten warriors to die in order to 'exhaust' the enemy's Yuanying, even if they knew that they were no match for the enemy.
It was a rather cruel rule of the game.
However, it was rather appropriate for the arrival of an unparalleled expert.
Therefore, what the Hundred Victories Great Arena tested was not the individual combat power, but the overall strength of one party, including whether or not they could send out dozens of death warriors who were unafraid of death to exhaust the opponent's undefeatable experts.
Meng Duo and Gu Siduo were bragging that Li Yao could win ten matches in a row. They were just making fun of his ignorance again.
Little did they know that Li Yao was secretly mocking himself in his heart, too.
'Vulture Li Yao' had been traveling in the sea of stars for decades. He had fought, joked, and laughed with the sophisticated experts such as Xiao Xuance, Bai Xinghe, Jin Tuyi, and Lu Zui. Yet, today, he was so poor that he had to fight in an arena with a bunch of barbarians.
Li Yao hated fighting in long, stinky arenas the most. It would be fine if it were a competition for a spouse, but the national affairs, including the lives of millions of people, had to be decided in an arena. What a joke!
It seems that the IQ of the natives of the Ancient Sages Sector needs to be adjusted to a lower level.
It's fine that the barbarians like fighting in arenas, but even the Appeasing Ambassador is getting involved. How absurd!
Li Yao did not think it was a big deal.
He had made up his mind. He was not going to play monkey tricks in the arena. If they wanted to fight in an arena, they could take their time. He would make a decision after he figured out the details of Master Black Moon.
Huo Wuji's side had just lost a great general. His morale was low when he heard the news that the emperor's army had arrived. His morale was immediately boosted again.
Very soon, a few barbarians riding black buffaloes rushed out. Before the buffalo in the lead stood still, a young man wearing a loose robe, who looked no different from the scholars of central plateaus except that his face was slightly darker, jumped off and shouted, "The emperor's army! The emperor's army has finally arrived! Lord Ling!"
The man was naturally Huo Wuji, who was on the Great Qian Dynasty's side.
Ling Shoujing, the Appeasing Ambassador of the Fifth Prefecture of the Southland of Sorcerers, stepped out of the crowd and comforted Huo Wuji.
Li Yao, however, was not in the mood to listen to their bullsh * t. He maximized his eyesight and looked at the camp ten kilometers away with his telepathic thoughts.
He discovered that on a hill on the opposite side, a young man who looked similar to Huo Wuji but was dressed as a barbarian was looking at the camp together with a few knights around him. He was riding a strange beast that looked like a horse, a wolf, and a dragon.
The few knights were tall and strong. Their skin was slightly yellow, and their cheekbones were protruding. Gold rings large and small were on their ears. Their faces were full of wrinkles caused by the cold wind. They looked rather magnificent and different from the barbarians of the southwest.
They were wearing rough but practical light armor made of the hide of demon beasts, with a deep black longbow on their back. Although it was not strung, the stink of blood was vaguely spreading out. Li Yao could sense it clearly even though he was several kilometers away.
They must be Huo Wujiu and the people of Ghost Qin who support him.
Li Yao observed with great interest.
The seven people standing next to Huo Wujiu were all Cultivators from Ghost Qin who were surrounded by spiritual energy.
The Cultivators of the Ancient Sages Sector did not seem to understand the logic of concealing their level and hiding their soul. They often released their Cultivation openly, which consumed the spiritual energy of the universe incessantly, but it also exposed their capability.
It was a common problem in the world of ancient Cultivators.
The seven Cultivators from Ghost Qin were not very strong, either. They were between the Refinement Stage and the Building Foundation Stage.
However, Li Yao sensed the intense aura of battlefield from them.
They were like well-tempered soldiers who were prepared to die for nothing. They were entirely different from the general Cultivators who had not been through long-term military training and were disorganized.
Seven light cavalrymen are scattered on the hill, but they are already in an intimidating battle formation, emitting the vibe of a magnificent army.
The Ghost Qin of Dark Cloud is indeed something. No wonder they can compete with the Great Qian Dynasty.
Li Yao secretly complimented them.
At this time, Ling Shoujing and Huo Wuji were about to finish their small talk. From the Fire Rude Clan's town, which was enshrouded in fiery clouds, a large black cloud of spiritual energy flew out. Standing on the cloud was a middle-aged man in a black robe, with a square mouth and a broad face, and a dignified appearance.
"It's Master Black Moon!"
Meng Duo and Gu Siduo, two barbarian Cultivators, shrieked next to Li Yao.
Master Black Moon was a Yuanying Cultivator and the most powerful Grand Magus in the Southland of Sorcerers. He was worshipped by countless ignorant barbarians as a deity.
The moment he showed up, the thousands of barbarian soldiers and Cultivators on both Huo Wuji's side and Huo Wujiu's side all knelt and worshipped him, uttering indistinct roars.
Li Yao narrowed his eyes and thought quickly. As Master Spiritual Vulture's senior brother, Master Black Moon was probably the greatest obstacle for his fake identity. Naturally, he had to observe him carefully.
Master Black Moon slowly landed in front of the army. His eyes were as deep as the ocean, and there was not the slightest expression on his pale face.
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