Chapter 34: Beast Arena


    Katheryn''s heart was conflicted. She had witnessed every step of Han Ming''s journey in this foreign world. Unconsciously, she had grown to admire this young man. She couldn''t help but wonder how far he would go in this strange land. On the other hand, he was, after all, the one chosen by the Seed of Life. She didn''t understand why the Seed had selected a young man from another world, one who seemed to have no inherent advantages.


    But the reality was that this young man from another world had already begun to threaten the dominance of the elves and dragons.


    To kill or not to kill?


    Meanwhile, Han Ming was completely immersed in his excitement. A young man from another world, unable to cultivate magic or aura, had once felt powerless when he learned that his world was under threat. He had wanted to protect his world but had no direction, no support. Now, discovering that he possessed an unparalleled advantage—one that even surpassed the two most dominant races—he felt that his once-impossible goal had suddenly become attainable.


    Katheryn stared at Han Ming for a long time, lost in thought. After a prolonged silence, she vanished without a word. No one knew what she was thinking or what her final decision would be. But her disappearance at least indicated that, for now, she wouldn''t harm Han Ming.


    After a long period of excitement, Han Ming finally calmed down. He knew he needed to work even harder. Even with his advantage, it didn''t guarantee that he would reach the pinnacle. Every person in this world had their own advantages. Compared to his own world, the people here at least had the potential to cultivate aura or magic. But how many of them ever reached the peak? His own path seemed even more arduous than most.


    Han Ming sat cross-legged on his bed, holding a small water-attribute magic crystal in his hands. He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the continuous flow of magical energy being absorbed into his body. He could vaguely sense a stream of energy entering through his hands, circulating through his body. He tried to grasp this energy but didn''t know where to start. He could only watch as the energy spread throughout his body before dissipating, leaving behind only a tiny fraction.


    From day to night, and then from night to dawn, Han Ming absorbed the energy of nearly two small magic crystals. When he finally opened his eyes, the amount of magical energy stored in his body was pitifully small. He was desperate to learn more about magic. At this point, he was a complete novice in the mysterious world of magic.


    A knock came at the door, and Li Chengfeng''s voice sounded from outside. Han Ming hung a magic crystal around his neck and went to open the door.


    Li Chengfeng was surprised to see Han Ming and immediately asked why he looked so pale.


    Han Ming smiled and explained that he hadn''t slept for a full day and night.


    Li Chengfeng nodded in understanding. He explained that since Han Ming couldn''t cultivate aura, he lacked the ability to regulate his body through meditation, which was the best way for aura cultivators to recover. While they still needed sleep, they required far less than ordinary people. He guessed that magic cultivators might be similar, but Han Ming simply didn''t know how to do it yet. As for this, Li Chengfeng admitted he couldn''t help much, as he knew little about magic.


    The two went to the mercenary hall for breakfast. Han Ming wanted to return to his room to rest, but Li Chengfeng stopped him, saying he wanted to show Han Ming something interesting.


    Han Ming smiled helplessly and followed. Since meeting Li Chengfeng and becoming sworn brothers, the guy had been constantly seeking him out. While it did cut into Han Ming''s training time, it also brought a sense of warmth and camaraderie that Han Ming cherished.


    They hired a carriage and headed to the city center.


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    Before them stood an enormous circular building, with a long line of people waiting at the entrance.


    Han Ming asked, puzzled, "Brother, why did you bring me here? What is this place?"


    Li Chengfeng grinned. "You don''t know? This is the famous Beast Arena of Wildfang City. Today, there''s a beast competition. I managed to get two VIP tickets from my father. Don''t ask too many questions, just follow me. The academy enrollment is still two weeks away. It''s good to relax a bit during this time."


    Han Ming sighed. "But I''m not interested in this kind of thing."


    Li Chengfeng patted Han Ming''s shoulder. "How do you know you''re not interested if you''ve never seen it? Many people love this. Besides, if we''re talking about hard work, who works harder than me? I''ve spent over a decade living on the edge, risking my life every day. But life should have its ups and downs, right? You''re stronger than me and even have the talent for magic. If I''m not in a hurry, why should you be?"


    *Of course, you''re not in a hurry. You can just focus on cultivating your aura and see how far you can go. You don''t have the same pressure I do. And your father is the city lord. How can I compare to you? You have no idea what kind of burden I carry on my shoulders.* Han Ming thought to himself but didn''t say anything. These secrets were too important, involving the lives of billions. He couldn''t afford to be careless, even with Li Chengfeng, his sworn brother.


    With VIP tickets, they bypassed the long line and entered the arena through a side entrance, drawing envious glances from the crowd.


    The arena itself wasn''t particularly large, about the size of a few football fields from Han Ming''s world. But the seating was arranged in tiers, with VIP boxes protruding at the top for a better view.


    Along the way, they encountered some young nobles around their age, but the interactions were brief and unremarkable. Even Li Chengfeng wasn''t particularly familiar with them, which suited Han Ming just fine. He preferred the peace and quiet.


    They entered a private box with a clear view of the arena. As time passed, the arena gradually filled with spectators.


    The two chatted while waiting for the competition to begin, mostly discussing the upcoming academy enrollment and their trip to the imperial capital.


    By noon, the arena was packed. A beautiful attendant brought them a lavish lunch.


    In the center of the arena was a raised platform. The commentator arrived on time, coughing lightly into a magic microphone before announcing the start of the competition.


    The first match featured two minor families, each presenting a massive beast. The crowd erupted in excitement as the commentator passionately described the beasts'' backgrounds, physical conditions, and the families they represented. Li Chengfeng explained to Han Ming that this was essentially a form of gambling. Before each match, the commentator would provide detailed information about the beasts, and staff would collect bets from the audience. It was up to the spectators to decide which beast to bet on.


    Once the commentator finished, the match began. The two beasts clashed fiercely in the arena.


    Han Ming, however, found the spectacle utterly boring. He yawned repeatedly, on the verge of falling asleep. Seeing this, Li Chengfeng also lost interest. In truth, he had never watched a beast competition before either. He had only brought Han Ming out of curiosity. At their level of strength, every life-and-death battle they fought was far more intense and thrilling than two mindless beasts fighting. These competitions were meant for ordinary people, serving as a form of entertainment and gambling. The participating families used these events to gain some fame.


    Both of them were disinterested in the competition. Han Ming suggested leaving, but Li Chengfeng stopped him, hinting that there was more to come. Reluctantly, Han Ming stayed, lying down to take a nap. Li Chengfeng didn''t disturb him.


    The deafening cheers from the crowd failed to wake Han Ming from his deep sleep.


    He dreamed that he was a weak scholar on his way to the capital for the imperial exams. Passing by a dilapidated temple, several stunningly beautiful female bandits suddenly rushed out, shouting that they were going to assault him. Han Ming was thrilled and charged forward with a shout.


    He felt someone shaking him and slowly opened his eyes to see Li Chengfeng''s face right in front of him, staring wide-eyed.


    "Han Ming! Wake up! What''s wrong with you? Even in your dreams, you''re grinning like an idiot!"


    Han Ming jumped up, startled, and looked at Li Chengfeng''s concerned face, feeling a chill run down his spine.


    *What the hell? Why did I have such a weird dream? I clearly heard a woman calling my name, but when I woke up, it was just this guy. So gross...*


    Li Chengfeng smirked. "Are you okay? Seriously, you were sleeping and grinning like a creep. No shame at all."


    Han Ming''s face flushed, and he retorted, "Shut up! I was dreaming about a group of beauties trying to assault me. It was a happy dream. You wouldn''t understand!"


    Li Chengfeng scoffed. "The competition''s over. The crowd''s gone."


    Han Ming yawned. "It''s over? Let''s go then. I''m so tired. I want to go back to sleep." He was still processing the absurd dream.


    But Li Chengfeng grinned mysteriously. "Don''t rush. The real show is just about to begin."