A long, narrow corridor stretched out before them.

After his eyes adjusted to the light, Su Zhi noticed that the lighting fixtures weren’t as densely arranged as he had imagined.

Standing at the entrance, he could faintly hear a considerable din.

They walked about twenty meters down the corridor and turned left. The scene that opened up before them was vast:

The entire underground arena was nearly a hundred meters long and wide, and about ten meters high. Small windows near the ceiling cast shifting beams of light as fans slowly rotated, while silver pendant lights illuminated everything below.

Su Zhi could vaguely make out several rings, though their design wasn’t as formal as those in a proper Battle Hall.

There were no Energy Barriers around the rings. That was fine for low-intensity spars, but if stronger Pet Beasts were involved, their attacks could easily hit the spectators.

’Hmm... It seems the level of competition here could use some improvement...’

Crowds of onlookers surrounded the rings—they were probably placing bets.

When a match was decided, some people would cheer wildly, while others would give a thumbs-down.

The conditions here might not compare to a Battle Hall, but it had an incredibly lively atmosphere that a Battle Hall lacked and would struggle to replicate.

Su Zhi also noticed some restless or malicious gazes.

These looks were a reminder that this wasn’t some public plaza, but the underground—a place that welcomed all, whether they walked in light or shadow.

"Yo? Back again? Brought some friends?"

A creepy-looking skinny guy clapped Cao Mingyu on the shoulder and spoke in the Huai City dialect.

"Yeah! Brought ’em here to see the sights!"

Cao Mingyu replied in the same dialect.

"Alright, alright! You guys have fun!" the skinny guy said with a laugh as he walked away.

Cao Mingyu grinned and waved goodbye, then his expression turned serious. "I put on this persona to blend in here," he explained. "They just think I’m a student who’s into Pet Beast battling and comes from a well-off family."

’You don’t really need to explain. Your real personality is pretty much the same...’ Su Zhi mused, crossing his arms.

"Those rings... can we challenge them too?" Su Zhi had noticed that the matches weren’t standard spars, but a king-of-the-hill format where one side defended the ring and the other challenged.

"No, this is the ’main stage.’ It’s only open to Beast Tamers who are ’Gold’ rank or higher."

"You don’t have a ’rank’ when you first get here. You need to go to the side arenas and fight in some low-tier matches to prove you’re qualified. It’s actually pretty easy. Just follow me..."

Cao Mingyu explained everything about the place as he led the way.

"That guy just now was friendly enough. In fact, most people here are. Once they leave, they’re all just regular citizens. But since this is an underground arena, you’re going to get all sorts of people, so you still need to be careful..."

"ROAR."

A lion’s roar suddenly came from their side.

Su Zhi turned to see a scarred Skeleton Lion standing before Yu Bao, staring down at him condescendingly.

[Pet Beast: Mad Bone Evil God (Skeleton Lion)

Race: High Level Extraordinary

Attribute: Ghost Element

Real-time Energy Value: 300]

Su Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, confident that Yu Bao could win.

’That’s a pretty badass name... It seems middle-aged men, like my own dad, have a special fondness for this style of naming.’

Su Zhi followed the Skeleton Lion with his eyes and, sure enough, saw a middle-aged man in a black jacket not far away.

The shine from his forehead could rival Old Ban’s.

"Your little dog is blocking my Mad Bone Evil God’s way," the man explained, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"See? I told you you wouldn’t have to worry about finding a fight... just walk around a bit and someone will come looking for you," Cao Mingyu whispered in his ear.

Su Zhi noticed the man didn’t have a Beast Tamer’s device. It seemed he wasn’t a Beast Tamer who had awakened a Beast Taming Space, but simply someone who bought a Pet Beast to train for fun.

These types were usually ordinary people with a bit of disposable income.

Seeing Yu Bao at his side, the man probably assumed Su Zhi was the same type of person.

"?" Yu Bao blinked in confusion.

’Didn’t that lion just rush over here on its own...?’

Adhering to the principle of getting along with other Pet Beasts, Yu Bao took a step back.

That was Su Zhi’s intention as well. It was better to avoid trouble. Besides, it wasn’t like he couldn’t beat the man.

He was here to gain practical combat experience; it wasn’t worth making an enemy over something so trivial.

Then the Skeleton Lion took a step forward. "ROAR."

_You’re still in my way. Back up some more._

"..."

Yu Bao’s eyes widened.

’Are you picking a fight?’

The more he tried to endure it, the angrier he got.

The more he thought about backing down, the more furious he became!

"Sir, that’s not very appropriate."

Su Zhi’s voice remained calm. "We’re all here to have fun. The most important thing is to enjoy ourselves."

"Are you saying my Mad Bone Evil God can’t beat your little mutt?

"Fine, you little punk. You want fair? Then let’s put some money on it and have a go! You dare?"

Seeing Su Zhi take a softer stance, the man immediately pressed his advantage, refusing to let it go.

He was a miserable office drone, a low-level manager stuck in the middle. His subordinates thought he was a tyrant, and his boss thought he was incompetent. He couldn’t catch a break.

The man didn’t dare talk back to his boss, so naturally, he had to vent his frustrations elsewhere.

After learning about the underground tournaments, he bought a cool-looking Pet Beast from a cheap source and came here to feel important.

He couldn’t afford to provoke the truly powerful ones, but he had taught a lesson to every newcomer who crossed his path.

People had given him a nickname—the Noob Slayer!

Su Zhi looked at Cao Mingyu. "Betting?"

"Right. You both have to put up money as a stake. It’s at least a hundred or so, but some people bet tens of thousands..."

Su Zhi shook his head. "I’m a student. Gambling isn’t really appropriate for me."

"Just a little punk after all. If you’re too scared to bet, don’t come to the Fengyun Arena. Go back to your evening study hall!"

The man let out a gratified laugh and glanced contemptuously at Yu Bao. "With a pathetic little mutt like that, you’re probably ranked last in your school! What’s the point of fighting? HAHAHAHA!"

Yu Bao didn’t make a sound, but he secretly clenched his teeth. The humiliating memories from before he awakened and allocated his points came crashing back into his mind.

But...

’It’s just being looked down on. For Su Zhi’s sake, I can endure it!’

Suddenly, Yu Bao felt a warm hand stroking his head.

"How much?"

Su Zhi spoke again, his words terrifyingly brief.

The man jutted out his chin. "At least a few hundred, right? Heh, I’ve already made almost ten thousand from this!"

"Then let’s do ten thousand."

"HAHAHA! Fucking idiot!"

The man walked away, leaving behind a mocking taunt, and returned shortly with a referee.

The referee explained the rules. Aside from the betting, it was largely the same as the quizzes Su Zhi had taken at school.

Both parties transferred ten thousand yuan into a special program. After the duel, the money would automatically be sent to the winner.

There were no rings for low-level betting duels. The referee found an empty room, and the battle began immediately.

"Mad Bone Evil God, use Bite!"

The man didn’t have a Beast Taming Space, so he excitedly shouted the command aloud.

His Mad Bone Evil God was currently at its peak, holding an eleven-win streak against newcomers!

This tiny little mutt wasn’t even something a layman like him would bother buying. It wouldn’t even be an appetizer for his Skeleton Lion.

’This single move will decide it all!’

"BOOM—"

...

The howling wind and sand settled.

The man stared at Yu Bao, who was standing triumphantly on the Mad Bone Evil God’s body with his head held high. His jaw nearly hit the floor.

An instant... an instant kill!

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(From now on, the second update will be at 18:27.)