In the combat field stands, Walnut and her master followed the information sent by Lu Ye and came here, immediately spotting Lu Ye below as he prepared for battle.

Turning to look at Lu Ye's opponent this time, Walnut couldn't help but be startled: "Why is he challenging the third rank?"

Based on the information she previously had, Lu Ye's ranking on the Moon Jade combat list was only seventh, so he should be challenging the sixth rank this time.

Yet somehow he had crossed such a large gap, skipping several ranks.

She investigated the intelligence on the third rank again and immediately recalled: "It's Sky Inkstone of the Stone Race."

She hadn't seen Sky Inkstone before but had heard his name often, because in the Moon Jade domain, he had the title of 'eternal third'. This meant his rank in the Moon Jade combat field remained third for many years, neither rising nor falling.

All cultivators who challenged him were defeated, yet he couldn't surpass the two ahead of him, keeping him steadfast at the third rank.

"Master, which side should we bet on?" Walnut was somewhat conflicted. Based on previous combat results, she was optimistic about Lu Ye, but Sky Inkstone was not someone the average Moon Jade could compare to. Without true ability, he couldn't maintain the title of 'eternal third'.

Walnut was uncertain whether Lu Ye could contend with Sky Inkstone. If the bet was wrong, a significant amount of Asura Seals could turn to nothing.

She had to be cautious.

The woman responded, "If you're going to bet, place it all on Lu Ye."

Walnut felt doubtful: "But Master..."

"No buts!" The woman interrupted decisively, "Little Walnut, although I've taught you for many years, you still don't understand. The essence of betting is in the process, don't worry about the outcome. Overthinking ruins the fun of betting."

Walnut complained internally, thinking that's why you often gamble away everything.

But she knew her master's temperament; since she decided to bet on Lu Ye, it meant even her master wasn't too optimistic about him, so they could thoroughly enjoy the tense anticipation.

Should she bet on Sky Inkstone then? That way, no matter who wins, they as master and pupil will have something to gain.

While contemplating this, she suddenly noticed Sky Inkstone's peculiar expression down at the combat field.

At the moment, within the closed combat field, Lu Ye stood nonchalantly, glancing around and spotting Walnut and her master, nodding slightly at them.

Across from him, Sky Inkstone's state was odd; he stared wide-eyed at Lu Ye, appearing suspicious, then surprised, next scared, and finally displaying an expression as if he had stepped in something crude...

Because he recognized Lu Ye as the one who made him flee in a panic during previous training scenarios!

He couldn't believe his eyes, for according to his analysis, Lu Ye of Nine Heavens must have been a shadow left by some prodigious figure of an era; in the whole Asura Field, beyond those two, there was no one else in Moon Jade that surpassed him in strength, which had consistently suppressed him over the years, so it was impossible for another to suddenly emerge.

Now he realized that, unexpectedly, one truly emerged out of nowhere!

Compared to those two, this Lu Ye of Nine Heavens gave him just as much pressure!

If it were just that, he wouldn't care. Sky Inkstone's strength was notable, and in the combat field, the protection rules prevent death. Even if he wasn't a match, he wouldn't retreat; he must put all his effort into battle, to showcase the Stone Race's might.

However... Lu Ye's strength was formidable but his methods were vile! Previously, the wounds he inflicted during training constantly lingered with strange powers; even as a member of the Stone Race, he couldn't heal them autonomously, ultimately needing a Sun Blaze elder from his clan to help suppress and remove them, which took ten days.

In a duel, if struck again, would he need to go through recovery all over?

He had been severely disturbed lately; his injuries were almost healed and he didn't want to experience such distress again.

Moreover, Sun Blaze's time was so valuable; how could he impose on his clan elder for continual healing?

This battle... couldn't be fought!

The thirty moments of preparation quickly passed, and Lu Ye finally turned to look at his opponent, sprinting forward the moment his form regained freedom.

Suddenly feeling curious, he wondered why his opponent seemed familiar?

Before he could get a clearer look, his opponent's figure abruptly vanished.

Lu Ye instinctively thought the opponent was a Ghost Cultivator, using techniques to hide their form, but immediately sensed something was amiss because suddenly his view blurred and he found himself back at his cave residence.

Lu Ye was stunned.

In the combat field, countless cultivators eagerly anticipated the battle, which barely began before it ended. Walnut, tense and apprehensive, hesitated for a moment before quickly checking her Asura Authority Token, and upon seeing the abundant Asura Seal numbers suddenly increase, she couldn't help but leap up: "We won!"

In the last moment, she placed her bet on Lu Ye upon noticing Sky Inkstone's subtle expression, making a bold and determined choice on Lu Ye.

This time, they made quite a profit.

Because throughout the entire combat field, apart from the master and her apprentice, only a very small number of people placed their bets on Lu Ye; most placed their bets on the more famous Sky Inkstone.

According to the rule of winners sharing the bets of losers, the earnings from this round were undoubtedly considerable, especially since she had staked her entire fortune, far exceeding others in proportion.

The woman furrowed her brow; although winning the bet pleased her, the fact that Sky Inkstone conceded without a fight was rather odd.

In the combat field, there was no threat to one's life. If Sky Inkstone had no intention to fight, he could completely reject Lu Ye's challenge. The ranking would directly change, so why accept the challenge and then concede?

Though the woman, being a Sun Blaze, was shrewd, she couldn't comprehend why Sky Inkstone did this.

The entire combat field was in an uproar, countless cultivators cursing words like "black box" and "underhanded dealings," appealing to the Asura Field to uphold justice.

The cultivators who had bet on Sky Inkstone felt they lost unfairly, as such a retreat without fighting was unprecedented in the combat field, especially involving someone ranked third like Sky Inkstone.

This raised suspicions that Sky Inkstone and Lu Ye might have some secret dealings, manipulating the duel results for profit.

If such a matter truly existed, the Asura Field would certainly not ignore it, and would thoroughly investigate following any appeals.

But, disappointingly, no matter how loud their protests, Lu Ye and Sky Inkstone's positions on the ranking board remained, unremoved.

In Sky Inkstone's cave residence, he suddenly returned.

The Sun Blaze Stone Race nodded, "Did you win?"

For Sky Inkstone to win was unsurprising; in the Moon Jade level of the Asura Field, aside from two individuals, no one was stronger than Sky Inkstone, leaving one to wonder who impudently challenged him this time.

Sky Inkstone, looking embarrassed, scratched his face and said, "Lost."

"Hmm?" Sun Blaze Stone Race was shocked, "How could it be?"

Moreover, to defeat Sky Inkstone so quickly, not even those two individuals could manage that. Judging by the time, Sky Inkstone entered the combat field and was defeated in a few moves — who possesses such formidable strength?

"Elder, it was that guy who challenged me!" Sky Inkstone looked utterly dejected.

The Sun Blaze Stone Race, in disbelief, said, "The one who injured you before?"

"It was him!" Sky Inkstone nodded heavily, "I originally thought he was a remnant shadow from a past era, but he isn't, he's from this era, so I didn't fight and conceded."

The Sun Blaze Stone Race nodded, "A wise decision."

It's not shameful to lose. Cultivators honing themselves in the combat field are not afraid of wins and losses. The crucial point is the injury inflicted by the opponent's long blade was too vile, which is why Sky Inkstone withdrew.

"How can there be such a guy?" Sky Inkstone was utterly perplexed.

The Sun Blaze Stone Race said, "Being sheltered in a corner, one can only see the sky above; experiencing setbacks on the path to growth isn't a bad thing; your path ahead is long, a single bout doesn't signify anything."

"I understand, Elder." Sky Inkstone was not one to avoid losses; with thoughts racing, he said, "I'd never heard of this guy before; he must have come to the Asura Field recently. I see his momentum, probably aiming for the top spot, and he certainly has to challenge those two as well. Elder, I wish to spectate; can the healing be postponed?"

"Of course," Sun Blaze Stone Race consented.

"Thank you, Elder!"

In Lu Ye's cave residence, he checked his ranking and found he had reached the third position; only two were ahead of him. Focusing his mind, he probed information about these two.

The top spot was held by a cultivator named Gu Sheng from the Yellow Dragon World, below him was a cultivator named Arbuluo, originating from the Ancient Savages World.

Lu Ye's thoughts stirred; the name Yellow Dragon World, truly lives up to its reputation, echoing wherever one goes. There's Yellow Dragon Island on the All Phenomena Ocean, renowned and prestigious, and the top-ranked cultivator in this combat field also hails from Yellow Dragon World.

It's indeed one of the paramount domains in the stellar space, brimming with talent.

The Ancient Savages World he knew slightly; it's a quite peculiar domain. Usually, domains in the stellar space, regardless of size, are influenced by overall environmental changes, undergoing some alteration; perhaps the change is minuscule, unnoticed by people, but over long spans, this accumulated change becomes significant.

This also explains why the cultivation environment today is entirely different from the era of ancient wilderness.

Only ancient stellar marvels maintain traits from those ancient eras.

The peculiarity of the Ancient Savages World lies in its possession of such stellar marvel traits; it seems unaffected by environmental changes, its entire domain maintaining the visage and environment of ancient times.