"Sword Demon..., haha, many people have called me that before!"

"It seems this mask is truly destined for me!"

"Such is fate!"

Upon hearing this name, Lin Bai smiled slightly and said.

"Thank you for the honor, Senior. May I ask when I can participate in the Fighting Arena’s martial arts competition?" Lin Bai asked with a smile.

The Sloppy Old Man walked to the edge of the wall, pressed a mechanism, and a stone cracked open, revealing a passageway. The Sloppy Old Man said, "If you don’t want to show your true face in the Fighting Arena, wear the mask and take this passageway!"

"At the end of the passageway, the warriors of the Fighting Arena will arrange a match for you!"

"Of course, you can also go without the mask, showing your true face."

"It’s your choice!"

The Sloppy Old Man said with a faint smile.

"After all the trouble getting this gift from the Senior, of course, I’ll wear it. Otherwise, it would betray your efforts!" Lin Bai put the mask back on his face.

At this moment, Lin Bai’s white robe turned into a black cloak.

Immediately, Lin Bai turned and walked into the passageway.

The Sloppy Old Man watched Lin Bai’s departing figure and clicked his tongue, saying, "Tsk tsk, this mask took me three years to carve, yet this young man took a liking to it at first sight!"

"Young man, you’d better not disgrace this mask, or I’ll personally come to take it back!"

The Sloppy Old Man stated firmly as he watched Lin Bai’s figure disappear.

Just then, from the other side of the stone chamber, a warrior emerged from a passageway, clasped his fist toward the Sloppy Old Man, and said, "Senior, the City Lord has requested your presence!"

The Sloppy Old Man grumbled, "What does he want with me? I’ve told him that even an immortal can’t save his injuries!"

"You go and tell him not to bother me. He better find a place to bury himself, and if he disturbs me again, I’ll personally send him to hell!"

"Get out!"

The Sloppy Old Man glared at the warrior and said.

"Yes, yes, yes..." The warrior, terror-stricken, left trembling and pale-faced.

Upon returning to the Blackwater City Lord Mansion, the warrior relayed the Sloppy Old Man’s words unchanged to the City Lord.

The City Lord’s face turned utterly pale, and he shook his head with a bitter smile, without saying anything.

The City Lord of Blackwater City said, "It seems I really have to prepare to leave... Let the Eight Great Clans prepare and choose the next City Lord!"

Just as Lin Bai was preparing to join the Fighting Arena.

Blackwater City was already in turmoil because the City Lord ordered the selection of the next City Lord!

This meant that the City Lord of Blackwater City really didn’t have much time left!

...

Lin Bai followed the passageway to its end and arrived at a vast underground palace.

In this underground palace, there were warriors bustling back and forth.

But upon seeing Lin Bai arrive, a middle-aged man walked over with a smile and said, "New fighter?"

Lin Bai nodded slightly.

The middle-aged man laughed, "This mask... truly suits you perfectly, you picked a good mask!"

"I am Tai Yi, the manager here, responsible for the ranking of fighters every day!"

"When you chose this mask, did you know its name? If it doesn’t have one, you can choose it yourself; this will be your identity in the Fighting Arena!"

"If you are lucky enough to win and earn merits, it will also be recognized by this mask!"

"So you must think carefully."

The middle-aged man Tai Yi said.

Lin Bai said, "The senior said this mask is called... Sword Demon!"

After putting on the mask, Lin Bai was surprised to find that even his voice had changed slightly, becoming deeper, hoarse, and carrying a hint of cold murderous intent.

"Sword Demon! What a great name!" The middle-aged man took out a thick tome from a storage bag and recorded the words Sword Demon.

Then Tai Yi asked, "When can you go on stage? Let me remind you, the first three matches for new fighters are exhibition matches, with no merit rewards. From the fourth match onward, you start earning merits!"

"Understand?"

Lin Bai nodded, "I understand, I can go on stage anytime, the sooner the better!"

Tai Yi nodded, "Then tomorrow it is!"

Lin Bai nodded, "Alright!"

Tai Yi nodded, "Since you’ve decided to go on stage tomorrow, you must arrive at the Fighting Arena before dawn tomorrow, and I will arrange for you to go on stage then!"

"Good luck!"

Lin Bai nodded slightly.

Then, Tai Yi handed Lin Bai a book and a map.

This book contained records of all the fighters and many strong ones in the Fighting Arena.

It also documented the rules of the Fighting Arena.

And the map was of the Fighting Arena, including the Martial Arts Competition Arena, the underground casino, and the fighters’ waiting area!

"Take this book and map back and study them well!" Tai Yi said.

Lin Bai nodded slightly, received the two items, and left the place.

After leaving, Lin Bai removed the mask and put it into the storage bag, as he naturally didn’t want to be discovered since the mask was meant to conceal his identity.

Then, Lin Bai found Ban Ye in the underground casino.

The two of them returned to the Tang Family together.

"What’s up, Brother Lin Bai?" Ban Ye hurriedly asked upon returning to the Tang Family.

Lin Bai smiled, "It’s all arranged, I’ll be on stage tomorrow!"

"Oh, and the mask you chose..." Ban Ye asked at this moment, but immediately laughed, "No need to tell me about the mask you chose!"

Lin Bai chuckled bitterly and nodded slightly.

"Get a good rest then. Tomorrow will be the battle of life and death," Ban Ye said.

Lin Bai nodded slightly.

After Ban Ye left, Lin Bai took out the book and map from the storage bag.

He first committed the map firmly to memory.

Then Lin Bai looked at that book.

The book recorded many strong fighters in the Fighting Arena, but Lin Bai didn’t recognize any of them, yet he remembered their names, appearances, and masks.

Though he didn’t know them now, perhaps in the future, in the Fighting Arena, he would confront them!

The latter half of the book was an introduction to the Fighting Arena!

After reading it, Lin Bai was astonished: "So the Fighting Arena has such a significant force across the Northern Continent, wherever there’s a city in the Northern Continent, there must be a Fighting Arena!"

Lin Bai slightly stunned, feeling that the Fighting Arena might become the third-largest force on the Northern Continent, after the Sword God Family and the Lounan Dynasty!

Not to be underestimated!

After repeatedly reading the book, Lin Bai memorized its contents and then put it away.

"Since I’m wearing the mask, I’ll avoid using the sword for now..."

"I’ll only draw the sword when absolutely necessary!"

"If the opponent isn’t strong, I can handle it with my fists!"

Lin Bai said to himself quietly.

"The Fighting Arena might be the fastest way for me to earn three hundred thousand merits!" Lin Bai’s eyes darkened, a hint of killing intent rising!

Soon, the night passed, and dawn approached.

Before the morning sun had risen in the east, Lin Bai left the Tang Family, heading to the Fighting Arena!

Ban Ye stood early in the courtyard, saw Lin Bai off, and gave him a few parting words.

Ban Ye knew that every day, fighters scheduled to appear in the Fighting Arena had to go there before dawn to prepare!