Chapter 376: Who is the Real Prey

Chapter 376: Chapter 376: Who is the Real Prey

In front of everyone, Di Heng pointed at Yi Xiaoyao and declared he was only there to kill him!

The moment the words left his mouth, Yi Xiaoyao’s pupils constricted. The powerful Momentum radiating from Di Heng was that of a peak Void-Entering Realm expert. If he wanted to kill Yi Xiaoyao, it would be far too simple.

The onlookers all wore strange expressions, though the situation was not entirely unexpected. After all, Di Shen’s Alchemy Mastery had marked him as a top-tier genius. Now that his cultivation was crippled, he could no longer refine Elixirs, no matter how profound his mastery. It was only natural that Di Heng would be driven to madness.

The elder from the Holy Pill Academy frowned. The Red Butterfly Saint Witch had indeed instructed that this session of the Alchemy Dao Arena was only open to promising youths, but the very definition of "youth" was difficult to pin down by a specific age.

"Very well. But the Alchemy Dao Arena has its own rules. Those who enter must act according to them, or face the consequences."

Surprisingly, the elder didn’t refuse Di Heng. Instead, he went straight to explaining the rules.

Just then, the massive crimson gate behind the crowd let out a thunderous roar and swung open.

Within the crimson gate lay a great, crimson avenue.

At its end, the avenue split into nine medium-sized roads.

Each of these nine medium-sized roads then split again at their ends into nine smaller paths.

In total, there were eighty-one paths that began to intersect and weave together. Each path had dozens of intersections, forming something akin to a labyrinth.

At the very end, a palace materialized on the final avenue, while high walls and a series of checkpoints rose up along the edges of all the other paths.

Everyone who witnessed this was filled with shock and bewilderment, as they had never seen an Alchemy Dao Arena in this form before.

"Everyone, you have now seen it, have you not? This Alchemy Dao Arena was formed from the Domain Space of the Red Butterfly Saint Witch. It is unlike any other."

The presiding elder looked at the crowd and announced, "And this session of the Alchemy Dao Arena is called the Danwu Association!"

The Danwu Association!

Everyone’s expression changed in shock. Among the participants, the faces of many turned grim.

This was because the Danwu Association wasn’t just a contest of Alchemy Mastery, but also of combat prowess—a comprehensive competition combining the Alchemy Dao and the Martial Dao!

Most of these Alchemists had immersed themselves in the Alchemy Dao, neglecting their Martial Dao to some extent. Compounding this, the participants’ ages and strengths varied wildly, making the competition seem completely unfair.

Some were happy, some were dismayed. Upon hearing the rules, however, Di Heng broke into a wide grin. This would make it all the more convenient for him to kill Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao, on the other hand, frowned even more deeply. ’Just as I expected,’ he thought. ’The Red Butterfly Saint Witch’s test for me is a combination of the Alchemy Dao and the Martial Dao.’

’But this situation is too difficult for me. Di Heng alone is an impossible problem to solve!’

The presiding elder took in everyone’s reactions, his own expression as calm and unruffled as an ancient well as he continued his explanation.

"The Alchemy Dao Arena contains eighty-one paths, and thus, there are only eighty-one entry slots. Each person may enter only one path."

"On these paths are numerous checkpoints, each one testing your Alchemy Mastery. Those who fail will proceed no further."

"Furthermore, every path intersects with others, creating a labyrinth with numerous dead ends. Only nine paths truly lead to the final avenue."

"Each intersection will seal itself after a single person passes through. Therefore, you must fight over these intersections. In the end, only nine people will be able to set foot on the final avenue!"

"As for the palace at the end of the final avenue, only one person may enter. Inside that palace lies the Alchemy Dao inheritance of the Red Butterfly Saint Witch."

The presiding elder’s words made the participants’ hearts pound with even greater fear.

Fighting over the intersections, competing for the nine paths to survival, and the final struggle to enter the palace—all this contention meant that combat was inevitable!

"There are eighty-one paths. Choose for yourselves. No fighting is permitted before you enter a path. Once you enter, you are responsible for your own life and death!"

As the presiding elder’s final words fell, the Danwu Association officially began.

Yi Xiaoyao stared at the red gate before him, his face etched with hesitation. But in the next moment, he heard cries of alarm from those who had already passed through.

"Why has my cultivation been suppressed by three layers?"

"My cultivation has been suppressed by one layer!"

"Why am I fine?"

"I’m fine as well."

This phenomenon left those still outside bewildered. Yi Xiaoyao’s hesitant expression also shifted into a curious one.

Soon, Yi Xiaoyao seemed to have figured something out. A faint smile touched his lips, and with a flash of movement, he rushed through the giant gate.

After entering the giant gate, Yi Xiaoyao discovered that, unlike some of the others, his cultivation had not been suppressed.

As more people entered the gate and he observed their reactions, Yi Xiaoyao became absolutely certain of his theory.

Of those who entered the gate, anyone whose cultivation was suppressed was on the older side. The older they were, the more severe the suppression.

The Critical Point for this suppression seemed to be around the age of twenty-five. Anyone under twenty-five was unaffected, and Yi Xiaoyao naturally fell into this category.

But Di Heng, as Di Shen’s father, was already over forty. His cultivation would absolutely be suppressed.

’I wonder... just how much will that guy’s cultivation be suppressed?’

At this thought, Yi Xiaoyao turned to look back at Di Heng, a strange smile playing on his lips.

Di Heng, however, was long since blinded by hatred. He was staring daggers at Yi Xiaoyao, completely oblivious to such details.

Seeing Yi Xiaoyao enter the gate, Di Heng let out a cold, cruel sneer and charged in right after him.

Di Heng was brimming with confidence. As a peak Void-Entering master, killing Yi Xiaoyao would be as easy as flipping his hand.

But the very next moment, just as he stepped through the gate, his expression changed drastically.

Di Heng discovered a powerful force within the gate that was forcibly suppressing his cultivation, pushing it down from its original peak of the Void-Entering Realm.

’The Fourth Layer of the Void-Entering Realm?’

Yi Xiaoyao sensed the man’s Qi. He had been suppressed by a full five layers. Yi Xiaoyao grinned. ’Looks like this won’t be as troublesome as I thought.’

At that moment, everyone who had entered the gate recalled something.

The presiding elder had said, "The Alchemy Dao Arena is open to promising young people." Now, under this suppression, the advantages of youth and potential were on full display.

Di Heng was first stunned by the suppression of his cultivation. Then, seeing Yi Xiaoyao’s mocking smile, he seemed to understand what the young man was thinking and began to laugh as well.

"Do you think you’ll survive today just because my cultivation has been suppressed? Even at the Fourth Layer of the Void-Entering Realm, killing you will still be child’s play."

Di Heng snarled at Yi Xiaoyao, his teeth gritted. "I hope you can last that long. Don’t you dare get killed by someone else! You are my prey today. Even if I don’t obtain the Alchemy Dao inheritance, I will kill you with my own two hands!"

Yi Xiaoyao just smiled, the oppressive weight in his heart long since cast to the winds.

’Because from the moment I stepped through that gate, the roles of hunter and prey have been reversed.’

"I also hope we meet again," Yi Xiaoyao replied. "Then you’ll find out just who is the hunter... and who is the prey."

With that, Yi Xiaoyao paid the man no more mind and walked directly into one of the eighty-one entrances before him.

...