My Arts Evolve When Perfected

"How about this, Jiang Qiu? As long as you can win your fiftieth match, I will guarantee Zhu Weiyi’s release. However, I hope you’ll agree to fight the expert at the Peak of the Fusion Realm I mentioned earlier, regardless of the outcome."

Life is a grand gamble. Faced with such a massive disparity—the first level of the Spirit Body Realm versus the Peak of the Fusion Realm—Celestial Star still chose to believe that Jiang Qiu had a sliver of a chance.

Never mind anything else, just the fact that Jiang Qiu had been instantly killing experts at the Peak of the Dao Entry Realm without even using his full strength was astounding. Even an ordinary cultivator at the Initial Tier of the Fusion Realm might not be able to pull off such a feat. After all, the geniuses Jiang Qiu had killed were all Demon Level.

’Besides, he’d always suspected Jiang Qiu was hiding his true Realm. His methods were so brilliant that even an expert of his caliber, a Harmonization Realm master, couldn’t see through them.’

’Therefore, Jiang Qiu’s combat prowess could likely be considered on par with the Fusion Realm. He wouldn’t be instantly defeated so easily.’

’Even if Jiang Qiu couldn’t defeat that prodigy of prodigies, he could always start over. The Celestial Star Arena didn’t actually require opponents to be killed. If they gave Jiang Qiu a chance to start again, he was confident the boy could reach a forty-nine-win streak again in a short period.’

As for surpassing the record set by Wu?

’What a joke. How many years of matchmaking would that take? You need to actually fight to have a winning streak. If there are no opponents, how could he possibly complete ninety-nine matches?’

He’d never even considered something so unrealistic. All he wanted now was for Jiang Qiu to generate a massive revenue stream for his Celestial Star Arena.

"Regardless of the outcome?" After a moment of thought, Jiang Qiu was tempted. He was here to save Zhu Weiyi, after all, not to break records in the Celestial Star Arena. "Sir, you know as well as I do that the gap between the first level of the Spirit Body Realm and the Peak of the Fusion Realm is immense. I’m afraid my opponent could... with a single finger..."

"Don’t worry," Celestial Star said, his tone firm. "I will personally ensure your safety. What matters in this fight is participation. As long as you surrender the moment you feel outmatched, he won’t land a killing blow.

To be honest, I just want the hype surrounding you two to collide. It will build momentum for my Celestial Star Arena and earn me a greater profit. It doesn’t have to be a fight to the death.

So, what do you say?"

"In that case..." Jiang Qiu paused, then nodded. "Alright. I’ll accept this challenge. I hope you, Sir, can arrange for someone to look after my elder."

"Not a problem."

The deal was done. Celestial Star was pleased. "I’ll go notify the other party of the match. The fight will officially begin in seven days. When the time comes, I’ll arrange a massive promotional campaign for you both.

I will bring the full might of the Celestial Star Arena to bear and proclaim it to the world!"

"Thank you, Sir!"

...

Deep within the Celestial Star Arena, in the slave resting area, Zhu Weiyi was having a rather fine lunch. There was a jelly-like dessert, a delicious drink that tasted like coconut milk, and food made from the kernels of various fruits. Another filling meal.

He didn’t know what was going on these last few days. The food just kept getting better. It started with withered Oasis Fruits, then fresh ones, then some clean local dishes, and now this feast of foods he couldn’t even name. It felt as delicious and ominous as a condemned man’s last meal.

Whenever he asked the staff, they would only say someone had sent it, offering no further details about who.

’Who could I possibly know here in the Desolate Realm?’

Muttering to himself, he drifted into his memories. But all the comrades and companions in his mind were already dead, fallen in the arena. He was the only one left alive.

’Let alone anyone from the outside world. This place was like an Other Realm to him; how could I have any ’brothers’ in an Other Realm?’

He had been alone in this cell for over a decade, tormented by terrible food for so long. Now that he could finally enjoy a few good meals, he savored it. It didn’t matter if it was his last meal.

’At least I get to eat something good before I die. That’s so much better than how they ended up...’

As the thought lingered, a bitter tear escaped the corner of his eye. He wiped it away, overcome with emotion. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered his reverie.

CLICK—

The door opened. The guard who usually brought his meals entered, accompanying a person who looked like a secretary and a man who was clearly an important figure. The important man smiled at him. "You must be Zhu Weiyi of the Human Race, correct?"

"Yes... I am," Zhu Weiyi replied, startled. He couldn’t help but tense up. "Is something wrong?"

He recognized this man. At the slave proclamation assembly, this was the man sitting in the highest seat—the general manager of the entire slave sector. He was, without a doubt, one of the top brass at the Celestial Star Arena.

"Haha, no need to be nervous. Relax," the important man said, waving his hand dismissively. He then raised an eyebrow at the secretary, whose aura was nearly as impressive as his own. "Well? Go on, unlock his shackles."

The secretary flinched, then immediately retrieved a key from their storage space—one specifically for the special-made shackles—and scurried over.

CLICK. The shackles came undone. A long-suppressed power surged back into Zhu Weiyi’s body. He felt his strength returning, his Spirit Charm restored. He could now easily sense the cultivation Realms of those around him.

In reality, however, while he could tell the guard who brought his food was at the Initial Tier of the Dao Entry Realm, he couldn’t see through the Realms of the important man or the secretary at all. They were unfathomably profound.

’He had a gut feeling that if any of them wanted him dead, they could crush him with a single finger!’

At this thought, a sense of confusion washed over him. ’What is going on?’