Nearly all [Zihoadao] city was in an uproar since morning. Rumors circulated since the previous day, but now with the official announcement and the notice on both arena squares, it gave no room to doubt.

[Tomorrow, at Dragon Hour, the Conqueror of the Arena for the Beginner Warrior Lord will take place. Challengers, all ten Arena Masters will fight acceptant Bai Qi in ten bouts, to be one after another.]

The Conqueror challenge was very rare by itself, with only a few instances recorded in the hundred years' history of the separated arenas. But, for the challengers to be the Arena Masters themselves? It was simply unheard of.

Anywhere in the city where one went, one would hear people discussing the upcoming fight.

"Heavens! Just who is this, Bai Qi?

I heard that someone of that name fought yesterday in the arena.

Oi, brother, you didn't hear? He showed a 4-level prowess!

Really?! But that's of the realm of personal disciples of the [Great Forest]!

And I heard that there was some cheating incident that the [Yi Clan] manager didn't detect, and because of Bai Qi's help, it was revealed!

Then it's no wonder why he gets such treatment and the interest of the masters."

The event promised to attract the attention of nearly every person. And so, not even the extraordinary location didn't appear surprising. After all, such an exceptional challenge, why would it not happen in the Main Arena, the one meant for the Region's Ranking Board?

***

Talks about Bai Qi and the upcoming event weren't only taking place on the streets, taverns, teahouses, inns, and courthouses. Even the City Lord's Palace wasn't left untouched, although for far different reasons.

With the [Yi Company] leader, Yi Cheng, having responded to the call of the region's overlord along with most of his Warrior Kings, it was the City Lord, Yi Lao, taking care of the entire city. And while one could say that a Warrior Emperor's standing was far above a mere Warrior Lord fight, it didn't mean Lord Yi could ignore it.

"Yi Bingwen, your handling of the situation was adequate, although you should have arranged a meeting between our Clan and that [Void Palace] elder, He Delan, was it? It is not every day we get a visit by someone from the powers that the Great Sect shower with such attention." Yi Lao, serving as the City Lord and temporarily assuming both the leadership of the [Yi Company] and the entire [Yi Clan], muttered while looking at the bowing elder.

"I am truly ashamed of my miss, Lord." While respected in the clan, Yi Bingwen's standing was one of a low-tier member, and a private meeting with someone like Yi Lao was in the realm of miracles. Thus, the old senior manager did not even dare to stop bowing.

"Ahh, as I said, your handling wasn't bad, and there will be a chance after the challenge." Yi Lao dismissed the apology, showing that he wasn't expecting one, and continued after a brief pause, "Now, speaking of that challenge, what is your prognostication for it? Will this Bai Qi repeat the feat of Fu Jin?"

"May I give my honest impression?"

"Yes, that's why I asked." Yi Lao hurried the old man with a hint of impatience.

"Then, with Lord's permission, I will say that in a battle with rest periods, Bai Qi would win without a doubt."

"Hoh? And here I was wondering why the challenge would be one of follow-up matches. Was it your idea?" Yi Lao had only briefly skimmed through the information gathered on Bai Qi, so he was somewhat surprised to hear such high praise.

"No, the conditions were arranged by Bai Qi and the [Deep Soul Gaze Princess], He Liling."

"I see. Then everything should be fine." Yi Lao nodded to his thoughts.

While the [Yi Clan] would never interfere or muddle the challenges and duels in the city, the losses from someone Conquering an arena weren't something to scoff at...

***

"Liling, tell me, who will be able to defeat him?" In one of the most luxurious manors of the city, one of the few that didn't have the [Yi Clan] characters engraved, a white-haired lady with an aura of a Warrior Emperor asked the girl standing in front.

"I am unsure, grandma Zhu. He's strong, and if I am unsuccessful, then it will probably fall on that man."

"Not even a hint of hope for the others? I see, so you think he's the one we need?"

"If he wins against Yi Lei, then..."

"He will be the one indeed. And if he's not lying about being a rogue cultivator, the better." The aged cultivator concluded.

About a mile overhead [Budding Lake] courtyard's protective formation;

"[Steel Fang] beastmen, rogue cultivators, and a [Void Palace] elder-disciple pair, huh? Now that's some interesting company he keeps." A figure hidden in the void mumbled to itself.

"But no matter. You will serve me the same as the now-dead idiot. And then, no matter who protects you... You will die." After whispering another phrase, the cloaked figure vanished from the spot.

***

"What happened?!" A guard dressed in the colors of the [Yi Clan] shouted as he approached a few of his companions that stood guard near a cell, now opened, of the city prison.

"I... We don't know! He was whining and cursing in there, and then we felt how his life signature disappeared!" One of the guards, a peak Warrior Lord, pointed to a chained man inside the cell, one displaying no signs of life and whose soul and mind were already starting to disappear.

"Damn, we will be skinned alive by the Lord!" The guard moaned out loud before asking, "Did any formation catch on anything? He was sealed and had severe wounds. How could he end his life?!"

"There is no way for that to happen, but there was no one here. I am sure of it!" Another guard half-reported half-despaired, aware of what consequences they would face for allowing a prisoner, especially one important to the clan, to die on their watch.

"Don't enter the room, don't touch anything. I will get the commander and Master Deng." Reaching the conclusion that it was better to act in place of lingering on the spot, the recently arrived guard half-shouted while turning around and breaking into a full-speed dash.

A garden inside one of the [Yi Clan] owned courtyards;

"Old friend, I am really delighted that you chose to stay here for another day." A nearly-bald man smiled while slightly raising the cup in his right hand. His smile made his wrinkled face look a steamed bun, and while half-hidden by his bushy, greyed-by-age eyebrows, shimmered with unhidden pleasure.

"How could not I? Your spirit-heir will fight tomorrow! So what if we arrive a bit later than expected?" The man on the other side of the table answered similarly, raising his cup while smiling.

"I am sorry that I may fall to be in peak condition for your own fight, though." Seemingly a man that didn't hide his emotions, at least from his current companion, the first man wryly smiled.

"Don't worry about that, brother. I only asked you to organize it, not to fight it on my behalf!" Accompanying his words with a reassuring smile, the second man inclined his cup in a toast, "For the victory of our little boy."

*Clink*

"Hahahaha, little you say! But victory? That I will drink, even if I am unsure about the results. It will be a good experience for him."

"Now, about my duel with Lai Luoyang, you truly think he will dare to do something on [Zihoadao]?"

"I did have a few people monitor the courtyard of his sect, but they haven't seen anything strange. Yet, you really think that such trash will fight you cleanly?"

"Who knows? It's not like he can ignore the rules of the death match stages, whatever support he may have."

"That's for sure, but at the same time, it's what worries me most. Lai Luoyang knows your strength, and after meeting him, I can say you aren't equal, especially in the knowledge part. He's still the vice-head of that arrogant and sneaky bastard, and I doubt he's looking to die. So either he plans something or has a trump card you don't know about."

"While the [Shimmering Earth] sectmaster isn't present, and the [Sea Forest Palace] keeps ignoring our duel, I don't see anything to fear." The Lord of [Heibei], Xu Wen, shrugged.

"Let's hope it is so. Let's hope it is." The first man wryly smiled, but then his worried smile turned into a grin as he asked, "I wonder what kind of face Lai Luoyang would make if he knew that the current uproar is being caused by the same boy involved with that, very regretful, incident with the [Shimmering Earth] courtyard in your town."

"Very regretful, indeed, hahaha. Not that his sect will ever find, right?" Xu Wen's grin mirrored the one of his counterpart as he motioned to show that his lips were sealed.

"Oh, indeed. Your guard commander, Deng, was it? Now that's some way to handle everything."

"Mmm, while we drank to the victory of your heir, young Gao, I would feel bad not to support the other youngster, Bai Qi, during the other combats. So, brother Xin, excuse me for that in advance."

"He now calls himself Xinhuai, as if he finished preparing and inherited my spirit! You know what, support Bai Qi how much you want, heavens, I will do it myself even. Gao-er probably will benefit more from losing than winning!" Showing such disloyalty towards his heir, the nearly-bald peak Warrior King laughed out loud, quickly followed by his old-time friend, [Heibei] Lord, Xu Wen.

In an unknown location inside the forest covering [Pride Island];

Several men, dressed in mismatched colors, wearing robes, fur-lined vests, and even half-naked, stood around a woman of uncanny beauty.

This latter stood tall among what looked to be a group of strays surronding a true queen and showed no sign of being uncomfortable by the company.

"Chief, are you sure we will be able to flee the city after we finish?" One of the men, taller and burlier than the rest and the only one with a semblance of an authentic martial attire on his back, asked the woman, revealing her as the leader of this unlawful looking group.

"There are only a few young cultivators and some old fossils of that clan in the city now. Of them, only two are Warrior Emperors. Thus tell me, why wouldn't we?" The woman answered in haughty manner without even looking at the man who spoke.

"And their watchdogs? The fighters of the arenas?" Not showing any reaction to the treatment, the man continued questioning.

"Mere Warrior Lords, most of them not even close to the peak. Why would we care about them?" The woman answered as previously, but this time released a small amount of aura. One that still revealed her cultivation and was enough to make most men close to her quiver.

"Understood. We, swore to follow the [Man Family] and will do so." The man nodded, inclining his head in a bow-like salute.

"As it should be. While inside, don't forget to find and pick up that fool of the Shi clan. His information was helpful, and while leaving him sounds appealing, we need to return him to the wetlands. Now, disperse, enter the city, prepare. Start as soon as that fight, challenge, or whatever concludes." A voice from another woman, who remained unseen even now, brought closure to the discussion.

And one could only guess just who where this strange people? What were they planning to do in [Zihoadao]? And if they were not related, then how would they affect Bai Qi and his group?