Everyone reaped tremendous benefits from the half-day of training. Although Zhang Hua and Wang Zhuang had primarily joined to study spiritual arrays, they also walked the path of martial cultivation. However, because their aptitude for martial cultivation was only average, they had no choice but to devote most of their energy to spiritual arrays.

"Enter the classroom. The class will be taught by Mentor Ye this time," Liu Wuxie said.

Teaching every day was out of the question for him, as it would consume far too much of his time. He still needed to reserve a significant portion of his schedule for his own cultivation.

After the students entered the classroom, Ye Linghan focused mainly on teaching martial cultivation theory while also covering spiritual arrays and alchemy. Compared to the other mentors, she carried herself with far greater dedication. Since the class had only a few students, everyone actively shared insights, allowing Xiang Rulong and the others to gain considerable benefits in just half a day.

Back in his room, Liu Wuxie sat cross-legged and circulated the Desolate Devouring Art as he entered cultivation.

"Resources! I need more resources!" Liu Wuxie muttered.

His stockpile of immortal stones was dwindling at a constant rate, and this situation couldn't continue indefinitely. Even with the Heavenly Destiny Alchemy art in his possession, he couldn't refine heaven-defying pills without the proper herbs.

Immortal energy from within a radius of ten thousand meters converged above Liu Wuxie's head, instantly attracting the attention of countless people. It wasn't until dusk arrived that Ye Linghan finally dismissed the class.

Aside from Xiao Qian and Shi Wa, the rest of the students left the Azure Flame Dao Hall. While some students chose to remain within the Dao Hall, they were required to pay a monthly lodging fee. The Azure Flame Dao Hall had specially prepared residences for those students. Only a handful of students returned home each night before coming back the following morning.

As darkness settled over the area, Shi Wa cultivated quietly in the courtyard while Xiao Qian busied herself preparing a meal.

"Mentor, please save Big Brother Diao!" Ren Fanfan cried as she rushed into the courtyard.

Liu Wuxie withdrew from cultivation after being startled by her voice. Retracting his aura, he stepped out of his room.

"Slow down. What happened?" Ye Linghan asked, setting aside things in her hand.

Ye Linghan had personally nurtured Diao Jiuzhi, Liang Han, and Ren Fanfan. Although their cultivation levels weren't particularly high, they were obedient students with respectable talent.

"Big Brother Diao said he wanted to earn immortal stones after the class and not keep leeching off Mentor Ye," Ren Fanfan said anxiously as tears streamed down her cheeks.

No one could really blame them for feeling that way. Over the past six months, Ye Linghan had sacrificed a great deal to teach them free of charge. Back when she had no other students, it hadn't been an issue.

Now that Xiang Rulong and the others had joined, those students were paying immortal stones to the Azure Flame Dao Hall for instruction. The three of them felt uncomfortable continuing to learn for free. Naturally, they worried that the other students might develop opinions about it.

"Where are Diao Jiuzhi and Liang Han now?" Liu Wuxie asked. He understood their feelings perfectly. They felt as though they were living under someone else's roof and didn't even dare to ask questions in class, fearing they might delay others' studies.

"They went to the underground fight club!" Ren Fanfan explained as she wiped away her tears.

Shortly after class ended, Diao Jiuzhi had brought Liang Han and Ren Fanfan to the underground fight club in Eastern Emperor City. That place hosted underground death matches and had earned a reputation for extreme brutality. Unless circumstances pushed someone into a corner, they would never willingly go there.

Every match in the underground fight club was a life-or-death battle that ended only when one participant died. However, those who continued to win could amass enormous resources, and many people there became rich overnight.

Diao Jiuzhi had likely gone there for exactly that reason. He wanted to obtain a large amount of immortal stones. There were two primary ways to earn immortal stones at the underground fight club. The first involved placing wagers, allowing participants to multiply their wealth if they guessed correctly. Compared to the alternative, this method carried relatively little risk.

The second option required stepping into the arena personally. Victorious fighters could earn large sums of immortal stones, but they also gambled with their lives. According to Ren Fanfan's account, Diao Jiuzhi had chosen the latter and entered the arena himself.

"Wuxie, we can't just watch them die there!" Ye Linghan said. After spending half a year together, she had long regarded them as her own disciples. Now that her disciples were in danger, there was no way she could stand by and do nothing.

"Shi Wa and Xiao Qian stay behind. Ren Fanfan, lead the way," Liu Wuxie said. He made his decision without hesitation, hoping they still had enough time.

He had only served as a mentor for a single day, yet trouble was already knocking at his door. If Diao Jiuzhi and Liang Han were to die, the mentors who already wanted him gone would undoubtedly seize this opportunity to target him.

The three quickly departed from the Azure Flame Dao Hall. Along the way, Ren Fanfan informed Liu Wuxie that Diao Jiuzhi had registered as a fighter, though nobody knew whether he had already entered the arena. In the underground fight club, participants were identified only by numbers, not by name.

Fifteen minutes later, the trio arrived in Eastern Emperor City. After crossing several streets, they spotted a row of buildings ahead. At the center stood a massive iron gate guarded by two spirit immortals.

Night had only recently fallen, meaning the underground fight club should have just begun its operations. Liu Wuxie could only pray they weren't already too late.

"Every person must pay one hundred immortal stones to enter," one of the guards said, blocking their path. Anyone wishing to enter the underground fight club had to pay an admission fee, as the club did not grant free entry.

Ye Linghan took out three hundred immortal stones and tossed them toward the burly guard on the left. The guard on the right opened the iron gate and motioned for them to proceed. Beyond the gate, a lengthy staircase with more than a hundred steps led deep underground.

The moment they stepped inside, a cacophony of voices drifted up from below. Upon reaching the foot of the staircase, they were greeted by a sprawling underground world. The sheer size of the venue exceeded all of Liu Wuxie's expectations.

A dense smell of blood permeated the air. The underground complex covered an enormous area and was separated into several sections.

The place was already packed with people. More than ten thousand individuals filled the underground venue, their voices blending into a deafening roar. Four separate regions existed, each corresponding to the Heavenly Immortal Realm, the High Immortal Realm, the True Immortal Realm, and the Spirit Immortal Realm. There was no area designated for profound immortals, as cultivators of that level would never participate in underground combat.

Everyone who came here sought a quick way to earn resources. Profound immortals possessed countless other methods to acquire wealth, so they had no reason to choose such a dangerous path.

In truth, the underground fight club was nothing more than a giant casino where human lives served as the stakes.

Since Diao Jiuzhi had reached the fourth-level High Immortal Realm, Liu Wuxie headed directly toward the High Immortal Realm section. By the time they arrived, the area was already overflowing with spectators, while thunderous roars echoed from within a gigantic cage. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Ye Linghan released her profound immortal aura, prompting the surrounding crowd to step aside. Within Eastern Emperor City, profound immortals enjoyed considerable status.

A loud explosion suddenly erupted from within the cage as someone suffered a direct punch. Blood splattered across the interior of the cage, and several droplets even landed on Liu Wuxie's face.

"Mentor, you're finally here! Quick, save Big Brother Diao!" a skinny youth, Liang Han, cried out. He had been leaning against the edge of the cage when he spotted Liu Wuxie and Ye Linghan. He rushed over and nearly dropped to his knees. Tears and snot covered his face, as he had never witnessed such cruelty before.

In this place, killing someone was no different from crushing an ant. Every fighter had endured countless battles and become a terrifying opponent under equal conditions. To make the matches even more entertaining, the underground fight club actively trained its own fighters, turning them into ruthless killing machines.

Liu Wuxie looked into the cage and saw Diao Jiuzhi barely clinging to life after suffering a devastating blow to the chest. Every fighter wore a number instead of a name, and Diao Jiuzhi wore number seven. His opponent was Fighter Three, a veteran participant who had remained in the arena for an extended period. Since rewards doubled after each victory, he had no intention of leaving.

As the challenger, Diao Jiuzhi had likely entered the arena only moments ago before suffering defeat.

"Don't worry. We'll save him," Ye Linghan said. She prepared to force open the cage and rescue Diao Jiuzhi by brute force.

However, Liu Wuxie stopped her. Anyone capable of operating such a business undoubtedly possessed a powerful background. If Ye Linghan acted recklessly, she would only provoke forces they couldn't afford to offend. Not only would they fail to save Diao Jiuzhi, but they might also lose their own lives.

Although profound immortals held respectable status in Eastern Emperor City, they were far from being true experts. Above them stood origin immortals and divine immortals. A single origin immortal could easily slaughter all of them.

"What should we do then?" Ye Linghan asked anxiously.

Meanwhile, Fighter Three continued walking toward Diao Jiuzhi. Since matches only ended when one combatant died, the outcome was yet to be determined.

"Kill him! Kill him!" the surrounding spectators shouted. Their eyes had already turned bloodshot as murderous excitement consumed them.

Fighter Three raised his foot high into the air before bringing it down toward Diao Jiuzhi's chest. If that stomp landed, Diao Jiuzhi would be crushed into pulp instantly.

Ren Fanfan had already closed her eyes, unable to watch what would happen next. At the same time, Ye Linghan quietly circulated her frost energy, prepared to intervene at any moment.

Just as Fighter Three's foot was about to descend, the Divine Mystic Yin Needle appeared from nowhere. It sliced past Fighter Three's right foot, spraying blood into the air.

Startled, Fighter Three immediately pulled back his foot, turned toward Liu Wuxie, and shouted, "You dare break the rules?!"

Liu Wuxie hadn't attempted to conceal the source of the attack, allowing Fighter Three to pinpoint its origin. In the underground fight club, the rules prohibited anyone from interfering with matches. Not even profound immortals were exempt from that rule. Liu Wuxie's actions instantly drew attention.

"This brat is courting death! How dare he violate the underground fight club's rules!" many cultivators exclaimed.

Most of the people present were high immortals and true immortals, though a few spirit immortals were also present among the crowd. Compared to them, a first-level High Immortal like Liu Wuxie was relatively insignificant.

Two overwhelming auras suddenly descended and pressed down upon Liu Wuxie.

"The Yin-Yang Elders have arrived! Let's see how he dies now!"

The appearance of the two elders instantly silenced the area. The spectators only dared whisper among themselves and no longer spoke openly.

"I remember someone breaking the rules a few days ago. They chopped him into pieces and threw his remains outside!"

Hearing those whispers, Ye Linghan immediately became vigilant.

The Yin-Yang Elders appeared directly in front of Liu Wuxie. Their opposing auras locked onto him like two venomous serpents. The killing intent radiating from them made it obvious they had slaughtered countless people. Their duty was to maintain order within the underground fight club and execute anyone who dared violate its rules. And Liu Wuxie had undoubtedly violated those rules.

"Come with us," the Yin-Yang Elders demanded, so he wouldn't further disrupt the spectators. As for where they intended to take him, everyone present already knew the answer.

"I want him to live," Liu Wuxie said as he pointed toward Diao Jiuzhi inside the cage.