Chapter 121: Fortune Is Found in Peril

Ye Jiuyao approached the black bear cautiously. The beast seemed to sense his presence and let out a roar in his direction. However, the black bear remained unable to strike; it appeared to be bound by some invisible force that prevented it from attacking anyone outside the arena.

"Challenger, victory brings reward, defeat brings death!"

Only after stepping closer did Ye Jiuyao notice the mosquito-sized text on the stone tablet. He silently rejoiced that he hadn't rushed in blindly.

"Damn, that’s so underhanded! Writing it so small—if I hadn't been vigilant, I would have lost my life here today. Still, fortune favors the bold. I’ll take the gamble; who knows, maybe I’ll trade a popgun for a cannon."

Ye Jiuyao made up his mind instantly. He turned his gaze toward the black bear and projected his spiritual sense, but he could detect no cultivation energy, not even a trace of demonic aura. He realized that the Canglang Map must be suppressing external perception to create a trial of high stakes and high rewards, testing one's courage. If you bet right, you gain great wealth; if you bet wrong, you end up under six feet of dirt.

Gritting his teeth, Ye Jiuyao stepped into the arena.

"Hey, black bear, let’s not fight. Let's just get along..."

"Roar!"

The response was a fierce, thunderous roar, followed by a massive, fleshy paw descending from above. Hearing the whistling wind of the strike, Ye Jiuyao felt a surge of excitement. He braced his stance and threw a punch.

"Eat this!"

"Boom!"

The collision of fist and paw unleashed a terrifying storm of power that ravaged the surroundings, ripples of energy spreading outward like water in a lake. However, before these ripples could travel far, they were neutralized by the power governing the arena.

The black bear, seeing the small human block its strike, grew furious and lashed out again with even greater, unrestrained power.

"Roar!"

"Sss... Still coming?"

Seeing the massive paw descending again, Ye Jiuyao had no time to circulate his vital energy to soothe the pain in his hand. He was forced to parry in a hurry.

"Bang!"

Ye Jiuyao was sent flying by a single blow.

"Cough, cough... That was a heavy blow. You forced my hand."

Suppressing the pain, Ye Jiuyao’s eyes turned cold. He instantly circulated his internal energy, and with a soft "poof," the Heavenly Demon Fire ignited upon his palms.

"How about some roasted bear? Then I'll finish you off."

The Heavenly Demon Fire flared, its searing heat washing over the black bear. Surprisingly, the beast showed no fear; it simply swatted at the flames.

"Damn it! Are you cheating? Even Great Demons fear this fire, so why are you perfectly fine?" Ye Jiuyao shouted, but the bear responded with a mountain-shaking charge, barreling straight toward him.

"Still at it? Fine, let's see how I handle this monster!"

With a roar, Ye Jiuyao summoned his Star Staff, which erupted with flowing light. Without hesitation, he swung the heavy staff with all his might.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Each strike was louder than the last, landing squarely on the black bear. But the beast’s hide was so thick and tough that the impact left Ye Jiuyao’s hands numb.

"Dammit, I suspect you’re hacking! I’m going to report you to Lady Xuan..."

Ye Jiuyao kicked off the bear's body to retreat into a corner, rubbing his numbing hands and muttering under his breath.

"ROAR!"

This time, the black bear’s roar was even louder. Its eyes were bloodshot, and its paws grew to an enormous size.

"Holy crap, it can go into a frenzy too?!"

Ye Jiuyao looked on in horror. He realized that without using his martial skills, relying solely on basic energy and physical strength, he was no match for this beast.

"At least... the Heaven-Human Realm!" he concluded.

"Let’s try this... Starfall!"

Ye Jiuyao fixed his gaze on the bear with a grave expression. If he had a blade or a sword, he might have finished this easily. But with only a staff, the bear felt nothing, and his own hands were suffering. He found it annoying that he couldn't use energy-condensed swords due to the restrictions of this place.

"Starfall!"

Seeing the black bear charging, Ye Jiuyao didn't hesitate. He unleashed the technique instantly. He held back, however, only manifesting three stars. Within the confines of the arena, the scale of the technique was reduced, but its terrifying power remained undiminished as it swept forward.

The energy stars, carrying immense pressure, crushed the air as they flew. Ye Jiuyao wasn't worried about destroying the arena; the Canglang Map surely possessed absolute defensive power.

"Roar! Roar! Roar..."

The black bear let out a series of bellows, pounding its own chest frantically as if trying to kill itself.

Ye Jiuyao, experienced and worldly, didn't see it that way.

"What the... hell! How can the Canglang Map be so pitiless? A move that sacrifices one's own health to deal damage? Why does it have to be a sacrificial technique?!"

Ye Jiuyao questioned the absurdity of it all, but he didn't hesitate to push the stars forward again. The black bear let out a ferocious roar, unleashing absolute power, coughing up a mouthful of blood as its aura surged.

Ye Jiuyao’s pupils contracted. His Star Staff hummed, eager for battle.

"Star Staff Technique!"

Seeing the bear’s explosive power, Ye Jiuyao held nothing back. He lunged forward, staff in hand. Draining all the energy from his body, he unleashed a flurry of staff shadows, pushing his strength to the absolute limit.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The echoes sounded like thunder. The terrifying power of the stars enveloped the sky and slammed into the black bear.

"Bang!"

The two forces collided, erupting in blinding light. The shockwave ravaged the arena, sending Ye Jiuyao flying backward. But the bear fared no better; having forcibly tapped into power that didn't belong to it, it was already wounded, and this had only added injury to injury.

"Fall..."

Ye Jiuyao watched the black bear weakly, a smile on his face. He had exhausted every ounce of strength to finally slay the beast.

"Thud!"

Suddenly, the black bear’s body collapsed like a falling mountain, motionless. A stream of energy flowed from the carcass, turning into a ray of light that drilled into Ye Jiuyao’s body.

"This is..."

Before he could react, the mysterious power surged through him, transforming into vital energy that nourished his entire body. His exhausted frame was replenished, and he felt filled with vigor. He clenched his fists and smiled.

He glanced at where the black bear had fallen, his eyes gleaming with the greedy glint of someone smelling a fortune.

This time... he had hit the jackpot.