Not far from the Zhang family's VIP seating.
Liu Han, with his brows deeply furrowed and his face etched with heavy worries, sat in the VIP seats.
The Ji family's VIP seating area.
Ji Xian, the patriarch of the Ji family, along with the young master Ji Tianzong, and Ji Hong's third uncle, Elder Ji De, were all present.
They wore relaxed expressions, as if Ji Hong, who was to be publicly executed by Young Master Mo Xie at the Dark Martial Assembly, had nothing to do with them.
...
The Six Protectors of the Dark Martial Hall have arrived!
A loud announcer's voice echoed within the gambling arena.
Immediately, six figures with immensely profound and powerful auras slowly entered the gambling arena one by one and took their seats on the presiding platform.
They were the six protectors presiding over the underground trading market, the gambling arena, the assassin's hall, the mercenary corps, the beast taming hall, and the Azure Hall, respectively.
Each of them exuded a powerful aura no less than the peak of the Profound Gang Realm.
Some of them even far surpassed the peak of the Profound Gang Realm, with one foot already stepping into the Heavenly Origin Realm!
Upon seeing these six powerful figures appear, the previously boisterous gambling arena instantly quieted down considerably.
The arrogant and unruly powerhouses of the underworld became obedient without exception.
These six were the pillars of the Dark Martial Hall, this colossal entity.
"Welcome, Young Master Mo Xie!"
After the arrival of the Six Protectors, an even more resounding announcement followed.
A youth wearing a crown, with a effeminate appearance and eyes as sharp as a viper's, was ushered by a throng of servants to the throne at the very front of the presiding platform.
He was the only son of the Dark Martial Hall Master, and also the young master of the Dark Martial Hall.
One of the Four Young Masters of Tianchu City, Young Master Mo Xie.
The moment Young Master Mo Xie appeared, the entire martial arena fell into absolute silence.
The unruly and wicked powerhouses of the underworld rose one after another, respectfully saluting this future overlord of the Tianchu Province's underworld.
"We welcome the esteemed presence of Young Master Mo Xie, Young Master Mo Xie is heroic and peerless, unmatched in beauty!!"
"We welcome the esteemed presence of Young Master Mo Xie, Young Master Mo Xie is heroic and peerless, unmatched in beauty!!"
"We welcome the esteemed presence of Young Master Mo Xie, Young Master Mo Xie is heroic and peerless, unmatched in beauty!!"
...
Young Master Mo Xie wore a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.
He greatly enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention and being universally subservient.
He waved his hand, signaling everyone to be seated.
"Today is the most grand gambling event of the entire Dark Martial Assembly. All participants are renowned top powerhouses from the entire Tianchu Province's underworld. I hope this Dark Martial Assembly will showcase the prosperity and strength of the Dark Martial Hall and the Tianchu Province's underworld, and also allow everyone to have a good time!"
After Young Master Mo Xie finished speaking, he slowly took his seat.
A roar of cheers erupted from the gambling arena.
Soon, at the behest of Young Master Mo Xie, powerhouses from the Tianchu Province's underworld stepped forward to compete.
The first match featured two late-stage Profound Gang Realm powerhouses.
"Black Demon Hand, Tang Tao!"
"Shadow Splitting Sword Slave, Deng Yifu!"
Gasps of surprise echoed through the gambling arena.
Clearly, many recognized these two powerhouses.
The battle was extremely fierce, and in the end, Black Demon Hand Tang Tao emerged victorious.
With one claw, he directly snapped Deng Yifu's lower-grade Yellow tier spirit sword, then cruelly pierced through Deng Yifu's chest with a claw, raised a bloody heart, and roared at the entire crowd with bared teeth!
This brutal scene instantly resonated with the powerhouses in the audience, stimulating the primal ferocity in their blood.
It made them feel exhilarated.
The expressions of the Six Protector powerhouses varied.
Some were disdainful, some were excited, some licked their lips with bloodlust, and some were indifferent...
Young Master Mo Xie sat at the very front of the presiding platform, looking down upon the entire gambling arena.
He was very satisfied with the effect of the first battle.
It had certainly set a good precedent.
Following closely.
More and more powerhouses, with increasingly stronger abilities, stepped forward to compete.
For a time, the battle stage of the gambling arena seemed to have transformed into a living hell.
After each battle, the Dark Martial Hall deliberately did not clear the stage, causing the stage, the area below it, and the surroundings to gradually become stained with the blood of powerhouses. Limbs, broken bones, and flesh chunks were everywhere, accumulating more and more.
...
Witnessing this tragic scene, Liu Han in the VIP seats grew increasingly anxious.
It would soon be Ji Hong's turn to appear!
Without even thinking, he knew that Young Master Mo Xie, this dark-minded scoundrel, would surely arrange an opponent for Ji Hong who was too powerful for him to defeat.
"Master Ling, why haven't you arrived yet? Once Ji Hong steps onto the stage, it will be too late to stop anything."
He kept looking back, his heart as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
He waited and waited.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and his heart was filled with immense joy.
Because he saw a familiar grey-haired figure approaching.
It was Ling Fan.
"Master Ling, you've finally arrived!"
Liu Han quickly rose and respectfully went to greet him.
Some powerhouses nearby couldn't help but feel curious.
It was always said that Liu Han, the Deputy Protector of the Dark Martial Hall's underground trading market, was the most arrogant and aloof. Today, he was so humble and enthusiastic.
What was the identity of that young man?
The vast majority of people did not recognize Ling Fan, thus arousing much curiosity.
On the audience stands below.
Hua Yue caught a glimpse of this scene. Seeing the consistently indifferent and stern grey-haired figure, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
He has indeed come!
Bai Hao and the others also saw Ling Fan.
Resentment flashed in their eyes. Their legs were broken because of a single word from Ling Fan...
On the Ji family's side.
Ji Tianzong, with his shifty eyes constantly searching for beautiful women, also soon spotted Ling Fan.
He nudged Ji Xian and Ji De.
"Hey, that useless fellow named Ling actually came!"
"Heh, does Liu Han really expect this so-called Master Ling to save that little beast Ji Hong?"
"Dream on! Who can interfere with someone Young Master Mo Xie wants to kill? I think Liu Han and this Ling fellow, these two big idiots, will end up losing their own lives sooner or later."
"Hmph, when we went to ask this Ling Qingyun for spirit weapons, I even wanted Tianzong to become his disciple, but he didn't even acknowledge us. He deserves to die, we'll just wait and watch the show!"
Not far away.
When Ji Yan noticed Ling Fan, she couldn't help but frown slightly.
"He actually came... but what use is it for him to be here!"
In her opinion, Ling Fan only had the strength of the mid-stage Profound Gang Realm. With his status and strength, how could he appear in Liu Han's VIP seats, and even have Liu Han greet him so respectfully?
However, she didn't have time to think further.
Because the Dark Martial Assembly was now nearing its end.
There were only a few remaining major battles.
And the one arranged to appear last, as the grand finale, was her brother Ji Hong!
She quickly urged Zhang Liuming, "Young Master Zhang, please quickly go and persuade Young Master Mo Xie to release my brother."
Zhang Liuming smiled smugly in his heart.
"You woman, stop pretending to be pure. In the end, you still have to beg this young master with your head bowed."