She was about to retort instinctively.
But Ling Fan had already turned and left, returning to Liu Han's VIP seating area.
Liu Han didn't know what to say, sighed, and followed Ling Fan back to his seat.
This interlude did not attract much attention.
Most people's attention was still firmly fixed on the fierce battles below.
At this moment, two more battles concluded.
The fighting was as brutal as ever.
The losers were either dead or injured.
Often, the victors emerged only with a Pyrrhic victory.
Just then, a figure walked onto the hosting stage and whispered something into Mo Xie Gongzi's ear.
Mo Xie Gongzi's head snapped up, and two sharp, cold gazes, like venomous snakes, fell upon Ling Fan and Liu Han.
Ling Fan's mental perception was extremely acute; he immediately sensed it and met Mo Xie Gongzi's gaze.
Liu Han also noticed the abnormality and, following Ling Fan's gaze, saw Zhang Liuming with a smug expression and the unfriendly look on Mo Xie Gongzi's effeminate and sinister face.
Liu Han's heart sank, and he cursed inwardly, "This is bad!"
Ji Yan, not far away, also noticed the situation and her heart tightened.
She hadn't expected Zhang Liuming to be so quick to run and report to Mo Xie Gongzi!
Mo Xie Gongzi leaned back, looking down at Ling Fan and Liu Han.
His eyes were filled with disdain and contempt.
As one of the Four Young Masters of Tian Chu City, he was on par with Yang Qianli of Seven Star Cave, Xie Canglou of Mi Yun Mountain, and Chu Tiange of the Governor's Mansion.
His strength and background placed him at the pinnacle of the younger generation throughout Tian Chu Province.
Among them, Chu Tiange was the youngest. Although his talent was good, his strength had not yet reached the level of the other three young masters.
Therefore, Mo Xie Gongzi had always considered only Yang Qianli and Xie Canglou as his rivals.
Even someone as talented as Liu Han did not catch his eye.
He wanted to kill Ji Hong, and this Liu Han still wouldn't give up, daring to oppose him. He was truly tired of living!
And now they had brought in some Master Ling.
Did they think that by finding some so-called Master Ling from who knows where, they could shake Mo Xie Gongzi?
Wanting to save Ji Hong? Dream on!
The more they wanted to save Ji Hong, the more he was determined to kill him.
"Guards, bring Ji Hong up!"
Mo Xie Gongzi smiled sinisterly.
Soon, powerful figures from the Dark Martial Hall brought Ji Hong, bound in chains and covered in wounds, up from the underground hall of the gambling arena.
Mo Xie Gongzi surveyed the crowd and said, "This person's name is Ji Hong. I believe you have all heard his name recently."
Ji Hong's appearance immediately caused a clamor of discussion.
"Isn't this Ji Hong from the Ji family, the one who won seventeen consecutive matches in the gambling arena without defeat, and all of them by defeating stronger opponents?"
"Huh? How did he end up as a prisoner of the Dark Martial Hall? Wasn't the Ji family one of the members of the Dark Martial Hall's Beast Taming Hall?"
"You don't know about this. I heard that Ji Hong refused to cooperate with the Dark Martial Hall in fixing matches, and he colluded with demonic beasts to kill many people from the Dark Martial Hall's Beast Taming Hall and the Ji family. He was unruly and difficult to control, which completely enraged Mo Xie Gongzi. He was thrown into death row and will be publicly executed at this Dark Martial Assembly!"
In the vast gambling arena, the murmurs were like a surging tide.
Many people felt sorry for Ji Hong.
After all, it was somewhat regrettable and sad to see such a young and powerful fighter on the verge of his life's end.
Many others were very indifferent.
They felt that Ji Hong had dared to defy the Dark Martial Hall and Mo Xie Gongzi, which was simply overestimating his abilities.
His current predicament was his own doing.
Seeing Ji Hong brought out, heavily shackled, Ji Yan stood up, her hands gripping the railing tightly.
Her parents had died very early.
Ji Hong was now her only remaining close relative. She wished she could take his place and die for her brother.
On the other side, Liu Han could no longer sit still, his heart filled with anxiety.
Ling Fan looked at the heavy chains around Ji Hong's body, which were as thick as an infant's wrist, and a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.
On the other hand, in the Ji family's area.
Ji Xian, Ji Tianzong, Ji De, and other Ji family members were still chatting and laughing.
Not only Liu Han and Ji Yan hated the Ji family, but even many of the surrounding powerhouses couldn't bear to watch.
This Ji family was truly wicked to the core. Their own kin was about to be executed, and they could still laugh!
At this moment, Mo Xie Gongzi spoke from the high platform: "This person has repeatedly defied me and colluded with demonic beasts to kill forty-one people from my Dark Martial Hall's Beast Taming Hall and sixty-seven people from the Ji family. He deserves death!"
"Mo Shan, you will be the one to publicly execute Ji Hong!"
"Ji Hong, it's not that I'm not giving you a chance. If you win, you live. If you lose, you die!"
Mo Xie Gongzi's voice fell.
A massive, mountain-like dark figure walked onto the battle stage, entwined with countless chains. A group of Dark Martial Hall powerhouses struggled to hold onto them.
Mo Shan.
The strongest battle slave in the Dark Martial Hall's gambling arena, bar none.
He possessed quasi-Heavenly Origin Realm cultivation and his physical body was terrifyingly strong. He had fought over a hundred times in the arena and had never lost!
Furthermore, all those who had fallen before him were brutally ravaged and tortured to death.
As a result, the mere mention of Mo Shan's name would make the legs of powerhouses in half the underworld tremble uncontrollably.
Mo Shan let out a roar.
A pair of eyes, as cruel and violent as those of a demonic beast, fixed on Ji Hong opposite him.
*Clang, clang.*
All the thick chains around Mo Shan's body, as thick as an adult's arm, snapped.
He, like a mountain, pressed down towards Ji Hong.
*Bang!*
Ji Hong was hit as if by a primeval beast, thrown back without any resistance, and crashed heavily onto the ground.
The chains on his body rattled as they pulled.
He was utterly outmatched!
"Huh? Wasn't this Ji Hong rumored to be very strong? He could even fight against peak Profound Gang Realm experts. Why is he so vulnerable?"
Someone asked in surprise.
"That was in his peak condition. Fighting against peak Profound Gang Realm experts was no problem. The key is, look at how the Dark Martial Hall has tortured him. His combat power is probably less than a tenth of what it was. How could he possibly be Mo Shan's opponent!"
Someone replied.
Mo Xie Gongzi watched with a disdainful smile.
Zhang Liuming, with a sense of vengeful pleasure, glanced triumphantly at Ji Yan and Ling Fan.
Ji Yan's teeth were gritted so hard they threatened to shatter.
Liu Han was also extremely anxious.
However, Ling Fan said calmly, "He will not lose!"
A strongman nearby immediately sneered, "Are you blind? That Ji Hong is in a terrible state. If Mo Shan doesn't kill him, he'll die on his own! You actually say Ji Hong will win. That's hilarious."
Ling Fan ignored the mockery of the others.
What did these people know!
The cultivation technique he, the dignified Azure Cloud Emperor, had bestowed – the Battle Demon Golden Body – was of Earth grade. It made one stronger the more they fought, and it could stimulate the potential of the body's divine treasures when one was on the brink of death.
How could these ants from the lower realms possibly understand this!
On the battle stage, Mo Shan's massive, sturdy body loomed over, and he grabbed Ji Hong's head, lifting him up.
The cruel light in his monstrous eyes flickered.
He was contemplating what method of torture he should use on Ji Hong to give himself some pleasure.
Just then.
Ji Hong struggled to open his eyes.
His vision was blurred by blood, but he vaguely saw a familiar figure.
He focused his gaze with effort.
When he clearly saw that figure, his eyes suddenly widened, bursting with unprecedented light.
"Mr. Ling..."