After being reborn, all I want to do is run away.

Chapter 91 Underground Battlefield

"Shen Xu, guess what fun things there are to do in Qingzhu City?" On a street in Qingzhu City, Wu Qi, dressed in a brocade robe, asked Shen Xu.

"I can't guess!" Shen Xu shook his head. His entertainment activities were unremarkable in both his past and present lives.

"Boring! Then I'll take you to my favorite place!" Wu Qi snapped his folding fan shut and made up his mind instantly.

To be honest, Wu Qi's attire made him very uncomfortable. It wasn't that Wu Qi was unsuitable for this kind of noble young master look, but it just felt too out of place. Moreover, with Wu Qi walking ahead and him following behind in his tattered gray robe, he looked more like Wu Qi's follower.

Walking through Green Bamboo City with Wu Qi, now free from the taint of the blood tide, Shen Xu discovered the city's prosperity and historical significance. Its architecture was ancient, its commerce thriving, and its people lived in peace and contentment, most with smiles on their faces. Thinking back to the desolate Blood Bamboo City of his previous life, Shen Xu felt a profound sense of disillusionment.

Wu Qi led Shen Xu to stop in front of a building with an extremely luxurious exterior. Compared with the surrounding buildings with a strong historical atmosphere, the building in front of them had a nouveau riche vibe.

"Young Master Wu, it's been quite a while since you last visited," a servant greeted Wu Qi eagerly upon seeing him.

"Same as always!" Wu Qi ignored the servant's words and led Shen Xu straight into the building.

"A tea room! Wu Qi, when did you start liking tea?" Looking at the interior of the building, Shen Xu couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

"Hey! You don't understand. You can't judge a book by its cover! Let's have a cup of tea here first, and someone will come to pick us up soon," Wu Qi said with a hint of mystery.

"Bring me a pot of the finest bamboo tea!" Wu Qi said to the waiter serving the tea, and then pulled Shen Xu to sit down in a seat.

"You're not going to take me to some shady place, are you?" Shen Xu asked, frowning.

"Have some tea, have some tea! It's true that it's something that can't be seen by others, but that's precisely why it's exciting. I promise you won't be disappointed." Wu Qi filled Shen Xu's cup with the tea that had just been served.

"I'll trust you this once." Although he still had some doubts, Shen Xu picked up his teacup and waited silently.

Before the two had finished their tea, a beautiful woman in red gracefully walked in from the back of the tea room. As soon as she entered, she leaned against Wu Qi with a slightly hurried air and gently placed her hands on Wu Qi's shoulders from behind.

"My dear young master Wu, it's been so long since you last visited me!" the woman in red said to Wu Qi with a hint of resentment and coquettishness.

"Cough~" Shen Xu quickly covered his mouth to prevent himself from spitting out the tea.

"Sister Meng, stop fooling around, or my friend will really think I'm taking him to some improper place!" Wu Qi frowned and reached out to push the girl in red's hand off his shoulder.

"Is the place you're going to very respectable?" the girl in red whispered in Wu Qi's ear, making Wu Qi blush instantly.

"Sister Meng, please stop joking with me, or my friend will really have to leave," Wu Qi said helplessly.

"Young master, my name is Yu Meng. Please forgive me for any shortcomings in our hospitality." Yu Meng gave Shen Xu a graceful bow.

"It's alright, the tea is delicious," Shen Xu replied.

"Haha, you two clueless lads! Come with me!" Yu Meng said with a light laugh.

Following Yu Meng, the two of them wandered through several rooms behind the teahouse, and finally Yu Meng led them into a room with a staircase leading to the underground.

"What is this?" Shen Xu couldn't help but ask.

"Don't worry, would I ever harm you?" Wu Qi replied with a light laugh.

As Shen Xu followed the two people down the steps, his vision suddenly brightened and opened up. At the same time, a deafening roar resounded through the sky, sweeping over him like a surging wave and crashing into his ears.

"Welcome to the largest underground battleground in Qingzhu City!" Amidst the commotion, Yu Meng's voice reached his ears with exceptional clarity.

Looking up, he saw a spacious circular space suddenly appear before him. The ceiling was sealed off, with only countless Yuan lamps emitting a dim yellow light hanging inside, like twinkling stars, trying their best to illuminate this environment that should have been pitch black.

In the very center of this area stands a massive, circular stone platform. The platform appears never to have been cleaned; crisscrossing red marks and deep scratches tell a horrifying story of a fierce battle that once took place here.

Around the stone platform, a dense crowd of people thronged together. Although no one was actually fighting on the platform, the surrounding people were still agitated and argued incessantly. Some were arguing and cursing at each other, while others were pushing and shoving, creating a chaotic scene.

When Shen Xu sensed the lingering scent of blood from that platform, his bloodlust began to stir, and this familiar feeling made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"How about it? Although it can't compare to the Wind Howling Platform, it's already quite an achievement to be able to create such a large battle arena in Green Bamboo City!" Wu Qi said with a smile.

"Sister Meng, when does the next battle start? How strong are the two sides?"

"Wow, that's fast! And you've come at just the right time. The next battle is the most exciting one of the day. One of them is a master who once achieved a 30-game winning streak, and the other, although he hasn't been in the arena for long, hasn't lost a single game yet. Most importantly, he's only ten years old." Yu Meng's tone was slightly amazed.

"You take in ten-year-olds? Don't you have any conscience?" Wu Qi's tone was tinged with anger.

"Oh! Our young master Wu is so kind-hearted. But why didn't he come to save them when they were starving to death in Qingzhu City?" Yu Meng's voice was full of sarcasm.

“I didn’t see them. If I had, I would have saved them,” Wu Qi retorted.

"They won't wait for Young Master Wu to have a change of heart; it's us who will keep him alive. And we won't support idlers, while he happens to have the talent for it. With his talent, he might be able to keep winning and eventually gain his freedom!"

"A hundred consecutive wins?" Shen Xu suddenly asked.

"Shen Xu, this isn't your first time in Qingzhu City, how do you know the rules here?" Wu Qi asked with some doubt.

"Just a guess!" Shen Xu replied casually.

"You guessed pretty accurately!" Wu Qi clearly didn't believe Shen Xu's statement.

"The battle is about to begin. Would you two gentlemen like to place a bet?"

“I’ve never even met these two people, how could I possibly gamble my money on them!” Wu Qi refused without hesitation.

"May I ask the boy's name?" Shen Xu asked Yu Meng.

"Those who sold themselves to us to fight on the battlefield only had numbers, not names. That boy's number was ten, which corresponds to the age he entered."

What are the odds for number 10?

"Shen Xu, are you really planning to place a bet? You know nothing about his cultivation level or fighting style, and he's just a child. You're being too hasty!"

"Young Master Wu, you are mistaken. Everyone who comes to our battlefield is here for thrills. High risk brings more than just high reward."

“Young master, the odds for number ten are five!” Yu Mengmei replied with her eyes full of anticipation.

What kinds of bets do you accept?

"We're only accepting bets of money and Qi-Nourishing Pills for now!" Yu Meng beamed with joy when she heard Shen Xu was going to bet on number ten.

"Where's the Nourishing Essence Pill?" Shen Xu said calmly.

"Shen Xu, are you crazy!" Wu Qi quickly stopped Shen Xu from continuing.

“Nourishing… Yuan Pill! Are you sure you mean the Nourishing Yuan Pill, young master?” Yu Meng asked, covering her red lips with some disbelief.

"Haha, he was just kidding," Wu Qi replied for Shen Xu with a silly laugh.

"One hundred Nourishing Essence Pills, do you dare to accept?" Ignoring Wu Qi, Shen Xu continued.

"One hundred!! Young master, are you sure you're not joking with me?" Yu Meng laughed when she heard the number; the young man opposite her was definitely teasing her.

"Haha, Shen Xu, I knew you were joking. I didn't expect you to become so humorous after just a few months," Wu Qi said with a hearty laugh.

“I’m not joking with you. If you don’t have that authority, please find the person in charge of your battleground. This is the wager I’ve paid you in advance.” Shen Xu took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to Yu Meng.

Taking the porcelain bottle from Shen Xu, Yu Meng assumed it contained Qi-Nourishing Pills, so she opened it with a light laugh. But when she saw what was inside, her smile froze instantly.

Seeing this, Wu Qi realized that Shen Xu was probably serious. He asked with unusual seriousness, "Shen Xu, do you know how many Qi-Nourishing Pills can be exchanged for one hundred Yuan-Nourishing Pills?"

“Wu Qi, I am well aware of the value of the Nourishing Essence Pill,” Shen Xu replied calmly.

Wu Qi gave Shen Xu a deep look, then said to Yu Meng, "Yu Meng, shouldn't you take my friend to meet Tian Hai?"

“Of course, please follow me, both of you,” Yu Meng said respectfully.