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Chapter 179: Let the Battle Begin!

The area surrounding the gateway was bustling with businesses. Inns, taverns, tea houses, and flower shops lined the streets, experiencing their most profitable day in history. They had been fully booked for days!

Rooms and spectator seats were being sold for exorbitant prices. Without status or wealth, one didn\'t even have the privilege of watching.

Even though it was still afternoon and torrential rain was pouring, hundreds of thousands of spectators had already taken their seats!

This was the liveliest day in the Heavenly Realm in millennia, all thanks to the Divine Dawn Empress\'s spousal selection. Wealth was just one part of the grand gains from this event.

At that moment, all eyes converged on the towering Ascension Gate. Erected around it were various towers and honored seats. A radiant barrier of magic power hovered above these structures, shielding them from the rain.

"Both Demon Emperors, the five Immortal Empire Emperors, 108 Saints of the Demon Clan, officials from various Immortal Empires, have all taken their seats!" The peak powers and rulers of both the Divine Continent and Demon Continent were essentially all gathered together. A spectacle not seen in ten thousand years! How could the War of Immortals not be a sensation?

HUM! When a figure in golden-red dragon robes appeared atop the highest seat of the gateway, the hundreds of thousands present saluted in unison, chanting together, "Long live our Empress!"

Such a fervent and robust roar instantly shook the entirety of the Heavenly Realm!

The demons from the Demon Continent and the guests from the other Immortal Empires felt a tingling down their spines.

From this chant alone, it was clear. The Divine Dawn Empress\'s reputation soared, casting a shadow over the entire nation with her might. Thinking they could easily overthrow her? Laughable!

"Humans, such a fickle bunch!" a cunning demon commented. "They\'ll lift you to the heavens when you\'re in favor, but won\'t hesitate to crush you underfoot when you\'re not, each eager to add their weight. Let\'s see how the Empress fares in the end," he snickered with disdain.

There were many conflicting motives at the Ascension Gate, an undercurrent of tension bubbling below the surface. Yet, the Divine Dawn Empress remained unfazed.

She stood proudly in her elevated position, her red lips parting slightly: "By the decree of the heavens, I\'ve summoned the elite to gather for this battle, to determine the top Immortal!" Her voice resonated like thunder, shaking the Heavenly Realm, echoing with the sound of claps and rumbles.

Then, she pointed her elegant finger towards the open ground before the Ascension Gate and declared, "Activate the War of Immortals battleground!" At her command, a massive, perfectly square battlefield formation materialized in the open space.

For a moment, blinding brilliance filled the sky! The entire battleground was divided into two sections. To the left, there were sixteen golden arenas, spaced apart. To the right, it resembled a checkerboard of black and white squares. Though referred to as squares, each was more than three thousand feet in both length and width, spacious enough for dozens to duel within.

On the left—the Arena Champion Battle!

On the right—the Cycle Battle!

To the left, countless challengers locked their eyes on the sixteen gleaming golden arena stages, itching to topple the prodigies and leap to immortal fame in a single bound. The bigger the grudge one drew and the more they endured, the more War of Immortal Jades they\'d earn!

To the right, teams of five fought in tandem, conquering one small square after another, expanding their battleground. The more consecutive victories one achieved, the richer in War of Immortal Jades they became!

BOOM BOOM BOOM! The grandest battlefield in history unfurled in all its glory. This entirely enclosed and fair arena, with its vastness and prestige, elicited cheers from hundreds of thousands. The battle hadn’t even begun, but just witnessing this magnificent battlefield set hearts aflame!

Such a place of honor made even the Star Scholar Platform of the Grand Temple seem dim in comparison.

After the battlefield was set, the Divine Dawn Empress turned to her esteemed guests seated on either side, declaring, "I\'ve arranged the Immortal Banquet at the palace. Two Demon Emperors and Five Emperors, please attend."

To her left were Red Lotus and Xiao Tian—a radiant woman surrounded by blossoms, exuding allure, and a chilling young man with hair cascading to the ground. To her right was Emperor Violet, accompanied by the Emperors of the other four Immortal Empires. Including the Divine Dawn Empress, these were the eight monarchs of both the Divine Continent and Demon Continent!

The Feast of the Immortal Empire was an exclusive banquet for these seven rulers. Even Ye Qingtian wasn’t worthy of an invite. This clarified that during the Cycle Battle and Arena Champion Battle of the first day, neither the Divine Dawn Empress nor the seven rulers would be watching. Their true battleground for the day would be the high-stakes Feast of the Immortal Empire.

The atmosphere vibrated with anticipation.

Eight imposing figures broke through the curtain of rain, entering the palace of the Divine Dawn Empress under the reverent gazes of thousands. Their entrance brought a palpable sense of relief to the spectators, alleviating the tension they felt.

Soon after, from the second tier of the Ascension Gate, a figure from the Heavenly Realm emerged to represent the Divine Dawn Immortal Empire. A middle-aged man in a regal blue robe stood tall, his long hair neatly pulled back, emanating authority and grace. This was Prime Minister You Fengya.

In the Heavenly Realm, right beneath the Divine Dawn Empress, four paramount leaders held sway—the Head of the Ancestral Temple, Ye Qingtian; the Supreme Marshall of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army, Chen Xiao; the Sage of the Grand Temple; and, of course, You Fengya. Their duties spanned clans, military affairs, legacies, and governance. The Grand Temple Sage, having been executed for his blunt advice, had been temporarily replaced by his son, Mu Tianshi.

While the Divine Dawn Empress hosted the Immortal Banquet, You Fengya, Ye Qingtian, Chen Xiao, and Mu Tianshi stayed behind to oversee the War of Immortals. And their presence alone was a powerful statement.

To their left sat the 108 Demon Saints, their figures shrouded in a chilling mixture of dark and blood-red mists. These malevolent beings brought dread to the hearts of all human onlookers from the Heavenly Realm.

On their right, the Immortal officials from the various states of the Divine Continent gathered. Those who could sit there, like Qi Lan, were of an elite caliber. In total, there were 150 of them. And everyone knew that these 150 wouldn\'t stand a chance against the 108 Demon Saints on the other side.

Then, You Fengya took center stage. He spoke in lofty rhetoric, showcasing the profound history of the Immortal Empire. He expressed warm welcomes to the guests from all directions. With eloquence and flourish, he spoke for half an hour, covering all the necessary pleasantries.

The eloquence of the Immortal Empire\'s Prime Minister was on full display, and he certainly knew how to command a room. But it wasn\'t until the end of his speech that he spoke the words everyone had been breathlessly waiting for.

"To all who will be battling: wear the War of Immortals Jade and enter either the Cycle Battle or the Arena Champion Battle in shifts! At midnight, the battle begins!"

And midnight, everyone knew, technically meant the next day.

A collective buzz surged through the audience at the announcement.

"I heard the split between the Arena Champion Battle and the Cycle Battle is fifty-fifty!" one voice rang out.

"That means five thousand will be cannon fodder in the Arena Champion Battle. How can those sixteen super-geniuses survive such odds?"

"You\'ve got it wrong! A real genius can\'t be exhausted. To become the top Immortal and win the Empress\'s hand, one must have the talent to stand against a thousand!" someone retorted.

"As expected, one of those sixteen will surely emerge victorious!"

"This Arena Champion Battle will be quite a spectacle," another chimed in.

"Hold your horses, place your bets! The entire Heavenly Realm\'s gone mad with wagering!"

Every betting house was in business, and there were many ways to bet on this War of Immortals. For instance, you could wager on how many consecutive victories Chen Xi would achieve, which team would have the highest streak, or how many humans would rank in the top ten... Rumor had it that there were hundreds of such betting options.

But among them, the most thrilling and hottest bet was on the champion of the tournament. Who would ascend to the title of the number one Immortal in the land? The answer would be revealed in just two days.

Each betting house set their odds based on their assessments of the contenders\' profiles, their estimated combat capabilities, and even personal enmities. Business, after all, was strictly business. Everyone might have their favorites, but few would let that get in the way of potential profits.

When you surveyed the odds across all the betting houses in the Heavenly Realm, a pattern emerged. The four contenders with the highest odds were all Demon Princes and Princesses from the Demon Continent. Among the humans, the one with the highest odds was the seventh princess of the Violet Sky Immortal Empire. Recent rumors of her achieving the Saint Realm were probably why she had climbed to fifth place on the odds board. The better the odds, the better the chances of winning.

Presently, Chen Xi sat at the thirteenth place on the odds board, the lowest-ranked among those in the Saint Realm. The Violet Sky prince, though not a main contender, still ranked above her. Still, Chen Xi was better off than the Champions of the other four Immortal Empires. Being only in the Establishment Wind Fire Tribulation Realm and with a high likelihood of being toppled in the Arena Champion Battle, they all had odds ranking them below fiftieth place.

The very idea that a Champion and seeded participant had odds of eighty to one was downright humiliating.

But that was how betting works. The odds reflected the most objective and cautious judgments of the public\'s heart. While everyone in the Heavenly Realm dreamt of Chen Xi taking the crown, when it came to placing their bets, many slyly placed their money on the few with the higher odds from the Demon Continent. Sure, the return might be less, but the chance of winning was significantly higher. Even if the odds were just three to one, it was still a tidy profit.

"At least if our race loses," many reasoned, "I\'d still win some money."

Everyone in the Heavenly Realm was placing bets, even throughout the lower realms. The Demon Continent, unfamiliar with such complex economic behaviors, was utterly fascinated. Mimicking the humans, the demons, with their innate gambler spirits, placed heavy bets.

Now, with tens of thousands of competitors ready for the first day\'s battle, the betting would soon close. Why was the first battlefield activated at this time, but the actual battle scheduled for midnight? The answer—betting.

Previous Wars of Immortals were internal affairs of the Heavenly Realm, but they still saw a lot of wagers. Most of the gambling dens in the Heavenly Realm were controlled by the elite clans of the Azure Leaf faction. For them, this was a golden opportunity.

In a scandalous turn of events, there were even rumors of the Royal Ye Family rigging matches and conning the public of their hard-earned cash—a stain on their reputation they could never wash away.

But this time, the public wasn\'t worried. Most trusted Spirit Treasure Palace, which had roots in the Immortal Empire and had the trust of the Divine Dawn Empress in the Heavenly Realm.

And so, as the gambling dens of the Heavenly Realm saw frenzied betting, the tens of thousands of warriors readied themselves. Humans and demons squared off, their eyes filled with fierce determination.

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Chen Jin and Nangong Xu were standing together in the crowd.

"Why hasn\'t Yun Xiao arrived yet?" Chen Jin asked, clenching a card with #1 inscribed on it. This meant they\'d be on battlefield number one and the first ones to fight in the Cycle Battle, providing a feast to the eyes of spectators.

"He went back to the Spirit Treasure Palace with Stray Dog and Little Tang. They haven\'t returned yet. I hope nothing\'s wrong," Nangong Xu replied, a slight furrow in his brow.

"They should be fine," Chen Jin tried to reassure, "I\'ve heard the Empress arranged a personal protector for Yun Xiao."

As he spoke, Chen Jin felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Turning around, he spotted You Qingzhi and his posse—two men and two women—standing at a distance. They too were waving a card marked with #1 inscribed on it, shooting taunting grins their way.

"Reading too many books can grease up one\'s brains," Chen Jin muttered, choosing to ignore them. He never quite fit in with that lot, anyway.

Night fell, and almost all competitors had arrived, when Yun Xiao, Zhao Xiaotang, and Stray Dog finally strolled in, fashionably late.

"What took you?" Chen Jin inquired.

Zhao Xiaotang hopped up, pointing at Yun Xiao, "Chen Jin, your brother-in-law is absolutely mad!"

"Quiet! Who\'s the mad one here?" Chen Jin retorted, rolling his eyes.

"He\'s nuts, for real. He bet on himself to win the whole thing—100,000 Saint Stones!" Zhao Xiaotang exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Damn! Saint Stones? Not Spirit Stones?" Chen Jin\'s eyes nearly bulged out, his voice rising.

"Indeed, 100,000 Saint Stones," Stray Dog confirmed with a resigned chuckle.

"And the odds?" Nangong Xu asked, curiosity piqued.

"One to a thousand!" Zhao Xiaotang shuddered, "That\'s the highest our Spirit Treasure Palace offers. Given his skills and level, even one to ten thousand would\'ve been fair game."

"Is he the underdog in the betting pool then?" Chen Jin asked, a bit dazed.

"Obviously!" Zhao Xiaotang chuckled, "Only a hundred people are listed in the betting odds. He\'s only on the list because of his special status."

"Did anyone else bet on him?" Nangong Xu probed.

"Yes," Zhao Xiaotang replied with a mischievous grin, "Seeing him bet 100,000 Saint Stones, I thought he might be playing a trick. So I thought why not and followed with a bet of 10,000 Saint Stones."

"I tossed in 5,000," Stray Dog added.

Chen Jin and Nangong Xu shared a look of disbelief.

"Speaking of which, do you guys want to place a bet? I can arrange it for you," Zhao Xiaotang winked.

Chen Jin looked at Yun Xiao, hesitating, "Look, brother, you know I\'m a bit strapped for cash..."

"Just do it," Yun Xiao replied with a smirk.

Stunned, Chen Jin turned back to Zhao Xiao Tang, "Arrange it. I\'m in for 10,000 Saint Stones."

"I\'ll put in 5,000," Nangong Xu added sheepishly.

The camaraderie amongst the group was undeniable, even if they were skeptical deep down. After all, Yun Xiao was only in the Immortal Meridian Realm. Where did such confidence come from?

Just as they mused, a hauntingly beautiful voice called out, "Betting on yourself to win?"

Yun Xiao turned to find Chen Xi, clad in an ethereal white gown, arms folded, glaring at him.

"Yes," he simply replied.

"Do you even take me seriously?" she snapped, her eyes shining with challenge. She had just bet 50,000 Saint Stones on herself!

"You\'re always in my heart," Yun Xiao teased.

"Ha!" Zhao Xiaotang burst into laughter, followed by Chen Jin. The latter knew his younger cousin had always been a force to be reckoned with. Only Yun Xiao dared to flirt with her so audaciously.

Chen Xi, flustered, pulled Yun Xiao aside, "You dare challenge me, you shameless ruffian?"

Yun Xiao blinked, replying calmly, "You can always turn around and leave."

Chen Xi\'s confidence wavered. She was about to represent the Divine Dawn Immortal Empire in the contest. She couldn\'t afford to lose her nerve now.

Suddenly, Yun Xiao reached out, pulling her close, whispering, "How about we make a personal bet between us?"