Sunset Warrior Chant - Chapter 31 - Beast Taming Tempest

Fang Xiaoman was leading the dance in the center of the square. If Fang Xiaoman could be considered a woman, then the girl beside her was merely a child. Wang Chenghong, with eyes full of infatuation, watched her as she twirled, captivated by her angelic presence amidst the soul-stirring melodies in front of the cathedral, a pristine beauty of life itself.

Song Siping stood up after a moment and said, “Yan Mountain Academy has been busy preparing for the new students’ entrance examinations. Please, take your time, I must leave now.” Leading thirty-six mages, Song Siping returned to Yan Mountain Academy, followed shortly by Tomkinson, who also excused himself.

Wang Chenghong’s gaze remained fixed on Fang Xiaoman, reluctant to look away until Chen Xianlin spoke. Chen Xianlin said, “Lord Wang comes from a distinguished family known throughout Kur City. Having such a noble and righteous man is a blessing for Kur City. Lady Fang is Master Fang’s treasured daughter, gifted in both talents and beauty, unmatched in Kur City. A brave and intelligent man, and a stunningly talented woman – truly a match made in heaven.”

Fang Hanruo, feeling awkward, replied, “You flatter us too much.” Wang Chenghong, however, was visibly delighted and quickly responded, “You praise too highly. Any reputation I have in Kur City is thanks to the City Lord’s favor.” Chen Xianlin added, “Why not let me arrange the marriage, and choose a date for the wedding?” Fang Hanruo said, “My daughter is not yet prepared. I ask Lord Wang to wait a while longer. I will speak with my daughter, and in due time, Lord Chen may take charge.”

Wang Chenghong’s expression darkened momentarily before he looked back at Fang Xiaoman.

As the distribution of relief goods concluded, the dense crowd at Saier Square gradually dispersed, leaving Fang Xiaoman to ride off alone on horseback. Fu Qiruo, about to enter the cathedral for a visit, suddenly heard a soft voice from his pocket: “I’m hungry, I want Black Snake Meat.” It reminded him that Alixin had been hidden in his pocket since early morning, and they had all skipped breakfast. Fu Qiruo mentioned getting some food, and everyone agreed enthusiastically.

Lu Wei glanced at the nearby restaurants, each one more extravagant than the last, and worried about finding an affordable option. Uncle Liu already pointed towards the distance and said, “Eight Directions Inn, there’s a branch of it over there.” Hearing the name of the Eight Directions Inn, everyone felt a sense of familiarity and headed into its restaurant together.

As soon as Fu Qiruo entered the restaurant, he spotted Yu An, with the little white cat lazily napping on the table, and Yu An’s uncle nearby.

Having had his eyes opened at Kur Square and feeling cheerful, Fu Qiruo was glad to encounter Yu An and sat down in front of him, saying, “Yu An, have you also been to the square? It was quite lively just now!”

Yu An replied, “Yes, besides Saier Square, there’s another lively place nearby. Would you like to go?”

“What place?”

“The Beast Arena.”

“The Beast Arena? Is it fun?”

“It’s fun. I took the little white cat there to compete. The competitions there are similar to those at the racetrack, but only magical beasts participate, and any magical beast can enter.”

Fu Qiruo had just sat down and was still unclear about what Yu An was saying when the little white cat suddenly opened its eyes, stood up, and walked towards him. The cat’s nose wiggled back and forth against his chest as if it had caught a scent. Fu Qiruo thought of Alixin, who was hidden in his arms, and was secretly alarmed, “This little white cat has such a keen nose. Alixin has always been good at hiding his tracks, even my master hasn’t noticed, but this cat is something else.”

Worried that Alixin might get scared, Fu Qiruo quickly scolded the little white cat, “Hey! Little kitty, I don’t have any cat food on me, what are you sniffing around for? Stay away from me, and that fishy smell in your mouth is pretty strong.”

Seeing that the little white cat had noticed something, Yu An commented, “Could it be that you have something on you? Its nose is usually never wrong.”

“It’s nothing, probably just some chicken soup I accidentally spilled on myself yesterday.” The little white cat kept quiet, its eyes moving around before finally lying back down on the table, still staring at Fu Qiruo.

Yu An continued, “I asked a few days ago, and there’s a level 4 magical beasts competition at the Beast Arena today. The little white cat is a level 4 magical beast, so it can register to compete today.”

Fu Qiruo stared at the lazy little white cat, hardly believing it was a level 4 magical beast. He recalled how, just a few days ago in a private room at the restaurant, he had breathlessly chased Alixin, who, despite his palm-sized stature, possessed unexpectedly swift speed. Now, hearing Yu An say this, he believed it somewhat.

Fu Qiruo had never been to a racetrack, let alone knew what a Beast Arena was. The solemnity of the Disya Cathedral was too much, and after dinner, he naturally ended up chatting extensively with Lu Wei, and followed Uncle Yu An and his nephew to the Beast Arena. Uncle Yu An, named Yu Fei, was originally the butler of the Yu Family, who, due to his years of loyal service, was even closer to Yu An than a real uncle.

From Saier Square to the Beast Arena was just a short while, and upon entering the Beast Arena, Fu Qiruo was immediately captivated by the extraordinary scene within.

If Saier Square was as smooth as a giant mirror of the earth, then the Beast Arena was like a huge cage. Spanning hundreds of thousands of square meters, the cage’s floor plunged twenty meters deep into the ground, forming a vast circular pit with a diameter of eight hundred meters. The bottom of the pit was covered with hard, specialized rock, and its perimeter was enclosed by smooth, upright circular stone walls. Above the stone walls were vertical alloy fences, and twenty meters up was a spherical netted ceiling. The entire alloy fence and netted ceiling were embedded with bright crystals, resembling half of a gigantic crystal ball. Three layers of parallel, circular stands surrounded the crystal sphere, with transparent crystal panes for the stands’ windows.

At a window, Fu Qiruo noticed a beautiful woman speaking eloquently to the audience and contestants about the history and rules of the Beast Arena. She was strikingly made-up, tall, clad in tight clothing, and her voice was indescribably sweet. Her voice resonated clearly throughout the stands, whether due to the echo effect of the stands or because the woman was a skilled mage who could project her sweet voice far with magic. Listening closely, Fu Qiruo learned that substantial efforts had been made to ensure safety at the Beast Arena.

Although the Beast Arena is not lacking in experts to maintain order, human resources are ultimately limited. The participating magical beasts are known for their nasty tempers and unpredictable moods. Those who lose their matches often exhibit significant emotional swings, running amok and injuring spectators, or even tearing people to shreds, and in some extreme cases, swallowing them whole. Such brutal behaviors are typically seen as normal occurrences at the Beast Arena. Occasionally, a magical beast that clinches the championship may go berserk, disregarding the rules of the tournament and wreaking havoc in the arena, resulting in the confiscation of all its prize money-a profitable outcome for the Beast Arena, while the owners can only rue their bad luck.

To ensure the safety of the spectators, the Beast Arena has equipped the surface of a gigantic crystal sphere with a powerful magic formation. This, coupled with a net-like alloy fence, provides dual protection, making the entire enclosure as secure as a fortress and minimizing the chances of tragic accidents. When the magical beasts enter the arena, each is individually transported from an underground passage into the enclosure. Once inside, the entrances are sealed, allowing the beasts to thrash about without causing concern for the spectators.

Magical beasts usually move much faster than mages of the same level, which is why mages are not allowed to participate in the races. Years ago, a level 5 wind mage, confident in his exceptional speed, raced alongside the magical beasts. He won by a narrow margin, much to the chagrin of the other beasts, who, in a fit of rage and frustration, lost their rationality and chased after the wind mage. Alone and unable to hide, he was eventually exhausted and torn apart by the beasts. Following this incident, the family and friends of the wind mage filed a complaint in Kur City, and the Beast Arena had to pay a substantial compensation to resolve the matter. Since then, safety has become a top priority at the Beast Arena, and very few people dare to participate personally.

Subsequently, mages have been banned from participating in races, and owners of the magical beasts are also prohibited from entering the arena. As for the safety of the beasts themselves, the Beast Arena assumes no responsibility, leaving their fate to the gods. However, the Beast Arena does prepare for all eventualities, offering discounted magical remedies for bruises and other minor injuries.

Nevertheless, there are always some who enjoy riding their magical beasts and competing alongside their pets. The initial restrictions on joint participation have been lifted, but if an owner insists on entering the arena, they must disregard their own safety and sign a waiver of liability, only then does the Beast Arena allow them to participate.

Within the massive enclosure of the Beast Arena, the outer ring near the stone walls features six tracks, each ten meters wide. The design of these tracks was meticulously planned by experts to accommodate primarily wind magic beast contestants. Given that these creatures are typically small and most are level 4 and level 5 competitors, a track width of three to five meters would generally suffice. However, with a generous width of ten meters, even in unusual circumstances where a larger beast participates, the track can comfortably accommodate it by allowing the use of two adjacent tracks, providing a combined width of twenty meters. Nevertheless, the registration fee for such cases is double that of a single track.

At the registration area, an appraiser specifically checks the level of the magical beasts entering the competition. The appraiser can accurately determine the level of the beasts; if an advanced magical beast is disguised as a low-level one, it will be disqualified for life from competing, and the owner will be fined five hundred gold coins. If a level 3 beast competes in a level 4 category and wins, the Beast Arena will not only allow it but also grant additional rewards.

The Beast Arena now only hosts tournaments for magical beasts of level 3 and above. Competitions involving level 1 and level 2 beasts were discontinued six months ago due to their slow speeds and the lengthy duration to produce results, which significantly wasted the arena’s valuable time resources and lacked thrilling excitement, attracting few spectators.

Currently, the arena holds competitions for beasts ranging from level 3 to level 6. The registration fees double with each level increase: fifty gold coins for level 3, one hundred for level 4, two hundred for level 5, and four hundred for level 6. There are fewer participants at level 6, and level 7 competitions are rare, occurring only a few times a year, typically among two or three beasts and are exclusive entertainments for nobility.

Besides collecting entry fees from contestants and admission tickets from spectators, the Beast Arena also profits from a substantial percentage of the massive bets placed by the audience, a practice reminiscent of horse racing tracks.

Upon arriving at the Beast Arena, Yu An immediately signed up at the service desk, holding the little white cat. After the little white cat was assessed by a magical beast appraiser, Yu An handed over a crystal coin as the registration fee. If the little white cat lost in any round, this crystal coin, worth one hundred gold coins, would be completely forfeited, and the little white cat would have to leave the tournament arena. The crystal coin would become the prize money for the victor. Many magical beasts competed, but ultimately, there would only be one champion. The accumulated prize money from several rounds of competition would allow the champion to take home eighty percent of it.

Yu An seemed utterly confident, casually tossing a crystal coin onto the counter without even blinking-an act of nonchalance befitting a lavish gentleman. Yu Fei inquired about the number of registrants; there were sixty magical beasts, most of which were beloved pets of mages and regulars at the Beast Arena.

The Beast Arena had already scheduled today’s matches. The first round of competition was divided into ten groups, with six magical beasts in each group. The top two from each group would advance, resulting in twenty qualifiers. The second round consisted of four groups, with five magical beasts in each group, determining eight finalists. The third round had two groups, with four magical beasts each, deciding the final four who would participate in the finals. From the first to the third round, each round consisted of just three laps.

Yu Fei calculated that a level 4 magical beast could complete three laps in two minutes. From the time the beasts entered the arena to the start of the race, a match would take about ten minutes. Barring any unforeseen events, the event would last three to four hours.

Having just dined at the Eight Directions Inn, Yu An now found a small table by a crystal window, sat down, and ordered some fruits to eat. He said to Fu Qiruo, “We’ve got some time until the final. Let’s have some fruit to help digest our meal. Uncle, please join us.” Yu Fei thanked him, and as Fu Qiruo saw that the competition was about to begin, he casually picked two grapes and stood by the window, looking out at the arena below. He saw a perfectly flat track at the arena floor, twenty meters deep, cracking open to reveal six holes from which six magical beasts, varying in size and bizarre forms, emerged and took their places on their respective tracks.

The beautiful host introduced the contestants with her sweet voice: “In the first round of competition, Group First, six contestants have entered the arena. Let me introduce their names:

“Contestant number one, the swift Silent Wolf.” The Silent Wolf bounced its front paws on the ground, shooting its body upright to greet the audience in the tournament arena. Applause erupted, mixed with cheers of approval.

“Contestant number two, the beautiful Long-Tailed Fox.” The Long-Tailed Fox spread its vibrant, colorful tail towards the stands, showcasing its splendid fur to the audience. The applause grew louder, with some spectators letting out hysterical screams, almost drowning out the host’s sweet voice.

“Contestant number three, the herald of spring, the Bell Bird.” The Bell Bird fluttered its delicate wings, producing a light and beautiful ringing sound.

“Contestant number four, the adorable Round-Antlered Deer.” The Round-Antlered Deer’s normally curved antlers suddenly shot out like electricity, spreading in all directions. It slightly bent its front legs and bowed respectfully to the audience in all four directions.

“Contestant number five, the wealthy High-Legged Centipede.” The High-Legged Centipede rhythmically flexed its meter-high legs, its body undulating like waves. The dozens of legs covering its body made it look quite prosperous.

“Contestant number six, the proud Kangaroo King.” The Kangaroo King kicked off the ground, soaring into the air and somersaulting mid-flight, its feet grazing the roof of the arena before gently landing back in position. As it settled, the large pouch on its belly flipped open, revealing a small kangaroo head.

While the crowd wondered about the presence of the baby, the host explained, “The Kangaroo King has paid two entry fees for this competition. If it wins the championship, the tournament will also offer the remaining twenty percent of the prize money plus an additional reward as a Spirit of Motherhood Award for nurturing its baby.”

“The first group’s competition is about to begin, and betting for the six contestants is now open.”

Fu Qiruo pulled out his coin pouch and took a peek-just a few gold and silver coins, hardly worth showing off. He then looked at the porcelain bottle from Kangding Store, filled with Spirit Gathering Pills. Taking out three pills, he handed them to the server and said, “I’d like to place all these on Young Master Yu’s little white cat. Is that possible?”

The server replied, “Well, the Beast Arena has never had such a case before; no one has ever bet Spirit Gathering Pills. Let me ask the arena master.” Two minutes later, she returned and said, “My apologies, sir, but the arena master says we cannot accept Spirit Gathering Pills as bets. However, I can help you estimate their value: one Silver Pill is worth one gold coin, one Golden Pill is worth eight gold coins, and one Spirit Pill is worth sixty-four gold coins. Three Spirit Gathering Pills would be valued at two hundred gold coins in the market, but if exchanged, they would be worth about one hundred gold coins.”

Fu Qiruo merely nodded and said, “If that’s the case, never mind!” He turned back to enjoy the unique magical beast contestants.

Yu Fei explained from the side, “Each of these six magical beasts has its unique traits. The Silent Wolf can’t make roaring noises, but it runs incredibly fast and hunts more ferociously than regular wolves; the Long-Tailed Fox, originating deep within the forest, is cunning and intelligent, taking pride in its beautiful long tail; the Bell Bird is extremely rare on the continent and there’s no need to speak of its flying speed-it can flap its wings thousands of times per second, producing a sound as pleasant as wind chimes when flying; the Round-Antlered Deer, also a wind magic beast, has a soft and nimble body with round-arched antlers that not only reduce wind resistance while running but also magically enhance wind magic; the High-Legged Centipede, true to its name, has many legs allowing it to run without ever tiring, a feature ideal for long distances; the Kangaroo King, unmatched in bouncing skills for its size, can leap over a hundred meters with a light jump.”

“The betting time for Group First has now ended, prepare to Raise the barrier!” commanded a lady, and suddenly, a smooth red wooden barrier rose in front of the six magical beasts.

Yu An mused to himself, “The tournament arena’s track is circular, and the Kangaroo King’s movement is linear. I wonder how it manages turns when it jumps so quickly?”