Chapter 145: Prodigies Are the Most Heartless

Establish a dueling arena large enough to accommodate all the Martial Artists from the central region of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground, where they could battle inside, and Jiang Yan would only need to watch their fights to obtain a sufficient amount of Battle Intent.

This was Jiang Yan’s plan.

However, implementing this plan faced numerous challenges.

How to gather enough Martial Artists?

Use force? Forcibly capture these Martial Artists and bring them in? It was possible, but using force would only breed resentment toward the dueling arena among them, and they would not fight wholeheartedly.

Moreover, rebellions would need to be dealt with from time to time, and some might even take the opportunity to escape the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground.

This tyrannical management approach was simple and crude but too rudimentary, almost to the point of being dismissible.

To solve this problem, Jiang Yan devised a sufficiently “friendly” incentive mechanism.

Assign Rank Tiers to the dueling arena!

Upon reaching a certain Rank Tier, one could freely enjoy treasures like the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain.

Grade all the “fighters” in the dueling arena—the higher the Rank Tier, the longer the duration they could enjoy the treasures.

At certain intervals, Rank Tiers would be reset or automatically downgraded by a few levels. To maintain a high Rank Tier, one would have to keep fighting.

This way, they would become obsessed with fighting day after day, continuously providing Jiang Yan with Battle Intent.

Then, add a currency system—for example, winning matches would grant a certain amount of currency, which Martial Artists could use to exchange for time in the treasure grounds.

Thus, the foundation of the entire dueling arena was set.

With the idea in place, the next step was implementation.

Late at night.

Jiang Yan told Yang Qing about his plan to establish a dueling arena.

“What! You want to establish a dueling arena? But why? What good would it do for you?”

Jiang Yan shook his head: “You don’t need to worry about that. Just do as I say.”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

Yang Qing nodded and bowed, a True Intent Realm expert acting like a lackey.

He had already made up his mind to find an opportunity to leave the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground. By then, Jiang Yan would have no way to stop him.

For now… he would just lie low for a while~

Jiang Yan explained the specifics of the dueling arena to Yang Qing, who clicked his tongue in amazement, exclaiming that Jiang Yan was simply a Genius.

Of course, most of it was flattery.

Jiang Yan paid no mind and asked Yang Qing, “Have you played games? The Rank Tiers should follow the system in games. No need to be too detailed—just make it functional.”

Yang Qing patted his chest confidently: “Leave it to me!”

“But…” Yang Qing paused. “Bro Jiang, we don’t have enough cultivation grounds to supply so many Martial Artists.”

“Currently, you’ve occupied the Wan Tao and Starfall strongholds, and you only have one large Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain and one physical body training site, the Wind Scar Cliff. Although it seems like a lot, it’s truly insufficient when distributed among everyone~”

Yang Qing wore a pained expression, subtly hinting at the major flaw in Jiang Yan’s model.

Martial Artists would only duel in the arena for rewards. If there were no rewards, what would they be given—thin air?

Jiang Yan’s gaze darkened as he calmly looked at Yang Qing: “Give me a map of the central region of the hunting ground.”

“A map? Oh, oh, I happen to have one!”

Soon, Yang Qing took out a map from his Spatial Ring.

“What does a map have to do with resources?”

Yang Qing looked puzzled, not understanding why Jiang Yan had asked for such a thing.

Jiang Yan spread the map open and placed it on the table.

Under the white light, the mountains, territorial boundaries, and treasure site locations on the map were clearly visible.

Jiang Yan pointed at the treasure site markers on the map.

“Resources—they’re all right here.”

Yang Qing: |ʘᗝʘ|

“Bro, that’s someone else’s territory! Even if you can defeat them, there still won’t be enough resources to share among so many Martial Artists. Unless… unless you can unify the entire central region of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground!”

Jiang Yan smiled, the contours of his face hidden in the shadows as the light swayed from side to side.

“Could it be…”

Thump—

Yang Qing slumped to the ground.

“Madman… you’re a madman…”

…

The next day.

Construction of the Dueling Arena began, with the labor force consisting of the Martial Artists from the Wan Tao and Starfall camps from the previous night.

Jiang Yan claimed the Dueling Arena would give them a chance to use the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain, but no one present believed it.

Yet, at the thought of this tyrant’s methods, everyone could only comply obediently, not daring to utter a single word of refusal.

“Why do you think Jiang Yan is building this Dueling Arena?”

“Who knows? That tyrant is probably just using it to amuse himself. Talking about giving us a chance to enjoy resources—it’s nothing but empty promises!”

“Sigh, isn’t that the truth? These Prodigies are the most selfish. If they have resources, they’d never share them with others.”

“I, Hu Dan, have had enough of these major factions. Half a year ago, I joined the Starfall camp, thinking we’d conquer resources and share wealth and glory. And what happened? The strong took all the resources, while us weaklings were just cannon fodder in the war.”

“I’ve had enough too. Damn it, I joined the Wan Tao camp half a year ago, and those guys said the same thing. In the end, I never got to enjoy the resources they promised!”

“Sigh~”

“Let’s find a chance to leave the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground. I’ve lost hope in these selfish Geniuses.”

Many in the crowd weren’t from the academy but were Rogue Cultivators who had joined the camps midway, hoping to scrape by.

They had hoped that contributing to the camp would earn them their due rewards, but reality had not gone as they wished.

A saying circulated in the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground:

“Those Prodigies are the most heartless and ungrateful.”

This phrase represented the sentiments of the Rogue Cultivators, a desperate struggle from the weak.

The Geniuses would only mock them mercilessly, with no one caring about these Rogue Cultivators.

“I’ve contributed to the camp!”

“I’ve shed blood for the camp!”

No one even wanted to mention such words anymore.

“I’ve decided! I, Hu Dan, quit!”

“Damn it, why should I be a lackey to these Geniuses? At worst, I’ll just leave the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground. With the vast world out there, where can’t I go?”

“Fuck it, I’ve had enough too!”

“Wandering with these camps every day, watching brothers I just met die in the struggle for resources—when will this damn life ever end?”

“I quit too. Senior Xue Han clearly promised we’d share the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain together, but after every battle, only the top Combat Power gets rewarded. Us ordinary students don’t even get a chance for a share.”

Over a dozen people dropped their shovels, erupting in protest and stirring a wave of agreement among the crowd.

“Damn it, no wonder life has been so tough!”

“At worst, we die. Everyone, follow me and charge out of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground!”

Someone shouted, and the crowd echoed in unison. Emotions suppressed for too long ignited and exploded in that moment.

The crowd was stirred into a frenzy!

And at that moment, Yang Qing descended from the sky.

He smiled as he looked at the crowd.

“Everyone has worked hard all morning. The Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain is now open. Please make yourselves at home.”

After saying this, he left the place without another word.

As if everything was under his control.

The crowd erupted in noise.

“The Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain?”

“What does that mean? What does he mean by ‘make yourselves at home’?”

“Don’t believe it, everyone. This must be a trick to keep us calm. Jiang Yan is in cahoots with those Geniuses. There’s no way they’d let us enjoy the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain!”

Someone spoke with conviction, and this statement convinced the vast majority, strengthening their resolve to escape.

But among the crowd, an abrupt remark plunged them all into Silence.

“But… why don’t we give it a try?”