"You can call me Great Tang Heavenly Emperor," said Tang Xiu calmly. "As for how I know, it's inconvenient to tell you now. Old Sycamore, there's something I need to do in the Prison Cell City and I want you to be my guide here! I'll reward you handsomely if you do well."
Old Sycamore stared fixedly at Tang Xiu. After 15 minutes, he took a deep breath and his figure returned to his rickety state again while also converging his aura.
Little Beggar was his blood brother—once the new rising star in the Immortal World who attracted the attention of numerous powerful people, aside from his other identity as the disciple of Star Cultivation Great Emperor.
It had been more than 5,000 years. Those who knew that he was the elder brother of Little Beggar absolutely had a very good relationship with him. But those people… most of them had died already… right?
"Alright, I'll be your guide."
Old Sycamore withdrew his stare, waved at the little lass next to him, and said in a deep voice, "I'm leaving, but you must stay at home honestly, got it?! If I found you sneaked out, you'll be grounded for hundreds of years!"
The little girl hesitated and suddenly became listless and grunted unhappily. Then, she dangled back to the courtyard's gate and slammed the house's door.
Old Sycamore looked at Tang Xiu and asked, "Where would you like to go? There's no place and nothing in the Prison Cell City I don't know about."
Tang Xiu glanced at him, turned towards the main building of Convict Arena, and lightly said, "Don't brag and boast that big first. Even if you lived here for millennia, it's very likely there are many things you don't know."
Old Sycamore smiled in response and asked, "For instance?"
"Just like who is the owner of the Convict Arena. Do you even know that person?" asked Tang Xiu.
"This…" Old Sycamore was speechless and flung his face, looking a bit embarrassed.
Tang Xiu smiled indifferently and looked at Dragonfly, saying, "Hey, kiddo. You tell me about his cultivation level."
Dragonfly replied, "Master, he's very strong at least at the Perfected Golden Immortal Stage and he's even more powerful than Lady Star Tears. Ah, that's right. He's also currently injured, though his injury is not serious."
Old Sycamore's pace came to a halt and he looked dumbly at Tang Xiu and Dragonfly with incredulity on his face. Those who knew that he was a Perfected Golden Immortal in the entire Immortal World was not over 3 people, including himself.
And yet… how did this guy know about it? Who exactly are these people?
Old Sycamore vaguely sensed that he couldn't hide anything in front of these people. The realization made him inwardly nervous. After keeping up with Tang Xiu's footsteps, he inquired. "Honored Guest, may I know what items you'd like to buy, or the place you're going?"
"I'm going to the Convict Arena's prison cells for Perfected Golden Immortals," answered Tang Xiu.
"Are you perhaps going to gamble, Honored Guest? Or, are you…"
"I want to buy some Perfected Golden Immortals," said Tang Xiu.
Old Sycamore's pupils contracted and he suddenly realized that Tang Xiu should be a big figure with rich financial resources. After pondering for a while, he said, "If you want to purchase some Perfected Golden Immortals, you don't need to go directly to the Convict Arena's Perfected Golden Immortal cells. I know a place that sells Perfected Golden Immortals. Besides, there are only about 60 Perfected Golden Immortal gladiators in Prison Cell City. Those 60-plus people have their records and identities recorded and known to countless people. But the place I just told you about is keeping the identity of these gladiators confidential, though the number is much fewer."
"Then take me there!" After saying that, Tang Xiu asked again, "What's exactly the number and their strength and background?"
"No more than 10 people, but they are very strong. Even those deathmatch gladiators in the Convict Arena are inferior to them. They are all of different races and kind of some Lord-level characters that lorded over some remote Immortal Domains. You know, the Convict Arena has a kind of mysterious team that keeps expanding its territory to the remote Immortal Domains. At the same time, they also hunt and capture Golden Immortals as well as Perfected Golden Immortals for trafficking and to increase the number of deathmatch fighters for the Convict Arena."
Tang Xiu slightly nodded. He had heard of these issues but never paid attention to it before since he thought that Convict Arena was just some small existence. But looking at it now, he was keenly aware that the Convict Arena was much more terrifying. It could be said that it may be ranked in the top ten major forces in the Immortal World.
Deathmatch Gate.
It was the place mentioned by Old Sycamore. When everyone entered the ordinary-looking building, an aged yet charming beautiful woman welcomed them and smilingly said, "Hey, Old Sycamore, did you bring these guests to buy something here?"
"Yup," said Old Sycamore.
"Well, you know the rules. Take them inside!" The woman smiled and said, "But you'll be responsible if things go wrong, capiche?"
"Got it." Old Sycamore nodded with a smile and led the four inside.
After the five of them entered, only then did they discover that the place was a Heavenly Abode artifact. It was because the space inside was very huge and a hundred times larger than it looked from the outside.
"Well, let's go straight ahead, Honored Guest." Old Sycamore smiled and said, "That's the place where the deathmatch fighters placed for sale are gathered. If you take the left passage, you'll arrive at the place where you can buy immortal cultivation arts manuals and various manuals for secret arts, divine abilities, and the likes. If you take the right passage, you'll find a place that sells all kinds of weapons."
Tang Xiu's expression shifted and he said, "Let's head to the weapons' place first."
Old Sycamore slightly smiled and took Tang Xiu through the kilometer-long passage and then entered a vast hall. Countless weapons were seen arranged in an orderly manner inside, with each's shortcomings, features, and rank recorded on their labels.
Defense-type artifacts.
After going deeper inside, Tang Xiu quickly found a variety of defensive artifacts for sale. The dazzling array of items here were truly breathtaking.
Immortal artifacts were divided into 9 grades. The 1st and 2nd grades were suitable for ordinary immortals, the 3rd for Earth Immortals, 4th for Celestial Immortals' use, 5th for Profound Immortals, 6th suited Golden Immortals, 7th for Perfected Golden Immortals, and 8th grade suited those at the Supremacy Stage.
As for the 9th grade immortal artifacts, they were for the top-rank Supremes who were able to unleash their full might.
Tang Xiu then found 7th grade Immortal artifacts based on the label tagged. He observed for some time and then said, "Battle Peng, Star Tears, you two choose defensive artifacts for yourselves."
"Understood!"
Both of them were slightly shaken inwardly but quickly picked up a defensive artifact that satisfied them.
Tang Xiu quietly observed the reaming 18 defensive artifacts on display and couldn't help shake his head secretly. Each of these 18 defensive artifacts could withstand the full blow of Perfected Golden Immortals without getting destroyed, though it would still be shattered should it face continuous blows.
"Old Sycamore, I suppose this place also has some 9th grade Immortal artifacts, yes?"
"Yes. There are only three 9th grade defensive artifacts here, and all of them are inside the array. Each one of them is very expensive. I don't think a Perfected Golden Immortal can buy any of them even with all their wealth," said Old Sycamore.
"Take me there," said Tang Xiu.
Old Sycamore walked a hundred steps ahead before he stopped at the corner. Then, he casually cast a seal. Immediately after, 3 transparent illuminations suddenly appeared and three items appeared in it.
"Myriad Toad Golden Armor."
"Celestial Soul Sphere."
"Nine Thunder Paragon Garb."
Tang Xiu calmly scrutinized the three 9th grade immortal artifacts. Then, he turned to Old Sycamore and said, "Notify the person in charge of this place and tell the person to see me."
"Understood!"
It took only less than 15 minutes for Old Sycamore to leave and come back with the previous aged yet charming beautiful female.
"Honored Patron, have you picked the items you like?"
The beautiful woman glanced at the three-9th grade defensive artifacts and a bizarre light flashed in her eyes when she asked with a smile.
Tang Xiu nodded and said, "Three defensive artifacts in total. 2 of them are 8th grade and this Nine Thunder Paragon Garb. How much for all of them?"
"This Nine Thunder Paragon Garb is priced at 20 million Crystal Essences, and 12 million Crystal Essences for two 8th grade defensive artifacts—for a total 32 million Crystal Essences. Also, Old Sycamore said you have a deep relationship with him, so I'm giving you a 2-million discount. Thus, you only need 30 million Crystal Essences to pay for them."
Tang Xiu took out 30 million Crystal Essences and handed it to the beautiful woman. "Thank you."
"Well, if you want to thank someone, thank Old Sycamore." The woman shook her head and smiled. "Anyway, do you need anything else?"
"I want to buy some Perfected Golden Immortal gladiators. Six of them, to be precise," said Tang Xiu.
The beautiful woman's expression suddenly changed slightly. She thought Tang Xiu was just an ordinary Immortal. She didn't expect him to have such deep and fearsome financial resources.
"Please follow me."
The beautiful woman shot a deep look at Tang Xiu before turning and walking away.
Inside another space.
As the group arrived, Tang Xiu saw thousands of cages on both sides, each separated by a kilometer. All levels of gladiators could be seen here from ordinary cultivators to Golden Immortal gladiators. After the woman came to the innermost side with the group, she cast a seal and a vortex portal suddenly appeared in front of everyone's eyes. After they entered it, they saw nine cages forming a circle, and each cage was occupied by a Perfected Golden Immortal gladiator.
"This price…"
Using his spiritual sense to read the price tag on each cell, Tang Xiu's expression slightly changed because the cheapest Perfected Golden Immortal gladiator here was priced at 12 million Crystal Essences, whereas the messy blue-haired woman who sat cross-legged was priced at 21 million Crystal Essences.
"Can the price be discounted?" Tang Xiu looked at the beautiful woman and asked.
The woman shook her head and smilingly replied, "I'm sorry. This price is already the lowest we can offer. I can only give you a small discount if you really buy six Perfected Golden Immortal gladiators."
Tang Xiu secretly forced a wry smile inside. All the Immortal Stones, Immortal Crystals, and Crystal Essences he had now were only worth around 60 million Crystal Essences—some of them including those he obtained from the interspatial rings he took from those six Perfected Golden Immortal subordinates of Zither Demon Jiuyao they killed before.
Tang Xiu then looked at Old Sycamore and said, "Lend me 20 million Crystal Essences. I'll double the repayment a century later."
Old Sycamore hesitated for a moment and said, "I do have 20 million Crystal Essences, but why should I believe you?"
Tang Xiu wryly smiled. "I can't come up with something that can make you believe in me. But if you do have a great relationship with Little Beggar, I think you can lend me the money."
Old Sycamore scrutinized Tang Xiu for a long while before he threw a ring and lightly said, "There are 20 million Crystal Essences inside. I don't need you to pay it back double, but I hope you can give an explanation in the future."