Ashes of the star forge

The underground arena stretched out before them.

It was larger than Lian expected. A multi-level pit carved into the station’s lower structure, with a wide fighting floor at the center reinforced by heavy barrier fields. Tiered seating rose around it, packed with cultivators, mercenaries, syndicate enforcers, and wealthy spectators who preferred their bloodsport away from official eyes. The air was thick with Qi signatures of every grade. Betting terminals glowed along the upper rails. Private viewing boxes hung above the main floor, their occupants hidden behind tinted barriers.

A fight was already in progress.

Two combatants faced each other in the center of the pit. One was a heavily auged Brutari, red-skinned and ridged, swinging a massive gravity hammer. The other was a lean human woman with dual plasma daggers, moving with sharp, precise footwork. The crowd roared with every exchange. Blood already stained the floor.

Lian, Elara, and Lirien moved along the upper walkway, staying in the shadows. No one paid them much attention. In a place like this, new faces were common, and most people preferred to keep their eyes on the blood below.

“This place operates outside official jurisdiction,” Lirien said quietly. “The local enforcers take a cut to look the other way. Information, rare materials, and private contracts all move through here. If the white-eyed man passed through this sector, someone here will have heard.”

Lian’s gaze swept the crowd. He noted the stronger cultivators first — a few at late Core Condensation, one or two who felt close to Stellar Circuit. None matched the oppressive presence of the representative or the white-eyed man, but several looked dangerous enough to cause problems if provoked.

Elara stayed close, her expression carefully neutral. Her hand rested near her blade, but she did not draw it. The atmosphere of the arena was thick with violence and anticipation. She could feel it pressing against her senses.

A new match was announced.

The holographic display above the pit shifted, showing the next fighters. One was a local favorite — a tall Mechari with reinforced plating and a heavy energy blade. The other was listed only as “Challenger.” The odds heavily favored the Mechari.

Lian watched with cold interest. Places like this were useful for more than information. They revealed the true strength of the lower universe’s fighters. They also offered opportunities for those willing to risk themselves.

Lirien’s violet eyes flicked toward him.

“Master,” she said softly, “if you wish to test your current foundation in a real fight, this would be an efficient place to do so. The barriers prevent death in most matches, though serious injury is common. Winning would also draw less official attention than causing trouble above.”

Lian did not answer immediately.

His body still remembered the repeated deaths in the training room. The shattered bones. The helplessness. The fear he was still working to burn out of himself. A real fight, even with safety barriers, would be different from the controlled simulation. It would be messy. Unpredictable.

It would also be necessary.

He looked down at the pit as the Mechari stepped onto the floor to the roar of the crowd. The challenger had not yet appeared.

Lian’s expression remained cold and steady.

“We’ll watch the next few matches,” he said. “Then decide.”

Elara glanced at him but said nothing. She understood. They had not come here only for information. Strength was the only currency that truly mattered in the lower universe, and the underground arena was one of the few places where that currency could be tested without immediate consequences from the authorities.

Below them, the barriers flared to life.

The match was about to begin.

Lian was still watching the current match when Lirien moved.

She stepped away from the upper walkway without a word and approached one of the registration terminals near the private boxes. Her small hands moved quickly across the holographic interface. A few seconds later, she returned and stood beside him again, her expression calm and unchanged.

“It is done, Master,” she said quietly.

Lian turned to her, eyes narrowing. “What is done?”

“I have registered you for the next available match.”

For a moment, Lian simply stared at her. The noise of the arena faded into the background. Elara looked between them, clearly surprised.

“You did what?” Lian’s voice was low and controlled, but the edge in it was sharp.

“You need real combat,” Lirien replied without hesitation. “The training room is useful, but it is still a controlled environment. Your foundation is incomplete. Facing living opponents under pressure will force it to stabilize faster. The barriers here prevent death. Serious injury is the worst outcome. This is an efficient method.”

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle

Keep it as reminders

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!