On the second day, the first glimmer of dawn had just descended to the land when countless profounders had gathered outside the Imperial Palace of the Grand Qin Empire.
There was an enormous arena at the center of the square. The 30 participants that emerged from the groups yesterday were standing on the arena. No, it should be said that it was 31 participants because Yuan Tong was standing on the arena as well.
Amidst countless clamorous voices, Li Si and Bai Qi who wore golden armor suddenly appeared on the arena, and the surroundings instantly fell silent when they made an appearance.
Li Si glanced at the crown beneath the arena before his gaze finally descended on the members from the six great powers that resided on the wall of the Imperial Palace. After that, he said, “Everyone, the battles of the Ascension Rankings are extremely brutal, so both injuries and deaths can’t be avoided. I know that all these young geniuses on the arena are the geniuses of your various powers, and all of you would definitely not be willing to see them die on the arena. However, I have to remind all of you to not break the rules of the Ascension Rankings, make a move arbitrarily to rescue your disciples or attack the other participants. If anyone breaks the rules, then I guarantee in the name of the Grand Qin Empire, that no matter which power that person is from, that person will definitely be unable to leave the Imperial Capital!”
When he heard Li Si, Qing Yun’zi grunted coldly and said, “Unable to leave the Imperial Capital? The Grand Qin Empire is really becoming more and more arrogant and overbearing!” Obviously, Qing Yun’zi was very displeased by Li Si’s threatening tone.
“Qin Yun’zi, who’s stronger between you and Li Si?” Meanwhile, Cai Feng from the Flower Palace suddenly asked this question.
Qing Yun’zi pondered deeply for a moment before he said, “Besides that person, no one in the Exalt Realm can match Li Si’s strength while within the Imperial Capital. Even I am no exception. However, if it’s outside the Imperial Capital where he doesn’t possess the boost of the Empire’s Karmic Luck, then he wouldn’t be a match for me.”
Cai Feng glanced at Li Si, and then a wisp of fear flashed in her eyes. It was just as Qing Yun’zi had said. Li Si possessed the Dao Artifact, the Ruler of Righteousness. Moreover, he cultivated in Righteous Energy and possessed the Karmic Luck of the Empire to boost his strength. So, not to mention Exalt Realm profounders, he would even be able to resist Monarch Realm profounders while he was in the Imperial Capital!
“The Grand Qin Empire possesses extraordinary experts like Li Si and Bai Qi, and it even possesses the four Divine Generals and the eight Grand Marquises. Besides that, it possesses those mysterious armies that are in the control of these experts. If the Empire didn’t possess a formidable enemy to defend against, it would have probably made a move against all of our sects by now!” The Sword Sect’s Yu Heng spoke abruptly.
When they heard Yu Heng, all of them here had fallen silent. In the southern territory, every though the six great powers and the Grand Qin Empire coexisted in harmony, it was only on the surface. All the six great powers were clearly aware that the colossus, the Grand Qin Empire; or to be more precise, the Founding Emperor, had always wanted to do what Emperor Zhou had intended to do all those years ago.
The reason the Empire hadn’t acted was that all of them had an even stronger enemy!
On the arena, after he described all the rules, Li Si announced in the end. “Everyone, the ranking battles begin now!”
After he finished speaking, Li Si said, “The first battle, the Origin School’s Yuan Tong against the independent cultivator, Li Xinghe!”
When they heard Li Si, the crowd immediately seethed with excitement. Because they had never imagined that Yuan Tong would actually be fighting in the first battle.
On the arena, the young man called Li Xinghe was first stunned when he heard Li Si, and then he revealed a bitter expression. Since he was able to enter the top 30, there was no doubt about the strength he possessed. He originally intended to climb up a few positions. But he hadn’t expected that he would actually immediately encounter the most monstrous genius in the southern territory.
Even though he was clearly aware that he wasn’t a match for Yuan Tong, he had no choice but to meet Yuan Tong in battle!
Li Xinghe took a deep breath, and then he walked over to stand opposite Yuan Tong before he cupped his fists slightly and said, “Please provide me with your guidance!”
Yuan Tong smiled lightly, and then he said, “Your courage is admirable. Attack first or you won’t have a chance to!”
A wisp of anger flashed in Li Xinghe’s eyes when he heard this. Since he was able to enter the top 30, there was no doubt that he possessed formidable strength. So, when one possessed natural talent and strength, one would naturally possess pride. Now, how could he not be infuriated when Yuan Tong expressed such contempt towards him?
With a twist of his wrist, an azure blue sword appeared in his hand, and then the profound energy within his body surged violently into it. As his profound energy surged incessantly into the sword, strands of seemingly material waves had actually appeared around the sword.
At a certain moment in time, Li Xinghe slashed the azure blue colored sword at Yuan Tong!
“Heavenly Water Curtain!” Along with Li Xinghe’s furious shout, the waves from within his azure blue sword had suddenly surged out explosively in layers from the tip of his sword. In the air, these layers of waves covered the heavens and the earth as they pressed down upon Yuan Tong who stood proudly on the spot.
As he gazed at Yuan Tong who remained on the spot with indifference, a wisp of happiness flashed in Li Xinghe’s eyes. The Heavenly Water Curtain was a low-grade Earth Rank technique that he had never utilized during the first phase of the battles. He’d done so for the sake of keeping it as a trump card that would allow him to seize a good position during the ranking battles in the second phase. However, he hadn’t imagined that he would immediately encounter Yuan Tong, so he didn’t hesitate at all to utilize his strongest trump card.
Now, when he saw Yuan Tong underestimate the strength of his Earth Rank technique, it caused him to arouse a trace of hope in his heart!
As he gazed at the waves that covered the heavens and the earth as they assaulted him, Yuan Tong shook his head slowly and said, “This combat technique should be pretty good. Unfortunately, you were unable to bring forth its true might. It’s quite a waste in your possession!” As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Tong took a step forward and smashed his fist forward!
“Break!” Along with a light shout, a gale surged out from Yuan Tong’s fist, and then the curtain of water in front of Yuan Tong had instantly dispersed like snow that had fallen into oil….
Countless people in the surroundings were stunned when they witnessed this scene. That was an Earth Rank technique! But Yuan Tong actually blasted it into pieces just like that?
At this moment, Yang Ye’s expression was slightly solemn. Since the beginning, he’d only heard of Yuan Tong’s true strength from others while he’d merely exchanged a single blow with Yuan Tong. So, he was utterly unaware of the exact extents of Yuan Tong’s strength. But now, this Earth Rank technique had actually been destroyed by Yuan Tong with an extremely simple punch. Such strength could really be described as terrifying!
Besides Yang Ye, the expressions of the other profounders who were participating in the ranking battles had extremely solemn expressions as well. Moreover, even Qin Youran, Leng Xinran, Wenren Yue, and Lin Xiuran were no exceptions. Obviously, Yuan Tong’s strength had shocked all of them!
On the arena, Yuan Tong didn’t follow up with a second attack after he destroyed that Earth Rank technique with a single strike of his fist. He gazed at Li Xinghe who still hadn’t recovered from his shock and said, “Your profound energy isn’t pure while your combat technique isn’t cultivated well. Cultivate properly for a few more years after you leave!”
Li Xinghe smiled bitterly when he heard this, and then he cupped his fists to Yuan Tong and said, “Thank you for your guidance!” As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped off the arena.
“Yuan Tong! Yuan Tong! Martial God! Martial God!”
After Li Xinghe descended the arena, the spectators in the surroundings had recovered from their shock, and countless shouts instantly shot into the sky.
In this world where the strong were respected, Yuan Tong’s strength had undoubtedly obtained the respect and adoration of everyone. To put it in even simpler terms, Yuan Tong had already become the idol in the hearts of numerous profounders!
As he gazed at the gazes of adoration from countless people below the arena and heard the shouts of innumerable profounders, Yuan Tong smiled lightly. This year’s Ascension Ranking, no, it should be said that from this moment onward and throughout the next few hundreds of years, the southern territory would be a stage that belonged to Yuan Tong alone. Because all the geniuses that emerged during these hundreds of years were bound to be existences that served as the contrast for his own strength!
A wisp of worry flashed in Li Si’s eyes as he gazed at Yuan Tong who stood on the arena, and he said, “This kid’s strength and natural talent is really monstrous to the extreme. If he’s allowed to grow, then he’ll definitely become a formidable enemy of my Grand Qin Empire.”
“Eliminate him as soon as possible!” Bai Qi spoke in a concise manner.
Li Si was slightly tempted, but he quickly shook his head and said, “He can’t be touched. At the very least, it can’t be us who does it. Otherwise, the southern territory would definitely fall into great chaos.”
After he finished speaking, Li Si continued. “Unfortunately, while the Ascension Rankings is the best opportunity to kill him, none of the others standing on the arena have the ability to kill him.”
“If he isn’t eliminated, then it’s very likely that he would become a figure like the Sword Sect’s Founding Ancestor. At that time, my Grand Qin Empire would be in danger!” Bai Qi said in a low voice, “Especially once he secures his position as the Martial God. At that time, with the Martial God’s influence and reputation, how many profounders in the southern territory would join the Origin School?”
Li Si shook his head slowly and said, “How could I be unaware of everything you’ve just said? How could the Founding Emperor be unaware of it? However, what can we do even if we are aware of it? Indeed, we’re capable of eliminating him right now if we join forces, but what about the consequences? The consequence would be that a life and death battle would erupt between the Grand Qin Empire and the Origin School. At that time, the other five great powers would definitely stand on the Origin School’s side, and then the entire southern territory would fall into chaos.”
Bai Qi fell silent when he heard this. The Grand Qin Empire wasn’t afraid of the Origin School. But it had no choice but to be apprehensive towards this number one sect of the southern territory. Even Bai Qi had no choice but to admit that the Origin School’s reserves and strength were truly extremely terrifying!
Li Si sighed lightly, and then his figure flashed to appear on the arena. He glanced at Yuan Tong before he said, “Yuan Tong is victorious!”
When they heard Li Si announce Yuan Tong’s victory, another wave of cheering erupted from the crown below the arena. In all of their opinions, they felt extremely honored to be able to witness the rise of the Martial God!
Yuan Tong bowed to Li Si, and then he leaped off the arena.
After that, the battles continued again. After 15 battles, only 16 people remained. During this period of time, Wenren Yue, Leng Xinran, Qin Youran, Murong Yao, Yang Ye, and Lin Xiuran had ascended the arena one after the other. However, to the disappointment of all the spectators, not a single dark horse had appeared throughout these 15 battles! So, all the disciples of the six great powers had entered the top 16!
Without them realizing, a day had already passed.
“The Sword Sect’s Yang Ye against the Imperial Academy’s Qin Youran!” On the arena, as these words left Li Si’s mouth, the surroundings seethed with excitement once more.