King of Creation-Chapter 660 - 652: Yun Ce’s Strength

"For the time being, the rewards for the top three ranks in the ranking competition are still undetermined!" Tian Guizhang said with a chuckle.

"Still undetermined?" This answer surprised Ye Zhen quite a bit.

"The ranking competition is about to start, and the rewards are still not determined?" Beside him, Nian Xinghe also furrowed his brows.

On one side, the Head of the Inner Affairs Hall, Zhu Ling, unusually displayed a hint of a smile, "Let us explain to you."

Zhu Ling, the Head of the Inner Affairs Hall, had always worn a stern expression due to the grief of losing his son, rarely showing a smile. This time, with Ye Zhen, Nian Xinghe, and Zuo Xiong successfully passing the trial, if they eventually could obtain the rewards, it would also benefit the high-ranking members of the Divine Sect. Naturally, their mood was good.

"The rewards for the top three ranks in the Spirit Returning competition had actually been decided long ago. The reason they are still undetermined now is mainly because of the rules for confirming the prizes!"

"Rules for confirming the prizes?"

"That’s right, the prizes for the top three ranks in the Spirit Returning ranking competition are provided through a joint fund by the Five Great Forces, and each force must send the prepared prizes to the Heavenly Net Sect, the organizer of this event, before the start of the Spirit Returning Assembly.

Moreover, the prizes sent by each force cannot be something chosen at random, the value of the prizes must be approved by at least three forces to pass, and only then can they participate in the Spirit Returning Assembly.

Basically, the prizes sent by each force are quite rare and valuable treasures; otherwise, the other forces wouldn’t agree.

However, the prizes chosen by each force are merely options, and who actually decides what prize will be acquired, in fact, is you all!" Zhu Ling said.

"Us?" Ye Zhen exchanged a glance with Nian Xinghe, a bit puzzled.

"Yes, it’s decided by your battle achievements! If any of you can make it into the top three ranks of the Spirit Returning competition, then the prize provided by our Sun and Moon Divine Sect will be returned!

On the contrary, if there are no martial artists from a force that make it into the top three ranks, then the prize provided by that force will be distributed.

So, you must work hard. If you two manage to take second and third place, you will get the prizes provided by three forces!

Without hiding it from you, I am in charge of all these affairs, and almost all the prizes have made me envious! Unfortunately, I am old, or else, I would also participate in the Spirit Returning Assembly and give it a try!" Zhu Ling said with a laugh.

"Can you reveal a bit about the prizes?" Ye Zhen asked curiously.

Zhu Ling glanced around and then gave Ye Zhen and Nian Xinghe a thumbs-up, "I’ll reveal just a little, do you know what the prize provided by the Longevity Sect is?"

"What is it?"

"Longevity Holy Water! It’s almost considered the Longevity Sect’s supreme life-saving holy medicine. Normally, even an Establishment King has a hard time getting a drop! And this time, under pressure, the Longevity Sect provided four drops of Longevity Holy Water!" While speaking, Zhu Ling showed a covetous look.

Ye Zhen’s pupils shrank.

He understood all too well the miraculous effects of Longevity Holy Water because he had personally used it and experienced its power. Such severe injuries, recovering fifty percent within ten breaths, and fully recovering within a hundred breaths.

Calling it a life-saving divine medicine was not an exaggeration.

Such a life-saving divine medicine, even kings from the Establishment Realm would be envious.

It was practically a second life.

By this reasoning, if the Longevity Sect could provide such precious Longevity Holy Water, then the treasures provided by other forces, how could they be lacking?

"Don’t be too envious, fighting well in a while is what’s important! If you want to get your hands on Longevity Holy Water, it’ll still depend on luck!" Zhu Ling said with a light laugh.

Zhu Ling was right; if Ye Zhen wanted to obtain the Longevity Holy Water, it indeed depended on luck.

First, he had to make it into the top one hundred to possibly get the Longevity Holy Water, and secondly, there could be no martial artist from the Longevity Sect among the top three ranks to acquire the Longevity Holy Water.

Among the martial artists from the Longevity Sect, regardless of others, the White Bone Young Master, Lio Kechu, definitely had the strength to make it into the top three ranks.

A while later, the high-ranking members of the Five Great Forces and the participating martial artists all arrived, forming a large circle, with a temporarily constructed super large Martial Arena of ten miles radius in the center.

Suddenly, the Heavenly Net Sect Master, Wug Mengshan, moved and flew to the very center of the Martial Arena.

"I won’t talk much about the scoring rules; I believe someone has already explained them to you! What I’m about to say now are the combat victory rules, listen well!"

"Who wins and loses in the battle is clear to all, so I needn’t say more about that. What I want to emphasize is another point, this is a martial arena, so anyone who is blasted out of this ten miles radius Martial Arena’s Spirit Threads will be declared as the loser!"

While speaking, with a flick of his finger, a green Spirit Thread flew out from Wug Mengshan’s fingertip. Very quickly, it spread around the ten miles radius, and what was even more astonishing was that the Spirit Thread remained condensed and flawless. Just this fact alone revealed the depth of Wug Mengshan’s cultivation.

"The second point I want to emphasize is, in the combat, you cannot attack a martial artist who has conceded on the spot! Of course, it often happens that one uses full strength in the battle and can’t hold back. So, if anyone shouts the words, ’I concede,’ and the battle has not stopped, I will intervene to prevent further action!" Wug Mengshan stated.

"Everyone got that? If you understand, then come forward and draw lots first!" Wug Mengshan waved his sleeve, and sixteen sealed bamboo lots with black mud were displayed in a row, floating in front of the Martial Arena.

"Each person will use their Spiritual Power to draw a bamboo lot, which will have your number for this competition. Disciples of the Heavenly Net Sect will draw last. Be quick!" Wug Mengshan called out sharply.

Over a hundred years and more than twenty sessions, the rules of the Spirit Returning Assembly had become quite perfected, including a regulation to avoid conflict of interest for the disciples of the hosting force.

With a flick of his fingers, Ye Zhen casually struck down the bamboo slip furthest to the left with his spiritual power.

Breaking the black clay on the surface revealed a number.

"Number three!"

Soon, including the disciple of the Heavenly Net Sect who drew last, everyone received their number slips. Ye Zhen glanced over to see that Nian Xinghe drew number eleven, while Zuo Xiong drew number eight!

However, whatever number they drew had no impact on the martial arena, which due to the gravity of the event, virtually eliminated any possibility of cheating.

The only uncontrollable factor was luck.

"This Spirit Returning ranking battle will be held over three days, with five rounds of fights scheduled each day, and competitors may rest for one hour between each round. Now, let the martial artist who drew number one draw again to choose their opponent!" Wug Mengshan declared.

However, when the number one drew martial artist approached the stage, Wug Mengshan voluntarily stepped down and was replaced by the Longevity Sect Master Yin Changsheng to oversee the drawing because the martial artist with the number one slip was Xie Zhi from the Heavenly Net Sect.

"First match, number one against number seven!"

Everyone knew who number one was, but not number seven. Everyone’s gaze turned to the martial artists standing in a row beside the arena, curious to identify who held number seven.

Suddenly, Yun Ce from Qingyun Castle, dressed in a green robe embroidered with clouds, stepped forward, showing the slip in his hand. "I am number seven!"

Hiss!

Unintentionally, the Heavenly Net Sect disciple Xie Zhi inhaled sharply. It was undeniably a tough start; in his first bout, he had drawn Yun Ce, the strongest competitor from Qingyun Castle.

"Please!"

With a light tap of his toes, Yun Ce floated onto the martial arena. Xie Zhi hesitated for a moment, then his expression turned determined, and he stepped onto the arena as well.

Yun Ce was at the peak of the Third Stage of the Vein Forging Realm, and so was he. What was there to fear?

Although their cultivation was the same, their status within their respective forces was not. Yun Ce was the core of the new generation of the Yun Family from Qingyun Castle, while Xie Zhi’s status within the Heavenly Net Sect was average, barely considered above the middle rank.

Almost as soon as Xie Zhi stepped onto the martial arena, both he and Yun Ce ignited a fierce radiance of spirit light, and in the blink of an eye, they were covered by a layer of thin and transparent Protective Spirit Armor from head to toe.

A long spear appeared in Xie Zhi’s hand, from which Spiritual Gang sprayed out instantly. In contrast, Yun Ce stood with his hands behind his back, not moving an inch, yet no one dared to underestimate him.

When both competitors were ready, they simultaneously looked up at Yin Changsheng, the temporary overseer floating in the sky.

The next instant, Yin Changsheng’s voice rang out, "The bout begins!"

Almost the moment Yin Changsheng’s voice fell, two fiercely radiant beams of spiritual power soared from the martial arena. All the martial artists, especially the contestants, leaned forward intensely, their eyes fixed on the arena, unwilling to miss any detail.

A strange aura surged around Xie Zhi, and his spear trembled like an illusion. Shadows of spears thrust out rapidly. In the blink of an eye, each spearhead vibrated thousands of times, and a barrage of spear lights immediately enveloped Yun Ce. The spear in his hand transformed into a venomous dragon concealed among the myriad spear lights, ready to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy at any moment.

Divine Power Martial Skill, Shadowless Spear!

Watching the onslaught of spear lights approaching, Yun Ce, standing nonchalantly with hands behind his back, simply smiled, his lips curling in disdain.

"Is this all you’ve got? It’s simply a waste of my spiritual power!"

As he spoke, Yun Ce’s palm trembled lightly, and a tiny orb of light, no bigger than a fingernail, suddenly shot out. The moment it flew, a deep blue brilliance exploded, charging towards the shower of spear lights like thunderbolt.

The orb of light expanded rapidly, and almost immediately became the size of a palm. It moved faster than Xie Zhi’s barrage of spear lights, instantly breaking through them.

Wherever it passed, the spear lights shattered!

The next moment, the palm-sized Seal accelerated sharply, crashing down towards the charging Xie Zhi!

Bang!

The deep blue brilliance erupted like fireworks. Xie Zhi was sent flying like a piece of torn cotton in a strong wind, flailing helplessly in the air as blood spewed from his mouth like a fountain. The Supreme Treasure Spear that he had been gripping tightly was also sent flying high into the air!

Vrrr!

Xie Zhi’s Supreme Treasure Spear landed first, its spearhead piercing the ground while the tail vibrated ceaselessly like a loosened bowstring. Meanwhile, Xie Zhi’s body was still floating in the air!

In an instant, silence enveloped the arena!

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)