She would undoubtedly become everyone’s strong rival.
Thankfully, the other monster, Ling Han, did not participate in the tournament. Otherwise, everyone would have another person to be wary of.
Ao Xing Lai was very, very displeased. How had he managed to draw a freak like Hu Niu as his opponent? But it had already happened, and an elite cultivator like him would naturally not cower. To make the impossible happen: that was the character of a real powerful cultivator.
He raised his sword to a level position, his expression serious.
His opponent was only a little girl, so he was naturally not going to spout any lines that fitted the situation. No matter how fantastic his speech was, it would only make the spectators break out into laughter.
“Niu’s super skill, Invincible Wind and Fire Wheels!” Hu Niu rushed forth, her arms moving rapidly in circular motions, looking as if they were two wheels that headed in Ao Xing Lai’s direction.
Ao Xing Lai was unafraid. He was at the complete advantage in terms of cultivation level, which also meant that he was at advantage in terms of power. This was the unbreakable reality of martial arts. His sword stabbed forth as seven flashes of Sword Qi surged, attacking Hu Niu from seven separate directions.
He similarly had confidence in his attack power. As long as one of his attacks hit her, Hu Niu was definitely going to be defeated.
…With a powerful Flower Blossom Tier cultivator on standby, it was not possible for fatalities to happen here.
Hy Niu used her high-speed motion technique, and with a flash, appeared behind Ao Xing Lai. Peng, peng, peng, peng, the “Invincible Wind and Fire Wheels” suddenly crashed onto his back. Peng, peng, peng, peng, one punch followed another.
The power of her fist measured up to twenty Stars of the Spiritual Ocean Tier of destructive power, and because Ao Xing Lai had not foreseen that she could move so quickly, he had used the the majority of his power in his initial stab, so the defences on his back were unimaginably weak. Instantly, the impact of the attack made him stumble a few steps ahead, as he continued to endlessly throw up blood.
No way!
All the spectators were dumbstruck by the scene they had witnessed; how could there be someone possessing such rapid speed? Such absolute speed plus a terrifying destructive power was the perfect combination! To deal with this kind of attack, one could only use an area attack that had absolutely no weaknesses at any angle to prevent Hu Niu from coming closer, or counter with an absolute killing strike when she was close enough.
Ao Xing Lai roared in fury and hurriedly used Origin Power to protect his back. Peng, peng, peng, peng. His martial intent was activated and formed multiple brilliant patterns, and he finally managed to steady himself. Twenty Stars of Spiritual Ocean of destructive power was still merely the Spiritual Ocean-level after all; it could not possibly cause too much damage to his Spiritual Pedestal Tier-level defences.
He turned around, intending to face Hu Niu, but how could he possibly be on par with Hu Niu’s speed? He turned and Hu Niu turned with him as if she was his shadow, sticking closely to his back.
Peng, peng, peng, peng. Ao Xing Lai could only be thrashed. He had the mighty power of a Spiritual Pedestal Tier cultivator, but could not use any of his power at all.
“Niu’s Heaven Wolf Claws!” When Hu Niu saw that her punches were ineffective, she switched to using claw attacks.
This time, even Ao Xing Lai’s defences were unable to stand up to her powerful attacks, and streams of blood sprayed from his back.
“Enough!” the referee declared, calling a halt to the battle.
This battle had exceeded everyone’s expectations, but was within logic.
Why had it been unexpected? Because the battle was so one-sided. No matter what, Ao Xing Lai had still been number seventy-eighth in the last tournament roll, yet he practically was completely unable to fight back at all.
However, Hu Niu was one that showed destructive power as high as twenty Stars of the Flower Blossom Tier, so it seemed as if the result of this battle was logical.
In the eighth batch, Liu Yu Tong, too, successfully won her battle. Until now, all four people from Ling Han’s party managed to successfully get a rank on the Prodigy Roll. This was definitely a miracle because even such great parties like the Beast Emperor Sect and the Winter Moon Sect would definitely have no more than two or three disciples that could enter the Prodigy Roll at the same time.
What was left now was to see how far these four could advance. Liu Yu Tong, Can Ye, and Zhu Wu Jiu most probably could only reach a rank beneath the top fifty, but as long as Hu Niu performed like usual, she definitely had the ability to make a bid for the first place.
The battles of the first day had ended, and all the new members of the Prodigy Roll were out. Furthermore, out of the fifty-six people left behind on the Roll, as many as seven people had been defeated and lost their place on the Roll, which meant that more than half of the people on the Roll were new faces. This was something that had rarely happened in the history of the Prodigy Roll.
On the second day, the ranking battles began.
Though Ling Han also went to watch, he did not care about it too much. This was only an empty name, and what was really important was to increase one’s power.
The battles were very intensive. Every person would have to fight in ten battles every day, which would continue for ten days. The result of each battle would affect the final ranking, so if one wanted to get a good rank on the Roll, every single battle was extremely important.
Liu Yu Tong, Zhu Wu Jiu and Can Ye were limited by their cultivation level after all, so they were definitely going to lose against an opponent in the Spiritual Pedestal Tier, but they were more likely to win than lose against Spiritual Ocean Tier opponents. Only Hu Niu advanced fiercely ahead, but when she encountered Zhu Wu Jiu on the first day, she took the initiative to forfeit and gave the latter a win. On the fifth day, when she encountered Can Ye, she similarly threw the battle, and on the seventh day, when she was matched against Liu Yu Tong, she… did not.
These were the only two battles she had lost.
And on the rankings, the mysterious person, Yang Jun Hao displayed absolute power, suppressing senior opponents from the Prodigy Roll such as Lu Yang, Zhu Xuan’er, and Zuo Yu Da, and also crushed new stars like Hua Ying Han and Shi An Ping. At the moment, he had ninety-eight wins and zero losses, standing at the highest position of the first place.
Lu Yang, Zhu Xuan’er and the others were ranked after him as they all had ninety-six wins and two losses. They lost once against Yang Jun Hao, and the second loss was against Hu Niu.
Obviously, Yang Jun Hao had attained the first place on the Prodigy Roll ahead of time.
The last match was the much expected battle between Yang Jun Hao and Hu Niu. Unfortunately, the results of this battle would have no effect on the current rankings.
After the battle began, Hu Niu still managed to get the upper hand due to her superior speed, yet her claw attacks were unable to break through Yang Jun Hao’s defences. Furthermore, she did not want to bite him, either, disdaining him for being too dirty. Thus, she was not able to win in the end, and the final result of the battle was a tie.
As a result, Yang Jun Hao, with the superior result of ninety-eight wins and one tie, obtained the first place in this Prodigy Tournament. The second was Lu Yang—ninety seven wins, the third was Hu Niu—ninety six wins and one tie, the fourth was Zhu Xuan’er—ninety-six wins. From the fifth place until the tenth, they were Hua Ying Han, Zuo Yu Da, Shi An Ping, Shen Zhong Cheng, Shui Gu Cheng, and Ji De Rong, respectively.
Can Ye was forty-second and Liu Yu Tong was fifty-second, whereas Zhu Wi Jiu was seventy-ninth. Aside from them, Yue Kai Yu’s rank was very high. He managed to charge all the way to the twenty-second place. With the Return Spirit Pill to strengthen his foundations, he had indeed improved fiercely.
However, everyone felt that it was very unfair for Hu Niu to be ranked third. She ha
d defeated the person in the second place. Moreover, in the battle against Yang Jun Hao, Hu Niu had not tried her best, because she had not used her bite which was her most powerful attack. Otherwise, it was guaranteed that even Yang Jun Hao would be forcoed to his knees.
But it was all right. After a year, the rankings on the Prodigy Roll would not be ranked this way, but rather would be ranked according to the actual battle results of the hundred people on the Prodigy Roll. It would take into account their Spirit Tools, luck, alchemical pills, and other variables.
Moreover, how old was Hu Niu? She was currently only six years old and could still occupy the Prodigy Roll for a whole twenty-four years! In the ninth layer of the Spiritual Ocean Tier, she was already so powerful, so when she entered the Spiritual Pedestal Tier, who would be able to stand against her?
When the battles for the Prodigy Tournament ended, another big piece of news suddenly arrived. The Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms were about to open, and the hundred people on the Prodigy Roll automatically gained the right to enter.
F***!
When Ling Han heard this piece of news, he immediately cursed.
Chapter 439
Chapter 439: Big News
Translator: DarkAngel_ Editor: Kurisu
The Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms opened every hundred years, but this period of a hundred years was only an estimate. Sometimes it would be ninety-plus years, while at others, it could be a hundred-plus years; there was no specific date.
These were the Mystery Realms that belonged to the north region. There were uncountable previous cases when cultivators obtained great rewards from within which helped them to accomplish great ventures. It was rumored that the current four most powerful great sects had gained humongous rewards in the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms, which allowed them to stand out and claim great success out of a multitude of other sects and ascend to become the four most powerful sects.
Exactly what kind of rewards they had gained within, of course, the four great parties were not willing to divulge. This was, after all, their biggest secret.
Unlike the Devil Sky Mystery Realm, wherein individuals could enter, there were very strict entry restrictions for the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms. The first restriction was number, and the second restriction was the relative comparison of cultivation to age.
It was not a firm ban on the age limit of those who could enter. For example, a hundred-year-old Spiritual Infant Tier cultivator could enter, but a hundred-year-old Flower Blossom Tier cultivator could not. A thirty-year-old warrior in the Deity Transformation Tier could enter, but a thirty-year-old one in the Spiritual Ocean Tier could not.
To put it simply, only those that belonged to the “young” category of their respective cultivation levels could enter. This meant that they had great future potential.
Exactly how many could enter into the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms was not very clear, but the whole entry quota was held in the grasp of the various great sects of the north region. The bigger and more powerful the sect, the bigger entry quota they had, whereas weaker sects would had smaller quotas.
In case of the Spirit Treasures Pavilion, they had a hundred entries quota, but they were a relaxed party that was established to do business, so what was the point of having them? Thus, the Spirit Treasures Pavilion decided to simply generously offer these entry quota to the hundred people on the Prodigy Roll, which could also be considered as an additional investment for the Prodigy Roll.
This time, the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms had opened slightly later than expected. One hundred and three years had passed since the last time they opened.
Ling Han was sullen. If he had known earlier, he should have gotten a ranking on the Prodigy Roll as well; that way, he’d be able to automatically obtain the qualification to enter into the Mystery Realms. Now, however, he would have to come up with some other way.
The Alchemist Society? Or the Winter Moon Sect?
If he changed his appearance and returned to the Winter Moon Sect as “Han Lin”, the Ao Clan would definitely stop him, so there was not much hope for that plan. Thus, he could only take a look at the Alchemist Society and give it a try.
Ling Han immediately headed to the North Pill Pavilion. He found Liu Ji Tong, but the latter told him that alchemists would focus all their energies on alchemy and their heads were completely filled with plans to improve their alchemy arts, so when would they have the time to waste inside any Mystery Realm?
Thus, even if the Alchemist Society possessed considerable power, it did not have a single quota.
So how should he get an entry then?
Ling Han returned home and saw that Zhu Xuan’er was there for a visit. Apparently, a month had passed, yet because she had been occupied with the battles in the Prodigy Tournament, she had not had the time to come. Now that the Prodigy Tournament was over, she naturally could bear it no longer and raced over.
Ling Han’s eyes lit up. He said, “Get me an entry place into the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms and I’ll give you a stalk of Crimson Red Chilling Ice Grass.”
Zhu Xuan’er instantly looked troubled. She was only in the Spiritual Pedestal Tier and did not yet have enough influence to affect her sect’s decision on the namelist for the entry into the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms. Moreover, entry into the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms could possibly change one’s fate, so who would be willing to easily give up the opportunity?
“Xuan’er will try her best,” she said.
Zhu Xuan’er immediately returned to the Half Moon Sect. For such an important thing like the entry place into the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms… she definitely had to return to convince the higher-ups of her sect, but she did not have the slightest bit of confidence that she could succeed.
If the Crimson Red Chilling Ice Grass was capable of completely healing her master, then the Half Moon Sect would naturally not mind using an entry place in exchange for the return of an elite Spiritual Infant Tier cultivator. But the problem here was that the Crimson Red Chilling Ice Grass was only a supplementary herb, and thinking of the few other Heaven Grade Spirit Grasses needed, the possibility of such a feat was only wishful thinking.
How could the Half Moon Sect be willing make a disinvestment like that?
Ling Han did not have much hope in this method in the first place. He was waiting. Who knows, there might be some party willing to place one or two entry places on auction; then he would only need to prepare a humongous amount of Origin Crystals.
…Liu Yu Tong and the others were of course willing to let Ling Han have this opportunity. Anyways, with the Black Tower, Ling Han could bring others in with in. The problem was, though, that their entry places could only be surrendered, and could not be handed to someone else.
A few days later, another shocking piece of news spread.
The Jiang Clan was seeking a son-in-law. The one they were marrying off was the beloved daughter of their clan, Young Mistress Jiang Le Xuan, a girl who was also well-known as one of the Three Beauties of Extreme Yang City.
It was very traditionally done, as they intended to hold a tournament for her hand in marriage.
This was considered something big as well?
Er, if it was merely a tournament for her hand in marriage, it was naturally not considered a big issue. However, if one managed to successfully win the hand of the beauty of the Jiang Clan, he would also be able to obtain a piece of her dowry. And it was precisely this piece of her dowry that caused a stir in the whole Extreme Yang City… no, the whole north region.
One of the Twelve Mystery Realms… the key to the Sagittarius Palace Hall!
As long as one possessed a key to open the Twelve Palace Halls, then there was no need for him to go through the entrance of the Mystery Realm. One would only have to be at a close enough distance, then use the key to directly enter the Mystery Realm.
Thus, the Jiang Clan’s quest for this son-in-law was equivalent to giving out a place of entry into the Mystery Realm as well as a se
cret treasure of the Sagittarius Palace Hall!
How could this piece of news not cause a commotion in the whole north region?
Within the Twelve Heaven Mystery Realms, there was abundant Spiritual Qi. One day of cultivation within was equivalent to tens or even a hundred days of cultivation outside. Furthermore, after being cut off from the rest of the world for a hundred years, together with the abundant Spiritual Qi inside, how many Spirit Grasses would have grown inside?
Merely these two factors were incredibly attractive, what more when the key to open the Sagittarius Palace Hall was thrown in as well.
…According to legends, who knows how many years ago, a lucky man managed to open the Aries Palace Hall and obtained the inheritance contained within. He ultimately became an elite Heaven Tier cultivator, but because the environment and conditions were too poor at the time and it was impossible for any Shattering Void Tier ultimate cultivators to appear, he was stuck on Heaven Tier in the end—but only and only because of the two aforementioned reasons.
But now, martial arts was prospering; the middle state even had several Shattering Void Tier ultimate cultivators in their ranks. Then, if one obtained the inheritance inside the Sagittarius Palace Hall, he would definitely be able to enter the ranks of the Shattering Void Tier.
If one managed to step into the Shattering Void Tier, there was definitely hope that he could become a god.
The whole north region was stirred up. There were some that even considered the option of stealing it directly, but if one thought about it, there were now so many people who all wanted to get that key, so whoever made a move on it now was definitely going to be the target of everyone else for standing out.
Everyone wanted it, so the situation now became one wherein no one dared to make a move. After all, there was still the North Pill Pavilion and the Spirit Treasures Pavilion, two such colossal establishments, on standby in Extreme Yang City, so who would dare make trouble?
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