Rise of Humanity

by <unknown>

  Zhong Yue was shocked, he quickly took two steps back so as to maintain a certain distance away from that Qi Practitioner, His attainments on the psyche chapter were wrong, his psyche failed to properly resonate with the totem carvings on the pontoon, resulting in his psyche ocean getting boiled!

  Peng——

  That Qi Practitioner’s head exploded abruptly, but the headless corpse continued to walk onwards — this painted an incredibly eerie scene. The psyche that was still undispersed from the corpse drove the headless corpse to continue moving, despite its psyche ocean having already boiled!

  The headless corpse took another few steps before its upper body exploded, followed by its legs, ultimately leaving only two furry feet that continued walking forward mindlessly —Pak-ta pak-ta—!

  The other monster Qi Practitioners were frightened. All of a sudden, white steam billowed out of an unsuspecting monster Qi Practitioner. He was still marching forward, smiling and gloating, “Thankfully, my perception is better and my comprehensions aren’t wron….”

  Peng!

  His head also exploded, following the footstep of the previous Qi Practitioner, dying on the pontoon!

  Including Zhong Yue and King Teng, there were only eight Qi Practitioners!

  On the palace wall of the third platform was the weaponry chapter, it consisted of totem patterns pertaining to eight different weapon — sword, saber, hammer, dual shields, whip, and two hook swords. The corresponding skills were ones that visualized their respective weapons, naturally, they would be far more complicated and abstruse to understand.

  These are eight weapon visualization skills, and they are all close-quarters combat skills,. These are indeed very useful to me!

  Zhong Yue was surprised and thrilled, he has practiced the frontal combat skills of the Martial Masters, but was lacking close-quarters combat weapons. Although he could have fought with Sword Qi, the techniques he had that used Sword Qi were all of different sources, there would naturally be some dissonance when used in conjunction with each other.

  On the other hand. the prologue, psyche chapter and weaponry chapter of the【Monster God Ming King Art】were all rooted in the same source. Their strengths would augment each other when used simultaneously, lending his combat prowess an extra fluidity and flexibility that he lacked when he was limited to Sword Qi. It was a holistic art covering the facets of combat pertaining to defense, attack, sealing, close-quarters and ranged skills. It would be far more profound and intricate than if he were to create his own techniques and arts. And in addition to the frontal combat ability of the Martial Masters, it would make an incredibly terrifying combination!

  On the pontoon, another two Qi Practitioners died, lacerated into bits by the eight weapons formed from the totem patterns on the pontoon!

  And as of now, the surviving ones were: Zhong Yue, King Teng, Kong Ban, Yu Xuanji, Hu Qimei, and another monster Qi Practitioner.

  Those who could have reached this stage could be deemed to be the most talented of the monster race. They had yet to make an error yet in all of the three platforms they passed through. Their talents and perception abilities were about the same.

  On the fourth platform, it was the Yuan Shen combat skill of the【Monster God Ming King Art】, strong and dreadful —— with the Yuan Shen, it would enable one to visualize the eight-armed Ming King, wielding weapons in every arm. Even the mortal body would have the eight arms and eight weapons, its combat prowess can only be imagined!

  A Rebirth Qi Practitioner could already manipulate the Yuan Shen to facilitate in combat, however, it would only ever be fulfill an ancillary supporting role rather than a crucial one that could turn the scales of battle. That role was reserved for the Combat Yuan Shen. It was merely the icing on a cake. Only the Yuan Shen of the Awakening Qi Practitioner could be considered a Combat Yuan Shen.

  However, the【Monster God Ming King】could enable a Qi Practitioner to acquire strength tantamount to that aforementioned strength strong and powerful combat capability at the level of Rebirth!

  On the pontoon, all six Qi Practitioners were marching forward with their mortal bodies and Yuan Shens in the eight-armed form, clenching all sorts of weapons in their hands. By now, the totem patterns had already reached a very high level of complexity, requiring the Qi Practitioners to visualize the mortal body skill, psyche visualization, weaponry visualizations, and the Yuan Shen visualization simultaneously — even the tiniest error would cost them their lives!

  However, they all survived this round of test.

  They reached the fifth platform, where Zhong Yue was finally met with an obstacle. The totem patterns were the chapter that contained the knowledge about the array formations of the【Monster God Ming King Art】. Eight weapons combined into an array formation. Barbarous and wild – the structure of the array formation was very complicated.

  The array formation is my weakness, I’ve yet to have any attainments in regards to array formations.

  Zhong Yue’s face turned solemn, he had only cultivated for a short while in the Swords Gate, and he had not learned anything at all about array formations nor had he any prior experience in controlling array formations. Controlling an array formation demanded a very strong and sturdy psyche, and the fine ability to meticulously control the psyche.

  In order to proceed, one would have to cast the array formation while maintaining the mortal body skill, psyche visualization, weaponry visualizations, and the Yuan Shen visualization at the same time – the difficulty of such a feat could only be imagined!

  After a long time, all the other five Qi Practitioners moved, they marched towards the sixth platform. And while Zhong Yue was still comprehending the abstrusity, a deathly cry entered his ears. He looked up only to witness the dead Kong Ban falling down from the pontoon, while Hu Qimei, Yu Xuanji and the other monster Qi Practitioner were bolting backward at a great speed. In such a short while, their bodies were already paved with countless wounds!

  Hu Qimei released a cry, followed by the sounds of a lute as she cast it out, forming an array formation with the eight arms and eight weapons. Yu Xuanji took the same measures as her and the both of them were embroiled in a fight for their survival. Meanwhile, on the other side, the third Qi Practitioner was growling in anger. The three of them were struggling to get out of the pontoon!

  Krong——

  A loud burst sounded out and the Qi Practitioner was crushed by the totem carvings array formation, dying on the spot!

  Peng peng——

  Hu Qimei and Yu Xuanji had their bones crushed and just as they were about to be pulverized into pieces by the power of the totem carvings, a figure suddenly dashed over! Zhong Yue bolted to their sides, grabbed them on the nape of their necks and launched them back to the platform!

  Meanwhile, King Teng let out a furious roar. He had triggered the array formation and in the blink of an eye, was severely wounded as a result. Out of nowhere, a beam of light blasted down from the pontoon —Chi— it penetrated his head, piercing through the divine eye on his forehead!

  The light beam went through his head before shooting out from the back of his cranium!

  How unexpected… I’ve already comprehended all the mutations and changes of the array formation but in the end, I failed with the divine eye. Without the true Ming King divine eye, the mutations of the array formation would be incomplete….

  King Teng exhaled out a deep breath of air, unexpectedly, he was still not dead. Although the light beam penetrated through his head, but he was still marching forward with all his strength, But sadly, my true form is that of a vine, even beheading me wouldn’t kill me at all!

  The flesh and meat on his forehead began squirming, and soon, his head fully reformed itself. The array formation on the pontoon was triggered incessantly, blasting hole after hole in King Teng’s head. He had already attained and comprehended the whole array formation chapter on the sixth platform, but due to the incomplete divine eye totem on the first platform, there w
as a flaw in his array formation – namely, his divine eye!

  Although his head continued to be blasted open with hole after hole, he was still not dead yet. Mustering all his strength, he began moving towards the sixth platform!

  And finally, King Teng had managed to step onto the sixth platform. He spat out a mouthful of blood dark-green in color before sitting down in the lotus position to attend to his wounds.

  “Brother Long Yue, it’s now only you and me!”

  King Teng scrutinized the sixth platform, there was a wall that was inscribed with some techniques but it was smashed into bits. His heart thumped in shock and he turned his head back, gazing at Zhong Yue who was still on the fifth platform. He said nonchalantly, “The heritage of the sixth stage was already wiped away, seems like it’ll be useless to stay here. Brother Long Yue, I’ll wait for you in the Ming King palace!”

  Zhong Yue continued on attaining the abstrusity of the array formation totem patterns, completely ignoring his words. Whereas Yu Xuanji and Hu Qimei were on the side, vomiting blood due to their heavy injuries. They sat down and began recuperating from their wounds. Moments later, they stood up and Hu Qimei shook her head, saying, “This stage, without the Ming King divine eye, it’d be impossible to make it. It seems like King Teng is the one fated to the heritage of the Monster God Ming King.”

  “The heritage on the sixth platform was destroyed, the two of you have already managed to acquire the same heritage as the saint city lord.”

  Zhong Yue comforted them, “It would probably be of the same amount of heritage that the saint city lord had acquired back then.”

  Hu Qimei shook her head and said, “The saint city lord has already entered the palace, he has seen the Ming King’s true body. The heritage he received must be the completed one.”

  “Not really.”

  Zhong Yue’s eyes flashed, and he whispered lowly, “Say, who do you think it was that destroyed the monster god Ming King’s heritage? Would the same entity have destroyed the Ming King’s mortal body?”

  Yu Xuanji’s heart skipped a beat, he said, “You are saying that?”

  “Ming King’s mortal body ... I’m afraid it has already been eaten by that creature that had crawled out of this place.”

  Zhong Yue’s thirst for combat was fervent, “But I’d still go to the end and see for myself. King Teng wants to compete with me, to determine who the strongest among the monster Rebirth Qi Practitioners is. And I’d also like to know, between him and myself, who would reign supreme!”

  Chapter 130: The Only Obstacle |

  Yu Xuanji and Hu Qimei kept coughing blood out of their mouth due to the heavy injuries they suffered that paralyzed their movements. The two monsters looked at each other only to see the frustration and shock in each others’ eyes. As when they left Gu Xia City with Zhong Yue, their cultivation base was almost the same, with Yu Xuanji and Hu Qimei being even slightly stronger.

  But now, with his incredible improvements, Zhong Yue was now already strong enough to compete with King Teng!

  “King Teng is the second strongest Rebirth level Qi Practitioner in the entire Xian Kong Saint City. He is almost unkillable, there was once a Qi Practitioner that beheaded him only for it to immediately grow back and in the end. King Teng eventually went on to kill his opponent. Armed with a seemingly immortal body, he would be impervious to any damage that those stronger than him would inflict, forcing his opponents into a battle of attrition until they ultimately lost to him.”

  Yu Xuanji said with a serious expression, “Brother Long Yue has to be extra careful when fighting King Teng as no one has been able to discover his weakness even until now!”

  Hu Qimei nodded and said, “He is incredibly strong and also had the fortune of inheriting a mysterious heritage. He once had a conflict with an Awakening level Qi Practitioner who achieved the Five Wheel Cycle and King Teng charged into his house and killed his entire family! The entire place became a forest of strange vines that slaughtered the hostile monsters and Qi Practitioners! The Awakening level Qi Practitioner could not do anything at all and he even tried to burn those vines with fire but nothing happened. In the end, the Qi Practitioner’s was completely besmirched and he was exiled from the city to avoid King Teng! Brother Long Yue, the two of us have no more hope in becoming the closed door disciple of Saint City Lord, it’s all up to you now!”

  With their heavy injuries, they couldn't even guarantee to return alive. Only Zhong Yue had managed to maintain his peak state, therefore, the closed door disciple would be either Zhong Yue or King Teng.

  If Zhong Yue won, then there will be hope for Yu Xuanji’s and Hu Qimei’s survival as there was some modicum of friendship among them. However, if King Teng were to win, it was unequivocal that he would kill them all in order to secure his place as the closed door disciple of Saint City Lord!

  Therefore, both Yu Xuanji and Hu Qimei could only hope that Zhong Yue would come out as the victor!

  “King Teng is only the second strongest? Who is the strongest then?” said the surprised Zhong Yue.

  “Heaven Monster Li Jun.”

  Hu Qimei replied, “The title of strongest Rebirth level Qi Practitioner was personally granted to him by the Saint City Lord. He is here this time but he did not show up at all so he must have been killed in the black forest, which would make King Teng the strongest Rebirth level Qi Practitioner now.”

  “Heaven Monster Li Jun?”

  “Compared to King Teng, how strong is this Heaven Monster Li Jun?”

  “They’ve never fought each other before. But if even Saint City Lord said that Heaven Monster Li Jun is the strongest, then he must be better than King Teng in some way.”

  Yu Xuanji then replied, “I guess the weakness of King Teng must be on his feet. His feet are his roots in his true form! If the root of the vine dies, the vine itself would surely follow not long after. You must cut off his legs when you fight him, not the head, or you will fall for his trap!”

  Zhong Yue frowned and said, “What if his weakness is none of the above? I would not be able to do anything about him, so where could his weakness be?”

  Yu Xuanji and Hu Qimei sympathized as they too felt that the situation was very difficult. In most cases, most monsters that became Qi Practitioner were usually beasts instead of plants. As such, their weaknesses were often their heads and their hearts. But when a vine became a monster, they were simply helpless as to what its weakness could be.

  After quite some time, after getting familiar and understanding the changes of totem carvings on the array chapters of the 【 Monster God Ming King Art】 on the wall, Zhong Yue got up and said, “Stay here and treat your wounds, I’ll be back shortly.”

  Yu Xuanji coughed out some blood and he laughed bitterly, “Brother Long Yue, if King Teng returns instead of you, I’m afraid that we would be going to either hell or heaven with you.”

  Hu Qimei barely got up herself and she added, “King Teng is a brutal man. If he comes back, he will definitely kill us and with our current state, we wouldn’t be able to last for even minutes. Brother Long Yue, please be careful!”

  Zhong Yue nodded and when he got up the pontoon bridge, he said casually, “Don’t worry, I will be the one walking out of this palace alive!”

  On the pontoon bridge, the totem carvings automatically emerged and initiated the operation of the array formation while Zhong Yue started visualizing the 【 Monster God Ming King Art】 that he acquired by himself. An eight-handed figure appeared behind his back, wielding a total of sixteen types of weapons in his hands. These weapons then formed into two Ba Ji Slaughtering Arrays and clashed with the totem carvings on the pontoon bridge.

  At the same time, more and more totem carvings emerged from the pontoon bridge which then also formed into Ba Ji Slaughtering Arrays, whose patterns were perennially transforming and mutating. Zhong Yue and his Yuan Shen also did the same thing, forming patternless Ba Ji Slaughtering Array that kept changing patterns. Shockingly, the transfor
mations of the patterns of Zhong Yue’s Yuan Shen and the ones on the pontoon seemed to mirror each other – changing in the same way, at the same time, with the same pattern, and in the same order!

  If Zhong Yue made a mistake in changing his Ba Ji Slaughtering Array’s pattern, he would be dragged into the Ba Ji Slaughtering Array formed by the totem carvings on the pontoon bridge. That was how Yu Xuanji and Hu Qimei suffered such heavy injuries!

  Suddenly, Zhong Yue’s shoulder trembled and the flow in his operation of the Ba Ji Slaughtering Arrays suddenly stiffened. After all, he didn’t have much knowledge in the field of array formations, with it being limited to an incomplete sword cocoon sword silk sword array, not to mention the Ba Ji Slaughtering Array from the 【 Monster God Ming King Art】 belonging to one of the most intricate family of arrays. Therefore, although Zhong Yue managed to learn the changes of the array formation, there were still some parts that he could not use easily!

  One step behind and every step behind. Zhong Yue immediately fell into a disadvantage and his Ba Ji Slaughtering Array became distorted. With his Ba Ji Slaughtering Array interrupted, the slaughtering array of the pontoon bridge immediately breached his defense, as they began to riddle Zhong Yue’s body with injuries!

  Boom——-

  The totem carvings shifted form into a huge hammer and smashed into his chest. Two hook swords then slashed towards his neck while scimitar and sword sliced onto his body, splattering blood everywhere!

  Zhong Yue let out a groan and backed off while he brandished his eight hands to fend off the attacks. He then refocused on channeling the Ba Ji Slaughtering Array to return it to normal operation. As his Ba Ji Slaughtering Array stabilized, the totem carvings on the pontoon bridge became calm again and soon enough, started to mirror Zhong Yue’s Ba Ji Slaughtering Array once again.