by Translator: Pokka; Author: 我本纯洁 (I Am Pure); Licensed From: Migu
Di Tong was only a peak King. As for his followers, they were probably only Dragon Ascension Realm experts. A group like this would probably not be that much of a threat. Unfortunately, Xiang Shaoyun had still underestimated the strength of Di Tong's followers. The moment Earth Skeleton attacked, an energy wave rippled out of Di Tong's carriage as a powerful aura pressed down on Xiang Shaoyun and Earth Skeleton.
"Retreat, master! They have a Sovereign with them!" said Earth Skeleton anxiously through voice transmission.
Earth Skeleton was a peak Dragon Ascension Realm expert, and he was able to barely withstand the Sovereign's pressure. He wouldn't be able to last long, and if this Sovereign decided to attack for real, he would not be able to keep Xiang Shaoyun safe.
Xiang Shaoyun's face fell. He had not expected that Di Tong would actually bring a Sovereign along. Not even he had enjoyed such treatment back when he was still the young master of the sect.
After all, Sovereigns were considered the elite force of a tier-7 organization. Experts like them would not easily bow to anyone. Xiang Shaoyun wanted to flee, but he did not think he would be able to escape a Sovereign.
"Get moving. Why are you not fleeing?" asked Di Tong with a sneer.
At the same time, the carriage started descending from the sky. As for the people in the surroundings, they all moved away from Xiang Shaoyun. None of them wanted to get pulled into their conflict.
Many of the people here knew who Xiang Shaoyun was. They were also able to easily figure out the identity of Di Tong's group with the emblem on their carriage. It was obvious this was a group from the Ziling Sect.
Although Ziling Sect was a relatively new sect that had only been established for about 100 years, it was a rising power and had a chance to become a tier-8 organization. Xiang Yangzhan, the sect master of Ziling Sect, also had a fierce reputation that had spread far and wide.
However, a lot of people were still unaware that the Ziling Sect had recently gotten a new master. Even fewer people knew that Xiang Shaoyun was the sect's original young master.
When the carriage landed, a smug smile formed on Di Tong's face as he said, "Come on. Allow your seventh brother to bring you home. We won't make things difficult for you. Old Cheng, take him."
The so-called Old Cheng was none other than the Sovereign by Di Tong's side. His name was Cheng Yu, a brand new Soul Foundation Realm expert, and he was also the strongest cultivator in the group accompanying Di Tong.
As Xiang Shaoyun was getting anxious, a melodic voice rang out in the air, "Little brother, what are you waiting for? Get in there and join the banquet already."
A pleasant fragrance filled the air as an incorporeal power arrived and instantly destroyed the pressure Cheng Yu was exerting on Xiang Shaoyun. The newcomer was a woman Xiang Shaoyun had never met before. She had an alluring hourglass figure, and for some reason, her voice sounded rather familiar to him. He had a feeling he knew her, but he couldn't recall meeting her at all.
"Who are you? This is Ziling Sect's business. Please move aside," said Cheng Yu with a frown.
As he said that, he released his presence and sent it crushing down on the woman.
"Hehe, I see you trying to bully the weak. I’ll have you know that I love to do that as well!" said the woman with a melodious laugh.
Her voice was like a devilish tune that drilled straight into Cheng Yu's ears. His presence instantly crumbled apart and an odd expression appeared on his face. A short while later, he started stripping and hugging the empty air before him. He muttered repeatedly, "What a beautiful girl. I want you...I want you..."
Evidently, he had fallen to the woman's charm technique and was now trapped in an illusion. When Di Tong and the other Emperors saw that, fear covered their faces, and Xiang Shaoyun finally knew who she was. She was most likely Yao Jiaojiao the Myriad Face Consort.
"Thank you for your help, big sister. I will remember this favor," thanked Xiang Shaoyun as he bowed gratefully.
"Hehe, I won't forget what you said," said Yao Jiaojiao with a crafty smile. "Go on. I have high hopes for you."
Xiang Shaoyun nodded and stepped into the Yu Moon Pavilion.
Yao Jiaojiao then turned and looked at Cheng Yu, who was now completely naked, and said, "What an embarrassment. You call yourself a Sovereign?"
As she said that, Cheng Yu shivered and woke up from the illusion he was in. When he saw his current state, his face turned unsightly. His aura erupted from his body as he roared, "I'll kill you!"
He furiously punched forward at Yao Jiaojiao with both his fists. As he attacked, he gathered the energy in his surroundings, sending out a boundless astral energy that caused space itself to twist and warp. It was a terrifying might only available to Sovereigns. Unfortunately, a fresh Sovereign like him was nothing before Yao Jiaojiao.
She narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Looks like you have yet to learn your lesson."
She casually waved her hand, causing Cheng Yu's attack to fall apart. Her palm then struck his face.
Pa!
Along with a crisp sound, the slap sent Cheng Yu flying. From how easily Yao Jiaojiao could slap a Sovereign away, it was obvious how dreadful her strength was.
"Seventh young master, you need to leave," advised someone beside Di Tong in alarm.
None of them would be able to escape if that woman decided to make a move on them. Realizing that, Di Tong could only say helplessly, "If she wants to do anything to us, running is pointless. Just wait."
This was quite a courageous display, but inwardly, he wasn't as calm as how he was presenting himself. He started questioning himself, When has that bastard gotten such a strong helper? Is she a hidden trump card left behind by his dead father?
He knew there was a man named Duo Ji by Xiang Shaoyun's side, but Duo Ji was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was this mysterious woman. The thought of Xiang Shaoyun's rapid growth caused him to be fearful that they might not be able to keep what they had stolen from Xiang Shaoyun after all.
"Hehe, not bad. You're quite smart. Lucky for you, I'm too busy to deal with you right now. Remember, in the Bloodsin City, don't bother trying to harm my little brother. Or else, you will die, no matter your background," said Yao Jiaojiao with a smile. She then vanished into thin air.
The only reason she had helped Xiang Shaoyun was because of the bet. She did not really feel much affection toward him. She was hoping that one of the candidates sent by the Seven Villains would become the Yu Clan's son-in-law. Thus, she would not watch on as Xiang Shaoyun got himself killed before he even got started on what they had sent him to do.
Chapter 433: Assembly of Geniuses
The so-called Yu Moon Pavilion was not just an ordinary building. Rather, it was a tower of graceful gardens. There were rock gardens, flowing streams, trees, flowers, and pavilions everywhere. Walking in here, it was as if there would be brand new scenery unfolding before one's eyes every 10 steps. It was an extremely beautiful place.
Anyone would feel rejuvenated the moment they stepped in here, their mood naturally calming down.
The first floor consisted of a garden with over 10 buildings littered here and there. Each of the buildings was a perfect place to spend one's time indulging in drink and pleasure. All sorts of pleasures were available on this floor, such as food, drinks, prostitution, and gambling.
The place was currently bustling with noise and excitement. The first floor had the Yu Moon Pavilion's cheapest services, but it was still not a place ordinary people could enter.
As for the second floor, the sceneries were even more exquisite. The women were even prettier than the ones on the first floor, and none of them were ordinary. They were all cultivators, and with them serving as this floor's hostesses, any customers qualified to enter would be satisfied with their service. Generally, only the extremely rich and powerful would dare enter the second floor.
The third floor was considered a private area, and nobody could enter without an invitation from the Yu Clan. In other w
ords, this was some sort of VIP floor for their honored guests. Like the other young geniuses, Xiang Shaoyun's goal was to enter the third floor. But it wouldn't be easy for them. They needed to get through a test before they would be allowed entry.
A middle-aged man was standing on the path leading to the third floor. Looking at the group of youths standing before him, he said, "To enter the third floor, you need to first report your names to me. Then, you need to undergo our test. Only the best 50 will be allowed entry. Everyone else shall not enter."
Only 30 people would be ultimately chosen to enter the Devil Domain with the Holy Maiden candidate. This was the first round of selection where 50 would be selected. The final selection would be held on the third floor where the final 30 would be selected.
Xiang Shaoyun had not expected that there would be so many steps. He found it rather troublesome and didn't really want to do it, but when he thought of how his life was now in Ugly Gambler's hands, he had no choice but to participate. After reporting his name and age, he was given a jade plate with his name written on it.
After the over 100 youths all completed their registrations, the middle-aged man declared, "Get ready. The 50 people that can remain standing under my suppression the longest will be allowed to remain."
Right after that announcement, a boundless presence surged out of the middle-aged man and pressed down on all the youths. This middle-aged man was actually a Dragon Ascension Realm expert. In fact, he was not an ordinary Dragon Ascension Realm expert, as he had reached the late stage.
His presence pressed down on everyone at exactly the same time, and it was not a feat an ordinary Dragon Ascension Realm cultivator could pull off. The youths here immediately felt like a massive boulder was suddenly weighing down on them, causing them to bend down involuntarily. The weaker ones even spat blood and fainted straight away.
Xiang Shaoyun also felt the same, and he nearly collapsed to the ground from the weight. Fortunately, he was not an ordinary King. Under the pressure, his nine stars stirred and erupted with power, helping him withstand the Emperor's presence.
This Emperor had only utilized about 10 percent of his strength, but just this 10 percent strength was already very difficult for peak Kings to withstand. It was a test of a King's cultivation base and willpower.
A King that couldn't even withstand a presence like this would not be qualified to become their son-in-law. The son-in-law candidates would be required to enter the Devil Domain and do battle there. Thus, they were only looking for those who were at least a peak King.
Any person capable of reaching such a cultivation level before 30 years old was basically a giant among men. The Yu Clan was conducting this test out of necessity. Otherwise, if any random King was allowed to join their banquet, it would be an insult to the clan.
Xiang Shaoyun was having a hard time withstanding the pressure, even with the help of his nine stars. But that was mainly due to his low cultivation level because he was only a third-stage King. Even when using his full power, he could only prevent himself from fully collapsing onto the ground. It seemed rather implausible that he would be able to last till the end.
His entire body was drenched wet as he strenuously tried to remain standing. About half of the people there were still standing firmly. Although some of them were also struggling, they were at least doing better than Xiang Shaoyun. Among them, about a dozen people were still standing perfectly straight. They did not look pressured at all. Evidently, this presence had minimal effect on them.
They were all peak Kings, with the weakest being at the ninth stage. Some of them even had slight traces of draconic aura around them, a sign that they had already formed their initial portion of draconic aura and that they would be able to enter the Dragon Ascension Realm in the not too distant future.
The so-called Dragon Ascension was akin to transforming into a dragon. Turning one's spine into a draconic spine, filling one's body with draconic aura, and obtaining the body of a true dragon.
Among the group still standing perfectly straight were Long Yunfei, Xie Gongzi, Di Tong, Shi Hai, Su Jun, and Huo Xudong. These were all people Xiang Shaoyun had met before.
There were also others who were worth paying attention to. Among them were Tang Longfei the number one young master of city hall, Jin Shui from the tier-7 organization Golden Horn Sect, Ruo Suifeng from the tier-7 organization Drifting Peak, and Little Beast Emperor from the tier-6 organization Myriad Beast Sect.
Tang Longfei was the governor's first son. He had already formed a pseudo dragon body and was known as the number one young genius of the Bloodsin City. Even the likes of Su Jun and Lady Shura were not comparable to him. He was also a Super War King, and he had once won 49 consecutive victories on a Bloodsin Arena, which was how he had come to be known as the number one young genius of the Bloodsin City.
Not only was he powerful, he was also extremely handsome. His face looked like a perfectly sculpted work of art. He had a firm and persistent bearing, and his pseudo draconic aura swirled around him constantly, emanating a domineering presence.
As for Jin Shui, he was the son of Golden Horn Sect's current sect master. He wasn't exactly insanely handsome, but he still looked pleasant to the eyes. He stood there in a serene manner, the faintly discernible draconic aura around him making it clear he was anything but normal.
Golden Horn Sect was not located in one of the three provinces neighboring this Bloodsin City. Rather, the sect was from a different province even farther away. One could say that he was a young expert who had come from far away.
As for Ruo Suifeng from the Drifting Peak, he was a freak in cultivation. He was only 29 years old yet was already a ninth-stage Skysoar Realm cultivator who had formed his initial portion of draconic aura. He cultivated the power of wind and was known as the Little Wind God.
Little Beast Emperor was from the Myriad Beast Sect, a tier-6 organization that placed him in a slightly lower position in terms of status compared to those geniuses from the tier-7 organizations. However, he had an innate intimacy with all beasts, possessing a talent to make beasts do his bidding. The peak Demon Kings surrounding him served as the best proof that he was worthy of his title, the Little Beast Emperor.
There were also a few other young geniuses that were comparable to these people, possessing both strength and background.
Chapter 434: I Want to Break Through
Xiang Shaoyun did not have the time to pay attention to anyone else. He was trying his very best to withstand the pressure.
Presence of dragon and tiger!
Without any hesitation, he released his presence as well, reducing the pressure he faced.
"Huh?" The middle-aged man sensed the change and shot a curious glance at Xiang Shaoyun.
A slight trace of astonishment appeared in his eyes for a split second when he saw the presence of a dragon and tiger around Xiang Shaoyun. After all, Xiang Shaoyun was only a peak third-stage King. Even with the remarkable presence of dragon and tiger, he still wasn't enough to catch Yu Clan's attention. The middle-aged man stopped paying Xiang Shaoyun much attention upon noticing his cultivation level.
Meanwhile, Xiang Shaoyun was using all he had to withstand the pressure, unleashing a might comparable to a seventh-stage or even an eighth-stage Skysoar Realm cultivator. Alas, that was still not enough. Others would find it hard to believe Xiang Shaoyun was actually someone capable of battling people several stages above him.
But that was his actual strength. One ought to know that even back then, Xiang Shaoyun had been able to battle eighth-stage Transformation Realm cultivators when he was only a second-stage Transformation Realm cultivator.
He was now in the King Realm, and the gap between stages was much larger in this realm. It was understandable why he could no longer battle those six stages above him like when he was still in the Transformation Realm.
With his unrivaled presence of a king, he could face the presence of all Kings. However, that did not apply to the presence of
Emperors. This was the difference between cultivation realms.
Xiang Shaoyun could feel all nine of his stars being suppressed. He was barely hanging on, his body bowing lower and lower, looking like he was going to collapse at any moment.
At this time, Di Tong noticed Xiang Shaoyun and couldn't help but sneer at him, "My dearest Little Brother Yun, this is not an event a weak King like you can participate in. Stop struggling and give up."
The words pierced into Xiang Shaoyun's ears, stabbing straight into his heart like a sharp needle, filling him with sorrow. Back then at the Ziling Sect, the Di Clan siblings were akin to his brothers. Ultimately, they had all betrayed him. It was a betrayal he would never forget. He had sworn to one day retake all they had stolen from him. Thus, after hearing Di Tong's words, his unyielding heart seemed to have been ignited.
If I can't even withstand a pressure like this, how am I supposed to take my revenge in the future? I want to break through! Xiang Shaoyun roared inwardly. His stars erupted with even more power. At the same time, he refined a large number of spirit crystals in his astral cosmos sea, sending numerous strands of astral energy to his nine stars and 365 acupoints. A boundless river of energy coursed violently through his meridians, giving him a sensation that he was going to reach the next stage at any time.
After reaching peak third-stage Skysoar Realm with the help of Ugly Gambler's pill, Xiang Shaoyun had not expected to break through again this fast. But under the intense suppression he was currently subjected to, he had no choice but to break through. In fact, the intense pressure would help solidify this breakthrough, but it would be an extremely dangerous method.
As Xiang Shaoyun grew in strength, a look of pain covered his face.
That's right. He had a look of pain. It was due to the conflict of his internal energy and the external pressure currently exerted on him. It placed him under twice the pressure, one that he could barely withstand, and he felt the two sources of pressure were going to crush his meridians. Fortunately, he had a body tempered by lightning. His meridians were extremely tough.