by Feng Yise
"What preposterous? It happened right in front of you. Can it still be fake?" First Elder said unhappily.
"No, I didn't mean that. It just … just feels too inconceivable!" the elder explained.
Chapter 799 - Holy Follower
"I lost …"
Nalan Chu was very calm and did not have a sense of loss from being dragged down from his throne by someone as imagined.
"You didn't lose. If this was a life and death battle, it's hard to say who the victor will be." Ye Yuan said.
Nalan Chu shook his head and said, "Lost means lost. I won't find excuses for my own failure. Furthermore, I know that even if this were a life and death battle, the one who wins, in the end, would definitely be you as well!"
Nalan Chu could sense the bloody aura in Ye Yuan's sword intent, indicating that the battles Ye Yuan experienced before were definitely much more than him.
Suddenly, Nalan Chu turned around and said to the high platform with clasped hands, "First Elder, from today onwards, I'm withdrawing from this selection competition!"
"What?! Nalan Chu wants to withdraw from the competition!"
"What kind of joke is this?! Even if Nalan Chu lost, he's at least number two as well, right? Furthermore, what he comprehended is the extremely rare Light Supreme True Intent. The holy land should be grooming him heavily. He actually chose to withdraw!"
"This guy wouldn't have been triggered due to losing this time, right?"
Nalan Chu's decision caused an uproar among the crowd.
Although Nalan Chu lost, the degree of his genius was indisputable.
But now, he actually chose to withdraw.
This Nalan Chu was also too much of a glass-heart, right?
But thinking about it wasn't strange either. After all, a genius like Nalan Chu had never lost before until now. Looks like the impact this defeat had on him was rather huge.
First Elder mused for a moment and said, "Why?"
"Nalan Chu wishes to leave the holy land and go out to make my own break! I hope that First Elder will grant it!" Nalan Chu said firmly.
A period of silence again. Nalan Chu was not anxious either, awaiting First Elder's reply.
After a long time, First Elder slowly opened his mouth and said, "Go then. Remember, the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land is your home!"
Nalan Chu bowed down and thanked, "Many thanks to First Elder for granting it!"
Finished talking, he turned around to Ye Yuan again and said, "What you said is right. I've indeed never met true geniuses before! Ye Yuan, thank you for thoroughly beating me awake today. One day, I'll definitely defeat you!"
Ye Yuan said with a smile, "Okay, I'm waiting for you."
Nalan Chu being able to comprehend the Light Supreme True Intent, it could be seen how high his talent was. If he kept on huddling up in Crimson Afterglow, his talent would be wasted.
The Crimson Afterglow Valley was a lucky chance, but it might not be Nalan Chu's lucky chance.
The paths of a powerhouse were many. But being trapped in a corner lording over others was definitely not the path of a powerhouse.
Therefore, Ye Yuan naturally admired this decision of Nalan Chu very much.
Moreover, Nalan Chu was different from geniuses like Wu Jiantong. He was not afraid to lose and was adaptable too. He was bound to have accomplishments in the future.
Nalan Chu left the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land just like that. This was what everyone all did not expect.
Before the competition started, Nalan Chu was already internally decided as the candidate for first place. In the end, he actually took the initiative to give up the competition.
But Nalan Chu's withdrawal also made the struggle for the top ten become even more white-hot.
In the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land's holy hall, an elderly silhouette appeared rather lonely.
First Elder stood by the side, his expression clearly quite agitated.
"Holy Lord, your current body, sending three people in is already the limit. How can you send three more people in?" First Elder gritted his teeth and said.
This old silhouette was actually the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land's Holy Lord!
It was just that most likely, no one could have thought that the Holy Lord was actually old until such a state.
Hearing First Elder's words, the Holy Lord turned around and looked at him, and said with a smile, "I already don't have much time anymore. Take this opportunity that this bunch of old bones still has some use and strive to preserve some successors for the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land. Sigh, I, Tu You, am incompetent, to actually let the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land be ruined at my hands. The selection competition this time indeed discovered a few fine saplings. If they can remember the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land's kindness with gratitude, the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land might be able to be rebuilt in the future."
First Elder's tears ran down his old face when he heard that and said, "If Holy Lord didn't deal with that holy follower in order to save the few of us back then, how could you have forcefully executed the Chaotic Essence Singular Qi Grand Technique, resulting in a great loss of longevity? The calamity of today is not Holy Lord's fault, but the fault lies with us!"
Tu You smiled as he waved his hand and said, "This matter had already passed. No need to say anything. Sending a few of them in, I only lose some longevity; I will not pass away immediately either. You don't have to be like this."
Chen Qin had tears in his eyes and did not speak. But the self-reproach in the depths of his heart was anything but little.
"Holy Lord, just what background was that holy follower? His strength was actually so formidable? Clearly he only had Phaseless Realm strength, but even you weren't a match for him either." Chen Qin saw that Tu You had made up his mind and could only change the topic.
Tu You revealed a solemn expression and actually said with some fear, "Regardless of what background, it's not what we can afford to provoke. These few years, I spent considerable effort and only just probed out a tiny bit of information as well. These recent few decades, the holy artifacts stolen were not just our Crimson Afterglow Holy Land. Just these few regions nearby our White Valiant Region, their figures appeared several times before. It's just that this kind of incidents are happening daily in various corners of the Divine Realm. So no one cares about it."
Chen Qin was startled inwardly when he heard that. He didn't expect that Holy Lord was actually inquiring about the other party's information in the dark these few years. And he actually knew nothing about it too!
Chen Qin knew that Tu You trusted him very much. But this incident, he was kept in the dark from beginning to end.
That only meant one thing: this matter was absolutely very dangerous.
Most likely, the Holy Lord expended a considerable price in order to probe out this tiny bit of information.
"What did Holy Lord … discover? Just what background was that whatever holy follower?" Chen Qin could not hold back the curiosity in his heart and ask.
Regarding this holy follower, he hated to the bones. If there weren't for that incident back then, Holy Lord would probably have broken through to Second Level Dao Profound, and the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land would have already become a Rank Eight Holy Land.
But now, all hope was lost!
Even whether the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land could be preserved or not was a question.
The Holy Lord gave a sigh and said, "In these recent few decades, there were quite a few major forces' holy artifacts that were stolen or snatched away. Among them, there was no lack of Rank Eight, Rank Seven, even Rank Six Holy Lands. Of course, there were also some small forces. And at the back of these incidences all had those black-robed peoples' silhouettes. Their forms of address were different, but all carry a 'holy' word! There are holy follower, holy soldier, even holy general! And among them, the holy followers with the weakest strength has late-stage Phaseless Realm strength!"
Chen Qin was greatly alarmed when he heard that. Even a holy
follower had such terrifying strength. Then how powerful would the strength of that whatever holy general be?
One had to know that that holy follower which appeared in the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land was merely just late-stage Phaseless Realm but forced the First Level Dao Profound Realm Tu You to forcefully display a cultivation art which reduced longevity, resulting in his foundations to be utterly ruined.
The strength of this mysterious power was simply too terrifying.
This kind of power was completely not what their Crimson Afterglow Holy Land could afford to provoke.
"In order to inquire about this intel, I paid an extremely heavy price and almost implicated the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land. So later on, I also dispelled plans on taking revenge. This kind of force is completely not what we can provoke. Therefore, that's why I would organize the Quasi-Holy Son selection competition this time to preserve some successors for the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land," Tu You said with a slight sigh.
Chapter 800 - The Abnormal Zhang Tianyi
Right on the second day Nalan Chu left, news came from the holy hall.
The quotas for entering the Crimson Afterglow Valley this time increased from three to six!
The moment this news came out, it immediately blew up.
According to the holy hall's news, the holy sons and the quasi-holy sons would each pick three people to enter the Crimson Afterglow Valley.
This meant that one just had to enter the top three in the Quasi-Holy Son selection competition and they could enter the Crimson Afterglow Valley!
One spot was indeed too difficult for these geniuses. Unless their strength reached Ye Yuan and Nalan Chu's level, otherwise, don't even think about it at all.
Three quotas, it was clearly providing a chance for Han Feng, Wu Jiantong, these second-tier geniuses.
On the 15th day, these geniuses were all acting as if being injected with stimulants, desperately attacking their opponents frenziedly on the stages for the sake of obtaining victory.
Especially those geniuses in the top five. Apart from Zhang Tianyi who had yet to taste defeat, most of the others lost two to three matches.
Therefore, the battles between them appeared especially important.
As luck would have it, during the competition on the 15th day, Wu Jiantong ran into Ye Yuan.
On the arena, Wu Jiantong's expression was incomparably ugly but kept delaying and dare not make a move.
"Yii? Why aren't you making a move yet? I remember that you seemed to have said not to let me bump into you on the stage. Or else, you'll make me die very horribly. Now that we met, why are you not making a move instead?" Ye Yuan said derided.
Up until now, Wu Jiantong lost a total of two matches. One match was lost to Nalan Chu, and the other was lost to Zhang Tianyi.
This battle result was still not bad. The ranking was also very close to the front.
But if he lost this match to Ye Yuan again, his situation would be very bad.
But having witnessed Ye Yuan and Nalan Chu's great battle, how could Wu Jiantong still dare to make a move?
He did not wish to give Ye Yuan a chance to humiliate himself!
Gritting his teeth, Wu Jiantong said, "I admit defeat!"
Ye Yuan did not reveal a surprised expression and said with a smile, "Very wise choice. Otherwise, you might not be able to go down the stage standing."
Wu Jiantong gave a cold snort and went down the platform directly.
Conceding this match, he would have to put up a desperate fight with Han Feng later.
Apart from Ye Yuan and Zhang Tianyi, the ones with the greatest hope of entering the Crimson Afterglow Valley were Han Feng and Wu Jiantong.
Although Han Feng comprehended a supreme true intent, his cultivation realm was a little low; it was only at the Seventh Level Intent Boundless Realm.
If not for so, Wu Jiantong could withdraw straight away.
The Li Zongtao whose performance was very eye-catching previously lost battle after battle repeatedly later on and already basically withdrew from the Crimson Afterglow Valley contending fights.
After Nalan Chu withdrew, all of the focus right now were on Ye Yuan and Zhang Tianyi.
This Zhang Tianyi was very abnormal. He clearly did not comprehend a supreme true intent, but his strength was unexpectedly formidable. Up until now, he had yet to taste a single defeat.
The genius martial artists who fought with him before all felt somewhat baffled after losing and actually did not know what happened, then they were defeated.
Even someone as powerful as Han Feng also suffered a great deal under Zhang Tianyi's hands.
Of course, this was also that Zhang Tianyi's luck was good and did not bump into Ye Yuan and Nalan Chu until now.
With Nalan Chu withdrawing, these two people's battle naturally became the struggle for first place.
Finally, Ye Yuan and Zhang Tianyi met on the 18th day.
"Ye Yuan, I know that your concepts comprehension is very high. But in front of me, it's also useless no matter how high your concepts comprehension is! Nalan Chu's withdrawal is also considered him keeping his face. Otherwise, he'll definitely be someone who is defeated at my hands!"
Ye Yuan's strength was already universally acknowledged terrifying. Yet, Zhang Tianyi seemed to pay no attention to it.
Facing such a provocation, Ye Yuan had always chosen to disregard it.
It was also useless no matter how fiercely one bragged. There was only the showcasing of one's true abilities.
A guy who did not even comprehend a supreme true intent, Ye Yuan did not feel that he posed any threat to him.
"Talk this sort of big talk again after beating me." Ye Yuan said coolly.
"Heh, as you wish!"
Zhang Tianyi gave a cold laugh, wielded his sword, and advanced forward. His speed seemed slow but was fast in reality, arriving in front of Ye Yuan in a blink of an eye.
But this sort of speed had not the slightest bit of threat to Ye Yuan at all.
Two swords intersecting, intense metal clashing sounds burst out.
Zhang Tianyi's attack was indeed not bad. But to talk about power, it seemed like it was still a little weaker than Han Feng's.
But right at this time, a stream of bizarre power crept up from the sword body, surging straight for Ye Yuan's divine soul!
This kind of offensive power was not strong. It seemingly did not have a great effect on the divine soul too.
But being attacked by this bizarre power, Ye Yuan's movements involuntarily paused.
And right at this time, Zhang Tianyi suddenly switched moves, swinging away Ye Yuan's Xuanying Sword, and headed straight for his abdomen!
Regarding Zhang Tianyi's series of offensive tricks, Ye Yuan had long heard of it to some extent.
He would never compete in big moves with others. Once the competition began, he would immediately entangle his opponents and not give his opponent the opportunity to launch a big move at all.
And once being tangled up with him, the other party would not have the chance to use an ultimate move anymore.
In the end, they would not even know how they lost.
Very clearly, Ye Yuan also fell into this strange circle with this.
Ye Yuan's leaned sideways and barely avoided Zhang Tianyi's sword.
But the next instant, Zhang Tianyi's sword light arrived again, akin to a bone infesting maggot.
Ye Yuan's Xuanying Sword swung, and he blocked Zhang Tianyi's sword once more.
Right at that instant, the two swords intersected, there was another stream of strange attack which attacked towards Ye Yuan's divine soul.
Starting from the first sword, Zhang Tianyi's sword did not leave Ye Yuan's surroundings one foot, virtually making people unable to catch their breaths.
Furthermore, his sword art was incomparably exquisite, seemingly a martial technique specialized in close combat. No matter how Ye Yuan shook it off, he could not get rid of it either.
Seeing this scene, th
e surrounding people all had their jaws drop.
"It's here again! Could it be that even Ye Yuan can't break Zhang Tianyi's curse as well?"
"Even though Zhang Tianyi did not comprehend a sword intent, his sword move is indeed incomparably exquisite. Unless one has extremely powerful close combat martial techniques, otherwise, they won't be his match at all. Ye Yuan is already being utterly suppressed by him now. If there are no accidents, the die is cast."
"I really didn't expect this! Ye Yuan even defeated Nalan Chu and actually can't win against Zhang Tianyi! This Zhang Tianyi, completely can't feel where he's strong at. Yet, everyone can't beat him. Really sinister."
Speaking of which, Zhang Tianyi's way of winning made people very unwilling to concede.
Each time he won others, it was not like Ye Yuan and Nalan Chu they all; his battle was neat and direct. Unless it was those kind whose strength were slightly weaker, otherwise, it was fighting up to a hundred rounds every time, even several hundred rounds before barely defeating his opponent.
Therefore, those who fought with Zhang Tianyi and were defeated all felt very unconvinced when they thought about it afterward, feeling that their strength should not be weaker than his.
But in the end, why were they the ones who lost?
This selection competition was already approaching the end. But until now, everyone did not figure out how Zhang Tianyi could win battle after battle repeatedly.
When Zhang Tianyi saw Ye Yuan teetering on his feet, an appearance of almost could not hold on anymore, he was very proud of himself in his heart.
So what if it was supreme true intent?
Can't use moves, what did it matter no matter how strong their concepts?
Zhang Tianyi was currently being pleased with himself when a surge of true dragon aura abruptly erupted!
Clank!
Ye Yuan actually forsook the sword and used his fist to forcefully receive this sword of Zhang Tianyi's, blasting away his longsword.
Chapter 801 - Actually, I'm Just an Alchemist
"What a powerful physical body, to actually forcefully shake a profound artifact bare-handedly!"