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Chapter 65: Ye Wang Changed!

Translator:Mogumoguchan

Editor:Zenobys

Su Ming opened his eyes. There were only three blood veins left on his body! He lowered his head and looked at the three blood veins on his chest before standing up.

He took a deep breath but did not rush forward. He turned his head and looked at the thick mist behind him. He could not see the ground below, but he could feel that he was standing at a very high place.

'I might need to go to the 781st step to make the final three blood veins disappear.'

Su Ming looked at the summit, and his eyes gradually lit up.

'Also, I want to see just how far can I go!'

Su Ming raised his foot and moved towards the 564th step. Once he stood there, he walked further upwards one step at a time without hesitation!

He moved forwards one step at a time. Su Ming no longer moved along the stairs with that maddening speed from before, where he managed to climb up around a hundred steps within the span of a few breaths. Yet there was no hint of stopping within him as he walked forward steadily at a moderate pace.

He was calm, and he exuded an air of calmness that seemed like he was the water within an ancient well that would not ripple even when stones were thrown into it. Gradually and slowly, he moved towards the 573th step, 578th, 582th… and he continued onward.

As he pressed onward, all his blood veins surfaced on his skin. A great presence of Qi exploded from his body. At the same time, as he continued steadily onward, another blood vein manifested!

This path was the path of a strong Berserker that belonged to Su Ming. It was an incredibly important stage of metamorphosis in his life! It was a change in his training and understanding of his soul!

Every step Su Ming took was turned into figures shown on the number of steps he took on the eagle statues in the field. Every single time the numbers jumped, the people who were watching would feel as if their hearts jumped along with it.

"597, 598, 599… 600! He's at the 600th step! That was Ye Wang's limit yesterday!"

"He's still going on. 601, 602… Could Ye Wang not have noticed him? He may be further away, but if this continues, then before long, Mo Su will catch up to him!"

Due to Mo Su's movements, the quiet field was gradually filled with sounds of discussion. Yet compared to the commotion on the previous night, most of the discussions were held in low voices and whispers.

Compared to the crowd that had been watching the first stage since the beginning, there were still some people in the field made up of those who were ranked within the top fifty. There were also some people who were ranked within the top ten, and they had formed their own cliques.

"Ye Wang must be feeling prideful… He always had a habit to not look at the ranking."

"Well, Ye Wang always believed that the only one who could compete against him was himself. No one else had the ability to do so."

"Haha. I wonder whether Mo Su will have the ability to become his opponent this time. He's already at the 645th step. That Mo Su is really good, though. I can't compare to his potential!"

"Honestly, I'd really want Ye Wang to look at the plate. I'd like to see his reaction once he knows about Mo Su following close behind his back. Would he turn his nose against him? Or will he become slightly excited?"

The two different crowds in the field talked about different things. Compared to them, there was a crowd in the field that was formed of people of even higher statuses. They were all the leaders of different tribes. Their status and power determined their social standing.

The old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe looked at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue. Her eyes were gradually clouded with seriousness and mindfulness. She did not know who that person was, but she admired him nonetheless. From what she could presume, no matter which tribe Mo Su belonged to, it could not be from Wind Stream. If that was the case, then it would be interesting once that person appeared in the field.

'It's a pity he's not from Dark Dragon Tribe, or else I'd do everything I can to aid him in his training!' the old woman lamented, looking at Bai Ling and Si Kong beside her.

'Si Kong isn't the type who can take on large responsibilities. Ah, Dark Dragon Tribe is falling… As for Bai Ling, she only has a passing fancy towards that Su Ming. She still can't differentiate between gratitude and affection. But as long as she doesn't mingle around that rascal, then time will naturally make her forget about him.

'What right does that Su Ming have to approach my granddaughter? Unless, of course, he is that mysterious Mo Su…'

The old woman gave a self-depreciating laugh, and a hint of mockery appeared in her eyes.

Located further away was the tribe leader from Black Mountain Tribe. His face was dark as he stared at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue. His gaze was cold, yet at the same time, there was mindfulness and shock within his eyes.

'Bi Su was taught by the Elder since he was young and has surpassed those among his generation by leaps and bounds. If it wasn't because the Elder had reached a breakthrough and could now stand at the same position as Wind Stream's Jing Nan, then he wouldn't have let Bi Su appear.

'But where did that Mo Su come from? Which tribe does he belong to…? I must bring him to the tribe, or else I'll just have to kill him!'

If anyone were to compare social ranking, then no one else's status was higher than Jing Nan's in the field. He stood there and looked at the ranking on the eagle statue. He watched as the figures showing the number of steps taken increased continuously behind Mo Su's name. The number had now reached 677. His pupils shrank in anticipation, but his face remained passive. It was as if what had happened was still not enough to shock him.

"Mo Sang, once Su Ming finishes the test, let him stay in Wind Stream Tribe… This place will be more beneficial to him," Jing Nan spoke slowly as he watched the number of steps taken change once again and become 684.

Once he heard Jing Nan's words, Mo Sang only smiled faintly. He was also shocked inwardly that Su Ming could obtain such a great result. This had completely exceeded his expectations, but there was a reason why he told Su Ming to not worry about revealing his power in the first place.

"Don't be anxious. We can talk about this once the test ends," Mo Su spoke unhurriedly. There was love and kindness within his eyes as he looked at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue.

When he saw that Mo Sang did not immediately reject his proposal, a flash passed through Jing Nan's eyes. With his level of intelligence, it was only natural that he knew that the conditions he proposed to obtain Su Ming would not be enough.

"If he can go past 750 steps, then I will give him the treatment only the son of a tribe leader deservers in Wind Stream Tribe like Chen Chong and Wu Sen. If he can go past 800 steps, then he'll become a candidate for my Berserker's Son!" Jing Nan spoke slowly.

"What if he goes higher?" Mo Sang turned around and looked at Jing Nan.

"Higher? Alright. If he can climb more than 850 steps, then I'll give him the same privileges and help I provide for Ye Wang. If he can go to the 900th step, then if he agrees to join Wind Stream Tribe, between him and Ye Wang, I'll elect whosoever reaches Awakening Realm first as my Berserker's Son!" Jing Nan fell into momentary silence and looked at Mo Sang before he spoke slowly.

"He's already at the 700th step." Mo Sang smiled faintly.

700! Su Ming panted harshly as sweat fell continuously off his body onto the stairs. He stood on the 700th step. Dawn was about to arrive, and the moon was starting to darken. Moving forward under this pressure was incredibly hard.

A few more blood veins appeared on his body once he arrived at the 700th step. Su Ming did not see how many blood veins had emerged. There was only one thought in his mind, he would continue walking forward until he reached his limit!

He let his breathing calm down a bit. Su Ming lifted his foot once again and moved towards the 701st step.

Ye Wang was sitting on the 803rd step unmoving at that moment. The entire mountain was very quiet. He was at the southern side of the mountain while Su Ming was at the northern side. They were on two different parts of the mountain.

When dawn was about to arrive and the moon started to darken as if daylight was about to arrive at any moment, Ye Wang opened his eyes and looked at the moon.

"Once daylight is here, I'll begin my last charge. This time, I'll do my best to get to the 900th step!" Ye Wang mumbled as a confident smile appeared on his lips.

'I'm pretty certain that there aren't many people left on the mountain. There should be less than ten, not including myself. I wonder if there's anyone who managed to make it through the 562nd step. But there shouldn't be any!'

There was a calm pride on Ye Wang's face, but after a moment of silence, he still chose to take out the plate and look.

He had initially planned to just take a glance at it to see how many people were left on the mountain. It was just an action of someone who was looking down on other people's actions as he waited for daylight to arrive.

His face was calm as his gaze fell upon the plate. He was just going to take a glance. Yet just as he was about to avert his gaze, he was suddenly stupefied. He looked at the plate once again, this time with concentration.

2nd: Mo Su, 716 steps.

'Mo Su… he's walking at night? What an idiot!'

Ye Wang was quiet for a while, then he looked away from the plate. He closed his eyes and continued meditating calmly as he waited for daylight to arrive. There was not an ounce of panic within him, but there was a light and almost unnoticeable tremble on his eyelids, almost as if they betrayed that it was difficult for him to truly calm down.

Mo Su's breathing was rapid as he continued walking forward. His mind was blank, and there was only a sort of willpower pushing his body forward, making him continue to walk forth. The blood veins on his body gradually increased. With the addition of each blood vein, he would have additional strength to go on.

With that frenzied pace he put on, he walked past the 725th step, 738th step, 751st step, 763rd step, 779th step…

The thunderous roars continued with no signs of stopping in his body, but his legs were trembling, and his body seemed to be swaying. It was especially so for his feet, which seemed to have gotten glued to the mountain. Every single time he lifted his legs, pain would shoot through his entire body.

He gritted his teeth and let out a low growl. Su Ming lifted his leg once again and moved towards the 780th step. There was only one more step away from his target this time – the 781st step!

His eyes were bloodshot. The red within his eyes was like a fire burning and crackling, as if it was about to burn Su Ming's entire body to ashes. There was only one more step left right before his eyes. All the blood veins started circulating within Su Ming's body with a loud sound and squeezed out a bit of strength for Su Ming to lift his leg and move to the 781st step.

The moment his feet were about to land on the step, his body seemed to be unable to bear the pressure any longer. Just as he was about to break down, Su Ming lifted his head and roared towards the sky. He must make it there! He had to!

He lifted his right hand and bit into his index finger. Fresh blood flowed out of the wound, and he swiped it on his eyes abruptly. He will begin the third burning of his blood here, the one that he had not managed to complete successfully!

The moment the blood on his index finger touched his left eye, the entire mountain seemed to move as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had been split apart! At that instant, the roar from the beast suddenly reverberated from within the black mist on the mountain!

Ye Wang, who finally calmed down on the 803rd step, jolted at that moment. He heard the roar from the top of the mountain and felt the entire mountain shaking and roaring as well. An unbelievable change had happened.

He opened his eyes abruptly, and his pupils shrank instinctively. He had a feeling that the mountain's sudden change was linked to that person called Mo Su!

Without any hesitation, he immediately took out the plate and took another look at it. The moment he read that Mo Su had taken 781 steps, Ye Wang's expression changed and he stood up abruptly!

Chapter 66: The Final Battle!

Translator: Mogumoguchan/Zenobys Editor: - -

2nd: Mo Su, 781 steps!

There was a serious expression on Ye Wang's face that was never seen before. He had his own dignity and pride. To him, there was no one who could be his opponent. The one that he wanted to compete against was himself!

Yet all his pride was shaken the moment the mountain roared and shook. It was as if at that instant a strong and unimaginable presence surged from the surroundings, shaking Ye Wang's heart.

He could not remain steady, but neither could he ignore it. He stared at the plate in his hands. Never in his life had he been so aware and taken so much notice of someone!

This person had far surpassed Wu Sen, Chen Chong, and everyone else besides Ye Wang himself. Now, he was only twenty odd steps away from him. This sort of distance had aroused a sense of pressure and anxiety that was rarely seen and nearly nonexistent within Ye Wang!

'Mo Su… Can you qualify to be my rival?'

There was a cold glint within Ye Wang's eyes. Anyone who would meet that cold look would feel the pride of one not allowing anyone to surpass him.

Ye Wang was prideful and aloof. Since young, he surpassed all his peers with his incredible talent and stood at the top. He was also the Berserker's Son within Wind Stream Tribe. His status within the tribe could be seen by how people treated him when they saw him.

He did not need to form cliques with other people, nor did he need to be enigmatic, or be surrounded by other people and revered, because no matter where he went, he would automatically destroy all those cliques. As long as he was there, he would become the brightest existence within the crowd. If he was in the area, then his brilliance would outshine even the most admired person!

He was Ye Wang! He looked down on all his peers, or perhaps more accurately speaking, he did not look down on them. He was simply indifferent towards them, ignoring their existence. He was indifferent towards all his peers because he believed that no one had the right to make him notice them and become his opponent!

Yet now, with Su Ming's appearance, for the first time in his life, Ye Wang had the feeling that he found his opponent, and the rare sight of him paying attention to something came to be!

'Then… let's compete against each other!'

Ye Wang took in a deep breath. He may have looked as if he was gradually returning to his normal state of mind, but he was unable to calm down. If he was truly calm, then he could have waited until daylight before he started moving towards the top of the mountain. This was his plan beforehand.

Yet with Su Ming's appearance, this plan changed! This was the first time in Ye Wang's life that he changed his original plans due to someone around his age.

With a swing of his sleeve, Ye Wang lifted his feet with a serious look on his face as he walked towards the 804th step. The moment his footsteps landed, his body trembled and his breathing became a bit swifter. Yet, he did not stop. He continued onwards.

At that moment, Su Ming stood on the 781st step. His right hand was trembling. The moment his blood touched his right eye, he felt the entire mountain trembling. He felt the strange aura that came from all around Black Flame Mountain expand by leaps and bounds in this place. This was not something that the tiny Black Flame Mountain could compare. It was just a tiny bit of blood, but the aura that erupted forth far surpassed the amount when he finished covering his eyes with blood the second time in Black Flame Mountain.

The black mist in the entire mountain started rolling forth violently at that instant. The moment it seemed like a wild beast roared towards the sky from the top of the mountain, and the thunderous roars echoed madly within the mountain, the mist started rolling even more furiously, causing the entire mountain to seem to be alive with excitement.

Wisps of air quickly surged into Su Ming's body, causing him to tremble violently, and the sensation as if he was about to explode surged forward once again.

Su Ming had once felt the force of the sensation when he previously tried the third burning of his blood, yet the force had become much stronger than before. A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. His right hand trembled, and he had no choice but to put it down.

The moment he placed his hand down, the roars from within the mountain stopped, and the mist returned to its calm state. The strange aura coming from all around him also disappeared without a trace.

Everything returned to a state of calmness. It was as if that scene had only been an illusion, and it had never happened.

Su Ming panted harshly and stood on the 781st step. He looked at the summit before him, but did not sit down. He chose to close his eyes while standing instead, and used the very last step with the balanced pressure among the numbers the elder told him to begin refining his body!

At that moment, an incredible uproar stirred up a wave of discussions within the field located under the foot of the mountain. Due to the seal, they did not sense the incredible sight that happened within the mountain just moments ago.

They only saw the rankings on the nine eagle statues. They saw the person called Mo Su reach the 781st step, and there was only twenty something steps left between him and Ye Wang, who was in first place. The shock they felt stemming from within their hearts, and the looks filled with disbelief and dazedness in their eyes lashed against their bodies, causing their minds to become blank. They were reduced to a state where they could only let out cries of shock.

They even saw Ye Wang moving! Among the hundreds of people in the field, there were a large portion of them who did not think too much into why Ye Wang decided to continue moving up the mountain. They only thought that Ye Wang should have been moving in the first place. If they were in his place, then they would surely get up from their rest and continue moving.

However, the small circle that consisted of all the prodigies from Wind Stream Tribe ranked within the top 50 were familiar with Ye Wang. Their understanding towards Ye Wang was much better than the rest of the people's in the field. Once they saw the number behind Ye Wang's name change, the shock they felt in their hearts was much greater than of those who were not familiar with him.

"Ye Wang… looked at the plate!"

"He must have looked at the place. With his personality, once he looked at the plate, he should have felt indifferent towards him, but Mo Su is just too amazing. Even Ye Wang can't remain calm because of him!"

"He changed his rhythm. Once Ye Wang makes a decision, he won't change it easily. He must have been thinking about waiting until daylight before he started moving, but now, because of Mo Su, he changed his plans!"

Wu Sen's face was pale as he sat far away in a corner. He looked at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue and remained silent. He had been treating Bi Su as his main suspect earlier, but now, he felt that Mo Su might be the real person he should be suspecting… But…

'This is just the first stage. We don't compete on our strengths in this stage, but our potential. From what I can tell, it's not as if I don't have a way to get a definite answer as to who stole my Blood either…'

Wu Sen clenched his fists.

There were also the leaders of all the other tribes on the field who were staring at the eagle statues and the ranking. They all had their own thoughts, but the only thing that was similar was how they had similar looks of cold detachment as they watched Wind Stream make a fool of themselves. After all, since the past, forget the top 3, there had never been any outsider who managed to make it into the top 30, much less the top 10 ranks in the test.

Yet now, not only were there two outsiders who made it into the top 10, but by the looks of it, that person called Mo Su might very well have the ability to compete for first place!

While this made them shocked, it also made them laugh within their hearts.

'Mo Su… Mo Su… just which tribe do you belong to..? Why is it that there has never been such a person that appeared in my tribe… If you're willing to join my tribe, then no matter what price I have to pay, I'd be willing to negotiate with you…' the old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe lamented, but she also knew that it was impossible.

The Head of the Guards was astounded as he stood among those from Dark Mountain Tribe. He let out a huge breath, and he harbored a similar thought as the old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe.

Bei Ling, who stood beside him, had a hint of extreme passion within his eyes. He looked at Mo Su's name. He knew of everything that happened during the first stage of the test. The strongest person he could get in touch to was Wu Sen. Yet right before his eyes, he saw a stranger manage to obtain the second place and even earn the right to compete for first place. This was something that made him extremely excited.

"This Mo Su is very strong!" Bei Ling spoke softly.

"That's right. He's really amazing. I wonder which tribe he belongs to… Ah, it's a pity he's not from our tribe…" There was admiration within Wu La's eyes. She admired powerful people, especially Mo Su. She saw him rise since the beginning. That sort of feeling, as if she saw the scene personally, made her addicted with it.

"Don't you think… this… Mo Su's name, is a bit familiar…?" Lei Chen hesitated for a moment and spoke since the first time he came back.

"Familiar? Lei Chen, what do you mean?" Wu La was momentarily taken aback and turned to look at him.

"Perhaps I'm thinking too much… I just thought that the elder's name is Mo Sang, and this person's name is Mo Su… No matter how I look at it, it seems like it's the combination of the elder and Su Ming's names…" Lei Chen scratched his head and there was uncertainty in his eyes.

"You're thinking too much!" There was a hint of scorn in Wu La's eyes, and she turned her head away to ignore Lei Chen, choosing instead to look at the ranking on the eagle statues.

"Mo Su, why aren't you moving? Ye Wang is already at the 827th step!"

Bei Ling did not speak, but the faint hint of disdain in his eyes showed his thoughts towards what Lei Chen had said.

Lei Chen fell silent.

As the people were discussing and looking at the ranks, the air twisted and suddenly two wisps of black mist appeared and travelled to the field before turning into Chen Chong and Bi Su. They arrived almost simultaneously on the field, and they immediately glared at each other when they saw the other.

When they returned, the people around them immediately cast their eyes on them. They also caught the attention of Wind Stream Tribe's Jing Nan and Mo Sang who were located at the further end of the field.

"Chen Chong is pretty good," Mo Sang spoke, smiling faintly.

"Compared to Su Ming, he's not much." Jing Nan still looked calm, but he had been inwardly astounded since a long time ago. He may have been somewhat expecting this for some time now, but he did not expect Su Ming to surpass his expectations so much and manage to reach this point.

"Mo Sang, let me take care of Su Ming!" Jing Nan turned his head and looked at Mo Sang as he spoke seriously.

"Let's continue watching. We can talk later," Mo Su smiled and said.

At that moment, a cry of surprise rose abruptly. At the very instant someone shouted within the field, everyone noticed the change.

"Mo Su's finally moving!"

"This is the final battle!"

Within the mountain shrouded by black mist, Su Ming stood on the 781st step with his eyes closed. He opened them suddenly, and a bright glint flashed briefly through his eyes.

There were only two blood veins left on his body!

Chapter 67: The Burning of Blood Once Again!

Translator: Mogumoguchan/Zenobys Editor: - -

"Using the state of mind to move into fine control becomes much harder later… This is the limit of the 781st step. I have two blood veins left. The two blood veins seem to be stuck together. I can't make them disappear separately…" Su Ming muttered softly.

"But this is the last number… This mountain can be said to be a holy training ground. Once I leave, it'll be very difficult to find a chance like this again…" Su Ming's brows gradually creased.

"32, 79, 248, 371, 563, 781… These are the six numbers the elder told me. This should be the secret the elder discovered during his time here, but… perhaps after the 781st step, there is another, or maybe multiple places like these… Those are the places that even the elder didn't discover…" Determination gradually appeared in Su Ming's eyes.

After falling into momentarily silence, Su Ming looked at the plate in his hands and at the rank he got. That rank made him so excited it seemed as if his Qi was about to start circulating around his body then and there.

'Second…'

He retrieved his gaze from the plate and lowered his head. After eventually calming down, a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.

"I've already attained my wish, now… I can give up…" As Su Ming mumbled, there was hesitation in his eyes.

"But once I give up, then the training with fine control will be stuck in this state, and I will never complete it… There must be a similar stage up there that has the same balanced pressure!" Su Ming did not hesitate for long. He did not want to give up this chance. He knew that the tribe was in danger and felt the elder's worry. He had to become stronger!

"I cannot miss this chance. I have to find the place that the elder did not discover!" The hesitation in Su Ming's eyes immediately turned into determination and resolution. He lifted his legs and abruptly moved towards the 782nd step!

The moment his foot landed, Su Ming immediately trembled. A strong and great pressure fell upon his body. As he trembled, a large amount of blood veins appeared on his body with a force akin to an explosion. The light from the blood veins scattered everywhere and seemed to resonate with the dimming moon in the sky. It caused Su Ming to growl, and he gritted his teeth as he continued onwards.

783, 784, 785… when he reached the 796th step, Su Ming's hair was in a mess, and his body trembled in a manner akin to convulsing. Each step he took seemed to take all his strength. His entire body was in extreme pain as if he was about to break under the incredible pressure. The feeling that he was about to break was completely different from the sensation of the burning of his blood.

The burning of blood was a force that burst forth from within his body, as if he could no longer contain the energy. Yet now, the pressure from the mountain was a force pressing against him from outside as if it was trying to crush his body.

The blood veins were fighting against the pressure nonstop as the Qi in his body circulated, supporting his body so that he would not be crushed to pieces. His resistance towards the pressure also increased due to the nourishment provided by the moonlight.

With each step he took, a trickle of blood began leaking out from the corner of his mouth. His face began twisting into a furious expression, but within that viciousness was a shocking amount of resolution and determination.

'I have to find that spot! I have to complete fine control!'

Su Ming took another step and arrived at the 799th step. At this moment, his vision was beginning to become fuzzy, and he seemed to be unable to take another step.

Ye Wang also looked quite pathetic. He was panting harshly, and his hair was a mess. There were veins popping on his face, and his blood veins surfaced on the skin all over his body. He struggled up the 837th step when a dull pain started in his chest. The rapid beating of his heart made him feel faint.

Yet the moment he looked at the plate, there was madness within his eyes.

"Mo Su!" Ye Wang lifted his head suddenly and growled towards the sky. He lifted his feet again and moved, but his speed had obviously slowed.

Su Ming tried five times, but no matter what, he could not lift his feet. It was as if a pair of giant hands pressed against his body, causing his entire body to be in great pain. It was as if his bones were about to be crushed. He could not lift his feet!

The invisible pair of giant hands were merciless and apathetic as they pressed against Su Ming, causing him to be unable to stand straight, and eventually his body started to bend. He was unable to continue standing and seemed to begin falling downwards.

Su Ming's face was ashen, and sweat fell nonstop from his body. The dizziness became stronger, and a sense of powerlessness appeared in his heart. He struggled to lift his head slightly, looking at the dimming moon and the vast sky.

'Wherefore doth thou cry, o blue sky?'

Gradually, these words echoed in his head. He laughed suddenly. That bark of laughter only served to make the pain in his body stronger, but within Su Ming's eyes, the blood red moon became even clearer, and it erupted with a blazing fire.

"I won't give up!" Su Ming lifted his head and roared suddenly. That roar echoed, reflecting the source of why he could suddenly rise up through the ranks. As he roared, Su Ming struggled to lift up his right hand and bit into it once again. There was madness within his eyes and once again, he wiped the blood on his left eye.

The moment he spread his blood over his eye, the entire mountain moved abruptly. The mist rolled forward like furious waves and billows of air erupting forth from the entire Wind Stream Mountain, like endless waves from all around the mountain towards Su Ming.

There was also the sound of a wild beast roaring suddenly at the top of the mountain at that moment. The roar was like an illusion that echoed through the entire mountain and reached into Su Ming and Ye Wang's hearts!

Su Ming coughed out a mouthful of blood. Countless strange gusts of air entered his body and caused banging sounds to echo in his blood as his blood veins increased once again. He roared and gradually straightened his bent body as he resisted the pressure from the invisible pair of hands until he stood up straight!

The pressure from the hands seemed to be unable to suppress the endless amount of air entering Su Ming's body and was also unable to suppress the power of the burning of his blood under the moonlight!

Su Ming stood up!

It was dawn. The moon, which should have been dimming away, seemed to give out its last glow at that moment. It suddenly looked clear in the sky, and as Su Ming stood up, he took a step forward abruptly and moved towards the 800th step, then took another few steps forward without stopping!

802, 805, 811, 814, 817!

He stood on the 817th step with bloodshot eyes. The blood in his veins seemed to be burning. He was halfway through the third burning of his blood. He had only managed to smear half of his left eye with blood.

There was an explosive force within his body that was bursting forth. His entire body seemed to be on the verge of breaking down and exploding. Su Ming knew that if he used external strength and forcefully commenced with the third burning of his blood, he would definitely be unable to take it. Yet within this mountain, there was a great pressure, and it aided him. With his body as the centre, there was an explosive force coming from within his body, and there was an oppressive force pressing against his body, causing him to obtain a chance to complete the third burning that he had been unable to finish!

Su Ming's right index finger trembled. He let out a roar as he did so and smeared his entire left eye with fresh blood, and the burning of blood started!

The entire mountain trembled. More strange gusts of air rushed forward maddeningly and entered into Su Ming from every pore of his body rapidly, causing the number of blood veins on his body to increase at an incredible pace.

'I have to go up!'

Su Ming lifted his feet and moved forward once again. 819, 823, 827… When he reached the 839th step, blood red mist gushed out from his body, but there was only perseverance and determination in his eyes!

He did not find the balance he was looking for among all the steps he had taken so far, but Su Ming believed that there must definitely be such a place on the remaining steps!

'Mo Su!'

Ye Wang was also in a frenzied state. He was at the 845th step at that moment. When the plate showed that Mo Su took 839th step, how could he not be mad?

As the best among his peers, his pride did not allow anyone to surpass him. His dignity insisted that no matter the cost, he had to maintain his position as the most powerful person!

Veins popped out on his face and his eyes were completely bloodshot. The aloof and prideful look was no longer on his face, having turned into an expression of fury and vexation. He lifted his right hand in a struggle and roared as he hit his chest. Immediately, a large amount of power surged through his entire body. At the same time, the power travelled through all parts of his flesh and bones, a blood red mark appearing on his chest.

It was a horn, a blood red horn that belonged to a wild beast!

The horn was a picture. It was not bright red but was slightly dark in color. As Ye Wang hit his chest with his palm, the horn immediately glowed with a piercing red light and fused into Ye Wang's body. It caused his entire body to gain new strength. He lifted his legs and rushed forward!

845, 846… and he continued right until he stood on the 861st step. Ye Wang coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood. The red light from the horn picture on his chest also faded away until the color became even dimmer, as if it was about to fade away at any moment.

'Mo Su, you can be proud now! You are the only one who has managed to force me to activate the Mark of Calamity the Elder forcefully drew for me with thirty-seven drops of his Blood of Calamity so that I could absorb it and improve my chances of arriving at Transcendence Realm exponentially! I did not want to use this power forcefully. This has no benefit for me, and it would be much better if I just absorbed it slowly… Mo Su, you can be proud now!'

Ye Wang gritted his teeth and lowered his head to look at the plate as he panted. With just one glance, he widened his eyes.

"Im… Impossible!"

The number behind Mo Su's name was increasing rapidly!

841, 843, 845, 849… Right before his eyes, Ye Wang saw the number change to 859!

There were only two steps between them! Ye Wang had forcefully absorbed the Blood of Calamity, yet not only did he not widen the distance between them, they had even become this close. However, if he did not make the decision to absorb the blood, then perhaps he would have been overtaken by now!

"Impossible!" There was disbelief and shock in Ye Wang's eyes. He mumbled and lifted his right hand once again. Within that gesture was a hint of ruthlessness and madness as he pressed his palm on the dim picture of the horn on his chest.

He coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood, but a blood red glow that reached the sky burst forth from Ye Wang's entire body. Only the faint outline of his body remained as he was encompassed by the blood-red glow.

"Mo… Su!"

Chapter 68: Sixth level of the Blood Solidification Realm!

Translator: Mogumoguchan/Zenobys Editor: - -

The final battle within the top of the mountain commenced with both Su Ming and Ye Wang maddeningly letting out all their strength with force akin to an explosion. Su Ming activated the burning of his blood, while Ye Wang forcefully absorbed his elder's Berserker Blood. All this was unknown to most of the people gathered in the field under the foot of the mountain.

At that moment, as the battle reached its most intense state, the mood among the people within the field also reached its peak!

"What an intense battle! This is what I call a true intense battle!"

"Ye Wang managed to reach the 861st step from the 845th step, but Mo Su is also chasing close behind him. He actually managed to close up the distance between him and Ye Wang to only two steps once he reached the 859th step from the twenty to thirty odd steps between them just now!"

"Just who among them will be number one?!"

Discussions, roars, and cries of surprise stirred up continuously within the field. The people were filled with excitement and anticipation. At that moment, they had already ignored all the complicated feelings within them. There was only one thought within their minds. They wanted to know who would be the first at the end of the match!

Who will be the first?

This question also stirred up a storm among the circle formed by the prodigies ranked within the top 50. They were as excited as the people around them. The more they were familiar with Ye Wang and the more knowledge they had towards the terrors of the pressure among the steps in the 800s, the more excited they were.

"Ye Wang has managed to place first multiple times. This time… can he retain his position?"

"This Mo Su, he's just… he's just too strong! He actually managed to push Ye Wang to this state. There're only two steps between them now!"

"I thought that Ye Wang would definitely be the most powerful of us all within the region Wind Stream Tribe rules, and no one would be able to compare to him, but now… I know that I've underestimated outsiders!"

Compared to these people, the leaders from all the other tribes had all stood up and were staring at the eagle statues. Their faces were not just filled with shock, but amazement and astonishment!

'Just which tribe does this Mo Su belong to?

'Who is this child?

'If he can truly surpass Ye Wang, then Wind Stream's shock will be great!

'No matter what rank Mo Su obtains, from here on, there won't be anyone who will not know his name!'

Bei Ling clenched his fists in excitement. There was a roaring sound in his heart. He wanted Mo Su to win! Wu La's face was also flushed with excitement. She had already stood up since a long time ago and was staring at the competition between the first and second places!

Chen Chong too, was staring at Mo Su's name with a dumbfounded expression. At that moment, if someone would have told him that before the start of the first stage, Mo Su was among the group of people that went to him and watched him laugh with his friends and walk towards Bai Ling, Chen Chong would have definitely not believed it!

Bi Su clenched his fists and stared at the eagle statue. There was anger and maddening jealousy in his eyes. He still believed that Mo Su's glory should have belonged to him. That damn Mo Su stole it away from him!

Located far in a corner of the field was Jing Nan. His expression was no longer blank but shocked. He was also taken aback by the sight. He looked at the name on the eagle statue and watched as Ye Wang suddenly rose up the stairs quickly. He could even tell that Ye Wang must have forcefully absorbed his Berserker Blood.

'Just where… did Su Ming come from? What is his origin..? He… How could he have so much potential?'

Jing Nan took in a deep breath. He could no longer hide the shock in his eyes.

"Mo Sang, is he… truly a prince of the Great Yu Dynasty?" Jing Nan hesitated for a moment before he asked softly.

Mo Sang smiled faintly, but he did not speak. In truth, he was unable to calm down either. There was already a storm raging in his heart.

At the same time within the mountain, the mist was rolling forward and the mountain was trembling. The roars travelling from the top of the mountain were becoming clearer. It was as if there was a message hidden within the roars.

Su Ming trembled. There was madness on his face. His right index finger was pressed against his right eye. Half of his right eye was already smeared with blood!

The difficulty of the third burning of blood exceeded Su Ming's expectations. He did not expect that he had yet to complete it even though he was here, in this place where there was a great pressure aiding him.

The previous two burnings could not even begin to compare to this time. It was as if the third burning of blood among the nine required times was a hurdle, an obstacle in his path!

He stood at the 859th step. This was still not the place he was looking for. As he was going through the ritual of burning his blood, Su Ming felt as if his entire body had just gone up in flames. The blood in his body seemed to be experiencing some sort of change. It was as if it was changing rapidly from normal blood to fire!

Su Ming had even considered giving up due to the pain in his body and the oppression from the external world, but the moment he remembered the danger that loomed over the tribe and the worry on the elder's old and wizened face, Su Ming was willing to bear through all the pain!

He had to become stronger. He wanted to help the elder. He wanted to protect his own home and his tribe! He wanted to help the tribe to kill its enemies. He would use his blood and tell his enemies that no one was allowed to touch Dark Mountain Tribe!

Su Ming let out a roar as if letting out all his pain and suffering. While shouting, he continued sweeping his right index finger across his right eye slowly but surely, and resolutely!

At that moment, no matter who it was that might want to stop Su Ming from protecting his tribe and his people, they would become his mortal enemy!

His eyes felt as if there was a fire burning inside of them. Su Ming lifted his feet and walked forward with reckless steps… He moved from the 859th step to the 860th, 861st, 862nd, 863rd… right until he reached the 877th step!

Blood mist gushed forth once more from his body. He… reached his limit!

877. That was his limit. He could not continue any longer!

"Let mine blood burn!" At the moment he reached his limit, Su Ming lifted his head towards the skies and roared. As the roar echoed through the skies, the moon let out the most brilliant ray of light, and without anyone seeing it, it fell from the sky and fused into Su Ming's body.

The mountain underneath Su Ming's feet trembled. The mist billowed towards the skies with an intensity that had never happened before. It enveloped the entire area and seemed to be turning into a mysterious shape.

It looked like a giant creature, but the shape was vague and could not be clearly seen.

As the mountain was filled with tremors, the indescribable strange air erupted forth from the mountain. With Su Ming at the center, it rushed towards him at a rapid pace. The moment it entered his body, Su Ming completely dyed his right eye with the blood from his right index finger!

The third burning of blood was completed!

A loud boom resonated through Su Ming's body. All the blood veins in his body appeared, and the number began increasing by a large margin. As they manifested one by one, the strong presence within Su Ming's body became stronger.

It was almost within an instant that the blood veins on Su Ming's body increased to 109! A thunderous roar rang within his body, and he broke through the fifth level of the Blood Solidification Realm and reached the sixth level!

The sixth level of the Blood Solidification Realm!

The blood veins were still increasing. As they manifested one by one, Su Ming lifted his feet and walked towards the 878th step with one swift moment. The instant his feet landed, the entire mountain trembled once more. The strange air continuously entered his body, and Su Ming went to the 879th step, continuing onwards!

883, 885, 889… When he reached the 899th step, the blood veins on Su Ming's body increased to 156!

It was as if all the Qi within his body had turned into flames. Like there was a fire within him strong enough to burn the sky and the earth. Yet within his eyes, the shadow of the blood red moon gradually disappeared and was hidden away. It was as if after the third burning of blood, the moon in his eyes reverted inwards and no longer revealed traces outward!

Only now could Su Ming be considered to have mastered a little bit of the Fire Berserker Art! He lifted his feet and moved towards the 900th step. He stood there and looked forward. From his location, he could see the statue of a beast crouching at the top of the mountain not too far away.

An indefinable feeling filled Su Ming's entire being. The statue of the beast looked like a tiger, but there was a huge pair of wings on its back. It was as if it was struggling to fly up, but was pinned down by numerous chains. He could sense an incredible grudge and a faint hint of bleakness from it.

He looked at the statue and felt as if the statue was also looking at him. The man and the beast seemed to be staring at each other quietly while standing at the top of the mountain with nearly a hundred steps between them.

After a long time, Su Ming closed his eyes. He could sense a familiar presence from the statue of the beast. That presence… belonged to the Fire Berserker …

That was a statue of a mythical beast from Fire Berserker Tribe!

When he closed his eyes, Su Ming also found the spot he had been looking for. The 900th step was the seventh spot with the balanced pressure. He stood there. There were 156 blood veins on his body. They were quickly circulating with each heartbeat. As dawn was about to end and daylight about to arrive, Su Ming begun the final refining of his body.

Ye Wang's hair was a mess. His face was filled with incredible madness. He would pound against his chest without hesitation before he even walking ten steps. The picture of the horn became fainter just as the red glow on his body became fainter. He walked forward without caring about the consequences. His pride and his dignity would not allow him to lose!

881, 882… 897, 899… Ye Wang pounded against his chest with his right hand. The picture of the horn dissipated with a loud sound. Once it completely disappeared, it turned into a final surge of energy that filled Ye Wang's entire body. It caused Ye Wang to roar and move towards the 900th step then continue onward until he reached the 905th step.

The moment he reached it, Ye Wang coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood and slowly collapsed. The plate in his hands fell out. The moment it left his body, it turned into a gust of black mist that surrounded Ye Wang and disappeared from the mountain.

There was only Su Ming left on the mountain!

There was dead silence on the mountain. The field was also similarly silent. When Ye Wang appeared in the field, he was unconscious. As Jing Nan watched with a dark expression, some people automatically went forward and carried Ye Wang quickly to a corner to help him recover.

There was only one name that had yet to turn grey on the nine eagle statues…

2nd: Mo Su, 900 steps.

Everyone waited…

Chapter 69: Persevere! Persevere!

Translator: Mogumoguchan/Zenobys Editor: - -

There were no longer any conversations in the field. At that moment, all the people within the field were breathing heavily as they watched the only name that had yet to turn grey on the nine eagle statues.

Mo Su was only five steps away from first place!

At that moment, Ye Wang, who was placed first, gradually opened his eyes under the help of Shi Hai and the others. There were still some traces of red in his eyes as he stared at the ranking on the eagle statue nearby with a complicated look on his face.

By his side, Shi Hai lowered his head, seemingly talking to Ye Wang, but Ye Wang ignored him as if he did not hear a word. He simply stared at the ranks on the eagle statue.

Shi Hai frowned and sighed before he turned away and left.

'I am Ye Wang… I won't lose! But I won't do any underhanded tricks to win!'

Ye Wang clenched his fists. At that moment, he was no longer the prideful strongest youth, but a normal tribe member who gave it his all and arrived at the 905th step, forced to retreat due to a sustained injury. The anxiety he felt was much stronger than of anyone else's within the field. Even so, he still had his pride and dignity. Shi Hai's suggestion was a form of humiliation to him!

Amidst the silence, the sounds of breathing among the people became even clearer. It was especially so for those who treated Mo Su as an entertainment in the beginning. At that moment, their minds were blank, and there was only disbelief and shock left.

They had just witnessed a miracle. They saw a person rising up with their own eyes. They saw something so insane it reduced them to a state of awe! Never had there been a person who managed to reach the top from the last place!

Never had there been a person who surpassed Wu Sen, Bi Su, and Chen Chong, much less pushed Ye Wang until he was injured, forcing him to leave Wind Stream Tribe competition's first stage. Because of that, as of then, the mountain belonged to one person only – Mo Su!

The prodigies who entered the top 50 ranks were now in a state of dead silence. They looked at Mo Su's name on the nine eagle statues silently with complicated expressions on their faces: admiration, jealousy, expectancy, and other emotions.

The leaders from all the tribes were in the same state. There was nothing different in what they felt. Mo Su now held a very high position within their hearts. This person was bound to create a storm the moment he returned.

Too many people wanted to know just who… he was… How did he look like..? Yet due to Su Ming's incredibly unassuming looks, it was rare that anyone would have taken note of his existence before the test.

Even the man who pulled him along to meet Chen Chong was looking at the name on the eagle statue anxiously with excitement and anticipation.

Only an old man with a sharp mouth and cheeks of a monkey stood in the crowd with a shocked expression. He was certain that every single time someone gave up and returned, he would be the first to see them. Yet at that moment, when everyone except Mo Su returned to the field, he discovered belatedly that among these people who came back, none of them were the young fellow he first approached.

"Impossible…" Bei Qing muttered. He looked at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue, still finding it hard within him to believe it.

'Could it… really be him?'

Mo Sang and Jing Nan did not speak to each other where they were at the corner located further away. They were quietly looking at the eagle statue. Mo Sang still had a blank expression on his face, but his heart was pounding rapidly against his chest.

Jing Nan had witnessed Su Ming's entire progress. At that moment, the shock on his face could no longer be hidden. He did not expect that Su Ming, whose existence was akin to an ant earlier, who he did not think too highly of, and who he thought would be lucky to even get into the top 50, had time and again exceeded his expectations and delivered multiple surprises to him. Now, he had even reduced Jing Nan to a state of shock.

Jing Nan thought about Su Ming's origins seriously. Mo Sang's words once again echoed in his head and made him more uncertain.

A long time passed by, but there was no hint of impatience among the people in the field. They were all waiting. When the first rays of light appeared at the horizon and morning arrived, Su Ming opened his eyes where he stood on the 900th step. There was only one blood vein left on his body. As he opened his eyes, that blood vein disappeared.

He lifted his head and looked at the top of the mountain, which was lit up by sunlight. It was a pity that it was shrouded by mist and was not clear as it had been during the night… Su Ming fell into momentary silence and looked at the plate in his hand.

"905…" Su Ming mumbled.

"Since I'm already here… I might as well… compete against him!" Su Ming lifted his head. His eyes were filled with determination. He took a deep breath of the refreshing air during the morning and moved his feet towards the 901st step.

But it was already morning and there was no longer any moonlight. Su Ming felt the pressure falling upon him. Yet he was fortunate that the pressure had lessened greatly because it was day. He felt almost the same as he did when it was midnight.

Yet even so, he was already at the 900s. He was already very near the summit. The force of the pressure here was enough to crush a person alive!

One step in this place was akin to several dozens and even hundreds of steps at the lower parts of the stairs!

The instant Su Ming's right foot landed, his entire body trembled. All 156 blood veins manifested on his body and surrounded him to resist against the maddening pressure coming towards him.

Su Ming moved!

The moment he moved, the people down in the field who had been waiting silently for a long period of time seemed to have finally found an outlet for their thoughts. The moment Su Ming moved, all their long stifled emotions were let out!

"901"

"He's at 901!"

Numerous pairs of eyes were focused on the only name that was not gray on the nine eagle statues. At that moment, they had forgotten everything, and in their eyes, in their heads, the only thing left was the one name that had yet to dim.

Chen Chong trembled and took in a sharp breath. He stared at the ranking. This scene was definitely the climax of the test. It was in fact, much more intense and exciting than of any other previous times the test was held. He did not want to miss even a single moment of it.

Bi Su clenched his fists. The cold glare in his eyes became thicker with hints of jealousy hidden within that seemed to have turned into a strong killing intent filled with resentment. The other person who had similar killing intent was the tribe leader from Black Mountain Tribe. He stared at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue with such a cold expression it was like ice that would never melt.

902!

The moment the number behind Mo Su's name turned into 902, all the hearts of the people watching in the field jumped.

It was as if with each step Su Ming took, he was not just stepping on the stairs on the mountain, but he was also stomping on all the hearts of the people gathered down below. This was a rare sight. This alone meant that right then, Su Ming was regarded with great importance by the people. It was clear that each and every one of his actions could stir up their emotions!

In the past, this was Ye Wang's glory and pride alone. Yet now, Ye Wang had turned into a bystander. He sat at a distance not too far away as he watched the changes in the number of steps Su Ming took, his heart lurching with each step taken.

This sort of feeling was foreign to him, and it was an emotion that was… carved deep into his bones!

"903! He's at 903! There're only two steps left before he ties with Ye Wang. With three steps, he'll surpass Ye Wang and place first!"

"Can he… become first…?"

The pupils of the old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe shrank as her breathing became rapid. Bai Ling, who was by her side, was no longer daydreaming, but had her head lifted as she looked at Mo Su's name. Her brows were slightly crinkled.

Shan Hen was still sitting quietly at the place where Dark Mountain Tribe was gathered. He may still be sitting, but there was a strange glint within his narrowed eyes.

Bei Ling was in a state of excitement. With his current status within Dark Mountain Tribe, he would not have revealed such an expression so easily and had to make sure that he was always aloof, but at that moment, he could no longer suppress his excitement. He had even envisioned himself as Mo Su. That sort of thrill he felt as Mo Su surpassed the prodigy of Wind Stream Tribe was so thrilling it made him clench his fists.

Wu La was even more excited than he was. Her face was completely red as she stood there with her heart pounding rapidly against her chest. She wanted to just jump up and tell Mo Su to walk faster.

Lei Chen had already given up on wondering whether Mo Su was Su Ming. There were just too many uncertainties to it.

"903! Mo Su is at 903!" Wu La was after all, still just a girl. At that moment, she was pointing at the name on the eagle statue excitedly. There was a flash of exhilaration in her eyes. There was even a strange emotion hidden faintly under that layer of excitement.

An even stronger commotion stirred up within the field. While buzzing sounds echoed around, Ye Wang sat there with his legs crossed. His eyes were once again bloodshot. He clenched his fist tightly. It was difficult to use words to express the array of emotions within his heart at that moment.

He was once the best among all. He once stood at the top and held all the attention and anticipation from the people in the field. Yet now… he had become one of the bystanders. That sort of change was difficult for him to accept.

Even the cries of surprise and shock were like a knife stabbing and twisting into his chest, causing him great pain…

Su Ming stood at the 903rd step. He may have been standing straight, but his body was trembling as if he was about to fall at any moment. Despite it being day time, the pressure in the 900s was still unimaginably great.

He only took three steps forward, but Su Ming felt as if he had reached his limit. There was pain travelling through his entire body, and it was no longer pain that could be resisted by using the blood veins as a shield. There were moaning sounds echoing around his ears, and those sounds came from his bones, telling that they could no longer bear with the pressure.

As he stood there, Su Ming panted harshly. His heart pounded as if it was about to break, and each heartbeat turned into a sharp pain that turned his face pale. There were only two more steps till 905…

There was no way he could rest here. Due to the presence of the pressure, even if he were to rest, it would be hard for him to circulate the Qi in his body. Su Ming trembled. He lifted his right foot and placed it on the 904th step.

The moment his foot landed, a thunderous roar arose from his entire body. Su Ming coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood and his body seemed to fall, but he bore with it until he stood straight, then he moved his left foot towards the 904th step.

His entire body felt weak. It was as if the entire mountain was pressing against his body. His vision swirled.

Chapter 70: Care to Walk in Circles with Me?

Translator: Mogumoguchan/Zenobys Editor: - -

904!

The moment Su Ming landed on the 904th step, all the hearts of the people gathered in the field jolted at the same time.

A complicated look settled on Jing Nan's face. He looked at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue silently. By his side, Mo Sang also kept quiet.

At a further corner, Ye Wang's heart was pounding. He wanted to continue sitting, but his body had instinctively stood up as he stared intently at Mo Su's name on the eagle statue. He did not spare his attention to anything else.

In fact, no one had paid attention to him when he stood up. At that moment, everyone's gazes were on the eagle statues and Mo Su's name.

Anxiety, restraint, and silence formed a strange sort of force that covered the entire field like a layer of pressure that turned the place into what could only be called the true quiet!

They were waiting for Su Ming to move one more step until he reached the 905th step…

Yet even after a long while, the number behind Mo Su did not change. However, all the people continued waiting. No one spoke, neither did anyone discuss among themselves. Even the sounds of their breathing had weakened…

After a while, the number behind Mo Su suddenly changed. The number turned from 904 to 905!

The moment the change happened, the entire field erupted in an explosion of sound that shook the surroundings.

"905! He tied with Ye Wang!"

"Mo Su! Mo Su! Mo Su!"

Ye Wang was pale. It was as if there was a great force that knocked into him, causing him to stagger backwards two steps. His eyes gradually became blank, and there was a wan smile on his lips.

At the same time, the moment Su Ming arrived at the 905th step, his face also turned into a similar shade of white as Ye Wang's. He wanted to take another step forward, but he did not have the strength to do so.

He turned around and looked at the mist covered summit. Su Ming panted harshly, but his eyes were bright. He may not have arrived at the top of the mountain, but at that moment, there was no doubt that he stood at the top. Gradually, Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the sky, which seemed to be within reach, and raised his right hand slowly.

He could not touch it. Yet as he closed his eyes, he had the impression that he had closed the distance between himself and the sky.

"Among all those living on the land, who will be able to see the end of the horizon..?" Su Ming mumbled. He opened his eyes and no longer looked at the sky. Instead, he cast his gaze into the distance towards the horizon, the point that seemed like the end of the sky.

He saw the land in the distance through the mist. There was only an indistinct vast mass of ground beyond. He did not know what that place was. He did not even know whether there was another tribe there…

That place was so, so far away…

After a long while, the smile on Su Ming's face became wider. He seemed to have forgotten his fatigue as he took in a deep breath of the refreshing air in the mountain.

'I don't know whether I can reach Transcendence Realm… I don't know whether I can fly in the sky with my own strength like a bird… but now, I'm standing here. I can fly here…'

There was wind blowing at the moment, lifting up Su Ming's long hair and blowing away the sweat on his body. Su Ming brought out the plate and threw it down towards the foot of the mountain.

The plate quickly fell and turned into a gust of black mist, rushing towards Su Ming as if it was going to surround him and bring him away from the mountain!

The moment the black mist arrived, Su Ming jumped towards the vast land before him!

It was a crazy move. Su Ming's body was entirely suspended in air like he was standing in midair. It was as if he was flying in the sky with his own power!

Flying may not seem hard, but in truth, it was a right only reserved for the Berserkers who had reached the Transcendence Realm. Those who had not transcended could not hope to do so!

Su Ming wanted to become stronger. He longed to transcend, he yearned to fly in the sky, even if… this sort of flying was only for a short moment. Yet as long as he did it without any help, and did it entirely on his own, then it was fine!

The moment he jumped and his feet left the top of the mountain, Su Ming stood in midair. The wind bellowed as it came from an unknown direction and made his hair even messier, as if the heavens themselves were angered!

The moment he jumped, there was the sound of roaring waves in Su Ming's head. Yet it was not chaotic but clear, as if time became much slower. Su Ming could clearly feel that he was flying. He saw the sky, the earth. He saw the incredibly tall Wind Stream Mountain. He saw the mythical creature from the Fire Berserker Tribe on the summit. The beast seemed to be looking at him…

Besides all these, Su Ming also saw the field on the land that was sealed outside the mountain. He saw all the people gathered on the field… When the black mist came forth and enveloped his body, it turned into a long black misted arc that sped out of the mountain at an extremely fast pace. When the space in the air twisted, it rushed out of the sealed Wind Stream Mountain!

When Mo Su's name turned gray on the nine eagle statues on the field and the space in the air twisted, a gust of black mist whistled by and landed on the center of the field.

At that moment, all the gazes from the people in the field gathered towards the spot. Wu Sen had already stood up a long time ago and stared at the black mist that appeared. He watched as the black mist scattered away and revealed the faint outline of a person within it.

Chen Chong was also staring intently at the shape of the person as he gradually became clearer in the mist. He wanted to know just who Mo Su was!

Bi Su was doing the same thing. The killing intent in his eyes was incredibly thick. He did not even bother trying to hide it. He clenched his fists as he stared at the figure in the mist.

They were not the only ones doing so. At that moment, everyone in the field was doing the same thing. The hundreds of people from different tribes, who had been paying attention to the event for the past two days, were filled with respect as they all looked at the person who was slowly walking out from the mist.

Besides the bystanders, the ones who paid even more attention towards Mo Su were the people who took part in the first test together with Mo Su. No matter what rank they obtained, they were all holding their breaths while looking at him.

The old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe was watching the figure of the person in the mist with bright eyes. She wanted to know how that person looked like and which tribe he belonged to.

Si Kong also looked over anxiously.

Bai Ling was affected by the serious atmosphere brought by Mo Su's return and could not help herself but to look over.

Bei Ling, Wu La, Lei Chen, the Head of the Guards, Shan Hen, and the other people from the other tribes were also staring at the rapidly dissipating mist.

Ye Wang took in a deep breath, which seemed to somewhat quell the complicated feelings in his heart. He stared at the person who walked out of the mist.

All the people's eyes were focused upon one person!

As the mist scattered away and Su Ming walked out, a countless number of gazes were trained on him. When the mist was completely gone and his face was clearly revealed to all the eyes in the field, the entire field fell into dead silence.

He had a normal face and wore a normal shirt made of beast skin. He did not have Wu Sen's sullen attitude, Chen Chong's charisma, which allowed him to be surrounded and revered by people, nor did he have Bi Su's mysteriousness, and he most certainly did not have Ye Wang's prideful aloofness.

If he stood in a crowd, it would be difficult for anyone to take note of him. That was how normal he was. Yet now, everyone knew that this person might have been normal before the test, but after the test, he was a definitely extraordinary presence. He was just like the sun, and he shocked the world even though he was previously unassuming!

When Chen Chong saw Su Ming, he was stunned. He did not think he would be such a normal looking person. He looked so normal it was difficult for anyone to remember him, but somewhere on his mind, he had a vague recollection that this person had been among the crowd of people who surrounded him before the test… Yet at that time, he hadn't cared about that person. Chen Chong had completely ignored him.

Bi Su also saw Su Ming. He remembered nothing about him. Even if he had seen Su Ming before, he had immediately ignored him. Thus, upon seeing him, he was also stunned.

When Wu Sen's gaze fell upon Su Ming, his pupils shrank. His instincts were screaming at him that there was a high chance that this was the person who had stolen his Blood of Corpses… but… Wu Sen's face became bitter. He did not dare ask for it… This Mo Su was just as prodigious as Ye Wang. From now on, his name would travel to all parts of the region!

Praise gradually appeared in the eyes of the old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe when she saw the average looking Su Ming. The first impression was very important to decide whether a person would like or hate another. It was just like how she had looked down on Su Ming, and now approved of Mo Su.

It was a wonder what would be her level of shock and conflict in her heart when she learned that both people were actually one and the same.

Si Kong's heart pounded against his chest. There was admiration in his eyes. He admired the strong, and it was especially so for this person before him. He was at the same level as Ye Wang!

Bai Ling stared at Mo Su with a dumbfounded expression. She was shaking slightly. She saw Mo Su's eyes. Those eyes were somehow familiar to her… But she did not know that those pair of eyes had appeared just two days ago and were looking at her.

Bei Ling, Wu La, Lei Chen, and all the other people from Dark Mountain Tribe looked at Su Ming as he walked over one step at a time. The entire area was still silent. At that moment, Su Ming's heart pounded hard against his chest. He might have seemed calm on the outside, but he was extremely nervous. He had never been the center of attention of so many people before. After all, he was still just a child.

As Su Ming moved forward, the crowd started opening a path for him. It was as if there was a piercing glow that could burn other people on the average-looking Su Ming, causing them to have no choice but to retreat.

He might not have Wu Sen's sullenness, but his face, normal as it seemed, brought in people the feeling of serenity and terror akin to the calm before a storm. He might not have Chen Chong's charisma that allowed him to be surrounded by other people like the moon with the stars, but on his average body, it seemed as if there was a resolution that could knock aside all the stars and the moon. He did not need to be surrounded by people.

He might not have Ye Wang's prideful aloofness, but he had earned the right for even Ye Wang, prideful as he may be, to have to look at him.

"It… It's him…" There was a man among the crowd who retreated to open up a path with an awestruck face. He was the one who had pulled Su Ming along to find Chen Chong. He hadn't expected that the person he had dragged with him was Mo Su.

Standing further in the distance was an old man with a sharp mouth and cheeks of a monkey. He also widened his eyes. He might have had some guesses earlier, but when he saw it with his own eyes, he was still in a state of disbelief.

Before the first stage of the test, there were three people who were the center of attention in the field – Chen Chong, Bai Ling, and Ye Wang! These three people were like centers of attention that attracted a lot of gazes upon themselves.

Yet now, there was only one center of attention in the field!

"Mo Su!" As Su Ming was walking forward, a voice travelled out from within the silent crowd. That voice belonged to Ye Wang.

Su Ming stopped. He turned around and looked at Ye Wang standing not far into the distance. This was the first time they had contact - equal contact. It was completely different from the first time Su Ming had looked at him from among the crowd!

"Mo Su, let's compete again during the second stage!" Ye Wang spoke slowly. There was persistence on his face. Even if the match ended with a tie, and they were both placed first, his pride did not allow him to accept that result. He wanted to compete again, even if it was for the second time, or the third!

"I won't enter the second stage of the test…" Su Ming fell silent for a while before he spoke calmly. He respected Ye Wang as his opponent. Once he finished speaking, Su Ming turned away and his gaze fell upon Mo Sang sitting in the distance. He saw a smile on the elder's face and saw within his eyes the message that told him not to reveal his identity.

Su Ming turned away. This time, he looked at Dark Dragon Tribe and at Bai Ling, who was standing beside the old woman!

He smiled faintly and walked towards Bai Ling with the anxiety stemmed from being the center of attention ever since he came back.

"Care to walk in circles with me tomorrow night..?" When Su Ming walked towards her, he ignored the dumbstruck old woman and the excited Si Kong, and looked into Bai Ling's eyes, winking as he whispered to her.

Bai Ling was stunned. She did not know what to say, but the moment she heard the three words 'walk in circles', saw Su Ming wink at her, and remembered those familiar eyes, she trembled slightly, a soft blush coloring her cheeks.

She nodded her head.

Chapter 71: The Elder's Preparation

Translator: Mogumoguchan/Zenobys Editor: - -

Su Ming left.

Once he left, the crowd in the field also gradually dispersed as the people went to the leaders of their tribes and went back to their lodgings in Wind Stream City.

The first stage of the test was over. There would be a night of rest before the start of the next part of the test the next day. The second stage may not be a test of actual combat, but it held a lot of importance by showing the participants' power.

In the past, there would be a lot of people who entered the first stage of the test and did not participate in the other two stages, but these people were mostly ranked below the top 50. There had never been someone who had managed to place in the top 10 ranks and bowed out of the other two tests.

That was why Su Ming and Ye Wang��s conversation caused a storm to rage within the hearts of the people in the field. However, they did not talk about it. They only watched silently as Su Ming left.

The participants who were getting ready for the test next morning left especially quickly. They had to hurry up and use the night to train to make sure their bodies were in top condition while getting rid of the injuries they sustained due to the pressure from the mountain in the first stage.

The injuries sustained by Chen Chong and the others were not light because they had forcefully moved forward during the first stage of the test. They would require help from the powerful Berserkers from their tribes to be able to recover by next morning.

Even Wind Stream Tribe's Elder, Jing Nan, did not waste time loitering in the field. Ye Wang's forceful absorption of his Berserker Blood would have left behind a lot of problems; he would have to go and help him soothe his Qi.

When Su Ming came, it was Shi Hai who had brought him. It was the same when he left. Shi Hai seemed to be conflicted, and he hesitated as if about to say something, but he remained silent in the end. He swung his sleeve and brought Su Ming away from the place towards Wind Stream City in a whistle of wind.

As the crowd gradually diminished, the field became more deserted. Mo Sang stood in the field with a smile as he spoke to Jing Nan, who was standing by his side, about something.

Jing Nan's face was no longer gloomy. He was frowning instead. After a long moment of silence, he looked towards Mo Sang.

"The first request you had regarding giving me the Ancient Berserker Art was to let Dark Mountain Tribe become a part of Wind Stream Tribe when you believed the time was right so as to receive Wind Stream's protection.

"Your purpose for doing that was definitely to give Black Mountain Tribe's Bi Tu a chance. You will take away three of the strongest Berserkers in Dark Mountain Tribe and greatly reduce the defense of your tribe…

"If Bi Tu comes to Wind Stream, then you will use the chance to observe his power. If he doesn't, then it means something unknown has happened to his training. This move of yours, where you kill two birds with one stone, is ruthless indeed!" Jing Nan looked at Mo Sang and gritted out each word.

"I never intended to hide it from you," Mo Sang spoke, smiling.

"If Bi Tu had come, you could then have made changes according to your judgment. If he didn't, then you'd be leaving behind a weakened tribe to tempt him into attacking it… I can tell that you have a backup plan within the tribe.

"If Bi Tu was to really attack Dark Mountain Tribe, then due to my promise to you, Dark Mountain Tribe would become part of Wind Stream, which would make Bi Tu wary. Due to your understanding of Bi Tu, if he had just arrived at a breakthrough, then his powers would still be wild and hard to control. I… would definitely need to lend a hand or else Wind Stream would lose all their esteem in the region since they couldn't even defend an affiliated tribe.

"It would make others think that I'm afraid of Bi Tu," Jing Nan slowly spoke about these things. In truth, when Mo Sang had mentioned that to him in the secret room, he had already thought about all this, but did not say it. He wanted to keep those thoughts to himself and think about it later so that he could make Mo Sang pay a greater price. Now… he found the price!

"Not bad. That's what I've been thinking. It's a pity Bi Tu didn't make a move." Mo Sang frowned slightly as he looked towards Jing Nan.

Jing Nan's gaze was complicated as he looked into Mo Sang's eyes. After a long while, he sighed.

"If it weren't because that child looked so different from you, I'd truly think that he is of your blood." Jing Nan lifted his head and looked towards the direction Su Ming had disappeared.

"To me, he is of my blood." There was a hint of nostalgia in Mo Sang's eyes as he spoke softly.

"Mo Sang, in terms of intelligence, I cannot compare to you… This has nothing to do with our cultivation. I knew that since I was young… You knew since a long time ago that I would figure out the hidden meaning within your request, and you knew that with my personality, I would not immediately reject you, but would find the chance to reap even more benefits from you…

"All this, you have predicted. That was why you pushed this benefit right in front of my face so that I would have no choice but to be attracted to it… All of this was not just for your tribe but also for the child, perhaps even more for him…"

"You knew since a long time ago how outstanding Su Ming is!" Jing Nan spoke slowly.

Mo Sang looked at Jing Nan with a smile. He did not speak.

"You made him hide his identity and use another appearance in this place to show off his potential so that I would see all of that… With this move, even if Dark Mountain Tribe becomes affiliated to Wind Stream Tribe, he would not be affected by this. You gave him another path… a path that you did not choose that year…" Jing Nan's face became even more complicated as he looked at Mo Sang.

"You know that Wind Stream does not mind prodigies appearing in the tribes around the region. In fact, we even hope that there would be other young prodigies appearing in other tribes. Because the moment they appear, we would receive them the moment we find them and make them part of Wind Stream. We would also give a lot of benefits to their original tribes.

"Many people don't understand why we do this, thinking that Wind Stream is jealous of those who have talent. Even if we explain ourselves, no one would believe us, only you… know the truth! You know the truth, and you asked him to disguise himself for his own good. After all, if he's too outstanding, then it would be far too easy for others to be jealous of him. Putting him under a layer of disguise is a form of protection for him. At the same time, he won't be burdened by the fate of being one of the members of an affiliated tribe. He can be independent."

"If he grows up and reveals his identity later, it would still be fine. At that time, he would already have the power to let others look up to him. He could also protect Dark Mountain Tribe by then, which would have already become an affiliated tribe." Jing Nan looked at the few people left on the field while speaking slowly.

"You made it. I like this child. Let him stay in Wind Stream. I'll offer him the same help as I gave Ye Wang, just like what I promised before. Between him and Ye Wang, whoever reaches the Transcendence Realm first will become the Berserker's Son of Wind Stream!

"Even if he reaches the Transcendence Realm later than Ye Wang, with his potential, I will still make him as brilliant as the blazing sun! He will develop Wind Stream together with Ye Wang! As for Dark Mountain Tribe… once the test ends, come to Wind Stream. Bi Tu won't dare to stop you. If he makes a move, I will let him know the difference between us, even though we are both in the initial stages of the Transcendence Realm!" As Jing Nan spoke, he raised his right hand towards Mo Sang and waved it. In an instant, a small bottle sped towards Mo Sang.

"There are three drops of Berserker Blood in there. Treat the extra drop as a present for Su Ming!" Jing Nan looked at Mo Sang deeply and turned away, taking a step towards the air. He had to help soothe Ye Wang's Qi tonight.

Mo Sang watched Jing Nan leave, then looked at the small bottle containing the three drops of Berserker Blood. His eyes were filled with contemplation. Jing Nan was right in many regards, but there was one thing he was wrong about. Mo Sang did not expect that Su Ming would be able to obtain such a rank.

His original plan had been to use Su Ming's mysterious identity to make Jing Nan suspicious. Then he would pay up an incredibly great price for Jing Nan to agree to let Su Ming stay in Wind Stream.

After all, he understood that Wind Stream Tribe was incredibly resolute towards getting out of this place and becoming stronger. It would not give up any chance to do so, even if it was just a guess…

But Mo Sang did not expect Su Ming to be able to obtain this rank. With things this way, the tables for his negotiation with Jing Nan had immediately turned and now Mo Sang held the reins instead of being forced to go with the tide.

It was just a small change, yet the difference in the end results was so great!

'Perhaps this time… the catastrophe looming over Dark Mountain Tribe can actually be solved…'

A bright flash flickered in Mo Sang's eyes, and he went towards the people from Dark Mountain Tribe waiting for him in the distance.

In the air outside of the vicinity of Wind Stream Mountain, Shi Hai was speeding away with Su Ming back to the mudstone city. They did not say one word to each other while they were in the air.

Su Ming was just quiet, but Shi Hai was feeling conflicted. He would occasionally look at Su Ming. The person before him looked incredibly normal, and Shi Hai had been the one who bring him to the field. Back then, he'd not taken much notice of this person. Yet now, after he had seen Su Ming's unbelievable raise up the stairs during the previous few days, Shi Hai's attitude was forced to change.

'This is a prodigy that can compete with Ye Wang!'

Shi Hai marveled in his heart.

Before long, the contours of Wind Stream Tribe gradually appeared on the land far into the distance. As the giant mudstone city gradually appeared before their eyes, Su Ming suddenly spoke.

He spoke as the gust was blowing fiercely against his face. His voice seemed to be about ready to be scattered away into the wind, but each word and syllable still reached Shi Hai's ears clearly.

"Senior, I have something I don't understand. You have yet to transcend, how is it that you're able to fly in the sky?"

If it was before, Shi Hai would have definitely ignored him, as if he had not heard him. Yet now, after a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth and began his explanation slowly.

"The flight after reaching Transcendence is different from mine. The reason I can fly is due to my Berserker Vessel. A part of it is also because of my Berserker Mark, which has yet to solidify. My Berserker Mark is of the clouds."

As Shi Hai spoke, a faint picture of a cloud appeared in the centre of his brows.

"To be exact, a Berserker who has reached the Transcendence Realm can walk in the air with his own power. As for me, I can only float. It may seem the same, but the basic principle behind it is very different," Shi Hai explained in detail.

Su Ming's eyes were contemplative. He asked a few more questions. As they continued talking, they returned to the mudstone city. When Shi Hai let Su Ming on the ground, there was a smile on his face. He nodded his head towards Su Ming, then left after turning into a cloud.

The gigantic field at the foot of Wind Stream Mountain was now deserted. The only living beings there were the eight people sitting on top of eight of the nine eagle statues. They were powerful Berserkers from Wind Stream Tribe. Before long, Shi Hai returned and sat down cross-legged on the ninth eagle statue.

Since the seal on Wind Stream Mountain was broken, some time would be required to seal it again. The nine of them protected this place until the seal was complete, and they could leave.

That had been the case since before…

Yet this year, there was something unusual. In the deserted field, a person in black had appeared some time ago. That person was wearing a black robe that hid his entire body. It was the mysterious man who had appeared at Black Mountain Tribe!