Golden Corona Astral Souls

Golden Corona Astral Souls...

Top three!

Qin Wentian had smashed his way past Orchon and Chu Chen, securing one of the coveted top three positions. All eyes were on him now, the young man who aspired to etch his name into their memories.

Nobody had forgotten his earlier proclamation. He was Qin Wentian, hailing from Sky Harmony City, the son of Qin Chuan.

Fatty gazed up at the sky, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, a look of sheer contentment on his face. With his newfound wealth, he could flaunt himself without restraint. Courting girls would become a breeze. The sensation of being rich was simply delightful!

"MY BET ACTUALLY WON!" Another voice rang out from the crowd, the person hysterically celebrating Qin Wentian's improbable ascent into the top three ranks.

"I've struck gold this time!" The young man next to Immortal Drunken Wine beamed with joy. He had previously bet a hundred stones on Qin Wentian securing a top-three position, and now, it had become a reality. According to the previous payout rates, he was set to pocket a whopping 10,000 Yuan Meteor Stones.

"I can practically hear Heaven's Wonder crying," Immortal Drunken Wine quipped.

"Why would they cry? Look at the number of people betting, and remember that only a minuscule number of them placed their bets on Qin Wentian. I think Heaven's Wonder must be raking in the profits instead," the young man replied, his smile undiminished. "Compared to them, my earnings are just peanuts."

"Starting today, Qin Wentian, you've achieved a miracle in Chu Country. In all the Jun Lin Banquets ever hosted, no one with just a cultivation base at the 7th level of Arterial Circulation has ever secured a top-three ranking. You're the first." Mo Qingcheng's father, Mo Tianlin, spoke with a smile, leaving many in the crowd astounded.

There was no doubt about it. Today, Qin Wentian had achieved an unprecedented miracle in the history of Chu.

Qin Wentian glanced in their direction and saw Mo Qingcheng making funny faces beside her father. He couldn't help but smile, gaining an inkling of Mo Tianlin's identity. He replied, "Thank you for your kind words, Senior."

"Keep up the good work. If you've reached this level today, you'll surely become a legend of Chu in the future," Mo Tianlin encouraged Qin Wentian, causing many in the crowd to let their imaginations run wild. A Chu legend—was Mo Tianlin referring to someone like his father? A person rumored to be the mightiest below the Heavenly Dipper Realm?

Mo Tianlin's demeanor sent ripples through the hearts of many other clans, openly displaying goodwill toward Qin Wentian.

"Indeed, this achievement of his is almost unimaginable," An Liuyan from the Divine Weapon Pavilion chuckled, drawing the spectators' attention toward them. It was quite unusual for the Divine Weapon Pavilion to attend the Jun Lin Banquet, and their presence this time seemed to be a show of support for the young genius Grandmaster, Qin Wentian.

"Haha, a legendary youth under the age of 17 accomplishing such a feat. How bright will his future be? Maybe we should carve his statue and place it in front of the Emperor Star Monuments?" Old Gu from the Emperor Star Academy burst into laughter, offering Qin Wentian a remarkably high evaluation. It appeared he was intentionally trying to undermine Luo Qianqiu's influence.

"A statue in front of the Emperor Star Monuments?" Many gasped in awe. Did Qin Wentian truly have that kind of potential? After all, legends grew and matured step by step from their youth. Would they have the privilege of witnessing the birth of a legend?

However, there were those who were pleased by this and others who were not.

Especially those from the Ye Clan and the Ou Clan, their expressions grew heavy, filled with regret for not recognizing Qin Wentian's potential and failing to eliminate him before his talent blossomed.

Ye Zhan's face turned an ashy green. In the past, Qin Wentian couldn't hold a candle to him, but now they were worlds apart. Especially the fact that he had always belittled Qin Wentian in front of Liu Yan. It seemed his words were now coming back to haunt him.

"He's reached the end of the road. There's no way he can advance any further," Ye Zhan murmured under his breath. But even so, he knew that Qin Wentian reaching this stage was an achievement few could match.

Liu Yan, standing beside him, gazed at Qin Wentian on the platform, then bowed her head in silence.

Among the crowd, Autumn Snow shared similar complicated feelings with Liu Yan. Gazing at the proud figure on the platform, it was hard to fathom that this person was once the town's pariah. Autumn Snow could still vividly recall Qin Wentian's sunny smile, even though he couldn't cultivate. He had always been cheerful, using running as a means to strengthen his body, persistently pushing forward with unwavering determination.

Though only a year had passed, Autumn Snow's mental state was vastly different from that time.

For her, this past year had felt painfully slow.

With Qin Wentian now in the top three, it meant he had earned the right to challenge Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue.

Sikong Mingyue wore a broad smile, looking at Qin Wentian with great satisfaction. He had been worried that Qin Wentian wouldn't make it this far. Now that he had, Sikong Mingyue had no excuse to avoid a battle with him. He couldn't help but feel elated.

The sacrifices of 2nd Sword and 3rd Night wouldn't be in vain. Sikong Mingyue was determined to cleanse Snowcloud's shame with his own hands.

"I'll grant you four hours of rest," the aged figure announced, creating an unbearable itch of anticipation in the hearts of the spectators. Yet, they recognized the necessity. Qin Wentian had fought continuously, depleting his Astral Energy. It was only logical for him to take time to recover and enter the next battle at his peak.

"Let's go to Drunken Wonder to check the new payout rates," the crowd decided unanimously, eager to find out how the odds had changed.

At Drunken Wonder, they rushed to check the updated payout rates for the contenders vying for the number one spot. Luo Qianqiu's odds were now set at 3:4, Sikong Mingyue's at 1:3, and Qin Wentian's at 1:10. While significantly lower than before, it was clear that Heaven's Wonder still favored Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue.

Of course, these weren't the only betting odds set for the upcoming showdown.

Like all previous battles, there would be a total of three rounds: Luo Qianqiu versus Sikong Mingyue, Luo Qianqiu versus Qin Wentian, and Qin Wentian versus Sikong Mingyue. However, if Luo Qianqiu defeated Sikong Mingyue and Sikong Mingyue defeated Qin Wentian, there would be no need for the third bout. It seemed obvious that Qin Wentian would also lose if he faced off against Luo Qianqiu.

Given the high payout rate for Qin Wentian, some people contemplated whether they should test their luck and bet on him.

As a result, many adopted a unique betting strategy. They placed three stones on Luo Qianqiu and one stone on Qin Wentian. If Luo Qianqiu won, they wouldn't lose anything. But if Qin Wentian emerged victorious, they would strike it rich. However, there was a catch; they'd lose big time if Sikong Mingyue won instead.

Others considered this method foolish because they firmly believed Qin Wentian could never become the champion. To them, it made more sense to bet everything on Luo Qianqiu.

Fan Le, the portly fellow, decided not to continue betting. After all, he had already made a fortune; there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

The four hours quickly passed. On the arena, Luo Qianqiu, Sikong Mingyue, and Qin Wentian sat on three separate platforms.

Qin Wentian clutched Yuan Meteor Stones in his hands, silently cultivating. Over these four hours, he became increasingly proficient in the 2nd Stance of the Great Dream Halberd Art, Fallen Star. It reached a point where the power it contained was reminiscent of the strength he had dreamt of.

In the same timeframe, Sikong Mingyue, who was meditating cross-legged, abruptly opened his eyes. A menacing killing intent transformed into a ray of light, surging fiercely toward Qin Wentian. This pressure seemed intent on consuming him alive.

Qin Wentian met Sikong Mingyue's gaze and then shifted his attention to Luo Qianqiu. Whether facing Luo Qianqiu or Sikong Mingyue, both wanted him dead. No matter which opponent he faced, the battles would undoubtedly be fierce.

"The first battle, Luo Qianqiu versus Sikong Mingyue," a voice announced. The entire audience fell silent, their eyes locked onto the two figures standing on the platform.

The aged figure surprisingly didn't choose Qin Wentian for the first ranking battle. Instead, he picked Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue.

"The battle for the first and second positions?" The anticipation in the crowd was palpable. This showdown promised to be the pinnacle climax of the entire Jun Lin Banquet.

As Sikong Mingyue ascended the first platform, she stood face to face with Luo Qianqiu. Both competitors bowed slightly, a gesture of respect for each other's formidable strength. However, in the same moment, both of their Astral Souls burst forth in a dazzling display of light.

The audience gasped collectively as their Astral Souls were unleashed. It was a breathtaking sight. The corona of golden light surrounding their Astral Souls indicated that these spirits hailed from at least the 3rd Heavenly Layer, showcasing their extraordinary power.

"Luo Qianqiu has been at the Emperor Star Academy for a year but has never revealed his Astral Souls before. It's not because he wanted to maintain a low profile, but rather because he hasn't encountered a worthy adversary until now. He finally found someone he deems worthy of revealing his full strength."

The spectators' hearts trembled. Luo Qianqiu possessed the Lightning Revenant Astral Soul and an Arm-type Astral Soul. On the other hand, Sikong Mingyue also wielded Astral Souls from the 3rd Heavenly Layer, boasting a Seven Slaughters Astral Soul and a Sword-type Astral Soul. Yes, Sikong Mingyue had a Sword-type Astral Soul.

These high-grade Astral Souls, combined with their unique combinations, promised terrifying attack power. It was no wonder they had vanquished their opponents so easily. In battles among cultivators of the same level, the strength of their Astral Souls often determined the victor. The purer the Astral Energy, the more potent their attacks became.