Azure Emperor Palace

Azure Emperor Palace...

Qin Wentian meticulously perused each page of the Warbeast Index, his heart filled with awe as he committed the information to memory. Once done with the index, he picked up a thin piece of paper with inscriptions on it.

"This paper reveals the secret of the 7th level of the Heavenly Star Pavilion," Qin Wentian muttered, reading the instructions aloud. "Behind that entrance lies one of the 18 testing grounds of the Grand Xia Empire—the Spirit Beast testing grounds. Those below Yuanfu have a single chance to enter. If they die within, they lose the opportunity to retake the test. Those who obtain a top-10 ranked Beast Spirit are eligible to enter the 8th level."

The words were bold and imposing, bearing the signature of an ancient expert—the Azure Emperor himself, the founder of the Emperor Star Academy.

Qin Wentian was shaken by this revelation. The Heavenly Star Pavilion and these instructions were both the creations of the academy's founder.

"The first entrance must refer to the one on the left," Qin Wentian mused, eyeing the '7' above the entrance.

He hadn't expected the 7th level to be an entrance itself, leading to one of the Grand Xia Empire's 18 testing grounds—the Spirit Beast testing grounds.

With determination, Qin Wentian approached the entrance, placing his palms upon its doors. They glowed brightly before swinging open. Inside, he found a prayer mat adorned with intricate runic lines. He sat cross-legged on it, and the door closed behind him. The runic lines shone brilliantly, enveloping him and pulling his consciousness away—an uncomfortable sensation he gritted his teeth to endure.

Qin Wentian found himself in a strange predicament. His consciousness had seemingly left his body, and he was unable to control his physical form. This sensation of utter helplessness was almost agonizing.

Then, suddenly, he felt himself sinking, regaining control over his body. However, when he finally regained his senses, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded by his surroundings.

"Is this the Spirit Beast Testing Grounds?" Qin Wentian wondered aloud, inspecting his own hands. This place felt real, akin to reality itself, but his body had never moved after entering the entrance. He considered whether it was similar to the Skydream Forest, a dreamscape. But in this moment, he realized that the reality here surpassed that of any dreamscape. It felt as though his physical body had been transported to this place. He was certain this wasn't a dream or illusion.

Standing in a vast expanse of flatland, Qin Wentian noticed several other individuals around him. They seemed just as bewildered as he was, their gazes now fixed upon him. It was clear they had also noticed his presence and were puzzled by his arrival.

"Why is there someone else here in the Spirit Beast Testing Grounds?" their expressions seemed to ask.

Qin Wentian, too, observed the crowd. They were all young, ranging from about 15 to 20 years old, and appeared to belong to different factions. The leaders of these groups exuded an aura of extraordinary power, and even Qin Wentian could sense the palpable danger they emanated.

This led Qin Wentian to a startling realization—by entering the Spirit Beast Testing Grounds through the 7th level entrance of the Heavenly Star Pavilion, he had come into contact with individuals from outside of Chu.

"We agreed to meet here. Has everyone from the different factions arrived?" A young cultivator, appearing around 17 or 18, spoke. His handsome visage featured a hint of charm, with slightly wavy hair that framed his face, and his eyes held a bewitching glint.

"It seems like everyone's here," another youth responded, their eyes curious as they observed Qin Wentian.

In the Spirit Beast Testing Grounds, those who had earned the qualifications to enter were already present. But the appearance of an unexpected individual like Qin Wentian piqued everyone's interest. Who was this newcomer?

"Hey," a voice called out, drawing Qin Wentian's attention to a beautiful young woman who was looking directly at him. She appeared to be of the same age, dressed in attire that indicated her high status. Her smile held a touch of seduction.

Elegant and lovely, those were Qin Wentian's first impressions of her.

"What's your name, and where are you from?" the girl asked with curiosity.

"Is this place the Spirit Beast Testing Grounds?" Qin Wentian didn't provide an immediate answer but instead posed a question of his own.

"Oh, you knew this was the Spirit Beast Testing Grounds?" The girl's eyes sparkled with amazement. She continued to smile, saying, "As far as I know, those with the qualifications to enter should all be here. But... who are you? Where did you come from?"

"I'm from Chu Country," Qin Wentian replied, curious to see if any of them were familiar with Chu's existence.

"Chu? What's Chu?" The girl's face twisted with confusion.

"Have any of you heard of it?" She turned to the others, but no one seemed to recognize the name. It was clear that Chu was too insignificant in their eyes.

"Do any of you know about the Nine Mystical Palace?" Qin Wentian asked further, knowing that it was Chu's controlling force and held some degree of prestige.

"Are you saying you're from the Nine Mystical Palace?" The girl chuckled as she looked at him. "Don't joke with us! Those from the Nine Mystical Palace wouldn't even have the qualifications to enter here."

Qin Wentian couldn't believe his ears. The Nine Mystical Palace, a power he had always thought to be formidable, didn't even hold the qualifications to enter this place? If that was true, then what kind of background did these other cultivators possess? Were they from even more imposing factions than the Nine Mystical Palace?

Before he could ponder this further, the handsome youth cut to the chase. "Enough talk, let's get rid of him."

With a dismissive glance, the youth signaled to another guy behind him. This newcomer exuded a dark, ominous aura as he lunged toward Qin Wentian.

Boom! A barrage of fist strikes exploded in every direction. Qin Wentian could feel a torrent of Demonic Qi surging toward him, like a fierce flood dragon emerging from the depths, ready to engulf him.

Qin Wentian's eyes narrowed. He raised his palms and unleashed the third stance of the Thousand-Hands Imprint, the Forgotten Imprint, smashing the oppressive force of his attacker's onslaught.

"Die!" His assailant thrust a finger like a deadly sword aimed at Qin Wentian's head. The finger attack was as swift as lightning, carrying the force of a thunderclap.

With a graceful twist of his body, Qin Wentian displayed incredible footwork. He evaded the attack skillfully, then countered with the Falling Mountain Palms technique. A manifestation of a towering mountain peak crashed down heavily.

A deafening roar erupted from his opponent, a sound as fierce as a flood dragon's roar that nearly shattered Qin Wentian's eardrums.

Qin Wentian's eyes gleamed with an icy resolve. He stomped the ground, transforming into a blur of shadows in a blink.

Eyes closed, he exuded an aura of enigma, his finger jabbing like an ancient halberd thrusting through his opponent's forehead. It was over in an instant. The opponent froze mid-motion, lifeless on the ground.

The fight had been short but brutal. Qin Wentian had taken a life in an instant, yet the onlookers' expressions remained unchanged, as though they watched a mere spectacle.

Qin Wentian couldn't ascertain if death here was permanent, but this place felt more real than the Skydream Forest; it wasn't a mere dreamscape.

Though he had vanquished his foe swiftly, Qin Wentian couldn't help but feel awe. Even a common lackey possessed such formidable strength. He couldn't imagine the might of those contending for the top nine spots in the Jun Lin Banquet.

"Interesting," the girl remarked with a laugh, directing her gaze at the handsome youth.

A glint of coldness flashed in the youth's eyes as he disappeared from his spot. Qin Wentian sensed a demonic light hurtling toward him. The youth extended his palms, causing Qin Wentian to feel immobilized, his body trapped by filaments of demonic light.

"Break!" Divine Yuan surged through Qin Wentian, extinguishing the demonic filaments. He took a step forward, his aura surging.

However, the handsome youth seemed unfazed. His spectral Astral Soul drew nearer, palm poised. As their strikes met, Qin Wentian felt an inscrutable energy rushing into his body, threatening to ravage his meridians and assail his heart.

"What? He can bypass my counterattack and defense?" Astonished, Qin Wentian's Divine Energy clashed against the encroaching force, acting as a barrier and warding off the threat. He retreated rapidly, an unbearable sensation coursing through him.

Qin Wentian cast a glance at the surrounding cultivators. Was this the extent of their power? If they hailed from factions mightier than the Nine Mystical Palace, it explained the youth's strength, surpassing even Luo Qianqiu.

The youth furrowed his brow in puzzlement. Qin Wentian remained standing, bearing no major injury.

Incredible! Someone at the 8th level of Arterial Circulation withstood his blow without perishing.

He advanced toward Qin Wentian again, palms extending in a seemingly feeble manner, lacking apparent strength.

Qin Wentian's ancient halberd materialized in his grasp, and he lunged forward like a lightning bolt, executing the Mountain Splitter technique with immense force.

The handsome youth's agile steps abruptly halted as the continuous onslaught forced him to retreat. His body emanated a frenzied aura of murderous intent.

"Back off!" Qin Wentian roared. With a final strike of the ancient halberd, he flung it away. The weapon embedded itself deeply into the earth. Ignoring the weapon, he turned and bolted with astonishing speed, his movements resembling those of a Garuda, vanishing in the blink of an eye. He had come here to acquire the warbeast spirits.

"The Nine Heavenly Garuda Movement Technique?" The girl who had spoken earlier gasped, while the handsome youth's expression froze. All eyes turned to a group of youths standing nearby.

"Is he affiliated with your Azure Emperor Palace?" the handsome youth demanded coldly.

"No, I've never seen him before," replied a member of the group.

"How intriguing. Apart from the Azure Emperor Palace, who else could master the Garuda Movement Technique to such an extraordinary degree? This was the technique that once allowed the Azure Emperor to command the winds and clouds. It's truly fascinating," the crowd of cultivators murmured, growing increasingly intrigued by the unfolding events.