Ranked Number 9 in the Warheast Index

Ranked Number 9 in the Warheast Index...

Qin Wentian's black hair fluttered in the wind as he fixed his gaze on Qian Mengyu. He couldn't help but ask, "The sword technique you used earlier, was that the Nine Swords of Life?"

Qian Mengyu was taken aback. "How did you know?"

Qin Wentian, who claimed to come from a small country, shouldn't have been familiar with the Nine Swords of Life.

"I once saw someone using that exact sword technique," Qin Wentian replied. It was a set of sword techniques Gongyang Hong had demonstrated when they were trying to decipher the riddle of the paintings. Eventually, they discovered that this particular sword technique was the favorite of the girl Gongyang Hong had loved the most. However, Qin Wentian wasn't sure what had happened to them afterward.

"Thanks for your help earlier," Qin Wentian said with a smile.

Qian Mengyu took a step back. Although Qin Wentian recognized the Nine Swords of Life, she had no reason to further assist him. Entering the testing grounds was challenging enough, and she certainly didn't want to die there.

Qin Wentian scanned his surroundings and realized that his predicament was far from over.

Suddenly, his body flickered, and illusory Garuda wings appeared on his back as he retreated through a narrow gap.

However, two figures stepped forward, intending to block his path. Qin Wentian didn't slow down one bit. He unleashed his Mountain Splitter technique, aiming at one of the blockers.

Puchi! A crisp sound echoed as the body of one of the blockers turned illusory, a halberd striking through his brain. Simultaneously, Qin Wentian sent a palm imprint to his left.

BOOM! A powerful force surged, propelling Qin Wentian into the sky. He landed outside the encirclement and dashed away with determination.

"What a masterful use of the Garuda Movement Technique. He must have cultivated it to the Great Perfection Level at the Arterial Circulation Realm," the members of the Azure Emperor Palace exclaimed in astonishment. One by one, they activated the Garuda Movement Technique and pursued Qin Wentian.

As for the handsome youth and his band of sidekicks, they hailed from the notorious Sky Demon Sect. Their movement techniques stirred up a tornado-like commotion as they sped after Qin Wentian.

"Quite gutsy. It's not wise to make enemies with the Sky Demon Sect," someone commented.

Qian Mengyu also activated her movement technique to follow the pursuit.

Qin Wentian was acutely aware that the individuals within this testing ground weren't Chu cultivators. Those who stood at the apex of the Arterial Circulation Realm in Chu were mere novices compared to the elites here. In this enclosed world, anyone would be considered an elite, especially the handsome youth with a hint of demonic charisma in his gaze. Their exchange of blows earlier had left Qin Wentian awestruck by the man's astonishing power.

He wasn't foolishly confident enough to challenge this encirclement with just his 8th-level Arterial Circulation cultivation. Therefore, he had chosen to escape first, relying on the Garuda Movement Technique.

Currently, having reached the advanced stage of the Garuda Movement Technique at the Arterial Circulation Realm, there shouldn't be anyone at his level who could outpace him.

As a result, his pursuers gradually dwindled, as most couldn't keep up with his speed. The most notable among those who could were the handsome Sky Demon Sect youth, Yue Qingfeng from the Azure Emperor Palace, and Qian Mengyu from the Greencloud Pavilion.

During their pursuit, they encountered other formidable experts who, upon seeing the situation, joined the chase as well.

Ahead, there was a river blocking Qin Wentian's path. Gathering his strength, he leaped into the sky like a Garuda, soaring to the opposite bank.

His pursuers soon caught up, using their innate techniques to cross the river.

Qin Wentian swiftly entered a densely forested area, causing the faces of his pursuers to darken. Despite the presence of numerous experts among them, they had no way to continue the chase.

Instead of squandering more time fruitlessly chasing Qin Wentian, they decided it might be wiser to hunt the warbeasts.

Little did they know that deep within Qin Wentian's heart, a simmering fury was ignited. Within this testing ground, numerous warbeast spirits stronger than the one he had absorbed awaited. Why had they pushed him to such an extreme?

At the edge of the forest, a stone mountain appeared, water cascading down from it in a magnificent waterfall. Lakes sprawled on both sides, leaving Qin Wentian with no paths of escape.

He slowed his pace and came to a halt. Behind him, the sounds of panting pursuers approached. The handsome youth from the Sky Demon Sect was the first to catch up.

Yao Sheng sported illusory wings of the legendary Roc on his back. His gaze held hints of demonic energy as he floated toward Qin Wentian, gently releasing his palm strike.

Buzz! Qin Wentian's ancient halberd thrust forward like lightning.

Yao Sheng channeled Demonic Qi as his palms transformed into gigantic bear paws. He redirected the force at the moment of impact, dodging the ancient halberd and closing in on Qin Wentian. A demonic light shield enveloped Qin Wentian as Yao Sheng executed his seemingly weak yet potent palm strike once again.

Qin Wentian stood his ground, his royal bloodline surging wildly within him. He met the palm strike with one of his own, a mountain-like force bearing down.

BOOM! A violent shockwave reverberated in the vicinity as both combatants were pushed back. Qin Wentian's energy pathways trembled, his heart racing wildly. His opponent's innate techniques were incredibly enigmatic and cunning.

Yao Sheng was pushed back by a single step, his eyes gleaming strangely. Then, a cold glint appeared and grew more pronounced.

A torrent of Demonic Qi erupted as scaly armor materialized on his arms, and a demonic light radiated from his eyes. The Roc wings on his back reappeared, their demonic light intensifying. At this moment, he seemed less like a human and more like a demon.

Yao Sheng lunged toward Qin Wentian, a powerful gust of wind accompanying him.

"Fallen Star Stance!" Qin Wentian roared. His ancient halberd erupted with titanic force, and spirals of terrifying energy formed at its tip.

Yao Sheng's palms shot forward, creating thunderous reverberations in the air. His body moved like an agile snake, evading Qin Wentian's strongest attack, transforming into a blur of shadows.

"DIE!" A shrill cry pierced the air as Yao Sheng's arms somehow elongated into sharp claws, slashing toward Qin Wentian's head.

Qin Wentian's ancient halberd quivered, and he released a sword beam. With a furious roar, his left palm executed the Falling Mountain Palms, clashing frenziedly with Yao Sheng's attack. The impact once again forced Qin Wentian backward.

Even with the power of his bloodline, he was still pushed on the defensive. As he stared at Yao Sheng, Qin Wentian sensed another peculiar bloodline limit. Yao Sheng's blood seemed strange, almost as if... it was a beast's blood!

The other pursuers caught up, dumbfounded that Yao Sheng hadn't yet killed Qin Wentian. This mysterious interloper, who shouldn't even be in the testing grounds, possessed astonishing strength.

BOOM! Earth-shaking tremors rumbled through the land. Everyone's hearts quivered as they turned their attention to the source, witnessing what appeared to be a mountain in motion.

Rocks and stones tumbled from the mountains like falling meteors, producing terrifying sounds. A wave of Demonic Qi surged out in all directions.

ROOARRRR~ A thunderous howl shattered the tranquility. The ground cracked open, and the water in the lakes churned violently. Below the waterfall, a monstrous demonic beast emerged, its movements creating waves that crashed like a tsunami.

The body of the beast coiled beneath the waterfall, its serpentine form covered in scales and armed with sharp stings. Its massive arms ended in five claws, and its hooked, sinuous shape exuded a cold and deadly aura.

With a furious roar, the beast opened its maw, revealing jagged teeth that struck terror into the hearts of all who beheld them. This creature was far more powerful than any they had encountered before.

"Blue-scaled Flood Dragon, ranked #9 in the Warbeast Index," someone exclaimed, sending shivers down the spines of the onlookers. A spirit from one of the top 10 beasts in the Warbeast Index was the ultimate prize for every cultivator.

Qin Wentian's heart fluttered with excitement. If he could absorb the spirit of this powerful creature, his sensory abilities would skyrocket, connecting him to the Blue-scaled Flood Dragon Constellation in the 5th Heavenly Layer. It was now clear which Astral Soul he wanted to condense as his third.

The Warbeast Index listed numerous creatures, allowing cultivators to sense the constellations in the Heavenly Layers associated with those beasts. Condensing a beast-type Astral Soul would significantly enhance their physical combat abilities, even though summoning the physical form of the beast was a rare feat.

Qin Wentian knew that becoming a beast summoner was a lofty goal, but he couldn't help feeling a growing desire to achieve it. The idea of summoning awe-inspiring warbeasts whose roars shook the heavens excited him.

However, for now, he needed to deal with the immediate threat—the Blue-scaled Flood Dragon, ranked #9 for a reason.

The dragon, with disdain in its eyes, gazed down at the human cultivators. Its eyes gleamed with killing intent.

Suddenly, the flood dragon sprang into action, its massive body closing the gap between it and Qin Wentian in the blink of an eye. Its powerful claws, as thick as tree trunks, broke apart the mountains and lunged toward him.

Qin Wentian activated his bloodline limit, surging forward with Fallen Star. His ancient halberd clashed with the dragon's claw.

BOOM!

Qin Wentian was flung through the air, his blood and Qi in turmoil, as he coughed up blood. The ancient halberd trembled, as though it had reached its breaking point.

"What power," Qin Wentian gasped. Even though the dragon's power was suppressed to the pinnacle of a 6th level demonic beast, it was still overwhelmingly formidable.

This was the might of a top 10-ranked beast. Qin Wentian realized that ascending to the 8th level of the Heavenly Star Pavilion was an almost insurmountable challenge. The Azure Emperor's requirement of obtaining the spirit of one of the top 10 ranking demonic beasts in the Warbeast Index was far more difficult than winning the Jun Lin Banquet.

His current strength couldn't match a top 10-ranked demonic beast. The difference in difficulty between the two tasks was staggering. What had the Azure Emperor left on the 8th level of the Heavenly Star Pavilion?