Control of the Great Hall

Control of the Great Hall...

A pang of pain surged between Qin Wentian's brows, as though a unique energy was stirring there.

This peculiar pain seemed to resonate with the candle flame within him. He intuited that the third eye in his mind's eye was now positioned right between his brows.

The golden threads intertwined the candle flame and his brow's midpoint, and it dawned on Qin Wentian that this response was tied to a bloodline power within him.

Within him, not just one, but two bloodline powers coexisted. The wild, fierce, and brutal essence—once confined—seemed like it was borne of an ancient primordial beast, a demonic sovereign.

Yet, even this potent bloodline knelt before the candle flame in his heart. The flame represented another bloodline, a higher-grade one compared to his primordial essence.

Two grand bloodlines, both flourishing within him.

Who was he? Who were his parents?

The middle-aged man from that tiny Astral-Being—was he really his father? Why had he fragmented his memories, storing them in the Astral-Being for Qin Wentian to uncover?

A maelstrom of thoughts churned, but verification eluded him. He had the urge to open his eyes, yet resisted.

Because even with eyes shut, he could perceive the external world acutely. It was as if he possessed a form of 'second sight', with every event transpiring outside etched into his consciousness.

He observed Bailu Yi's pale face, marred by fear for his life. Bailu Jing locked in a fierce struggle against his opponent, the other guardians, the battlefield's ebb and flow.

Unexpectedly, Bailu Yi's pallor transformed into elation. Her face flushed, witnessing the wounds on Qin Wentian closing and his strength returning. Vitality surged back into him, refueling his essence.

But her elation shifted to astonishment. A brilliant beam of light burst from the center of Qin Wentian's forehead—a golden eye taking form.

Bailu Yi's heart raced, yet the eye shut as quickly as it had opened. In that very moment, Qin Wentian's eyes fluttered open, meeting her gaze.

"You're awake," Bailu Yi beamed.

At last, he had roused.

She had been truly terrified, fearing that Qin Wentian would never regain consciousness.

"Yeah," Qin Wentian nodded, his attention shifting to the battlefield. An astonishing realization dawned on him—he could now discern the cultivation levels of those within his line of sight.

Zhan Chen, Yang Fan, Zhu Sha—all of them stood at the ninth level of Yuanfu.

The golden guardians hadn't been bluffing. They too possessed the same ninth-level Yuanfu cultivation.

"Hmm?" Qin Wentian's brows furrowed. This couldn't be right. Weren't these golden guardians a form of Puppets? Since when could Puppets cultivate?

Puppets were incapable of cultivation, yet, with his golden divine eye activated, he sensed that the guardians didn't draw energy from Yuan Meteor Stones. Instead, they wielded their own cultivation bases.

Logically, this meant the guardians were humans, not Puppets.

Why would peak-level Yuanfu cultivators willingly become Puppets? Qin Wentian couldn't fathom the reason.

Another glance fell upon the runic-veined ground. In an instant, the intricate patterns etched themselves into his mind. The need for contemplation vanished, replaced by instantaneous understanding. Every single runic pattern equated to a perfected Divine Inscription. No matter the complexity of their interlaced dance, Qin Wentian unraveled them with a single glance.

A spark lit up within his eyes, mirth evident within. So, that was it.

The Ascendant was a truly exceptional Divine Inscriptionist, leaving behind a complete peak-tier fourth-ranked Inscription capable of splitting into myriad peak-tier third-ranked ones.

Such mastery left Qin Wentian astounded, his astonishment only surpassed by his awe.

Had his body not undergone transformation, he might never have grasped the great hall's fundamental nature as an enormous Divine Inscription.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Wentian's consciousness merged with the colossal fourth-ranked Divine Inscription.

He deciphered it, absorbed it. The task of its application seemed ridiculously simple.

Qin Wentian's lips curled up in a fiendish smile, causing Bailu Yi to be stunned. What was this fellow thinking about now? And what was that golden eye she had seen earlier?

"You left behind a fourth-ranked Divine Inscription here, and if no one noticed this, they could either depend on their personal combat prowess or with the assistance of the third-ranked runic outlines inscribed on the floor to deal with these golden Puppets. But if someone discovered the final secret regarding the fourth-ranked Inscription, they could choose to end everything with a mere snap of their fingers and become your true successor. Meticulously planned out indeed."

Qin Wentian knew that the endless tests in this secret realm were meant to filter out the most eligible successor the Ascendant would feel satisfied with.

However when he, Qin Wentian arrived at this ending point, the golden guardians said that he was unworthy to receive the inheritance. But, how about now?!

Qin Wentian stood up, and a terrifyingly harsh light flickered in his eyes as he swept his gaze over to those who were still locked in combat.

"Follow behind me." Qin Wentian smiled to Bailu Yi. Bailu Yi froze, "Do you still intend to compete for the inheritance? Let's leave here instead."

After speaking, Bailu Yi wanted to pull Qin Wentian away. Although she could faintly sense the transformation that happened in Qin Wentian's body, she knew for a fact that his current cultivation level was too low. How could a mere third-level Yuanfu cultivator be able to compete against a transcendent powers' Heaven's Chosen, no matter how talented he may be?

Even if he borrowed strength from the runic outlines, it was impossible for Qin Wentian to contend for the inheritance against these monsters.

This place was too dangerous, they needed to leave immediately.

However, Bailu Yi only saw Qin Wentian remaining motionless. He smiled at her. "Trust me."

Bailu Yi was slightly hesitant. Before this she had always believed in Qin Wentian,but now it felt like an impossible feat, no matter how much she wanted to believe.

Qin Wentian's lips curled into a sly smile, leaving Bailu Yi utterly perplexed. What was running through that mischievous mind of his? And that golden eye—what was its purpose?

"A fourth-ranked Divine Inscription was left here. If no one uncovered its secrets, contenders would either rely on personal combat prowess or the assistance of the third-ranked runic outlines on the floor to confront these golden Puppets. Yet, should someone uncover the hidden truth of the fourth-ranked Inscription, they could end it all with a mere snap, becoming the true successor. A meticulously devised plan, indeed," Qin Wentian mused aloud.

The tests within the secret realm were evidently tailored to identify the most worthy successor, one who would truly satisfy the Ascendant.

As Qin Wentian reached this final juncture, the golden guardians had declared him unworthy. But now? His eyes blazed with a fierce light, casting a sweeping gaze over those locked in combat.

"Stay close," Qin Wentian urged Bailu Yi with a smile. She hesitated, her voice shaking, "Are you really going to challenge for the inheritance? Let's escape this place."

Her hand reached for Qin Wentian, ready to lead him away. While she sensed a change in him, his cultivation remained insufficient. How could a mere third-level Yuanfu cultivator challenge transcendent Heaven's Chosen, regardless of his talent?

Even with the assistance of the runic outlines, it seemed impossible for Qin Wentian to contest the inheritance against these formidable adversaries.

This place was perilous beyond measure. They needed to flee immediately.

Yet, Qin Wentian remained steadfast, unmoving. A smile graced his lips as he addressed her, "Trust me."

Bailu Yi hesitated, torn between her deep-rooted belief in him and the daunting odds that stood against him.

After all, Qin Wentian's intentions seemed far from realistic. Even Bailu Jing, her own brother, a prominent figure on the Heavenly Fate Rankings, had no conceivable chance of contending for the inheritance. He could barely hold his own against the golden guardians, let alone defeat them.

"Well, well, well. Look who's still kicking." In that moment, Zhu Sha's malicious voice echoed through the air. Even the golden guardian who had earlier launched a lethal attack on Qin Wentian was taken aback, turning his gaze back to him.

The most potent blow he had unleashed hadn't managed to snuff out Qin Wentian's life?

"Take care of him," he instructed another golden guardian, pointing his gleaming spear towards Zhu Sha. In an instant, yet another guardian leaped into action, hurtling towards Zhu Sha, while the initial attacker turned his focus squarely back on Qin Wentian.

"You have a remarkable talent for recovery," the golden guardian remarked icily. His long spear erupted with a burst of energy, leaving no room for errors this time. He was determined to make sure that Qin Wentian met his end.

The previous blunder had been a stain on his honor, a humiliation he couldn't bear.

Bailu Yi tensed, her face draining of color as fear gripped her. Yet, to her astonishment, Qin Wentian carried on with a casual stride, advancing without a hint of hesitation. In the blink of an eye, a barrage of dazzling lights erupted from the runic outlines etched across the ground.

"ROAR!" An Azure Dragon materialized and charged at the golden guardian, while a colossal axe descended from the heavens, accompanied by a relentless hail of arrows.

Each of Qin Wentian's steps triggered the activation of a runic outline on the floor. His movement exuded an overwhelming force, rendering him an unstoppable juggernaut.

"RUMBLE~!" A multitude of forms, brought to life by the Divine Inscriptions, launched a relentless assault on the golden guardian with astonishing speed. The combined might of these entities compelled the guardian to retreat, step by step.

A furrow formed between the golden guardian's eyebrows. What was transpiring?

The face of the once imperturbable guardian contorted in shock, as the runic outlines across the floor gradually illuminated. They began merging together, shrouding him in their brilliant radiance.

"What sorcery is this?" The golden guardian uttered in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the inexplicable phenomenon unfolding before him.

Bailu Yi found herself utterly astonished. Had Qin Wentian's mastery of the Divine Inscriptions advanced to a higher tier?

"DIE!" The golden guardian's roar resonated, as a fearsome vortex surged from his spear, poised to engulf Qin Wentian.

"Hmph." A cold snort escaped Qin Wentian's lips. With a mere thought, a massive python materialized to shield him from the attack. Another thought summoned a barrage of arrows, but the golden guardian deftly deflected them with his spear in a fluid, intricate dance.

"SCRAM!" A thunderous shout echoed as an enormous hammer crashed into the golden guardian's form, propelling him through the air with irresistible force.

The unfolding battle instantly seized the attention of those nearby. Zhan Chen and the other onlookers couldn't help but gawk at the dramatic transformation occurring within Qin Wentian.

The radiant glow emanating from the runic outlines grew brighter, its brilliance so intense that it seemed to shake the very foundations of the great hall itself. The environment quaked as though resonating in sync with Qin Wentian's newfound might.

Zhu Sha's complexion turned pale as he struggled to comprehend the unfolding situation. Somehow, Qin Wentian had assumed control over the entire great hall.

"We need to eliminate him!" Zhu Sha's voice rang out, pointing accusingly at Qin Wentian. But before he could finish, a deafening thunderclap resounded, signaling the completion of the fusion of the Divine Inscriptions throughout the hall. The culmination of this fusion resulted in the birth of an immense astral arm.

Confusion and astonishment gripped the onlookers.

"This guy has harnessed all the power within the Divine Inscriptions," Bailu Yi's heart raced, her realization quickening her breath.

Never would the Ascendant himself have predicted that the concealed fourth-ranked Inscription he left behind could be activated by someone at the third-level of Yuanfu cultivation. Even though Qin Wentian's strength had evolved, it was still improbable for him to challenge the group of formidable opponents present without leveraging the myriad runic outlines.

And now, everything in this space was under his command.

Zhu Sha's figure flickered as he hastily retreated with explosive speed. However, the colossal arm materialized behind him in an instant, slamming him headfirst into the ground.

After the arm withdrew, nothing was left of Zhu Sha but a pool of blood. His corpse and bones had been completely obliterated, leaving no trace behind.

Qin Wentian then shifted his gaze to the remaining golden guardian. The intensity of his stare sent involuntary tremors through the guardian's heart. The golden guardian quickly averted his eyes, his voice quivering as he spoke with a mixture of deference and fearful respect, "Congratulations, you have passed the test. The inheritance is now rightfully yours."

The golden guardian's words failed to bring a sense of joy to Qin Wentian's countenance. In fact, his eyes grew even colder.

Countless times, he had stared death in the face, emerging victorious to reach this very juncture. Even if he wasn't deemed worthy of the inheritance, the golden guardian could have permitted them to exit the trial grounds unscathed. Instead, the guardian had chosen to attempt their execution.

Inheritance?

Qin Wentian erupted into maniacal laughter, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I almost met my end here, and now you claim I've passed the test?"

"Test? What right do you have to test me?!" As his words resounded, the colossal constellation arm descended once more, obliterating the golden guardian's form into scattered fragments!