Blasted into the River

Blasted into the River...

Qin Wentian's gaze crackled like lightning, a cold, menacing glint radiating from his eyes. The bloodline limit within him surged, and the center of his forehead gleamed brilliantly, as if a third eye were forming.

"Yun Mengyi, freeze this space," Qin Wentian's voice cut through the air, icy and resolute. With a swift stroke of her sword, Yun Mengyi's frosty aura blanketed the surroundings.

Rather than advancing, Qin Wentian and his group chose to confront their adversaries directly over the River of Life and Death. This decision left many bewildered; shouldn't they be concerned about running out of time?

Zhan Chen, Yang Fan, and the others wore perplexed expressions as well. While they desired to eliminate Qin Wentian, securing a high rank on the Heavenly Fate Rankings took precedence. They couldn't afford to waste time tangling with him.

"Erase Duan Qingshan," Qin Wentian's voice resonated with the chill of the underworld. He had once vowed to kill Duan Qingshan if their paths ever crossed again, and now, Duan Qingshan had dared to make a move against him.

Having chosen this path, Duan Qingshan would pay for his actions with his life.

The black-robed figure restrained Zhan Chen, while Chu Mang clashed with Situ Po. Bailu Jing and Ouyang Kuangsheng faced off against Yang Fan and his Star-Seizing Manor comrade. Yun Mengyi turned her icy gaze on Duan Qingshan, releasing a bone-chilling cold that penetrated deep into his bones.

Suddenly, an invisible force slammed into Duan Qingshan's body, and a terrifying will invaded his sea of consciousness. As he locked eyes with Qin Wentian, his expression turned ghastly. A ferocious primordial beast materialized in his mind, roaring in fury as it attempted to devour his consciousness. The impact felt as though his mind was being torn asunder.

Qin Wentian's Mandate of Will could directly assault the sea of consciousness of his opponents.

Fan Le's arrows fanned out, and Duan Qingshan's complexion grew ashen. He hastily retreated while delivering a powerful kick toward Qin Wentian and the others. With a mere wave of his hands, Qin Wentian deflected the formless energy, dissolving the manifestation of the giant leg, then surged forward to confront Duan Qingshan again.

"This can't be real. His Mandate is at the second level!" Duan Qingshan's eyes widened in terror. How was this possible? Qin Wentian was merely at the seventh level of Yuanfu, yet he had comprehended second-level Mandates? That was a prerequisite for entering the Heavenly Dipper Realm!

Yun Mengyi moved with astonishing speed, having also comprehended the Mandate of Wind. Her Mandate of Icesnow hindered Duan Qingshan's movements, allowing her to outpace him. When their blades clashed, a sword strike descended like a celestial beam, carrying tremendous force and breathtaking beauty. Duan Qingshan's face paled—everyone in the Unmatched Realm knew of Yun Mengyi's prowess.

Fueled by desperation, Duan Qingshan unleashed his Astral Souls.

However, he saw Qin Wentian charging toward him with overwhelming killing intent, fixated on nothing but Duan Qingshan's death.

Duan Qingshan stood frozen, staring blankly at Qin Wentian as he thrust out his palm, exerting immense pressure upon the space in front of him. In an instant, an overwhelming force crashed into him, as though a colossal desolate beast had delivered a full-powered strike. It obliterated his feeble attempts at defense, ruthlessly driving him downwards, towards the River of Life and Death.

A cacophony of rushing water echoed, accompanied by the sound of waves in the perilous river.

"No..." Duan Qingshan's eyes widened in terror, his face drained of color. Qin Wentian's palm remained suspended in the air, unrelenting in its determination to push him into the river.

"I told you before, if we ever crossed paths here, I would kill you."

With those words, Qin Wentian unleashed another forceful palm strike, channeling an immense energy that thrust Duan Qingshan straight into the river.

A dull "plop" sounded as Duan Qingshan instantly transformed into a pile of bones, carried away by the river's current.

Duan Qingshan had met his end.

Onlookers lined both banks, their hearts in tumultuous shock as they watched the white bones drift by.

This was Duan Qingshan, ranked among the top thirty-six on the Heavenly Fate Ranking. He had been forced into the river by someone two cultivation levels lower than him.

What a brutal trial this was, what an intense struggle for the Heavenly Fate Ranking.

At the same time, this young man's identity became the subject of fervent speculation. He had allies and enemies alike. In the first test, he shattered the record, achieving twenty-one echoes. Back then, nobody thought much of it, given his comparatively weaker cultivation. But now, after witnessing him defeat Duan Qingshan, there was no doubting Qin Wentian's true strength. Had he been weak, he wouldn't have been able to propel Duan Qingshan into the river with such ease.

As they observed this spectacle, the members of the Ouyang Aristocrat Clan wore grim expressions.

Vengeance burned in their hearts. Qin Wentian had stirred up trouble when he entered the Ouyang Clan. At that time, he was feeble and unremarkable. Yet now, he had the power to slay Duan Qingshan and had forged a strong friendship with Ouyang Kuangsheng. They were powerless to retaliate.

Ouyang Ting's complexion turned deathly pale, her mind reeling in disbelief.

How could this be? HOW COULD THIS BE? Qin Wentian had killed Duan Qingshan.

Her eyes welled up with tears, casting desperate glances around, but the undeniable truth stared back at her.

How had the tables turned so dramatically? Shouldn't it have been the other way around, with Duan Qingshan delivering the fatal blow to Qin Wentian?

All of this transpired in a matter of seconds, yet those few heartbeats felt like an eternity wasted. Without further ado, Qin Wentian soared into the sky, surveying the aftermath of his attacks.

Zhan Chen, Situ Po, and the rest knew they couldn't linger any longer. They ascended even higher into the sky, unwilling to get entangled in a prolonged battle with Qin Wentian.

"Quick, let's move too," Qin Wentian urged, and they raced forward. Ahead of them, other contenders were still locked in combat, and one by one, they met their fate, tumbling into the River of Life and Death. Such a grim sight sent shivers down the spectators' spines.

These contenders were all extraordinary talents, one in ten thousand, and yet here they were, meeting their end.

The candle was on the brink of burning out, but the contenders continued to reach the river's end, passing through the city gates.

A strong gust of wind propelled Qin Wentian and his companions to their destination. The candle flame extinguished just as they touched the opposite bank, leaving them sighing in relief. They hadn't anticipated the perilous nature of the River of Life and Death test. Thankfully, they all emerged unscathed, not a single casualty among them.

"Let's move on." As they passed through the city gates, they crossed paths with Zhan Chen and their previous adversaries once more. Their gazes locked onto each other, brimming with sharpness and a palpable aura of hostility.

"Consider yourselves fortunate," Zhan Chen retorted, his eyes glinting with a golden light. Then, he shifted his attention to the black-robed figure. This enigmatic person had thwarted his plans on more than one occasion.

Qin Wentian also cast a nod of gratitude in the direction of the black-robed figure. "Thank you."

The eyes of the black-robed figure shimmered mysteriously, hinting at a hidden elegance that left Qin Wentian wondering, could this practitioner of the devil's path actually be a woman?

The mystique of Devil Arts was more terrifying than the imagination dared to venture. It was perilous, yet the practitioner's heart had to possess an astonishing resolve to tread the devil's path.

These thoughts lingered in Qin Wentian's mind as he pondered whether the enigmatic black-robed figure was listed among the Heavenly Fate Rankings. More pressing, why were they offering their assistance?

After the River of Life and Death ordeal, over half of the contenders had been eliminated. Now, only the cream of the crop remained, the true elites among the elites.

The battle for positions on the Heavenly Fate Rankings often required a measure of luck. For instance, Duan Qingshan had possessed the strength and had been one of the thirty-six Heaven's Chosen, yet he met his demise before even crossing the River. His misfortune had been glaring.

Throughout the ranking competition, many contenders would engage in premature battles driven by personal vendettas. Thus, even an elite could fall victim if they happened to be unlucky.

Despite the perils, this grueling test was what rendered the Heavenly Fate Rankings so revered in the eyes of Grand Xia.

The trials sifted through the contenders like a sieve, separating the wheat from the chaff. By the competition's conclusion, only those with both the strength and luck would remain standing. Missing either of these qualities would spell doom.

Before the contenders lay several battle platforms. Old Man Tianji and the other leaders floated above, casting their gaze down upon the aspirants.

To the left and right, a multitude of spectators began filling the winding pathways, seeking a prime vantage point for the upcoming trial.

"This is the very ground where Ancient Grand Xia once honed its warriors. Ascend the battle platforms, and an illusory opponent of comparable strength to your own will manifest. Those who can't defeat even the yellow-robed illusory warriors will be instantly eliminated. Let the trial commence," Old Man Tianji announced, his gaze fixed on the contenders.

Without hesitation, Chen Wang from the Great Solar Clan strode forward. He stood atop the central platform, radiating like a blazing sun. These platforms were compact, and being knocked off would result in elimination.

In an instant, a surge of light coalesced into an illusory figure before Chen Wang. The figure donned a red battle robe, exuding an aura identical to Chen Wang's at the peak of the ninth level of Yuanfu.

The illusory warrior lunged with a spear, hurtling towards Chen Wang.

Chen Wang's eyes flared with intensity, resembling a blazing inferno. In the blink of an eye, the illusory warrior was consumed by flames, reduced to ash, and then transformed into a stream of light that merged into Chen Wang's body. A red battle robe appeared upon him.

Two more opponents materialized, both clad in orange battle robes.

With resolute steps, Chen Wang surged with the Great Solar Universe Art, sending forth a pair of palms that obliterated the two illusory opponents. His battle robe transformed into a vibrant shade of orange in response.

"These are the Battle-robed Warriors. These manifested opponents will intensify in strength as time elapses. Their ranks span from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, to violet. Some legends even tell of those who faced platinum-colored battle-robed warriors," Ouyang Kuangsheng whispered to Qin Wentian, providing an informative hush. At the trial's conclusion, the color of the battle robe one wore would be a testament to their strength.