The Black Robed Figure is a Female?

The Black Robed Figure is a Female?...

All eyes fixated on the thirty-six contenders gathered on the arena platform. Among them, some stood proudly, casting haughty glances upon the crowd, while others sat cross-legged, engrossed in their cultivation. Their Vermilion Birds hovered behind them, emanating an ominous aura.

These thirty-six contenders would undoubtedly become pivotal figures in Grand Xia's future. They were destined to secure spots on the Heavenly Fate Rankings, unless, of course, they were eventually displaced by others.

Old Man Tianji maintained his composed demeanor as he surveyed the crowd. "Chen Wang, Shi Potian, Zhan Chen, Emperor Azure, Qin Zheng, Yun Mengyi, Mu Fang, Qin Wentian, and Mo Qingcheng," he began, his voice steady. "The Vermilion Birds of these ten individuals have transitioned from illusion to reality. They possess the greatest amount of ancient luck and are therefore provisionally ranked as the top ten."

He continued, "As for the remaining twenty-six contenders, your rankings will be determined by the amount of ancient luck you possess. Wang Jue, eleventh; Hua Shaoqing, twelfth, and so on."

Upon hearing their rankings, the contenders glanced at the ancient luck markers on their Vermilion Birds' foreheads. If they were dissatisfied with their placements, they could only rectify them through challenging those ranked higher.

"The rules for this ranking battle remain the same as in the past," Old Man Tianji explained. "The lowest-ranked contender will initiate the challenge. If they win, they replace their opponent's ranking and may continue to challenge others. However, if they suffer defeat, their ranking becomes fixed. Furthermore, challengers have the option to skip ranks."

"Your initial rankings have been established," Old Man Tianji concluded. "Xiao Du, step forward; you will initiate the challenges."

Xiao Du hailed from the Xiao Faction of the Nine Mystical Palace. This time, the Nine Mystical Palace pinned its hopes on him. Despite the limited thirty-six spots, he had managed to secure the last position.

Xiao Du's figure flickered as he took his place at the center of the platform, his gaze sharp as it swept over the contenders below.

Among the other thirty-five contenders, several had already clashed with him before. They were all formidable opponents, making Xiao Du hesitant about whom to challenge. In the end, his eyes settled on Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian, the person the Nine Mystical Palace had targeted for capture. However, Qin Wentian had defied their expectations by refusing to surrender himself, instead participating in the ranking battle. Xiao Du was further taken aback when he learned that Qin Wentian was the one who had slain Luo Qianqiu.

Xiao Du had already made a name for himself in the Nine Mystical Palace, a figure far surpassing Luo Qianqiu's stature. He recalled how he had never given Qin Wentian a second thought in the past, only to discover that Qin Wentian had ranked among the top ten. He pondered what had contributed to Qin Wentian's success—was it his own abilities or merely a stroke of luck?

During their time in the formation world, those who hadn't directly confronted Qin Wentian were unaware of the extent of his newfound strength. Xiao Du hadn't borne witness to Qin Wentian's overwhelming power. As a Heaven's Chosen of the Nine Mystical Palace, he carried his own sense of pride. His gaze grew piercing as he contemplated the possibility of defeating Qin Wentian, a feat that could elevate his ranking into the top ten with a single victory.

Even if he faltered against subsequent contenders, his overall ranking wouldn't plummet too drastically. This was an opportunity. Qin Wentian's aura currently resonated at the eighth level of Yuanfu. Even if Qin Wentian had grasped a second level Mandate, Xiao Du believed he could still engage him in combat to some degree.

"Qin Wentian, step forward!" Xiao Du's eyes bore into Qin Wentian, akin to a sharp blade eager to pierce its target. Qin Wentian raised his head, his fiendish eyes locking onto Xiao Du's. The moment their gazes locked, Xiao Du felt a gnawing dread clutch at his heart. He quickly composed himself, determined not to be shaken by a mere glance. After all, he was also a remarkable figure—how could he allow fear to overcome him with just a look?

However, those from the Nine Mystical Palace in the audience cursed inwardly. They clearly hadn't anticipated Xiao Du's challenge to Qin Wentian. They had been spectators during the events in the formation world, fully aware of Qin Wentian's true strength. Xiao Du was woefully unprepared for this confrontation.

Qian Mengyu and her associates from the Greencloud Pavilion also observed the scene, shaking their heads in disappointment. Xiao Du was vastly overestimating his own abilities. The chasm between the two contenders was insurmountable; they were in entirely different leagues.

As Qin Wentian's figure landed on the arena platform, he locked eyes with Xiao Du. His cold, fiendish gaze erupted with an indomitable will, momentarily paralyzing Xiao Du, who then let out a wretched cry of pain and torment.

"DIE!" Xiao Du bellowed in torment, his Astral Souls igniting. He lunged towards Qin Wentian, aiming a Thunder Palm Imprint directly at his chest. But a formidable force, like an impervious barrier, blocked Xiao Du's strike from reaching Qin Wentian's chest.

Panic swept across Xiao Du's face as he realized the futility of his attack. It was as if he had struck a primordial beast with an impenetrable hide. Even ordinary demonic beasts like the Golden Demonic Garuda, Grand Strength Bull Demon, or Golden Primal Ape possessed extraordinary defenses. Qin Wentian, having mastered the third level of the Fiend Transformation Art in addition to his ancient primordial bloodline, surpassed them all in terms of defense.

Xiao Du looked up, his gaze met with Qin Wentian's cold, unyielding eyes, sending a shiver down his spine.

With a thunderous impact, Xiao Du's body was sent hurtling through the air, eventually crashing out of the arena platform and slamming into the ground. He groaned in agony, blood spewing from his mouth. Qin Wentian had effortlessly returned to his original position.

Xiao Du couldn't help but feel humiliated and resentful—it had been a shameful defeat.

Old Man Tianji waved his hand, and a gleaming scoreboard materialized in the air. At the top of the board, the words 'Heavenly Fate' were displayed, followed by Xiao Du's name and the number 36 on the left.

Xiao Du's ranking remained at the bottom.

"Qin Wentian's strength and defense are unmatched. Without a second-level Mandate, nobody should even think about challenging him," the crowd murmured. They understood that despite Qin Wentian's cultivation only reaching the eighth level, his combat abilities had long surpassed most others at his stage.

The battles raged on as contenders fought fiercely to ascend in the rankings. The figures on the arena platform continued to grow in strength. Even Xuan Yan from the Mystic Maiden Palace, who had been ranked 17th, was eventually defeated and assigned the 20th position. Her ranking had dropped by three places, a testament to the formidable opponents she had faced.

Peng Zhan secured the 19th rank and decided to challenge Ouyang Kuangsheng, who was currently at the 17th position. The outcome of this challenge held no surprises. Ouyang Kuangsheng possessed superior Astral Souls, a second-level Mandate of Flames, and the strength of his bloodline. With these advantages, he defeated Peng Zhan, solidifying his own rank, while Peng Zhan remained firmly at the 19th spot.

Next up was Yao Jun, ranked at 18th. He stepped onto the platform, his expression grim. He had entered the Heavenly Fate Rankings with high hopes, aiming for a top-ten position. However, the competitors in this batch proved to be exceptionally formidable. Each contender ahead of him filled him with trepidation.

In the current top ten, names like Chen Wang, Shi Potian, Si Qiong, Zhan Chen, Emperor Azure, Qin Zheng, Yun Mengyi, Mu Feng, Qin Wentian, and Mo Qingcheng stood out. All ten were immensely powerful, with Qin Wentian being particularly noteworthy. Yao Jun had witnessed his extraordinary abilities up close. If he had to pick the weakest among them, it would likely be Mo Qingcheng.

Rankings 11 to 17 were held by Wang Jue, Hua Shaoqing, Yan Cheng, Li Yu, the mysterious black-robed figure, Leng Hong, and Ouyang Kuangsheng. In the previous Heavenly Fate Rankings, the top ten contenders included Hua Shaoqing, Wang Jue, Yan Cheng, and Li Yu. Despite their rankings dropping, it didn't diminish their strength.

As for the enigmatic black-robed figure and Leng Hong, both were dark horses with formidable power. Yao Jun had witnessed their prowess in battle. He was also certain that he wasn't a match for Ouyang Kuangsheng.

Taking a deep breath, Yao Jun's eyes settled on the black-robed figure. The figure was the most mysterious among the remaining contenders. At this point, Yao Jun could only take a gamble and hope for the best.

"You will be my stepping stone," Yao Jun declared with a surge of terrifying demonic energy. His hands morphed into demonic forms, a technique reminiscent of Qin Wentian's Fiend Transformation Art, albeit significantly weaker.

The black-robed figure swiftly landed on the platform, shrouded in a malevolent aura. It was no longer a secret that this figure practiced the Devil Arts. His cultivation had reached the ninth level of Yuanfu, making him far more formidable than when Qin Wentian had first encountered him.

Qin Wentian closely observed this match, his curiosity about the black-robed figure's identity piqued.

Yao Jun unleashed a demonic transformation, striking fear into the hearts of onlookers. However, the black-robed figure exuded a commanding presence that rivaled his own.

Thunderous roars filled the arena as Yao Jun summoned his Astral Souls. Surprisingly, all three were beast-type Astral Souls that enhanced his offensive capabilities. With blinding speed, he charged toward the black-robed figure.

Rather than dodging, the black-robed figure advanced as well, prompting a sly smile from Yao Jun.

"Die!" Yao Jun's eyes gleamed with menacing intent as his attack surged in speed, crashing into the black-robed figure's chest. But what he saw in her eyes shocked him to his core, and his expression shifted from malicious triumph to disbelief.

This cultivator of the sinister Devil Arts was, in fact, a woman?

Despite the overwhelming torrent of demonic energy flooding into her body from his strike, the black-robed figure's cold eyes remained indifferent. She retaliated instantly, forming a black devilish palm imprint infused with her own fearsome demonic energy. With ruthless precision, she smashed it into Yao Jun's head, shattering it like a watermelon and ending his life in an instant.

Without uttering a word, she descended from the arena, her icy gaze unfaltering.

The spectators were left in awe, realizing that she had not only absorbed Yao Jun's demonic energy but also incorporated it into her own attack. She had effortlessly dismissed an attack considered tremendously formidable. The crowd was filled with questions. Who was this enigmatic figure, and what had driven her to kill Yao Jun in a fit of rage?

Members of the Skydemon Sect wore ashen expressions. Ranked 13th in the previous Heavenly Fate Rankings, Yao Jun, a promising disciple aiming for the top ten, had fallen.

This ranking battle had proven to be incredibly intense and unpredictable.