Exertion of Dominance

Exertion of Dominance

The path to mastering one's Mandate hinged entirely on one's comprehension. It wasn't merely about resource scarcity; rather, the formidable challenges that lay in leveling up Mandates often hindered progress. Typically, only those at the pinnacle of the Heavenly Dipper realm achieved Perfection in their second-level Mandates. However, many, even among the elite of the Heavenly Dipper realm, found themselves stuck at the Transformation Boundary of their second-level insights for the rest of their lives.

Yet, here was Qing`er, a mere sixth-level Heavenly Dipper cultivator, already attaining Perfection in her Mandate of Space. The sheer shockwave this sent through the onlookers could hardly be overstated.

Individuals with Mandates that surpassed their cultivation level often went on to achieve remarkable feats in the future. They didn't agonize over cultivation barriers; this was a fundamental rule, and there was no doubt that Qinger was destined to ascend to Celestial Phenomenon. While the Heavenly Dipper to Celestial Phenomenon transition posed an insurmountable hurdle for many, it was no obstacle for someone of Qinger's caliber.

"A Perfection Boundary Mandate of Space," Shang Tong muttered, his golden eyes glazed with astonishment. Initially, he had entertained thoughts of recruiting Qinger into the royal clan as a consort, but now he questioned whether he could even control someone of her stature. Qinger, a sixth-level cultivator, with a Perfection Boundary Mandate of Space? Even if they were to clash, he lacked the confidence to emerge victorious.

However, what galled Shang Tong was that Qing`er, a goddess-like figure, had stepped forward for the sake of helping Qin Wentian.

"It's her," Jun Yu exclaimed, instantly recognizing Qing`er as she emerged. He had encountered this remarkable woman before in Grand Xia. While he hadn't initially considered her to be exceptionally powerful, she had left a deep impression. Her aura was extraordinary.

"Qinger, I'm not in mortal danger just yet," Qin Wentian transmitted his thoughts to her with a smile. Despite the danger he faced, battling against more than ten sixth-level Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns from the other eight great sects, the confrontation hadn't yet begun. In the past, Qinger had always appeared at the last possible moment. However, today, she had chosen to step forward even before the battle commenced, surprising him with her decision.

It appeared that Qing`er's personality was undergoing subtle changes after spending so much time with him.

For nearly a decade, Qing`er had always watched over him from the shadows. Initially, she followed her master, Fairy Qingmei's orders, but now, she was protecting Qin Wentian willingly, driven by her own heart.

"Oh," Qing`er's eyes blinked, and as the silence lingered, just when Qin Wentian thought she wouldn't respond, she surprised him.

"But... aren't they bullying you?" Her melodic voice resonated in Qin Wentian's mind, warming his heart. Though her words might have seemed out of place, it was quintessentially Qing`er.

With a gentle smile, Qin Wentian gazed at the fragile yet beautiful figure standing protectively in front of him. Stepping forward, he positioned himself beside Qing`er, facing the sixth-level Sovereigns from the eight great sects together.

"Qinger, let me take the lead," Qin Wentian whispered. Qing`er glanced at him and nodded. "I'll back you up."

"Alright," Qin Wentian accepted without hesitation. His aura surged as he stepped forward. Qing`er's spatial barriers were incredibly formidable. Despite their combined efforts, the experts couldn't breach the walls.

A gust of wind roared as Qin Wentian dashed forward, his scarlet demon halberd poised for action. The spatial barrier dissolved before him, allowing the halberd to descend on its unfortunate target. As the halberd neared, nightmarish visions of blood and death flooded the victim's mind. Qin Wentian wielded the halberd like a demon god, and resistance seemed futile.

Qin Wentian's Mandate of Dreams was already at the Transformation Boundary, and combined with the scarlet demon halberd's power, his dream-will was nearly impossible to escape.

With a resounding "BANG," the halberd pierced through the victim's head, ending his life instantly. Qin Wentian wasted no time, moving to his next target.

Qinger followed closely behind, guarding him. Whenever they neared a target, spatial walls enveloped them, isolating them from the outside world. These innate techniques, born from Qinger's Perfection Boundary Mandate of Space, left onlookers astounded. It was nothing short of terrifying.

Another slicing sound echoed through the air. One after another, experts fell to Qin Wentian's scarlet demon halberd. Isolated in the space provided by Qing`er, it was a fair one-on-one duel, yet none of his opponents from the great sects could withstand him.

"RUN!" A sudden cry shattered the tense silence on the stage. It was clear that if things continued this way, Qin Wentian would make quick work of each of them.

"Don't even think about it," Qing`er's voice was chilling. With a graceful gesture, she unleashed a surge of spatial energy that wove into golden strands, forming a spatial prison. Each individual found themselves trapped in their own separate space.

"Spatial prison..."

Even the leaders of the nine great sects were astonished by Qing`er's incredible ability. Their experts had already taken the stage, and now, isolated within separate spaces, they couldn't combine their strengths. Given Qin Wentian's overwhelming power, the only path left for those who had stepped onto the stage was death.

In the blink of an eye, eight more experts fell victim to Qin Wentian's scarlet demon halberd.

Qin Wentian soon faced off against a blue-clad expert, whose eyes sparkled with a dangerous intent.

Without hesitation, Qin Wentian thrust his scarlet demon halberd forward, a brilliant beam of light emanating from his brow.

The blue-clad man had grown increasingly cautious as Qin Wentian approached. When the nightmarish dream-will invaded his mind, he swiftly pushed his palms forward, conjuring an umbrella crackling with destructive lightning energy. As it opened, waves of devastating lightning converged into a deadly laser beam aimed at Qin Wentian.

"CAREFUL!" Qinger shouted. The violet streak of the lightning beam surged forward. Qinger dashed in front of Qin Wentian, her palm striking out to counter the energy beam.

"RUMBLE!" The two attacks collided, canceling each other out. Qing`er followed up with a golden lotus attack, causing violent spatial fluctuations that rippled through the space. In an instant, the blue-clad man vanished into the void, leaving behind only the lightning umbrella.

Qin Wentian had noticed the umbrella's appearance and had already been wary of it. He executed Stellar Transposition to dodge backward while hurling his scarlet demon halberd at the umbrella. Despite Qing`er and his halberd absorbing some of the force, the shockwaves left his skin torn and blood dripping.

"A fifth-ranked divine weapon, a lightning-attribute, attack-type divine weapon." Blood trickled from Qin Wentian's lips, his face slightly pale. He hadn't expected the man to possess such a powerful weapon. In fact, with a fifth-ranked attack-type divine weapon, he could have broken free from the spatial prison much earlier. Instead, he chose to wait, attempting a sneak attack to seize the Heaven Mending Pill from Shang Tong.

"Idiot," Yin Ting's uncle from the Violet Thunder Sect muttered under his breath. The lightning umbrella was his treasure, capable of unleashing lightning bolts only five times. He had lent it to the blue-clad man to eliminate Qin Wentian, but now, it had fallen into Qin Wentian's hands.

"MY SON!" A furious cry erupted from an expert of the Violet Thunder Sect. His eyes blazed with anger as he turned to glare daggers at Yin Ting's uncle. "Who do you think you're calling an imbecile?"

Yin Ting's uncle shivered, looking down, his mouth clamped shut. Despite the burning fury in his heart, he dared not utter another word. He had lost a valuable divine weapon, and worse, Qin Wentian still lived.

Qing`er's anger hadn't abated, and she channeled her frustration into the trapped cultivators in the surrounding cells. Under her absolute control of space, resistance was futile.

"Qinger, I'm perfectly fine." Qin Wentian stood up and flashed a reassuring smile upon seeing her anger. Qing`er glanced at him but remained silent.

"This divine weapon seems no joke. Probably belongs to an expert from one of the great sects," Qin Wentian mused. He stashed the umbrella away and then turned his sharp gaze toward the remaining foes, continuing his relentless onslaught. Those trapped on the stage wore expressions of despair. Qin Wentian alone was already a formidable opponent, and now, the incredibly powerful Qing`er joined the fray. How could they possibly stand a chance?

The bloodshed continued, and soon, all the experts who had once sought to kill Qin Wentian were annihilated. This spectacle filled the hearts of the nine great sects, who had dispatched these experts, with deep regret. Their members had perished, and they hadn't even succeeded in obtaining the Heaven Mending Pill.

"Trying to gang up on one?" A wry chuckle escaped an elder from the Battle Sword Sect. He spoke mockingly, "Is there anyone brave enough to continue? Anyone below the seventh level of Heavenly Dipper, feel free to step up and meet your doom."

Silence met his challenge. Everyone understood that facing Qin Wentian, with Qing`er's support ensuring one-on-one battles, would only result in defeat. Whether they fought with weapons or bare-handed, none believed they could best Qin Wentian.

"Can I join the Battle Sword Sect too?" Qing`er asked in a casual tone. Lin Shuai glanced at her, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Considering your Mandate of Space has already reached perfection, the test would be meaningless for you. You're in."

Upon hearing this, discomfort gnawed at the hearts of the representatives from the other eight great sects. The Battle Sword Sect had already secured a monstrous genius in Qin Wentian. Now, they were adding the even more formidable Qing`er to their ranks? It led them to wonder if it was truly worth not provoking Jun Yu and Shang Tong for these two demon-level talents.

"These two are too unconventional. On the battle stage, we usually seek guidance from others to improve ourselves and often stop short of delivering a fatal blow. Yet these two have killed them all. We should lift the cultivation base restriction and deal with them both," Yin Ting's uncle roared in frustration, unable to accept this outcome.

"Exactly! There should be no limits on cultivation bases," a member of the Yin Clan added, standing up and voicing his agreement.

However, at that moment, from the direction of the Battle Sword Sect, an elderly man suddenly rose to his feet. He appeared remarkably composed, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished, transforming into a streak of swordlight that shot through the air.

"ARGHH!" A horrified scream pierced the air, shocking the entire crowd. To their astonishment, the gleaming swordlight remained visible, heading toward the seating area of the Violet Thunder Sect. Yin Ting's uncle's eyes were wide with disbelief, blood oozing from a gaping hole in his forehead. Someone had assassinated him in broad daylight!

"Removing the cultivation base restriction, you say? Who else wants to challenge the new disciples of the Battle Sword Sect? I'm right here, waiting for all of you." The old man reappeared on the stage, and the swordlight faded. He now appeared like an ordinary elder, devoid of any discernible aura. Yet, the swiftness of his earlier attack sent shivers down everyone's spines.