Eve of the Decisive Battle
Eve of the Decisive Battle
Within the enigmatic Immortal Martial Realm, the battles on the floating bridges had come to a temporary halt. Numerous onlookers decided to descend, eager to witness the impending final showdown from a closer vantage point.
Only a handful of grand clashes remained before the ultimate rankings would be unveiled, and the tension in the air was palpable.
Quickly, a significant portion of the spectators made their way down from the bridges, positioning themselves nearer to the path of the stone monuments. Out of the initial participants who entered the Immortal Martial Realm, a mere 20% remained, a stark reminder of the trials and tribulations faced within this unforgiving realm. The staggering 80% who had succumbed to its various challenges painted a grim picture of its ruthlessness.
The Immortal Martial Realm had once again become a graveyard for the elite talents of the Royal Sacred Region. Those who fell within its confines became mere stepping stones, paving the way for those whose names now adorned the ranking monument to ascend to greater heights. These names seemed to exude an aura of bloodshed, a testament to the countless souls who had met their demise within the realm's boundaries.
Di Shi sensed the weight of numerous gazes upon him, and his expression grew increasingly somber and menacing. While the spectators on the floating bridges hadn't been able to discern this earlier due to the distance, the current atmosphere was suffused with an overwhelming sense of bloodlust. Among the eight era-suppressing geniuses, Di Shi was the only one not ranked within the top ten. This made him the center of attention in a most uncomfortable way.
On any ordinary day, Di Shi would have been unfazed by the scrutiny he received. After all, he was accustomed to being the focus of attention wherever he went. But today, under these circumstances, he found the stares unbearable, each one like a sharp blade piercing his soul. Many averted their eyes when confronted by his oppressive aura, as if anticipating a thunderstorm to descend at any moment.
Di Shi turned his gaze toward the other spectators, and the first faces he encountered were those of his fellow members from the esteemed Di Clan. Faint traces of disappointment lingered in their eyes, causing a sharp pang in Di Shi's heart. He recalled a crucial detail at this moment: the elders of the Supreme Di Clan had expressed their intention to personally visit the Immortal Martial City. They wished to witness Di Shi's name shining brilliantly on the ranking monument outside the Immortal Martial Realm.
He dared not imagine how disappointed the clan's elders would be when they discovered that he, Di Shi, hadn't even secured a spot in the top ten. Furthermore, the recent loss of his younger brother, Di Yu, was a crushing blow. Di Yu had been groomed as a future leader by the Supreme Di Clan and would have replaced Di Shi among the eight era-suppressing geniuses once Di Shi reached the Celestial Phenomenon realm.
Now, all those aspirations lay shattered, thanks to Qin Wentian.
"Mhm?" Di Shi's eyes narrowed as he spotted Fan Le and his companions. His murderous intent surged intensely. This group had been involved in the conflict with Di Yu, ultimately leading to his brother's tragic demise. How could they have the audacity to appear before him now? It seemed they had a death wish.
Fan Le and his companions stood confidently at the forefront, not anticipating the venomous look Di Shi shot their way. Ye Lingshuang, though slightly concerned, wasn't too worried. Her rapport with her senior brother, Duan Han, was strong. Thus, as soon as their group descended from the bridge, she led them over to Duan Han's side, prepared for any unexpected scenarios.
Yet, Ye Lingshuang's expression swiftly shifted from mild concern to shock. She witnessed Di Shi hurtling toward them with unstoppable force. His radiance intensified, and a dreadful malevolence surged from him. His body resembled a fierce, primordial bird of prey, transforming into a tempest that swept through space. Those in his path hastily dodged, throwing themselves out of harm's way. Those unable to escape in time were forcefully pushed aside, coughing up blood from the impact.
In the blink of an eye, Di Shi breached the space, landing directly before Fan Le and his group. Duan Han, having spotted him, slashed out with his sword, causing the skies to darken. Within this obscurity, Di Shi's radiant presence grew even more defiant, as his palms erupted with terrifying predatory birds, intent on tearing Duan Han's sword strike asunder.
"Not good," Ye Lingshuang's countenance abruptly changed. At the eighth level of the Heavenly Dipper realm, she had momentarily forgotten that Di Shi's cultivation had advanced within the Immortal Martial Realm.
The sword of darkness raged forward, as if it aimed to cleave the very night in twain. But then, Di Shi's body manifested multiple incarnations that simultaneously burst forth, obliterating everything in their path. This power was cultivated from one of the stone monuments, and Di Shi could wield it directly in battle.
BOOM!
Duan Han was sent hurtling, striking terror into the hearts of onlookers. Di Shi was on the cusp of exacting his revenge.
"DIE!" Di Shi bellowed coldly. At that moment, several of his incarnations surged toward Fan Le and his group, their faces contorted in despair. There was no doubt that they would perish under this assault! Before Di Shi, resistance seemed futile.
Di Shi, the era-suppressing genius, retained his formidable prowess. Despite his defeat on the path of the monuments, there was no questioning his immense power. With his cultivation now at the eighth level, he scarcely had any peers in the Heavenly Dipper Realm throughout the entire Royal Sacred Region.
On the other side, Ji Feixue and Lou Bingyu had noticed Di Shi's attack and raced over at their utmost speed. While it seemed they would arrive soon, they were clearly unable to reach in time. They trailed behind Di Shi, leaving them incapable of intercepting his attack hurtling toward Ye Lingshuang and her companions.
"DI SHI!" Ji Feixue bellowed in anger, and a sword beam streaked across the sky, slicing through the void.
BOOM!
Di Shi's attack landed, but its impact wasn't as overwhelming as one might expect. A stunning silhouette appeared out of nowhere, countering the force of his strike. This celestial-like figure caused hearts to race as she revealed herself—none other than Lin Xian'er, who had intercepted Di Shi's attack.
Despite Di Shi pouring all his strength and anger into that strike, Lin Xian'er was sent flying due to her hasty defense. The impact made her cough up blood, staining her elegant dress red. Spectators winced at the sight of her injuries.
Di Shi, now at the eighth level of the Heavenly Dipper realm, displayed unparalleled dominance. Although Lin Xian'er was a Heaven Chosen, her cultivation was lower than Di Shi's, and she was injured in just one exchange. The blow sent her hurtling through the air, crashing into Ye Lingshuang, who was also gravely wounded. After all, Ye Lingshuang's cultivation was still affected by the suppression.
Fortunately, Lin Xian'er's intervention provided enough time for Ji Feixue and Lou Bingyu to arrive. They unleashed merciless attacks, forcing Di Shi to shift his focus to defending against them.
A fierce battle erupted among the three. Despite Ji Feixue's improved cultivation, he had yet to reach the eighth level. As era-suppressing geniuses, the power gap became evident in their attacks. Di Shi's strikes were violent and filled with baleful energy, leaving Ji Feixue and Lou Bingyu primarily on the defensive. Duan Han joined the fray, but even their combined efforts struggled to hold back Di Shi.
"Cease your hostilities," a cold voice commanded, cutting through the chaos. A white-robed envoy soared into the sky, eyeing them with a stern gaze. "Anyone who dares to fight here and disrupt the participants' comprehension on the path of the monuments will be dealt with ruthlessly."
Reluctantly, Di Shi and the others halted their battle. His cold eyes scanned Ji Feixue, Fan Le, and the rest as he spoke icily, "The Royal Sacred Region is vast, but it will never have a place for any of you."
"Arrogant," Ji Feixue's voice dripped with steel, his sword energy palpable.
"In this generation of Battle Sword Sect members, there may be no one who can stop me from killing those I desire to kill," Di Shi responded coldly, pointing at Ji Feixue in an overwhelmingly arrogant manner.
The members of the Battle Sword Sect paled, but Ye Lingshuang's voice broke through, "Don't forget how you were defeated earlier. If Wentian could defeat you here, he can surely do it outside in the future."
"Is that so? I'll eagerly await his demise," Di Shi retorted, his gaze laser-focused on Qin Wentian, who was still engrossed in comprehending the power within the stone monument he had chosen. Unaware of the recent events, Qin Wentian remained in a state of deep concentration, completely absorbed in this unique opportunity.
Before entering the Immortal Martial Realm, Qin Wentian had already honed his skills in the Great Dream Immortal Art and become proficient in the Mandate of Dreamsleep. The power within the stone monument he had chosen was the ability to manifest one's Mandate through their eyes, creating a dreamscape so potent that it could ensnare others, making them believe in the illusion as if it were reality. It was a terrifying art, one that Qin Wentian sensed could potentially create a dreamscape rivaling the one he had experienced in the Royal Tomb of Grand Xia, trapping his foes in a nightmarish realm from which they couldn't awaken.
As time flowed on within the Immortal Martial Realm, it became impossible to gauge how long the participants had been inside. Among the final four, Qin Wentian remained on the fifth row, while the other three had progressed to the sixth row. As the imminent final battle approached, they all desired a deeper understanding of the power within the stone monuments they had chosen. Once their focus shifted away from a monument, their comprehension rate would dramatically slow.
The first battle finally erupted when Li Tian challenged Hua Taixu. For Li Tian, there was no choice but to win this match; failure meant he couldn't advance to the seventh row of stone monuments. The other three participants had more flexibility in their decisions.
Li Tian's defeat solidified the top three rankings, shedding light on the enigmatic Hua Taixu. The formerly low-profile Qin Wentian and the mysterious Hua Taixu, much like Gu Liufeng, emerged as the major victors in this batch of participants. When the rankings were unveiled, they would undoubtedly send shockwaves throughout the Royal Sacred Region.
Now, Gu Liufeng and Hua Taixu were on the seventh row of stone monuments, focusing their efforts on comprehending the power within their chosen stones. The battle to determine their rankings could wait.
Qin Wentian, on the other hand, moved to the sixth row and selected a stone monument radiating a potent sword intent. His choice was made without hesitation, as it perfectly complemented his martial Mandate.
Inside the stone monument, Qin Wentian gazed at the ethereal sky. There were no intricate runic inscriptions teaching him grand sword techniques, nor were there awe-inspiring sword arts capable of rending the heavens. Instead, he felt a subtle sword qi emanating from a solitary figure hovering in mid-air. This figure conveyed the notion that humans were, in essence, the masters of the sword. The sword aura in the air didn't stem from the figure's weapon but from the figure itself. This sword qi wasn't a product of the Mandate of the Sword; it was a pure, unadulterated understanding of the sword.
"To attain such a realm, one's Mandate of Sword must have reached the pinnacle of the second level. Moreover, a mere thought from that person can materialize a sword," Qin Wentian contemplated silently as he immersed himself in comprehension.
As the final battle approached, a hushed stillness enveloped the path of the monuments. The silence persisted, but the spectators displayed remarkable patience. They stood there in anticipation, poised for the imminent and decisive final showdown!