The Remaining Four

The Remaining Four . . .

As time flowed by, the energy consumption rate of those who remained within the illusion-scape continued to rise. These were the experts who could still endure the relentless assault of the monstrous beasts. Those who couldn't withstand the pressure had already been eliminated.

Six hours had passed, and only a little over a hundred participants were left within the illusion-scape.

Among this surviving group, those positioned on the ninth peak were present, along with the majority from the eighth peak. The rest were participants from the seventh peak. As for those on the sixth peak and below, not a single one had managed to hold on.

The immortal mountain peaks served as a test of one's affinity, the very foundation of all stellar martial cultivators. Those with strong affinity might not necessarily be powerful, but those with weak affinity would certainly struggle to achieve greatness.

"My judgment was correct. This person's constellation is like an abyss of destruction, with the ability to devour everything, completely engulfing the monstrous beasts that charge at him," Deepflame observed, his eyes locked on the first participant who ascended to the ninth peak. Known as Blackpeak, he possessed a unique and formidable constellation. Darkness enveloped everything, with destructive power capable of consuming all in its path. It was truly terrifying.

"The constellations of these four are all exceptional. Take a look at the constellation of the third participant who ascended," remarked some of the experts, directing their gaze toward the third young man to reach the ninth peak. At this moment, a formidable baleful aura emanated from him. Yet he was entirely enveloped in a blade-like screen of light. Any monstrous beasts that ventured too close were obliterated instantly.

"The second young man is quite impressive as well. Ten thousand swords hang suspended beneath his constellation, exerting immense pressure. Although we can't feel it directly, the force must be extraordinary. At the very least, among those of the same level, he appears unrivaled. Let's not forget, his cultivation is only at the first level of Celestial Phenomenon, and this might very well be the first constellation he has condensed," commented some of the immortal kings as they took note of Qin Wentian. These four individuals who had ascended the ninth peak stood out prominently, capturing the attention of everyone.

However, these immortal king figures had their own preferences, leading to varying opinions about these four individuals. Deepflame and Bai Wuya, for instance, had their own favorites.

"On the eighth peak, there are a few individuals who are quite impressive as well. Take a look at the young man in white; he's also at the first level of Celestial Phenomenon, and his constellation is rather unique," added a golden-eyed immortal king, his gaze fixed on one of the participants on the eighth mountain peak.

"Yes, it's remarkably powerful—an illusion-scape constellation. He's the only one who doesn't rely on direct attacks to persevere. Within the boundaries of his constellation, countless incarnations of himself exist, yet his true body remains concealed. The endless tide of monstrous beasts can attack all they want, but their senses are already compromised, making it impossible for them to harm him."

"Perhaps his enormous constellation is the ultimate illusion. His true form has never been revealed, and the endless horde of monstrous beasts is ensnared within his illusion-scape like headless flies. It's exceedingly rare and incredibly difficult for a first-level Celestial Phenomenon ascendant to condense such a constellation."

"Myriad Incarnations Immortal King, I believe it's time to intensify the attacks of the monstrous beasts so we can determine the outcome sooner," Deepflame remarked, his gaze fixed on the female immortal king, who still had her eyes closed. He was eager to see who would endure the longest.

The female immortal king nodded slightly, and moments later, the assaults from the lava beasts grew even more relentless.

In this pivotal moment, only a hundred resilient participants remained standing. The coveted top hundred spots had already been claimed, yet the immortal kings seemed far from satisfied. With the Eastern Sage Great Emperor's intention to select a disciple, it was only natural to continue until the most exceptional individual emerged. The path to discipleship with the Eastern Sage Great Emperor was no mere stroll; it required a display of unrivaled talent through a series of arduous trials.

Among these participants, there were several promising candidates who had caught the eye of immortal kings, some of whom were even considering taking on disciples themselves. If their chosen protege didn't align with the emperor's preference, they were prepared to seize the opportunity to secure their own disciple.

Lu Ziyan had reached her limit, securing the 97th place, while Zai Xuan, with a ranking of 73, had also decided to step down. Their gazes shifted to Qin Wentian, who continued to endure the trial, and their expressions revealed a mix of emotions.

Zai Xuan wore a naturally discontented look. His initial plan had been to exploit this opportunity to eliminate Qin Wentian by rallying experts from the Royal Sacred Sect to encircle him. Unfortunately for him, he was the sole representative from the sect who had managed to break into the top hundred.

As time passed, participants on the seventh peak were gradually eliminated, leaving only fifteen contenders on the eighth peak. Remarkably, all four participants on the ninth peak still stood strong.

"The strength of the monstrous beasts has increased," whispered those who had been eliminated as they watched from the sidelines. These surviving participants were no ordinary talents; they were akin to demons in their own right. The fact that they had persevered for so long was a testament to their unparalleled prowess. The question now lingered: if they were to engage in combat among themselves, who among them would emerge victorious?

Unaware of the situation outside, Qin Wentian and the others shared a single conviction. Since this trial was personally administered by an immortal king expert, it was undoubtedly fair. The level of punishment they endured must surely be uniform for all participants.

Therefore, their focus remained fixed on prolonging their endurance in this crucible of challenges.

At this juncture, Qin Wentian continued to draw upon the astral energy within the Yuan Meteor Stones. However, his absorption rate fell short of countering his energy expenditure. In a martial clash among stellar cultivators, techniques consumed astral energy as their foundation.

"The attacks from the lava monstrous beasts have intensified," Qin Wentian noted. Nevertheless, even with their current attack strength at the second level of Celestial Phenomenon, these lava beasts could not withstand his Sword Slaughter Constellation. The moment they approached his constellation, they experienced overwhelming suppression that crushed them to pieces.

"These five young talents are truly remarkable. Despite the escalated ferocity of the monstrous beasts' onslaught, their constellation attacks continue to hold them at bay," the Scarce Moon Immortal King remarked with a smile. Among the participants, the four on the ninth peak and one on the eighth peak garnered the most attention. Their combat prowess was exceptional, and if the Eastern Sage Great Emperor indeed sought a disciple here, it was highly likely that the chosen one would hail from this extraordinary quintet.

"Indeed, not bad at all," chimed in another immortal king, mulling over whom the Eastern Sage Great Emperor might favor. The variety of opinions reflected the distinct judgments each immortal king held. For an immortal king like the Eastern Sage, he wouldn't be overly concerned about selecting a disciple, as long as the participants possessed remarkable talent. Ultimately, it came down to his personal preferences. If he took a liking to someone, that individual would have the honor of becoming his disciple.

As time flowed on, the lava monstrous beasts grew even more formidable, prompting several participants to gracefully bow out. Yet the five standouts remained steadfast, unyielding as the mightiest mountain.

Que Tianyi's constellation took the form of countless moons, emanating an icy aura that enveloped him protectively, keeping the monstrous beasts at bay.

Blackpeak was the first to ascend the ninth immortal mountain peak, his abyssal powers consuming and devouring all in their path.

Qin Wentian followed as the second to ascend the ninth peak. The sword might that cascaded from his Sword Slaughter Constellation carried enough crushing force to annihilate all it touched.

Yi Yang claimed the third spot on the ninth peak, his constellation resembling a formation of hellblades.

Besides these four on the ninth peak, one participant on the eighth peak stood out brilliantly. He created a powerful illusion-scape within the illusion-scape crafted by the Myriad Incarnations Immortal King. Monstrous beasts that approached him found themselves ensnared within this intricate illusion.

These two, Qin Wentian and this young man, were the Royal Sacred Region's focus. After all, they were the region's only representatives.

"Who would have thought that two of the top three rankers in the Immortal Martial Realms Ranking would be this formidable?" mused the attendees from the Royal Sacred Region. Qin Wentian, the top-ranked participant, was a living testament to his achievements, surpassing even the era-suppressing geniuses. Hua Taixu, the second ranker, while not as high-profile, displayed exceptional strength. To hold his ground against participants from the immortal realms was a remarkable feat. As for Gu Liufeng, he had vanished long ago. But if the immortal realms indeed existed, then perhaps Gu Liufeng was already embarking on his own adventures there.

These thoughts pervaded the minds of those from the Royal Sacred Region. Unexpectedly, the fifth participant who had caught the attention of the immortal kings was also a first-level Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant, ascending the eighth mountain peak. This young man happened to be none other than Hua Taixu, the Immortal Martial Realm's second-ranked contender.

He too had now achieved the Celestial Phenomenon Realm.

Deepflame, addressing the Myriad Incarnations Immortal King, suggested, "Perhaps it's time to elevate the challenges."

However, the Myriad Incarnations Immortal King shook her head gently. "There's no need for that. Let's test their determination next. I'm curious how long they can endure under these conditions."

"Sounds like a plan," Deepflame agreed.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed. Only five participants remained out of the countless stellar martial cultivators who initially stood on the mountain peaks. The attention of the experts at the banquet was undivided, entirely focused on these five exceptional individuals. Their extraordinary tenacity had left everyone awestruck.

"Next, let's see who gives in first," Deepflame declared, casting a discerning eye on the five resilient participants. The immortal kings gathered at the banquet felt their excitement rise as they fixed their gaze on these remarkable individuals. Those who had persevered until now were precisely the ones they had anticipated.

Que Tianyi radiated resplendent golden light from his astral soul. An icy, pale moon hung behind him, growing in size as it exuded a bone-chilling aura.

Yi Yang displayed incredible strength, surrounded by saber beams that formed a protective barrier, making him appear invincible.

Blackpeak, on the other hand, wielded the devastating power of the abyss, conjuring devilish flames that incinerated everything in his path.

Hua Taixu maintained his effective illusion-scape constellation, ensnaring countless monstrous beasts.

And Qin Wentian, seated cross-legged, exuded a profoundly demonic aura as the power of his bloodline coursed through him.

Another five days elapsed, and the five persevered, continuing to astonish the onlookers.

Yi Yang's furrowed his brows as the protective light around him began to flicker. Observing this, the immortal kings exchanged knowing glances. It seemed that Yi Yang might be the first to reach his limits.

As anticipated, after some time passed, Yi Yang opened his eyes, a saber glow emanating from within. He contemplated that after enduring for so long, he should secure a place within the top three, right?

"Senior, release me," Yi Yang said, his words echoing through the illusion-scape. Instantly, everything disappeared, and Yi Yang stood atop the peak, his expression a mix of disappointment and frustration.

To his astonishment, three participants were still enduring in the illusion-scape on the ninth peak.

Bai Wuya shot a subtle glance at Deepflame but remained silent. His expression conveyed his disapproval of Deepflame's judgment.

Deepflame responded to Bai Wuya's disdainful glance with a cold snort. "The one you favored resorted to using his bloodline power earlier, but Que Tianyi and the first participant didn't. It's only natural to assume they still have unrevealed trump cards."