Chapter 428: Chapter 428 The Youngest One
Zhou Xuanji walked out of the guestroom, and Emissary Li Qing was already waiting outside.
“Go ahead,” he looked at Zhou Xuanji and said, “you are on your own now.”
The other ascended disciples of the Divine Cliff flew into the sky and leaped down into the clouds.
Zhou Xuanji nodded and immediately came into the cloudy mist with his Eight-step Sword Lunge before dashing downwards swiftly.
Shwoooosh!
Someone overtook him with a much faster speed.
He glanced over and saw Mo Yuhe. Of course, he had yet to know Mo Yuhe.
Hundreds of ascenders gathered in the vast Mysterious Tribulation Crater. Some grouped together, while others stood alone.
At one glance from the sky, it was difficult to notice the loners.
Zhou Xuanji did not fly toward the other disciples of the DIvine Cliff. He landed on a huge boulder and sat down casually.
What happened yesterday had already produced some friction with his fellow disciples, so he did not bother to group up with them.
The ascenders landed one after another. Whispers could be heard all around, while there were bursts of laughter occasionally. They seemed very excited.
Zhou Xuanji looked up and saw the cloud sea part. People from each faction stood above the clouds along with the Dao Heaven Sect disciples and looked down at them.
This scene reminded him of the colosseum.
And he was one of the beasts.
Zhou Xuanji shook his head with a smile and stopped overthinking.
He continued to internalize Qi and stored more magic energy into the Tianxia Map.
Half an hour later.
All the ascenders arrived at the Mysterious Tribulation Crater. There were over 1,300 people altogether, and all of them were Heavenly Revolution Golden Immortals.
“This Ascender Examination has only two rules. The first is to gather Earth Core Crystals. The second is to eliminate other ascenders. The longer you persevere, the better your results will be. The eliminated will be disqualified without accounting for the number of Earth Core Crystals collected. The ranking of those who remain will be determined by how many Earth Core Crystals they have.”
“The duration of this examination is a month. Meanwhile, I will project your battles into the air for everyone to observe.”
The majestic voice resounded, and these words shocked many ascenders.
If everyone could see their performance, then they could not use schemes that were too devious.
Of course, they might make a fool of themselves too.
“From now on, you can go into the underground and start collecting Earth Core Crystals.”
The majestic voice continued to speak, but no one knew where it was coming from.
All the ascenders rushed into the crevice in the ground and valleys, charging toward the underground’s deeper regions.
Zhou Xuanji was in no hurry.
Instead of collecting Earth Core Crystals himself, it was better to let them collect before snatching from them.
Soon, only he was left on the ground.
A commotion broke out among the people amidst the clouds.
“Who is that? Is he scared?”
“Seems like a core disciple of the Divine Cliff, Ji Xuan, who subdued Shi Shenzong.”
“Tsk tsk. The final victor will definitely be Mo Yuhe.”
“That’s not for sure. Gu Moyuan from the Buddha Ghost Sect is not bad either.”
“Make a bet, which sect’s disciple will kill first?”
Zhou Xuanji ignored the commotion above. A while later, he turned into a stream of sword light and entered the crevice on the ground.
After he disappeared, a layer of golden radiance cupped over the Mysterious Tribulation Crater. It was a magic formation to prevent anyone from cheating.
Zhou Xuanji shuttled swiftly in the crevices. He found out that he was in a labyrinth that could lead to all directions underneath the ground. All the crevices and valleys were connected.
Two cultivators in front of him had already started fighting. Zhou Xuanji circled around him and continued full-speed ahead toward the underground.
At this moment, he turned into a gust and traveled at extreme speed.
Soon, he found a cave that had no one inside and began cultivating in it.
Meanwhile, projections about every ascender were projected into the sky above the Mysterious Tribulation Crater.
Some were diving as fast as they could, some engaged in fierce battles, while others hid and waited for opportunities to strike.
Zhou Xuanji was not conspicuous at all.
The most eye-catching one was Mo Yuhe. This guy was not eager to search for Earth Core Crystals but was pursuing other ascenders to strike them down. Those that encountered him began fighting without any words or hesitation.
The Sovereign Demon Sect’s elder, Guan Hong, was laughing loudly at what was happening. He paid no regard to how the others were thinking.
Seeing that their own disciples were killed, the other sects could only bury the anger in their hearts.
In the taoist temple located on the highest floating island, an old man was lighting incense.
He was the Dao Heaven Sect Lord, Taichu Yudao.
Li Zhangqi walked to his back and said with formality, “Senior Apprentice Brother, the examination has begun. Are there any instructions ?”
Taichu Yudao turned around. He wore a white robe and looked like he’s been through life’s vicissitudes. “Nothing,” he said with an amiable smile, “just prevent each sect’s powerful cultivators from messing with the examination.”
Although he looked extremely weak and was about to die, he was actually one of the Center God Province’s giants.
He was unparalleled in divine abilities and was honored as the most powerful immortal god.
“Senior Apprentice Brother, who do you think will win?”
Li Zhangqi asked curiously. This was a very important matter so that he could befriend the sect that the victor came from.
Taichu Yudao glanced at him and chuckled, “The youngest one will win.”
Li Zhangqi was stunned.
The youngest one?
Most cultivators were at least 5,000 years old and above. How would he know the specific age?
Must he go and ask one by one?
Even the elders in different sects might not know their own disciples’ age.
Taichu Yudao smiled as he stroked his long beard. “This will be a very spectacular examination.”
Li Zhangqi was even more confused.
It was the first time he had heard such words from his senior apprentice brother.
…
Time passed quickly.
Seven days later, more than 400 cultivators were eliminated.
The undulating sounds of battle were still going on ceaselessly underground, and Zhou Xuanji was growing sick of them.
This day.
He got up slowly and took out the Ghost Emperor Extreme Abyss to begin his hunt.
He swooped down swiftly.
Soon, he encountered an ascender.
He was a very powerful ascender at the Sixth Revolution Golden Immortal and was also on the hunt. When he saw Zhou Xuanji, he charged over immediately.
He wore black armor with unkempt long hair. With one spear in each hand, the cape at his back seemed to be burning with a fiery flame.
Zhou Xuanji immediately used the Ten Thousand Ultimate Steps and cut down his right arm. Blood spilled into the underground abyss.
“How can it be!”
The black-armored ascender was shocked in his soul. Just when he was about to turn around, the Ghost Emperor Extreme Abyss penetrated his chest.
Boooom!
Zhou Xuanji pressed him against the mountain wall. Stepping on his shoulders, Zhou Xuanji looked down on him with fearsome eyes.
“Give me all your Earth Core Crystals, or you shall die.”
The black-armored ascender immediately understood that he could not stand against Zhou Xuanji, so he took out his identity token and crushed it.
But Zhou Xuanji was even faster. He snatched the token over and threw it into the abyss.
“You…” the ascender opened his eyes wide and cursed.
Zhou Xuanji activated World Internalization and began absorbing his magic energy, which caused him to shut up immediately out of fear. Beads of cold sweat covered his body.
Taking out six Earth Core Crystals, he immediately handed them over to Zhou Xuanji.
These crystals were not uniform in size. Each one looked like stones with lava.
Zhou Xuanji took out the sword and pierced into the black-armored ascender. “Do you have more?” He asked.
“Yes, I have a lot more,” the ascender answered instinctively.
The next second, he was horrified.
Zhou Xuanji looked at him with a cold smile. This frightened the ascender to take out 20 more Earth Core Crystals.
“Anymore?”
“Of course… what’s happening?”
The black-armored ascender took out another eight crystals.
“Anymore?” Zhou Xuanji said with a mocking smile.
The black-armored ascender was silent. Zhou Xuanji immediately increased the rate of World Internalization, and the frightened ascender immediately took out two more.