Direct Confrontation

Eight directions, eight paths, they all surrounded the massive altar at the centre.

Supreme Ancient Altar, a structure even taller than celestial mountains, reaching into the ceiling of the cavern, incomparably massive. Apart from this, there were even strange spatial natural laws surrounding this place. That was why the decisive battles of another path would not be witnessed by people of other routes.

When the trio appeared and walked forward, they didn't attract any more attention. Their enemies from that path were dead and the other witnesses hold no desire to antagonise them. This was their reward came.

A golden drop of blood as resplendent as the sun itself came out of the void and headed straight towards Ji Bolin. That drop of blood was only as big as a small ruby yet so magnificent; it went straight into Ji Bolin's nine world Yuanfu and grafted itself onto the egg that he nurtured.

A second drop of golden blood, only ever slightly smaller than the one Ji Bolin obtained, was also summoned from the void. The droplet of blood subdivided into several many times smaller ones and each headed towards Fang Yu's slave beasts. These monsters on the brink of death due to their bloodline power consumption were being blessed.

A third drop of golden blood flew towards Cao Zhan, the smallest one yet. The blood droplet then merge with his right hand, forming a golden blood imprint onto his body. The formation genius had no beast to accept the gift so it choose the next most appropriate course of action. As of now, Cao Zhan could bless his hammer strikes with the power stored in his right hand and simultaneously familiarise himself with attribute energy to ultimately facilitates his immortal journey.

The trio could only guess what kind of surprise that golden blood would bring to them.

As the three youngsters continued to move forward, they witnessed quite a disturbance up ahead that also drew the attention of all of the young experts here. There were people of lower cultivation realm who allied and wanted to forcefully make it through.

"You, and the rest of you, who are you trying to fool? Don't think that I cannot tell that you have not step into the 9th floor of the Celestial Phenomenon realm. You still dare get in the front? Get as far from me as can be and make way for the others!" A thin lipped woman from Blood City rankers spoke.

This maiden words sharp and her face cold, her face that was still considered beautiful carried disdain and contempt.

This time, it was clearly different from the Phantom Drake Valley path. There were many 7th and 8th level ascendants, and all of them activated precious innate arts, planning to attack together, because they felt too repressed. The Fire Cloud Sect Path was being besiege by them altogether.

A scarlet clad male had blood at the corners of his lips. He held the precious ruler astral soul while coldly looking out, releasing a great pressure. He, 10th ranker of the Blood City selection, was the one resisting the army.

In his surroundings, the other individuals looked like they weren't as serious, but they were all taking precautions. They weren't looking at this group of people, but instead at the entire supreme expert crowd, searching for something.

It was clear that they had been informed about the events from the Phantom Drake Valley path and were worried that the trio who conducted a slaughter there would reappear.

When the stalemate broke and both sides were nervously confronting each other, everyone suddenly saw a youth walk forward, stepping into the scene. This type of mood was terrifyingly tense, yet he unexpectedly broke this silence.

"You, back off to the side first. Enter after we dealt with these weaklings." The blood city maiden ranker spoke, her thin lips carrying cold intent as she shot Ji Bolin a look.

"Weaklings, huh… If I want to enter, why would I need your permission to do so?" Ji Bolin didn't stop his steps, his pace unchanged as he continued forward.

"You… are a daring fellow!" The woman frowned as she looked at him.

At this moment, everyone became visibly shocked. This youth was full of confidence, unexpectedly daring to talk to the people of these two inheritances like this, not simple at all. Many of the high rankers were busy testing each path, they who held the most information were not here so these people did not recognise that Ji Bolin was from the Redcloud selection.

— SHUA! —

A streak of light flashed past. In front of the road, behind the immovable scarlet clad male's back, a young expert who looked rather nonchalant lightly moved the bone mirror in his hands.

As a result, something no one expected happened. With just this casual sway, the forehead of the youth that was walking over shone, his entire body erupting with radiance.

Everybody expected him to look like a sun god's child, wrapped around by the brilliant radiance, blood energy surging as all 9th level ascendant would. However that brilliant radiance never came and only a 'Seven' character appeared on his forehead, illuminating the ceiling above.

"Only at the 7th floor of the Celestial Phenomenon realm?!"

"Daring but that weak… Trash" the maiden coldly reacted as her lips curled in disdain.

Everyone was shocked, their expressions changing greatly. This casual illumination unexpectedly exposed that this youth was relatively quite weak, not at the forefront of strength like many of them expected. This youth should be twenty or so, a supreme genius but weak.

This didn't seem that realistic. They originally thought that he would be a top ranker of some obscure city selection, believing that this person was a supreme black horse, yet in the end… he was a meagre 7th level ascendant!

As for the other party, the other young elites were stirred on. During these past few hours, the events regarding the Netherworld Prince degree that forbade the participation of those below the 9th floor of the Celestial Phenomenon realm, had stirred up great commotion, making the crowd of young expert unable to sit still.

Who would have expected to see a person confront the degree that blatantly with their own eyes?!

"This youth is he that heaven defying! Is he going to challenge these several rankers and the scarlet clad chosen one? But where are his two companions?" The eyes of those from the Phantom Drake Valley path began to sparkle, all of them holding their breaths. Great emotions and excitement stirred within them.

The few originating from the other seven paths were left puzzled by such reactions.

Nevertheless, weirdly as time passed everyone felt all of their blood surging, feeling like they couldn't stop themselves from feeling tense. Was this youth that brilliant that it made them, the various young elites of the Northern Region of the Azure Mystic Immortal realms, shake?

As for Ji Bolin himself, he was quite cold. He looked at the ones blocking the road indifferently, especially the cold maiden and the inconspicuous youth holding his bone mirror.

Through what had happened, he knew which forces it was exactly that was targeting those of weaker strength, upholding the Netherworld Prince decree. Heavenspan selection, Blood selection, Netherworld selection, and others. They were all the most powerful, top level selections. This made his blood boil. Unknown to him, he had taken in pity these fellow geniuses.

No wonder these weaker ascendants were wronged. With these unmatched selections joining up, it truly made one's heart tremble. They really could cover the sky with their hands, concealing the truth. Luckily the Netherworld Prince and Desolate were busy accepting some supreme inheritances.

Only, he didn't know why these people didn't completely wipe out these weaker experts but only suppressed them.

"Do they have some misgivings, are they plotting something?" Ji Bolin was exceptionally calm at this moment, thinking of many things.

Could it be that the Netherworld Prince aimed at sealing the sky and earth on them after accepting the Supreme Ancient Altar blessing? That callous killing intent he felt earlier when that fellow opened his eyes briefly, was it because he held nefarious plans for them?

When he thought of this, Ji Bolin's mind violently trembled. He read countless books in his past life and more than once, a senior had hijacked the body of a junior to enter a place of inheritance and steal the show. Usually the only one to survive these types of trials was the protagonist and even this, at some great price.

Thinking up to this point, his blood began to boil even further! He had to get to the bottom of that wild guess.

"All of you back off!" Ji Bolin commanded, having these various bullied experts retreat to the side. He faced these people of the Blood Selection alone.

"Gather the others as precautions!" The cold maiden ordered with an overbearing tone. Even though they had proof that he was only a 7th level ascendant, that young fellow must have a trump card which could give him an advantage; she was worried of such things, reporting to the other routes.

There was someone who wanted to leave and send a message to the other seven paths.

"Not a single one of you should ever think about leaving!" Ji Bolin said. Even though he was of a weaker realm and younger than anyone else, when he walked up alone, there was a wave of pressure that made others' hearts tremble.

"With your low level of strength, you think you can stop others from leaving just by sputtering boastful words?" A young expert sneered, turning into a stream of light, about to leave.

— SHUA! —

Ji Bolin's body shone, Divine Punishment Garuda astral soul, growing a pair of magenta coloured lightning wings, crossing this distance. He blasted his right fist out.

Everyone's minds trembled. How fast of a speed was this? With just a flash before their eyes, they lost track of his whereabouts. How is he only a 7th level ascendant!

— HONG! —

At the same time, calamitous overflowing divine radiance surged. This was only this youth's fist illumination, yet it streaked across the sky as tendrils of lightning, shooting wildly towards his target.

This was too brilliant! This was true divine punishment.

"Ah…" The messenger young elite shouted loudly there, using divine weaponry to block this attack and used innate methods as well, but they were all still useless.

This was a supreme expert that reached the consummate level of the Celestial Phenomenon realm, as well as a heroic elite of a great sect who held an Immortal Ascension Token, yet he was blasted out like a scarecrow, and then exploded in midair.

That youth's fist was too vicious, destroying even the weaponry his enemy had obtained as reward in this path trials and blasting that same genius to pieces. This was all done by a single strike.

With a shua sound, a shadow flickered. He stood in the battlefield again, the corners of his clothes dancing about. His eyes were clear, his lightning wings were folded, his body surrounded by calamitous radiance, as if he had never left this place.

This type of method shocked everyone!

— CHI! —

The immovable scarlet clad male took action. He brought out his precious ruler astral soul from the 7th heavenly layer. A streak of scarlet hued multicoloured light moved through the air, illuminating the ages.

This ruler shaped astral soul was too special. It was so massive and from the 7th heavenly layer, its power would be boundless. The power attribute energy that it produced granted the scarlet clad youth unmatched physical strength, one that would allow him to suppress the nine hells with his physique alone. Normally speaking, it was almost unmatched here.

At the same time, the disdainful maiden also took action. Her palm shone with multicoloured light as her astral soul of the 7th heavenly layer was brought forth. It was a rope made up from a Flood Dragon tendon. The rope could seemingly extend indefinitely and seal everyone the maiden desired.

"Immortal Binding Art!" the maiden cried out with dominance.

This was by no means just another ordinary astral soul either, just as the scarlet clad youth ruler this astral soul was one of a kind and extremely potent. The maiden had even learnt some powerful innate art in the Gorge. Even though it could not display the might of binding immortal due to her low cultivation realm, it could still be considered an almost supreme move!

That cold maiden alongside the scarlet clad youth were true top rankers, coming here to be tempered in trial and blood. These two movements in action made the young experts of all sides feel fear. These top rankers were truly that much more powerful than the rest?

What also shocked them was how these two needed to truly exert themselves to try to kill the youth whose body released calamitous light. It was clear that they feared that something unexpected would happen. Could it be that this youth was a true demon-level character on par with Desolate and the enigmatic Netherworld Prince in terms of talent?

At the same time, others took action as well. There were a few individuals that rushed over from all sides to provide assistance.

— DANG! —

In Ji Bolin's surroundings, calamitous lightning bolts were everywhere, surging with endless mighty radiance. It was as if waves of divine punishment were rising and falling, expressing the wrath of the heavens. After tens of successive clashes, they stopped the scarlet precious ruler.

At the same time, with his limbs transformed into those of a kingly macaque, he bare-handedly caught the Immortal Binding Rope. Within his palm, the rope produced corrosive energy which seeped into his body and battled an undying force that aimed to preserve Ji Bolin.

"Kill!"

A great battle began. The group of people attacked Ji Bolin, but he didn't retreat half a step, instead welcoming these two supreme geniuses blows. He pressed forward with unmatched valiance, fighting a great battle against them.

Meanwhile, within his body, figures shot out one after another, fast to the extreme. Those were incarnations, avatars who caught up to the new individuals that had just left for the distance.

— PU! —

Simple and tyrannical, the auras of Ji Bolin's incarnations promised misfortune and harm to mountains and rivers, their mights heaven overflowing. Their opponents were blasted through one after another with staff strikes, exploding in mid-air. A rain of blood scattered down.

The crowd of experts' eyes were brimming with astonishment.

The ones being bullied previously had their eyes filled with relief. Just now, their hearts were sullen, suffering great humiliation. Now, someone came out for them, unleashing such a great slaughter, pushing ahead unstoppably, making their blood surge within them.

"Supreme geniuses are being pushed back?!"

The nearby young experts were alarmed. There were at least a hundred of them, and all of them were stupefied. These two represented the extreme geniuses with astral souls from the 7th heavenly layer, they were meant to be unmatched here excluding some obvious outliers!

Yet in the end, this person stopped them, moreover in an extremely unflustered manner as he slaughtered forward.

— HONG! —

Ji Bolin's free fist smashed outwards endlessly, directly landing blow after blow on the blood-colored precious ruler, blasting it apart. The incarnation of the astral soul of the scarlet clad youth being brutally crushed enraged him. He turned into a streak of blood-colored lightning towards the 7th level ascendant, almost killing his own allies on the spot.

— Ziiiiiiiii! —

Electricity erupted endlessly from Bolin's palm, turning into a tendrils of calamity, colliding with that Immortal Binding Rope. Divine punishment erupted endlessly, blasting it until it released wailing sounds, as if draconic cries were shaking the nine heavens.

In the distance, the crowd of young experts from all different selections were shocked. This youth actually had such power! It wasn't that the supreme incarnations of these two weren't enough, but rather that this youth was too formidable! He was an outstanding talent among ascendants!

Supreme incarnations against this supreme youth, even if they had one or two more, it would still not be enough. The youth's hair danced about, his eyes releasing divine punishment electricity. At this moment, calamitous energy surged into the heavens, roiling like a sea.

Ji Bolin was just a single person, yet his might seemed to have oppressed heaven and earth, suppressed the world, overlooking all enemies!

— HONG! —

The scarlet clad youth clashed with Ji Bolin as he was this time ensnared by the cold maiden immortal rope and immobilised. The scarlet youth smashed forward using another massive scarlet ruler. This time Bolin was blasted flying again, releasing a light cry.

An unimaginable amount of force shook his body, breaking his bones and crushing his internal organs. He was still inside the bindings of the Immortal binding rope and its corrosive energy aimed at intruding into his wounds but how could he allow that.

His undying attribute energy rampaged as it battled the corrosive attribute energy whilst mending his wounds. Ji Bolin howled to the nine hells like a true devil king. Anyone who heard his howl was thrown into a mirage where they experienced their greatest joys and fears.

The scarlet clad youth who came to deliver another blow was the nearest and bore the full brunt of that soul hypnosis. He fell down the skies like a broken kite as he battled the mirage inwardly. The cold maiden also staggered behind him because of the howl.

Bolin made use of that little breather to break free from the immortal binding rope. With a raise of his hand, calamitous radiance collapsed the void. He blasted out an extremely powerful fist towards the barely out of trance scarlet clad youth.

"Ah…"

This heroic youth expert, the scarlet clad man that was ranked in the forefront of the blood city selection, even while using the supreme incarnation of his Hell Suppressing Ruler astral soul, couldn't protect himself. The precious ruler flew outwards in pieces, and he coughed out large amounts of blood.

Hu…

The wind caused by the fist swept about. Half of the scarlet youth body split apart. The young macaque king whose entire body erupted with calamitous radiance as he wielded his own weapon incarnation pressed forward, once again striking outwards.

Dong, Heaven and earth rumbled!

The scarlet clad hero was blasted apart, his mind and soul destroyed with a last staff strike. As for the precious ruler astral soul, it dimmed before thoroughly bursting into pieces, expectedly accompanying its wielder in annihilation.

Ji Bolin with his body barely held up together by fusing with his Zhuyan astral soul and undying attribute energy turned around, staring at that woman.

"Move together, kill him!" The Blood City female screamed.

Right now, she was truly scared. Not even exceptional talents, young supreme beings of a race could be this strong, right? Only monsters like Desolate and the Netherworld Prince could be that fearsome yet here she was.

Even her astral soul from deep within the 7th heavenly had minimal effect, unable to truly give her an advantage over the other party.

This left her feeling terrified, completely lacking her previous arrogance. Her harsh expression was replaced by fear.

— ZHONG! —

Calamitous staff rained down everywhere, overwhelming the never-ending Immortal Binding Rope as it danced around her. Then at last forcibly expunging it.

Pu!

Immediately after, Ji Bolin's hand swiped around wielding an incarnation of the Calamity Staff. The staff was an exceptionally heavy blade, blunt and resplendent. That woman's head blew out into a red mist, her headless corpse left with a large amount of blood gushing out. A brief instant later, her headless corpse collapsed onto the ground.

Ji Bolin walked over, his entire body shining as it tried to mend all of its wounds as fast as possible, his fists reaching flesh and palms seeing blood. The heroic rankers of two powerful selections were killed one after another, all of them mercilessly slaughtered.

Fist radiance overflowed into the heavens, Calamitous energy like nebulous waves. Ji Bolin stood on the battlefield alone, corpses resting all around him. Everyone was killed, blood dying this path red.

Then, a rain of light surged, and these bodies disappeared. The Fire Cloud Path quaked strongly.

Several tens of hundreds of young elites were in silence, all of them stunned, their souls trembling. What kind of power was this at only the 7th floor of the Celestial Phenomenon realm?

In the distance, the big names such as the Beiming cousins of the Darknorth selection were trembling. This individual could actually do this! Even supreme incarnations made via some great secret art were virtually useless, unable to stop him at all!

Ji Bolin released a cold yet worried glance towards the distance. Atop the Supreme Ancient Altar, the Netherworld Prince alongside Xu Nu sensed his gaze but ignored it. However the crowd of young elites could not be that nonchalant. They were all shocked. What was this young fellow trying to do? Could it be that he was going to challenge them?

"Killed them well!" The previously bullied ascendants snapped back, their blood surging, crying out loudly.

This place erupted with previously unseen commotion as the Fire Cloud Path produced its rewards.

Why had this crowd of bullied ascendants been so courageous? Why had the unfettered Bolin been so enraged for their sake? Why was the Blood city selection that crazy to uphold the Netherworld Prince decree? This was all under the influence of that trial.

The rewards appeared from the void just as last time; a precious ruler made up of bones along a few zhang long rope also made of bones. Fortunately, these were not human bones or Ji Bolin would not have known how to react.

These two weapons were without any shred of a doubt immortal weapons modelled after the astral souls of these two. How heaven-defying those eight paths were!

Ji Bolin, having collected his rewards, walked forward. As he approached that magnificent Supreme Ancient Altar, behind him the Beiming Cousins also came. On his left side from another path, Cao Zhan emerged and then a few moments later, Fang Yu appeared out of another path.

These five were approaching the ancient altar steadily when they were suddenly forcefully warped onto it.

Everyone in the distance was shaken up. Those powerful selections, all of their rankers had been killed, unable to ever pass this trial?

This was too crazy!