First and the Last

First and the Last...

While Mo Qingcheng hadn't entered the Immortal Martial Realm herself, her heart had been tangled with anxiety ever since Qin Wentian ventured inside. Her usual emotionless facade displayed faint traces of worry, etched across her brow. As she witnessed Qin Wentian's name appear on the ranking monument, her tightly clenched fists finally relaxed, revealing palms moistened with the cold perspiration of anxiety.

The maidens from the Medicine Sovereign Valley also observed Qin Wentian's name appearing on the monument. Their eyes sparkled with newfound appreciation for him. It seemed that Mo Qingcheng's choice of a companion wasn't in vain, as he had earned a place on the monument. However, they couldn't help but wonder if he could secure a spot within the top thirty.

Glancing at Mo Qingcheng and seeing the radiant halo of happiness surrounding her, the maidens couldn't help but feel their hearts quiver. Her smile, so pure and flawless, radiated such beauty that it stirred feelings of jealousy. They silently pondered whether this was a blessing or a curse, witnessing the depth of the love their Holy Maiden held for this man.

As the Holy Maiden of the Medicine Sovereign Valley, Mo Qingcheng's beauty could captivate even the heavens themselves. She naturally attracted the attention of many, especially the younger generation of men. Their gazes frequently shifted in her direction, and her enchanting smile had left them momentarily speechless. They redirected their attention to the stone monument, curious about the name that had the power to evoke such a beautiful smile from the Holy Maiden.

This sparked a subtle pang of jealousy within them. If the Holy Maiden of the Medicine Sovereign Valley were to smile at them like that, they would gladly sacrifice everything, leaving behind no regrets in this lifetime.

Inside the Immortal Martial Realm, those present were unaware of the events unfolding outside. After Qin Wentian and his group had their names engraved on the same stone monument, they pressed on. The monuments exuded a mysterious energy, and now they had the opportunity to choose any of them and establish a connection using their will.

Qin Wentian approached the ancient monuments in the front row. These stone structures emanated a dazzling golden light and exuded a wild, majestic aura that beckoned to him. This was precisely why he decided to connect with one of these monuments.

As he immersed his consciousness into the stone monument, the golden light it emitted grew even more intense. Qin Wentian's mind merged completely with it, transporting him to another space contained within the stone.

In this vast expanse, streams of golden light adorned the sky, illuminating the entire area. These golden streams appeared to be composed of intricate runes, countless of which had gathered to form an ancient sentence. These were words of immense power that resonated with the heavens, suspended in the air, radiating brilliant light.

Qin Wentian tilted his head back, gazing up at the golden runes in the sky. The resplendent symbols trembled slightly, and a long, melodic whistle resonated through the air. A colossal golden great roc silhouette materialized, releasing a beam of runic light that enveloped Qin Wentian completely.

The runes surged into Qin Wentian's body, causing his entire form to turn golden, as if he had been crafted from pure gold. A triumphant cry escaped his beak, and he waved his wings, creating a gust of wind. He realized that he no longer had arms; instead, he possessed wings. He had transformed into a magnificent golden roc.

The ancient monument's will assimilated into his being. Now, he was the embodiment of a pure golden-winged roc. His gaze remained fixed on the ancient words in the air, which imprinted themselves into his mind, transforming into a sequence of images depicting the golden-winged roc's cultivation journey. Following these images, Qin Wentian cultivated while assuming the form of the golden-winged great roc. The golden radiance of his body intensified, his wings extended further, and his talons grew even sharper.

RUMBLE!

After a considerable pause, a deafening thunderous boom shattered the stillness, heralding the arrival of an azure dragon into Qin Wentian's ethereal realm. This dragon, wreathed in azure majesty, fixed its massive eyes upon Qin Wentian, exuding an air of formidable power.

"The Heaven Chosen of the Divine Dragon Castle, Hei Yan," murmured the experts standing on the floating bridges as they witnessed the fusion of two stone monuments, projecting two interconnected images in mid-air. This was a unique phenomenon created by the merging of these monuments.

"Hei Yan is the first to venture into another's stone monument. His initial choice is Qin Wentian, a disciple of the Battle Sword Sect, the same Qin Wentian who delivered a resounding smack to Li Hanyou of the Li Clan," remarked one of the onlookers.

"Hei Yan, being a Heaven Chosen of the Divine Dragon Castle, likely possesses formidable control over that demonic dragon. Qin Wentian may have reached the end of his journey," speculated another. The dragon's saucer-like eyes locked onto the golden-winged roc that Qin Wentian had transformed into, a sinister glint lurking within them. Hei Yan's choice to target Qin Wentian as his first opponent was evident, given the less illustrious character of the latter.

The demonic dragon coiled through the air, launching a ruthless assault on the golden-winged roc. Its thick, powerful claws surged forward to grasp the great roc.

Qin Wentian, however, maintained his icy composure, his gaze fixed on the ancient runes above. As he did so, he silently berated the azure dragon for its impetuousness.

Seeing Qin Wentian's indifference, Hei Yan's saucer-like eyes gleamed with malevolent intent. He roared in fury, "Your doom begins with this first battle. Get lost; you don't belong here!"

With these words, the demonic dragon lunged at Qin Wentian once more. Unfazed by his opponent's aggression, Qin Wentian's golden wings flickered, transforming into a streak of radiant light as he ascended into the sky, avoiding direct confrontation. His unwavering gaze remained affixed to the ancient runes, his determination to decipher their meaning unwavering. Gradually, the golden radiance of the great roc grew more intense, and even the edges of its wings emanated a razor-sharp aura.

A thunderous roar echoed through the realm as the demonic dragon relentlessly pursued Qin Wentian. Hei Yan understood that he couldn't allow Qin Wentian to decipher the runes. To gain an advantage on this path, he had to swiftly eliminate Qin Wentian. Thus, a harrowing chase unfolded within the projected images. The golden-winged great roc sustained injuries after several clashes, and the real Qin Wentian, standing before the stone monument, emitted pained groans. Despite coughing up blood after yet another confrontation, the golden-winged roc's eyes shone brightly. Its golden radiance illuminated the heavens, casting a mysterious glow across Hei Yan's gaze. He began to sense the mounting pressure, but to abandon the assault and focus on understanding the runes would mean falling behind Qin Wentian. Consequently, Hei Yan had no choice but to persist in his relentless attack.

In this pivotal moment, Hei Yan wasn't the only one engaged in combat with his chosen opponent. Several other images of ancient stone monuments materialized in the air, revealing that this test was a series of one-on-one battles.

The spectators on the floating bridges had their focus divided. While some monitored Qin Wentian's struggle, the battles of the eight era-suppressing geniuses garnered the most attention. Among them, Gu Liufeng stood out, cloaked in a silvery-white armor that enveloped his body. With the Shooting-Sun Bow in his grasp, he exuded confidence and ease, displaying an unreserved demeanor.

Gu Liufeng's adversary hailed from the Qinghua Mountain Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects in the Royal Sacred Region. Naturally, it was Gu Liufeng who had chosen this opponent. Who else would dare to face him willingly?

As he drew his bowstring, the rune-infused bow emitted a dazzling radiance, projecting a faint, ethereal shadow from his weapon. The arrow he loosed soared through space like a shooting star, beautiful and swift.

Puchi...

A crisp sound reverberated within the projected image as Gu Liufeng's arrow pierced the center of his opponent's brow. The stone monument before the fallen opponent plunged into darkness. The Heaven Chosen from the Qinghua Mountain Sect opened his eyes, his gaze filled with desolation. With a cry, he vomited fresh blood repeatedly before departing from the area.

Gu Liufeng, still standing in the realm, opened his eyes. He advanced toward another stone monument, allowing his perception to merge with it as he resumed his cultivation.

"I finally understand the rules," Fan Le whispered from the floating bridge. "They immerse their perception into the stone monument to cultivate its energy. While in that space, they can only employ the art of the stone monument they've cultivated for combat, unable to use any of their innate techniques. This levels the playing field, as everyone begins from the same starting point."

"Exactly! Only by defeating an opponent can they choose a second stone monument. Gu Liufeng must have comprehended the power of his first chosen monument completely, enabling him to defeat his opponent and subsequently select a second monument to cultivate. This will undoubtedly grant him a significant advantage," Ouyang Kuangsheng explained. If Gu Liufeng finished mastering the power from a second monument and faced another opponent, his victory would be effortless, further widening the gap between him and the slower participants.

"The stronger they are, the farther they can progress on this path, until they leave everyone else behind, becoming the sole survivor," Ye Lingshuang observed anxiously as she gazed in Qin Wentian's direction.

Although Hei Yan continued his relentless attacks on Qin Wentian, he was now powerless to pose any real threat. The golden-winged great roc grew increasingly formidable.

"He's about to counterattack," Qin Zheng announced. The onlookers witnessed the golden-winged great roc, transformed by Qin Wentian, spread its wings and soar through the heavens. Its golden plumage emitted a radiant runic light, illuminating the entire sky. The wings cleaved through space as it descended like a frenzied cyclone, appearing beneath Hei Yan. In an instant, the demonic azure dragon that Hei Yan had transformed into was cleanly severed, forcefully split into two distinct pieces.

With a forceful cough, Hei Yan expelled a stream of blood onto his stone monument, causing its once radiant light to dim and fade. He gazed at Qin Wentian with a mixture of resentment and frustration, his face contorted in an unsightly manner.

Meanwhile, Qin Wentian remained in his meditative state, his eyes closed as his perception delved deeper into his chosen stone monument. He was not alone in his cautious approach; many participants adopted a similar strategy, preferring to stay out of battles and maintain a low profile. However, as time continued to flow, the number of participants who advanced to new monuments steadily increased.

In the blink of an eye, three days had elapsed since the commencement of the test. The initial seventy-plus participants had dwindled down to a mere thirty-six.

Gu Liufeng had achieved an impressive feat, defeating three opponents in succession and now standing before his fourth monument. He was the sole individual to reach the fourth row of monuments. Spectators marveled at his prowess, with expressions of awe gracing their faces. Gu Liufeng's strategy was both daring and effective—he comprehended the power within each monument and promptly engaged in combat, emerging victorious and advancing to the next row of monuments.

Additionally, observant spectators began to notice a trend among the strongest participants. Like Gu Liufeng, they sought out battles constantly, displaying an unrelenting drive. For these peak-level geniuses, waiting for others to catch up was not an option.

This test had begun on equal footing for all participants, ensuring fairness. Those who fell behind and faced defeat had only themselves to blame.

Three days later, a peculiar sight caught the spectators' attention. To their surprise, Qin Wentian was still at the first row of stone monuments. This prompted many to wear perplexed expressions. At this point, everyone was familiar with the name 'Qin Wentian.'

Gu Liufeng was at the top of the rankings, while Qin Wentian occupied the last spot. The stark contrast in their progress puzzled onlookers.