Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Many turned their eyes at the corner where the people from the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty were seated. Zhou Ya had declared with absolute confidence that Zhou You was capable of winning, so much so that he dared to ask for Ye Futian’s opinion.
None of the students of the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty remained on the forum stage. Every single of them had been eliminated.
Zhou Ziyi and Zhou Zichao looked on with soured faces. Those who had earned Zhou Ziyi’s ire back in the Chess Saint Villa were still being able to shine on the stage of the Nine State Forum, and even Zhou You ended up severely injured by one of those people.
“Impressive.” Zhou Ya grinned all of a sudden and looked towards Ye Futian. “It seems that you know well where Yu Sheng’s powers stand among all in the nine states, Palace Lord Ye.”
“I didn’t know much before, but it was only natural I learn a thing or two after watching so many battles being fought,” Ye Futian smiled and replied.
“If that should be the case, where would you think Yu Sheng of the Holy Zhi Palace of the Barren State will end up in the event, Palace Lord Ye?” Zhou Ya asked with a sharp look in his eyes.
“Yu Sheng shouldn’t have any problems making to top ten. As for specific rankings, we’ll see,” Ye Futian answered plainly.
Zhou Ya stared at Ye Futian and then smiled. “With you being able to take over as the palace lord of the Holy Zhi Palace at such an age, there is no doubt that you’re possibly the number one among the younger generations of the Barren State. With Yu Sheng being that exceptional already, I’m sure your talent will be something of an even higher caliber. Should the opportunity presents itself, I’d love to spar with you.”
“There are many among the current generation in the Barren State who prove to be top-class geniuses. If you’d like to try your hand, I’m sure there’d be someone who’d be willing to oblige,” Gu Dongliu, who was sitting beside Ye Futian, answered.
Zhou Ya took a look at Gu Dongliu. That man had been sitting there without making a sound all the while he had been around. Upon a closer look, however, Zhou Ya nonetheless found him to be an exceptional figure, looking like a dashing scholar.
“I look forward to it,” Zhou Ya said plainly.
The Nine State Forum no longer had anything to do with the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty. They became little else than mere spectators from there on out.
Yu Sheng remained standing where he was, seemingly having no intentions of leaving. Many stared at him looking amused or troubled. Yu Sheng’s powers were of such caliber that, barring unforeseen circumstances, no one would dare to make a move against him in the next round, even if he were to step down. That would make him a sure candidate among the top ten. There was no need for him to continue challenging others.
“Do you intend to continue?” the elder at the edge of the forum stage asked Yu Sheng.
“Indeed.” Yu Sheng nodded.
“You’ll be allowed to continue if no one comes out to challenge anyone in three seconds.” The elder then added, “Starting now.”
Many counted silently as soon as the elder finished.
Three seconds were brief moments.
Many at the forum stage continued to look at Yu Sheng. Who does he intend to challenge?
“You may continue,” the elder declared. No one stepped forward, and according to the rules, Yu Sheng was allowed to continue issuing challenges.
“Hua Yunshu of Xihua Sacred Mountain of the Eastern State,” Yu Sheng said slowly, making many freeze. Yu Sheng challenged the number one noble of Xihua Sacred Mountain, as well as the only remaining participant from a sacred ground in the Eastern State: Hua Yunshu.
While Yaya was also from the Eastern State, she was not a member of any sacred grounds.
Even the pupils of the elder who hosted the event contracted as he took a look at Yu Sheng. The elder was someone from the Xihua Sacred Mountain.
“Hua Yunshu.” Many at the grandstands stared at the stout figure standing on the forum stage. Yu Sheng would have been able to make it to the next round without having to do anything, yet he just challenged the strongest person from the Eastern State. Is he nuts or something?
The Sky Saint looked amused. Everyone from all over the nine states knew how Xihua Sacred Mountain treated the people from the Barren State before the event began. None from the other eight states paid any heed to the ones from the Barren State. The host of that year’s event, Xihua Sacred Mountain, did not pay heed to them as well, arranging for them to be seated at the corner for servants.
Yu Sheng was displeased and there he was. He went on to challenge Hua Yunshu before making it to top ten. It would look intriguing if Hua Yunshu was defeated.
Everyone from the Xihua Sacred Mountain looked at Yu Sheng and thought him to truly be crazy.
Hua Yunshu stepped forward and came before Yu Sheng. He did not anticipate Yu Sheng to challenge him.
The streak of miracles created by the Barren State ends here. I will eliminate everyone from the Barren State, making none of them capable of being ranked among the top ten.
“The Barren State behaved disrespectfully in many ways while participating in the Nine State Forum. We fought and learned of what the others from the other states were capable of. Finally, I’m now fortunate enough stand before the strongest student of Xihua Sacred Mountain.” Yu Sheng’s voice was serious, and his words sounded solemn. He then added, “Yu Sheng of the Holy Zhi Palace of the Barren State. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Many looked at him and found his words to be humble. They were unable to find any fault with him. However, everyone was able to sense that the humility belied his unruly, wild emotions looking for an exit.
Yu Sheng of the Holy Zhi Palace of the Barren State was finally been able to stand at the forum stage, facing and challenging the only remaining, as well as the strongest, participant from the Xihua Sacred Mountain.
Hua Yunshu turned his eyes at Yu Sheng and said, “Hua Yunshu of Xihua Sacred Mountain. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Both finished greeting each other and lifted their heads to look at each other, sending extremely intense battle will at each other.
Hua Yunshu stepped forward and, within an instant, thunderous rumbles were heard all around them. Rock-like sheen appeared on Yu Sheng’s body as if he was about to be petrified and be made a state.
Dark golden light coursed throughout Yu Sheng’s body. A whirlpool seemed to have emerged from his body, devouring the invading powers, which was the rock-like sheen all over him, in a frenzy.
“Devouring Rules.” Hua Yunshu extended his hand, and a terrifying rocky storm whipped up in the air. Magnificent rocky mountains appeared and hovered above Yu Sheng’s head. Every single mountain felt extremely heavy, which, when combined with the power of Gravity Rules, made them capable of crushing a wide area. Even spectators who watched the battle from afar was able to sense the stifling pressure on the stage.
Yu Sheng activated his battle form. Terrifying golden lights circled around his body, making his stout battle form look like a god of war.
The mountains in the air landed heavily on him. The mountains crumbled with thunderous rumbles, but his battle form was withstanding the intensely terrifying power and shook violently.
Boom, boom, boom… One mountain after another fell onto him, pinning down Yu Sheng’s battle form and cracking it. At that moment, Hua Yunshu stepped forward, and he transformed into a mountain himself, stepping on Yu Sheng’s body.
Cracking noises were heard as cracks were seen on the Douzhan Body. Yu Sheng looked up at Hua Yunshu, who was, at the same time, looking down on him. Cracks on the Douzhan Body grew in numbers. Rocks fell onto the man below in a frenzy, burying the Douzhan Body.
In the very next moment, Hua Yunshu took to the sky and burst with his Life Spirit. Boundless power of the heavens gathered into his body and a boundlessly huge golem appeared behind him. Hua Yunshu turned to look like a god.
“Some power indeed.” Many looked at Hua Yunshu, feeling stunned. Is this what Hua Yunshu is truly capable of? This is really something indeed.
Hua Yunshu then swooped down below, lashing out with a punch powered by unbelievable powers of the heaven and the earth, like a devil, landing on the huge rocks that covered Yu Sheng’s body. A stifling noise was heard around in an instant. Crazed rocks swept all over the forum stage.
Many who did not participate in the battle, who were all standing at the edge of the stage, came to be covered in rocks, as if the aftershock itself was enough to petrify people.
“Wha…” The hearts of many raced at the scene, at the performance of the number one in the Xihua Sacred Mountain, Hua Yunshu.
The ones at the Xihua Sacred Mountain looked confident and proud. Yu Sheng might be powerful, but does he really intend to take on Hua Yunshu?
As the host of that year’s Nine State Forum, it was simply impossible for Xihua Sacred Mountain to not nurture a top-class figure for the event. Hua Yunshu had actually been able to make it into Sage Plane, but he had suppressed his plane at the pinnacle of Noble Plane nonetheless, all for that year’s Nine State Forum.
Does Yu Sheng intend to bar Hua Yunshu from being ranked among the top ten?
How is that even possible?
The rocks exploded wildly, and Yu Sheng’s battle form was seen, which shattered shortly after. Hua Yunshu charged with his fist readied to punch, bringing intense strength capable of crushing everything to bear. Yu Sheng’s body was covered with rocks as well, as if he had been turned into a statue. Hua Yunshu did not pull his punch back and kept his course instead.
Boom… A terrifying rumble was heard and the rocks on Yu Sheng’s body crumbled. That punch seemed to land on Yu Sheng’s chest like that of a god. The crumbled rocks covered him yet again, as if intending to petrify him all over. The strike should have been able to shatter a petrified person. Despite Yu Sheng’s apparently strong body, it seemed to have proven inadequate.
“How are you able to stop me?” Hua Yunshu asked proudly. His voice reverberated in their surroundings, while his eyes remained cold. He looked at Yu Sheng with extremely sharp eyes.
Time seemed to have stopped, and the hearts of many continued to race. Hua Yunshu’s proud voice reverberated in the ears of the spectators, sounding immensely arrogant.
It had been a battle to crush Yu Sheng.
The battle should have been over.
Are the ones from a sacred ground in the Barren State, who had cooked up a storm like a miracle in the event, going to meet their end right?
Time seemed to pass very slowly. The place was dead silent.
Hua Yunshu then found that Yu Sheng continued to look at him.
He frowned as he seemed to feel something from Yu Sheng’s eyes. How are his internal organs still intact?
“Is this the best you’ve got?” Yu Sheng said calmly at Hua Yunshu, who was about a foot away from him. His words, however, sounded incredibly cold in Hua Yunshu’s ears.
The hearts of the spectators pounded hard against their chests.
“Is this the best you’ve got?” He actually said something like that as if nothing happened?
What does he mean by that?
Was that attack not enough to crush his physical body?
Boom. Boundless Fossilization Rules emerged from Hua Yunshu’s fist and rushed into Yu Sheng’s body, intending to petrify all of his internal organs. At that moment, however, he sensed a terrifying devouring power. Yu Sheng’s body seemed to have turned into a frightening whirlpool, devouring Hua Yunshu’s power of rules. The whirlpool turned increasingly intense, seemingly about to devour everything before him.
Hua Yunshu’s face changed altogether. He wanted to retreat, yet a terrifying light seemed to flow onto his body, like a sheen of darkness. Slivers of dark rocky light covered his body and he soon found his body turning stiff. He felt immensely heavy and hardly able to move.
“How is this possible?” Hua Yunshu looked thoroughly frightened. He was not the only one who felt so. Every single great figure of Xihua Sacred Mountain trembled at the scene.
That is not the Devouring Rules. The eyes of all mighty ones from all over the nine states stared at Yu Sheng. A wild, unruly storm emerged from Yu Sheng’s body. Hua Yunshu’s body was drowned in an instant. The dark, rocky light covered and buried his body, as if Yu Sheng had thrown all of Hua Yunshu’s powers back at him.
Yu Sheng lifted his arm before Hua Yunshu’s despaired eyes. That cold eyes from a devil seemed to have locked onto him.
The elder, who was hosting the event, was somewhat frightened when he saw Yu Sheng lifting his arm. He said immediately, “He lost fighting capacity. Spare him.”
Yu Sheng took a look at the elder and brought his arm down still. Hua Yunshu was sent flying with a thunderous rumble, heading towards where the Eastern State people were seated.
Boom. Hua Yunshu crashed onto the edge of the forum stage. His body trembled violently and then fell flat on the floor. He spat up blood, feeling his internal organs had all been ruptured.
Yu Sheng threw that punch, a punch that he had held back for a very long time. However, he had spared his opponent; that punch would have completely crippled Hua Yunshu otherwise.
But Yu Sheng did not go that far, as he knew whose turf he was on.
In that silent battlefield, many turned their eyes at Hua Yunshu, who was slowly getting up. The number one student of the Xihua Sacred Mountain, immensely proud and confident, so much so that some claimed him to have been able to become the champion of the Nine State Forum, was eliminated.
He was not even ranked among the top ten.
Every single powerful one from sacred grounds of the Eastern State had been eliminated.
The strongest from Xihua Sacred Moutain and the strongest from the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty, had been kicked out of the stage of the event by the same person: Yu Sheng, a student from the Barren State.
No one cared about those who came from the Barren State before the event was held, and yet those very people had kicked the participants of the hosting force out of the event. With that, there was only one participant from the Eastern State left—Yaya, who was not a student of a sacred ground.
It was a scenario that none had seen coming.
None had imagined that it would take Yu Sheng just a single punch, yet again, to defeat Hua Yunshu.
“Thank you,” Yu Sheng looked at Hua Yunshu and said. He then turned to the elder and apologized, “I beg your forgiveness for injuring a student of the sacred mountain.”
“It’s alright.” The elder’s heart flinched. There was nothing he could have done about it, as it was all within the rules.
“It was something bound to happen on a battlefield, so I don’t see anything wrong with your actions.” The Sky Saint looked at Yu Sheng and smiled. “Students from sacred grounds of all over the nine states are here to fight. It is the most intense of clashes to be had in all of the nine states. Winning or losing, that all depends on one’s powers. There is no need for you to fret about it. If any of the seniors or elders find fault with you, they have truly underestimated the bearings of the elders of sacred grounds indeed.”
The Sky Saint was not wrong. There was no one that could always emerge victorious in the fights between students of sacred grounds in the Nine State Forum.
If any sacred ground were to hold grudges and went about settling scores after the event, they would have been looked down on and ridiculed by all of the nine states.
Ye Futian looked at Yu Sheng calmly. While those words held true, there was simply no sacred ground in all of the other eight states, that had experienced what the Barren State was going through.
The Barren State was weak for having no saints among them.
The Sky Saint was actually siding with the Barren State with his words.
“What is the power of rules that you have come to develop?” Saint Xihua looked at Yu Sheng and asked. He naturally knew what the Sky Saint meant. As the lord of Xihua Sacred Mountain, it was inappropriate for him to hold grudges against a junior for such matters, no matter how irked he felt inside. His students had been inferior to others, and there was nothing he was able to say about it. He had lost face. Regardless of how uncomfortable he felt, he was not allowed to say a word about it.
“Demonization,” Yu Sheng looked at Saint Xihua and said.
Saint Xihua’s expression turned sharp. It had not been merely Devouring Rules; it was the Demonizing Rules that were even more overbearing. He had demonized the Fossilization Rules that he had devoured and made those powers his own, before sending it back onto his opponent. Hua Yunshu, who had been on the receiving end of the demonized Fossilization Rules, was rendered completely immobile. Furthermore, Yu Sheng’s Force Rules had definitely been stronger than that of Hua Yunshu.
It was only natural that Hua Yunshu had lost that battle.
Saint Xihua looked at Yu Sheng for quite a while before turning his eyes to Ye Futian and saying, “I did not expect myself to have trained for so long and come this far to still hold prejudices. I’ve underestimated the students of the Barren State before the event began because the Barren State had been weak.
“Yu Sheng has earned the respect that the Barren State deserved. He will definitely be ranked among the top ten, and it was my mistake for arranging such seats for the Barren State.”
Countless eyes froze as Saint Xihua finished his statement.
Saint Xihua, the lord of a sacred ground, had apologized!
Yu Sheng had stepped out to earn respect for the Barren State. Saint Xihua had promised that if any of the students from the Barren State would be able to make it to top ten, he would offer a holy item and apologize.
The top ten participants had not been determined just yet, but Yu Sheng had already defeated Zhou You and Hua Yunshu consecutively. There was simply no further need to prove such powers. As such, Saint Xihua kept his promise and apologized.
No one felt that to be an insult in Saint Xihua’s part. Many had instead come to be impressed. Such is the bearing of a saint!
