Xu Hong Kai, the Vice Temple Master of the main Title Temple said, “Now, every participant must be hovering 10 meters above the ground by the tenth count. Those who aren’t in the air will be eliminated.”
As soon as Xu Hong Kai’s voice fell, the young geniuses began to rise in the air.
From afar, the young geniuses looked like a swarm of bees rising in the air since there were so many of them; it made for a rather impressive sight.
Needless to say, Duan Ling tian, Su Li, and Ling Jue Yun had also risen in the air.
‘Those who aren’t in the air after the tenth count will be eliminated? It seems like this is a test…’ Although Duan Ling Tian knew 1,000 participants would be eliminated during the first round, he did not expect the test was to maintain their flight. He had assumed they would battle each other immediately.
‘This is like the test I went through to join the Heavenly Pool Palace…’ Duan Ling Tian still remembered one of the tests he and Huan’er had to go through was similar to this. At that time, all the participants had to maintain their flight while the person in charge, Lei Ying; the Merciless Celestial Emperor, exerted pressure on them.
After ten breaths, when all the participants were hovering 10 meters in the air, Xu Kong Hai narrowed his eyes imperceptibly and said, “I will now exert pressure on all of you. Those who can’t maintain their flight and fall to the ground will be eliminated. I will continue exerting pressure until 1,000 participants are eliminated. You have ten breaths starting from now to prepare yourselves…”
The young geniuses’ expressions turned solemn immediately when they heard Xu Kong Hai’s words. Energies with a variety of colors appeared in the air as they prepared to resist the pressure. All of them took the test seriously despite its simplicity. After all, the person exerting pressure on them was the Vice Temple Master of the main Title Temple who was suspected to be a god. Naturally, they knew he would not use all his strength. Otherwise, the pressure would certainly crush them to death. However, even a fraction of his strength was enough to pressure them.
Ten breaths passed in just a blink of an eye.
Most of the young geniuses held their breaths in anticipation of the incoming pressure. Perhaps, only a few hundred young geniuses remained calm at this moment. Duan Ling Tian, Su Li, Ling Jue Yun, Tang San Pao, and Zhang Tian You were among these people.
The participants who maintained their composure at this moment were mostly those with strength comparable to titled Celestial Emperors. After all, all of them were confident they would not be eliminated in the first round.
Those who had high chances of being eliminated were those who had yet to possess strength comparable to a titled Celestial Emperor. For example, Wang Ting and He Jian Yi who were hovering next to Zhang Tian You. The duo seemed nervous and grim as though they were facing a life-or-death situation.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Xu Kong Hai did not move as a wave of energy surged toward the participants and pressed down on them.
More than half of the participants began to tremble as soon as the pressure descended on them. After some time, some spat out blood. There were participants who began to bleed from their eyes, ears, and noses. All of them looked as though they were going to fall at any moment despite resisting the pressure with all of their might.
When the pressure intensified the second time, it injured a little more than 100 people.
Swoosh!
When the pressure intensified the third time, more than 100 participants fell to the ground, unable to withstand the pressure. Apart from that, another few hundred participants were injured, barely able to hold on.
Swoosh!
Another few hundred participants fell to the ground like dumplings falling into a pot of boiling water when the pressure intensified the fourth time.
Many of those who fell to the ground and were eliminated could only smile bitterly.
“I’m eliminated.”
“I thought I’d be able to make it past the first round at least. I didn’t expect to be eliminated so soon…”
“I didn’t think things through. I didn’t resist the pressure with all might because I thought I should conserve my energy for when the pressure grows even heavier…”
“The fourth time the pressure intensified took down more than 500 participants… The rate of elimination is really high and fast!”
“I’m almost as powerful as a titled Celestial Emperor, and yet, I was so easily eliminated…”
At this point, among the participants still in the air, half of them were barely holding on. It was clear they were on their last leg. As for the others, they seemed capable of withstanding the pressure despite their pale faces.
One of the Heavenly Emperors who was observing the test said, “I think the first round will end after Vice Temple Master Xu intensifies the pressure the fifth time.”
“Based on what I can see, I agree…” Another Heavenly Emperor nodded.
As soon as these words fell, Xu Hong Kai intensified the pressure for the fifth time.
The expressions of a few participants with strength comparable to a titled Celestial Emperor turned grave immediately; some of them even began to tremble under the crushing pressure.
Naturally, there were also those who remained completely unaffected like Duan Ling Tian, Su Li, Ling Jue Yun, and Tang San Pao.
Similarly, Yu Dong Fang, the Heavenly Emperor of the Pavilion Shaft Heaven’s third true disciple, was unaffected by the pressure.
On the contrary, Dong Tu, the Heavenly Emperor of the Pavilion Shaft Heaven’s fourth true disciple who was hovering next to Yu Dong Fang, wore a tense expression on his face. It seemed like the pressure was beginning to take a toll on him.
“Junior Brother, it seems that the Solitary Destructive Heaven’s Duan Ling Tian is stronger than you,” Yu Dong Fang said after he glanced at Duan Ling Tian. With his eyesight, it was easy for him to see Duan Ling Tian was not affected by the pressure at all.
Dong Tu instinctively turned to look at Duan Ling Tian upon hearing Yu Dong Fang’s words. Just as Yu Dong Fang had said, Duan Ling Tian looked indifferent as he withstood the pressure. Although he was reluctant to admit it, he knew Duan Ling Tian was stronger than him after witnessing Duan Ling Tian’s composure. Nevertheless, he would not admit this out loud. Hence, he said, “Third Senior Brother, you can’t say that for sure. Perhaps, he just has a strong defense or he has mastered a technique that can help him withstand the pressure?”
Yu Dong Fang only shook his head in response and did not say anything else. He knew his junior brother very well so he knew his junior brother was just denying this fact outwardly.
At this time, unlike the participants with strength comparable to titled Celestial Emperors who were unaffected or were affected, but were still able to hold on, those with strength weaker than a titled Celestial Emperor were on the brink of falling down.
Soon enough, a few hundred participants vomited blood and fell to the ground. Among those who struggled, only a few managed to persist. Alas, they did not manage to persist for long before they fell to the ground like skydivers as well.
At this moment, He Jian Yi, who was behind Duan Ling Tian, said to Wan Ting with a pale face, encouraging her, “Wang Ting, I can’t hold on any longer… I’m sure you can do it!”
Among the trio from the Solitary Destructive Heaven, Zhang Tian You whose strength was comparable to a titled Celestial Emperor was the strongest. Even after the pressure intensified for the fifth time, he was only a little red in the face.
Wang Ting, who was hovering next to Zhang Tian You, trembled violently, looking as though she was going to fall. However, she seemed to gain some strength to hold on a little longer after listening to He Jian Yi’s words of encouragement.
“Wang Ting, just hold on a little longer. You’ll be able to pass the first round as long as you hold on for a little longer,” Zhang Tian Yous said after he looked around and discovered there were only a little more than 1,000 participants left, “You only have to wait for less than 100 people to get eliminated before you advance to the second round…”
After listening to Zhang Tian You’s words, Wang Ting inhaled deeply and continued to withstand the pressure. At this moment, it seemed like she had unlocked her hidden potential.
Swoosh!
A soft noise rang in the air as two profundities from the law of water began to fuse and spread out. The Fused Profundity seemed to help Wang Ting tremendously; she stopped trembling and color gradually returned to her face. Following that, a determined expression appeared on her face.
‘She… She broke through?’ Zhang Tian You looked at Wang Ting in shock.
Duan Ling Tian, who was hovering in front of the duo, had also noticed Wang Ting’s breakthrough. It seemed like she was now as strong as an ordinary titled Celestial Emperor.
Apart from Wang Ting, another young man managed to break through under these circumstances as well. Needless to say, the duo caught many people’s attention.
“They actually had a breakthrough under these circumstances?”
“I can’t believe those two little ones managed to break through under the crushing pressure.”
…
Meanwhile, Meng Luo, the Heavenly Savage Celestial Emperor, who was standing behind Feng Qing Yang smiled when he saw Wang Ting’s breakthrough. After all, Wang Ting’s grandfather was his friend.
Ding Fu, the Heavenly Emperor of the Primeval Heaven, said with a smile, “Brother Feng, this girl representing your Heavenly Palace is quite talented. It’s rare for someone to be able to break through under such circumstances.”
Feng Qing Yang nodded in agreement. A hint of surprise could be seen in his eyes as well.
…
After Wang Ting and the young man’s breakthroughs, they felt pressure becoming more bearable. After sighing in relief, they began to observe the remaining participants. They watched as participants continued to fall one after another.
Shortly after, an exclamation rang in the air, “I finally broke through!”
Another young man had also managed to break through under the crushing pressure.
When 1,000 participants had been eliminated, Xu Kong Hai withdrew his energy and said, “Congratulations! All of you have made it past the first round!”
Those who did not possess strength comparable to titled Celestial Emperors but somehow managed to pass the first round heaved a huge sigh of relief before delighted expressions appeared on their faces.
