Chapter 462 - The Great Struggle
Someone was standing on a mountain peak. This person was as tall and straight as a javelin, and their figure was as thin as the edge of a blade. They were cloaked in a frighteningly swift and fierce feeling from head to toe.
Gu Zuo could sense that there was an extraordinarily formidable power within this prodigy’s body. Although nothing was exposed, and only a sliver of qi emissions inadvertently overflowed, this could already violently intimidate and awe others. He even felt that, if this person took action, the killing intent could dim the sky and darken the earth!
There was another person who was floating in the sky — No, rather than saying that it was a person, it was more accurate to say that there was a gust of bluish-green wind. This wind swiftly moved about indeterminately, suspending itself around that place in the air. If one carefully looked over, it seemed as if there was a figure in the wind. It wasn’t known whether this person had transformed into the wind itself or was wrapped up in it.
This person similarly gave Gu Zuo a type of threatening sensation. It made him feel that they were quite scary. When this person didn’t move, they were treacherous and unpredictable, but if this figure moved, it seemed as if they could shake the world!
Then, there was a tall and sturdy young man. His chest was exposed, and it was covered in a dense forest of black hair. The sides of his face, the space between his brows, and the length of his neck were similarly covered in hair. On top of that, his facial features also seemed somewhat malevolent. Others wouldn’t be able to tell whether he was a man or a wolf.
The suppressive might this tall and sturdy fellow gave others was likewise extremely terrifying. His posture was very languid and indolent, but just a little movement would cause the surrounding space to produce slight cracking sounds. It was like space was being squeezed by his strength, and that everything by his side would burst apart at any moment!
In addition, there was a young lady. She was wearing a full-length, purple dress. The clothing was decorated with numerous, twinkling scales, which completely enveloped her body, and accentuated her incomparably graceful figure. Meanwhile, the lower-half of her face was covered by a veil, which was similarly purple. The veil seemed to carry an incredibly special power that prevented the prying abilities of onlookers from piercing through it, so no one could get a clear view of her complexion.
However, it could be seen from her pair of beautiful eyes and faintly discernible facial contours that this was a peerless beauty who could spell the downfall of castle and country.
Nevertheless, the most attractive thing about this young lady wasn’t her graceful figure or beautiful face. Instead, it was a type of mysterious feeling that she gave others as well as the surging power contained within her delicate-looking body. It seemed that, so long as she took action, her suppressive might would spread in all directions to topple mountains and rend the land!
Huo Li, who showed off his own path of domination at the city gates, had also appeared. His clothes and ornaments were the same as before, but his qi emissions were even stronger than when they were at the city gates — Perhaps, it was because this was a gathering of prodigies. Among the best of his peers, he was no longer as contemptuous as when he faced other people, and instead showed his true abilities.
As a result, when Gu Zuo looked at Huo Li, what he appeared to see wasn’t Huo Li himself. Rather, it was a lake of magma that held explosive heat. With a single glance, people wouldn’t be able to help feeling a sense of dread. That domineering temperament was stronger, too. It was like he was continuously compelling those around him to become his subjects and submit to him. While unseen, this kind of invisible imposing aura also weakened the imposing auras of other people!
Still yet, there were the flickering shadows of figures in places even farther away, in the sea of clouds, and in the empty skies. The strength of every person was extremely mighty. As each one stood alone on their side, they all possessed the temperament to suppress everything under the heavens. It could be seen how frightening the violent storm they would set off if they acted!
— All of them were prodigies. Moreover, they had passed through all kinds of tests and met the standards to be true prodigies!
Gu Zuo’s gaze swiftly swept over these people, and his heart was appalled.
As it turned out, the prodigies who really had backgrounds were like this.
Compared to these prodigies, Qi Xuanao and the others, whom he met when he followed big brother to hunt the origin-level flood dragon, were all inferior in more than one aspect. In addition, the feeling those “prodigies” gave him were far inferior to the uniqueness and strength of these people.
It could be said that Gu Zuo was appreciative of Qi Xuanao, Fan Meng, and the other prodigies back then. That was because he felt there weren’t any problems for his family’s big brother to suppress them. Those people had no way to make him feel an excessive sense of crisis. But for the prodigies he saw this time around, a line of words flashed across his mind the moment he crossed their paths: Dangerous! Dangerous! Very dangerous!
Although Gu Zuo was still confident in his family’s big brother, it wasn’t to the point that he believed Gongyi Tianheng could flatten all who opposed him here without suffering any crisis whatsoever...
These prodigies were all at the Atomic Realm, too. Moreover, within this large realm, they were capable of stepping across small realms when doing battle. In the past, the opponents they encountered were in the same small realm, and were still defeated under their hands.
It was natural that the majority of such personages were incomparably proud and aloof. For those who weren’t of the same hierarchy as them, unless one was particularly pleasing to the eyes from the very beginning, it was difficult to enter their lines of sight. Let alone becoming friends and having conversations with them.
Dragons didn’t consort with snakes — It was especially obvious with regards to prodigies who had a powerful backing.
Gu Zuo slowly let out a sigh, and blew out the pressure that built up in his heart from looking at these prodigies.
It was no wonder that the Blood Transformation Palace Master mentioned that the real great struggle would only begin once one reached the Atomic Realm. And yet, before anything happened, they had already discovered that the prodigies they faced were such characters. Wasn’t this competition a little scary?
Gu Zuo couldn’t help holding onto Tianheng’s hand: “Big brother, be careful in everything.”
Tianheng faintly smiled: “Ah Zuo, don’t worry.”
At this time, as fast as the turbulent qi waves came, they dispersed in all directions just as quickly. It was like someone had suddenly cut open a small hole in a cloth sack that was filled with air. The air streams inside burst out in a split second, which immediately created an enormous force.
However, these forces met empty space, and were promptly diminished as they disseminated into these spaces. Naturally, such forces no longer posed any threats.
As a result, after that group of qi waves passed by, the scene of the qi vein mine also appeared in front of the numerous prodigies.
Gu Zuo sucked in a cold breath as soon as he got a clear look.
Up ahead sprawled the bodies of gigantic, black dragons. Whether those dragons were long or short, whether mighty and majestic or slim and flexible, each them emitted strands of black qi. As for these strands of black qi, they formed black-colored clouds and mist that hovered high in the air without dissipating.
Under the faint rays of light that shined through the cloud layer, the bodies of the gigantic, black dragons reflected a resplendent radiance. The places that the reflected brilliance came from were apparently dragon scales, which were brimming with moving inner meanings.
Though it was clear that these gigantic, black dragons were lying on the ground, it looked like they were soaring through the clouds. They eagerly gave chase, swallowing clouds and blowing out fog. It also seemed as if they were overturning the seas and rivers, swirling up tremendous waves to flood the heavens!
It could be said that the sight before everyone’s eyes was grand and boundless. It could also be said that nothing more beautiful could be imagined. It truly...left people with yearning in their hearts.
Gu Zuo quickly reacted. These gigantic, black dragons were nothing more than the profound qi veins. As for the dragon scales that covered the surface and reflected the rays of light, those were piles of profound crystals, which formed this elegant and beautiful scenery.
After that, he had a sudden feeling... With so many profound crystals, obtaining them would be quite a fortune! Unfortunately, no matter how much he and his big brother strived, they certainly wouldn’t be able to take them all away.
Gu Zuo rubbed his face.
He was overthinking things.
Ah, this way of thinking was greedy enough.
Trailed by his subordinates, Tianheng carried Gu Zuo, and leisurely walked forward.
His steps were neither fast nor slow. Like the most ordinary of people, not even a trace of qi emissions flowed out.
Perhaps, the timing of Tianheng’s arrival was too coincidental. Just at that time, those qi waves had dispersed. As a result, the gazes of many prodigies fell onto him.
Besides his extraordinary appearance and temperament, it seemed that everything else they sensed about him was mediocre?
However, no one underestimated him.
It was precisely because he walked so unhurriedly and his steps appeared to be so common that it caused them to feel restraining fear.
It was due to the fact that no one recognized the unusual power contained within his body. They only felt that it was terrifying, mysterious, and...unfathomable.
But there were no doubts that this power could make people tremble. Hardly anyone wanted to face it!
For a short while, the atmosphere turned stagnant.
By the time Tianheng walked to the left side of a giant boulder, the stagnated atmosphere seemed to have been smashed apart, and the air began flowing once more.
Those prodigies withdrew their gazes.
They looked at the qi vein mine again, and sensed the vast ocean of profound qi spreading out. The riches of this place weren’t attractive to only Gu Zuo. They wouldn’t be given up by these prodigies either.
As such, it had to be fought for!
At this moment, all of the prodigies focused their attentions. The qi emissions around their bodies seemed to condense into real substances. It could cause one’s breathing to become difficult and labored.
They were drawn taut like bow strings. And these bow strings could snap at any time!
Gu Zuo sensed the sudden heaviness of his dear big brother’s expression. His mood also turned somewhat nervous.
What manner of competition would take place?
Could it be that they had to have an actual battle?
In this aspect, the Blood Transformation Palace Master hadn’t given them any reminders. Thus, regardless of whether it was Gu Zuo or Tianheng, neither of them knew the specific methods.
But soon, Gu Zuo understood how things would be done.
All of a sudden, the black clouds that filled the sky scattered. Bright sunlight spilled down, and enveloped everything within the qi vein mine. It was like a golden cover pressed down to protect the entire area.
But in reality, this wasn’t to protect the qi vein mine. On the contrary, the instant that the cover of sunlight fell down, a streak of black light sprayed out from each of the “mouths” of those gigantic, black dragons!
Gu Zuo’s psychic power was incredibly strong. He immediately discovered that those black lights weren’t ordinary rays of light. Rather, they were something like black, dragon-shaped jade stones. At this moment, Gu Zuo’s mind cleared at this stroke of good fortune. He couldn’t help forming a thought:
[Big brother, capture them!]
Tianheng had long discovered these inferences, too. At almost the exact same time that Gu Zuo’s voice resounded in his mind, he already moved. With an extremely fast and violent speed, he flashed to the area with the highest concentration of black lights. He abruptly stretched out a hand, and grabbed with force!
In a split second, quite a few streaks of black light were caught in Tianheng’s hands.
The black lights instantly transformed into black, dragon-shaped jade stones, and were grasped firmly without any problems. Tianheng’s reactions were quick, and he immediately tried to put these black dragon jades into the spatial bangle — However, none of them went inside.
The light in Tianheng’s eyes darkened.
Immediately following which, he abruptly turned around, and shattered a fierce attack that hurtled towards him.
Someone had launched a sneak attack!
But since the attack didn’t hit its target, that person promptly withdrew and didn’t continue at all.
Tianheng sent the black dragon jades into a hidden pouch within his own sleeve. He didn’t care about finding the person who attacked him. Shortly thereafter, he turned back and dashed in another direction. Both of his hands moved again and again. All of those black dragon jades within the black lights were seized!
Down below, Gu Zuo watched everything play out clearly.
He saw his family’s big brother capturing the black dragon jades, but he also saw someone mount a sneak attack. And the person who ambushed big brother was precisely Huo Li!
Gu Zuo was greatly angered.
That wretched Huo Li actually acted domineering at this time!
Previously, although he and big brother knew that Huo Li would make trouble sooner or later, he still couldn’t restrain his anger when he really saw it happen. Gu Zuo wanted to smack him to death!
But Huo Li’s speed was lightning fast. After launching an attack, he went to grab other black dragon jades. It seemed that he came prepared because the speed of his grabbing also wasn’t slow.
Gu Zuo’s brows tightly furrowed.
Currently, the sky only had numerous prodigies taking action one after another. Everyone down below remained where they stood. However, with the stunt Huo Li pulled, Gu Zuo was unreconciled when he watched Huo Li calmly and steadily seizing the black dragon jades.
As such, should he plot against him in return?
Shortly thereafter, Gu Zuo shook his head, and brushed off this way of thinking.
All of the prodigies had no helpers. If he rashly took action, it might cause his big brother to lose face.
What’s more, even if he wanted to act, he needed to find a good opportunity. Otherwise, granted that he successfully landed a sneak attack, Huo Li, that fellow whose brain circuits didn’t match his own, might suddenly give up on the black dragon jades, turn around, and try to kill him... With his bit of martial strength, he could barely protect himself for some time using his psychic power, but it would inevitably disturb big brother, who was in the middle of this competition. On the off-chance that big brother also gave up on capturing the black dragon jades, and came back to rescue him, wouldn’t he be dragging down big brother?
Unwilling, Gu Zuo clenched his fingers.
This Huo Li, once he finished snatching — Hmph!
High up in the air, the speed at which the black dragon jades emerged slowed more and more. It seemed that they were gradually becoming rare. It was only natural that those prodigies, who were originally competing over the black dragon jades on their own, also slowly stopped. Instead, their lines of sight fell onto the other prodigies.
This great struggle wasn’t only about who was the fastest and who grabbed the most. It was also a competition to get a hold of the black dragon jades in everyone else’s possession!
Thus, with almost no prior warning, all of the prodigies made their moves! Although, when they took action, the targets they focused on weren’t all the same.
Tianheng also made his move. And the one he actively attacked was Huo Li!
The moment they came to this place and saw the others, all of the prodigies remembered one another’s qi emissions. Naturally, Tianheng was no exception. Just a while ago, when Huo Li got closer to sneak attack, his qi emissions were immediately sensed by Tianheng. Merely, it wasn’t convenient to take action back then. Now that things had turned into a chaotic melee, how could he still let it go?
As a result, regardless of what the others were thinking, Tianheng promptly aimed his “spear point” at Huo Li!
Of course, during the previous competition over the black dragon jades, Tianheng wasn’t the only one who had been ambushed. Therefore, now that many prodigies made their moves, all of them had targets in mind. The ones they wanted to attack the most weren’t unfamiliar prodigies. This was because they weren’t clear about the other side’s inside information. On the contrary, those who ambushed them were already confirmed enemies!
T/N: Thanks for the correction, Charysa.
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