Chapter 332: Placing Bottom in the Nine Hells Conquest Clash!
After Mo Jianzhi finished speaking, he swept his gaze over the representatives of the eight hells.
"Is that all?" the Talisman Emperor asked.
"That's all." Mo Jianzhi nodded in confirmation.
The crowd exchanged glances, a bit bewildered.
They understood why the number was 900; that was all the Fate Ocean Realm participants the Reverie Abyss had. It appeared every one of them had to fight.
For the Calamity Seal Purgatory, who had 2,000 Inscription Cultivators in the Fate Ocean Realm, they could cherry-pick the strongest 900 for the fray.
Even though they were all in the Fate Ocean Realm, there was still a difference in strength between stages!
So, the mightier the hell, the better the odds of snatching more tokens in the eight-person rumble.
One participant might even sweep the other seven, making a whole Trigram by themselves!
And if not, the best strategy was to snatch away as many tokens as possible and find others to piece together a full Trigram.
"How do we decide who fights?" the Talisman Emperor asked.
"You pick 900 people to go up. Their tokens will show a random number from 1 to 900. Every fight, representatives from each hell with the matching numbers step up," Mo Jianzhi elaborated.
"Any particular rules for these fights?" the Phoenix Empress asked.
"None," Mo Jianzhi replied.
Everyone got the picture. Basically, once someone stepped onto the battlefield, temporary alliances, token trading, etc was all fair game.
Enter the battlefield, and all rules went out the window!
So, looting and killing were also on the table.
In a tense silence, the Talisman Emperor and Wick Devil exchanged a glance.
The two were thinking the same thing!
"With 900 eight-person free-for-alls, and a Sword Cultivator in each, we could set up 900 seven-on-ones. By this rule, we could wipe out the Sword Cultivators..."
Inevitably, one of these battles would involve Yun Xiao. From this angle, the rule seemed to favor the other seven hells. They could easily teach the Eternal Sword Prison a bloody lesson.
"That's what they deserve for getting so uppity and full of themselves."
For a moment, the Inscription Cultivators and Yang Devils, among other powerhouses, looked at the Sword Cultivators with a chilling disdain.
Meanwhile, the Sword Ruins' Cultivators hung their heads, their faces clouded with immense pressure.
Under this rule, nearly everyone had to step into the fray!
Even a heaven-defying Exiled Sword Immortal couldn't help them much.
After all, everyone only got one shot.
"This rule, it's like it's tailor-made for those seven hells to gang up on us, right? And they get to do it 900 times?" Mu Dalong's eyes brimmed with unshed tears.
She could almost see it. Each Sword Cultivator, brimming with fervor, being pounced on by seven foes!
How on earth could they fight back?
"We never had such a rule before!" Mu Daxiong said coldly.
"Ten years ago, the Fate Ocean Battle Royale was just one big group battle, right? Wrapped up in a day," Mu Dalong murmured. She had also taken part in that very battle.
"By this year's rules, each fight lasts 15 minutes, and with 900 battles, just getting through the Fate Ocean Battle Royale will take almost ten days..." Du Zhongyuan rubbed his temples in frustration.
"Who came up with this?"
They all glared at Mo Jianzhi with displeasure.
Why make it so hard for Sword Cultivators?
"Under these rules, Exile Yun can only contribute one Trigram at best..."
Clearly, this was a test of the overall strength of a hell! The impact one person could make was severely limited.
The 1,000 Sword Cultivators bore looks of despair, as if a dark cloud loomed over them.
They weren't afraid of battle, eager to bring glory to the Eternal Sword Prison. But each of them would be going in one against seven! Passion and fervor would only take them so far.
Each Sword Cultivator was walking into their deaths!
"The rules are set, please keep quiet." Mo Jianzhi's cold voice and a sharp reprimand silenced the chatter.
With such rules, the powerhouses from the other seven hells started to smile. They reached a consensus. Wipe out the Sword Cultivators first, then fight for supremacy fairly.
Looking around, the participants from the other seven hells revealed sly smiles, like hunters eyeing their prey, faces filled with mockery.
The immense pressure felt like a hundred thousand mountains pressing down on each Sword Cultivator's head.
"In fifteen minutes, the first showdown begins," Mo Jianzhi announced.
The crowd let out a cold laugh.
"Exile Yun?" Even the Sword Warden furrowed his brows. He was at a loss with the situation, his eyes turning to Yun Xiao for guidance.
"I'll handle it." With just these few words from Yun Xiao, the Sword Warden heaved a sigh of relief.
The young man in white took a step forward amid the mocking laughter and asked, "Senior Mo, is it possible to forfeit?"
"Yes. Just throw your departure tokens into the battlefield," Mo Jianzhi replied emotionlessly.
"Understood!" Yun Xiao nodded and turned to the Sword Warden, "Arrange for everyone in the Sword Ruins to forfeit."
This was his response to the siege set by the seven hells.
In the War of Immortals in the Heavenly Realm, Yun Xiao also had others forfeit, but these two battles were fundamentally different.
"Exile Yun!" The Sword Warden quickly pulled him aside, frowning, "The Fate Ocean Battle Royale accounts for sixty percent of the overall score. If we throw away all our tokens in this round, even if we do well in the next round, we can't win the Nine Hells Conquest Clash."
"I know." Yun Xiao nodded.
"Isn't that the same as admitting defeat? We'd be placed at the bottom of the Nine Hells!" the Sword Warden said gravely.
"Exactly. Straight to the bottom," Yun Xiao replied nonchalantly.
"Is that wise?" The Sword Warden was taken aback.
"What's wrong with it?" Yun Xiao countered.
"Our purpose in participating in the Nine Hells Conquest Clash is to win and dominate the Nine Hells, isn't it?" the Sword Warden asked.
"You're wrong. Our goal is to survive," Yun Xiao looked towards the other hells, filled with murderous intent. "If we didn't participate in the Nine Hells Conquest Clash, they would've joined forces to attack the Sword Ruins. The disparity in strength is too great. Even with the Ruination Sword Array, there would be many casualties. I don't want anyone dying for me."
"Exile Yun, but we are all willing to die for you! We Sword Cultivators are not cowards clinging to life," the Sword Warden said through clenched teeth.
"I know. But the thing is, there's no need for us to senselessly march to our deaths! We must win, and win gloriously. If we have to sacrifice so many to achieve a victory, to me, that's a crushing defeat," Yun Xiao said calmly.
"By forfeiting and giving up 900 tokens, we're destined to be at the bottom in the Nine Hells Conquest Clash. Can we still win?" the Sword Warden asked, perplexed.
"Do you think winning the Nine Hells Conquest Clash is that important?" Yun Xiao asked.
"Of course, it's important. It's the glory of a hell, the legacy of our sword-wielding ancestors, the pursuit of every Sword Cultivator in the Eternal Sword Prison... Not to mention the benefits of foreign relations, Immortal taxes, mining rights, and more." The Sword Warden looked intently at Yun Xiao. "And for you, reaching the Primordial Ruins is a shortcut back to true immortality, isn't it?"
Yun Xiao shook his head. "My thoughts are the opposite of yours. I think winning the Nine Hells Conquest Clash is not important at all."
The Sword Warden was puzzled, "Why's that?"
"The so-called benefits for everyone are just powers granted to the victors by the Nine Hells in a state of balance. These powers only exist because of this balance. If someone can break this balance, then they mean nothing... For instance, if I could kill the Talisman Emperor anytime, would his title as the Nine Hells Conqueror still matter?" Yun Xiao said coldly.
"In that case, the other hells and Immortal Asylum might join forces to sanction you..." the Sword Warden said.
"What if I kill them all?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow.
The Sword Warden shuddered, "Then it's pointless."
"Balance is just a shackle for the weak. The Immortal Asylum has no right to dictate how the ruler of the Nine Hells is determined. To me, this rule is great news because it gives me ten days..." A glint flashed in Yun Xiao's eyes.
"I understand!" The Sword Warden's heart trembled, "I'll arrange it right away."
"No need to say too much to them. What will happen in ten days, nobody knows. Even if forfeiting is shameful, let them endure it." Yun Xiao turned to his fellow Sword Cultivators. "Staying alive is more important than anything."
How could he let them blindly march to their deaths under such twisted rules when they trusted him so?
"Yes, staying alive is what matters most!" the Sword Warden said earnestly. He turned and went to the camp of 1,000 Sword Cultivators to formally announce their collective forfeit.
He wanted everyone to accept the high likelihood of finishing last in the Nine Hells Conquest Clash. Sure enough, as soon as he spoke, the eyes of the Sword Cultivators reddened.
"No way!"
"How can we, the swordsmen, retreat without a fight?"
Many stood up in opposition. These weren't hot-blooded youths; they had deeper beliefs, making it even harder for them to accept retreat.
"Everyone, the way of the sword isn't about mindlessly marching to death. This is an edict from Exile Yun. As his followers, trust comes first!" the Sword Warden said.
The 1,000 Sword Cultivators looked towards the young man in white standing in the shadows, fists clenched Yet, they fell silent.
"Can we trust him?" Mu Dalong asked softly.
"Big sister, once we forfeit, according to the rules, we're already at the bottom. Does trusting him even make sense?" Mu Daxiong clenched his teeth, puzzled. He couldn't figure it out.
"It does! Staying alive gives us a chance to fight fairly! Today, it's unfair," Mu Dalong said.
Mu Daxiong looked at the young man in white, momentarily lost for words.
Still, none of the Sword Cultivators would go against Yun Xiao's command! As for the inner turmoil, they just had to bear it for now.
Unexpectedly, the Sword Warden's announcement immediately drew laughter from the other seven hells.
That grating laughter spread throughout the Immortal Asylum.
"How many years has it been? The Nine Hells have seen the first hell whose participants all kneel in surrender!"
"And they're the proud Sword Cultivators?"
"If their ancestors knew about this, wouldn't they roll in their graves?"
Over 10,000 voices roared with laughter.
They were having a ball.
Many Sword Cultivators turned red with embarrassment, their indignation and resentment reaching a peak.
"Don't mind them. The louder they laugh, the more frustrated they actually are because their plan to encircle us has gone down the drain," Mu Dalong, feeling depressed herself, kept explaining to everyone.
"Yes, the taunts are just to provoke us into fighting..."
Everyone knew this in their hearts. But enduring such humiliation, which might even stain their descendants, who could bear it? Yet, they just had to endure!
It was clear to see that the Talisman Emperor, Wick Devil, and others, hadn't expected Yun Xiao, known for his arrogance, to take this route.
They were actually more annoyed! Unable to kill the Sword Cultivators, it was like punching cotton. And to top it off, they had to fight among themselves first...
Amidst this laughter, the start of the Fate Ocean Battle Royale was approaching.
Suddenly, Yun Xiao raised the token in his hand. On it, there was a one inscribed! His icy gaze swept over the other seven hells.
"I'm number one, representing the first participant for the Sword Ruins. The strongest among you in the Fate Ocean Realm who believe they can kill me, you better hurry to exchange your tokens to fight me!"
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This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺