392 Conviction!
Upon careful inspection, Qin Huai discerned that both the rather plain-looking robe and the objects he held were indeed treasured artifacts. He remembered that this man from the Thousand Divination Tower was named Gou Jie.
Out of the remaining five, three were not members of the five great sects but prodigies from top-tier sects within the inner city. These included Wang Gang and Xiong Yujie, whom Qin Huai recognized from his time with the Blood Poison Gang. The two had unexpectedly found themselves in the bronze realm after leaving the inner city on a mission to slay a demon.
Another was Liu Laicheng, a disciple from a large inner-city sect. In addition, there was a pair of siblings from the Twin Stars sect, both exhibiting a king’s aura and possessing a potent joint attack.
This reminded Qin Huai of the twins he’d encountered from the Sacred Heart sect, although their combat power greatly differed. Throughout the recent days, he had never witnessed this sibling duo lose a two-on-two match. The same went for Xiang Mingfeng and Fang Huo.
In total, there were ten individuals, each showcasing their own unique abilities. The remaining four, excluding Qin Huai and She Wanshan, were Shao Mo and another prodigy from Qingzhou. These two had the lowest win rates and were promptly eliminated.
“Brother Zhou,” Xiang Mingfeng began, his tone as straightforward as ever. “Let me ask you again. Are you prepared to reveal your trump card?”
Qin Huai, resolute in his decision, shook his head.
“Then I’m sorry…”
Fang Huo interjected, “I think we should give Zhou Cunzhong a chance.” He continued, “Even without revealing his trump card, Zhou Cunzhong’s demonstrated strength is still superior to Liu Laicheng’s.” His unfiltered remarks left Liu Laicheng with a sour expression.
Gou Jie, flicking his horsetail whisk, squinted. “I also perceive that Zhou’s fate is vague and highly fluctuating. He seems to be an unpredictable factor.” He had been tirelessly calculating everyone’s destiny for the past few days and found Zhou Cunzhong particularly odd.
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” She Wanshan inquired.
Gou Jie chuckled. “I can’t say for sure.”
She Wanshan pulled a face at his noncommittal answer.
Le Ji’an, the Little Cattle King, chimed in, “Given that our opponents are those old fellows, Fang Huo and Zhou Cunzhong, who possess strong physiques, should have an upper hand.” He continued, “When confronting these old folks on the brink of death, once they get within range, they’ll crumble like dried weeds and decaying wood!”
The rest nodded in agreement, finding his argument sensible.
“Indeed…” Xiang Mingfeng concurred. “I might have been a bit too hasty.” He admitted his error promptly, although he still believed Qin Huai to be less reliable than Liu Laicheng. However, under the present circumstances, there were no better alternatives.
“Then, Brother Zhou, let’s proceed. Do you have any objections?” Xiang Mingfeng said.
“None.” Qin Huai shook his head in firm agreement. He was eager to confront and defeat those old geniuses to enhance his cultivation level.
With that, everyone reached a consensus. In the next confrontation, they would directly send the ten of them into the level-one array. To ensure that nothing would go awry, everyone intensively trained in the stone tablet forest, anticipating all possible scenarios.
One day, Qin Huai suddenly remarked, “By the way, those old fellows might have an expert among them who’s reached the visceral prefecture realm.”
He was reminded of Yang Tianhan and wondered if the man was a deranged old genius or still harboring ambitions to vie for the bronze realm and comprehend the ancient scriptures.
Once again, everyone devoted themselves to reasoning and cultivation… A month and a half passed unnoticed.
“Remember, stick to the plan.”
Qin Huai, Xiang Mingfeng, and the rest shared a knowing look. Qin Huai sensed a mixture of tension and excitement in the group. These were expected traits of exceptional beings capable of cultivating the king’s force.
In the blink of an eye, they all vanished from their locations. Their unity and understanding of each other were strong enough to vanquish any god or Buddha standing in their way.
For this round, Qin Huai was partnered with Fang Huo. They charged straight from one end of the illusion realm to the other, even encountering Hua Yanli along the way. It only took them ten moves to eliminate this prospective king of the Thunderbolt Gang.
“That should be enough.”
Qin Huai and Fang Huo halted at the same spot.
“According to Xiang Mingfeng and the others, eighty kills are the sweet spot for stability. If we target the more proficient ones, we can reduce the numbers,” Qin Huai pondered aloud.
“Hey, make sure you don’t die once we enter the level-one array. You still owe me a good fight.” Fang Huo laughed.
“You won’t beat me,” Qin Huai replied confidently.
“Hahaha… Alright then. After we finish off those old nutcases, it’s you and me!” Fang Huo said with genuine enthusiasm.
After two months, it wasn’t She Wanshan but Fang Huo who Qin Huai shared the best rapport with, courtesy of their frequent sparring sessions. Their bond had strengthened through numerous battles, making them quite familiar with each other.
“I wouldn’t mind a few more rounds,” Qin Huai uncharacteristically joked.
Buzz…
Suddenly, their figures started to blur. Fang Huo, who was originally smiling, immediately became serious in a heartbeat.
Bang!
The world seemed to break apart instantaneously, revealing an immense bronze wall that covered the sky.
Looking at the majestic bronze wall that resembled the world’s barrier, Qin Huai could sense its ancient, desolate aura, along with an incredible vitality.
Numerous runes were etched on the bronze wall, and Qin Huai could vaguely make out images of many formidable creatures: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise — the legendary four sacred beasts — appeared lifelike. Other ancient beasts like Green Luan, Taotie, Torch Dragon, and Qiongqi were also present, making him feel as if a lifetime had passed.
The next moment, Qin Huai snapped back to reality, finding himself in the first place. “This indeed is the level-one array,” he noted.
Boom!
A distant, violent tremor caught his attention — it was the signal from Fang Huo. It has started.
“My luck could have been better,” he remarked, observing the distant cloud of dust which was quite far from his current location.
Boom!
Stomping his foot heavily on the ground, Qin Huai instantly activated his dragon blood form and sped toward Fang Huo.
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