An Overwhelming Advantage

Everyone held their breath as they watched the eleven on the assessment platform. At this moment, they were the eleven most watched people in the entire Ancient Realm. They...

Were the future of the Ancient Clan!

As a curtain of light slowly rose, ten of them revealed their Dou Qi and assumed combat stances.

Why ten? Because...

The youth at the very center was powerfully built, with starry eyes and sword-like brows. Dressed in green, he stood with his hands behind his back.

He had not revealed any Dou Qi. He simply stood in the center, staring intently into the empty space ahead.

With the youth standing like this...

The ten beside him seemed more like his guards!

And it was precisely this bearing that drew the attention of the spectators below. Discussions surrounding the youth surged like a roaring tidal wave.

Gu Fang looked at the countless gazes fixed on him below. Although the curtain of light blocked out their comments and discussions, he knew perfectly well what they were saying.

Nothing more than that he was putting on airs!

But this was not Gu Fang's intention. He knew that the moment he revealed his strength, the invisible barrier of light surrounding him would activate.

He would then directly clash with the ten people around him who had unleashed their Dou Qi.

Gu Fang was confident in the later parts of the assessment, but that did not mean he was confident he could withstand the Dou Qi impact of the other ten. The gap between a Dou Master and Dou Kings or Dou Emperors...

Was simply far, far too great.

Elder Tong Xuan floated in midair and slowly raised his right hand. "The first assessment begins now. As Dou Qi cultivators, cultivation methods and Dou Skills comprise one's combat strength.

"The first test is a Dou Skill test.

"The victor will be decided based on the quantity and quality of the Dou Skills ultimately used."

As Elder Tong Xuan spoke, his gaze swept over Gu Fang, and a trace of regret flashed through his eyes. Comparing the number of Dou Skills at the Dou Master level was simply too disadvantageous. Even if pills could replenish Dou Qi,

The amount they could restore was ultimately limited. More importantly...

A Dou Master's understanding of Dou Skills was vastly inferior to that of Dou Kings and Dou Emperors. With both factors combined, it could almost be said that...

Gu Fang had practically already lost this contest before it even began!

"What a pity!"

"It's over!"

"Let's see how arrogant you can be now, brat. You're only a little Dou Master!"

Different thoughts flashed through the minds of Elder Tong Xuan, Gu Qingyang, Gu Yao, and the others. Several gazes fell upon Gu Fang at once, yet his heart remained utterly calm.

He merely quietly felt the final seal within his bloodline completely shatter!

As that final seal broke, nearly inexhaustible Dou Qi surged through his bloodline, waiting for Gu Fang to summon and use it!

"Everyone!" Elder Tong Xuan called out loudly. Everyone immediately became alert. Gu Qingyang, Gu Yao, and the others promptly withdrew their gazes and restrained their Dou Qi.

Gu Fang also swiftly focused his attention and took a deep breath.

Once everyone had restrained their Dou Qi, the curtain of light slowly dissolved, and golden phantoms appeared before each of them.

These phantoms were one of the Ancient Clan's greatest treasures. They could perfectly imitate an opponent's strength, including their Dou Skills!

For this assessment, their imitation of Dou Skills had been adjusted to the mastery level rather than the perfected state. In other words...

Only by using a Dou Skill in its perfected state could one destroy the golden phantom!

Only after destroying the golden phantom could a Dou Skill be considered truly mastered and recorded in this assessment!

"Begin!" The moment the eleven golden phantoms fully appeared, Elder Tong Xuan took a step back and vanished from where he stood as though shrinking the earth beneath his feet, leaving only his voice behind.

As Elder Tong Xuan's figure dispersed, the eleven immediately began mobilizing the Dou Qi within their bodies.

"How is that possible?"

"Has that guy gone mad?"

"He's going all out right from the start?"

The spectators instantly widened their eyes and cried out in shock.

Even Elder Tong Xuan, who had moved aside, along with Gu Qingyang, Gu Xing, Gu Yao, and the others, widened their eyes.

Because the instant Elder Tong Xuan announced the start, while everyone else began with peak Profound Rank Dou Skills, Gu Fang's hands were already rapidly forming seals!!

That terrifying fluctuation of Dou Qi, along with those familiar hand seals—the inherited Dou Skill...

The Emperor Seal Art!

An Advanced Earth Rank Dou Skill was being unleashed by Gu Fang, who was still a Dou Master!

Even if the first seal was comparatively weak, it was still at the Earth Rank.

What the hell is he showing off for?

Gu Yao narrowed his eyes and cursed inwardly, but his hands did not slow in the slightest. He immediately switched the Advanced Profound Rank Dou Skill he had been executing halfway through to the Emperor Seal Art.

Though no one had said it aloud, beginning with an Advanced Profound Rank Dou Skill was customary. After all, who opened a fight by immediately using their ultimate move? Usually, one first wore down the opponent,

Then used it once they were within killing range, didn't they?

With Gu Yao's actions, Gu Qingyang and the others immediately changed their hand seals as well, their Dou Qi rippling.

The Emperor Seal Art!!!

Eleven people in a row, along with the twenty-two figures including the phantoms opposite them, all began using an Earth Rank Dou Skill—the Emperor Seal Art. For a moment...

Everyone present fell silent and fixed their eyes on the assessment platform!

Elder Tong Xuan swept his gaze across the eleven on the platform, his soul constantly communicating with several hidden old monsters...

"This assessment is finally getting interesting. In the past, every one of them calculated how much Dou Qi and energy they had, figuring out how many Dou Skills they could execute perfectly at most. I was sick of watching it."

"This is how the younger generation of our Ancient Clan should carry themselves."

"People must be compared to see who falls short, and goods must be compared to see which should be discarded! They're all using the inherited Dou Skill at once. Who has mastered it well and who has not will be obvious at a glance!"

"Damn it, how did that kid do it?"

A sudden curse shattered the calm exchange of soul transmissions. It was hard to imagine what sort of situation could break the composure of someone like that.

Along with that outburst, everyone's attention turned as one toward the assessment platform.

"As expected of the clan leader's son. This move alone is no simple feat!"

This thought arose in countless minds. A series of swallowing sounds followed from the spectators, while Gu Qingyang and the others frantically circulated their Dou Qi.

They even spared no effort in wasting a portion of their Dou Qi, all for the sake of being just a little faster.

At this moment, the gazes of all ten were fixed on one person.

Gu Fang!

How is this possible? How is he so fast, so proficient?

Everyone was thinking the same thing. They had initially believed this was merely a desperate struggle, an attempt to withdraw from the competition with a shred of dignity left. But now, they no longer dared think that way, because...

He was too fast, too proficient!

They were all executing their Dou Skills at top speed, yet they remained several steps behind Gu Fang, and the gap was only growing wider!

The imagined...

Lack of Dou Qi did not appear on Gu Fang at all. On the contrary, he now gave everyone the feeling that his aura was growing stronger!

Gu Fang was clearly the weakest among the eleven present, yet this weakest person...

Was the most proficient and fastest at using the Emperor Seal Art.

With this speed, Gu Fang completely suppressed all dissatisfaction and mockery.

He even...

Pulled all the clan members' gazes, which should have been focused on Gu Qingyang and the others, onto himself. At this moment, Gu Fang had become everyone's center of attention.

If anyone present had been told this before the assessment began, not a single person would have believed it. The gap between Dou Kings, Dou Emperors, and a Dou Master could not be measured by reason.

Even in a contest of Dou Skills rather than combat, Dou Kings and Dou Emperors should have held an absolute advantage!

But now...

The facts lay before them, leaving them no choice but to believe.

In terms of Dou Skill proficiency and casting speed, Gu Fang had achieved complete domination!