The next day, dawn broke over the Earth Cave!
King Ming, King Feng, Myriad Demon King, and the other Earth Cave kings led the Earth Cave martial artists in gathering at the Forbidden City Catacombs!
In the distance, King Huai hid in the shadows instead of showing himself directly. He was there to watch the excitement.
King Pingshan, the Earth Cave's Survival King, hadn't come to watch.
He was afraid that if a fight broke out, the spectators would be the first to die.
At the same time, he was also afraid that King Gan, King Xun, and the others might seize the opportunity to capture him.
Elsewhere, space rippled!
One Emperor-level powerhouse after another stepped through the air!
The Great Emperors of Heaven Beyond Heaven, the Great Emperors of the Overseas Immortal Islands, and the Great Emperors of several Boundary Lands arrived through the air with their martial artists in tow.
The remaining powerhouses of the Three Realms were also concealed in the shadows!
For a time, the Forbidden City Catacombs were gripped by gathering winds and surging clouds!
Heaven Suppressing King, War King, Sword King, and the other Peak experts of the Human Realm had arrived at the Forbidden City Catacombs long ago to prevent unrest from breaking out in the Earth Cave's Outer Regions.
The Wu'an Army was bristling with killing intent, ready for battle!
Suddenly, space rippled, and the Earth Cave passage trembled!
"The Human Realm's martial artists are here!"
In the air, the Emperor Venerables' eyes blazed with divine light as they all turned toward the passage in the Forbidden City Catacombs!
The next moment, Zhang Tao led Fang Ping, Wang Jinyang, and the other martial artists setting out for battle into the Forbidden City Catacombs!
As soon as Zhang Tao entered the Earth Cave, his aura surged, sweeping across the area!
The sky above the Forbidden City Catacombs instantly darkened!
Zhang Tao stood proudly in the air and swept his gaze around. His voice was indifferent. "Everyone, sorry for the wait!"
The Great Emperors of Heaven Beyond Heaven and the Boundary Lands changed color, their eyes trembling!
"Is this the Martial King Zhang Tao of the Human Realm?!"
Incredible!
The Human Realm's martial arts had fallen into decline, yet Zhang Tao had managed to cultivate to Emperor level in a mere hundred years. It was hard to believe!
Now that the Sky Screen had descended, he had absorbed its rewards. His strength must be even more terrifying!
King Ming, King Feng, King Hu, and the other Earth Cave True Kings looked solemn, their hearts filled with dread!
The Martial King was unbeatable!
Even Myriad Demon King couldn't match the Martial King Zhang Tao as he was now!
If the Earth Cave hadn't joined forces with King Xun, King Gen, and the others, no one here could have opposed the Martial King Zhang Tao. The Earth Cave would have been destroyed!
The Human Realm's powerhouses and its heavenly prides had to be killed!
Otherwise, the Human Realm would surely produce an Emperor!
King Ming stepped forward and walked through the air, his expression cold and his voice utterly indifferent.
"Martial King, since you're here, let's get things started!"
The powerhouses of the Three Realms narrowed their eyes, all looking toward the Human Realm's martial artists!
Everyone knew that this Three Realms Martial Arts Exchange Tournament was a trap set by the Earth Cave in league with King Xun, King Gen, and the others to slaughter the human race's heavenly prides!
Yet the Human Realm's powerhouses still dared to let their young talents compete.
Were they truly fearless, or merely putting on a show of strength?
Zhang Tao swept his gaze over the competitors. His eyes were cold, with a hidden blade in them, and he sneered.
"King Ming, you've certainly gone to a lot of trouble to deal with us!"
Zhang Tao's voice was icy. He had noticed something amiss with the Earth Cave martial artists and some of those from Heaven Beyond Heaven and the Boundary Lands!
King Ming, the Heaven Beyond Heaven Emperor Venerables, and the others had actually made the Origin martial artists under their command—and even their True God martial artists—sever their paths, burn their blood, and fight at lower ranks!
To kill the human race's heavenly prides, the Earth Cave, Heaven Beyond Heaven, and the other factions would stop at nothing!
"Martial King, there's no point saying more!"
King Ming sneered. "We'll fight at the same rank. Unless your Human Realm's martial artists are afraid?!"
Zhang Tao's sharp gaze concealed a blade, and space shattered!
"Fighting at the same rank? What a fine way to fight at the same rank!"
A ninth-rank martial artist who had fallen to fourth or even first rank—how could ordinary lower- and middle-rank martial artists possibly contend with them?
Zhang Tao's expression darkened as he explained the entire situation to Wang Jinyang, Yao Chengjun, Fang Ping, Zhang Xuan, and the other martial artists setting out for battle.
Whether to fight was entirely their choice!
"Fight!"
Wang Jinyang and the others were unafraid.
They feared no one in a same-rank fight!
Fang Ping, Fu Changding, and the others chose to fight as well.
Things had come this far. How could they simply admit defeat and run?
If they didn't even fight, how could they prove that they were no match for their opponents?
So what if their opponents had fallen in rank!
If those people were truly so powerful, why had they fallen in rank to bully their juniors?
Those martial artists who had fallen in rank were nothing but losers!
They had been losers even at their original ranks, and now that they had fallen, they were even bigger losers!
Seeing that the Human Realm's martial artists still chose to compete, King Ming, King Feng, and the other Earth Cave True Kings sneered inwardly.
"Seeking death!"
Just then, space shattered in the distance.
King Gan, King Xun, and King Gen emerged from the void. Their auras were powerful and ancient!
"Li Zhen, how about we join forces to set up the arena and the Secret Realm? If we set them up by ourselves, the Human Realm probably won't be at ease."
King Gan clasped his hands behind his back and looked toward Heaven Suppressing King, his voice calm.
As the foremost of the Eight Ancient Heavenly Kings, he had the standing to speak with Heaven Suppressing King as an equal!
Heaven Suppressing King nodded without saying much.
King Gan, King Xun, and King Gen then joined Heaven Suppressing King in setting up the venue.
There was no need for them to tamper with the venue. Heaven Suppressing King wasn't blind.
If they set traps in the venue and Heaven Suppressing King and Martial King Zhang Tao spotted them, they would surely demand an explanation, and a battle would inevitably break out!
If a battle broke out, who could match Heaven Suppressing King unless an Emperor intervened?
Even if an Emperor temporarily stopped Heaven Suppressing King, he could later ambush them in secret. Some of them would surely die.
With the Heavenly Kings taking action, the arena and Secret Realm were set up in an instant.
On the Human Realm's side,
Fang Ping, Fu Changding, and Zhao Lei were all entering the Earth Cave formally for the first time.
They looked at the powerhouses standing in the air in every direction and at the martial artists gathered all around. It was impossible not to feel nervous.
Wang Jinyang, Yao Chengjun, Li Hansong, Ling Yiyi, and Qin Fengqing had fought in the Earth Cave hundreds of times. Even so, they looked at the powerhouses from every faction whose pressure blotted out the sky with grave expressions.
Below Peak, everyone was an ant!
That saying really wasn't wrong!
At this moment, all the powerhouses of the Three Realms were present!
If a chaotic battle really broke out, even the Peak experts could barely protect themselves.
People like them would probably die from a single shockwave.
However, Heaven Suppressing King's Emperor-level strength after merging his two bodies, along with the War Heavenly Emperor's remnant soul projection and its power to slay Emperors, was enough to deter the powerhouses of the Three Realms to some extent and keep them from easily fighting to the death.
Zhang Xuan looked around at the powerhouses of the Three Realms with interest.
"I wonder which Heavenly King or Emperor Venerable will die."
Zhang Xuan chuckled to himself.
He could guess some of Zhang Tao's plans, too.
No matter what results Fang Ping, Wang Jinyang, and the others achieved, Zhang Tao would surely ignite a battle among the Emperor Venerables, if not the Heavenly Kings!
Slay an Emperor Venerable or Heavenly King, deter the powerhouses of the Three Realms, and repay them for "forcing" his hand!
With the Secret Realm and arena ready, the Three Realms Martial Arts Exchange Tournament officially began.
The martial artists entered the Secret Realm.
As agreed, the Human Realm's martial artists could enter the Secret Realm first. A quarter of an hour later, the Earth Cave's martial artists would enter, followed by those from Heaven Beyond Heaven and the other factions.
Everyone had a Point Token, and more Point Tokens were scattered throughout the Secret Realm.
The faction with the most points would receive the greatest rewards.
(No need to scrutinize the rules.)
"Remember, if you can't beat them, run for your lives at once. Only if you live will you have a future!"
Zhang Tao looked at Wang Jinyang, Ling Yiyi, and the others, then gave them a few more instructions.
Wang Jinyang, Li Hansong, Yao Chengjun, Ling Yiyi, and Qin Fengqing nodded.
If they couldn't overcome their opponents, they wouldn't stubbornly press on.
"Human Realm martial artists, enter the Secret Realm!"
At the command, Wang Jinyang, Li Hansong, and the others entered the Fourth Rank Secret Realm, while Ling Yiyi, Qin Fengqing, and the others entered the Third Rank Secret Realm.
The martial artists from the Earth Cave and Heaven Beyond Heaven stared fixedly at the Human Realm's martial artists, their eyes full of contempt as they laughed mockingly.
"I wonder if Ling Yiyi, who made the Heavenly Pride Ranking, is among the Human Realm's third-rank competitors."
"Hahahaha! The Human Realm's martial artists even disguised themselves. Are they scared?"
"You bunch of dead men, just wait for me to enter the Secret Realm and slaughter you!"
"Weak! You're all too weak!"
"..."
Wang Jinyang, Yao Chengjun, Li Hansong, and the others paid no attention to the Earth Cave and Heaven Beyond Heaven martial artists yapping like dogs.
It wasn't yet clear who would kill whom.
After Wang Jinyang and the others entered the Secret Realm, the first- and second-rank arena matches were about to begin as well.
Each person had ten chances to challenge others or be challenged. They could admit defeat or have someone else take their place in the arena. The more matches they won, the more points they earned.
(No need to scrutinize the rules.)
On the first-rank arena,
Liu Ji looked toward the Human Realm's team and sneered. "Human Realm martial artists, who dares to fight me?!"
"Who should go first?" Han Xu asked quietly.
Fang Ping, Fu Changding, Zhao Lei, and Chen Jiasheng exchanged glances.
Chen Jiasheng stepped forward. "I'll take the first match."
"I'll go first."
Zhang Xuan patted Chen Jiasheng's shoulder, carried his greatsword onto the arena, and stood there with an easy, unconcerned expression.
Seeing that, Fang Ping, Fu Changding, Zhao Lei, and Han Xu said nothing.
Zhang Xuan was powerful. Even though they didn't know his true strength, he wouldn't be in danger.
Zhang Tao had just used Mental Energy to tell them all about these suspicious martial artists.
The man on the arena had fallen in rank. His original rank had been ninth rank Origin!
On the arena,
Liu Ji held a horsetail whisk. He had none of the air of an immortal. His eyes were full of disdain as he stared at Zhang Xuan walking slowly onto the arena, and he sneered. "Oh? Someone really dares to come here and die!"
"Youngster of the Human Realm, do you dare to give your name?"
Zhang Xuan glanced at Liu Ji indifferently and smiled. "I can't be bothered to tell you, and you don't deserve to hear it."
Liu Ji's gaze turned cold. His voice was frigid.
"You're a nobody, but you've got some nerve!
"But... do you really think you can threaten me?!"
"If you were the Future Human King or the Demon Emperor's reincarnation, I might fear you a little. But are you?"
Zhang Xuan gave a light laugh and raised his blade.
"The fight can begin!"
As soon as he spoke, before Liu Ji could make a move, Zhang Xuan used Ghost Step Teleportation. His long blade streaked forward like a shadow, arriving in an instant!
"You!"
Liu Ji cried out in terror. His body trembled, and his pupils clouded over!
"Pshhk!"
Blood sprayed everywhere!
Still wearing a look of terror, Liu Ji was split in two by Zhang Xuan in an instant!
The entire arena fell silent!
Zhang Xuan didn't look at the shocked faces around him. He simply began searching Liu Ji's corpse.
"This man isn't right!"
King Ming's expression changed instantly. He spoke in a grave voice.
"His Vitality burst and speed are far beyond ordinary. He's nothing like a first-rank martial artist!"
And yet the other man was undeniably a first-rank martial artist.
It was simply unbelievable!
Even if he were a Resurrected Martial Artist who had died in battle a hundred—or even a thousand—years ago and been reborn, he couldn't possibly possess such powerful, terrifying strength at a low rank!
An Emperor Venerable from Heaven Beyond Heaven had a dark expression.
The Earth Cave's kings all looked solemn.
"Such a person must be a human martial artist who made the Human Realm Heavenly Pride Ranking!"
"He can't be fought head-on. In the First Rank Realm, he may truly be invincible!"
"Damn it! He actually killed one of my disciples. He deserves to die!"
On the Human Realm's side, Fang Ping, Han Xu, Fu Changding, and the others hadn't expected Zhang Xuan to win the first match so decisively!
He had killed his opponent in an instant, crushing him completely!
It was practically inhuman!
In the air, Zhang Tao's expression shifted slightly.
Zhang Xuan was... unusual.
Far too strong!
Could he also be a mutated martial artist like Wang Jinyang?
On the arena, Zhang Xuan finished looting the corpse and couldn't help cursing, "What a pauper."
Then he kicked Liu Ji's body off the arena.
"Anyone else want to challenge me?"
Zhang Xuan looked around, a smile on his lips.
On the Earth Cave's side, King Feng barked, "Feng Jiucheng, kill him!"
"Yes!"
Feng Jiucheng, who had fallen from the Ninth Rank to the First Rank, wore a grim expression, killing intent radiating from him.
"Human, you deserve to die!"
Feng Jiucheng glared at Zhang Xuan, his eyes filled with venom.
To kill this man, King Feng had actually ordered him to self-destruct!
He couldn't accept it!
He was a mighty expert who had traveled a long way down the Ninth Rank path. And now he had to blow himself up just to kill a First Rank nobody?
How ridiculous!
"People about to die always have so much to say."
Zhang Xuan smiled and regarded Feng Jiucheng calmly.
At that moment, Feng Jiucheng was overflowing with murderous fury!
The instant Feng Jiucheng stepped fully onto the arena, he charged at Zhang Xuan without hesitation!
He hadn't chosen to obey King Feng's order and self-destruct right away. He wanted to kill Zhang Xuan with his own strength!
But he was fast—and Zhang Xuan was faster!
Zhang Xuan didn't meet Feng Jiucheng head-on.
With his blade in hand, he used Ghost Steps and Teleportation, appearing at Feng Jiucheng's side in an instant!
His blade flashed, a glint of cold light!
With a thud, Feng Jiucheng's head crashed down below the arena, and his body fell heavily.
Before everyone's eyes, Zhang Xuan cleaved open Feng Jiucheng's body and extracted the Life Essence from within.
Earth Cave martial artists who fell from a higher rank to the First Rank had to burn their Vitality and Mental Energy. Even with the strength of their remaining bodies, their Vitality wouldn't exceed 400 calories.
A self-destruction fueled by 400 calories of Vitality wasn't enough to guarantee the death of a peerless fighter of the same rank.
So Earth Cave martial artists had to carry energy-rich items like Life Essence to amplify the power of their self-destruction.
Martial artists from places beyond like Liu Ji were arrogant and looked down on everyone. They never imagined they might be injured fighting human martial artists, let alone forced to self-destruct.
That was why they generally didn't carry many resources like Life Essence.
"Damn you!"
King Feng was beside himself with rage, glaring at Zhang Xuan with bloodshot eyes!
Feng Jiucheng was his son, yet a First Rank nobody had killed him!
Unforgivable!
The Earth Cave martial artists glared at Zhang Xuan, gritting their teeth in fury!
The martial artists from places beyond, meanwhile, gasped.
This man was terrifying!
He was likely invincible among First Rank fighters!
Only a self-destruction might be able to kill him!
"How can a human prodigy be this strong?"
"Impossible! It can't be!"
"Unless he's..."
King Ming's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze almost splitting with fury!
Even if this man wasn't the Future Human King, he would surely become a great threat to the Earth Cave in time!
King Ming said coldly, "Bao Yun, challenge him. Make sure you kill him!"
"Yes!"
"Ji Ming, my disciple will kill him!"
The ruler of Pingyu Heaven, one of the Four Brahma Heavens, Emperor Venerable Pingyu glanced at King Ming and said coldly, "Gu Qing, go kill him and bring back his body!"
To kill the man who was very likely the Future Human King in the First Rank Realm, and seize everything he possessed, Emperor Venerable Pingyu had made his finest disciple, Gu Qing, fall to the First Rank.
Now that a human prodigy who looked like the Future Human King had appeared, how could he let the chance slip by?
"Don't worry, Master. I'll kill him."
Gu Qing's voice was icy.
He was a top Ninth Rank expert, with Nine Forgings of Spiritual Sense and a ten-stage Origin!
He was only one step away from becoming a True God!
It wasn't that he couldn't do it. He simply hadn't wanted to!
But because of the Future Human King, he had fallen to the First Rank.
How could he not avenge such a deep grudge?
In the Heavenly Fate Royal Court's ranks, Ji Yao had also witnessed Zhang Xuan's might with her own eyes.
She stared at him, her phoenix eyes gleaming.
"This man is so strong!"
Even she thought the blade that had just killed Liu Ji was powerful!
Not even a Third Rank martial artist could have taken that strike head-on!
When she had been in the First Rank, she hadn't come close to his strength.
"Could he be the Future Human King?"
Ji Yao wondered, her phoenix eyes fixed on Zhang Xuan.
In the Heavenly Plant Royal Court's ranks, Feng Miesheng glared at Zhang Xuan, murder in his eyes!
It was infuriating that he hadn't fallen to the First Rank. Otherwise, he would have sworn to kill Zhang Xuan and avenge his royal uncle, Feng Jiucheng!
King Hu, King Baishan, and the others looked grim.
A bad start!
They had thought they could wipe out the human prodigies with overwhelming force.
They hadn't expected their own side to suffer the first death!
King Huai stared at Zhang Xuan, a deep light in his eyes.
"This man is highly unusual. Could he be the Future Human King, or the Demon Emperor's reincarnation?"
King Huai wasn't the only one wondering. The other True Kings, the Emperor Venerables from places beyond, and the powerful figures of the Three Realms were all making their own guesses.
Earlier, some had thought the Future Human King would be a human prodigy in the Second or Third Rank.
But now, most of the powerful figures in the Three Realms thought the Future Human King was most likely a monstrous First Rank fighter!
There was no other explanation. Zhang Xuan's strength was simply too terrifying!
It was far beyond what a First Rank martial artist should possess.
Even if he wasn't the Future Human King or the Demon Emperor's reincarnation, someone with that kind of strength had to possess something extraordinary!
On the arena, Zhang Xuan obligingly began to look weak.
He panted heavily and wiped away his sweat, acting as though he had exhausted his Vitality.
He had no choice but to put on an act.
If he didn't pretend to be weak, what if no one dared to challenge him?
Zhang Xuan walked off the arena looking exhausted and made his way over to Fang Ping and the others.
"I've nearly used up all my Vitality. I probably won't be able to fight again for a while."
Zhang Xuan gave a wry smile.
Fang Ping stared at him in surprise, thinking, Used up all his Vitality? Could Zhang Xuan be putting on an act?
After all, Fang Ping himself had pretended to run out of Vitality, then quickly recovered after taking a pill.
He was an experienced actor too. One glance was enough to tell him Zhang Xuan was putting on a performance!
Han Xu, Fu Changding, and the others didn't think much of it. They felt it was only natural that Zhang Xuan had used up all his Vitality.
They would have thought it normal even if he'd passed out on the spot.
"By the way, if you go up there, make sure you kill the Earth Cave martial artists with a swift, decisive strike. Otherwise, they may try to take us out by self-destructing!"
Zhang Xuan gave them a warning.
Fang Ping, Chen Jiasheng, and Fu Changding exchanged serious looks and nodded.
"Understood!"
They all knew that once they stepped onto the arena, there would be no sparring—only a fight to the death!
Gu Qing leaped onto the arena and stared at Zhang Xuan like a blade, saying coldly, "Do you dare fight me?"
"I'll fight you!"
Fang Ping stepped forward, blade in hand!
If the Earth Cave and otherworldly martial artists meant to kill them by self-destructing, everyone except him and Zhang Xuan was at risk.
Now that Zhang Xuan was "weak," it was his turn to step in!
"Fine. I'll kill you first, then him!"
Gu Qing laughed cruelly, his eyes glinting with a blood-red light!
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