Spirit Venerable

When everyone gathered in the central plaza, each person wore a different expression.

Tian Huo looked furious, an invisible layer of black aura shrouding him. No one outside his own team dared approach.

Watching from the shadows, Heavenly Insect smiled inwardly.

Though even he had not expected this ranking, taking fourth place would definitely do him more good than harm.

He knew perfectly well that what he needed now was to make a name for himself!

As for whether that would draw envy and suppression along the way...

Heavenly Insect could only say, There's an old Chinese saying: a wise man recognizes the tides of the times...

Uh, no. It's "only mediocrities escape envy"!

If you want to walk the path of a genius, you have to withstand the trials. Otherwise, once that persona collapses, you'll end up even worse off than Xiao Yan at his three-year deadline...

For now, though... Heavenly Insect had no intention of drawing that man's wrath onto himself. He simply waited quietly in a corner for the competition to end, ready to happily collect his reward and spot.

It was a fine plan, but someone apparently had no intention of letting him hide in the shadows and celebrate in secret.

"Hahaha! Brother Heavenly Insect, congratulations! Who would have thought you'd take fourth place in this elimination tournament? One of our Twelve Branches' ten spots in the Insect World is surely yours now. How enviable!"

A hearty, enthusiastic voice suddenly rang across the plaza, drawing over a hundred pairs of eyes straight toward him.

At that moment, Heavenly Insect truly experienced what it meant to be "the focus of every eye." Unfortunately, those gazes were like knives, scraping him all over...

Heavenly Insect looked up and saw that the speaker was Tian Que. He immediately realized the fellow was deliberately taking revenge.

Clearly, Tian Que still could not let go of the Spirit King's Spirit Core that Heavenly Insect had obtained earlier.

Of course, had Heavenly Insect been in his shoes, he probably would have wanted to kill the other party too. But his opponent was a little too strong for Tian Que to feel confident, so he had come up with the trick of killing with a borrowed knife.

It had to be said: the fellow had succeeded.

Heavenly Insect could already feel a murderous gaze fixed on him. A terrifying aura rapidly gathered, then bore down over his head like a sky-swallowing tide.

Heavenly Insect raised an eyebrow. He did not need to think to know who had suddenly attacked.

The next instant, sharp sword qi rose from Heavenly Insect, blocking the oppressive aura in a flash.

"Hm?"

The sight immediately brought looks of surprise to many faces.

Within the crowd, the eyes of a young man wearing a golden, dragon-patterned flying robe lit up.

That sword qi... Does this man actually have a Supreme-level sword-aspect spirit insect? Judging by the strength of its sword qi, its bloodline must be extraordinary. It can't possibly be just an ordinary Sovereign Spirit Insect...

Of everyone present, only Tian Wu, the Twelve Branches' foremost genius, could see through Heavenly Insect's capabilities at a glance.

Standing in a league of his own among the Twelve Branches' younger generation, his knowledge and discernment were far beyond anyone else present. Even Heavenly Insect fell far short.

But Tian Wu had always been composed, disliked drawing attention, and preferred to come and go alone. Though the young people around him looked at him with the excitement and admiration of fans seeing their idol, no one dared approach and disturb him.

At that moment, however, two figures slowly approached.

"Brother Tian Wu, have you discerned this man's capabilities?"

The newcomer wore a long phoenix-feather robe with a jade belt at his waist, looking graceful and distinguished.

Tian Wu shook his head. "I've never heard of him. On my way here, I merely heard my elders say that Elder Tian Shi recommended him. I know nothing more."

The other newcomer, dressed in black, gave a cold laugh at this. "Brother Tian Wu, why should an enlightened man speak in riddles?

"This man withstood a Supreme while still at the Body Tribulation stage, and he can slay a Spirit King. How could he be someone ordinary?" Naturally, the only people present who could speak to Tian Wu this way were the other two originally expected to take places in the top four.

The young man in the phoenix-feather robe was Tian Qin, who had ranked third this time, while the black-robed man behind him was Tian Cong, who had ranked second...

Both were intensely curious about the newcomer who had pushed Tian Huo down the rankings. But Heavenly Insect had appeared so suddenly that even with their backgrounds, they had failed to gather much useful information.

Just as Tian Wu was about to speak again, a clear voice came from behind the three of them.

"Brother!"

At the sound, Tian Wu's indifferent expression quickly softened. A gentle smile had appeared on his face before anyone noticed.

"Yu'er..."

Turning toward the graceful figure slowly approaching, Tian Wu immediately answered.

Indeed, the newcomer was Tian Yu, the girl whom Heavenly Insect had previously "rescued like a hero saving a beauty," only to "abandon" afterward...

Who would have thought she was the younger sister of Tian Wu, their foremost genius!

Seeing her approach, Tian Qin and Tian Cong both smiled. The latter, in particular, was infinitely warmer than he had been with his earlier cold expression.

"You're here, little sister Tian Yu. Was your journey safe? I kept sending people to look for news of you, but they found nothing. Fortunately, when I checked the rankings earlier, I saw that you'd made the top ten. Only then could I breathe a sigh of relief."

Tian Wu was rather speechless at this, while Tian Qin laughed inwardly.

Still, it was hardly the first time they had seen such a scene, so neither found it surprising.

Tian Yu was used to it too, and she replied sweetly, "Thank you, Brother Tian Cong."

"No need, no need..."

Being called "Brother" nearly had Tian Cong wagging his tail. The two grown men beside him could only shake their heads.

"Brother, what were you just talking about?" Tian Yu paid no attention to Tian Cong's eagerness. After thanking him politely, she immediately turned to Tian Wu.

"We were discussing that swordsman..."

"Oh, that 'sword jerk'..."

Tian Wu froze, wondering whether he had misheard her and missed a word.

"If you really want to know about him, you can ask me. I know that fellow very well!" Before her brother could react and ask, Tian Yu redirected their attention.

Sure enough, her words immediately caught the attention of Tian Wu and the other two.

"Yu'er, you're saying you know this man?" Tian Wu looked doubtful, unsure how his sister could know anything about him.

Tian Yu nodded. "Hmph, Brother, you have no idea. Without me, how could that fellow ever have had a chance to take fourth place?"

Tian Wu's expression grew serious.

"Tell us everything..."

Tian Yu nodded, then recounted her earlier journey with Heavenly Insect.

Just as Tian Wu and Tian Qin sank into thought after hearing her account, another voice rose, filled with disbelief. "That fellow actually stole your Spirit King's Spirit Core, little sister Tian Yu?!"

Three baffled faces instantly turned toward the furious Tian Cong.

Where in that story did you hear anything like that?

"Hmph! Don't worry, little sister Tian Yu. I'll go find that brat and vent your anger right now!"

"Oh, honestly! What on earth are you thinking? When did I ever say that..."

"The point! Can't any of you hear the point I'm making?"

"Though that fellow never revealed his strongest trump card, when he used his movement technique, I saw a phantom that looked like a butterfly..."

"He also practices our Heavenly Meridian's Flying Insect Method. With that terrifying speed, coupled with this sword qi that cuts through anything, can't you work out what trump card he's hiding?"

Hearing Tian Yu's words, Tian Wu and Tian Qin shook off Tian Cong's brainless remarks and immediately understood. They spoke in unison. "An Ancient Sword Butterfly!"

In their minds, only one creature could fully satisfy all those conditions!

"Exactly!" Tian Yu said smugly.

"To think, to think that someone of his strength could actually subdue an Ancient Sword Butterfly. In that respect alone, I concede my inferiority!" Tian Qin exclaimed in admiration.

Tian Wu, however, was not overly surprised. Though a Supreme divine insect such as an Ancient Sword Butterfly was rare, it was not as though the four of them could not obtain something even stronger.

Still, when he looked again at the sword qi soaring skyward in the distance, his heart grew a little more solemn. The name Heavenly Insect had left an impression on him...

Just as the clash between the two immense auras was about to erupt into a great battle, the spiritual energy above the plaza suddenly surged. An even more majestic, awe-inspiring aura descended from the sky, suppressing Heavenly Insect and Tian Huo's confrontation outright.

Pfft!

Heavenly Insect felt an irresistible aura shatter his sword qi. His internal organs shook, and he could not help spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Tian Huo suffered the same fate on the other side...

Everyone in the plaza involuntarily looked up. Within the tide of spiritual energy, a seven-colored radiance flashed, finally becoming a luminous figure that walked down from the sky into the plaza, step by step.

"This is... a spirit body?!"

When they realized that this luminous figure was a spirit body from the Flowing Moon Realm, just like the Spirit Soldiers and Spirit Generals they had hunted earlier, everyone was stunned.

Why would a terrifying spirit body whose strength far surpassed a Spirit King appear in this plaza?

For a moment, fear rose in many hearts...

Of course, not everyone was afraid. Tian Wu and the others watched the newcomer respectfully, bowing from afar. "Greetings, Senior Spirit Venerable!"

At their words, a trace of surprise appeared in the eyes of the seven-colored spirit body addressed as "Spirit Venerable." He examined Tian Wu and the others carefully, then nodded in satisfaction.

"Hehe, you are all quite impressive. To think our Twelve Branches would nurture disciples of such outstanding talent this time. This old man is deeply gratified!"

"Thank you for your praise, Senior!"

Apart from Tian Wu, everyone in the group-even the elegant Tian Qin-could not help looking excited.

Though many still did not understand the situation, the exchange told them that this spirit body, whose power far surpassed the Spirit King level, was a senior of their own clan. They all hurriedly bowed.

The Spirit Venerable merely smiled in response before saying, "Very well. Since the rankings have been decided, this elimination tournament is over. Everyone, come before me in order of rank..."

At his words, the hundred-odd people scattered around the plaza immediately moved. Within a few breaths, they formed a long, snake-like line.

Led by Tian Wu, who had ranked first, everyone approached the Spirit Venerable, then heard him speak.

"Take out your Spirit Token..."

Tian Wu immediately obeyed. Everyone then watched as the Spirit Venerable poured out the Spirit Cores within the token in a clattering stream.

The sight of that small mountain of Spirit Cores left everyone utterly astonished.

In particular, the two enormous cores shining with dense spiritual light needed no explanation. Only Spirit Kings could possess such cores!

Tian Wu had actually slain two Spirit Kings single-handedly. He truly deserved his title as the clan's foremost genius!

Standing two places behind Tian Wu, Heavenly Insect was also astonished. From his own experience, these Spirit Kings most likely did not exist alone, much like the gathering point he had encountered earlier...

Against such terrifying forces, even all their combined strength back then probably could not have slain two Spirit Kings. Yet Tian Wu had accomplished it alone...

That could only mean that this man's strength far exceeded everyone else present. He stood in a league of his own.

Looking at the small mountain of Spirit Cores, the Spirit Venerable nodded in satisfaction once again. Then he waved his hand, and an invisible force enveloped the cores.

What happened next stunned everyone...

Within that enveloping force, the formerly indestructible Spirit Cores began to melt slowly. In the blink of an eye, the pile of cores became a vast mass of spirit liquid, hovering in midair and shimmering with seven-colored light.

Next, the Spirit Venerable smiled faintly and guided the spirit liquid into Tian Wu's body.

"Very well. You may leave now..."

With a wave of his hand, an activated teleportation array appeared beneath the stone stele nearby. It was the exit from the Flowing Moon Realm.

"Thank you, Spirit Venerable!"

Tian Wu bowed respectfully, then walked toward the teleportation array.

Now everyone understood. The Spirit Venerable was helping them absorb the spiritual energy within those Spirit Cores!

Though they could absorb the Spirit Cores themselves, the process would certainly be slower than absorbing cores refined with the Spirit Venerable's help...

This was especially true for those ranked sixth through sixteenth, who were about to participate in the Round-Robin Tournament. They simply had no time to refine these Spirit Cores.

But now that the Spirit Venerable had intervened, none of that seemed to be a problem.

After Tian Wu left, the second-ranked Tian Cong took a deep breath. Unable to suppress the delight on his face, he hurried forward and respectfully presented his Spirit Token.

The process was the same, though apart from Tian Wu, everyone who possessed a Spirit King's Spirit Core had obtained only one.

Soon, it was the fourth-ranked Heavenly Insect's turn.

As soon as the spirit liquid entered his body, Heavenly Insect felt its tremendous spiritual energy churning within his Qi Sea like raging ocean waves.

It's actually purer than the spiritual energy Golden Cicada devoured and refined. It can practically merge directly with my own spiritual energy. How did this Spirit Venerable do it?

At that moment, Heavenly Insect truly felt the wondrous capabilities of this Spirit Venerable.