With their respective envoys' approval, the prodigies' expressions hardened, and their presences erupted around them.
After exchanging glances, they formed a ring around Ji Zining, trapping her in the center.
Ji Zining swept her gaze over the prodigies and smiled faintly.
"You still dare to accept the challenge. It seems you aren't quite such trash after all."
As if something had occurred to her, Ji Zining looked toward Hua Qianyan, who was watching from afar.
"Holy Lord, if I accidentally kill someone in a moment, that should be all right, shouldn't it?"
"I'm afraid I might use too much strength, and some of them won't be able to take it."
Hua Qianyan recovered from his earlier shock and gave Ji Zining a long look.
"This is the Ziwei Holy Land. Naturally, it will be fine. Since they accepted the challenge, they must be prepared to die at any moment."
"Because this is a battle, not child's play!"
She defeated a prodigy with one breath of foul air. Was this Ji Zining's strength?
No wonder the ancestor told him to simply watch. He had known Ji Zining's strength all along.
All his earlier worries and doubts had been rather unnecessary.
As those words fell, the prodigies shuddered.
They... could die?
Hearing Hua Qianyan's words, they finally understood what they had been brought here to serve as.
Blades!
The blades of the forces behind them!
And their target was Ji Zining, the monstrous talent who possessed half the True Martial Dao Domain's providence!
Although they had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm, they had never experienced a true life-and-death battle.
In the past, even if they lost a fight, others would spare them and leave them a way out, out of consideration for their status and backgrounds.
Those experiences had been setbacks at most, not true life-and-death crises.
Now they were in the Ziwei Holy Land, facing its divine child in battle.
In status, they could not compare to Ji Zining, the Ziwei Holy Land's divine child!
In background, the Ziwei Holy Land was one of the four great forces of the True Martial Dao Domain. Most of those present could not compare!
They could match her in neither status nor background. If they could not match her in strength either, then perhaps they really would fall here today!
With that thought, a trace of caution entered the prodigies' gazes as they looked at Ji Zining.
They had to win this battle, and they had to win while keeping themselves safe!
Otherwise, even if they won, it would have nothing to do with them!
The envoys of the various forces changed color at those words and were about to call out a warning.
But a towering figure stepped in front of them first.
With his hands behind his back, Hua Qianyan glanced at the envoys of the various forces and spoke calmly.
"What are you trying to do? It isn't your turn to take the stage yet."
"Since you've come to my Ziwei Holy Land, you must obey its rules."
"If you don't, then don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Seeing this, the envoys of the various forces hastily forced ingratiating laughs and returned to their places.
Hua Qianyan was only one man, but they knew that even if they all attacked together, they would certainly be no match for him!
The only possible outcome was that Hua Qianyan would crush and kill every last one of them!
But if they did not call out a warning, the battle over there would be rather dangerous!
That Ji Zining had actually played a divisive trick before the battle!
By saying that they could die, she had made their prodigies apprehensive, and they would inevitably hold back thirty percent of their strength when the time came.
Normally, that would have been nothing, but now it was a grave mistake!
Their chances of winning had not been very high to begin with. If they held back, those chances would grow even slimmer!
Their prodigies might all be ruined!
Though they were frantic with worry, they could do nothing but stand there and stare helplessly.
They were beginning to regret it. Why had they sent all these prodigies out together?
They were all greenhouse flowers with too little experience, falling for it as soon as someone provoked them.
Ji Zining was clearly even younger than they were, so why was she so seasoned in the way she handled things?!
Inside the circle of prodigies, an intrigued smile appeared on Ji Zining's face.
She had suddenly decided to try a tactic from the workplace in her previous life. She had not expected it to work surprisingly well.
Now dealing with them would be even easier.
These greenhorns were lucky to be in this world of cultivation,
for if they had entered the workplace in her previous life, they probably would not even have known how they got fired.
They were still too green!
Ji Zining brought her hand out from behind her back and smiled faintly.
"Since you're taking this so seriously, I'll show you some respect as well."
Before she had finished speaking, Ji Zining beckoned with a hand and called out softly.
"Sword, come!"
"Clang!"
With a sword's ringing cry, a bright, sharp-edged longsword appeared in Ji Zining's hand.
At the sight of the longsword, surprise appeared on Hua Qianyan's face.
Wasn't that the ancestor's personal sword, the Void-Soaring Sword?
Why did Ji Zining have it?
Could it be that the ancestor had given Ji Zining the Void-Soaring Sword?
Ji Zining held the Void-Soaring Sword in her hand as Sword Intent and spiritual power rose around her.
"I have a sword that can sever the Eight Desolations!"
Seeing this, the prodigies circulated their power with all their might, solemn looks appearing on their faces.
They all drew their weapons, but none struck first. Instead, they stared fixedly at Ji Zining.
They knew full well that whoever struck first would be the bird that sticks its head out and gets shot, and would certainly be the first defeated!
They might even die!
Die? They didn't want to!
They still had bright futures ahead of them! Why should they go to their deaths?!
Just then, Ji Zining swung the Void-Soaring Sword, sending an unparalleled sword beam flying out.
"Sword Slashes the Eight Desolations!"
"Clang!"
Amid a clear sword cry, the sword beam swept out in a full circle, instantly arriving before every prodigy.
You won't attack? Then I'll attack all of you!
The prodigies drew deep breaths, gathered all their strength, and launched attacks to meet the sword beam.
They had to block it!
"Clang!"
"Boom!"
"Pfft!"
"..."
A series of sounds rang out as the sword beam, leaving no blind spot in its full-circle sweep, collided with the prodigies' attacks.
Without exception, the sword beam shattered their attacks as easily as chopping melons and slicing vegetables.
Then, without losing momentum, it descended upon them.
The prodigies could not keep despair from their faces.
How was this possible?!
Ji Zining had attacked them all at once, and they had responded with all their strength, yet they had failed to block it?!
Was the gap in their strength truly so great?
They were the ones in the Spirit Transformation Realm, while Ji Zining... was only in the Nascent Soul Realm!
"Crack!"
At that moment, it was as though something had broken inside the prodigies.
Their Dao hearts had cracked!
It was then that the sword beam swept across their bodies.