“Twenty-nine consecutive victories—the championship belongs to none other than Lin Xiao. The rest of you, continue the competition,” Baili He’s voice rang out at the perfect moment.
“Mo Jiutian, Yu Xiang’s death is indirectly your fault. Marry a female disciple of the Xiahou family of your choice, or the Xiahou family will sever ties with you!” The Seventh Elder flung her robe, leaving a threatening remark before storming off in fury.
Xiahou Wanyu wiped the blood from his mouth, casting a furious glance at Mo Jiutian before following the Seventh Elder.
The rest of the Xiahou family also departed. Staying was pointless.
The death of their genius was a disgrace to the entire clan, and they had no face to remain.
Mo Jiutian’s heart burned with anger and frustration. He could never have foreseen this outcome, and his hatred for Lin Xiao deepened, seething into his very bones.
He silently vowed to see Lin Xiao torn to pieces.
After the thrilling battle, the subsequent matches felt lackluster.
Following the finals, a ranking challenge ensued: the top ten of the third tier challenged the bottom ten of the second tier, and the top ten of the second tier challenged the bottom ten of the first tier.
This determined the final top hundred rankings.
First: Lin Xiao. Second: Gu Xuanyuan. Third: Gu Juejin. Fourth: Shura Butcher. Fifth: Lei Kuang… Sixteenth: Ma Bi. Seventeenth: Niu Bi. Eighteenth: Hong Feng. Twentieth: Hu Yue… up to the thirtieth disciple.
A new disciple claiming the championship, three in the top five, and several in the top twenty—this was unprecedented in Holy City history. It gave many a faint sense that a grand era was dawning. However, compared to Lin Xiao’s slaying of Xiahou Jing, these achievements were less shocking.
At the conclusion, Baili He produced an array platform, transferring contribution points directly into the disciples’ contribution cards.
The crowd watched, mouths dry with envy. The vast number of contribution points represented treasures, especially for the top ranks—items that sparked covetous gazes.
“Beyond contribution point rewards, all disciples in the top thirty will receive a cave dwelling in the quiet cultivation zone!” Baili He announced, eliciting gasps. A cave dwelling in the quiet cultivation zone was worth 10,000 contribution points, effectively granting the top thirty an additional 10,000-point reward.
This was another immense fortune.
“Furthermore, any non-Saint Yuan Academy disciples in the top five hundred may join the academy!” Baili He added.
This was a Holy City-wide competition, not exclusive to Saint Yuan Academy disciples. Talents like Tu Bubai and others from different factions weren’t academy members.
Those in the top five hundred held immense potential, meeting Saint Yuan Academy’s standards.
The academy sought to recruit more promising disciples, and talented disciples coveted its resources—a mutually beneficial arrangement.
At this, many indeed grew excited.
“Beyond these rewards, I have a solemn announcement!” Baili He scanned the restless crowd, his voice silencing them.
“The Mysterious Domain Battlefield, held once every decade, is about to open—earlier than usual. According to our probes, it may activate in just one month.”
His words stunned many elders, while most disciples looked bewildered.
Having joined less than a decade ago, they were unaware of the Mysterious Domain Battlefield.
Noticing their confusion, Baili He explained unhurriedly, “The Mysterious Domain Battlefield is a vast spatial realm, a shattered ancient battlefield spanning hundreds of thousands of miles, filled with countless opportunities.”
“The first dean of Saint Yuan Academy gained immense opportunities there, propelling him to found the academy.”
“Our current dean, while traveling, also seized tremendous opportunities in the Mysterious Domain Battlefield, earning his position.”
“In short, the Mysterious Domain Battlefield is the greatest land of opportunity in the entire Chaotic Region.”
The arena erupted in fervor.
The first and current deans had risen through opportunities from the Mysterious Domain Battlefield, hinting at the magnitude of its treasures.
It was as if he were telling everyone: with enough opportunity, the dean’s seat could be yours.
This drove the crowd wild.
Many hadn’t achieved high ranks or rewards in the ranking competition, but the Mysterious Domain Battlefield offered a chance for heaven-defying opportunities, a leap to greatness.
“However, opportunity comes with danger. The Mysterious Domain Battlefield is a fractured space, rife with perils,” Baili He cautioned.
The crowd nodded. Opportunity and danger went hand in hand—a truth everyone understood.
But seeing their nonchalance, Baili He shook his head. “The Mysterious Domain Battlefield is so named because, after six months of trials, the Ultimate Battlefield activates.”
“When the Ultimate Battlefield opens, countless heaven-defying treasures emerge. But within its thousands-of-mile radius, you’ll face celestial cold streams, fiery storms, thunder tempests, death abysses, heaven-destroying beams, and even shattered spaces or the most terrifying spatial turbulence. Encountering these deadly phenomena is almost certain death.” Baili He doused their enthusiasm with cold reality.
The crowd gasped.
These deadly phenomena were despair-inducing. A single energy storm could erase countless experts, even a Martial Lord might perish, let alone them.
Yet, it was also when heaven-defying treasures appeared en masse—great opportunities paired with great terrors.
A single misstep into a celestial storm could mean instant death.
“Beyond that, the emergence of treasures attracts countless fearsome spiritual beasts, even ancient beast races, which swarm the battlefield in beast tides,” Baili He continued gravely. “Plus, top young experts from various factions flood the battlefield, sparking massive, earth-shaking conflicts. It’s an extremely dangerous place with a high mortality rate.”
The crowd drew another sharp breath. Beast tides flooding the battlefield—how could anyone fight? Countless would be overwhelmed.
Combined with deadly phenomena and mass chaos, the danger was indescribable.
Now they understood: the Mysterious Domain Battlefield wasn’t ordinary—it was a death trap. Weaker cultivators would likely be obliterated by the fluctuations alone.
Yet, they couldn’t deny that the treasures capable of inciting beast tides and drawing countless contenders were deeply enticing.
In the path of cultivation, who didn’t dream of surpassing their peers, soaring to the peak of martial arts?
No matter the danger, they’d flock to it.
Noticing their wary yet greedy gazes, Baili He added, “When the Mysterious Domain Battlefield’s spatial barrier weakens, countless factions in the Chaotic Region will activate arrays, sending masses into it—including the Nether Heaven Demon Palace. However, there’s a restriction: participants must be under thirty years old and below Martial Venerable cultivation.”
This was expected—naturally, not only Holy City cultivators could enter.
But their hearts grew heavy. The Chaotic Region’s countless factions, with all their elite disciples combined, would form an unimaginable number.
The Nether Heaven Demon Palace, a faction rivaling Saint Yuan Academy, boasted countless geniuses. The two powers were longstanding enemies, and any encounter would spark conflict.
In the Ultimate Battlefield, it would erupt into full-scale war.
Fortunately, the age limit was under thirty and cultivation below Martial Venerable, easing some concerns. If older experts or numerous Martial Venerables could enter, seizing opportunities would be nearly impossible, and the danger would skyrocket.
“In short, the opportunities are vast, but the risks are greater, with low survival rates. Activating arrays to enter requires immense energy,” Baili He doused them again. “Thus, only Star List disciples and the top thirty from this ranking competition may enter from the Holy City.”
