Holy City Square, under the bright sunlight, countless people were already standing around the square, a veritable sea of people.
The Mysterious Domain Battlefield, opened once every ten years, was a major event for Holy Origin Academy. The activation of the teleportation array meant that the most outstanding disciples of this generation from Holy Origin Academy would appear in everyone’s sight.
Some would rise, some would fall, and the outcome would be revealed in moments.
At this moment, the top thirty disciples, more than ten Heavenly Star List disciples, and countless youths were watching the centre of the teleportation array with fervent enthusiasm.
Above the centre of the square was the core of the teleportation array, where energy from a massive formation, amassed from vast resources, connected to the Mysterious Domain Battlefield.
The disciples entering the teleportation array from the Mysterious Domain Battlefield would emerge from this central point.
At this time, Second Core Elder Wei Sheng, First Core Elder Baili He, Seventh Elder Xiahou Lan, Third Elder and Master of the Treasure Pavilion, Second Elder and Master of the Eight Directions Tower, as well as the Vice Dean and other prominent figures, were all present.
There was even a perfect woman, like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens, untainted by any mortal aura, standing in the void above.
This woman seemed to be formed from condensed spiritual light, ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful, flawless in every way.
Yet, no one dared to profane her. She was Master An Miao, a sixth-grade spiritual controller, an extraordinarily formidable presence in Holy Origin Academy.
The gazes of Master An Miao, the Vice Dean, and other prominent figures were quietly fixed on the centre of the teleportation array.
In contrast, the vibrant crowd of youths was buzzing with excitement, their voices filling the air.
“Who do you think will gain the greatest opportunity, and who will make the most progress in their cultivation?”
“Opportunities depend on fate, so it’s hard to say who’ll gain the most. But for the greatest progress, I think it might be the top-ranked figure, Lin Xiao!”
“Hmph, Lin Xiao is indeed remarkable, but that’s just based on the ranking list. Haven’t you seen those on the Star List? Each one is a prodigy, especially the top-ranked disciples on the Earthly Star List and Heavenly Star List, who’ve reached the peak of the Mysterious Domain Battlefield’s cultivation. Breaking through in one go is impossible, but the top of the Human Star List, Mo Jiutian, is likely the one who’s progressed the most.”
“Maybe Zi Ling, too. Zi Ling is a mid-tier fourth-grade spiritual controller. If she breaks through one level, she could reach high-tier fourth-grade spiritual controller status, and then she could compete with the top few on the Earthly Star List.”
“That’s true, but breaking through one level as a spiritual controller is no easy feat. It’s probably harder than a Martial King breaking through three cultivation levels. Zi Ling might not even have broken through one level.”
“In my opinion, those with significant progress are likely the Martial King seventh-level disciples on the Earthly Star List. Several of them might break through to Martial King ninth level.”
“Do you think reaching Martial King ninth level is that easy? The higher the cultivation, the harder it gets. From Martial King seventh to ninth level, very few will make it. For the greatest progress in cultivation, it’s naturally the lower-ranked disciples on the list. Their lower cultivation makes breakthroughs easier, with plenty of room for growth.”
“Progress in cultivation doesn’t mean the greatest gains. Over time, those who obtain heaven-defying opportunities will truly stand out.”
The crowd buzzed with discussions, each person holding their own opinion, creating a lively atmosphere. Disciples from various factions were full of hope for their members.
Tianmen’s Wang Long, Ba Hu, and others had gathered to one side, their main concern being Lin Xiao and Hu Yue.
Their rivals from Tianmen, Yu Xiang, Jia Chao, and Xiahou Lan, stood not far away. Though they didn’t dare cause trouble for Tianmen, they were eager to see Tianmen’s disciples emerge without Lin Xiao and others.
“Hmph, entering the Mysterious Domain Battlefield, let’s see how Lin Xiao comes out alive this time.”
Yu Xiang cast a cold glance at Tianmen’s disciples.
“Most likely, he’s already met his doom, hasn’t he?” Xiahou Lan smirked. Lin Xiao had killed Xiahou Jing, and he knew that Mo Jiutian and the Xiahou family had long issued a kill order against Lin Xiao.
Not only had they tasked Mo Jiutian and Xiahou Wanyu with the job, but they’d also secretly offered a bounty to others. In their view, on the ultimate battlefield, anyone could easily take Lin Xiao out.
“My brother will definitely come out and become a dragon among men!” On the other side, Gu Han from the First Alliance prayed, hoping Gu Juejin would soar and surpass Lin Xiao and others.
Yu Jingge, Qi Mubai, and Ji Mo were all waiting to see Lin Xiao and Hu Yue’s progress. After receiving the inheritance of an ancient ferocious beast, they had set Lin Xiao as their target to surpass.
Over the past six months, they had made considerable progress.
“Sss!”
At this moment, the centre of the teleportation array grew even brighter. The scene instantly quieted, and all eyes focused on the centre of the teleportation array.
“Swish!” “Swish!” “Swish!” …
Finally, figures emerged one after another from the teleportation array, landing in the centre of the square.
Faces appeared one by one in the crowd’s view. First, a dozen or so people, then dozens, appearing consecutively in the square’s central area.
In no time, over a hundred people had appeared in the square’s centre.
To everyone’s shock, these people were covered in bloodstains. Some were severely injured, even missing arms. Even three from the Heavenly Star List were bloodied, not a single person unscathed.
“That’s Wei Dao and Wei Yanjie from my Wei family. Good, both are safe and sound!”
“That’s the Sword and Blade Alliance disciple, Blade Maniac. He seems badly injured.”
“That’s the tenth-ranked disciple on the Earthly Star List. His aura is weak; his injuries must be severe. Even the three from the Heavenly Star List are injured. What happened in the Mysterious Domain Battlefield?”
The crowd’s discussions gradually rose, and even the Vice Dean slightly furrowed his brow.
“Swish! Swish! Swish!” After a while, another few dozen people appeared. Bai Moxuan, Mu Yao, Yang Dehui, Zi Ling, Hu Yue, and others emerged.
They, too, bore bloodstains. Even Bai Moxuan, the top of the Earthly Star List, had his elegant white robe stained with blood. The group all wore extremely grave expressions.
Not just them—every youth appearing in the square’s centre looked solemn, oddly without any sign of excitement.
Then, Xiahou Wanyu and others appeared one after another. In contrast, Xiahou Wanyu seemed to have a trace of joy on his face.
Over the next while, people continued to emerge sporadically, but the numbers dwindled.
This made many frown, as the total number in the square’s centre was barely a hundred and fifty, with twenty to thirty not even from Holy City.
If no large group emerged later, of the over two hundred who entered the Mysterious Domain Battlefield, only about a hundred and twenty to thirty remained. If so, the death rate was staggering—nearly half.
Even more concerning was that, among the hundred-plus people, two crucial figures were missing.
One was the top of the Human Star List, Mo Jiutian, and the other was the top-ranked Lin Xiao.
These two were arguably the most outstanding geniuses of their generation.
Many brows furrowed in concern.
“Xiahou Wanyu, where is Mo Jiutian?” Xiahou Lan’s gaze turned to Xiahou Wanyu, unable to hold back her question.
“Reporting to the Elder, Mo Jiutian was injured by Lin Xiao earlier and was taken by the people of the Nether Heavenly Demon Palace,” Xiahou Wanyu replied.
