Ling Han’s advancement through the cultivation levels was actually very fast, but he could not be compared to the Empress. The latter had already reached the middle stage of the high extreme, and was advancing towards the late stage at present. The gap between the two of them would only expand, and would not shrink.
In the area of taking alchemical pills, the nine doppelgangers formed through the Nine Deaths Heaven Art were really too useful.
The Heavenly Phoenix Divine Maiden received a large volume of cultivation resources, and added with the a.s.sistance of the Reincarnation Tree, her advancement was also extremely amazing. She had directly streaked to the consummate level of the Heavenly Body Tier. Now, she was completely engrossed in cultivation, not even willing to have babies with Ling Han. Her whole day was spent cultivating and cultivating, and she was even crazier about it than Ling Han.
This was also because she had been provoked. Who asked Ling Han and the Empress to cultivate and improve so rapidly? Furthermore, his other women were already in the Celestial Realm, and who knew, they might already be in the Genesis Tier by now. How could she possibly dare to neglect her own cultivation? It would not be a pleasant feeling to be the weakest among all of them.
Ling Han did not try dissuading her, either. He and the Empress had exited the stone chamber, and arrived at the platform above the valley.
Ma.s.ses had gathered. Today was a big day.
Even though only eight Forbidden Lands had formed the Heaven Crus.h.i.+ng Alliance together, there were truly many people gathered here, about more than 100. Every single one of them was definitely a supreme prodigy, and there were none below the Eternal River Tier.
Without reaching this level, they would ordinarily still be cultivating in their own clans. They would only be qualified to enter this place after at least reaching this level.
However, even Eternal River Tiers could not be considered the strongest in this place, because there were actually as many as four Demon Masters—three men and one woman, respectively. They all possessed an intimidating bearing.
Ling Han nodded. Since it was possible for a prodigy like Hu Feng to walk out of the Eight Stones Forbidden Land, why was it impossible for the other Forbidden Lands?
‘Hmm?’
Ling Han shockingly discovered that three of these four Demon Masters did not even cast a single look at him, but one of the men stared at him for a while, his eyes filled with malice.
Strange, he had definitely never met this person before!
“Humph, humph, Ling Han, you have come to be humiliated today!” A young man jumped out. It was one of the five people that had stood in Ling Han’s path two years ago. He was still wearing that black plated armor.
It should be a treasured armor, and that was why he wore it constantly.
Ling Han swept an eye over him. It had only been two years, and this person had indeed improved slightly, but it would definitely not be too large an improvement—when one had reached this kind of level, forming an additional or even 10 additional stars was only a negligible improvement. However, if someone in the low extreme of the Eternal River Tier formed an additional star, that would be a ma.s.sive improvement.
“Have you washed yourself clean?” He bared his teeth in a grin.
The young man in plated armor couldn’t help his expression from darkening. ‘You haven’t forgotten it? You are really a guy with a vicious tongue!’
“Don’t drop to his level. In any case, we will definitely make him suffer later!” someone beside him advised. Though it was visible that Ling Han had improved and advanced into the high extreme, they still did not take him seriously at all.
What a joke; even if he were in the consummate level, so what? How was he supposed to fight an opponent in the pinnacle level if he himself was not in the pinnacle level?
Ling Han looked back at that Demon Master. This person’s skin was darker, and he had very ordinary features. He belonged to the category of people that would be completely overlooked in a crowd, but as he had advanced into the Genesis Tier, he naturally had an overbearing air that could intimidate the world, and compel others’ submission.
“Who is this guy?” The others were all discussing spiritedly. Unexpectedly, this Demon Master was not a clansman from any clan of the 16 Forbidden Lands, but was rather a “sapling” that had been unexpectedly discovered, and had only been taken into this place a year ago.
“Gu Feng, this person’s name is Gu Feng.”
“Never heard of him.”
“Such a young Demon Master, his talent is really nature-defying. He can be considered a match for Ouyang He, Leng Xiaoran, and Gou Hai.”
“Previously, there were three big shots, and now it will be four big shots.”
Everyone discussed fiercely. There would definitely be some who would know the origins of the fourth Demon Master, but even if they talked, it was pointless. Aside from a name, this person was incredibly mysterious, and the information that they were aware of was considerably limited.
Weng, a golden pathway stretched over, and a Demon Master appeared. He was a Black Demon. Otherwise, he would not be able to suppress those disciples that were at the Yellow Demon-level.
“Begin drawing lots, and commence the compet.i.tion,” this Black Demon said. His name was Liu Gan, and he was one of the persons-in-charge here.
This was an old rule, so everyone walked out and began drawing lots. However, Gu Feng and the other Demon Masters were exceptions. If they were to compete with the others, it would be too unfair.
“Ling Han!” Liu Gan spoke up, and when he saw that Ling Han had stopped, he said, “You do not have to take part in the compet.i.tion. You only have to watch from the sidelines.”
‘What?!’
The young man in plated armor and the others from before all had dazed expressions. They had already asked the seniors of their clans to make some secret arrangements so that they would be able to draw Ling Han as much as possible. They did not think that Liu Gan would directly come out with an unexpected move like this; Ling Han actually didn’t have to partic.i.p.ate in the compet.i.tion!
“Why is it that he can choose not to partic.i.p.ate in the compet.i.tion?” someone immediately questioned. Though it was a Black Demon in front of them, they were not all that afraid of him. With their talent, it was a sure bet that they, too, would one day become Demon Masters themselves, and there was a chance for them to even become an Earth Demon or Heaven Demon.
Liu Gan swept a glance over these people, and calmly stated, “If I say he doesn’t have to, then he doesn’t have to. Do you all have an objection?”
Ling Han’s mission was to increase his cultivation level. As long as he advanced into the Genesis Tier, he would be able to become a core in the Two Realm Pa.s.sageway, continuously merging the Regulations of the two Realms, and endlessly speeding up the merging of the two worlds.
Thus, the strength of his battle prowess was not important at all, so what reason was there for him to compete? He could just sit on the sidelines as a mere spectator. If he could attain some kind of enlightenment, that would be even better.
“We do not accept!” Some people were clearly troublemakers. Because their talent was too high, they had been treated like princes and princesses in their respective clans, and were used to being self-centered. Yet now, there was actually someone that was placed above them and more special than they were. How could they accept that?
“Humph, if you all have an objection, you can go ahead and talk it out with the ancestors of your own clans because this was their decision!” Liu Gan waved a hand, forcibly suppressing everyone’s dissatisfaction.
Ling Han was also slightly surprised. He had been planning to use this opportunity to teach a well-deserved lesson to the young man in plated armor and his group, and they actually did not allow him to make a move?
But since it was a Black Demon that had spoken up, it would not be proper for him to object, either. He nodded, and stood on the sidelines as a spectator.
Then he’d just be a spectator first, and see what heights these members of the younger generation from the Forbidden Lands had reached, and how many of them were more powerful than Tan Mo.
He sat together with the Empress, and could see the gazes of envy that others directed at them. Whether male or female, they would all be enchanted by the Empress’s supreme grace and bearing. However, the gazes directed at Ling Han were filled with disdain. For king tiers, those that “shrank back from battle” were naturally disgraceful.
The battles began, commencing one after another. Ling Han couldn’t help but nod internally. There were at least 17 people here that had reached Tan Mo’s level, and some were even stronger than him. Perhaps they really had formed more than 3,000,000 stars.
After about five days, the battles finally ended. Aside from four Demon Master-level disciples, the top three were Zhang Ting, Ye Quan, and Liu Dang. The young man in plated armor was named Zheng Mo, and ranked in 10th place. He was also considerably powerful; he was definitely not weaker than Tan Mo.
“Ling Han, do you dare battle with me? I can seal my own cultivation level so my cultivation level would descend to be the same as yours!” Zheng Mo suddenly leaped out, pointing directly at Ling Han.
Issuing a challenge in public, would you accept or not? If you did not dare to accept a challenge to a battle between equals, then how would you have the face to see others in future?