Paradise of Demonic Gods

by Stayrr

“Obtaining the topmost degree of talent in sword arts in the world requires giving up 72 years of lifespan, which leaves you with only five more years of your life. At the same time, you will never be able to feel love, kinship, and friendship, and you’ll end up leading a lonely life until your death, unable to procreate, or to have any descendants. “From now onwards, everything r

8. 225

Read Paradise of Demonic Gods - Chapter 225 Pantheon Monument Observation (Part IV) online free - Light Novel Full

Chapter 225 Pantheon Monument Observation (Part IV)

Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, two strips of light sprouted out from Fang Xingjian's spine, entangling together endlessly and eventually becoming a fourth circle of light.

He broke through to the fifth level of the mysteries!

The Astral Powers had gone through four levels of evolution, and on the Stats Window, the words had now become 'Prodigious Astral Divine Powers'.

However, it was still incomplete. Fang Xingjian could sense that the information was still gushing into his brain. Various pieces of knowledge, including those on stellar magnetism forces, strong destructive forces of astral bodies, as well as gravitational forces, exploded in his brain one after another.

It was like a waterfall of information appearing on a computer screen. Fang Xingjian's brain continued to circulate endlessly, as though it was a sponge absorbing all these pieces of information.

His topmost talent in swords art also gave him astonishing perseverance, courage, comprehension ability, and logic. This allowed him to absorb at a speed that made one's hair stand on ends.

When he broke through and reached the fifth level, the old man's eyes were already staring like they were a pair of gleaming light bulbs.

Hoult felt as if his whole world was going to collapse. 'How could this happen? The right explication to this Ancient Star Chart should be the one I'm using now. This is definitely a star chart, but how could he explicate it faster than me? And he's able to reach a higher phase?!'

Anderson, Wei Leng, Manny, Rota and the other examinees all looked dazedly at the circles of light behind Fang Xingjian. Their minds were blank, and they were all speechless.

What Fang Xingjian had done was truly too astonishing and too eye-popping! Who had heard of anyone comprehending five levels at one go?

However, under such a scenario, another circle of light was forming at the back of Fang Xingjian's waist. He had broken through to the sixth level!

"Six levels? Are there really six levels? The Pantheon Monument really has six levels?" The old man who guarded the monument trembled suddenly.To be able to see the mysteries of the Pantheon Monument solved in his lifetime… He could truly die without any regrets.

'What could it be? A martial art that can hold six levels of mysteries… The Melancholic Monarch's core legacy… What sort of heaven shaking and earth shattering martial art could it be?'

Everyone was all looking at Fang Xingjian, and their gazes filled were with anticipation. There were no longer any emotions of envy… Right now, what they were most curious about was what skill had Fang Xingjian acquired?

Just as they were astonished to the point that they had almost turned numb and thought that everything was finally over, Fang Xingjian clenched down on his teeth and let out a huge bellow, "There's more!"

In that instant, even the empty space trembled by a violent burst of energy. The entire Pantheon Monument started to shake, shooting out stream after stream of dazzling white light.

"What happened?"

"What has happened?"

Amidst everyone's gazes being astonished to the point of going numb, a sixth circle of light appeared on Fang Xingjian's back. He had reached the seventh level.

Right then, in his Stats Window, the new skill's name had become Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves.

Then, amidst everyone's complicated gazes of surprise and horror, a golden figure emerged slowly from the Pantheon Monument.

The old man, who guarded the monument, suddenly had his mouth agape, saying, "Lord Monarch?" The elder had seen the portrait of the Great Western Region Regional Academy's founder, the Melancholic Monarch, before. The golden figure that had came out from the Pantheon Monument looked exactly the same as the Melancholic Monarch! How could he not be astonished?

Hearing what the old man said, everyone present also looked at the golden figure in shock. If this person who had suddenly appeared was truly the Melancholic Monarch, then would this Divine level expert not have lived for over two hundred years?

A hair standing feeling arose within everyone, but that golden figure did not appear to mind that. He merely looked at Fang Xingjian, who had been surrounded by six circles of light, and then smiled and nodded, satisfaction written all over his face.

He then looked at the other examinees, who were comprehending the Pantheon Monument, and broke into a smile.

His mouth moved very slightly, but no voice came out. It was as though he wanted to say something but could not do so.

In the next moment, the entire golden figure burst out and become rays of light, shooting out toward the people present.

Everyone wanted to dodge, but how could they be faster than light? The light beams shot into their bodies.

However, this was not an attack but a gift.

Hoult, Anderson, Manny and Rota were pierced by the light beams, and the moment they were hit, various images started to appear in their consciousness. Their talents, which were outstanding to begin with, were all unleashed completely.

This light beam seemed to have the ability to unleash the potential hidden deep in the human body. In that instant, a hint of inspiration appeared in their brains. It was an inspiration to attain Heaven's Perception.

Rota clenched her fists in disbelief. Her brain was circulating, and she could feel that there seemed to be voices in the surroundings, trying to speak to her.

"This is… the inspiration for attaining Heaven's Perception? I feel like I'm only a step away from attaining Heaven's Perception."

The same feeling rose from within Hoult, Anderson and Manny.

The old man, who guarded the monument, sighed, "Seems like this is the last message the Melancholic Monarch left behind in the Pantheon Monument. When someone uncovers all the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument, this message will appear and help the few people among those present who have the greatest potential to attain Heaven's Perception."

He swept a glance at the remaining examinees, but the meaning behind his words was very clear.

It was obvious that other than Hoult, Anderson, Manny and Rota, as well as Wei Leng who had attained Heaven's Perception, the other examinee's potential were not regarded by the Melancholic Monarch. They could not even attain Heaven's Perception.

Hearing these words, David was overcome by anger.

"Why?! Why did the Melancholic Monarch not choose me?! Putting aside Anderson and Hoult, since one of them is the Shadow Death God while the other is the grand disciple of the Astral Ancestor… What is the deal with the other two? How are they in the position to compete with me?!"

However, at the next moment, as he looked at Fang Xingjian who was surrounded by six circles of light, David felt as though someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head, causing him to feel ice-cold all the way to his heart.

To think that Fang Xingjian had comprehended seven levels of mysteries hidden behind the Pantheon Monument and had completely resolved it… This made him feel great a sense of loss and despair.

The old man walked up to Fang Xingjian and saw that he was landing slowly from mid-air. All six of the circles of light behind him shattered.

The old man looked at Fang Xingjian earnestly and asked, "What did you comprehend? What kind of skill is it? Is it the Melancholic Monarch's legacy?"

Everyone else turned over to look at Fang Xingjian too. They were clearly extremely curious to find out what Fang Xingjian had comprehended. The all-powerful Melancholic Monarch from two hundred years back, who had founded the Empire with seven other Divine level experts and had also founded the Regional Academy, and then created the Pantheon Monument… What kind of legacy had he left behind in the Pantheon Monument?

Who would not be curious? Who would not be agitated?

However, meeting their curious gazes, Fang Xingjian cast a glance at his Stats Window and asked, "Must I say it?"

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Chapter 226 Pantheon Monument Observation (Part V)

Hearing Fang Xingjian's words, helplessness flashed in everyone's eyes.

The old man guarding the monument let out a sigh and said, "If you don't want to share… Of course, you don't have to."

The martial arts he comprehended from the Pantheon Monument concerned the secrets behind the powers of countless Knights and Conferred Knights. So, of course, he could choose to keep it a secret.

However the old man continued, "But you must know that if you're willing to share the secrets you've comprehended, the academy will definitely offer you a tremendous compensation."

Fang Xingjian blinked and asked, "Would there be a level 30 Divine Remains Equipment?"

Hearing this, the old man started coughing and said angrily, "Do you think Divine Remains Equipments are like vegetables and can be gotten hold of easily?"

"But the Melancholic Monarch's legacy is not a vegetable either. Unless the academy is able to bring out a Divine Remains Equipment, I'll definitely not agree to reveal."

The old man looked at Fang Xingjian, feeling angry and torn. However, he was not a tyrannical person like the First Prince who would just take whatever he wished to. After all, he had previously been a Governor and the Headmaster of a Regional Academy. Naturally, he would not do something like bully people who were his juniors.

However, he still tried to advise Fang Xingjian, "Why do you need a Divine Remains Equipment? That thing can only be used for fighting and killing. Now that there has been peace in the Empire for so long, what use will you have for it?

"The academy can provide you with other things. You must know that other than exchanging information with ether particles, you also need to exchange energies with ether particles for your cultivation after the second transition.

"Do you know which place has the highest concentration of ether particles in this world? That would of course have to be the Sacred Land which is one notch higher than Secret Realms.

"However, there are also different concentrations of ether particles in Sacred Lands. As long as you can reveal your explication method and the skill you've obtained, I can let you use the academy's Sacred Land of the highest level for free! The ether particles there are one hundred times that of ordinary space!"

However, how could Fang Xingjian possibly share the explication method for comprehending the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers? As for the detailed information regarding the skill—after taking a look at the introduction for the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, he was even more determined to not reveal it.

That was unless the other party could provide him with a Divine Remains Equipment. Only then would he consider sharing a version pruned-down version.

However, that old man still refused to give up. He continued to follow Fang Xingjian, chattering non-stop. Fang Xingjian could not be bothered with him and decided to simply sit there, waiting quietly for the twelve hours to be up.

Majority of the other students were no longer in the mood to comprehend the Pantheon Monument. Even if there were those who tried to do so, their minds were filled with Fang Xingjian's amazing feat from earlier as well as the old man's annoying voice, which was ringing out non-stop.

"What must I do before you're willing to tell me? How about this, I'll trade it for my Killing technique?

"Or… I have a level 29 Superior Divine Weapon… How about if I trade it for the Pantheon Monument's secret?

"How about this, I'll take you in as a disciple. I'm the Governor from two terms ago. I'll pass all my experience to you and let you become my last disciple?"

Fang Xingjian did not say a word, but all the other people could not help but stare at the old man.

The old man frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Manny could not hold it in and said, "This guy had even rejected becoming the disciple of Divine level expert, Holy Orison. Do you think you'll be able to move him?"

"What? You rejected Raul, that old fogey?" This old man's seniority was obviously very high. Even the Holy Orison was merely an old fogey to him. "Hmph, so what if you've rejected him? Although he's at the Divine level, one level higher than me, that's only because I've wasted too much time on trying to solve the mysteries the Pantheon Monument holds.

"My Killing technique and specialties are definitely all better than his. With your talent, if you were to learn them, you'll definitely be the first in the world. Mage Kings, Pope, and the others would all be no match for you."

Everyone shook their heads. Rota and the others continued to comprehend the Pantheon Monument, relying on the inspiration for the Heaven's Perception. With the help from the Melancholic Monarch, they had activated their innate potential and instantly felt their minds were much clearer than before. Each of their actions would bring about the appearance of various inspirations.

During the process of comprehending the Pantheon Monument, Rota's body also lit up with many spots of light. She has broken through to the first level.

The rest of the people also calmed down and continued to comprehend the Pantheon Monument. David was the only one who could not do so. It was because Fang Xingjian's act of breaking through all seven levels of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries was too astonishing that his mind was now like boiling water, boiling up and circulating incessantly. There was no way he could calm down and think about the Pantheon Monument.

Fang Xingjian could not be bothered hearing what that old man had to say, so he started toward that additional skill, Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves.

This skill was very interesting, or rather, very special. It was a skill of the highest level which the Melancholic Monarch had created unintentionally.

Between various powers, astral reigned supreme.

This meant the strongest powers in the world were the powers generated from the rotation of the celestial bodies.

Putting other factors aside, it purely considered the scale in terms of numbers and the rotation of the celestial bodies. They were truly the strongest forces in this world.

Sufficient gravitational forces could move the Earth, the moon and the sun, creating neutron stars and blackholes. It could even twist time and space.

The Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves which Fang Xingjian acquired was the skill the Melancholic Monarch was the most pleased with. It could make the practitioner's powers greater by receiving enhancements from astral forces.

However, there were no stars in Miracle World. Therefore, Miracle World had borrowed gravitational forces. From what he understood, the earth under his foot was an extremely huge astral body as well, and thus, the powers he borrowed were, naturally, gravitational forces.

However, it was not a Killing technique nor was it a pure martial technique. Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves—just from the name alone, one could tell it consisted of Waves, and that it was a technique which trained up the body through gravitational forces.

Every thing in the world was affected by gravitational forces. At every single moment, the human body would be tied down by it, and till now, to the people in Miracle World, it was still thought to be caused by ether particles.

Therefore, the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves allowed one to adjust gravitational forces through ether particles, making use of the gravitational forces acting on one's body to circulate Waves endlessly for twenty-four hours a day.

The Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves could tap into gravitational forces in order to boost one's powers greatly. It was as if the practitioner would be able to solidify the tremendous amount of gravitational forces in his body. With this, each single movement would carry the powers to be able to overturn rivers and seas, and the person would be able to, during a battle, suddenly and explosively boost and control the gravitational forces acting on the objects around him.

As this was the strongest gravitational force in the universe, if one were to cultivate it to the highest level in the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, they would be able to tear apart mountains, break through the oceans, or could even possibly twist time and space.

However, this Waves skill was flickering, as though it could disappear at anytime. It was because Fang Xingjian already had his Sonido Sword Zephyr Waves. Now that he had acquired the cultivation method for the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, if he did not choose to switch over, the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves would gradually disappear.

This was because each person could only choose to circulate one type of Waves.

Fang Xingjian would obviously choose the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves. His vital energy and blood as well as muscles started to circulate incessantly, and the Sonido Sword Zephyr Waves was gradually phased out as the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves began to circulate.

The Waves were being changed.

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Translator: Yukidaruma Translations

Editor: Yukidaruma Translations

In the hall, unbeknownst to everyone, Fang Xingjian had started to switch the Waves he cultivated. Through the methods depicted by the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, he moved the gravitational force under his feet through ether sword ripples and started to construct the Waves.

Before the twelve hours of the competition was up, he had finally completed the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves. Then after the level 7 Sonido Sword Zephyr Waves had been changed into the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, it became level 1.

With each increase in level, the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves increased 10 points in strength, 3 points in agility, 3 points in reaction, 3 points in endurance, and 3 points in flexibility. Just in terms of the attributes, with the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves enhancing his body through gravitational forces, it had far surpassed the Sonido Sword Zephyr Waves.

Moreover, he had not only gotten additional attributes. Cultivating the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers allowed him to control gravity, which meant he would even be able to fly.

However, at level 1, the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers only allowed him to float. He would have to reach at least level 5 to be able to fly.

What was more amazing was that the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers allowed him to perform Terra Ingurgitation, which in turn allowed him to absorb all the gravity from the objects within the distance of a couple of kilometers. He would then be able to add them onto himself, frantically adding on to his powers.

This meant that if a house had a million tons—if Fang Xingjian absorbed the gravitational force acting on the house, he would be able to punch out with a power of a million tons.

Level 1 Prodigious Astral Divine Powers allowed him to absorb gravitational forces within a kilometer radius, while level 2 allowed two kilometers, and level 10 allowed ten kilometers.

The ability to absorb the gravitational forces within a ten kilometer radius meant that the area would all be turned into an area with zero gravity. This gravitational force which had disappeared could then be used by Fang Xingjian. It was like each punch or kick would be able to smash down with a force as heavy as a mountain or sea. How terrifying would that be?

There were noteworthy increases in his attributes, ability to adjust gravity, and ability to perform Terra Ingurgitation. This was what was so amazing about the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves. It was deserving of being the Melancholic Monarch's greatest legacy—a martial art which focused on one's foundations.

It was just that the Waves were overwhelmingly strong. He wondered how strong the Melancholic Monarch would be if he were to unleash his Killing technique, which was created for the sole purpose of killing enemies, at full power.

However, Fang Xingjian had relied on Heaven's Perception as well as the information from the Pantheon Monument to attain level 1 in the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves. These Waves required one to control gravity through ether particles and were actually Waves which only a second transition Conferred Knight could cultivate.

Therefore, it was already at Fang Xingjian's limits to be able to attain level 1. If he wanted to increase its level further, it would only be possible after he had completed the second transition.

It was because he would only be able to move the powers of the heavens and the earth through ether particles at the second transition. Only then would the technique take form in becoming a martial art.

After the twelve hours of the Pantheon Monument Observation, Fang Xingjian changed his Waves into the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian's attributes had now become:

Name Fang Xingjian

Age 17

Occupation Windshadow Sword Divinity

Level 19

Strength 735

Agility 1825

Reaction 77

Endurance 47

Flexibility 49

Ether Synchronization Rate 10%

The attributes above come into effect once the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves are activated.

Due to Perfect Muscles, 5 in strength and agility (10% of the endurance attribute).

Skills / Techniques Rebirth Sword Technique, New Nine-Headed Dragon Sword Technique, Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash, Ether Sword Ripples, Level 3 Ether Divine Art

Specialties Genius Swordsmanship, Elementary Survival Instinct, Internal Healing, Internal Training, Sword Specialist, High Agility Motion Vision, Heightened Reflexes, Perfect Muscles, Elementary Berserkness, Unparalleled Sword Intent – Apex

Waves Level 1 Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves

Mental Cultivation Method Level 5 Universal Sword Dominance Lunisolar

Other than strength, his other attributes had all reduced because of the change to his Waves. However, this was all temporary. As long as he could reach level 3 in the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, he would be able to surpass the stats he gained from the Sonido Sword Zephyr Waves completely. In the future, the gap between the two would get continuously greater, and they would not be able to be placed at the same level.

After the twelve hours was up, Fang Xingjian, raised his head and looked over to discover that the number of people, who had attained breakthroughs in comprehending the Pantheon Monument, had increased.

Hoult had already attained a breakthrough to the fifth level. However, his eyes were shut tightly. He could only feel that a tremendous barrier was blocking right in front of him, causing him to be unable to attain a further breakthrough.

'Why? Why is it that I sense something seems to be missing in the inscriptions on the Pantheon Monument? What is missing? It's causing me to be unable to continue my comprehension.'

Anderson's face had turned extremely dark. He had managed to break through to the third level, which was already considered quite a feat, but he was still far from Hoult's level 5, let alone Fang Xingjian's level 7.

Moreover, aside from Anderson, Wei Leng had also attained a breakthrough to the third level.

Satisfaction appeared on Rota's face. Like Manny, she had also attained the second level.

Manny did not think too much about the Pantheon Monument, but rather, focused more on that hint of inspiration the Melancholic Monarch had given to him in regards to the Pantheon Monument. After all, it seemed that reaching the second level was sufficient to bring him into the top sixteen, allowing him to join the arena battle in the next round.

Moreover, compared to the Pantheon Monument, he was more concerned over when he would be able to attain Heaven's Perception.

David's countenance turned pale white as he hid behind the crowd, as though he did not dare to meet Fang Xingjian's eyes. After having gone through the three stages, Fang Xingjian's performance was increasingly terrifying. In his heart, David had totally extinguished any thoughts of fighting against Fang Xingjian. He just wanted to stay far away from Fang Xingjian and no longer dared to go against him.

Having been put through such a blow, humiliated, seen as a joke, and then had his lofty ambitions extinguished completely by Fang Xingjian, it would be hard for David to get any progress in his whole life now.

Just as everyone was planning to head out, the old man stood right in front of Fang Xingjian and said, "Hey, you're really not going to consider to be my disciple? Do you know how many disciples I've taken in in this lifetime? How many top notch experts I've taught? You definitely won't lose out if you were to become my disciple. Not only would you be able to feel free to look at and learn any Killing technique in the academy, I'll also provide with various heavenly and earthly treasures as well as ferocious beasts. You really won't consider this?"

It was already nighttime outside the hall. However, there were still a few hundred spectators waiting there. Standing before them were the four examiners.

Governor Devitt smiled and said, "What do you guys think the results for this year's Pantheon Monument Observation will be like?"

"There are too many geniuses in this year. The results would naturally surpass that of past years," Old man Luke said. "However, the first place should still be either Hoult or Fang Xingjian?"

Yaris said, "And Anderson. Don't forget about this lad just because Hoult and Fang Xingjian had exemplary performances in the previous rounds. He's able to transition into the Shadow Death God which no one has been able to do for the past two hundred years. There are definitely areas about him which are outstanding. His talent is definitely not lower than that of Hoult or Fang Xingjian, it's just that he does not have as much experience as the two of them.

"And this stage tests one on their talent, he still has a great chance."

Armstrong, whose face was covered with scars, said, "There's also Wei Leng. Don't forget about him either. His experience is truly weaker compared to the other three. Despite this, he was able to have a breakthrough to attain Heaven's Perception. This is a good demonstration of his talent.

"Especially with the fact that he holds a deep-seated hatred and is extremely suppressed… The more suppressed one is, the stronger the rebound will be. Once he explodes, the earth will tremble, and the mountains will quake. He'll likely be able to soar up."

Amidst the spectators, there were also people discussing the potential outcome of this stage.

"I think well of Fang Xingjian. His performance for the past two rounds was too dazzling. His abilities are not on the same level as the other Knights."

"So what if he's strong? The Pantheon Monument Observation stage tests them on their talent. The fact that Fang Xingjian is strong now does not mean that his talent is the best.

"In terms of talent, Anderson still surpasses him. At the very least, there have been people who succeeded in transitioning into a Windstorm Sword Hero, but no one has succeeded in becoming a Shadow Death God for the past two hundred years. His talent is probably higher than that of Fang Xingjian's."

"It's useless to just have talent too. I think well of Hoult. Inheritance of a Divine level expert's legacy is definitely no trivial issue. His experience is definitely the highest amongst the few of them. I know for a fact that the Pantheon Monument depends not only on talent but also a sturdy foundation.

"Moreover, how could Hoult, having inherited a Divine level expert's legacy, possibly lose out in terms of talent?"

Just as everyone were disputing, chatting, and exchanging their views, the door to the hall opened.

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Chapter 228 Compare (Part I)

Seeing the door open, Devitt smiled and said, "Alright, as per the regulations, you guys can take turns showing us your results, starting from the one with the most comprehended to the one with the least."

Things were arranged this way to allow the examiners to compare and judge the students' degrees of comprehension more easily.

In the hall, everyone turned their gazes to Fang Xingjian. By right, he should be the first one to go out.

However, the old man waved his hand and said, "It's fine. The rest of you can go first. Let me talk to this lad." He looked toward Fang Xingjian with a burning gaze and said, "You're really not going to consider it? Let me tell you, I have a set of Killing technique that allows one to become four people, easily increasing the practitioner's battle prowess by four times."

Hoult and the others smiled helplessly. Eventually, Hoult was the first one to step out.

Amidst everyone's gazes, Hoult was the first to appear. This represented that he had attained the highest level of comprehension this time around. Everyone took this as the natural and logical order of things.

Having inherited the teachings of a Divine level expert, there was no doubt of his talent.

Devitt also smiled as he watched Hoult in anticipation, saying, "Great, Hoult, you have not disappointed me. Quick, show us how many levels of the mysteries you have comprehended."

Hoult's countenance was a bit off, but he did not say anything. He merely nodded, his thoughts twitching slightly, and spots of light appeared all over his body and four circles of light appeared on his back.

As the many circles of light appeared on his back, everyone's expression turned from mild surprise to utter astonishment.

"Four circles of light? Doesn't that mean he has comprehended five levels of the mysteries?"

"He attained a breakthrough to the fifth level of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries? God, the highest record was Governor Devitt's fourth level, right? To think that he has reached the fifth level?"

"Hoult is truly favored by the gods. This is amazing, too amazing…"

A commotion broke out amongst the crowd.

Looking at this scene, a hint of delight flashed past Devitt's face. He smiled and said, "Excellent, excellent, excellent. The Heavens has shown its blessing on Sinkoda. To think that after I had attained a breakthrough to the fourth level, there would be someone who would reach the fifth level, breaking the record once again."

He looked at Hoult, full of admiration, and said, "Hoult, you really have not let me down. Your talent is so great, it leaves one speechless. Amongst all the geniuses in the world, you're already considered one of the best. How is it? Is the fifth level the last one?" He looked at Hoult with a face full of curiosity and agitation.

Hearing his words, the other three examiners also nodded as they looked at Hoult in admiration. It was if they were looking at an unrivalled piece of raw jade, hoping to take him under their wings and carefully polish him so that he could exude a brilliant dazzle in the future.

They had initially thought that, with so many geniuses stimulating and competing with each other in this year's Regional Selection, there might be people who would be able to attain further breakthroughs under the pressure. However, they had thought that it would be amazing enough to be able to match Governor Devitt's fourth level. How could they have possibly known that there would be people who could reach the fifth level? It was simply miraculous.

However, thinking about how he was the grand disciple of the Astral Ancestor, they shook their heads in pity.

'It's a pity… If only he didn't have a Master…'

Hearing that and thinking of Fang Xingjian who had yet to come out, Hoult smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Lord Devitt, you're too generous with your praises. However, there are still mysteries after the fifth level… I, myself, was not able to comprehend them."

"These praises are all well deserved." Devitt thought that he was acting humble as he waved his hand, saying, "You've done well to be able to reach the fifth level. There will probably be no one capable of surpassing you in a long time. You're truly deserving of the first place in this stage."

Hoult's expression was awkward, but he did not say anything. He merely smiled bitterly and shook his head.

A large group of young girls cheered from the crowd, shooting burning gazes as if they wanted to roast Hoult.

"Young master Hoult is the best!"

"That's of course! Otherwise, how could he have been accepted under the wing of a Divine level expert? His talent is definitely the best in this year's Regional Selection."

"Fifth level? This has broken Lord Devitt's previous record! It's a new record! And how old was Lord Devitt back then? He was almost forty! How old is Hoult now?"

These girls were all young, aristocratic ladies who adored Hoult. They were now cheering loudly, as if there was no one around them, causing great dissatisfaction to the people around them.

However, they did not care about this. It was as if they eyes were filled with nothing but Hoult. No one noticed that Hoult appeared to be slightly awkward.

Devitt frowned, but continued to ask, "Since you've already comprehended the fifth level, Hoult, let me ask you… Are you willing to share your explication with us? We will exchange the information with something of an equivalent value."

Toward this, Hoult had long thought of the perfect reply. He shook his head and said, "I'm sorry. This method concerns my master's and grandmaster's martial arts secrets. I can't share it."

All of the spectators outside the hall had expressions of shock and envy as they looked at the four circles of light behind Hoult.

Tresia's Xiu Yi sighed, "To think that he has comprehended the fifth level of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries. To be accepted under the wing of a Divine level expert, this Hoult is truly a genius blessed by the heavens. This has become the highest record in the past two hundred years."

Next to him, his younger martial brother, Zhou Yong, also said, "Seems like Hoult is the one with the greatest rewards from the Pantheon Monument. Fifth level of the Pantheon Monument… just how talented is he?"

Kirst's City Lord also sighed and shook his head. "Amazing, really amazing. Back then, I was already seen as a genius for comprehending the second level. Now, compared to Hoult, the difference is truly enormous.

"I wonder what level Xingjian was able to comprehend. With his talent, the third level should not be a problem. I'm just curious if he was able to reach the fourth level. It's a pity, truly a pity… If Xingjian had inherited the legacy of a Divine level expert as well, he would probably be able to catch up to Hoult."

When he said this, a young, golden-haired aristocrat lady looked over and said to Kirst's City Lord with a displeased expression, "Aren't you thinking too highly of Fang Xingjian? How can he compare to our Hoult?"

She then looked at Hoult adoringly and said, "Hoult is the grand disciple of a Divine level expert, comes from a distinguished background, and has a strong foundation. The difference between his talent and Fang Xingjian's is practically the distance of ten streets! What right do you guys have to compare our Hoult with Fang Xingjian?

"Do you know how much hard work Hoult puts in? Do you know how difficult it is for him?"

Kirst's City Lord frowned and said, "You're Hoult's kin?"

"How could I possibly be Young Master Hoult's kin?" The young lady continued, "As long as he can cast a glance in my direction later, I'll be satisfied."

Lilia immediately turned and glared at the golden-haired young aristocrat lady, but Kirst's City Lord stopped her and shook his head. He could not be bothered with that young aristocrat lady. He knew that it was useless to say anything to die-hard fans like her.

When the audience heard Hoult mention that he had used the Astral Ancestor's legacy to attain a breakthrough to the fifth level, a hint of understanding and acceptance flashed in their eyes.

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Chapter 229 Compare (Part II)

"Using the means of a Divine level expert to solve that of another Divine level expert, it's no wonder that Hoult was able to reach the fifth level."

"It's not a surprise that Hoult is first this time around. After all, he has strong support behind him."

In the front, hearing Hoult's words, disappointment flashed past Devitt's face. "Since it concerns the Astral Ancestor's martial secrets, it's not something we can probe into." He turned toward the door and said, "Who's next?"

Anderson walked out. When he saw Governor Devitt's face filled with expectation, he pouted and walked up, directly revealing two circles of light.

With Hoult's the stimulation from earlier, the crowd was calmer toward Anderson's performance. However, they were still jealous of his achievements.

Devitt nodded in satisfaction. Although Anderson did not perform as well as Hoult, Hoult was the grand disciple of a Divine level expert. It was understandable for his results to be a bit lower than Hoult's. His performance was commendable as it was.

"Good, good, good. You've comprehended the third level of the mysteries. This performance is already only seen once in ten years. This is really good."

The young, golden-haired lady next to Lilia sneered, saying, "Fang Xingjian can't even compare to Anderson and you want to compare him with Hoult? You really don't know any better."

Lilia was so angry that her face had flushed crimson. However, the facts were placed right before her and gave her nothing to say.

After Anderson came down, Wei Leng went up next, revealing a first circle of light, then a second one, showing that he had reached the third level.

"Hahahaha." Devitt laughed out and said, "We aren't going to lack in successors for our Great Western Region. This year, you guys are truly great talents, outshining each other. However, since both you and Anderson have reached the third level, the two of you can tie for second place."

After all, the rankings in this stage did not affect the final rankings. The ranking for the top ten of the Regional Selection was to be decided by the arena battle in the final stage. Therefore, no one had any objections.

"Fang Xingjian should be next?"

"Didn't you hear? The examinees were told to come out in terms of the levels they had reached. The later they come out, the lower the level."

Tresia's Xiu Yi stood amongst the crowd, looking at the door's direction in jest, "Hmph, Windstorm Sword Hero? In the end, you can't even be compared to the other three, despite having attained Heaven's Perception…"

Before he finished his words, Manny walked out from the doors, revealing two circles of light.

Devitt praised Manny, but he still could not stop his brows from furrowing together.

The reason was very simple. Since Manny came out before Fang Xingjian, did that not mean that Fang Xingjian, whom was thought well of by many of them, was not only surpassed by the three seeds, Hoult, Anderson, and Wei Leng, but also Manny?

Following, Rota and the others took their turns to come out and receive Devitt's commendations. Seeing that so many of them had comprehended the martial arts on the Pantheon Monument, Devitt's smile was dazzling. However, he still let out a sigh in his heart.

It was because even though people who had only reached the first level had come out, Fang Xingjian was still inside. Did that not mean that Fang Xingjian was below them?

Finally, another Knight walked out from the door. It was an examinee who had not managed to comprehend even the first level of the Pantheon Monument. Under the gaze of the four examiners, he started to blurt out his explication as well as the things he had thought of, hoping to let the examiners rate him through those.

Devitt shook his head and said, "There's no need to feel dejected. In the previous selections, many Knights had not managed to breakthrough to the first level. You just need to share with us your explications and what you have gained from it. We'll judge and grade you from there."

With that, the crowd burst into an uproar as people started to whisper amongst themselves.

"Haha, to think that this Fang Xingjian did not even manage to comprehend the first level?"

"Doesn't that sound impossible? With his talent and attainment of Heaven's Perception, this doesn't sound right…"

"What's so impossible about that? Didn't you hear what the Governor said? The examinees are coming out in turns based on the levels they comprehended. The fact that Fang Xingjian has yet to come out shows that he has not even managed to comprehend the first level. I think he's probably too embarrassed to come out now."

"But even if that's really the case, no blind person has ever managed to reach the third stage of the selection in history. It could be that without one's sight, it might be impossible to perceive certain information on the Pantheon Monument."

"That's why I say a blind man is but a blind man. No matter how strong his battle abilities or how great his talent, it's useless. He might just be eliminated in this stage."

At the back of the crowd, Tresia's Xiu Yi broke out into a loud laugh. As he did so, he suddenly grabbed his stomach and waved his hand at Zhou Yong.

"This is funny, too funny…

"Hahahaha, Fang Xingjian, to think that we put you in such high regard. In the end, you may just be eliminated…" Xiu Yi could not help but waved his hand at Zhou Yong, "We've really been worrying for nothing. This person is but a joke."

Zhou Yong also could not help but shake his head, as if he had not expected things to turn out in such a ridiculous way. To think that Fang Xingjian had not even comprehended a single level.

On the other side, the young, golden-haired aristocrat lady casted a glance at Lilia jestingly, breaking out in laughter, "Some people insist on being put in the ranks of geniuses. In the end, just the Pantheon Monument alone managed to test out the truth. Him attaining the Heaven's Perception might be fake too."

When Lilia, Ferdinand and the others heard what the young lady said, they felt aggrieved, but could not think of a rebuttal. At the same time, they refused to believe that Fang Xingjian had not even managed to comprehend the first level of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries. They could not help but feel worried that something bad had befallen Fang Xingjian.

After Devitt and the other examiners graded a few other Knights, Fang Xingjian finally shook off the old man and walked out.

Seeing Fang Xingjian finally coming out, many of the spectators smiled as if they waiting to see him make a fool of himself. To think that a genius was unable to match up against other Knights. Many of the spectators loved watching such a spectacle, where someone who was already down was given an additional kick.

Examiner Luke, face covered in wrinkles, also shook his head. However, he was still suspicious of whether or not there had been some sort of mix-up. He asked, "Fang Xingjian? Why are you queued so far at the back? Was there a problem? Forget that…

"Have you reached the fourth level?" Since Hoult had only managed to reach the fifth level after inheriting the legacy of a Divine level expert, he did not have the wishful thinking that Fang Xingjian would be able to do the same.

Seeing Fang Xingjian shake his head, Luke could not hold back his disappointment as he continued to ask, "Then, was it the third level?"

Fang Xingjian continued to shake his head.

Booing sounds came from the crowd.

Fang Xingjian seemed to be able to tell what the spectators were thinking, but he knew that there was nothing for him to explain. He just needed to demonstrate it and they would shut up.

Therefore, he walked straight to the middle and said calmly, "Let me demonstrate it."

Amidst the spectators' gazes filled with ridicule, pity and sarcasm, spots of light started flashing from Fang Xingjian's body.

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Chapter 230 Compare (Part III)

Fang Xingjian did not reply, but allowed his thoughts to circulate as he thought of the many star charts and star trails. Many spots of light started flashing all over his body.

From there, the first circle of light, the second circle of light, the third circle of light, the fourth circle of light, the fifth circle of light, and the sixth circle of light lit up one by one.

When the third circle of light lit up, everyone was wide-eyed and open-mouthed. When the fourth, the fifth and even the sixth circle of light lit up, the place was filled with absolute silence, as if they had all been turned into mutes.

Lilia was the first one to react. She smiled, turned to the golden-haired, young aristocrat lady who appeared as if she had been turned into stone, and asked, "Haha, which level did Hoult reached again? I think it was the fifth?"

That young lady's face immediately turned black, but this time around, there was nothing she could say to rebut. She could only grit her teeth, feeling very stuffy.

To think that Fang Xingjian was able to reach the seventh level from the Pantheon Monument. This news was simply too unbelievable and too astonishing.

If someone had told this to Governor Devitt, he would definitely have laughed, and would neither have taken it seriously nor have believed it.

However, the facts were placed right before him and he was forced to believe it. He even saw that the old man who had been guarding the monument was following behind Fang Xingjian.

He asked in astonishment, "Why have you come out as well?"

The old man broke into a grin, revealing his incomplete set of yellowed teeth, and said, "I'm not going to guard the Pantheon Monument anymore. You can look for someone else." He turned and looked at Fang Xingjian, saying in enthusiasm, "I have an affinity with this young lad. I want to have a good chat with him."

Devitt did not continue to speak to the old man, but turned to look at Fang Xingjian excitedly and asked, "Xingjian, you solved all the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument?" Looking at the six circles of light on Fang Xingjian's back, he still did not dare to believe it.

The old man grinned and said, "Little De, even you find it hard to believe, right? But it's the truth, this lad solved the final level of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries, the seventh level. Even the Melancholic Monarch himself appeared."

"What?!"

Instantly, all four examiners dashed up, looking at Fang Xingjian as if they were looking at a national treasure, their gazes so scorchingly hot that it seemed as if they would be able to burn through his body.

Devitt grabbed Fang Xingjian and asked, "Xingjian, have you really solved all the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument? You've reached the seventh level?

"Then you must have received the main legacy that was left behind by the Melancholic Monarch! What is it? Killing technique? Nurturing technique? Waves? Or is it a mental cultivation method?"

Although Devitt was slightly agitated, he regained his composure after finishing his words.

In fact, if it were something else, even if he was given a Divine Remains Equipment, he would not be this excited.

However, the Melancholic Monarch's main legacy… How astonishing was this? Even amongst the Divine level experts from two hundred years ago, the Melancholic Monarch's powers had always been at the top.

Now, Devitt was looking at Fang Xingjian like he was a treasure. However, after asking his questions, he had once again regained his composure. He looked at Fang Xingjian and said, "Xingjian, you don't have to be in a rush to say it. We have regulations in both the academy and in the Regional Selection that the martial arts cultivated by the Knights can all be kept a secret. It's not compulsory for you to share everything with us. The same goes for what you have comprehended from the Pantheon Monument.

"However, if you're willing to reveal, we won't be taking it for free either. Any Knight who is willing to announce the results of their comprehension from the Pantheon Monument will all receive great compensation.

"You don't have to be in a hurry to make the decision. After all, you'll still be remaining in the academy in the end. You can take your time to consider this."

What Devitt was thinking of was that after Fang Xingjian had become a Conferred Knight, he would remain in his Regional Academy to continue his studies. Usually, Knights in Regional Academies would mostly choose to remain at their academy to continue their cultivation until they had met a bottleneck.

Then, they would be presented with two options. The first one was to continue to stay in the academy to continue to pursue advanced studies and the mysteries behind ether particles. This was a path where one researched cultivation.

The second option was that after one reached the bottleneck, the person could leave the academy. The Empire would naturally help arrange a good position outside, which was not limited to positions in the Ministry of Finance, in the army, in the Royal Weaponry, or in the Royal Knight Association. It could also be the position of an academy's Headmaster, a City Lord, or a Marshal of the Imperial Guards who was tasked with the job of leading regional troops. They were all great positions.

Of course, after leaving the Regional Academy, they would not be able to return to continue their studies. The only exception was passing the National Selection, which would allow them to continue cultivating in the Empire's National Academy located in the Imperial Capital.

No matter how talented Fang Xingjian was, the ten Heavenly Barriers Conferred Knights had to face were extremely tough. Devitt thought to himself that no matter how fast Fang Xingjian was, he would still need to stay in the academy for a number of years. Devitt would thus have lots of time to employ sugar-coated bullets to coax the secrets of the Pantheon Monument out from Fang Xingjian.

The spectators at the back were all stunned. The seventh level of the Pantheon Monument, to solve all of the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument… What kind of concept was this? It was something that had not been accomplished for the past two hundred years, but now, it was accomplished by a seventeen year old young man.

The four examiners who had been extremely solemn and strict all this time were now surrounding Fang Xingjian. Their expressions, their actions, were all simply as if they were looking at their own kids.

Amidst the crowd, Tresia's Xiu Yi frowned as horror filled his eyes, "Impossible! Impossible! No one has been able to solve the final mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument! How could Fang Xingjian have done it? Have I heard incorrectly? My eyes must have been playing tricks on me… I must have heard wrong…"

However, the six circles of light on Fang Xingjian's back were still flashing in his mind.

He felt that it was the first time that his life had become like an illusion, as if he was witnessing a legend.

Amidst everyone's extremely astonished gazes, Devitt and the other three examiners returned to their original positions. They had exchanged words with the old man who guarded the Pantheon Monument and understood Fang Xingjian's situation.

Devitt was beaming, seeming very satisfied with this year's results. He smiled and said, "The results of this selection's Pantheon Monument Observation have far surpassed that of previous years. A total of thirteen examinees had results in comprehending the Pantheon Monument's mysteries. Out of them, there were three who comprehended the second level, two who comprehended the third level, and one who comprehended the fifth level…"

He then finally went on to announce the most shocking news, "… But what I'm happiest to hear is that our Great Western Region Regional Academy's Pantheon Monument has finally been fully solved. The seventh level has been comprehended, something which no one has ever succeeded in before.

"Fang Xingjian. He has solved all seven levels of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries and has comprehended the Melancholic Monarch's greatest legacy. Therefore, I'm pleased to announce that the one to be placed in first position in the Pantheon Monument Observation is Fang Xingjian."

In that instant, everyone broke out in applause. Lilia, Ferdinand, Anthony, and Robert all clapped furiously, their palms turning red.

Xiu Yi and Zhou Yong looked at this scene in disbelief, feeling as if they were still in a dream.

The young ladies who had been cheering for Hoult were all rendered speechless, as if someone was grabbing their necks.

The other rankings were based on the level the individuals had comprehended. Those who had comprehended the same level would be further distinguished by the time they took to comprehend. If the amount of time they took was the same as well, then it would be based on the prowess of the martial arts they had comprehended.

In the third stage, sixteen examinees would be selected. Other than the twelve who had comprehended the Pantheon Monument's mysteries, the remaining examinees would have to verbalize what they had comprehended, and demonstrate the little martial arts they had gained. They would then be assessed.

There were people who had tried to put on an act, people who had spouted rubbish, as well as people who had some truth in what they spoke and were not far from attaining a breakthrough in their comprehensions.

These people were naturally all assessed. However, there were not many spectators who had their attention on them. Everyone's focus was now on Fang Xingjian. At this moment, he was the one and only leading character.

After the sixteen examinees were selected, everyone cheered.

The sixteen examinees were Fang Xingjian in first place, Hoult in second, Wei Leng in third, Anderson in fourth…

As for David, he was obviously eliminated.

After all the rankings were completed, the sixteen examinees were led to the dining hall for their meals. After finishing their meals, these people who were all talents blessed by the heaven and were only one step away from becoming Conferred Knights would then have a private discussion with the examiners before starting their respective preparations for the final stage, the arena battle.

And although the rankings in the third stage had no impact on the results of the arena battle, they had a great impact on the bets placed by those from Kirst. At least on this night, Ferdinand, who had placed his bets that Fang Xingjian would come out first place for the third stage, had went to sleep in smiles.

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Chapter 231 Chat

The night before the arena battle, all sixteen examinees would be individually called up by the examiners for a chat.

After all, even if only ten of the sixteen became Conferred Knights this time, the remaining six would probably still be able to become Conferred Knights on their next try.

It was very likely that these sixteen would become the country's pillars in the future. Of course the examiners would have to interview them properly, verifying their mental states, thoughts, and characters.

Although it would be hard for them to tell much from this talk, it was something they could not skip, despite the limited effects. It was just like how all public servants in modern days were required to go through an interview. Before one became a Conferred Knight, he would have to be called up for a talk with the examiners.

As the examinee who had consecutively placed first in the three stages, Fang Xingjian was the first one to enter.

On entering, he saw that all four examiners were quietly seated behind a long table and a chair had been placed before him. It was similar to the setup of a modern interview.

Seeing that Fang Xingjian had taken his seat, Governor Devitt smiled and said, "No need to be nervous, we'll just be having a casual chat. The contents of our discussion will neither be recorded nor will they affect your results for this Regional Selection. Therefore, you can feel free to talk."

Seeing Fang Xingjian nod, Yaris, with great interest, was the first to start, "Then let me go first. Xingjian, to be honest, your talent is really high and you have a high chance of becoming a Divine level. Therefore, I'd like to know, what goals do you have for the future? Is it to pursue the mysteries behind the ether particles?

"To run the country? To create world peace? To command an army? To pioneer the expansion of our territories? To become a grandmaster of the generation, having pupils everywhere? Or what other goals do you have?"

Hearing this, Fang Xingjian was stunned for a moment. He had not expected this question to be asked. However, after thinking for a short moment, he directly said, "I actually don't have much ambitions. In the past, the only thing I wanted to do was to spend my life pursuing the highest level in sword arts.

"But I realized, that to pursue the greatest level in sword arts, it's not enough to proceed with determination. It also requires one to create a calm and quiet environment that would allow one to pursue this goal." With that, he paused. He once again thought of Li Shuanghua, Caroline, and the First Prince, causing strong killing intent to flash in his eyes.

"Therefore, on my path to pursue martial arts, I'll kill all those who stand in my way and create disturbances in my mental state."

The four examiners exchanged a glance, their gazes reflecting that they had expected this. They had investigated Fang Xingjian's records long ago and were very clear about his situation.

He belonged to the type of people who would focus on cultivating by himself as long as other people did not appear before him to create disturbances. If a person like him was given sufficient space and resources, he would be easier to control than those who wanted to create a revolution in the country, to expand the country's territories, and to build up the reputation of their clan.

Moreover, with their magnanimity, how could they not be able to accept Fang Xingjian's small bit of rashness? Killing some beasts who had committed evil acts and had gotten on one's nerves was not considered a big issue.

Fang Xingjian knew that they must have investigated him before and he himself had not cared to lie on such issues. If he did not even dare to speak his mind, how would he be able to proceed on and advance on the path of a Knight without any obstructions?

Of course, it would be impossible for the details of the situation to be verified from just a talk with these four. They would still have to take time to slowly observe and understand in the future.

Luke, who appeared to be extremely old, spoke with a quivering voice, "What do you think of the current status where Knights are able to deal with commoners as they wish, where the government is unable to deal with them, and where they can only be punished by the association?"

Fang Xingjian's narrowed his eyes. After some thought, he understood the rationale behind this question. Governor Devitt was on the Second Prince's side, and considering how the other three examiners were all under the Governor, they naturally fell under the Second Prince's wing.

If First Prince represented the traditional powers in the entire Empire, then the Second Prince could be said to be the revolutionary party which wanted to overthrow the tradition of having the first son inherit the throne and wanted to change the strict system where those in power could freely bully those of a lower level.

There were clearly hidden connotations in this question, and they were questioning Fang Xingjian's political inclinations.

To this question, Fang Xingjian had no problems either. There was no way to relieve the tension between himself and the First Prince, and his thoughts had always been closer to that of the Second Prince's to begin with. Therefore, he replied directly, "This is the root of all chaos.

"The commoners are what forms the basis of the Empire. Every year, there would be a large number of Knights being born from amongst the commoners.

"Freely killing and pushing down the commoners would only sow seeds of vengeance and conflict. If this were to go on, one day, the feelings of conflict would explode."

Luke continued to ask, "Then do you think that Knights should be given a status equivalent to commoners?"

"That isn't the case either." Fang Xingjian said. "A Knight's status should clearly be higher than a commoner's. Since both parties have differences in powers, if they were forced to be put on the same level, it would be like putting dragons among snakes. Just in terms of a Knight's required food intake, level of activity, as well as strength, there is already a huge difference. If both parties were to be governed together under the same set of rules, it would only cause chaos in the country.

"But the superiority that Knights enjoy should not be built upon brutality to the commoners. It should, instead, be reflected through the benefits provided by Knights.

"Acts allowing Knights to freely kill commoners are merely acts of evil and would lead to the destruction of the country's foundations. It should not be advocated."

Luke nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Then will you never kill commoners?"

"I'll definitely kill those who deserve to be killed. Commoners are not beasts, but neither are they treasures that should be carefully treated with great delicacy. Providing them with excessive protection will only cause them to become overly complacent, thinking that they are really able to control everything." Fang Xingjian said calmly, "There's a saying which goes like this: 'If we get too close, they would become insolent. If we stay too far, they would feel aggrieved.'

We can neither become too close to them nor should we be too cruel to them. The way it should be done is to keep an appropriate distance between Knights and commoners.

Luke nodded, thinking to himself, 'Although his take is still too immature, judging from his stand, he's still someone we can consider taking in.

'And that saying he mentioned…'If we get too close, they would become insolent. If we stay too far, they would feel aggrieved'… This line has a lingering charm to it.'

Governor Devitt smiled and said, "It's my turn next. Xingjian, amongst the remaining sixteen people left in this Regional Selection, who do you think is the strongest?"

Fang Xingjian answered as if it went without saying, "It's obviously me."

When Fang Xingjian said this, his expression was very calm, his heartbeat was very normal. He was neither proud nor arrogant, appearing to be just stating facts.

Devitt revealed an interested expression and asked, "Then if you have to spar, who would you like to fight against?"

Fang Xingjian gave it some thought and replied, "If it's amongst these sixteen people, I don't really have much interest in them." He 'looked' toward the four examiners and said, "But if it's the four of you, I do have great interest."

All four examiners smiled. Devitt shook his head and said, "If you wish to spar with us, then you better wait until your ether synchronization rate has reached 50%. Ether synchronization rate is not simply just about skill synthesis."

Hoult was, of course, the next to be interviewed. However, since he was a representative for a Divine level expert, Devitt and the others let him pass after just a few questions.

They showed greater interest when the third person, Anderson, came in.

Devitt asked, "Amongst all sixteen examinees, who do you think is the strongest?"

"It should be Fang Xingjian? Or maybe Hoult. Hoult as a level 29 Superior Divine Weapon, so he should still be able to be a match for Fang Xingjian." Although Anderson, who had transitioned into a Shadow Death God, appeared unwilling, he still mentioned Fang Xingjian's name. However, he immediately added on, "But it's only for now. After I've completed the second transition, within three years, I'll definitely surpass him."

Devitt smiled, neither consenting nor dissenting, and asked, "Then what do you think your final rank will be?"

"It should be either second or third place." Anderson was very short, and his feet did not touch the ground when he was seated on the chair. He dangled his feet and said, "If Fang Xingjian is first, I still have a chance to win against Hoult. However, if Hoult turns out to be first and I have to fight against Fang Xingjian, my chances of winning are low since he is too fast and I don't have a level 29 Divine Weapon.

"When dealing with people like Fang Xingjian, if you can't fight against him, there's no need to think of escaping. Before him, a loss would mean death."

He then shrugged and continued, "Therefore, it all depends on my luck in the lots drawing for the arena battle."

Just like that, everyone went through the interview and either went back to rest or continued their cultivation. They then welcomed the last and final stage of the Regional Selection, the arena battle.

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Chapter 232 Arena (Part I)

The final stage of the Regional Selection, the arena battle, had finally started. The location this stage was held at was completely different from that of the previous three stages.

The arena was placed in a huge battle coliseum. The rules for this stage were very simple. Those who acknowledged their loss, lost the ability to battle, or stepped out of the arena, would be considered as the losers.

After all, it was a battle between level 19 Knights. Therefore, the occurrence of injuries or deaths were possible. Those who died in battle would be eliminated, and those who killed—naturally, they would not be penalized.

Therefore, it was possible to kill in the arena battle. This made the spectators even more thrilled and excited.

At this moment, the battle coliseum stands were filled with up to a thousand people. The coliseum was drowned in commotion as the spectators engaged in discussions over the arena battle.

The discussions about who would clinch the top two positions were the most heated up.

After all, even though Fang Xingjian had shown an overwhelming advantage in his talent in the third stage, talent and battle prowess were two different things.

Of course, Fang Xingjian had also shown unrivalled speed in the second stage, but Hoult had also demonstrated the great prowess of his level 29 Divine Weapon. Just the high temperatures, which encompassed a radius of tens or hundreds of meters, would make it hard for Fang Xingjian to get close.

"I wonder which ten people will advance and succeed in becoming Conferred Knights. Conferred Knights… Once they succeed, they'll soar up, and even their statuses will become very different," Kirst's City Lord said.

Ferdinand broke the situation up and analyzed, "The contenders for the top two positions are, naturally, Xingjian and Hoult. Although Xingjian is very powerful, Hoult has a level 29 Superior Divine Weapon, Crimson Fire. Once it transforms into a fire dragon to protect Hoult, there's no way to get near him at all.

"As for the third and fourth place, they should be Anderson and Wei Leng. As for the rest, I can't tell. City Lord, are you able to guess them?"

"It's tough," Kirst's City Lord said. "They are all top notch Knights in the first transition. Regardless of whether it's their attributes, Killing techniques, Waves or mental cultivation methods, they are all matched very closely. And in that instant of their battles, there will be various wonderful and dazzling thoughts, through which it will be hard to differentiate between what's reality and what's fantasy. How they will control their powers and attack is something that even I can't be 100% sure of.

"This is why the results of the battles are so unpredictable."

Ferdinand started to pray in his heart. He had thrown in a tremendous sum of money, betting Fang Xingjian would come out first.

At the same time, 16 examinees headed up the arena, preparing to draw lots.

In a corner of the stands, Tresia's Xiu Yi lowered his head, looking at the black-robed man next to him respectfully.

That man was encompassed in a layer of black robes, revealing only a pair of cold eyes as he looked toward the arena. He was exuding a strong, terrifying aura which kept all living things away.

"Lord Adri," Xiu Yi pointed to Fang Xingjian and said, "That first guy from the left is Fang Xingjian."

The black-robed man was the level 25 Conferred Knight Adri, the younger brother of Tresia Clan's clan head and the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards.

Blood vessels appeared in his eyes as he gazed at Fang Xingjian. That brutal gaze was as though he wanted to turn the whole arena into a pile of ash. Adri had contracted an unmentionable disease which prevented him from engaging in sexual activities. Thus, he detested the world and its ways. This was also why he had been a person with extreme views from a young age. Moreover, the only kin he had was his elder brother.

Considering how Kaunitz's location was unknown and it was likely that he had been killed, Adri bore a huge hatred toward Fang Xingjian. He could not help but want to kill Fang Xingjian.

"Hmph, I had already received the news yesterday. I heard that old fogey Devitt holds this Fang Xingjian in high regard. The top genius in Great Western Region?

"Hehe, but the higher he's pushed up, the harder he will fall. This Fang Xingjian… I'll definitely make him die a horrible death!"

David and his father, Mongul City's City Lord, had also arrived at the battle coliseum's stands. Looking at the dejected David, Mongul City's City Lord said furiously, "Why are you so useless? That Fang Xingjian humiliated you like that, yet you're just putting up with it? You're even planning on giving up taking revenge against him?"

"Father, you haven't seen his performance in the previous three stages," David said dejectedly. "Both his talent and abilities are too strong. He's just like the sky which hangs high above—something which is impossible to catch up with no matter how hard you try."

Naturally, Mongul's City Lord did not believe David's words. Although Mongul's City Lord had heard of Fang Xingjian's results, he had assumed Fang Xingjian was just another great genius. He had seen many of them, but most of them just had great talent. Before they had turned their talent in actual powers, they were all merely geniuses and not true powerful experts.

Especially after hearing what David had said… What did he mean by 'the sky that hangs high above'? This evaluation was too exaggerated, making it harder for him to believe.

Mongul City's City Lord shook his head and said, "You've really disappointed me. A Knight is just a Knight. Don't you understand the gap between a Knight and a Conferred Knight? While Fang Xingjian's tricks may seem very amazing to you, his quick speed can only make him slightly special amongst the Conferred Knights.

"As for beheading a level 21 ferocious beast, it's nothing special either. All he did was kill a wild beast which knew nothing about martial arts.

"Of course, I'll have to admit that, being able to accomplish these things at level 19, Fang Xingjian's talent is truly astonishing. But it's precisely the reason why you should go all out and eradicate him from the roots.

"If you don't deal with him whilst he is still weak, are you planning to watch as he grows stronger—watch as your humiliation continues to stay with you?"

"But now, he's already being treated like a treasure by the Governor. All the more we can't do anything to him now." David looked at his father's unresigned expression and shook his head. Sighing, he said, "Forget it. Father, you'll know when you see Fang Xingjian's battle."

Everyone had finished drawing their lots and verified who their opponents were.

The whole process was to have all sixteen of them start off by drawing lots and then have eight elimination rounds. The eight winners would be the top eight, while those who lost would have to continue in a round robin tournament, vying for the ninth and tenth positions.

The eight winners from the first round would draw lots once again and compete for the top four positions.

Next, it would be the competition amongst the top four to decide who would be in the finals. The two winners would fight for the top two positions while the losers fought for the third and fourth places.

In the first battle, it was Rota against a middle-aged Knight.

That middle-aged Knight was a military personnel by the name of Howard. Having lived over ten years of his life in the battlefields, he had great experience in battle. His attributes, specialties, and Killing techniques had all been trained to the highest level.

Seeing that Rota was placed to fight against Howard, everyone did not think well of her. It was because Rota was too young, making it hard to believe she would be able to surpass Howard in terms of her attributes, specialties, or skills.

Howard thought the same too. Holding a machete, he jumped up into the arena and looked at Rota, who looked just like a bean sprout. He smiled and said, "Young miss, you should just surrender. Otherwise, it'd be too much of a pity for such a pretty face to get scratched up by me."

Rota did not say anything. She appeared extremely calm. Even though she knew her abilities were not comparable to his, her heart did not waver in the slightest. Rota held onto her spear, pointing it at a slanted angle to the floor as she looked at Howard calmly.

Howard let out a cold laugh, "Seems like you're not willing to surrender. Since that's the case, let me send you off."

Before he finished speaking, he seemed to turn into a cheetah instantaneously. The muscles in his feet contracted furiously as a strong surge of power exploded under his feet. With a loud bang, he dashed up to Rota, leaving behind a series of afterimages. Then the machete in his hand slashed out toward Rota's head with the strongest force and the fastest speed.

While Howard had appeared to speak very casually as though he looked down on Rota, when he attacked, he did so with his full power. He had no intention of showing compassion to her just because she was female.

It was how it should be. When it boiled down to the top sixteen in the Regional Selection, which of them would take their opponents lightly or show compassion just because the opponent was female? That would be taking their own lives and futures as jokes.

At the Regional Selection, even if it were the world's most beautiful lady, they would still lash out at them. They would fight whoever stood in their way to the bitter death.

On the contrary, Howard had appeared so flippant in order to confuse Rota, making her feel as though he was taking her lightly. He then attacked with his full power, slashing out explosively and in turn, creating a difference deliberately.

However, Rota seemed prepared for this. Ever since she comprehended the Pantheon Monument, she had stepped into a calm state of mind, as though she would be able to release her soul at any time and attain Heaven's Perception.

At this moment, even when faced with Howard's explosive attack, her peaceful mental state was still undisrupted.

She took three consecutive steps backward and avoided Howard's three slashes, which seemed to be connected as they reflected light. Each of the slashes got closer and closer to Rota's face, and it seemed as though a fourth attack would slash open Rota's stomach.

This was Howard's Killing technique—Tempest Quick Blade. If one were not able to block his consecutive moves, then as the forty-nine consecutive attacks from the Tempest Quick Blade gets increasingly quicker and stronger, the attacks would eventually become impossible to fend off.

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Chapter 233 Arena (Part II)

Just as Howard was about to proceed with his fourth slash, the tip of Rota's spear, which had been stationary for very long, finally thrust out, and the Void Penetrative Divine Spear was activated. This spear attack shot out from the ground and pierced through Howard's foot.

With a stifled grunt, Howard retreated a few steps backward with blood spurting out from his foot.

"How did you do that?" He stared at Rota as he asked. "The Void Penetrative Divine Spear should be unable to strike out from your blind spots."

Although the Void Penetrative Divine Spear was very strong, it did not provide additional attributes and had a weakness in which it could not attack from a spot the user could not see. This meant it could not pierce out from one's body, clothes, guards, or under their opponent's feet.

However, Rota had just done this seemingly impossible thing.

Hearing Howard's question, Rota shook her head and said, "Although you look like you would go all out even when you're fighting against a seemingly weak opponent, you're in fact still looking down on me. Otherwise, you would not have thought of performing the forty-nine slashes from your Tempest Quick Blade right from the start.

"For you to have used the Tempest Quick Blade's consecutive attacks right from the start, means that you never thought I would be able to break through your attacks."

"It's because you've taken me lightly that you were unable to notice something you should have."

After Rota said this, she thrusted out her spear again. This time around, Howard went on full defence, but his machete flicked up slightly, as though it had hit against a formless longspear, creating a loud bang.

He responded immediately, "Your speartip is invisible? You had actually activated the Void Penetrative Divine Spear right from the start, revealing less than an inch of the speartip on the surface. However, you kept it hidden, and thus I did not notice it. You were just waiting for me to step on it myself? And then right before I stepped on it, you activated the Void Penetrative Divine Spear at full powers…?

"That's right, although the Void Penetrative Divine Spear cannot be activated in the user's blind spot, an activated Void Penetrative Divine Spear can still continue to be activated even if it is in the user's blind spot."

Recognizing this point, Howard felt great regret. If he had truly viewed Rota as an opponent of the same level and had been on defence right from the start, he might have been able to notice this trick of hers when he saw her taking three steps back.

However, it was now all too late. His foot had been pierced through, and it was hard for him to move. As a result, his chances of winning had plunged.

Furthermore, Rota had comprehended, from the Pantheon Monument, the ability to twist light rays and alter the light rays from astral radiations.

Rota's longspear trembled, and her small silver spear was akin to a raging dragon. Bringing up powerful and explosive gales, her spear thrust out and lashed Howard from over ten meters away.

However, after blocking a few of Rota's attacks, Howard activated his Reduced Force Field at full force, pushing back the longspear temporarily while he jumped out of the arena, saying, "I admit my defeat in this round."

Seeing how Rota was looking at him in astonishment, Howard said, "You were right. I took you too lightly. Therefore, I'll not make this mistake again. I'm now treating you as an enemy of the same level, and thus, I will not hope of being lucky enough to still be able to defeat you after my foot has suffered a heavy injury."

Just like the that, the first battle ended at the speed of lightning. Howard's emotional play, Rota's ingenious trap, and Howard's decisiveness… All of these demonstrated a battle of wits and courage between Knights.

On the stands, Adri nodded. "This Howard is decisive and knows when to cut losses. He has some guts. That young lady is crafty but is interesting as well. However, she can only be considered lucky to have come across an opponent she could win against."

Seeing Howard step down, Rota let out a huge sigh of relief and thought to herself, "I've finally succeeded."

After this victory, Rota entered the top eight. Now, regardless of whether she were to win or lose, she would still pass the Regional Selection.

A few more rounds of the competition followed, with both Anderson and Wei Leng winning their matches with great ease. It was finally Manny's turn. His opponent was the Astral Ancestor's grand disciple, Hoult, who was cheered on by the crowd to clinch the position of first place.

In the whole battle coliseum, everyone were looking at Manny as though they were looking at an unlucky fellow. The truth was in fact like that. Who would be more unlucky than Manny, who had picked Hoult as his first opponent? It could only be the person who had Fang Xingjian as his opponent.

Rota frowned and looked to Manny as she said, "You should just give up directly and conserve your energy to vie for the ninth or tenth position."

Fang Xingjian did not comment.

Manny smiled as well. As though he could feel all the gazes of pity and ridicule, he said, "It's fine. Xingjian, I'll go up first and test out his skills for you before I fight for ninth place."

Hoult was already on the arena. When he saw Manny walking over, Hoult smiled gracefully and said, "You're very courageous. You can be considered to be a true Knight."

Manny smiled and shook his head. "In my last Regional Selection, I was defeated by a great genius like you and ended up missing the chance to go for the second transition. I even ended up being dispirited for many years. In this battle, no matter if I win or lose, if I were to cower back again, I can probably forget about going through the second transition for my whole life."

"So, that's how it is," Hoult said. "Although I admire your courage, I never give in to others in the arena."

"I can't ask for anything better." Manny let out a breath and said, "Draw your sword."

Hoult shook his head and tossed his level 29 Superior Divine Weapon, Crimson Fire, to the side. That crimson red longsword immediately drew everyone's attention.

Hoult said, "If I were to use the Crimson Fire to deal with you, I would be too much of a bully. In today's arena battle, I'll only use the Crimson Fire when I'm up against Fang Xingjian."

Manny smiled. Although his eyes were smiling, they held a majestic fury.

"It's always like this… I really don't understand geniuses like you… Why do you always look down on others?"

After saying this, there was a sudden loud slap across space, and the area within a hundred meter radius seemed to become two times heavier. The ground cracked, and the air turned heavy. It was as though they were now in the deep seas.

Such a strong pressure was enough to make ordinary Knights drop to their knees.

However, Hoult smiled as though he had not felt anything and said, "The gravity seems to have become stronger? But the difference is so small that I can't really feel anything."

Manny's brows furrowed. To think that his opponent did not even flinch under the pressure of him doubling gravity…

"That's right, have you seen the milky way before?"

The next moment, countless flashing spots of light spurt out from Hoult's palms, circulating around him like the nebula and the milky way in the universe. They spread out endlessly, causing the whole place to appear very magnificent and luxurious. It was said to be the most beautiful attack performed since the start of the arena battle, giving rise to cries of amazement from countless young aristocrat ladies.

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Chapter 234 Arena (Part III)

Looking at the dazzling stream of stars expanding out around him, Hoult said calmly, "Did you know that long, long ago, there were countless dazzling milky ways in the skies above our heads? My Killing technique, Astral Tempest, was based on this."

A Knight's body and bones were extremely strong, many times more so than ordinary people. It was the same for their stem cells and osteoblasts.

Therefore, the rate at which their bones grew was much faster, and it was harder for them to suffer from fractures in comparison to ordinary people. Even if they suffer from fractures, they would recover faster.

Moreover, Hoult's stream of stars was formed from osteoblasts, the ones which were eliminated from his body daily. After going through tempering by the Astral Tempest, the powers of ether particles were being channelled in.

Hoult's Astral Tempest was being replenished by his osteoblasts daily, and after about every ten days, it would be swapped out completely. This meant that the strength of his Astral Tempest would continue to grow as he did.

Now, as a level 19 Knight at his peak, the Astral Tempest formed from Hoult's osteoblasts would naturally also be at the level of a level 19 Inferior Divine Weapon.

Although Manny did not know of the Astral Tempest's prowess, looking at that dazzling stream of stars, which filled up the place and was flashing a silvery white flow, made his brain send him signals of extreme danger continuously.

Standing at the center of the Astral Tempest, Hoult looked at the stream of stars surrounding him and said calmly, "Dance, stars."

Boom! The next moment, the entire Astral Tempest seemed to turn into a tropical tempest from a calm sea surface. The stars soared up, bringing along the majestic prowess of a tsunami as it smashed toward Manny.

Each of the light spots had the strength of a level 19 Inferior Divine Weapon, and their prowess were comparable to bullets. Packed tightly, their combined prowess was like the majestic mountains and seas. They were not something the flesh could withstand against.

With a tremendous boom, Manny's location was completely drowned by the Astral Tempest. However, with a turn of his head, Hoult looked toward his right, where Manny had dashed over to unknowingly.

A powerful palm hit out across space, and the violent gravitational field landed on Hoult, like a crane smashing down. Distinct air currents appeared all around Hoult's body, and all of the Astral Tempest stars were pushed down to the ground in that instant.

The ground under Hoult's feet broke into countless cracks, and his feet sank three inches into the ground. However, he was still unharmed. Let alone getting injured, he did not even bend his spine in the slightest.

"You attacked me again?" Hoult smiled. Then the Astral Tempest once again started to surround Manny again as though they had been summoned.

With a huge boom, countless silver spots of light clashed together furiously. It was as though Mars was colliding with Earth, but it was also as though several ten thousand thunder rumblings rang out all at once.

However, as the stars fell back, a dark black colored wall was revealed.

Before Manny was hit by the attack, he had released a punch and flipped up the ground's surface. He then reinforced it with gravitational force, using it to block Hoult's attack.

However, he had merely blocked off this one attack. Then in just a single second, the Astral Tempest shot out once again. Thrusting forth at a rate of a hundred thousand times per second, it crumbled the wall.

Manny leaped up, dodging the second attack from the Astral Tempest. However, Hoult merely smiled as he watched. From the beginning, he had kept his hands in the pockets of his Knight attire, watching on as the Astral Tempest attacked.

Manny leaped up high into the air, while countless spots of light gathered underneath him, waiting to launch the fatal attack when he landed.

"It's over!"

"The powers, scope, and speed of the Astral Tempest are too powerful! Jumping into the air is like heading into a dead end."

"These are Hoult's abilities? To think that just earlier, I had thought Fang Xingjian would become number one. I've taken the legacy of a Divine level expert too lightly."

Just as these thoughts flashed through the minds of the spectators, Manny, who had leaped into the air, curled his lips into a faint smile. He seemed to have also sensed the gazes of pity, astonishment, and ridicule from the countless people present.

As his speed grew increasingly slower and was about to reach the highest peak in his jump, he pushed his hands out to his sides and stopped suddenly in mid-air as though time had frozen.

Hoult smiled. "As expected, you're already able to control your own gravity. However, you won't be able to win me by just being able to float."

Manny said confidently, "Your Astral Tempest is truly amazing. If it were to hit me, I would definitely die. However, its flaw is also clearly visible."

Hoult looked at Manny and asked curiously, "Oh? What is it?"

"Its strength is high, but it doesn't have enough power! Otherwise, they would have been able to break through my defences earlier." As he spoke, Manny put his palms together, activating his Killing technique, Territorial Grandiosity. In that instant, the entire arena was encompassed by waves of gravitational fields, and amidst the air ripples, which could be seen by the naked eye, the gravity weighing down on the arena grew heavier rapidly.

The ground continued to crack, and the Astral Tempest, which had previously been very active, was now calming down gradually. It was as though they were being held down through their weakest spots and pressed down to the ground.

Perspiration appeared continuously on Manny's forehead. It was all thanks to his comprehension from the Pantheon Monument that he was able to perform this Weighted Territory skill from the Territorial Grandiosity.

While Manny was in mid-air, the Astral Tempest, which was suppressed by gravity had no way of attacking him. So, Hoult could only receive Manny's attacks passively.

'It's very difficult to truly attack him. But if I can continue to suppress him like this and then think of ways to push him out of the arena…'

Just as Manny was thinking this, he saw Hoult smiling once again.

"I see. Seems like you've misunderstood something," Hoult said calmly. Simultaneously, he flicked his bangs to the side as his smiled and said, "Did you know? When I was cultivating in the Myriad Star Palace, the basic status of the entire place had a gravitational force at least ten times stronger than gravity.

"Therefore, your attack is actually useless to me.

"As for the Astral Tempest's weakness…" The next moment, silver lights lit up in Hoult's eyes, as though a stream of stars had appeared there as well.

"I wasn't even controlling it earlier. If I were to truly control it, then it should be like this…"

Before he finished his words, the stars on the surface shot out silver light which was ten times brighter. It then shot up into the skies like a light pillar, completely encompassing Manny's body.

Amidst his terrified cries, Manny, who was now covered in blood, tried to land outside the arena. Before he did so, his fists clenched together tightly again.

Hoult's countenance turned slightly pale when his gravity was shifted to the opposite direction in that brief instant. He shot up into the air like a rocket.

Manny continued to float slightly in mid-air, and his bloody face broke into a smile.

Even if Hoult were able to come back at a later time, the strong gales high up in the air and the atmosphere had already have sent him flying out of the arena. It was impossible for him to return to his original position.

This was Manny's last resort.

"Have I won?" Manny stared at the black dot, which became increasingly smaller in the sky. He felt Hoult had already left his area of control.

Next, Hoult's speed would decrease gradually, and he would then start to descend. At the same time, he would be blown off course by the strong gales and out of the battle coliseum.

Just as Manny was thinking of this, a weird gleam flashed past Hoult's eyes while he was in the air.

The Killing technique, Astral Bodies Projectile, was activated.

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Chapter 235 Arena (Part IV)

The Astral Tempest in the air condensed together suddenly, turning into a silver silhouette in a brief instant. The silhouette looked just like Hoult.

The Killing technique, Astral Bodies Projectile, allowed its user to move their consciousness into an object, they had been into contact with for a long period of time, and in turn, control it.

Manny looked at this scene in shock. The Hoult, the Astral Tempest had constructed, made a dash, and his silver palm pressed down onto Manny's head, smashing Manny down onto the ground outside of the arena.

From there, the Astral Tempest then once again turned into a milky way. It cut across the sky and caught Hoult, who had lost his consciousness. It carried Hoult's physical body carefully into the arena.

Finally, the Astral Tempest scattered. Hoult regained his senses once again and opened his eyes.

He nodded to Manny, saying, "Your Killing technique, Territorial Grandiosity, must have already exceeded level 10? Otherwise, you would not be able to execute a gravity reversal.

"You're truly an expert in controlling gravity. However, we, from Myriad Star Palace, are greater experts in this area. Although I do not specialize in controlling gravitational forces, I've gained a lot of experience in this area. If this wasn't the case, your chances would've been higher."

Manny exhaled and said, "What's the point of saying so much? A loss is a loss. I'll wait to see you fighting for first position with Xingjian."

Hoult had won in the fight against Manny. This battle once again displayed how powerful, Hoult, who had inherited the legacy of a Divine level, was. His two Killing techniques, the Astral Tempest and the Astral Bodies Projectile, as well as that strong physique which could withstand a pressure ten times that of gravity… All these showed the strong foundations of a Knight who was at the top.

"Amazing." Adri let out a long breath. This second transition level 25 Conferred Knight could not help but comment when he saw Hoult's performance. "To think that a Knight could be so powerful. As expected of one who has inherited a Divine level expert's legacy, Myriad Star Palace's ultimate skill. I've gained new insights today."

In this battle, everyone witnessed Hoult's strength. This caused everyone to feel anticipation over how Fang Xingjian would perform in the next arena battle.

Adri glared at Fang Xingjian as he went up and mumbled, "Let me see what abilities you have."

Mongul City's City Lord was doing the same, casting all his attention on Fang Xingjian. He wanted to take a good look at this genius, who had wiped out his son's aspirations, and see just how powerful he was.

After Fang Xingjian went up, a Knight with black hair, black eyes and yellow skin continued to take deep breaths.

This Knight was over fifty years old and was a senior Knight who went by the name Meng Hao. Although he had entered the top 16, his performance in the previous three stages had been far from eye-catching. It could be said that he was practically an invisible existence.

However, knowing he was about to battle against one of the strongest contenders for first place, he now felt as though all the blood in his body was boiling.

Feeling the gazes of all the spectators in the entire battle coliseum focused on him, Meng Hao laughed coldly to himself.

"Haha, go ahead. Look down on me.

"Take me lightly, view me in contempt. It's fine if you look down on me.

"I'll give all of you a great surprise, and let all of you know what true power is."

Half a year ago, Meng Hao had been an ordinary Knight. However, half a year ago, he had encountered a few black-clothed men, who spoke a language he did not understand and wore clothes he had never seen before. They had grabbed him and brought him to a place for manufacturing and processing metal.

They had cut his head open, added some things into his brain and told him that if he did not listen to what they said, they would use the objects inside to turn his brain into cooked beancurd.

At the start, Meng Hao, naturally, had not complied. However, after several punishments of experiencing headaches so strong, which made his head feel like it was about to burst, he started to give in.

Then five months ago, those men in black carved layers of complicated prints on his chest and back. They were like tattoos, but they were many times more amazing than tattoos.

These were Magic prints, the powerful sorcery which allowed one to receive diabolic energy in the Miracle World.

Meng Hao took in a deep breaths, feeling as though his entire body was swelling up. His skin turned increasingly tough and shiny, as though he had been covered with layers of crystals.

Pitter patter sounds of explosions emerged from his body. These sounds were from the trembling of every one of his bones, as though steel bars were knocking against each other.

Amidst the series of explosions, Meng Hao's body became about over three meters tall, as though he was a mighty god who had come down to earth. The muscles all over his body glowed like titanium alloy, giving out the feeling of exceptional strength and tenacity.

Roar!

Meng Hao let out a loud bellow as his strength soared furiously. Heavy pants gushed out from his mouth, producing a tremendous force which caused countless spectators to be struck by a bout of dizziness.

Meng Hao's Knight attire swelled up with him but showed no signs of getting torn. Under the Knight attire, the prints on his chest and back were exuding hints of red light.

The evil gods' energies were being channelled into his body.

Taking a step forward, Meng Hao made a hole which was one meter deep. He then headed toward the arena, walking forward step by step. His feet were like two bombs, creating explosions as he stomped down on the ground. The spectators had the illusion as though the earth was trembling, and the mountains were swaying.

He then stomped down hard onto the ground, creating a sonic boom. A hole ten meters deep appeared in the ground below him, and he appeared in the arena instantly.

Meng Hao then took another step, putting a stop to his extreme speed. However, the arena seemed incapable of withstanding the force from his movement. The arena cracked from the impact of his stomp and turned into over ten boulders.

This strength and this aura were so overwhelming that it did not seem human. In this moment, all the spectators understood that not only was Meng Hao not a novice but that he was a strong expert. Meng Hao was a strong expert, who had tempered his body to far surpass that of Knights, and could even be said to be comparable to a Conferred Knight.

"Excellent. This match is going to be interesting," Adri said. "Meng Hao's explosive powers are already at the level of some Conferred Knights. To think that he could temper his attributes to this level… This Regional Selection is truly filled with hidden talents and experts."

With Meng Hao's explosive appearance, his aura shot up, and everyone's interests were piqued. They were all very curious about how this battle would come to an end, and how Meng Hao and Fang Xingjian would perform.

They felt that even if Meng Hao was not as strong as Fang Xingjian, he was not too far away. Meng Hao should be able to let Fang Xingjian demonstrate a large portion of his battle prowess.

On the stands, there were a few black-robed men who were also looking toward the arena. One of them was holding onto a notebook and taking notes.

"Has it finally started?

"Then let us see what it means for the diabolic energy to be neutralized."

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Chapter 236 Arena (Part V)

Meng Hao's face had an extremely arrogant appearance. The cautiousness and patience he'd had for the past few decades had disappeared completely.

Feeling the thousands of gazes on him, he felt extremely satisfied and had a great feeling of delightfulness and exaltation.

This feeling made him his aura grow even stronger. In addition to his physique and strong presence, when Meng Hao stood in front of Fang Xingjian, he seemed like the Hulk fighting Captain America. [1]

Moreover, he understood clearly as to just how strong the diabolic energy he had was.

There were a total of twelve types of diabolic energy, which led to the segregation of twelve schools of Mages and twelve types of sorcery.

The sorcery he had was Red Sorcery, performed by a powerful Red Robed Mage.

Additionally, out of the twelve schools of sorcery, Red Sorcery was the one which was best in strengthening one's physique, strength and body's tenacity. It was one of the sorceries which was most suitable for face-to-face combat.

Looking at Fang Xingjian, he let out a cold laugh and said, "Fang Xingjian, you weren't expecting this, were you? You must have thought that it was just a harmless earthworm blocking your path, but it has now suddenly turned into a huge dragon. Are you astonished and disappointed?

"You're thinking of fighting with Hoult for first place in the Regional Selection.

"But I want to pull you down from being one of the contenders for the Regional Champion and fight it out with Hoult."

"Earthworm? Huge dragon?" Fang Xingjian drew out the Styx, which was at his waist, slowly. Looking at the imprints on the Styx, Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, "There's a saying that goes like this, 'Even pearls as small as a grain of rice want to shine.' Have you heard of it?"

Meng Hao frowned. This saying did not exist in Miracle World, but he could sense instinctively that Fang Xingjian's words held disdain toward him. Therefore, Meng Hao's face darkened as he asked, "What does it mean?'

Fang Xingjian flicked his finger on the Styx slightly, releasing a melodious and crisp ringing sound.

"It means that even pearls which are as small as rice grains want to shine before gemstones and pearls." Fang Xingjian shook his head. "After cultivating for so many years, it has must have been hard for you to reach your current level. Since that's the case, why did you need to come and be humiliated?"

Fury flashed in Meng Hao's eyes. Ever since he received the diabolic energy, the people he hated the most were people who looked down on him. Fang Xingjian's way of doing things at present was the greatest humiliation to him.

"Hmph, we'll find out who is the grain of rice and who is the pearl after the fight."

After saying this, Meng Hao's fist, which was the size of a wok, punched out across space. In that instant, the Reduced Force Field exploded, causing the entire battered arena to be covered with sand and rock. The surging force hit into the air, creating air currents, which were like shock waves hitting out toward Fang Xingjian.

One punch followed after another and Meng Hao's hands were like a hundred afterimages. The violent power compacted together in the air because of the amazing speed at which the punches were dealt.

Before the front rows of air currents hit their target, those at the back caught up and joined with them, pushing them forward.

Just like that, the strength of a hundred, or even a thousand punches, were condensed into the air currents, heading from one side of the arena toward another where Fang Xingjian was at. If Fang Xingjian were to leave the arena, it would be considered his loss. Therefore, Meng Hao's attack left Fang Xingjian with no way to escape. Fang Xingjian could only face the attack head-on.

This method of piling up power from his punches while using the air as the medium was his Killing technique—Gust Amassing Force.

However, for ordinary Knights, they were limited to stacking up ten or twenty types of forces. However, Meng Hao was now relying on his endless physical strength, supersonic speed, and that violent power, which was like that of a terrifying dinosaur. He amassed the power of hundreds of punches forcefully, launching the power toward Fang Xingjian in the form of shock waves.

In this moment, white steam was being emitted from all over his body. Meng Hao was like an engine moving at full power. His temperature was so high that even his skin had turned red, making him appear like a cooked prawn.

Countless spectators opened their eyes wide upon seeing such a terrifying explosive force. When had they ever seen someone performing the Killing technique, Gust Amassing Force, to this level?

'The toughness of Meng Hao's body has already exceeded the level 21 Colossal Armed Ape. Additionally, he can perform martial techniques as well. Strong… He is really too strong. Let's see how Fang Xingjian is going to take this attack.'

In that instant, countless Knights present had this thought in their minds.

Faced with Meng Hao's extremely violent attack, Fang Xingjian had not thought of using speed or his sword intent to attack his opponent's flaws.

In today's arena battle, his goal was to get an overwhelming victory over all of the other examinees. He wanted to shock all the Knights by winning the first place with undeniable and absolute power.

What did it mean to be the undeniable champion? It was to be able to crush your opponents in all areas and aspects, and to maintain an overwhelming gap in battle prowess over all the other examinees.

It was only with this that he would be able to gain the most resources and face the least troubles. This would also wipe out at least 99% of the ill-intentions the people present had against him.

Therefore, when faced with Meng Hao's attack, he did not dodge or attack his opponent's flaws, nor did he employ means such as slicing through the attack. Instead, he wanted to use an attack which was even more violent and ferocious to push back and crush his opponent.

Therefore, without any hesitation, Fang Xingjian performed Terra Ingurgitation, an attack from the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves which he could only perform once every hour.

In that instant, everyone within a one kilometer radius from him felt something—the loss of gravity.

In that short moment, regardless of whether it were the humans, animals, buildings, walls—even rocks, tea cups, horse carriages, and everything on grasslands—everything seemed to be wriggling with the feeling of floating in the air.

It was because the gravitational force which had been acting on them was now all concentrated on Fang Xingjian. Then with a slash of Fang Xingjian's sword, they all gushed forward, following the direction of the sword's tip.

The gravitational force acting on all the physical objects within a one kilometer radius… How violent was this force?

Putting everything else aside, even if it were just the gravitational force which was on all the spectators present in the battle coliseum, it would already be a terrifying force. Let alone the fact that within a one kilometer radius, there were still at least over ten horse carriages and over ten buildings, as well as countless stones and trees.

Moreover, now with Fang Xingjian's sword slash, the world within a one kilometer radius was as though it had been turned over and everyone felt as though they were flying. All the gravitational force, which had been acting on them, was now gathered onto Fang Xingjian's sword and then smashed against the shock waves in front of Meng Hao.

The spatial force smashed onto the Styx, releasing consecutive booms. However, it was just like an ant trying to shake up a big tree, or a group of ants trying to bang against a big mountain. All of the shock waves were smashed by the unbelievable gush of power and caused Meng Hao, who was still punching out, to sense a surge of power gushing back toward him. Before this surge of energy, the explosive force he unleashed was weak like a frail piece of paper, torn completely into shreds just in that brief instant.

'Too powerful.'

'Too fierce!'

The moment Fang Xingjian's longsword slashed out, the very last thing which popped up in Meng Hao's mind was Fang Xingjian's earlier words.

'Even pearls as small as a grain of rice want to shine…"

Then the next moment, his consciousness was completely devoured by the ferocious surge of power.

[1] Fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

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Chapter 237 Arena (Part VI)

That single sword had contained all the gravity of the physical objects within a one kilometer radius. It was a sword which was as heavy as the heaven and earth. Before it even got near Meng Hao's body, the violent air currents were overpowered by this force from Fang Xingjian and formed into layers of strong air currents, which tore Meng Hao's body apart.

Several ten thousand tons? Several hundred thousand tons? Or was it several million tons?

No one knew how heavy Fang Xingjian's sword attack was. It was like a fuel-air explosive had been set off in the battle coliseum. The white force turned into waves which could be seen by the naked eye and blew out in all directions.

Amidst the strong tremors, sand and rocks got blown everywhere.

This was just a hurricane to start it off. When the power from this sword hit the ground, the entire arena immediately sank into the ground. As though an earthquake had struck the battle coliseum, a crack over a hundred meters long formed in the ground.

The thousands of spectators left their seats. As they had temporarily lost the gravitational force acting on them, the spectators were thrown up to a height of half a meter due to the tremors.

All the walls of the battle coliseum cracked apart, like a cake which had been sliced through by a knife. Both the ground and the walls started to tremor in a wave-like motion, sending many ripples outward.

Gravity then returned to the spectators, and they returned down to the ground. However, amidst the exclamations, a large part of the west side of the battle coliseum crumbled, causing the entire arena to disappear and turn into a meteorite crater.

Tons of sand and dust were sent flying upward from the impact, filling up the whole place with dust.

In that moment, the entire coliseum looked like a natural disaster had just occurred there.

Amidst all the sand and dust, Governor Devitt waved his hand, bringing forth a hundred massive ice dragons.

Some of them passed through the sand and dust directly, absorbing them.

Some of the others started to move the crumbling rocks, mending the walls, protecting the spectators, and preventing accidents from happening.

However, everyone who had been able to come spectate were all nobles. Even if they were not Knights, their attributes would not be weak, and thus, they would not be in trouble just because of this 'minor earthquake'.

Governor Devitt spent a little bit of effort and cleaned up the place.

Then now, in the middle of the arena, there was only Fang Xingjian remaining. Not even Meng Hao's voice was had been left behind.

The several black-robed men, who were mixed in with the crowd, frowned. One of them spoke up, "The power strengthening effect was still there. Before the two of them collided, Meng Hao's body still received the enhancement from the Red Sorcery, showing no signs of weakening.

"But… when Fang Xingjian came over, all the force fields, which protected Meng Hao's body and increased his body's toughness, have all disappeared. Otherwise, with the magic prints that we casted… he shouldn't be eradicated completely, without even a corpse left behind.

"This matter is not something we can interfere in anymore. Let's report this to the higher ups."

During this same moment, Fang Xingjian stood still in the arena, his mind still recalling the earlier scene.

When he slashed down, before his sword had reached Meng Hao, the force formed from the compressed air had already torn apart Meng Hao's Knight attire.

That was when he had seen the imprints on Meng Hao's body through his Heaven's Perception.

'Magic prints? So, it's true that the people from Earth have started to infiltrate over here? Or have they already been infiltrating for a very long time?'

The spectators were also recalling Fang Xingjian's sword attack which seemed to be able to transform the heavens and the earth.

Adri looked at Fang Xingjian dazedly and finally said, "This sword attack had converted all the gravitational force in the area, concentrating the gravity, which had been acting on us, onto his sword. Not only was the gravitational force transferred perfectly, but there wasn't even a hint of backlash.

"His mastery is truly great.

"And the explosive force created from the transfer of gravitational force is truly violent… too violent…

"This is the martial art he comprehended from the Pantheon Monument? As expected of a Divine level expert's legacy. I thought that he wouldn't have mastered this yet since he has just acquired it. But to think that he has already reached such a level…

"If that's the case, we can't let him continue to grow any stronger. Otherwise, we'll probably never have the chance to take our revenge."

Mongul City's City Lord continued to recall Fang Xingjian's earlier sword attack, trying to figure out the level of explosive power it had produced.

"That attack from earlier was formed from at least the gravitational force within a three hundred meter radius or more. This is no longer a power that can be controlled by flesh and blood.

"To think that a first transition Knight can be allowed to tap into a portion of the tremendous powers from the heavens and the earth… The Melancholic Monarch's legacy is amazing, truly amazing…"

Mongul City's City Lord let out a deep sigh. He had known Fang Xingjian had solved all the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument, but he had thought Fang Xingjian would need at least a few months before he could achieve some results from the Divine level expert's legacy. Moreover, that it would take a few years before he would be able to go around the world unhindered.

How could he have expected that within just a day, Fang Xingjian would already be able to perform such a vicious attack? This was far beyond his expectations.

He patted David on the shoulder and sighed, "Let's head back to Mongul City."

Fang Xingjian's sword attack had truly wiped out the intentions of many people who wanted to make an enemy out of him.

This was also what made Adri different from David. Adri represented the Tresia Clan, who had sworn to fight to the death with Fang Xingjian. However, there was still room to ease the tension between David and Fang Xingjian.

Hoult could be said to have dealt with his opponent gracefully, like an aristocrat, in the previous battle. Employing various techniques and means, he had demonstrated his strong and unfathomable support.

As for Fang Xingjian, he had used the most violent and brutal means to crush his opponent completely.

Stationed near the arena, the gazes of all the other examinees changed as they looked at Fang Xingjian.

Anderson's pupils contracted, as though he was a cat who felt threatened, stationed subconsciously in a defensive stance.

Hoult's right hand continued to stroke the Crimson Fire's grip. It was because, at this moment, only this level 29 Superior Divine Weapon was able to give him absolute confidence.

All the people in the stands were chattering amongst themselves, occasionally throwing horrified and wary gazes toward Fang Xingjian.

The examiners looked toward the arena, and Governor Devitt sighed. "Meng Hao was quite a good seed. Although his talent was a tad weaker, his will must have been extremely strong for him to be able to cultivate his body to this level. It would have been good if he hadn't died." At the same time, the gaze he used to look at Fang Xingjian became scorching.

"This legacy left behind by the Melancholic Monarch must definitely stay within our Great Western Region," He said with a burning gaze. "I suggest allowing Fang Xingjian access to the Sacred Land of the highest level in our academy once he has entered."

"What?!" Luke, the oldest out of all four of the examiners, said, "The Sacred Land of the highest level? All along, it has only been accessible for yourself and the students preparing for the National Selection. For Fang Xingjian to be able to receive such great treatment just after he enters… There'll probably be many students who will not be able to accept this."

"What can't they accept?" Governor Devitt said unyieldingly. "Fang Xingjian's talent has proved worthy for us to provide any amount of investment. Moreover, we've also spoken with him to understand his mindsets as well as his political inclinations. There isn't anything inappropriate."

Luke still shook his head and said, "I still think that this is too rushed. We must be more careful in nurturing someone like Fang Xingjian by giving him more tests. Otherwise, once he grows stronger and out of our control, the damage done would be ten or a hundred times greater than that of ordinary students."

Just as the two of them were debating, scarred face Armstrong stood up and said, "Alright, there's no use for us to fight over it here. Let's talk about it after the Regional Selection is over. I'll go fix up the battle coliseum."

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Chapter 238 Top Eight

As Fang Xingjian's match ended, the top eight of the arena battle were finally decided.

They were respectively:

1. Fang Xingjian

2. Allen

3. Anderson

4. Caesar

5. Wei Leng

6. Schreyer

7. Rota

8. Hoult

Numbers one to four would have their matches in the first segment while numbers five to eight would have theirs in the second segment. They would be split into pairs to have their matches before the last two fought for the championship title.

For example, numbers one and two would have their match and the victor would fight against the victor that emerged between numbers three and number four. The one who won would then be the victor for the first segment and pitted against the second segment's victor to decide who would be the final champion.

Since there was a need to fix up the area, the examinees could only take a break now. Because Fang Xingjian's Terra Ingurgitation could only be performed once every hour, he did not mind taking a break.

Rota walked up to him and shook her head, "My opponent is Hoult. Seems like I'll only be able to compete for fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth position."

She knew her worth and knew that it was impossible for her to be a match for Hoult.

Fang Xingjian nodded but did not say anything. He continued to keep his eyes closed as he cultivated his skills. Finally, after four days of ceaselessly cultivating his skills, his Ether Divine Art had finally reached level 4 while his High Frequency Silver Fox was now able to tremor 2000 times per second.

Rota let out a sigh. She felt helpless toward this cultivating maniac. To think that he was still cultivating his martial techniques during the breaks in the arena battle. He was really not willing to waste even a single second.

Seeing how Fang Xingjian was, Rota could not help but asked again, "Fang Xingjian, do you have something bothering you? Why do I feel that you always seem to have a whip behind you, pushing you to grab every bit of time you have for your cultivation? Won't the stress be too heavy? Everyone has their own limits. With the way you're pushing and forcing yourself, it'll be easy for you bring things to the extreme."

Rota had seen many Knights who had pushed themselves too far and ended up going crazy or dying.

She was not wrong. Everyone had their limits. For example, when a Knight cultivated, the initial plan would be to spend all of the time not eating or sleeping on cultivation. This seemed to be a perfect scenario, but out of a hundred Knights, there might not even be one who would be able to hang on.

It was more realistic to arrange time to relax or to find activities to let loose. It was very childish to believe that you would be able to exceed the limits and have no need to relax, being able to move like a spinning top at all times.

However, this was what Fang Xingjian was doing, and he was holding on. Rota felt that he was like a stretched out elastic and may break anytime. To be honest, she felt that Fang Xingjian's condition was very dangerous.

Although she had also devoted hard work into her training, she had always found time everyday or every week to relieve her stress.

However, hearing Rota's words, Fang Xingjian miraculously spoke.

He gave it some thought before replying, "There's no limits to martial arts. Putting aside those below the Divine level, even after reaching the Divine level, each Divine level expert would also be training in seclusion, seeking the endless mysteries.

"A person's lifetime is too short. It's so short that with just a blink of an eye, it'd already have been over.

"Having so little time to look into the endless mysteries that martial arts hold, one must treasure every little bit of time. If one were to slack, even if it was just a little, it would be wasting one's life."

After finishing this, Fang Xingjian stopped saying anything. His body was always cultivating sword arts for twenty-four hours a day. Even when he was not thinking nor speaking, his mind would still be cultivating sword arts. It was because he had even less time than what he had said.

Rota shook her head and turned, noticing that there were even more people in the stands than before.

Now that only the top eight in the Regional Selection were left, the atmosphere was increasingly heated up. The results of this year's Regional Selection would affect the budget allocated to the other Prefectural Academies. The difference of money allocated between each rank was measured in terms of tens of thousands of gold.

Moreover, there was also the gambling set-ups which involved hundreds of thousands of gold. Now, the matches between the top eight had already attracted the attention of countless aristocrats in the Great Western Region.

It could be said that the matches that were to follow would not only affect the future of the twelve Prefectural Royal Academies in the entire Great Western Region, but also the wealth of countless aristocrats in the Great Western Region. They held the power to affect an entire region.

Under the control of the examiner, Armstrong, the ground was filled up, and the arena once again rose from the ground. It was now covered with a thick metallic glow. Clearly, a large amount of metal had been incorporated to strengthened the arena's toughness.

Parts of the battle coliseum which had been cracked or had crumbled earlier were now mended once again, returning to its previous appearance.

Although Armstrong did not fight, his ability to control the earth, changing the ground and controlling metal and rocks, had already displayed his strong powers as a Conferred Knight.

However, no one was concerned about his abilities at this moment. Everyone had their gazes fixed on the arena, waiting in anticipation for the next match to start.

The first match amongst the best eight was number one, Fang Xingjian, against number two, Allen.

The two of them headed up the newly constructed metallic arena. Allen was a man covered by a long sleeved, green robe. Since the start of the Regional Selection, he had used his skills in bare-fisted martial arts to arrive to where he was now. In the Pantheon Monument Observation earlier, he had comprehended the first level, showing talent that exceeded ordinary people.

However, facing Fang Xingjian now, he finally started to remove his green robe.

"I had wanted to save my trump for the last, but since I've encountered you in the match amongst the top eight, it's impossible for me to continue to hold back."

His words showed that he was extremely wary against Fang Xingjian's abilities. In the blink of an eye, he removed his green robe, revealing a body covered with many horrifying scars, blood traces, poison wounds, and pus.

When he revealed his body, over 30% of the people present received a great shock. There were even some younger aristocrat ladies who were so scared that they shut their eyes, as if they had just experienced a nightmare.

Allen looked at his body and revealed a brutal smile. "The Killing technique I cultivate, the Myriad Poison War Deity, amasses countless poison elements, letting them use my body as a battlefield as they fight each other endlessly. I tap on the vitality they burst out to train my body.

"Although poison elements have strong damaging prowess, they also hold strong vitality at the same time. Otherwise, how could they have survived in this world for so long? Only people who understand this would be able to use poison elements to train their body.

"And the balance between the poison elements in my body is constantly overthrown. The poison elements change every single moment. Therefore, after being poisoned by the poison in my body…"

Before he could finish his words, Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, "Now, the people I hate the most are the ones who use poison in battles."

With that, he took a step forward and walked up behind Allen. With a slight move, his longsword pierced toward Allen's back. Allen was not an easy target. Almost at the same moment Fang Xingjian disappeared, he rolled to the ground, wanting to dodge Fang Xingjian's sword attack. Concurrently, poison gas rose from where he had been standing, drifting toward Fang Xingjian.

However, how could Fang Xingjian possibly allow him to leave? He retreated and dodged the poison gas, and at the same time, unleashed two Ether Sword Ripples, one on the left and one on the right, slashing at Allen who was rolling on the ground. With a cry, Allen was sent flying toward the poison gas.

With a cold snort, Fang Xingjian passed by the poison gas while taking a large curve before thrusting out 188 consecutive sword attacks. Amidst the spurting poison blood and terrible cries, Allen was flipped as he was slashed time and time again.

How could he have known that just the fact that he used poison had already offended Fang Xingjian?

And in the following matches, as if affected by how brutal Fang Xingjian was, Wei Leng, Anderson, and Hoult all began attacking viciously too.

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Chapter 239 Repetitive Brutal Attacks

In the second match amongst the best eight, a man by the name of Caesar stood before Anderson.

After the two of them went up to the arena, they started fighting without saying a word. It could be said this was the only match without any conversation between the participants since the start of the arena battle.

Caesar was encompassed by a steel armor all over his body. It was a level 9 Empire's Divine Weapon and was extremely valuable. Clearly, it had been forged specially for him by the academy or clan supporting him.

He held a longspear, which was an Inferior Divine Weapon with electricity and white light flashing around it.

With a single move, Anderson dashed into the shadows under his feet. Then with a leap, Anderson's shadow dashed out from the shadow under Caesar. Anderson's Shadow Tooth's strong spinning force thrusted through Caesar's vest.

With a loud clank, the strong impact trembled through the entire armor. However, the impact of Anderson's attack was spread throughout the armor and was, in turn, nullified.

Caesar's armor was not the only thing which had the effect of dispersing power. Even his Killing technique, Conduction, was one which could channel power into the ground.

At the same time, Caesar thrusted his longspear toward Anderson with a flash.

Anderson let out a cold snort, simply unwilling to dodge this spear attack. He channelled force into his Shadow Tooth and had it face the longspear head-on, causing Caesar to retreat by a step.

Caesar's armor, an Empire's Divine Weapon, had the weight of one ton. Caesar's build was also twice that of Anderson's. Additionally, his two-meter-long electric spear had great might. To think that even with all these, Caesar was still pushed back by Anderson and his dagger, Shadow Tooth…

How high was Anderson's strength attribute?

Anderson gave everyone the chance to experience fully the Shadow Death God's dominating prowess in terms of its attributes. He simply stood before Caesar, not even using his dagger but just punching Caesar's armor time and time again, causing Caesar to retreat once again, this time by three steps.

When Anderson saw the longspear heading over, he edged his shoulder forward, and with a force like that of a mountain, he sent the longspear flying.

Caesar let out a loud roar and smashed down with his two fists which were covered in the armor. At the same time, he put his legs and knees together, and it seemed as though the number of hands and feet he had had increased instantly. Then all of Caesar's limbs smashed violently toward Anderson.

Facing Caesar's sudden explosive force, Anderson appeared to be fiercer and more brutal, fighting ruthlessness with ruthlessness and fighting force with force. Anderson's punches and kicks clashed against his opponent's armor, and when his knee met his opponent's, it was like a comet had struck Earth. Rows of air currents shot out as the two of them collided time and time again.

Caesar's armor and his Killing technique, Conduction, were all highly effective in mitigating and nullifying powers. He was like a giant sponge, being able to stand firmly regardless what kind of crazy attacks he was hit with.

However, Anderson was now attacking him at his strongest point, meeting fist with fist, kicks with kicks, and shoulders with shoulders. He was attacking fiercely, pushing Caesar down.

Finally, after twenty moves, Anderson bellowed loudly and punched down on Caesar's chest, causing Caesar to drop to his knees. Although Caesar's body was unharmed, he felt like he had been run over by a large truck. The muscles all over his body were aching, and he could not bring up any more strength.

His body had fallen limp after receiving the tremendous impacts time and time again.

Looking at how his opponent had dropped to his knees, Anderson grunted coldly and kicked Caesar out, showing no mercy. He sent Caesar, who was over one ton in weight, flying out of the arena.

Seeing how calm Anderson was, and how he was not even panting, everyone seemed to once again sense the boundless violence in him.

The growth in the attributes Shadow Death God had given him, had truly surpassed those in all the first transition jobs. He had managed to smash through Caesar and his tough defences despite not having used any of his Killing techniques.

The third match was between Wei Leng and Schreyer.

This Schreyer was an extremely thin Knight. Rather than a Knight, he looked more like an old farmer. However, despite this, the old farmer still managed to persist and went on into the top eight. Naturally, there would not be anyone who would despise him.

Wei Leng was the same. When this man, who was silent like a mountain as though each of his words were gold, arrived on the arena, he started to flex his limbs. Unleashing a tremendous surge of aura, he was like a wild beast who had opened out its claws fully.

Wei Leng was an expert who had comprehended Heaven's Perception to begin with and had reached this point just by relying on Heaven's Perception alone. He was clearly a person who had taken spiritual training very seriously.

In that instant, Wei Leng's aura exploded, causing Schreyer to feel slightly terrified. Schreyer's gaze had changed slightly as he stared at Wei Leng's body, showing great wariness.

Wei Leng said coldly, "You're already frightened… You'll definitely lose this match. You might as well give up directly."

Schreyer let out a cold laugh and did not say a word. The next moment, numerous tens of silhouettes appeared behind him suddenly. They were not afterimages but illusions with material bodies.

Wei Leng shook his head and sighed, "Why don't you think about your family? Why do you need to risk your life here?"

Wei Leng's words were very simple, crude even. However, there was a strong and amazing power in his tone, which caused Schreyer to sway once again with just a few words.

Schreyer knew he could not continue listening to what his opponent was saying. So, he moved, and the numerous tens of illusionary silhouettes moved along with him, dashing toward Wei Leng.

Wei Leng swept his longsword out, causing over ten of the silhouettes to disappear. In the next moment, more of them dashed over. However, Wei Leng's longsword was like a series of electrical currents lined up together, destroying all the silhouettes which came near.

He did not use a lot of strength nor was his speed was fast, but he would always be able to kill the silhouettes.

Looking at how Wei Leng seemed to be in solitude state, Schreyer only felt that his opponent's longsword was getting increasingly faster, as though it was going to surpass the speed at which he could create more illusionary silhouettes.

From Schreyer's viewpoint, he was having an intense battle with Wei Leng. However, from Wei Leng's perspective and the viewpoint of the spectators, Schreyer was just standing there motionless, allowing Wei Leng to walk up to him gradually. Then with a light push, Schreyer was sent out of the arena.

'What's going on?

"It's an illusionary type Killing technique! How amazing, I haven't seen such a powerful illusionary Killing technique before."

"When did Schreyer fall into Wei Leng's illusion? When they were talking? Or had he been struck by the illusion from the moment he entered the arena?"

The spectators were buzzing in their discussions as Wei Leng went down from the arena. It was then that Schreyer regained his senses, as though he had just woken up from a dream. His eyes were still filled with haziness.

For the next battle, the final batch amongst the top eight, it was finally Hoult's and Rota's turn.

Looking at Rota walking up the arena, Hoult smiled and said, "It's not easy for a lady to be able to reach this stage. Seeing how you managed to win the previous battle by employing mental tricks, you should know that you're not my match. It'll be wise for you to give up this match and save your energy to fight for the fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth place."

Rota stretched her neck and flexed her four limbs, elbows, ankles and wrists, releasing pitter pattering noises. Her vital energy and blood bubbled, creating swooshing sounds and displaying her strong physical strength.

While she warmed up, she said, "Schemes are but means. A true Knight must be able to press forward with an indomitable will. Being decisive is when you give up to prevent severe injuries after being suppressed by the opponents.

"Without even a single attack, giving up before entering the arena… That is pure cowardice.

"To be unable to tell the difference between decisiveness and cowardice… It seems like although you're well-trained physically, you still have many flaws mentally. Maybe you'll attain Heaven's Perception later than me."

The moment Rota went up, she challenged Hoult head-on, trying to weaken his momentum through her words. She knew she was not a match for Hoult, but when it came to fighting for the top eight places in the Regional Selection, a lot of money, resources and rewards were involved. So, she would naturally give it her all and try to fight for it.

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Chapter 240 Going All Out

As a disciple under the wing of a Divine level expert, although Hoult's performance in the Regional Selection for the past few days had been slightly worse than Fang Xingjian's, it was still dazzling, making it hard for people to ignore. After Fang Xingjian had killed Meng Hao in a single move, he had become the one and only candidate who could compete with Fang Xingjian for the Regional Champion title.

Hoult's momentum was going strong. Other than Fang Xingjian, there was no one else who could fight against him.

Therefore, in order to weaken his aura, Rota challenged him verbally.

However, hearing Rota's words, Hoult was not infuriated. He merely calmly said, "Since you have a courageous heart which fears no challenges and continues to push on forward, and you're able to deploy all means to achieve your aims in battle, you're really a talent in battle.

"However, right now, I'm not interested in sparring with you. My interest now is…"

With that, he turned his head and fixed his gaze on Fang Xingjian. Fang Xingjian seemed to not have noticed anything, just keeping his eyes closed tight as he cultivated his sword technique.

In the short moment it took for Hoult to turn his head, Rota's longspear shot out as she activated the Void Penetrative Divine Spear. It shot out over tens of meters with an immense penetrating force, hitting a spinning force onto Hoult's face.

'I've succeeded!'

Sensing the feeling in her hands, Rota was overjoyed.

'To think that he was so careless, losing his attention in the arena battle…'

Just as Rota was thinking about this, she suddenly let out a cold snort and quickly retreated seven steps before coming to a stop.

However, the longspear in her hands continued to tremble non-stop, clearly a result from the strong impact.

'How could this be? I clearly hit his face. No matter how strong he is, there's no way he would be able to block this spear attack with Reduced Force Field.'

Rota looked at Hoult, and in the next moment, her pupils contracted. She saw her opponent's face, neck, and other body parts sparkling with star-like spots. Under the sun, they were like sparkling diamonds.

"Astral Tempest?"

Hoult replied calmly, "That's right. The skin on the surface of my entire body has a protective layer formed by the Astral Tempest. With your strength and Killing technique, you don't seem to be able to break through my defences. You're better off stepping down by yourself."

Rota did not reply, but her expression turned grim. When Hoult saw this, he shook his head, releasing countless silvery lights. The Astral Tempest had been activated.

As she watched the countless spots of light coming in on her, Rota suddenly took three steps back and, with a light leap, left the arena.

Looking at Hoult's surprised expression, Rota smiled and said, "I'm no idiot. Since I can't even break through your Astral Tempest, I'll naturally not continue to cling on obstinately. Hmhmph… I'll wait to see your battle with Fang Xingjian."

With that, she suavely took her leave.

'Being able to advance and retreat with ease, not only being able to stand up to my pressure, but also being able to leave without fear of losing reputation before so many people…' Hoult looked at Rota's back view and smiled, 'What an interesting lady.'

Now, the best four in the arena battle had finally been decided.

They were Fang Xingjian, Anderson, Wei Leng, and Hoult. With the time spent on fixing the arena and for the other matches to go on, Fang Xingjian had finally gotten past one hour and now had the opportunity to use Terra Ingurgitation one more time.

The next matches were Fang Xingjian against Anderson and Wei Leng against Hoult. The victors of each respective match would then fight to be the final champion.

It was finally the semifinals. The atmosphere got even more heated. The names of the remaining four would concern the hundreds of thousands of budget the respective Prefectural Academies would receive.

Moreover, the gambling dens in the entire Great Western City were going crazy. Countless people were placing their bets, causing the bets regarding the Regional Selection placed in the Great Western City to reach up to millions.

With so much money involved, it was sufficient to affect the entire situation in the Great Western Region.

Moreover, the reward for the champion was a complete set of level 29 Superior Divine Armor.

Just look at Hoult's level 29 Superior Divine Weapon, the Crimson Fire… How powerful would a complete set of level 29 Superior Divine Armor be?

Countless burning gazes were fixed on the four, mixed with various emotions. The semi-finals were finally about to start.

However, when Fang Xingjian was seated and waiting for the battle to begin, a maid walked up to him and passed him a towel and some water.

When his Heaven's Perception scanned the tray she was holding, he was stunned for a moment.

There was a message written in water.

'If you're willing to lose the next match, we're willing to pay thirty thousand gold.'

Although there was no hint of threat behind the words, thirty thousand gold was an enormous sum. Putting aside the fact he would no longer have to worry about basic necessities, this sum was a significant amount, even to a Conferred Knight. It could even allow one to purchase a Superior Divine Weapon.

However, why would Fang Xingjian be bothered with him? How could thirty thousand gold be compared to the reward of the Regional Champion? He ignored it and waited quietly for the match to start.

The semi-finals were officially starting. With a dash, Anderson appeared on the arena, shooting Fang Xingjian a challenging look.

Compared with Anderson's speed, Fang Xingjian took his time to appear on the arena with a few flashes. 'Looking' at Anderson and the surrounding, Fang Xingjian said calmly, "The environment here is actually not suitable for your battle style."

How could Anderson appreciate Fang Xingjian's concern? He was one who would remain stubborn, even on the verge of death. He said directly, "Hmph, I'll only need 80% of my powers to deal with you guys."

Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, "It'll only be a little bit interesting if you were to use 100% of your powers."

Before Anderson could understand the meaning behind his words, amidst his astonished gaze, Fang Xingjian took a few steps forward before he suddenly stopped. Lifting up his right leg gently, he stomped down viciously at the speed of lightning.

With a loud, explosive boom akin to a great thunderbolt dropping down, dust and sand soared up, and immediately, the entire arena broke into several pieces, turning into pieces of rocks as they shot upward.

Anderson could only feel his heart palpitating. To think that in such a short moment, he had the feeling of facing a natural disaster.

The structure of the arena became many strangely-shaped boulders of varying heights shooting up. Some of them were the height of a man, some two to three men, some many meters tall.

With one stomp, Fang Xingjian had stepped on the arena's weakest point. The tremendous power channeled down into the ground, causing an explosion within the arena. It was as if this stomp had the power to transform the world, causing the entire arena to be changed into a rocky terrain.

In this rocky terrain, there were various shadows, blind spots, cracks between boulders, and strangely-shaped stone pillars. This was now a terrain that the Shadow Death God loved the most, one that was perfect for street battles and sneak attacks.

At that moment, Fang Xingjian's calm voice rang out, "Now, you'll be able to fully showcase your powers.

"You can have the first attack. If I were to attack first, you wouldn't have the chance to attack anymore. You've gone through so much to come to the battle arena in the Regional Selection… You must showcase your battle prowess fully before you can return."

Fang Xingjian's series of movements, sudden stomp and explosive force, all at the expense of depleting his vital energy and blood, were so that Anderson could unleash his full powers.

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Chapter 241 Cleaning Up

"Alright, I hope you won't regret this."

Anderson was really annoyed. He knew it would be very, very difficult for him to defeat Fang Xingjian. However, since his opponent was being so arrogant, it might not be impossible for him to win.

'Even if I can't beat you, I must deal you a heavy blow so that you'll remember me.'

With a flash, Anderson disappeared into the shadows at the side.

The Shadow Death God had the ability to turn into shadows, allowing the manipulation of shadows which included letting them jump. Now that the arena had been made into a forest of boulders, where there were shadows all around them, it was the best set-up for him to display his abilities.

In just a moment, Anderson's silhouette camouflaged into the darkness, completely invisible. The shadows in the entire terrain started to move about unceasingly, as though countless wild beasts were hiding amongst the shadows, waiting for the moment for them to pounce forth.

However, being blind, Fang Xingjian could neither see nor sense the changes in the shadows beyond a ten-meter radius. He could only 'see' the changes which were within the ten-meter radius through his Heaven's Perception.

However, there was absolutely no need for him to sense anything. As long as the opponent's attack was within his ten-meter radius, everything would be in his complete control.

Amidst this calm before the storm, three flying daggers shot out from behind Fang Xingjian. Each of them sliced through the air and shot out at supersonic speed, releasing sharp shrieks.

These were all flying daggers thrown out by Anderson. This was also the first time he had displayed his skill with flying daggers in the Regional Selection. To think that he was capable of making the flying daggers travel at supersonic speed with his bare hands… This was probably a skill which could allow him to defeat a large number of Knights.

However, when used on Fang Xingjian, this was far from enough to take him down.

With a flash of sword light, the three flying daggers were all intercepted. However, this was just the beginning. Just as the three flying daggers were intercepted, Fang Xingjian moved his body, and another three flying daggers shot out from the shadows behind him.

Then came another three, and another three, and another three… Countless flying daggers shot out from the shadows in every direction. They came from as far as beyond ten meters away and as near as within a one meter distance. Several tens of flying daggers shot out consecutively, taking up almost every inch of space around Fang Xingjian.

'Thinking of distracting me with flying daggers before finding a chance to attack me?'

Fang Xingjian's mind continued to turn while the longsword in his hand moved incessantly. As though it was a theatrical act, Fang Xingjian knocked down all the flying daggers which had shot out from the shadows with great ease.

Just as he knocked down the last flying dagger, Anderson came out from the shadow of Fang Xingjian's sword. All the powers from Anderson's body was focused on this single point.

The Killing technique, Piercing Sun, was activated. Accompanied with the Shadow Tooth's spinning strength, it was as though Anderson had turned into a giant drill, thrusting toward Fang Xingjian.

Fang Xingjian activated Boundaries Negation and retreated abruptly at ten times that of supersonic speed.

As Anderson's Shadow Death God had the best job progression amongst all first transition jobs, his strength attribute far surpassed that of Fang Xingjian's. Unless Fang Xingjian used Terra Ingurgitation or tried to break through each of Anderson's attacks through his flaws, it would be impossible for him to receive Anderson's attacks head on.

The moment Fang Xingjian retreated, he noticed something troublesome. No matter how fast he retreated, Anderson was able to catch up.

It was because Anderson had came out from Fang Xingjian's shadow. So, when Fang Xingjian retreated, his shadow would follow, bringing Anderson together with it. No matter how fast he retreated, he would never be faster than his shadow.

As these thoughts flashed through Fang Xingjian's mind, the giant drill had reached about over ten centimeters in front of him. The violent outburst of air currents brushed against his face and body. They were like wind blades, wanting to slice through his skin.

'If I were to use Terra Ingurgitation, I would naturally be able to kill Anderson with ease.'

However, Fang Xingjian could only perform the Terra Ingurgitation once every hour. He was preparing for its next use to be on Hoult.

Therefore, he had only two options now: to receive it head on; or to attack Anderson and have both parties dealt with a heavy blow.

This time around, when Anderson attacked, Fang Xingjian had already had this planned out and put his life on the line.

Confronted with Anderson who was getting increasingly closer, the longsword in Fang Xingjian's hand changed slowly changed and started to light up.

The Killing technique, Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash, was activated. Streams of light shot out from Fang Xingjian's longsword, altering the shadow's direction.

With a tremendous boom, the shadow was lengthened and displaced. Anderson, who had been on the top of the shadow, was now moved six meters away, knocking his head against a giant stone wall.

The stone wall cracked into numerous pieces under Anderson's Shadow Tooth, as though it had been torn apart easily like tofu.

Anderson stopped abruptly. Looking at the flashing glow on Fang Xingjian's longsword, Anderson's expression flickered incessantly.

By turning into and jumping with shadows… Aside from being able to execute concealed actions, the most powerful aspect of the Shadow Death God was the ability to stay locked onto a target like a maggot stuck onto bones. This made it very hard for the target to escape.

As shadows were formed from lights, Anderson's appearance and disappearance were all at light speed. No one could be faster than their own shadows.

However, as shadows came from light, what Anderson hated most were opponents who could release light.

'Troublesome.'

Fang Xingjian had never previously displayed sword arts which could emit light.

The next moment, streams of sword Qis gushed toward Anderson, who had already turned into shadows once again and was blending back into the darkness.

However, seeing that Anderson had once again blended into the dark shadows, Fang Xingjian was neither anxious nor panicky. He swept out continuously with his longsword, creating stream after stream of sword Qis. These sword Qis were like atmospheric dragons, circulating around his body unceasingly. As more and more of them amassed, they continued to fill up the entire arena.

"What is he trying to do?"

"Ordinary sword Qis should be incapable of hurting Anderson who is in the shadows, right?"

Amidst the spectators' confusion, Fang Xingjian once again released streams of light from all over his body. He appeared to be like one of the legendary deities, with each inch of his skin covered in white light.

The streams of light joined up with the sword Qis and was reflected outward. In that instant, the entire arena was covered by the streams of light.

A moment passed, and all that was left were the shadows within the ten-meter radius of Fang Xingjian's location. However, Fang Xingjian had intentionally planned for this to happen. It was because he was unable to see the existence of shadows beyond the ten-meter radius, let alone control them.

Anderson cursed to himself, 'B*stard… I won't even be able to use my own shadows now.'

The human body had shadows as well. Particularly, the shadows from when the opponent swung his weapon, or from the body's natural construct: under the neck; armpits; and palms… These were all positions the Shadow Death God loved to use.

By appearing suddenly from the shadows under the opponent's armpits or neck, they might still suffer from heavy injuries or even die from the sneak attack even if the opponent was many times stronger.

However, with Fang Xingjian's sword technique being capable of releasing light as well as reflecting light, it was truly the greatest nemesis of the Shadow Death God.

At the same time, Fang Xingjian's voice rang out, "Aren't you going to make your move? There should also be a time limit on how long you can stay in the shadows."

Anderson squinted. The next moment, the shadows in the entire arena started to spread out. Like a drop of ink falling into water… the shadows turned the entire arena into a pure black color.

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Chapter 242 Obstacle

Anderson activated his skill, the Shadow Coffin, causing the shadows to spread out and encompass the entire arena as though they were alive. They were even heading toward Fang Xingjian in an attempt to wrap him up too.

These shadows were no longer purely shadows but shadows which contained some kind of weird power. Even the light Fang Xingjian emitted was unable to drive them away.

Moreover, with the entire arena wrapped up by the shadows, there was no way to dodge them.

Not only did the Shadow Coffin have the special effect of weakening material structure, but any living being the shadows wrap around would have their five senses removed, as though they were really dead and lying in a coffin.

Currently, this was a secret only Anderson was aware of.

After he wrapped Fang Xingjian up with the Shadow Coffin, Anderson shot out from the shadows, holding a black flat object in his hand and thrusting it out toward Fang Xingjian.

The flat object he was holding was very strange. It looked like a large shadow wrapped around Anderson's entire hand, but it then formed the shape of a blade and drifted about in mid-air. Anderson went on to exert some force, thrusting the shadow blade toward Fang Xingjian.

The skill to trap opponents was the Shadow Coffin, while the skill to kill them was the Death God's Dagger.

This was the Shadow Death God's ultimate killing technique—to trap the opponent in a coffin made from shadows before using the Death God's Dagger to kill them.

The legends of Miracle World said that the Death God stayed asleep in a coffin made from shadows. Each time he woke up, he would kill someone with a dagger.

Anderson's job, the Shadow Death God, seemed to have inherited this legend.

The Shadow Coffin weakened the opponent and cut off his five senses.

The Death God's Dagger was a shadow with neither any thickness nor physical form. However, it could cut through anything.

With the two together, it would result in death almost every time.

During the whole process of when Anderson activated the Shadow Coffin and then perform the Death God's Dagger to pierce toward Fang Xingjian, both his expression and actions were very solemn. It was as though he was not killing someone but rather, conducting a mysterious ritual.

Every actions and step he took held a mysterious aura, as though he was about to send Fang Xingjian toward eternal darkness, offering him as a sacrifice to the death god in the legends.

A crisp pfft sound rang out. The Death God's Dagger pierced the Shadow Coffin gently and penetrated through it completely.

It looked just like a magic performance where a live person would be put into a box and then cut open.

After one attack, the entire Shadow Coffin transformed into countless fragments, floating in the air. Even the shadows on the ground, which seemed to be alive, were starting to retreat.

It was obvious Anderson would not be able to sustain the shadows in that state, which defied reasonings, for long.

After all the shadow fragments disappeared, nothing was left, not even Fang Xingjian's body.

Anderson's heart leaped. The next moment, he felt a surge of energy at the back of his waist. Caught unaware, he was struck by a violent strength, and the impact flowed to every corner of his body. As it turned into tremendous pain, it sent him flying outwards as well.

With a light boom, Anderson noticed he was too close to the side of the arena. Although he had been kicked and sent flying a few meters away, he immediately tried to think of ways to land and stop his body's motion.

However, by the time he landed, he was already out of the arena.

Anderson lifted up his head suddenly and looked toward Fang Xingjian who was retrieving his leg slowly. Anderson shouted, "It's light? The reason you used light is not only to suppress my shadows but also to force me to use my best move? At the same time, you even refracted light to obstruct my vision, creating an illusion?"

Fang Xingjian kept his longsword and walked down the arena slowly.

Anderson shouted out loudly, "Was that it? Answer me!"

Fang Xingjian did not stop but said calmly, "You're relying too much on your eyes."

Hearing this, Anderson suddenly reached out to touch his eyes. That was true. As a Knight who needed to control shadows and deploy sneak attacks from the shadows, he was overly concerned over the changes between light and shadow. He was also overly reliant on what his eyes had told him.

Anderson threw a vicious glare at Fang Xingjian's departing silhouette. However, he no longer said anything and turned to leave.

In the stands, Ferdinand waved his hand strongly. Now, Fang Xingjian just needed to defeat Hoult in order to become the Regional Champion. Adding on to the bets he had placed with regards to the results of the previous stages, he would at least be able to get a profit of at least two thousand gold.

The Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, Adri from the Tresia Clan, looked at Fang Xingjian who had won the match. Adri said coldly, "He appears to be generous, wanting to win over Anderson in all aspects, and even provided him with a good battle environment.

"But in the end, he's still used light, not giving the opponent the chance to showcase his powers.

"This is because he still wants to save his energy and stamina for when he fights against Hoult. Hmph, seems like even he isn't very confident in winning against Hoult. That's why he has to save every ounce of energy to increase his chances of winning…"

Xiu Yi, who was beside him, asked, "Lord, between Fang Xingjian and Hoult, who do you think will win?"

"That sword attack Fang Xingjian used against Meng Hao earlier was very powerful, but so is Hoult's Astral Tempest when paired together with the level 29 Divine Weapon. It'll depend on who makes a mistake first and gets dealt a heavy blow." Saying that, he laughed. "If Fang Xingjian is dealt a serious blow, it'll be great for when we take action later.

"On the contrary, if he were to deal Hoult with serious injuries or even kill him, he would make himself an enemy of the Astral Ancestor's Myriad Star Palace. That would be even better."

Wei Leng and Hoult were already heading up the arena.

When the assistant examiner asked if they required for the arena to be cleaned up and fixed, both of them shook their heads.

Looking at Wei Leng, Hoult shook his head. Streams of silver light shot up into the sky, and the Astral Tempest spread out across the entire arena. It was like the mass of stars in the universe was surrounding Wei Leng.

Hoult did not give a hoot about Wei Leng. Compared to those Knights who were still fighting with their bare fists and techniques, his Astral Tempest was already at the level of a second transition Knight. He was fighting with extraordinary strength.

Although Wei Leng had stepped into Heaven's Perception, it did not change the fact that his foundations for the past few decades had been too shallow. Even if he had attained Heaven's Perception, it would still take him several years or over ten years of hard work to catch up to Heaven's Perception.

Now, in terms of a battle of techniques, Wei Leng had the advantage. With his observation skills from Heaven's Perception, he could bring forth greater potential from his illusionary sword techniques, creating an even greater effect.

However, before absolute power, these were all meaningless.

Hoult clenched his right fist, and countless stars gathered together, transforming into a fist which could cover half the arena.

"One move. Wei Leng, if you can take this attack from me, we'll take it that you've won."

As he spoke, Hoult's palm faced down, pushing down through space.

At the same time, the huge palm made from myriad stars, which was hovering in mid-air, slapped downward. Wei Leng could only feel that the sky had turned dark, and with the palm slapping down, his vision of the sky seemed to have disappeared completely.

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Chapter 243 Start of the Finals

Each of Hoult's words was like a big vat smashing down onto the ground, and all the spectators in the battle coliseum could hear them clearly.

Then, the palm smashed down.

The giant palm, formed from the myriad stars, was the size of half the arena. Each finger had been created with great detail and a life-like feeling, as though it really was a hand belonging to some giant.

However, this was not just in appearance. Such details displayed Hoult's mastery in the Astral Tempest. Every single star was within his control, and each minute strand of force was within his grasp.

Therefore, he was able to explode all of his force within that instant, slamming down such a terrify attack.

If it were said that what Hoult had displayed earlier was his technique and experience, then this palm attack displayed fully his overwhelming powers, which would allow him to be amongst the best Knights.

Pure and blatant strength pressed down, and the exploding waves of air currents released explosive booms, as though all the air had been compressed together forcefully and then pushed out. Wei Leng even felt as though he was suffocating, like he could not breathe.

Hoult's palm attack made it seem like the whole world had collapsed. The explosive pressure from the air currents gave Wei Leng no chance of escaping. So, all he could do was block.

In that instant, Wei Leng let out a furious bellow and finally displayed the powers he had been holding back.

A hint of starlight came out from the tip of his sword, as though a bright guiding star had appeared in the endless darkness.

This was the new Killing technique he had gained after comprehending the third level of the Pantheon Monument—Guiding Star in Darkness.

The Melancholic Monarch had created this Killing technique in order to restore the starry sky.

That was true. Back then, in order to attain a breakthrough after the Divine level, the Melancholic Monarch had the thought of creating an artificial star system to recreate the starry sky.

The Guiding Star in Darkness was a Killing technique he had created in order to shoot the stars up into the sky.

How powerful and terrifying was the power which was required for sending artificial stars from the ground up high into the sky? This showed just how ferocious a power was held in the move, the Guiding Star in Darkness.

Based on the foundation of exchanging information with ether particles, he had progressed further to the exchange of energy, creating a series of reactions with explosive powers. It was an extremely brutal power.

If it was said that Hoult's palm attack could cause the world to turn into a state of chaos as though the skies had collapsed… then Wei Leng's Guiding Star in Darkness was a hint of light shining out from the darkness, attempting to pierce through skies and escape out of this world.

Both techniques were extremely violent. That moment when the tip of the sword met with the giant palm, the whole world seemed to quiet down for just a second.

As Wei Leng's body flew out, Wei Leng felt as though his entire body had gone out of control. He felt as though the entire universe had been torn apart and his soul had flown out of this world.

It was as though Hoult's palm had sent his soul flying.

Wei Leng's feet stomped down continuously as he tried to stop his body. However, aside from creating a series of cavities in the ground with consecutive banging sounds and sending large pieces of rocks flying, there were no other effects. Wei Leng was soon pushed out of the arena.

Wherever he passed by, countless cavities were left behind.

When Wei Leng finally opened his eyes with great difficulty and looked at the arena, he discovered that the entire arena had been flattened by Hoult's attack. In the previous match, it could be said that Fang Xingjian's stomp had struck a flaw in the arena's structure, causing the creation of a stone terrain when his force exploded.

Hoult's palm attack was a showcase of pure brutal strength, smashing down the entire rocky terrain and turning the arena back to how it had been originally. Or perhaps it was even to the extent of pushing the terrain down to make the arena more compact.

Wei Leng smiled bitterly and said, "I can't even take one hit? It's not even an attack he had put all his powers into…"

With a sigh, he returned his sword to its sheath, only to discover that the longsword had shattered into pieces, leaving just a bare hilt. Wei Leng shook his head in resignation and left.

Finally, the two names for the finals were decided. Hoult stood up, with sparkling stars still surrounding around him as though he was the king of all gods, the sovereign of all stars. He stood at the center of the arena and looked at Fang Xingjian.

"Xingjian, I've just warmed up. Let's ignore the break time and start immediately."

Naturally, Fang Xingjian had no qualms about that. With a single step, he appeared in the arena, swift as the wind and quick like lightning.

At last, it was the final stage of the Regional Selection. The results impacted upon the possession of millions of gold and Superior Divine Weapons, as well as the plans of countless academies and clans. This long-awaited moment had finally arrived.

Tresia Clan's Xiu Yi could not help but say, "Amazing. Hoult is really amazing. In terms of strength, technique, Divine Weapon, realm, and Killing technique… they're all flawless. Amongst all the Knights, he's already standing at the top…"

"Alright, quiet now. Let's look at how this match will end. If we look at just those in the Knight level, from the past to the present, there are definitely not many who would be stronger than the two of them."

The one who said this was the Imperial Guards' Deputy Commander, Adri. At present, he was also drawn in by the battle between Fang Xingjian and Hoult. Both of them had displayed their might, which placed them high above all the other Knights, far surpassing the battle prowess the first transition Knights held.

Kirst's City Lord sighed and said, "From the past to the present, even when the Divine level experts were Knights at Fang Xingjian's and Hoult's age, there are probably less than ten of them who would be stronger than Fang Xingjian and Hoult right now.

"To have reached this level at the Knight-level… they've already reached the extreme limits."

The pinnacle of all Knights and the peak of all first transitions… The battle to determine the top Knight of the Great Western Region, and in turn, the distribution of the countless riches and resources, was about to start soon. Even Conferred Knights like Kirst's City Lord could not help but be drawn in.

It was because in the next few decades, or even in the next few hundred years, there might not be even one Knight like Fang Xingjian or Hoult. It was really too rare and exciting.

Even David and his father, Mongul City's City Lord could not help but feel slightly agitated. They did not even blink when they watched the two people in the arena, as though they were worried they would miss out on any exciting scenes.

At the examiner seats, old Luke stroked his beard and said, "This fight is really a fierce struggle between two evenly-matched opponents. His Majesty's move has really forced out all the talents in the world. Between Fang Xingjian and Hoult, who do you think will win?"

"Considering the course of events, it should be Fang Xingjian. His speed far surpasses that of Hoult's, and he can attack and retreat with ease. If he can use that attack he used to defeat Meng Hao earlier, his winning rate will be 60% or higher." It was Governor Devitt who had spoken. "However, till now, Hoult has not displayed the martial arts he has comprehended from the Pantheon Monument. Adding on to the fact that he is the grand disciple of a Divine level expert, once Fang Xingjian shows leniency for fear of offending a Divine level expert, the tables will probably be turned against him."

What he said was the truth. When two parties were engaged in a battle, both their reputations and backgrounds would be part of their powers. A strong reputation and support could bind their opponents, causing them be capable of displaying 70-80% of their true abilities.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the arena had been pushed down to the extreme. Hoult then spoke out. As he did so, it was as though each of his words descended from high up in the milky way or beyond the skies—as though many gods had landed to spread their words.

"Xingjian, it's finally time for the two of us to fight against each other."

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Chapter 244 Duel (Part I)

After hearing Hoult's words, Fang Xingjian said calmly, "Although there are many participants in this Regional Selection, it's true that you're the only one who can make me fight with all I have."

Hoult laughed loudly and said, "That's right. Then let's cut the crap and let everyone see what real geniuses and true top notch Knights are like."

After he said this, strong gales filled up the entire arena. These air currents were formed from the rapid movements of the Astral Tempest.

However, the one who had truly taken action was not Hoult.

Fang Xingjian's longsword came to an abrupt stop right in front of Hoult, where countless stars were flashing.

Then, there was a delayed tremendous boom, and a majestic force of air blew away all the surrounding stars.

Amidst the huge boom, there were also sounds of clashing metals, air explosions, as well as the tremors of their vital energy and blood.

The horrifying sound waves spread out in all directions. This caused those who had weaker attributes, as well as the aristocrats, who were not even Knights, to start feeling light-headed and short of breath as though they would faint any moment now.

In the next moment, countless silhouettes of Fang Xingjian flashed around Hoult wildly. The many streams of stars were like numerous huge pythons, using their bodies to fend off Fang Xingjian's attacks continuously.

Each slash from Fang Xingjian could cause large sections of their bodies to explode and disperse. However, soon after, more of them would amass.

It was unexpected that while Hoult was facing Fang Xingjian, who had his Boundaries Negation activated, Hoult could rely on the massive number of streaming stars to fight against Fang Xingjian's speed.

Fang Xingjian was like a series of black lightning strikes, slashing out an incessant stream of attacks around Hoult.

For the spectators who were watching Fang Xingjian and Hoult fight, there was a slight delay with the sounds and motions of the battle. This was because Fang Xingjian's speed had reached up to ten times that of supersonic speed, which caused everyone to feel awful.

The rapid friction in the air howled like a demoness, and all the spectators, who were below Knight-level, had no choice but to retreat. If they were to stay on, the vibrations from the aftermath of the battle would probably kill them all.

The weak did not even have the right to watch this battle.

Amidst the swirling stars, Hoult stood there, motionless with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes flitted about continuously, trying to get a hold of Fang Xingjian's silhouette at all times.

However, Fang Xingjian's speed was simply too quick. After each collision with the Astral Tempest, he would quickly slip away as though he was completely unrestrained. Fang Xingjian merely continued to use the sword Qis created by slashing rapidly through the air and whipping the Astral Tempest.

The high temperature caused a faint red light and white steam to appear on Fang Xingjian's body.

Then another loud explosion rang out. Up to a hundred sword Qis mixed together with the Ether Sword Ripples tore through the Astral Tempest, and Fang Xingjian's sword slashed down onto Hoult.

However, with a loud clank, Hoult retreated three steps back. Aside from the many star traces appearing on his face, he seemed unharmed.

The surface of his body was encompassed by stars, like he was wearing an armor which was a level 19 Inferior Divine Weapon.

When Fang Xingjian's sword slashed down, a wave of backlash surged toward him in the form of gushing tremors. With a slight tremble, his silhouette was already drowning in the streams of milky ways.

However, this was merely for a moment. In the next moment, a total of ten Ether Sword Ripples slashed out at ten times that of supersonic speed, bringing along a series of sparks and slicing through the stars which surrounded him. Fang Xingjian then leaped out and appeared at the borders of the arena.

He lowered his body down in the same way a cheetah would, while the longsword in his hand released high temperatures continuously. His entire body was giving off white steam like he had just came out from a steamer.

Hoult touched his face where he had just been slashed. Then he smiled and said, "Your speed is fast, but against the Astral Tempest's great numbers, there's nothing you can do. Their existence is like the air… No matter how fast and agile you are, there's no way for you to escape from air."

Hearing Hoult's words, Fang Xingjian let out a cold smiled and said, "Then… can air fend off against sunlight?"

Before Hoult could react, Fang Xingjian's body flashed, and he disappeared once again.

This time around, he did not dash toward Hoult but was like a satellite, circling around and above Hoult with a ten-meter distance between them.

While he continued to circle around Hoult at an extremely high speed, white sword Qis encompassed the longsword he was holding, reflecting out streams of light.

Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash was activated! As it reflected sword light and sunlight directly, the light sword, which was at a high temperature of one thousand degrees, attacked Hoult in the face.

A pfft sound could be heard, and Hoult let out a cold grunt. He put his hand on his face and retreated a step backward. It was clear that the Astral Tempest could not keep out the heat completely.

With a lift of his hand, the Astral Tempest on the exterior was already starting to block the light.

However, how fast was Fang Xingjian's speed? His figure continued to flicker as he circled around Hoult, and the speed at which the light sword moved was also instantaneous. There were light swords penetrating through the gaps in the Astral Tempest at almost every moment, continuing to heat up different parts of Hoult's body.

Hoult clapped his hands together hard, and the countless stars covered him up completely, forming a sphere. It was like a precious pearl which contained the endless universe and released starry light.

Looking at the obvious target in front of him, Fang Xingjian stopped in his tracks. As the garments on his torso had already been sliced up into pieces by the high speed air currents, he tore off the tattered top of the Knight attire. Then he contemplated as he looked at the sphere before him.

Fang Xingjian was thinking if he should use this chance to use Terra Ingurgitation.

He would probably only be able to use Terra Ingurgitation once in this battle. Therefore, he would obviously want to look for the best chance to deal a lethal blow on his opponent.

Just as he was thinking of this, Hoult's voice rang out in the air with the tremors from the sphere.

"Excellent… Fang Xingjian, you're truly my greatest opponent in this Regional Selection.

"If it's against you, I'll finally be able to unleash the full prowess of Crimson Fire."

In the next moment, streams of crimson flames spread out from the sphere.

If the sphere, which was formed from a myriad of stars, was said to look like an egg, then the tongue of fire snaking out incessantly from the sphere was like something had broken out from the egg.

This was the Killing technique, Snake of Engulfment, specially created by the Astral Ancestor to use together with the level 29 Superior Divine Weapon, Crimson Fire, as well as the Killing technique, Astral Tempest.

A giant snake, which seemed to have been formed from lava, dashed out from the astral sphere.

According to ancient legends, the world was once in chaos. When the giant snake—the creator of the world—broke out from the chaos, the entire world started to take its shape.

However, there would eventually be a day when the giant snake would once again engulf the entire world, and the world would welcome its doom.

The Killing technique created by the Astral Ancestor, Snake of Engulfment, was clearly based on this legend of world creation.

The giant snake was born from the huge egg formed from a myriad of stars, and with the appearance of the huge snake, it continued to absorb the heat in its surroundings. The giant snake's lava-like body grew increasingly brighter and brighter.

This was a huge snake which absorbed heat incessantly until every living thing in the world perished.

It was just like the legendary world-creating, giant snake, which would eventually engulf the entire world.

Watching on as Hoult performed the Killing technique, the Snake of Engulfment, all four examiners present stood up.

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Chapter 245 Duel (Part II)

This move, Snake of Engulfment, seemed to hold an image of world destruction and all living things in this world being engulfed.

Although Hoult's demonstration still seemed slightly immature and was incapable of harming the four examiners, the examiners were people with great insight and could see the charm in this move. There was a faint throbbing reflected in their gazes.

"Great lad!" Luke, the oldest amongst all the examiners, exclaimed. "This is powerful, really powerful. It has both the magnificence of the starry sky as well as the concept of chaos. It also has the image of perishing of all living things and the exchange of ether particles, as well as the incorporation of the rationale of some sorcery and divine arts. It's amazing, really amazing."

Governor Devitt squinted too as he stared at the Snake of Engulfment, which had been born from the stars and continued to sway non-stop. He mumbled, "Looking at this snake will allow one to see the glory which the Astral Ancestor cultivated for many years to obtain. Seems like he still can't get over the ranking from thirty years ago."

Armstrong looked toward the arena as well and said, "None of the Divine level experts have been wasting their time. Let's also be on the ready to make our moves. Otherwise, if they were to carry on like this, at least half the people in the battle coliseum will die."

Although all the spectators, who were below Knight-level, had left, most of the spectators who had remained behind were Knights. From the looks of the Snake of Engulfment, it was clear the tremors from the aftermath of the upcoming battle would not be something ordinary Knights would be able to stand up against.

In the arena, the Snake of Engulfment, which had finally fully emerged, now faced upward with its mouth open wide. It released hissing sounds which rang out across the entire Regional Academy.

With the Snake of Engulfment at the center, the temperature was decreasing ceaselessly, at a speed which could be seen by the naked eye. Frost was starting to appear on the arena.

On the other hand, although the body of the Snake of Engulfment continued to glow even brighter as it continued to absorb heat, its surface was in fact extremely cold.

This was a weird contradiction. Although it was something which appeared to be scorching hot, it was actually turning increasingly cold.

With a loud cry, the Snake of Engulfment looked to Fang Xingjian and said, "Xingjian, this technique is called the Snake of Engulfment. Although I'm only at level one because it is something that only Conferred Knights can cultivate, it's still not something that ordinary Knights can withstand against.

"However, I can't use this technique for very long. That move you used to wipe out Meng Hao can't be use many times either, right?

"Since we tied in our earlier exchange, it's clear that we're very close in terms of techniques, battle prowess and the level of our Killing techniques. If we're to continue on like this, there's not much point. Why don't we both unleash our full powers and decide the victor in a single move?"

Clearly, Hoult had used the Astral Bodies Projectile Killing technique on the Snake of Engulfment as well.

With that, his entire body was wrapped up and protected by the Astral Tempest, and his consciousness had entered into the Snake of Engulfment, ready for the battle.

Fang Xingjian agreed with what Hoult had said. If this were to carry on, even if he could keep up until the time for the Snake of Engulfment was up, his opponent would also be able to rely on the Astral Tempest to fly and defend himself. Additionally, Hoult would be able to use the Astral Bodies Projectile and other techniques to hold Fang Xingjian off.

Fang Xingjian even guessed that Hoult probably still had the means to combine the Astral Tempest and the Astral Bodies Projectile, which could disguise the fake body, the Astral Tempest had created, as his true body.

Additionally, the most important thing was that there was also a time limit to Fang Xingjian's Boundaries Negation. On the contrary, his opponent's Snake of Engulfment would have a greater damage on the arena and to the surroundings as more time passed.

Therefore, hearing Hoult's proposal, Fang Xingjian nodded and said, "It's true that there's no point for us to continue on like this.

"Since that's the case, let's decide this with a single move.

"Let's see you receiving this sword attack from me."

With that, the Styx in Fang Xingjian's hand was raised up slowly, and streams of sword Qis gushed forth. Those streams of Ether Sword Ripples attached themselves onto the Styx.

This was the new way of using Ether Sword Ripples which Fang Xingjian had come up with. As streams of sword ripples encompassed his sword, an extremely sharp aura was emitted, and it flowed around his body,

With him at the center, cracks started to form on the arena. The cracks came in various forms, as though they were all created from the slashes of a longsword.

A loud explosive boom rang out in the sky. No one knew if it was just a coincidence, but a great crack appeared in the clouds. It was as though a longsword had soared up into the air and torn the cloud layers apart.

Then when the two of them were talking to each other, Devitt and the other three examiners exchanged nods as each of them took their positions in a corner of the arena.

With a move of his palm, Devitt created up to a hundred ice dragons, encompassing the entire arena. The other three examiners then put their hands on the ice dragons, turning them into a thin layer of fog. The powers of the four examiners were absorbed, and the entire arena was shrouded.

Looking at the solemn actions of the four examiners, all the spectators present started to feel nervous too. The spectators in the front rows also started to back off under the protection of their guards. Other than a few Conferred Knights, the rest of the spectators, who were only at Knight-level, had now backed off to the furthest section of the battle coliseum's stands. They looked out toward the arena carefully.

Simultaneously, over four hundred streams of Ether Sword Ripples had covered Fang Xingjian's sword. Next, the level 4 Ether Effulgence Weapon was activated. It was as though even the sword ripples were trembling because of it.

Four hundred streams of sword ripples… If it was said that they represented 1000 times of Fang Xingjian's strength, and that he had an astonishing prowess when combined with the Effulgence Weapon… Then when Fang Xingjian performed the Terra Ingurgitation once again, the whole world changed. It had already exceeded the power the flesh and blood body could reach.

Being put into an environment where they had lost the gravitational forces acting on them for the second time, everyone had an even greater understanding of how horrifying this surge of power was. The entire world seemed to have been flipped over in this instant, and everyone felt as though their lives were not in their own hands.

Countless powerful forces had been mixed together and adhered onto Fang Xingjian's sword. When he thrusted it out forward, there was no one else who cared about air waves, air current explosions, or sound waves.

It was because, at this moment, 99% of the people only felt like they had been placed in darkness and had lost their sense of hearing. They could neither see nor hear, as though the entire world had really collapsed.

The power from this sword attack was so strong that it had robbed people of their five senses. Itt caused the weak to subconsciously want to protect themselves, forgetting about time and space completely.

Confronted with Fang Xingjian's sword attack, the Snake of Engulfment, controlled by Hoult, suddenly turned extremely bright. However, what absolute light brought forth was absolute darkness. When the body of the Snake of Engulfment shone to its brightest, it was when it was absorbing heat crazily.

The entire Snake of Engulfment, with the image of the perishing and destruction of all living things, charged forth head on toward Fang Xingjian.

Every area it passed by in the arena would freeze up completely, and even the atmosphere was absolutely silent. When anything met the Snake of Engulfment, they entered into a state of eternal darkness and silence.

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Chapter 246 Duel (Part III)

Once the longsword in Fang Xingjian's hand got near to the Snake of Engulfment, he sensed that something was wrong. It was because he started to feel cold all over; his heat was being absorbed incessantly.

When his sword pierced into the Snake of Engulfment, this feeling grew stronger than before, and even his speed had started to slow down.

However, the power from the Terra Ingurgitation was truly too brutal. Even though the Snake of Engulfment was absorbing the heat from Fang Xingjian's body incessantly… With the enhancement of the Ether Sword Ripples and the Terra Ingurgitation, the Silver Fox Styx still continued to tear through the entire Snake of Engulfment in under one thousandth of a second.

It then tapped on the giant egg the Astral Tempest had formed.

Streams of waves formed from the trembling force appeared continuously on the surfaces of the Astral Tempest. In the end, this attack caused the entire Astral Tempest to explode, bursting out like a huge egg of chaos.

The Silver Fox Styx in Fang Xingjian's hand tore the streams of stars apart mercilessly and continued on to thrust toward Hoult, who was standing amidst the stars.

However, it seemed as though the longsword in his hand had reached its limits as well. After having channelled the force of the Terra Ingurgitation twice in a day, he then proceeded to slash through the Snake of Engulfment and Astral Tempest. When Fang Xingjian's longsword was about to tear apart Hoult's body, the entire longsword broke into pieces.

However, despite this, the remaining impact from the Terra Ingurgitation still burst forth, sending Hoult flying. With a bang, Hoult knocked against the ice fog the four examiners had created through combined efforts, then he gradually came to a stop.

With the final push of power, all the trembling in the battle coliseum finally came to a stop. Fortunately, the four examiners had taken measures earlier and thus, were able to block most of the impact from the attacks. It was only the many walls in the battle coliseums which had cracked. Additionally, some students, who were Knights, had dropped to the ground, but fortunately, most of them were uninjured.

The entire arena, which had been encompassed by a layer of icy fog, was now covered with frost, appearing as though there was flour everywhere. Half of Fang Xingjian's body had also become numb, with serious frost bites. Even his internal organs as well as his blood vessels were starting to deteriorate due to having lost a massive amount of heat.

Fang Xingjian immediately sat down on the ground and started cultivating to heal his wounds. He moved his body gradually in order to create heat and heal his wounds.

Hoult spewed out a mouthful of blood and laughed loudly, "To think that your skills are one notch higher than mine. I lost even with Crimson Fire. If your Styx had not shattered at the last moment, I would be dead."

Fang Xingjian said coldly, "You have the Astral Tempest to protect you. Even if my Styx didn't break, it would have only injured you severely at most. It's impossible for it to have killed you."

After that, neither of them spoke another word. Both of them sat down cross-legged on the ground and started to heal their own wounds.

The four examiners brought down the ice fog and looked at Fang Xingjian, who was seated in the arena, and Hoult, who was seated below the arena. The result of the battle was very clear.

Moreover, they had seen the entire battle earlier.

"How was it?"

"Has Hoult lost?"

"Or did Fang Xingjian lose?"

Chatter started to break out from amidst the stands. The speed of the final attack had been too fast and too strong. 99% of the people present had not been able to see it clearly and, thus, did not know what had happened.

Everyone's gazes were fixed in the direction of the arena, waiting for the results of this match in great anticipation.

Governor Devitt fell stunned for a short moment, but in the next moment, the great deal of words he had wanted to say turned into a single line.

He said, "Then let me announce that this year's Regional Champion is Kirst Academy's Fang Xingjian!"

The battle coliseum fell silent for a moment. Then in next moment, a tremendous amount of sound exploded loudly.

Countless people stood up, cheering, cursing, and shouting as though they were celebrating the birth of this year's Regional Champion.

Fang Xingjian exhaled and thought to himself, 'I've finally won.'

In this moment, his stamina had been wiped out completely, and he was no longer able to unleash any more techniques like the Terra Ingurgitation or Ether Sword Ripples. Even the Styx, which had only been with him for a couple of days, was now wasted.

However, everything had been worth it—coming up first in the Regional Selection had won him a lot of time.

In the stands, Ferdinand cheered and jumped in joy. With great joy, he then gave a hug each to Kirst's City Lord, Anthony and Robert!

"I've won! I've won! Hahahaha!"

Thinking of the gold he would be getting his hands on, Ferdinand could not help but break out in laughter.

However, Anthony and Robert both smiled slightly bitterly. They could have won one or two thousand gold but ended up winning only a few hundred gold due to their hesitation. Suddenly, they felt great heartache.

Mongul's City Lord took a long look at Fang Xingjian who was seated cross-legged in the arena. Shaking his head, the City Lord left with his son, David.

Tresia Clan's Adri, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, looked at Fang Xingjian. There seemed to be countless schemes and plots flashing past his eyes.

Then in the next moment, someone took the lead and clapped, and all the spectators in the entire battle coliseum broke out into applause.

Amidst the applause, which were like sea waves, Manny and Rota walked up into the arena and helped Fang Xingjian down.

The following matches were the placement of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and other places. However, most of the people present would probably not have the mood to watch the matches anymore.

Devitt and the other three examiners walked up as well. They looked at Fang Xingjian and said, "Go and have a good rest. There's no need for you to be concerned with the remaining matches."

Fang Xingjian nodded and was helped out of the battle coliseum by a few maids. Just then, the sky turned dark, and a black fog surrounded the entire battle coliseum. It was as though a canopy of darkness had covered up the skies, blocking out the sunshine in the sky.

A Conferred Knight appeared above the battle coliseum. He was wearing black clothes and armor, and his head was completely covered up by a black helmet.

Looking at the gazes everyone were casting toward him, he said calmly, "Looks like I'm not too late. Has the Regional Champion from the Great Western Region just been decided?"

Devitt's gaze turned cold as he said, "Dark Knight? Then has the First Prince come as well?"

"Haha, that's right." Pitched black fog started to appear behind the Dark Knight, forming a pitch black silhouette. However, when Fang Xingjian saw this figure, he was stunned. It was the the silhouette of the First Prince, George Krieg.

There were thirty-six clones in the thirty-six contracts in the Hell's Map, each representing the Ancient Path of Hell's understanding of the thirty-six types of powers in Hell.

Previously, the First Prince had appeared as flames. This time around, it was darkness.

This First Prince, formed from the black fog, was filled with a feeling of mystery and devastation. It was as though there were sounds of forlorn crying at all times, as though many agonized faces were trying to emerge from his body at any moment.

He swept a glance at the crowd below him, much like a god announcing his decree to the world. Each of his words resonated in the hearts of the people, instilling terror into them.

Despite merely standing there in the air, he seemed to wish for everyone to prostrate themselves in worship and with feels of surrender.

Fang Xingjian thought to himself, 'That's so powerful! This clone is much stronger than the fire clone from the other time.'

The First Prince, who was up in the air, said in a calm voice, "His Majesty has agreed to my request to let me be this year's Royal Supervisory Officer and supervise the Regional Selection in the eight regions. I was given the right to select elite talents directly and let them enrol in the National Royal Academy. We'll let them grow stronger and then have them do their part to serve the Royal family.

"The reason I've come to the Great Western Region today is to pick out talents from the top ten to bring back to the Imperial Capital with me."

The First Prince's words caused the entire battle coliseum enter into an uproar. The countenances of Devitt and the other three examiners all turned grim as they look up at the Dark Knight and the First Prince with unwelcoming expressions.

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Chapter 247 Imperious

Hearing the First Prince's words, the hearts the four examiners, as well as the hearts of the examinees in the Regional Selection, fell, and their expressions turned grim.

While looking at the First Prince in mid-air, who looked like both a god and a demon, everyone present felt a suffocating feeling. Anxiety, terror, excitement, and even feelings of idolization seeped out. The pressure was so strong that everyone present could not catch their breath.

For the past few years, the First Prince had been oppressing and domineering, and had taken in a variety of geniuses. He had even eradicated quite a number of factions and killed many high ranking officials from the Empire, causing the entire upper echelon of the Empire to be on tenterhooks.

Moreover, the First Prince was the future successor of the Empire. Having spread out his influence across the world, his existence in the empire was second only to the King.

Everyone was very clear on the First Prince's motives; he wanted to bring all thirty-six sections of the Hell's Map to the greatest level ever attained.

What level would that be? It would require all thirty-six contractors to be peerless Conferred Knights, who were all at level 29.

What kind of powers would thirty-six second transition Conferred Knights at the pinnacle have? There were only over five thousand Conferred Knight in the whole Empire, and out of them, there would not be more than one hundred of them who would be able to reach level 29.

For the First Prince to wish to take in thirty-six top notch Conferred Knights, it meant he wanted to take in one-third of the top experts in the Empire under him. How could this be possible?

Each level 29 Conferred Knight was supported by a tremendous force, which would be either a faction, group, or political party.

Take for example, the eight Governors of the eight regions. How could they possibly be people whom the First Prince could take in so easily and then have them sign on the Devil's Note, placing them forever under his control?

Therefore, what the First Prince did instead was collect geniuses who had the potential to attain level 29.

However, even this was difficult. Since the creation of the Ancient Path of Hell, the legendary creator Adam had been the only one who succeeded in this.

Anyone who knew of the First Prince's motives would be astonished by his great plans.

However, after the initial astonishment, there would be even more overwhelming pressure. It was because if the First Prince really succeeded in this attempt, in the future, there would probably be no room for other forces, groups or factions to survive within the Empire. The world would be controlled solely by the First Prince.

Additionally, along with the First Prince's appearance and words, everyone felt an overwhelming aura surging forth.

The abilities of each of the thirty-six clones from hell would be tightly connected to each of their contractors. It was just like how the Dark Knight in the sky had the powers of a top notch second transition level 29 Conferred Knight, giving the First Prince's clone an even stronger aura. Just its appearance alone had already given the others so much pressure that no one could raise their heads.

Its absolute, domineering powers were displayed fully.

Everyone exclaimed in their hearts. If the First Prince were to really cultivate all thirty-six Hell's Maps, what astonishing powers would he have if all thirty-six clones and his true body were then gathered together?

However, regardless, 99% of the examinees present today probably would not wish to be taken in under the First Prince as a puppet.

Governor Devitt was the first to step out. Looking at the First Prince in mid-air, he said with an unfriendly expression, "Prince George, with regards to the Royal Supervisory Officer you mentioned, I don't seem to have heard any news about it."

"Of course you haven't." George Krieg smiled. "It's because His Majesty finally agreed to my request just three days ago. I've been rushing to the various locations where the Regional Selections are being held. The Great Western Region is already my third stop."

Devitt frowned deeply, not showing any respect as he said, "Do you have any proof?"

George Krieg let out a cold laugh, seemingly unconcerned toward the Governor's lack of respect. After all, he had long since known Devitt had joined his younger brother. So, why would Devitt listen to him, the First Prince?

Moreover, he was long prepared for this and tossed out a metallic scroll to Devitt.

Devitt caught it and saw its contents.

These scrolls, which were forged specially from alloy, held the King's secret decree. They were confidential documents, each with unique ciphertext, codes, and labels, put into writing and stored in the Archives of the respective regions.

It could be said that each of the King's decrees was one of a kind. There would be orders written on it, and it would be useless after one use.

Moreover, just the alloy material used and the method of creating the scroll alone were state secrets.

If one were to forge the King's decree, he might be able to be able to pull it off in front of low ranked officials, but before Prefectural and Regional Officials, the lie would be easy to expose.

Devitt cast a glance over the contents and had confirmed it was likely that this was real. Moreover, with the First Prince's status, he had no need to forge documents.

However, this made him felt even more dismal.

Lifting his head to look at the smiling First Prince, Devitt could not help but think to himself, 'Your Majesty, what on earth are you thinking? If such orders were to be conveyed down…'

However, the King's orders were absolute. No matter how unwilling Devitt was, there was no way he could defy the orders with so many eyes watching him.

Therefore, he cupped his hands together and said, "I wonder how your Highness wishes to give guidance to the Regional Selection's arrangements?"

"Forget about the guidance." The First Prince sat on a throne formed from the black fog in mid-air. This made him appear even more domineering and tyrannical, as though he was Hades from Hell.

He spoke, "All four of the seniors here are the pillars of the Great Western Region. I will obviously not have any issues with the Regional Selection you have planned.

"But as I said earlier, in these precarious times, this country needs to strengthen its powers, and we need even more stronger Conferred Knights. Therefore, I've come specially to select Knights who have shown outstanding performances in the Regional Selection and will be sending them directly to the National Royal Academy to continue their studies.

"You guys must cherish this chance. To be able to skip the Regional Royal Academy and join the central forces… This is not something that everyone can do.

"Since the founding of the Empire, there have only been one or two of such chances which were bestowed by the heavens."

Governor Devitt laughed coldly to himself. Such a means of substituting one thing for another surreptitiously were too obvious. While the First Prince claimed they would be able to enter the National Academy directly, when the time came, their status, allocations and arrangements would still be decided by the First Prince himself.

Although it appeared as though they would come under the National Academy, they would in fact become the First Prince's private forces.

As Devitt thought these things to himself, he tried to delay some time and said, "Since that's the case, I would like to request for your Highness to wait for another day. After the…"

"The matches can continue after I'm gone." The First Prince interrupted Devitt overbearingly and commanded, "Since the talents I'm picking out are not based on their final results, I'll bring them with me first, and you guys can continue the matches."

Governor Devitt knew he must not back off at this point. So, he straightened his posture and said, "Your Highness, the Regional Selection is a regulation which has been implemented since the founding of the Empire. For the past two hundred years, even back when we were at war with the Sand Country in the east or with the three countries in the north, it has not been stopped. Your Highness wishes to be the first to do so?"

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Chapter 248 Domineering

The First Prince looked at Devitt and let out several cold laughs. Then he turned his gaze to Fang Xingjian and said, "Since you'd like to continue, just go ahead. However, since the Regional Champion has already been decided, I'll bring Fang Xingjian with me first. As for the rest, I'll come for them after their rankings have been decided. It won't be too late then."

In fact, the First Prince had never thought of stopping the Regional Selection before. In fact, he he had only suddenly received the news of Fang Xingjian's astonishing performances for the past few days and thus rushed over immediately. The First Prince wanted to subdue Fang Xingjian before he became a Conferred Knight and entered the Regional Academy.

Otherwise, if the First Prince took action after Fang Xingjian had already gained the identity of a Conferred Knight and entered the Regional Academy, it would be more troublesome.

Regional Academies had their own autonomy, and even a prince would not be able to take action against them so easily. Moreover, after Fang Xingjian undergoes the second transition, his abilities would suddenly increase in leaps and bounds.

When Fang Xingjian heard the First Prince's words, he lifted his head with his eyes closed. It was as though he was really looking at the First Prince.

Fang Xingjian pushed aside the person who was supporting him and turned his head in the direction the First Prince's voice was coming from. He asked suddenly, "George, what if I'm not willing to go?"

When the First Prince heard Fang Xingjian calling out his name directly, he immediately felt displeased.

"How dare you! Is His Highness' name something you can call?!"

The Dark Knight observing the situation immediately let out a cold snort, and the Dark Heavenly Canopy in the sky pressed downward, as though charging toward Fang Xingjian.

However, streams of ice dragons were already soaring and propping up against the dark canopy.

Governor Devitt said, "With the high status Your Highness has, why do you need to make things difficult for a mere Knight?"

The First Prince shot a glance at Fang Xingjian. He did not care about what Fang Xingjian had said. With his identity as the First Prince, no matter how talented Fang Xingjian was, what right did Fang Xingjian have to talk about regulations and conditions with him?

The First Prince gave a direct order, "Bring Fang Xingjian to me." He could not be bothered talking about conditions and reasonings.

However, under the dark canopy, another three people appeared next to Devitt.

A hint of fury flashed in the First Prince's eyes, and his tone grew increasingly cold, "Are the few of you planning to defy the King's orders as well?"

Devitt said calmly, "His Majesty has only said that you may select elites to be promoted directly, but he didn't say that you can ignore the Knights' wishes, right? Since Fang Xingjian doesn't wish to go and would like instead to remain at the Regional Academy, then as the Headmaster, I will naturally need to stand up for him."

The First Prince said coldly, "Fang Xingjian has yet to enter the Regional Academy and hasn't even gone through the second transition. He can't even be considered a real Conferred Knight yet."

Devitt said, "Fang Xingjian is the Regional Champion and has also attained Heaven's Perception… Becoming a Conferred Knight and entering the Regional Academy is just the natural flow of things. Isn't the First Prince aware of this?"

The First Prince did not speak, but the black fog shrouding his body grew increasingly darker as though it had brought along the darkness from hell itself.

At this moment, everyone was looking at the First Prince's clone while thinking of the words, 'deep and unfathomable like the ocean'.

The Dark Knight next to the First Prince's clone was the National Champion from two selections ago, and he was now a top notch level 29 Conferred Knight. He was one who had the ability to fight against the Governor or someone who was even stronger.

With such a person present and the First Prince's clone by his side, supporting him, once they started fighting—putting Governor Devitt and the other three examiners aside—it would even be considered a disaster for the spectators present as well as the entire Regional Academy.

As the First Prince's aura increased rapidly unceasingly, the pressure from the Dark Heavenly Canopy seemed to have gotten increasingly stronger. Many people present could not help but hunch their backs, incapable of continuing to look up at the First Prince.

Just then, Fang Xingjian stood upright, the mental cultivation method in his brain circulating fanatically. His body was releasing collision sounds of kacha kacha all over.

He stood up forcibly against the pressure induced by the First Prince and the Dark Knight, and said out loud in a clear voice, "George, let me ask you this. Now that I've emerged as the victor in the Regional Selection's arena battle, I'm naturally the Regional Champion and a Conferred Knight. Entering the Regional Academy is a regulation which has been set down since the founding of the Empire. What wrong have I done by choosing not to leave with you and join the National Academy?"

Each of Fang Xingjian's words sounded like they had collided against a large bell, resounding from his body and entering clearly into the ears of everyone present.

After hearing his words, most of the people present turned pale. They could not even begin to imagine that someone would dare speak to the First Prince like this.

"Is he crazy? How dare he talk to the First Prince like this?"

"Is this Fang Xingjian tired of living?"

"To think that a level 19 Knight would dare to be so disrespectful before a top notch level 29 expert…?"

Even when Luke and Yaris, who were examiners, the Imperial Guards' Deputy Commander Adri, Mongul's City Lord, and Kirst's City Lord heard Fang Xingjian's words, they started to break out in cold sweat.

What kind of a person was the First Prince? He was this generation's strongest inheritor of the Ancient Path of Hell, the future King and a Conferred Knight who was extremely close to attaining the Divine level. Even a level 29 Conferred Knight would tremble in fear before him and would be extremely wary. To think that Fang Xingjian dared to rebut him head-on… He was truly too audacious.

Governor Devitt and the others started to feel anxious and secretly strengthened the guards, afraid the First Prince would blow up suddenly and start killing.

"Oh?" A simple word was spoken, giving everyone goosebumps.

The First Prince lowered his head and finally looked at Fang Xingjian. It was as though he had not expected Fang Xingjian to still be able to go against him under such pressure.

However, thinking of Fang Xingjian's earlier performance, everything made sense. This Fang Xingjian was truly not one who would bow down to royalty and was hard to control. The First Prince opened his mouth slightly, and an extremely domineering aura spread out and surged downward.

"Fang Xingjian, you're merely a Knight. To think that you dare to talk to me about regulations? I'm the Empire's First Prince and the future King, a level 29 Conferred Knight and an expert who will be able to reach the Divine level anytime now.

"The whole country is under my control. My name brings awe and fear to even the most desolate areas, and I have countless experts as my subordinates… You think you're worthy of talking to me about regulations?

"Since I'm here today, the regulations of the Regional Selection will naturally be decided by me."

In this moment, the First Prince finally decided not to play the hypocrite with every semblance of sincerity and instead revealed his stand openly. Relying on absolute power, he suppressed over everything. He was regulation itself.

Hearing his words, the four examiners, with Devitt in the lead, all wore pale countenances, as though they had not expected the First Prince to shed all pretences.

However, what they first felt was not fury but horror.

"Although the First Prince has been domineering in the past, he has never been so arrogant. Now that he dares to act so brazenly, could it be… could it be that he's about to enter that stage?"

"I heard he had participated in the Church of Universal Truth's War of the Eight Princes. I wonder what great benefit he has gained?"

Just then, all four examiners felt a tremendous pressure surging toward them.

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Chapter 249 Second Prince

Faced with the First Prince's extremely arrogant words, Fang Xingjian straightened his back as though he was not facing any pressure.

"The Regional Selection is a national regulation under the King's orders. By saying this, are you trying to say that you want to surpass the King and overstep the boundaries of your own authorities?"

Hearing Fang Xingjian's words, the First Prince looked at him and laughed coldly, as though he was looking at a clown.

Stretching out his hands, the Dark Heavenly Canopy pressed downward again.

"Fang Xingjian, let me tell you today… Before absolute power, things like reasonings, regulations and justice… they're nothing but crap. When absolute power breaks through, it naturally becomes the regulation."

A surge of very strong and dark power descended, as though it was bringing down the entire stretch of sky.

However, at this moment, a surge of power of great majesty came down like an extremely Yang gust of wind, dissipating the large spread of darkness.

This majestic and strong power was like the sun in the sky, omnipresent and extremely vigorous yet nourishing, bringing about the feeling of the spring breeze.

"Eldest Brother, please stop there."

A voice rang out together with this force of power, astonishing the crowd once again.

Governor Devitt thought to himself, 'It's the Second Prince's Thoughts Across A Thousand Li. His thoughts have transcended through space.

Hearing the Second Prince's thoughts, a light flashed past the First Prince's eyes, and he said, "Oh? Second Brother, even you are here to stop me?"

"The Regional Selection has been set up since the founding of the Empire to uncover and nurture talents in order the strengthen the Empire.

"The mastery of Eldest Brother's cultivation is gradually heading toward perfection. Moreover, although you have not attained all thirty-six Hell's Maps, you're close to attaining the Divine level. So, why do you need to make it hard for a mere Knight?"

Hearing that the person speaking was the Second Prince, everyone was shocked. However, the messages in the Second Prince's words made everyone feel even more astonished.

"The First Prince is about to attain the Divine level despite not having cultivated all thirty-six Hell's Maps?"

"Divine level… divine level… His Majesty has said before that once the First Prince steps into the Divine level, he will travel the world and pass all the matters of the country to the First Prince."

"I see… This time around, His Majesty has let the First Prince take the role of Royal Supervisory Officer in order to let him remove all opposing forces and increase his influence. This will in turn allow him to be further distinguished from the other princes."

"His Majesty has completely made up his mind and chosen the First Prince."

Almost everyone was astonished by the Second Prince's words. It was now certain that the First Prince was the successor to the throne, and he might even become the Empire's eleventh Divine level expert and rule the world. The Second Prince's words had even hinted a sign of inferiority to the First Prince.

Then after hearing the Second Prince's words, the First Prince also fell silent for a while before saying calmly, "Second Brother, the reason you're saying this is because you hope that I can let Fang Xingjian off?"

The Second Prince's voice rang out again, "With Eldest Brother's cultivation, you should be able to reach the Divine level in at most another year, right? With your powers, your sight should be set across the entire world. Your real opponents should be the three Mage Kings, the countries in the north, and the Sand Country in the west.

"If you manage to step into Divine level a year later, I'll naturally go all out to help you. Why do you need to insist on holding onto a mere Knight?"

"Hmph." Hearing the Second Prince's words, the First Prince was overjoyed and said, "Since Second Brother has said so, I will naturally not mind letting go of a Knight. Within a year, I'll definitely attain the Divine level. I hope that when the time comes, you will not make the wrong decision and disappoint me."

The Second Prince said calmly, "If Eldest Brother were to step into the Divine level within a year, I'll naturally do my part for the Empire and follow in your lead."

In the next moment, the First Prince stood up abruptly, releasing a gust of sharp aura in all directions. Puffs of black fog soared up, as though forcing out streams of black spatial gaps.

"Since that's the case, Fang Xingjian, I'll forgive your act of disrespect today. However, while I can let you off on Second Brother's account, I can't possibly leave without bringing anyone with me."

With that, he grabbed out with his hand. It was like the world had turned completely dark, and everything was sucked into his hand.

Under this tremendous suction, Wei Leng, who was at the side, was grabbed by the First Prince and turned into three black lines together with the Dark Knight before disappearing.

The First Prince had wanted to grab Anderson but realized that this guy was extremely quick-witted. He had long since hid behind the four examiners, unlike how Wei Leng was still standing foolishly outside the arena. The First Prince could only throw a long look at Anderson and let this go before taking Wei Leng with him.

At the same time, the First Prince's arrogant voice came from afar, "I'll be bringing this Wei Leng with me. As for the rest of the processes in the Regional Selection, you can do as you wish."

The First Prince had decided to let Fang Xingjian off after the Second Prince showed signs of inferiority. However, under everyone's gazes, he still took an examinee away with him while ignoring the Regional Selection and the Governor. Despite this, no one present could do anything to him.

It was because the news, that the First Prince was about to step into Divine level, was far too astonishing. Even though he was also at level 29, aside from Divine level experts, there was no one else capable of being his opponent.

However, even though he was domineering, his actions had built up a lot of influence for himself. The First Prince had left an indestructible impression in the minds of all the aristocrats in the entire Great Western Region.

After this incident, there would be countless people submitting to him.

Looking at the First Prince's departure, murderous intent filled Fang Xingjian's eyes. Based on his true character, a person like the First Prince was one he had to kill. However, his abilities were far from a match for the First Prince, and he was also in a weakened state after the earlier battle. At present, Fang Xingjian was incapable of unleashing even a single Ether Sword Ripple.

He thought to himself, 'George Krieg, you mentioned that you'll be able to step into Divine level within a year. Then, within this year, I must transcend beyond Divine level and kill you a year later, before returning to Divine level and eradicating Caroline and the entire Onassis Clan. I'll also suppress Li Shuanghua and force the truth of my origins out from her.'

Once again, he experienced being suppressed by powerful forces, and once again, Fang Xingjian craved for more power.

However, he was very confident in his own talent. Fang Xingjian believed he would be able to make a series of breakthroughs by cultivating in the Regional Academy for a year. He would surpass the First Prince and then surpass the Divine level.

Only when he has great power, would he be able to follow his true heart and eradicate his external demons and live a carefree life. This was the foundation of his future cultivation.

Just then, a voice once again rang out next to Fang Xingjian's ears, "Xingjian, I'm the Second Prince. Come out from the battle coliseum. Let's meet up."

Hearing that, Fang Xingjian was stunned for a moment, then he left the battle coliseum alone.

Behind him, although the final arena battles in the Regional Selection continued on in the battle coliseum, after the incident with the First Prince, the remaining arena battles were like a joke. Everyone's attention was no longer on the arena.

"The First Prince is truly blessed by the heavens. Having attained a power at his level, he can already ignore all regulations and suppress everyone."

"This time around, Fang Xingjian is truly unlucky to have offended the First Prince. I wonder what decision he will make one year later?"

"The First Prince will attain the Divine level within a year. By then, aside from showing submission, what else can Fang Xingjian do? The First Prince is truly amazing. Didn't you see that earlier? Even the Second Prince bowed down to him. What can a mere Knight like Fang Xingjian do?"

Adri stood in the stands, looking at Fang Xingjian's departing back view while laughing coldly in heart.

'Hmph. Since His Highness has stepped out in person, one year later, you'll definitely become a puppet on a Hell's Map, and I won't have to take any action. When the time comes, I'll see how you'll strive to live while in utter misery as a complete slave to His Highness.'

As the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, Adri was very clear on how horrifying the Hell's Maps were. After signing the Devil's Note, in appearance, it would seem as though he had received countless benefits and that his powers would improve rapidly, in leaps and bounds.

However, the truth was that he would not be able to decide on his own life and death. Everything in his life would be controlled by someone's thoughts, and it would be extremely agonizing. Adri anticipated being able to enjoy Fang Xingjian's agony when the moment arrived.

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Chapter 250 Moon

Although Fang Xingjian had expended a great deal of stamina, his attributes did, after all, far surpass those attributes of ordinary people. Each step he took could still allow him to cross a distance of over ten meters consecutively.

Under the instructions of the voice ringing to his ears, he had already arrived at the back of an old and battered building within a few minutes.

Behind the building, a middle-aged lady was waiting there. The lady wore the clothes of a maid and had ordinary an appearance, just like any random old woman one would see on the streets.

Fang Xingjian 'looked' at the middle-aged maid and asked doubtfully, "Second Prince?"

The maid smiled and said, "I'm only borrowing her body temporarily. My Killing technique, Thoughts Across A Thousand Li, can allow one's consciousness to jump continuously between different physical bodies across a very far distance. Therefore, I've also been to many places."

As he listened to the Second Prince speak, there was still doubt reflected in Fang Xingjian's eyes because of what the Second Prince had done today.

His actions could be said to have had the intention of protecting Fang Xingjian. If news were to spread that the Second Prince had showed signs of inferiority toward the First Prince, he would lose a lot of his influence. It could even be said that he had completely bowed down to the First Prince. As long as the First Prince attained the Divine level, he would submit to him completely.

As though he had seen the doubt in Fang Xingjian's eyes, the maid walked up slowly to Fang Xingjian. She stared at his face and said, "How is it? Are you still used to staying in Miracle World?"

What a shock!

Killing intent gushed out from Fang Xingjian's body, and his heart throbbed as though he had not expected his greatest secret to come out so casually from the the maid.

However, the middle-aged maid was exuding a great gentle aura of enlightenment, nourishment, broad profoundness, and nothingness, slowly nullifying Fang Xingjian's killing intent.

"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm toward you," The middle-aged maid smiled, reaching out her hand and stroking Fang Xingjian's face.

"I know your mother." The maid's gaze seemed to reflect that she was recalling on old memories as she sighed and said, "When I saw your face, I figured out your identity immediately because you're too much like her."

Fang Xingjian recalled that his second uncle, Fang Yuehe, seemed to have said something similar. He did not know that the Holy Orison's first disciple, Yuelun, had also said that he looked like someone. Otherwise, he would be even more suspicious of his origins.

Fang Xingjian could not help but ask, "Do you know my mother?"

The middle-aged maid smiled. "I've said that I've been to many places through Thoughts Across A Thousand Li. Of course, I've also been to Earth before."

"She… What kind of person was she?"

Hearing Fang Xingjian's question, the middle-aged maid seemed to have thought of something interesting as she suddenly broke into a smile. She looked at Fang Xingjian and said, "She was the most confident and most talented lady I've ever met in my life."

The Second Prince seemed to be starting to recall the past, and his pupils dilated slightly, as though many memories were flashing past in his eyes.

"She was just like a daughter who was adored by heavens—the fairy blessed by all the gods.

"No matter what it was, she would be able to understand with just one look, and pick it up upon learning. I remember back when I was learning magic prints together with her, she used to always say, 'This is too simple, is there anything harder?'"

Fang Xingjian was stunned for a moment. "You've learnt magic prints before?"

"You people have been trying to study our Knights' path. So, of course, I've also tried learning your magic prints." The middle-aged maid smiled, looked at Fang Xingjian with a gentle expression and said, "Your mother was the greater expert in magic prints. On the day she turned sixteen, she completed the second transition and started training in Miracle World."

Fang Xingjian asked, "Then do you know who my father was?"

"I… I don't know." A hint of sadness flashed past the maid's expression before she said calmly, "After your mother came to the Empire, she spent a month's time with me touring around the Empire. After she came to Miracle World, it was as though something was bothering her. However, no matter how much I tried to probe, she wouldn't say.

"It was also during this time that her magic prints started to advance in leaps and bounds. In merely one month, she already had powers comparable to that of a level 25 Conferred Knight.

"However, she grew increasingly unhappy. Every night, she would look toward the north, as if there was something out there, waiting to be accomplished by her."

A hint of shock flashed past Fang Xingjian's heart. To have completed the second transition at sixteen years old and gained powers comparable to a level 25 Conferred Knight in a month… Such progress speed was simply terrifying.

Second Prince was still recalling his memories.

"Finally, on the third day in the Imperial Capital, she left without saying goodbye. She left behind a letter which said she was going to head to the north and look for her meaning in life.

"I wanted to look for her. However, my battle with Eldest Brother turned intense, and I had to remain stationed in the Imperial Capital. So, I sent many subordinates after her, hoping that they would be able to protect her and help her."

Fang Xingjian asked, "What happened later? Where on earth did she go?"

"I don't know." The maid sighed and said, "The Kingdom of Mages in the south, Sand Country, our Empire, as well as the three countries in the north, make up the strongest six countries across all the lands in this world.

"However, the three countries in the north and the hundred small countries under them have always been under the rule of the Church of Universal Truth, where the Empire's powers couldn't reach.

"Moreover, seventeen years ago, the previous Pope of the Church disappeared mysteriously. The three major countries in the north went out of control, and there was a great battle which lasted ten years. This made it even harder for us to locate your mother.

"When I received news once again, she was already…"

At the end, the middle-aged maid let out a soft sigh.

Fang Xingjian asked, "Did she die in my… Did she die in Li Shuanghua's hands?"

"I didn't see it for myself. However, back then, that was how the rumors went. With your grandmother's character, it's highly likely to be true." The Second Prince patted Fang Xingjian on the shoulder, and as though he was a senior who had been through many things in life, he said, "Xingjian, your talent is as dazzling as your mom's. That's why I want to help you, to let you be able to fully display the potential within you.

"After you've entered the Regional Academy, work hard. Don't worry about Eldest Brother. No matter what, his is still my brother. As long as I'm more submissive toward him, he won't really be too harsh on me."

Fang Xingjian did not really agree with the Second Prince's words. Firstly, the fact that he had reached his level today was totally of no relevance to his mother as he had not inherited her talent.

Moreover, in the fight for the throne, were there only be a few cases of father and son turning their backs on each other or brothers killing amongst themselves? Fang Xingjian held no hopes in him, especially because the First Prince was a person who would kill those who defied him.

However, the Second Prince seemed as though he had not seen through all these. He handed a small booklet to Fang Xingjian and said, "This is the secret manual I had written down based on my memories. It records the fruit of one of your mother's studies.

"It's a profound theory, creating mystical prints from the combination of magic prints and ether particles. It can increase your cultivation speed during the phase of your second transition. Take it and practice it well."

With that, the maid's gaze blurred out, and the Second Prince's voice once again rang out from afar.

"From now on, just focus on your training. If you have any problems, you can look for Governor Devitt. He's my trusty aide and will definitely help you.

"One more thing. Your mother once said this…

"Don't ever cultivate magic prints.

"Absolutely don't accept the evil gods' powers."

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Chapter 251 Mystical Prints

The Second Prince's voice seemed like it was still resounding next to his ears. However, the middle-aged maid's gaze had regained its clarity, and she was now looking at Fang Xingjian with a stunned expression.

Fang Xingjian cast a glance toward her before leaving immediately.

The Second Prince's final words continued to repeat in his mind.

'Don't cultivate magic prints?

'Hmph, I came to Miracle World without even completing my first transition. When have I ever learned magic prints?'

Looking at the booklet in his hands, Fang Xingjian then kept it before heading for the examinees' dormitory.

He sat down cross-legged and started healing his wounds.

Although he craved dearly for power, he was also extremely curious about the booklet the Second Prince had handed to him. However, his stamina had been depleted, and he was injured. What was most important to him now was clearly to heal his injuries. Only thereafter would he be able to truly start his cultivation.

Just like that, the last day of the arena battle ended. Fang Xingjian had become this year's Regional Champion with Hoult ranked second and Anderson ranked third. However, their limelight had been completely covered up due to the First Prince. The most discussed topic in the entire Great Western City was still the news that the First Prince was about to attain the Divine level.

Currently in the dormitory, Fang Xingjian was the only one remaining. His furrowed brows started to relax as he let out a breath. He had finally healed all his internal and external injuries. However, his vital energy and blood had been sapped, so he would need to have a great meal to replenish them.

There was, of course, no problem for him to deal with this issue in the Regional Academy. Although he was not yet a Conferred Knight, Fang Xingjian was already this year's Regional Champion.

So, he called for a maid and gave some instructions. Twenty minutes later, a table of food was delivered to Fang Xingjian. He was in no mood to appreciate any good food and simply finished them in great bites. After circulating the forces in his organs and replenishing his vital energy and blood, Fang Xingjian flipped open the booklet and started reading the contents within.

The whole booklet described how various materials, such as medicine, the blood of ferocious beasts, and metallic powder, could be used to engrave a special type of prints onto one's body. These prints were called mystical prints.

Mystical prints did not allow one to receive power from the evil gods, like with the magic prints but from ether particles instead.

Fang Xingjian was aware that after a Knight had completed the second transition and become a Conferred Knight, exchanging information with ether particles and sensing the external environment were not all they would need to do. They would also need to exchange powers with ether particles in order to borrow tremendous powers from the heavens and earth and thus be able to unleash various powerful Killing techniques.

Moreover, the use of mystical prints was a method which provided support to the exchange with the ether particles. It could strengthen the cultivator's cultivating speed by many times over.

After reading through the entire booklet on the cultivation method for the mystical prints, Fang Xingjian let out a long breath. He had exceptional sword art skills and would be able to make great accomplishments in any sword arts with just a single step. The only area he was lacking in was his cultivation with ether particles. Now that he had the mystical prints, things were much easier now. He would have even greater confidence in the future when he would go up against the First Prince and when he would suppress Li Shuanghua.

'However, the mystical prints are split into ten levels. Each additional level will improve one's ability to exchange powers with ether particles to be two times the efficiency. However, the price for the materials required each time will be increasingly higher. If I wish to complete the cultivation for the mystical prints, I'll need to rake in a large sum of money.

'Moreover, although the cultivation of these mystical prints depletes a tremendous amount of wealth, considering the amount of efficiency it provides, any Conferred Knight would fight for it frantically. Before I become truly powerful, I must not reveal this to anyone.'

He thought through everything and kept the booklet. The cultivation of the mystical prints was not something which could be accomplished in a day or two. Fang Xingjian estimated that just the first level of the cultivation would cost him over one hundred thousand gold. This was comparable to half a year's budget for a Prefectural Academy. He still needed to think of a way to earn a large sum of money before he could start cultivating the mystical prints.

However, with mystical prints, he would be able to increase the progress rate of his ether synchronization.

At the current moment, he was unaffected by this, and layers of silver fog started to flow out from his palms, allowing him to continue his cultivation.

From there, Fang Xingjian ignored the various matters concerning the Regional Academy. Regardless of whether there were any balls, celebration parties, meet-ups or private gatherings, he rejected them all. He once again sank deep into cultivation, quietly waiting to enter the Regional Academy as he started cultivating.

Three days later, he was informed by a maid and led to the Headmaster's office in the Regional Academy. Rota, Manny, Hoult, and Anderson had long since been waiting there. It seemed that the Regional Academy's Headmaster, Governor Devitt, had yet to arrive.

Rota and Manny waved at Fang Xingjian. Rota had turned out in sixth place, and Manny had come out eighth because of Wei Leng's departure.

Anderson propped up his legs and sat on the couch without a care for his image.

When Hoult saw Fang Xingjian, he followed Fang Xingjian over. The Crimson Fire longsword was attached at his waist, and he wore a set of formal attire which aristocrats wore, seeming to exude the luxurious aura of those in the upper class.

Hoult sat next to Fang Xingjian and said calmly, "I've asked my teacher. First Prince was already extremely close to attaining Divine level to begin with.

"And over at the Church of Universal Truth, he managed to snatch a set of Divine level expert's remains. Then he performed the Hell's Transmigration Technique from the Ancient Path of Hell and absorbed the Divine remains into his own body. He was already one step into attaining Divine level then. With his great talent, he will probably really be able to truly attain Divine level within a year.

"By then, in order to completely master all thirty-six Hell's Maps, he will probably still come looking for you."

Taken under the wings of a Divine level expert, Hoult was naturally unconcerned that the First Prince would lay his hands on him. However, Fang Xingjian was in great danger. After reminding Fang Xingjian of this, Hoult gave him a pat on the shoulder and left.

Rota frowned and said, "Why is the First Prince so obsessed with the thirty-six Hell's Maps? If he has cultivated and reached the Divine level, he shouldn't be bothered with how many top notch Knights he has under him, right?"

Manny shook his head and said, "It's not like that. It was said that the founder of the Ancient Path of Hell, Adam, was the only person who had successfully cultivated all thirty-six Hell's Maps successfully.

"And there were also some rumors in history that those who transcended the Divine level had lifespans that surpassed human limits.

"It was said that after Adam was buried, someone had opened his coffin secretly, only to discover that his corpse was missing.

"The faction, which cultivated the Ancient Path of Hell, thought that someone had stolen the corpse but ended up not finding anything.

"However, in the decades and hundreds of years which followed, there have been occasional rumors that Adam had been seen."

"I know." Rota nodded and said, "It was said that there were some people who looked like him. There were also stories about people who didn't grow old even after ten years or decades had passed. Aren't they all groundless hearsays? Why would the First Prince believe in them?"

Manny shrugged and said, "For someone at the First Prince's level, they would rather believe it to be true than not."

Just then, Anderson spoke coldly from the side, "If this guy dares to force me, even if I can't kill him, I'll assassinate his subordinates one by one."

The ten Knights, who had advanced past the Regional Selection, all fell into a daze at this. Fang Xingjian alone remained expressionless. Everyone else seemed to have been shocked by Anderson's impudence.

Anderson looked at First Prince and said, "Fang Xingjian, don't think that you're the only one who would dare to go against the First Prince. If he were to ask me the same thing during the arena battle, I'll definitely give a reply that's ten times stronger."

Manny grinned and said helplessly, "Who's trying to compare with you about this?"

A few minutes later, Headmaster Devitt finally arrived at the office. Upon entering, he got straight to the point, "The Regional Selection is over. The reason I've called all of you today is to go through the procedures for your enrolment into the Regional Academy. Additionally, it is to make good on the promise about the prizes to be given to the top ten of the Regional Selection."

Hearing the Headmaster's words, everyone's eyes lit up.

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Chapter 252 Choice

Ripples formed in Fang Xingjian's heart. This year's Regional Champion could receive an entire set of level 29 Superior Divine Armor.

With just a level 29 Superior Divine Weapon, Crimson Fire, Hoult had been capable of unleashing the prowess of a Conferred Knight when he had been just a Knight. How powerful would a level 29 armor be?

The Headmaster nodded toward everyone. "In a while, someone will take you to pick out your Superior Divine Weapons and the Killing techniques which were secretly passed down by the royalty. From now onward, you are all students of the Great Western Region Regional Academy. I won't say much, but you must know that the Regional Academy will not be providing all this to you for nothing. If you're unable to attain Heaven's Perception and complete the second transition within three years, you'll be requested to leave the academy. Don't say that I didn't warn you."

Hearing the Headmaster's words, everyone understood. They knew that the Headmaster was not trying to scare them. However, although they had passed the Regional Selection, they had only gained the rights to be nurtured by the Regional Academy and the opportunity to attempt becoming a Conferred Knight. This did not mean they would definitely be able to become a Conferred Knight.

There had been countless people in the course of history who passed the Regional Selection but had not been able to attain Heaven's Perception after three years of hard work. They were then requested to leave the Regional Academy.

The examinees, who had been basking in happiness earlier, now felt an immense amount of pressure. The end of the Regional Selection marked not the beginning of a new life but the start of an even more important and persistent competition.

However, Fang Xingjian felt no pressure. He had already attained Heaven's Perception, and once he was fully prepared, he would be able to start leveling up and go through the second transition in the Regional Academy.

Hoult, Anderson, Rota, and Manny were all very confident since they had received the gift from the Melancholic Monarch and now had a hint of inspiration toward attaining Heaven's Perception. They were brimming in confidence that they would be able to complete the second transition within the next three years.

"Alright, you guys may leave now. Someone outside will attend to you. Fang Xingjian, you stay behind."

Amidst everyone's jealous or worried gazes, Fang Xingjian stayed behind in the Headmaster's office.

Devitt looked at Fang Xingjian and said, "Your reward for the Regional Selection is firstly a set of level 29 Superior Divine Armor. The prowess of this armor is tremendous. It's almost the same as getting 50% of the powers of a level 29 Conferred Knight. It's extremely powerful."

Fang Xingjian smiled. "When will I be able to get a hold of it?"

"There will be people who have been specially tasked to send it over. It'll probably take about another five days." Devitt looked at Fang Xingjian and continued saying, "When do you plan on going through the second transition? I've already applied for the highest level Sacred Land for you. The ether particles there have a density which is a hundred times that of the outside world, and it will be able to speed up your cultivation after you've completed the second transition."

Thinking of this, Devitt let out a sigh and said, "You also understand the current situation in the country. The First Prince has been applying pressure on everyone else and will probably to ascend the throne within one or two years. If you want to break out of his control, you must grab every single second and devote it to your cultivation."

Fang Xingjian nodded and said, "When can I head to the Sacred Land and go through my second transition?"

When Governor Devitt heard Fang Xingjian's words, he felt Fang Xingjian was rushing too much, "Transition? Already? Don't you need to prepare for a little longer? What job do you plan on choosing?"

Fang Xingjian said, "After I've looked through the information about the second transitions and find I meet all the requirements for the attribute, I should be going through it immediately."

Theoretically speaking, the second transition only required one to attain Heaven's Perception. So, after entering the Sacred Land with a sufficient level of ether particles density, one would be able to complete the second transition.

Knights were able to get information about second transition jobs directly from ether particles due to Heaven's Perception, and from there, they could select one from the many options.

However, second transition jobs had their own requirements. The more powerful the job, the higher the requirements. Fang Xingjian did not plan to continue spending too much time in the first transition building up his attributes or specialties. He would look through to see which was the strongest second transition job he could transfer into and just go through with it. If he was slightly short on certain requirements, he would make haste to improve in those aspects. There was no need for him to stay on level 19 for too long.

After all, he had his sword arts talent and mystical prints. He could synthesize Killing techniques crazily and receive a boost from the mystical prints. Additionally, the rate at which his ether synchronization was increasing was very quickly. Even if the job he chose was not as good, it would not hold up the progress of his abilities.

Moreover, with his current attributes, he believed Fang Xingjian would be able to complete most second transition jobs successfully.

Governor Devitt frowned. He had wanted to advise Fang Xingjian to build up his foundation first and then transition into a more powerful second transition job. However, Devitt began to think from another perspective, knowing that Fang Xingjian was under tremendous pressure and did not have that much time to build up his foundation.

Governor Devitt nodded. He then made arrangements to collect the Knight attire for Conferred Knights, the Scarlet Cape. It was a powerful equipment which had defensive abilities comparable to a level 19 Inferior Divine Weapon.

The blue and white Knight attire fitted nicely on Fang Xingjian. It would provide warmth during the winter and was cooling even in the summer. It was also extremely thin and light, like a pair of pyjamas made out of silk.

Draped around the back of Fang Xingjian's shoulders, the Scarlet Cape seemed like flaring flames. It had the abilities to guard against high and low temperatures, reduce the pull of gravitational force slightly, as well as increase one's speed.

This was the privilege of a Conferred Knight. With this armor, even if one did not take action, one would be able to have his own way in the entire Empire.

A maid smiled and said, "Sir, are the clothes fitting? Is there anything that needs to be changed?"

"No need." Fang Xingjian shook his head and walked out.

The other reward for the Regional Selection was to select a Royal Killing technique.

Royal Killing techniques were the powerful Killing techniques which were kept secret by the Empire's royalty. They were all reserved specially for second transition Knights, allowing the practitioner to borrow the tremendous powers from heaven and earth.

Second transition Knights had stepped into Heaven's Perception and gained the additional attribute, the ether synchronization rate. This allowed them to exchange information and power with ether particles.

The exchange of information could allow them to increase the practitioner's observational skills and talent, as well as expand the cultivator's path.

Whereas, exchanging powers with ether particles allowed Conferred Knights to tap into the tremendous powers of the heaven and earth for use in their battles, greatly increasing their damage prowess.

However, there was a limit to the number of such Royal Killing techniques stored in each Regional Academy. There was a total of eight sets of such Killing techniques in the Great Western Region Regional Academy, also known as the Eight Prized Techniques of the West. Some of these Eight Prized Techniques of the West were restricted to using with certain weapons, while others could be used with any weapons.

Respectively, they were: the Dragon Slaying Sword Technique; Titan Divine Power; Gates of Hell; Judgement of Evil; Ten Directional Unrivalled Attack; Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash; and Blood Rampage.

When each batch of new students entered into the Regional Academy, they were able to select one of the Eight Prized Techniques of the West as the Killing technique they wished to cultivate. Thereafter, they could synthesize with other skills to greatly improve their battle prowess.

Of course, the Eight Prized Techniques of the West was only the beginning of the cultivation for those in the second transition. Aside from the ether synchronization rate and attributes, the most important factor, which contributed to the battle prowess of a second transition, was how powerful their Killing techniques were.

The more Killing techniques succeeded in synthesizing successfully and the greater the quality was, the more suitable it would be for the individual and the stronger the battle prowess would be amongst those of the same level.

A maid handed Fang Xingjian an introduction to the Eight Prized Techniques of the West.

Fang Xingjian took a look through the introductions for each of the Ether Sword Ripples. Now, his three most powerful areas were his speed, his ether sword ripples, as well as Terra Ingurgitation.

If he were to select a Killing technique, he would naturally need to choose one which was a good match with these three areas. It should be able to power up or better perfect these three areas.

It was just like how it was sufficient for him to use the Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash in his battles now. If his opponents were stronger, he would then unleash his explosive speed with his Boundaries Negation. If it was still not enough, then he would use his Ether Sword Ripples, and if that was still insufficient, he would then use Terra Ingurgitation. All these joined up to form his current prowess.

His next step was very simple as well. After selecting the Killing technique he had been rewarded with, he would complete it in the shortest time possible and then complete his job transition.

Thereafter, he would continue to pick up Killing techniques in the Regional Academy and synthesize them to strengthen his skills.

The next point would be to earn money to cultivate his mystical prints and raise his ether synchronization rate. At the second transition phase, he would only be able to rise to the next level with every additional 10% increase of his ether synchronization rate. To move up from level 19 to level 29, he would need to increase his ether synchronization rate to 100%. Moreover, the ether synchronization rate also related to the amount of the tremendous powers from the heavens and earth which one could tap into.

Therefore, at the second transition phase, the ether synchronization rate was of extreme importance.

Furthermore, after earning money, he would be able to purchase various heavenly and earthly treasures in order to increase his attributes and specialties as well as strengthen his foundations.

In short, the focus of the cultivation in the second transition was on raising attributes, building up specialities, synthesizing skills, and at the same time, increasing the ether synchronization rate and raising his level.

As he thought of his plans to synthesize Killing techniques and earn money while raising his ether synchronization rate, Fang Xingjian's gaze gradually locked onto a Killing technique.

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Chapter 253 Learning

The technique Fang Xingjian had decided on was the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash.

The Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash used speed, footwork, light, and shadows to create errors in one's sight and hearing. With each sword attack, many illusions would be created. It was said that ultimately tens of thousands of illusions could be created.

Then when matched with the powers from the ether particles, these illusions would all be given physical forms. What was even more amazing was that the cultivator would be able to switch positions with any of the illusions as he wished.

Of course, the illusions could not be apart from the cultivator beyond a thousand meters.

The reason Fang Xingjian had decided on this Killing technique was firstly because it was a sword technique. Fang Xingjian's sword arts talent was the best in the world, so he would naturally want to choose a sword art Killing technique. This would allow him to cultivate fast and synthesize with many other techniques limitlessly and increase the prowess of his Killing techniques.

The second reason was because this Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash had both attacks and defences. Furthermore, it was also related to both light and speed. So, it was a good match for his Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash.

In fact, Fang Xingjian had also taken a liking to the Killing technique, Blood Rampage. It allowed one to explode their vital energy and blood, and change his form to enter a rampage mode, increasing his five attributes greatly.

It was a pity that this was a 'transformation' Killing technique because such killing techniques, which required one to change their form, would have a high requirement for endurance and flexibility attributes. Fang Xingjian had yet to reach the requirements in these areas.

As a Knight who specialized in speed, he was more suitable for Killing techniques which increased damage prowess through footwork and speed.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian instructed the maid, "I'll choose the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash. What should I do next?"

The maid bowed and said, "In a while, a teacher who cultivates the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash will be coming here to instruct you. Please wait here for a short moment."

Fang Xingjian nodded, sat cross-legged in the courtyard and rested. He knew that although the Regional Academy was a place to nurture Conferred Knights, so it was impossible for all of the teachers to be Conferred Knights. Furthermore, it was even more impossible for a Conferred Knight teacher to be constantly in the academy at all times.

There were many Conferred Knights in the academy who were teachers officially, but less than half of them were truly involved in teaching. Each of them had their own businesses, clans, influences, and thus, most of them would only need to come over for a short while when there were lessons. For the most part, they would not be in the academy.

Of course, there were also some Conferred Knights who were obsessed with martial arts and stayed in the academy all the time. While they pursued their paths in martial arts, they also had the roles of teachers. These were the people who always stayed in the academy.

After waiting for about two hours, an old man with messy hair and unkempt appearance emerged. It was hard to tell that he was a Knight. After coming in, he threw a glance toward Fang Xingjian and said, "You're an examinee for this year's selection? You seems composed."

Fang Xingjian's brows twitched. It was clear with one look that this old man was a Knight who was engrossed in the pursuit of martial arts. So, it was not strange that he did not recognize Fang Xingjian's identity. There were just too many Knights who were deeply engrossed in the pursuit of martial arts and did not concern themselves with the outside world.

Even twenty-four hours were not enough for them to study martial arts and the ether particles. Being engrossed in cultivation, how could they possibly still concern themselves with things which were happening in the outside world. To the top notch Conferred Knights, things like the Regional Selection were even less of a concern to them.

This was because… for the top Conferred Knights, it would usually be years, or even decades, before the other Conferred Knights in their batch would be able to provide any help to them.

That old man threw a glance at Fang Xingjian, did not give any greetings and then said impatiently, "I've many things to attend to and will leave after teaching you once. If you have any problems, just practice it by yourself."

With that, he waved his hand, broke a branch across space and held it in his hand, demonstrating the sword moves.

"The most important thing in the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash is the footwork, sword techniques, and the use of ether particles. This set of Killing Technique was left behind by the Flash Cult which died out three hundred years ago. Several decades ago, the Royalty collected this Killing Technique, and it's extremely profound. Since you haven't gone through the second transition, it's going to be very difficult for you.

"The clones the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash created are known as Godly Demon Clones. Each of them have physical forms with ether particles channelled into them."

As the old man explained, he waved the branch about, and with a sway, he created a Godly Demon Clone. The two silhouettes sparred, creating light bangs.

"I'll teach you the footwork first. There's a total of 128 steps to the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash's footwork. They are connected to each other, and only when you've managed to switch through the many steps, will you then be able to create a Godly Demon Clone.

"Next is the control of ether particles. Ether particles are waves, and you need to take note of the frequencies. There's a trick here, which is to keep it at the same frequency as your sword moves.

"The reason why the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash is a set of sword technique is because it changes a person's frequency through the sword moves and thus creates Godly Demon Clones."

As he explained, the old man demonstrated all the footwork and sword moves to the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash once through. Although his tone and expression appeared to be extremely impatient, his demonstration was very complete, with no steps missed. It took him a total of three hours to explain each step in detail.

"Alright, my explanation is over. If you can remember, then good. If you can't, go apply to check out the records in the library. Don't come and bother me anymore."

Having said that, he noticed Fang Xingjian had already started practicing the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash. However, he could clearly sense the immaturity in Fang Xingjian's moves since he had only just started practicing and was not familiar with them.

He laughed and said, "Haha, do you think that this set of sword technique is easy? This is a Killing technique for Conferred Knights—a Killing technique for the second transition.

"It requires the tapping into the tremendous powers from the heavens and the earth in order to exchange powers with ether particles. It's not as easy as the first transition Killing techniques you have learned in the past…" Then suddenly, the old man stopped.

While the old man was talking, Fang Xingjian's sword moves had become more mature, as though he had been practicing for several months.

By the time the old man was finishing up his sentence, Fang Xingjian's Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash was already being executed smoothly. Each and every step was executed with such perfection that no matter how strict the teacher was, they would not be able to find any problems with it. It was as though Fang Xingjian had been practicing for several years.

Thereafter, amidst the old man's astonished gaze, Fang Xingjian's body swayed, and a Godly Demon Clone appeared in a flash. It then started to spar with Fang Xingjian's real body, and the Demoness' Howl he was holding let out crisp sounds.

However, after a few consecutive collisions, the Godly Demon Clone disappeared, and Fang Xingjian came to a stop. He mumbled to himself, "It's a bit incompatible with my habits, but I can make some changes to it."

With that, he swung his longsword and started to change the sword moves of the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash. He performed the same exact move five times, changing it slightly every time. On the fifth time, a hint of change flashed past his body, and another Godly Demon Clone appeared. Its appearance, disposition, and movements were all many times more concise than before, and it appeared even more realistic.

The old man looked at this scene in disbelief and said, "Is… is this really the first time you're practicing the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash?" He had almost believed Fang Xingjian had learned this technique long ago and was only pretending that he had not.

However, recalling how stiff Fang Xingjian's actions were earlier and the slight changes he had shown… This was definitely not something which could be acted out so easily.

In the next moment, this martial-arts-obsessed teacher of the Regional Academy suddenly had an escalated appreciation for talent. He could not help but ask, "What's your name? You seem very talented. How about this, do you want to come help out in my sword arts team?"

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Chapter 254 Second Transition Information

Hoppes had initially thought that after he had said this, Fang Xingjian would immediately prostrate before him and join his sword arts team.

He was currently the greatest swordsman in the entire Regional Academy and the strongest sword arts instructor. Just a single page of the results of the study from his sword arts team was worth a thousand gold. Countless teachers had wanted to join the team and study sword arts with him, let alone students.

Hoppes was truly astonished by Fang Xingjian's talent that his appreciation for talent had soared, resulting in him inviting Fang Xingjian.

However, after throwing a glance at Hoppes, Fang Xingjian asked, "What's a sword arts team?"

Hoppes was stunned. However, he quickly recalled Fang Xingjian was a newly enrolled student. Hoppes explained quickly, "Every senior teacher in the Regional Academy can receive an allocation from the budget to conduct advanced studies in the area of ether particles.

"My speciality is in sword arts, and my studies are focused on the area of sword arts synthesis."

With that, he could not help but say, slightly proudly, "Currently, I've successfully researched three new synthesis and uncovered three sets of new second transition Killing techniques. In the past, I've also created a few sets of sword arts myself."

Thinking of this, his interest toward Fang Xingjian soared. If Fang Xingjian's talent was really as outstanding as he had shown and was able to pick up sword techniques at such speed, it would bring a lot of help to his research of sword arts synthesis.

Fang Xingjian nodded, expressing his understanding. He knew that not everyone had such monstrous talent like he did, and the speed at which they learnt Killing techniques was slow. Moreover, the success rates of synthesis were not 100%, and thus, there would be people who would deduce the possible results of synthesis through various information and theories about sword arts.

With there being so many Killing techniques, ordinary Conferred Knights would not be able to synthesize them all. Even for level 29 Conferred Knights who had 100% success rates in synthesizing techniques, how long would it take for them to bring a set of Killing technique to the maximum level? It would take them at least half a year to one year. How could anyone know the results of the synthesis between every single Killing technique combinations?

Moreover, after two Killing techniques were synthesized successfully, although the new technique could be stronger, they might not necessarily be well-suited for the practitioner. Therefore, knowing the results of the synthesis beforehand was extremely important.

It was just like how the many ultimate Killing techniques of the Ancient Path of Hell had been created through multiple attempts and after knowing various synthesis formulas.

Unrivalled Killing techniques were created through gradual researches.

This was why there were sword arts teams like Hoppes'. Relying on Hoppes' profound theories, deep understanding of sword arts, and research in primitive sword arts, they would come up with deductions of synthesis results. Then they would pick out the the best one and get someone to try it out, in hopes of creating newer and more powerful Killing techniques.

Additionally, this was much better than testing them out one by out, like finding a needle from the ocean.

However, Fang Xingjian did not need to research such things. He only needed to learn the Killing techniques from the Regional Academy. Letting other people study him would only be looking for trouble.

He knew that with his abilities, entering Hoppes' sword arts team would just mean he would be studied by others. A large amount of his time would be taken up by them, and this would not fit his plans.

Therefore, he simply shook his head and said, "Not interested." With that, he turned his back on Hoppes and left.

Hoppes was still waiting excitedly for Fang Xingjian to join him and had not expected him to simply turn to leave. However, Hoppes was not angry. He merely went into a daze for a short while, as though he was unable to react.

Other than the Sacred Land and the level 29 armor, Fang Xingjian had also confirmed all the rewards he would be receiving from the Regional Selection. Therefore, he decided to head to the library meant for the students of the Regional Academy.

He asked for directions and arrived at a stone fortress. The stone fortress looked like one of those castles from the middle ages, and it was filled with various complicated carvings of flowers, prints and statues.

This was the library for the students of the Regional Academy. All year around, there would be three Conferred Knights stationed on guard. It stored countless powerful secret arts and highly confidential documents. The students and teachers of the Regional Academy were the only ones who could enter.

It was like the Shaolin Monastery's sutra repository mentioned in wuxia stories.

Fang Xingjian walked up to the stone fortress and saw a huge wooden sign there. The wooden sign was five meters tall and half a meter thick. There were many names carved onto it.

This was the rankings of the students in the Regional Academy. When it was time for the National Selection, only the students who were Conferred Knights and ranked in the top ten could participate.

Fang Xingjian looked at the name of the person ranked in first position, Odysseus. The one in second place was Hildebrand. Fang Xingjian looked through all the rankings and then stopped at rank fifty-five.

Fang Xingjian continued on and saw that his name was at position 56. Fang Xingjian, Anderson, Hoult and the others were all ranked within the ten positions from rank fifty-six.

This meant there had originally fifty-five students in the Regional Academy. With them now, there were now sixty-five.

The only reason why there was such a ranking was because of the systems in the Regional Academy.

The Regional Academy was different from Kirst Royal Academy. There was no concept of classes. Every week, various courses would be arranged, and every student could choose freely the courses they wished to attend. Every year, there would be a test for each course, and the results of the tests would determine their credits for each year. A student would only be able to continue on at the academy if they accumulated the sufficient credits.

Another difference was that all students were assigned a ranking. Since Fang Xingjian and the others had just joined, their rankings were placed at the bottom.

The students who were ranked lower could challenge those who were ranked higher, and they could take over the other party's ranking upon winning. The student who was challenged and all the students under him would be moved down one spot automatically.

Of course, there were requirements to such challenges. Each student could only issue a maximum of five challenges each year and could only accept at most one challenge each week. Additionally, it was forbidden to reject challenges.

Fang Xingjian swept a glance through the rankings before entering the library. He had to make the best use of his time to check on the information regarding job transitions.

He displayed his Knight medallion to the guards and entered the library. The entire library was segregated into three levels, and there were over ten rows of bookshelves on each level.

Students were free to browse through the books on the first and second level. However, the third level were filled with secret manuals of various Killing techniques, and one would only be given the rights to browse upon submitting an application to request for special access.

However, Fang Xingjian's current goal was the second transition. He was not there to learn new Killing techniques and would naturally not need to go to the third storey.

As only students and teachers could come here, there were very few people in the library. Additionally, it was very quiet. After Fang Xingjian entered, no one looked in his direction. He followed the rows of signs in the library and found the materials introducing the second transition jobs.

It was clear there were people keeping the library in order all year round. All the books were categorized and so were the materials on the second transition jobs. They were further categorized by strength, agility, endurance, and other criteria.

Clearly, for different categories, the progress they provided in attributes, as well as the requirements, were all different.

Fang Xingjian immediately picked up a book which introduced second transition jobs which specialized in agility.

He spent the entire night there, 'looking' through, in great detail, over ten books which introduced the second transition jobs specializing in agility.

Thank goodness he had already attained Heaven's Perception. Otherwise, there was no way he could go through the materials.

Only when morning arrived, did he let out a breath and close the last book. Countless second transition jobs went through his mind, and he started thinking about which he should be choosing.

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Chapter 255 Entering the Sacred Land

Fang Xingjian started to recall about the things he had read. One by one, powerful second transition jobs began appearing in his mind.

The Astral Sword Saint was a powerful swordsman who gathered and controlled powers from the stars. He also controlled starlight radiation and astral flames, and performed the Astral Sword Technique.

The Darkness of Death was a swordsman who could control shadows and walk amidst darkness and death, gathering all the emotions of grief, evil spirits, negative emotions, and other things to create sword Qis for use in battle.

The Zenith Light Sword Seigneur created tremors in space and through them, transmitted power to launch attacks. The speed of the spatial tremors were at the speed of light, and thus, the Zenith Light Sword Seigneur's attacks were also at the speed of light. However, as the space was too stable, the attenuation of the tremors were too strong. Thus, only one-thousandth of the prowess of the attacks launched at the speed of light would be shown.

The Typhoon Massacre freely controlled the atmosphere through sword Qis to create typhoons. The damage from these could reach out to a distance of a hundred kilometers. It was one of the second transition jobs with the most powerful wide-range attacks.

Of course, there was still the job which was also seen as the most powerful swordsman typed job amidst all second transitions: Unparalleled Sword Supreme. It allowed the practitioner to instantly pick up and change any sword technique in the world. All other sword techniques would have to prostrate themselves before this job, and this job was one which pursued the highest level of sword arts.

These five jobs were the five most powerful jobs Fang Xingjian could find, which he met the requirements for and could transition into.

At the Conferred Knight level, any of these jobs would be so powerful that they could destroy the world and repress all ordinary Conferred Knight jobs.

Looking through the records in the library, Fang Xingjian studied these five jobs in great detail and eventually decided on Unparalleled Sword Supreme. It was because he knew that the Unparalleled Sword Supreme's abilities could match well with his sword arts talent and bring out his innate potential fully, allowing him to produce twice the amount of results with half the effort. He would be able to reach the peak of sword arts in the shortest possible time.

Of course, there was one more important factor. The Unparalleled Sword Supreme only brought new specialties and would not change the practitioner's original Waves and mental cultivation method. The Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves and the Universal Sword Dominance Lunisolar mental cultivation method were very powerful, and he did not wish to switch and cultivate other Waves after transitioning into another job.

However, Fang Xingjian knew that after entering the Sacred Land, he could read the information in ether particles through Heaven's Perception and from there, choose his job.

It was unlike the first transition, where he had to accept the job transition passively.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian had also given it more thought this time. Since he had been able to transition into the first transition job, the Windshadow Sword Divinity, which there had been no records of, he might also be able to transition into a powerful hidden second transition job with no existing no records of as well.

Closing the book, Fang Xingjian headed for the Regional Academy's Sacred Land without anyone knowing and without making any additional preparations.

As a swordsman who cultivated endlessly for twenty-four hours daily and was in a state of tight mental tension at all times as though he was treading on thin ice, Fang Xingjian was long prepared for anything.

The Sacred Land was in the middle of the academy. Or rather, it could be said that it was only after this Sacred Land, which had an ether particle density much stronger than ordinary areas, was found that this area's Regional Academy was built around it.

The entire Sacred Land was segregated into ten areas based on the density of the ether particles. It ranged from an area with a density which was ten times stronger to one which had a density one hundred times stronger.

Theoretically, the students who had just enrolled could only enter the areas which had up to thirty times the density. However, as Fang Xingjian's talent was too outstanding, and with the pressure from the First Prince, Governor Devitt had helped him apply for permission to enter the central zone, which had a density that was one hundred times stronger.

The First Prince might not have thought of it… or perhaps, he might not have even cared about it at all, since most people would bow down to him when he applied tremendous pressure… However, there were also some people who would break through their personal limits and try out all sorts of means to go against him.

It was just like how an exception had been given for Fang Xingjian to enter the Sacred Land with a density which was one hundred times stronger.

Fang Xingjian headed toward the center of the academy. The academy was very big, and he did not come across many people along the way. After all, the academy took up an area of ten square kilometers and yet there were currently only sixty-five students. Rather than an academy, it was more like a research institution.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian came to the entrance of the Sacred Land without coming across any obstructions. There appeared before him an endless stretch of forest with huge trees. As there were really too few students and teachers, the Sacred Land was not reconstructed into an artificial building but kept in its primitive state. However, a path had been built from the entrance, leading straight to the center of the Sacred Land.

Of course, one would be completely mistaken if they thought that people could enter freely through the forest. Other than paving a road through the forests, Conferred Knights and even Divine level experts across many generations had channeled in various ether powers into the forests on both sides of the road. If one were to enter them, even if the person was a Conferred Knight, he could be killed immediately.

Therefore, the only way into the Sacred Land was through this paved pathway. In order to cultivate in the Sacred Land, one could only walk along this pathway to the many houses which had been built in the forest.

Upon entering the perimeters of the forest, Fang Xingjian could sense there were many pairs of eyes looking at him from the darkness. He also knew that these were the guardian ferocious beasts of the Sacred Land.

Unlike the ferocious beasts outside, these had been brought up since the founding of the academy and were in charge of protecting the Sacred Land. Since generations of the ferocious beasts here had remained in the area with many times that of the ether density of the outside world, their evolutions were different from those of the outside as well.

It could be said that they were more intelligent and more powerful.

After walking in about ten meters, there was a white deer of over two meters tall with huge horns. Exuding faint light throughout its body, the deer gradually walked out from the forest and came right up to Fang Xingjian.

With each step, there were faint green lights shimmering under its feet.

Fang Xingjian recalled the important things to note about the Sacred Land, which he had heard from the maid previously, and took out his Knight medallion.

The white deer walked up, smelled Fang Xingjian's Knight medallion, and looked at the prints on the Knight medallion. Then it glanced at Fang Xingjian's face, snorted, and left.

With its departure, Fang Xingjian could sense that the pressure coming from his surroundings seemed to have faded like waves.

"This deer gave out a tremendous amount of pressure. Level 25? Level 26?"

As he watched the white deer leave, Fang Xingjian was suddenly curious if this ferocious beast, whose name he did not know, was delicious.

Shaking his head, he threw away the strange thought and continued on along the path. He soon arrived at the area on the outer ring, with a density which was ten times stronger.

Once he stepped into this area, he felt a tremendous difference. It was as though there were suddenly hundreds of people whispering to him. Disruptive scenes and images appeared in his mind, as though the transmission signals were not good.

'What powerful ether particles.'

Fang Xingjian took in a deep breath, and it felt as though he had inhaled a hundred different scents. Countless pieces of information surged straight into his brain.

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Chapter 256 Progressing Onward All the Way

With Fang Xingjian's strong willpower, he managed to get accustomed to the area, with ten times density, within over ten seconds. He was completely unaffected by these pieces of information.

Fang Xingjian then continued to progress into the area with a density which was thirty times stronger. This area was still filled with woods and small hills, as though it was a modern woodland park. However, on the way, he could sense that there seemed to be countless pairs of eyes watching him from the darkness of the forest.

He knew that these were the guardian ferocious beasts keeping watch on him. However, he had been given the privilege to enter the Sacred Land with a hundred times density and thus was not afraid of their surveillance. He took great steps forward and saw many houses built along the road. Each house was made from huge slabs of marble. Additionally, the houses were spacious, huge, vast, and filled with an aura of primitive simplicity.

Fang Xingjian could sense from a majority of the houses that there were occasional sounds of strong air explosions, thunderous sounds, or unique auras which came from sword intents, blade intents, and the like.

He knew that these were from people cultivating, conducting research, or training in seclusion.

Not caring about all these, Fang Xingjian continued to onward, sensing the ether particles in the surroundings were getting denser and denser. He felt like he was a rubbish bin, with various rubbish being stuffed into his brain ceaselessly.

It was as though he were an old computer model, but a tremendous amount of data was being stuffed forcefully into his hard disk.

Even with Fang Xingjian's strong willpower and mind, he could not help but stop in the area with fifty times the density and sat down on the ground.

He continued to adjust his body, relax his breathing, and change his focus, gradually getting himself accustomed to the horrifying surge of information from the ether particles of fifty times the density.

His ether synchronization rate was only at 10%. So, it was really hard for him to imagine how those higher level Conferred Knights would feel when they came here.

It was no wonder that with the increase in the synchronization rate, there would be people who would go crazy or even become a vegetable because they were not able to handle the gush of information.

All kinds of meaningless information flashed before Fang Xingjian and were casually stuffed into his brain. Just then, sounds of footsteps rang out from behind him.

With his Heaven's Perception, Fang Xingjian could sense it was a young man with long red hair. He grinned at Fang Xingjian and said, "Hey brother, are you alright? Sacred Land of such high density is not somewhere you can enter carelessly."

Fang Xingjian shook his head to indicate that he was fine. He stood up and was about to walk deeper into where the density of ether particles was higher, with more information and greater options for job transitions.

That young man with red hair patted Fang Xingjian on the shoulder and said, "I think you should just forget it. You can't even stand up properly. How did you get the approval for access to Sacred Land of such a high level?

"Also, I don't think I have seen you before? Are you a newcomer?

"Why do you keep your eyes closed?

"Do you need me to call for a doctor for you?

"Since you're feeling so bad, I think you're better off not going in. You can't even focus when you're feeling so awful. How can you possibly cultivate?

"Cultivation is something that has to come naturally… How can it be done so recklessly like how you're doing it?"

"Shut up." Fang Xingjian just felt that the red-haired young man's mouth was like five hundred ducks quacking away. He could not help but interrupt the red-haired young man with a cold expression, "Go do what you're here for. Don't come and bother me."

The red-haired young man shrugged and was about to say more when a lady with purple hair walked over. When she saw Fang Xingjian seated on the floor, cross-legged, she laughed and said, "Is this another overconfident newcomer? Coming to Sacred Land of such high density straight away, thinking that your talent is unrivalled… You better head back quickly. If you continue to stay here, you brain might just burst."

Fang Xingjian could not be bothered with them. Feeling that his mind had less burden now, he stood up and continued into the deeper parts of the Sacred Land.

"Hey, you really can't continue on," The red-haired young man said, frowning. "You're a new student, right? Didn't anyone remind you? It's true that the higher the density of ether particles, the better the effects are for cultivation. However, not everyone can accept such a high density right from the start. It's very dangerous for you to go on like this."

The purple-haired lady looked at the red-haired young man helplessly and said, "Sauron, are you being a busybody again? We agreed that we would be practicing our combined attacks together today."

"But we can't possibly leave him alone." Sauron watched as Fang Xingjian took small steps and continued along the pathway. Sauron could not help but follow behind him, continuing his attempt to persuade Fang Xingjian, "Considering how awful you're feeling now, you really should stop. It's not good for your brain. You should stay and get accustomed to the areas with thirty or forty times density for a few days before going in."

However, Fang Xingjian paid no heed to Sauron. Having the world's best sword arts talent, Fang Xingjian had long discovered that his willpower, courage, memory, reasoning, and ability of the brain to process information had far surpassed that of others at his age. Ordinary people would need to spend time in order to get accustomed to the density of the ether particles, but he merely needed to take a short rest and would have gotten used to it.

Seeing that Fang Xingjian was paying no heed to Sauron, the purple-haired lady said, "Alright, just leave him be. You can stop him now, but you can't stop him forever. If he wants to court death, just let him."

The purple-haired lady continued to bug Sauron, and eventually, he left with her. However, before he left, he continued to advise Fang Xingjian not to enter too deep. Additionally, that if he was in danger, he should shout out for help.

However, Fang Xingjian could not be bothered with them. After walking for a distance, he felt his mind getting clearer and clearer, as though he was gradually growing accustomed to the rising density of the ether particles. He even started to learn how to accept the various information selectively.

He would accept the useful information and chuck those useless ones deep into a corner of his mind, leaving them there as though they were rubbish.

Gradually, it was as though the graphics quality had improved, and his Heaven's Perception was able to sense and recreate the images in the surroundings which were within a proximity of ten meters. The images grew increasingly clearer and brighter.

It was as though each inch of space within this ten meter radius was extremely familiar to him, like they were a part of his body.

As he sensed this feeling grow increasingly clearer and familiar to him, he began to crave for more ether particles. His legs started to speed up, moving faster and faster. In the blink of an eye, he activated Boundaries Negation unconsciously and tore through the atmosphere, creating a passageway which was almost like a vacuum. He continued to forge ahead ceaselessly, leaving behind swooshing sounds.

Sauron and the purple-haired lady, who were originally up ahead, only felt a strong impact wave surge over and saw a black line pass by them. Then Fang Xingjian had already disappeared from their lines of sight.

It was impossible to see Fang Xingjian's silhouette through the naked eye, but both of them were Conferred Knights, strong warriors who had stepped into Heaven's Perception. No matter how fast Fang Xingjian's speed was, as long as he had passed by them within a ten meter radius, they would be able to sense him.

"Not good. He's gone crazy." Astonished, Sauron immediately gave chase. "We must stop him. With him dashing on like this, when the density gets higher and higher… he really will enter a state of frenzy and become a lunatic."

The purple-haired lady shook her head helplessly, "What rotten luck! To think that we would come across such a hothead when we've just come back to the Sacred Land."

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Chapter 257 Density

Sauron pressed on quickly as he said, "Don't saying that, Nina… We're all Conferred Knights. Have you forgotten that other people had also taken care of us when we first came?

"Now, a tremendous amount of information is surging into his brain. If his brain can't take it and he enters a state of frenzy, he may become a complete lunatic, and his whole life would be ruined."

Nina shook her head, channelled more force on her feet and sped up, "Alright, alright. Let's quickly chase up to him and bring him back. Thank goodness that this lad is just a new student, so it won't take us much effort. Let's hurry."

The two of them were Conferred Knight from two selections ago. Currently, they were both at second transition level 24. To them, catching a new student was as simple as an eagle trying to catch a little chick.

They sped up furiously, bringing along streams of strong gales and whistling sound waves. They continued charging forth, but Fang Xingjian was nowhere to be seen.

A hint of astonishment flashed in their eyes. Then as they exchanged a glance, a series of loud booms rang out under their feet, and air currents soared. They continued to increase their speed, and in the blink of an eye, they were already at five times that of supersonic speed. However, Fang Xingjian was still nowhere to be seen.

Sauron let out a loud shout and turned into a tornado, sweeping deep into the Sacred Land. At the same time, he shouted out from the front through the trembling air created by his Reduced Force Field.

"I'll go up first and check it out. I'll wait for you at the front."

With a tremendous boom, he stepped explosively onto the pathway under his feet, leaving deep footprints. Countless amounts of sand, dust, and shattered rocks flew up as Sauron gradually disappeared from the purple-haired Nina's sight.

However, their speed was already very fast. Although Sauron continued to speed up, Nina had caught up with him not long after because he had come to a stop.

Nina shouted, "What's wrong? Where's that guy? You didn't manage to catch him?"

Sauron frowned and pointed to the front. Nina was just about to continue on when Sauron pulled her back.

"What's wrong? Weren't you the one who wanted to save him?" Nina could not understand and asked Sauron, "Why aren't we giving chase?"

Sauron pointed to the sign in front and said, "We're now at the area with sixty-nine times the density. If we were to proceed, it would be the area of seventy times density or more. We don't have the approval to enter."

"What? We're already at sixty-nine times the density?" Nina looked at the sign and said in astonishment, "But we didn't catch up with that guy on the way! Could it be that he had dashed into the forest?"

Sauron shook his head and said, "Not possible. If he were to dash into the forest, he'd be immediately struck by the powers left behind by the previous generations. We'd have long seen him if he had done so."

"Then, he has found a house and has hidden in it?"

"The area with fifty to seventy times the density is the most popular one. There are very few empty houses, and he'd need to dash coincidentally into an empty one. Moreover, we've been chasing so closely behind him. How could it be possible that we didn't see him going through the handover procedures?"

If a person wanted to enter an empty house in the Sacred Land, the individual would need to go through the handover procedures with the guardian ferocious beasts in the area in order to let them affirm the person's identities and understand the individual's intent for entering. Only then would they remember the person, protect the person, and chase away other people who wished to enter. This would, thus, ensure that the person would not receive any disruption from his cultivation.

Nina said impatiently, "This is impossible, that is impossible. So, what on earth is it?"

"There's only one possibility. That guy's speed is so fast that he was able to lose us with great ease, and he also has the rights to enter the areas in the Sacred Land beyond seventy times the density." Sauron smiled helplessly and said, "This newcomer is really not simple. We've shown our concern to the wrong person. He's much stronger than us."

"Hmph, the new students these days know how to play a fool at their young age?" Nina spoke with spite. "Do you remember how he looks like? When we get back, let's check out just who he is."

Elsewhere, Fang Xingjian was charging on furiously by himself, into the deepest area in the Sacred Land. He was going into an area at the center, where the density of ether particles was the highest at one hundred times the density.

The area had a stretch of scenic mountainous valleys with lush greenery. There were many small lakes in the mountain valleys, and ten villas had been built here.

With an ether particle density of one hundred times, the ether particles here contained even more information. This was especially so when top notch Conferred Knights had been cultivating here over the years. When he took in a breath, Fang Xingjian could even feel theories for sword techniques and fist techniques gushing into his body.

"Sword in hand, swinging as I picture it… but without a source of power, how do I execute the moves…"

"Fist of mine, press on boldly. Have no regrets even through a hundred deaths…"

"Loyalty! Convictions! Honor! Courage!"

"When the enemy is in front, there's nothing to fear! Be resolute, have courage, be loyal, and have a clear conscience! Be righteous and rather die than submit! Protect the weak and have a strong sense of justice!"

Various ideas, martial arts, and martial art theories turned into streams of information and surged into Fang Xingjian's mind.

He had no choice but to get rid of those which he did not suit him, and leave those which were useful to him.

The Sacred Land had been maintained for two hundred years, and during these two hundred years, countless outstanding and talented Conferred Knights had cultivated here. As they absorbed information and power from the ether particles, they would also leave behind their own information and power.

This place was like a great treasure chest, accumulating the experience and powers of countless top notch experts.

Fang Xingjian felt as though it had only been a few minutes before the bottleneck, which he had been stuck at with his sword arts for a long period of time, started to shift.

It was no wonder that so many Conferred Knights wanted to enter the area of the Sacred Land where the density was one hundred times stronger. This was simply a paradise for cultivators.

Fang Xingjian lifted his head to look toward the villas. Each of these villas were encompassed with a layer of power from ether particles. The layer of power could absorb the ether particles in the entire Sacred Land endlessly for attacks and defenses, and thus, ensure the safety of the person in the villa.

When each Conferred Knight was cultivating, they would be in a seemingly entranced state. All their consciousness would be focused on their cultivation, and thus, they would require many layers of protection.

There were a total sixteen villas in the entire area. According to the academy's estimation, this was a number which would neither waste the land area nor reduce the density of the ether particles due to there being too many people cultivating.

There was a limit to the number of people which could be allowed in each area throughout the Sacred Land.

Fifteen of the sixteen villas here were encompassed by various light. Clearly, defensive powers had been activated, and ether particles were being taken in and sent out endlessly, creating a change to the waves frequency. Thus, various lights were then produced.

The last remaining villa was naturally left for Fang Xingjian. Fang Xingjian entered the villa and discovered that although the villa had not been maintained for a prolonged period of time, there was not a hint of dust, and there were no signs of old age.

Fang Xingjian had been told by the maid previously that the maintenance of cleanliness and serving of food were all done by the guardian ferocious beasts.

Therefore, although no one came in often, the Conferred Knights who came here to cultivate would not have to waste too much energy on the trifle matters.

With a quick glance, Fang Xingjian found the training room in the villa and sat down. He started adjusting his breathing, gradually accepting the information from the ether particles, and looking for information related to second transition.

As his mind calmed down, he slowly started to capture the information about second transition jobs. One by one, they streamed into his mind.

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Chapter 258 The Completion of the Second Transition

One could only become calm upon quieting down, and one would only be able to gain wisdom upon calming down.

As Fang Xingjian's thoughts quieted down, his consciousness started to huddle together, focusing on gathering information related to second transition jobs.

More and more information about second transitions started to flow into his brain.

Tempest Overlord, Gale Sword Deity, Aurora Sword Spirit, Astral Sword Saint, Darkness of Death…

One by one, the pieces of information about second transitions started to jump out. They were all jobs which Fang Xingjian fulfilled the conditions for.

Under Fang Xingjian's Heaven's Perception, the pieces of information appeared around Fang Xingjian like numerous transparent display screens. In the display screens, various scenes and pictures started to form from the countless pieces of information.

They all showed how it would be like when one performed the skills during battle and when one cultivated in each respective jobs.

Fang Xingjian could sense that as long as he focused his attention onto a particular display screen, he would end up choosing the job and going through that transition.

The secrets to the second transition jobs were all in the second transition. At this point, Fang Xingjian's understanding toward ether particles seemed to have increased as well.

In fact, even in the ordinary spaces such as by the seaside, in the mountain valleys, or on the plains, as long as the individual was calm and tried hard to search for information regarding second transition jobs, they would also be able to go through the job transition.

However, the density of ether particles in ordinary spaces was too low. Limited by both the density and type of ether particles, the types of second transition jobs one could sense there would also be different.

This was why people wanted to go through their job transitions in the Sacred Lands with the highest density level. It was where they could receive the most complete information regarding second transitions in the greatest amount.

As the second transition jobs popped up, one after another, the jobs which Fang Xingjian had held in high regards began to appear as well.

The second transition job at the top of all swordsman typed transition jobs, the dream of all swordsmen, the job which all of them would work toward with untiring vigor, even to their deaths… The Unparalleled Sword Supreme had finally appeared before Fang Xingjian.

'Stars, atmosphere, darkness, height… Although I know about all these, none of them are really what I specialize in.

'The reason I've gained these powers was all from relying on my sword talent.

'The strongest, most basic, and most powerful thing I have… is still my own sword arts.

'Therefore…'

As he contemplated this, Fang Xingjian's consciousness gradually focused on the Unparalleled Sword Supreme. However, at the next moment, he sensed an even stronger, sharper, more irresistible, and unstoppable aura being sent to him.

'This is…'

Fang Xingjian's consciousness headed over, continuing to probe deeper, as though entering the deepest spot in the sea of information. Then finally, in the deepest area of the information currents, he sensed another job.

The Heavenly Sword Sovereign: one would live for the sword, die for the sword, pursue the sword for the sword.

One's strength, speed, reaction, endurance, and flexibility would all be increased by 10 points each.

After the job transition was complete, one would gain four main specialties.

The first specialty was Swordless Path. The swordsman should not lose because he was swordless. A blade of grass, a branch, a bamboo and a stone could all act as swords. The powers from ether particles could be used to strengthen any ordinary weapon, allowing them to be strengthened temporarily to the level of a level 19 Inferior Divine Weapon. When the weapon left the hand, the effect would be gone.

The second was Sword Bones. By having sword bones which seemed to be made by the heavens, one's skeletal structure throughout the body would gradually be turned into innate sword bones, increasing the toughness of the bones. The toughness could be enhanced by endless sword intents to reach the toughness of a Divine Weapon of a similar level. Containing sword intents within, one's punches and kicks would have the power of a piercing or slashing sword.

This meant that the toughness of one's bones would be increase. It would be under a circumstance whereby one did not have to go through the process of forging to be able to increase one's bones to the level of a Divine Weapon.

For example, as Fang Xingjian was at level 20, the strength of his bones could reach the level of a level 20 Superior Divine Weapon. The forces from each punch and kick he unleashed would all be turned into the slashing force of a sword.

This meant that the toughness of Fang Xingjian's body and his damage prowess had both increased.

The third was Darkness Sword Sense. Although one's sight would be lost, the pure darkness would allow one to be better at focusing on the pursuit for the highest level in sword arts. By sensing the mysteries of the movements of the ether particles, the rate at which one's sword arts mastery as well as all cultivation of sword arts related to ether particles would increase by many folds.

Lastly, there was the specialty, the Heavenly Sword Imprint. One's body would hold the secrets of all sword arts in the world, and the maximum level attainable for all sword arts would be increased by 10 levels.

The four specialties, namely: Swordless Path; Sword Bones; Darkness Sword Sense; and Heavenly Sword Imprint… Each of the new specialties seemed even stronger and more terrifying than the previous one. What made Fang Xingjian's heart skip a beat was that the job progress added 10 points to each of the five main attributes. However, no other Waves or mental cultivation method came with it, and there were only extremely powerful specialties.

This was a second transition job which was even stronger, even more powerful, and even more suitable for Fang Xingjian than the Unparalleled Sword Supreme.

Moreover, this was something he had not come across when he had been researching information regarding second transition jobs.

If someone were to tell Fang Xingjian at this point that the Unparalleled Sword Supreme was the top job amongst all second transition jobs for swordsmen, he would definitely let out a snort of contempt.

'Then… I'll decide on you.'

In the next moment, Fang Xingjian felt all his consciousness gather on the piece of information for the Heavenly Sword Sovereign. Various energies and pieces of information gushed toward him, dashing into his brain.

Fang Xingjian felt that the connection between his body and the external environment had been established. The ether particles in his body continued to exchange with those in the external environment, exchanging information, exchanging energies.

After many rounds of exchanges, his body was slowly starting to change and transform.

The comprehension required only a short moment, but the strengthening of his physical body required a huge amount of material foundation.

In order to attain Heaven's Perception, one's brain had to evolve. After this evolution, its ability to absorb a large amount of information and energies would then grow, powering up one's entire body explosively.

Fang Xingjian could sense that his bone structure was going through a transformation, and his brain seemed to have started a second development. Each strand of muscle, each nerve, each blood vessel, all seemed to be going through an intrinsic transformation.

However, he had yet to go through his consciousness in such fine detail. He only allowed his body to continue absorbing information and energies, gradually being strengthened little by little.

A large amount of energy was being absorbed, and a large amount of energy was being depleted. It was as though the surface under Fang Xingjian's skin was inflating as it swelled up and became increasingly powerful.

Just like that, ten days and ten nights passed by. Fang Xingjian's consciousness merged with his body, without being affected by even the slightest hint of external influences.

Then the current morning arrived, and his eyes opened abruptly. Fang Xingjian had already lost his eyesight previously, but at this moment, his pupils appeared to have been turned into an endlessly deep, pitch-black color.

He stood up, and the bones all over his body released pitter patter explosive sounds. The sections of his spine hit against each other, creating the sounds of steel reinforcing bars smashing against cement ground. It was as though each of his bones were now made out of a completely different material than from before.

Fang Xingjian then took one step forward. With a slight exertion of force, the rug on the ground was sliced into two, and there seemed to be a sharp shock wave sweeping through the air. When he looked to the ground, he could see streams of sword marks which were a few inches deep.

Due to his sword bones, the force he exerted had been turned into a sharp power which he was unable to keep under full control. This was why such a powerful slicing force had been created with just a slight move of his limbs.

His vital energy and blood were boiling and were as lively as if he had just woken up. Despite him not having had any food, drink, or sleep for the past tend days, his vital energy and blood did not seem weak at all.

'I've finally completed the second transition.'

Fang Xingjian then looked at his attributes. He had long reached the maximum experience for level 19. However, the past ten days and nights worth of cultivation allowed him to not only complete the second transition but allowed him to rise up to level 20 as well. Fang Xingjian had become a true blue Conferred Knight.

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Chapter 259 Coming Out From Seclusion

Fang Xingjian's attributes had now become:

Name Fang Xingjian

Age 17

Occupation Heavenly Sword Sovereign

Level 20

Strength 836

Agility 1926

Reaction 87

Endurance 57

Flexibility 59

Ether Synchronization Rate 10%

The attributes above come into effect once the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves is activated.

Due to Perfect Muscles, 5 in strength and agility (10% of the endurance attribute).

Skills / Techniques: Boundaries Negation,

Rebirth Sword Technique,

New Nine-Headed Dragon Sword Technique,

Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash,

Ether Sword Ripples,

Level 4 Ether Divine Art

Specialties: Genius Swordsmanship,

Elementary Survival Instinct,

Internal Healing,

Internal Training,

Sword Specialist,

Heightened Reflexes,

Perfect Muscles,

Elementary Berserkness,

Level 1 Unparalleled Sword Intent

Sword Bones,

Swordless Path,

Darkness Sword Sense,

Heavenly Sword Imprint

Waves Level 1 Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves

Mental Cultivation Method Level 5 Universal Sword Dominance Lunisolar

Potential 20,000 point increase/day

By advancing to a second transition level 20 Heavenly Sword Sovereign, not only was Fang Xingjian's attributes strengthened greatly, his Waves, the Prodigious Astral Divine Powers Waves, could also start to level up. Additionally, his ether synchronization rate could also continue to rise.

Moreover, with the special effect of the Heavenly Sword Imprint, the maximum level for his sword techniques were increased by another ten levels, giving them further room to grow.

A feeling of satisfaction rose up inside Fang Xingjian's mind.

Concurrently, a strong feeling of hunger passed through his body. Although he had absorbed a tremendous amount of energy from ether particles for the past ten days and nights, they were merely energy which had been used to reconstruct his body. His stomach had gone without food for a whole ten days and he was also depleted of energy. After the reconstruction of his body, he now felt hungry.

However, at the next moment, this feeling was interrupted.

"Fang Xingjian!

"Xingjian!

"Xingjian, are you around?"

A male voice rang out incessantly from outside the villa, eventually reaching Fang Xingjian's ears. However, Fang Xingjian could tell this voice did not belong to anyone he knew.

Despite this, he could not possibly leave the person be and let him continue shouting. Moreover, Fang Xingjian had just completed his second transition and was about to go out for a walk. He wanted to look for Ferdinand and the others and discuss how they could go about earning money.

When Fang Xingjian left the villa, he saw an unscrupulous-looking man with a sharp mouth, sunken cheeks, and tanned skin standing outside. The man was looking at Fang Xingjian through the protective layer of lights.

When he saw Fang Xingjian, he acted all familiar with Fang Xingjian and greeted him warmly, "Xingjian, Xingjian, you've finally come out. I've been coming here twice a day to look for you. I've finally gotten the chance to meet you." As though he was afraid Fang Xingjian did not know how sincere he was, he explained in further detail, "I've been coming here every morning and night to call out your name for half an hour… You must have been so focused on your training that you didn't even hear me."

When he said that, a hint of fury flashed in his eyes, as though he felt that Fang Xingjian had been ignoring him intentionally.

However, seeing that Fang Xingjian's countenance was pale as though he had suffered from a great illness, the man was slightly astonished.

Fang Xingjian asked directly, "Who are you? Why have you come to look for me?"

That student with a sharp mouth and sunken cheeks grinned. Concealing the fury he was feeling, he put up a fawning expression and said, "Xingjian, hehe, you're this year's Regional Champion. I've had great admiration for you for quite a while now."

Seeing that Fang Xingjian seemed to be slightly annoyed, the student immediately introduced himself, "My name is Zhou Xingwen. Hehe, like you, Xingjian, I'm also a Westerner. I've just hit level 22 a month ago and am currently ranked in the 49th position." When he said this, he seemed to appear slightly more confident before Fang Xingjian. 'Although you're a great talent, I am, after all, more senior. My level is higher, and so is my ranking.'

With that, he stood with a more upright posture and continued saying, "Although there are people from all over living in this country, the people from the Empire still have their guards up against us, the descendents of Westerners. Therefore, we should join forces to protect our interests. The reason I've come to look for you today is firstly because I hope that you can join our Western Society.

"You don't have to feel too pressured. This is just something like a salon or a club. All the people in it are Westerners. After joining, everyone will share their experiences and help each other out, and we won't have to be bullied by the locals. Hehe, most of the Conferred Knights in the academy who are Westerners have all joined."

He seemed to sound very logical. If Fang Xingjian were truly a Westerner and had been discriminated against since young, or had been bullied by the locals in the Empire, he might join this group which was similar to an association of fellow townsmen.

However, Fang Xingjian was not a Westerner. He was an Earthling who was of no relation to Miracle World. Moreover, his feelings of love, kinship, and friendship had all been taken away from him. Therefore, it was impossible to hope that he would like this Western Society.

Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, "Not interested. If there's nothing else, you can leave."

Zhou Xingwen was stunned for a moment, as though he had never expected Fang Xingjian to reject him so easily. However, he continued the conversation, "Hehe, no need to think too much about joining the society. There are no political implications. It's just a club that everyone can join freely. There are neither any missions nor any distinctions of superiority and inferiority. If you feel that it's not a good fit, you can just go learn more about it and then give it more thought.

"Hehe, Xiao Tianxia and Wang Tiangang, who are third and ninth respectively in our academy, are both in the Western Society. You can think about it more before you come to a decision."

"There's nothing to consider. I don't have time to waste on such things."

Seeing that Fang Xingjian was still indifferent, Zhou Xingwen smiled sheepishly and said, "Hehe, it's fine, it's fine. Our doors will always remain open for you."

While he said this, he could not hide the hint of fury in his eyes. He had not expected Fang Xingjian to be so arrogant as to not show him any respect.

He had initially wanted to get closer to Fang Xingjian with the fact that they were both Westerners and then continue on with the conversation. However, Fang Xingjian did not show him any courtesy.

Despite this, when he thought of the request he had been entrusted with, and the amount of money he had spent during this time just to have someone bring him into the area with one hundred times the density… he decided to hold it in.

Not everyone could enter the Sacred Land with one hundred times the density. Aside from the sixteen people here who had been given approval to train there, there were only one or two more people who would go there everyday. They were in charge of inspecting the Sacred Land and doing the things that the guardian ferocious beasts could not.

The guardian ferocious beasts were, after all, not humans. They were unable to do things such as conducting surveillance over the defensive powers, checking and fixing the houses, and the maintenance of the vegetations in the area.

Clearly, this job position for doing the maintenance work in the Sacred Land was one that many would fight for. However, each person could only do it for at most fifteen days, and they would need to spend a large sum of money as well.

Therefore, Zhou Xingwen was unwilling to leave just like that. He smiled and said to Fang Xingjian, "Xingjian, actually, I have another thing to discuss with you today. It's a great thing to both you and me."

He grinned and continued, "Seeing how your face is so pale and you're mentally tired out, you must have been unable to withstand the Sacred Land with one hundred times the density? You've taken too big a step right from the start. A new student like you should start from the Sacred Land with ten times the density and then gradually proceed further.

"In the course of history, there have been countless people who were anxious for quick success and thus entered the Sacred Land with density that was too high. In the end, their brains were attacked by tremendous amounts of information, and they would enter states of frenzy or go crazy.

"Actually, you're not suitable for cultivating here. So, you see, I have an opportunity here for you…"

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Chapter 260 Trading

Seeing that Fang Xingjian did not stop him from talking, Zhou Xingwen continued, "Look at how you're not that accustomed to a Sacred Land with a high density… I know of some Conferred Knights who have been wanting to come to the Sacred Land with one hundred times the density to cultivate. This is a good opportunity that will benefit both sides."

How could Fang Xingjian be fooled so easily? His words were just like his sword arts, straight to the point.

"Who has his eyes on the Sacred Land I have access to? How much is he willing to pay?"

To Fang Xingjian, the use of the Sacred Land was for him to speed up his cultivation progress. However, if the other party could offer a reasonable price, for example, one million gold, or a complete set of Divine level suit, he would naturally be willing to give this up.

Zhou Xingwen had not expected that Fang Xingjian would be so straight to the point. After being stunned for a short moment, he said, "It's like this, Wang Tiangang, the person ranked ninth in our Regional Academy, is just like a god who descended from the heavens. He has just turned thirty-five years old but is already a level 26 Conferred Knight.

"His White Monarch Sword Technique is well known throughout the entire Genius Swordsmanship, and he can even keep up with the Governor in a spar for up to ten moves without losing. He's really a genius.

"With the National Selection next year, Brother Tiangang also hopes to make a final dash in this last year. His Majesty has given the orders to increase the rewards for the National Selection next year by a lot. If one can get into the top ten, they will really be able to soar into success and leave their name behind in history.

"Xingjian, although you're also a great talent, you've only just enrolled in the school, and it's impossible for you to participate in next year's National Selection. Moreover, you've only just started your training for the second transition, so you're not suited to be where the density of the ether particles are too high. If you were to forcefully train here, your brain and mind would suffer from damages like how it's doing now.

"Why don't you pass this chance to Brother Tiangang? He'll find a piece of Sacred Land where the density is lower for your cultivation. He'll also pay the difference for the two spots, and you definitely won't lose out.

"Don't worry. If you want to go through the second transition, you can come and use this place anytime. Brother Tiangang will definitely not stop you."

Zhou Xingwen spoke so much that his throat was parched. However, determination filled his eyes.

After all, from his point of view, Fang Xingjian had only just entered the academy, so it was impossible for him to participate in the National Selection which would be conducted next year. Moreover, Fang Xingjian would also need to slowly get accustomed to the Sacred Land of such a high density.

Under such a circumstance, temporarily giving up the rights to cultivate in the Sacred Land in exchange for Wang Tiangang's friendship and compensation… This was truly worth it. Once Wang Tiangang passed the National Selection, he would definitely not forget his debt to Fang Xingjian.

Zhou Xingwen had everything thought out before he came here to convince Fang Xingjian. It was because, to him, as long as the person was not an idiot, he would not be able to reject this proposal.

However, what he did not know was that Fang Xingjian was really intending to participate in the National Selection which would be held next year.

Fang Xingjian asked, "What's the price that Wang Tiangang is offering?"

"It's Brother Tiangang," Zhou Xingwen corrected. "Your Sacred Land has been applied for by the Governor himself for the duration of a year. If you're willing to hand the whole year to Brother Tiangang, he's willing to fork out 300,000 gold, or any resources that are equivalent to the price of 300,000 gold."

300,000 gold was already the allocated budget for some Prefectural Academies for a couple of years. It was also a large sum of money that Wang Tiangang had to put together from various sources with the addition of what he had been saving for decades.

Even if that was the case, this only showed just how wealthy these Conferred Knights in the Great Western City were.

The wealth of a Conferred Knight was truly unfathomable.

However, when Fang Xingjian heard the offered price, he frowned slightly and said, "It's too little."

"Too little?" When Zhou Xingwen heard the offer of 300,000 gold back then, he had been dumbfounded and his eyes had glimmered. 300,000 gold was enough for the purchase of a Divine Weapon which was level 25 or higher. Even if it were used to purchase heavenly and earthly treasures, it would push an ordinary person's attributes to Knight-level.

Or if it were spent on the Conferred Knight's training, the gold could also last for several years.

Yet, to think that Fang Xingjian had found it to be too little. Zhou Xingwen immediately tried to persuade Fang Xingjian, "300,000 is really not little. Xingjian, wasn't your sword destroyed during the arena battle? 300,000 gold is enough to get you a level 26 or 27 Superior Divine Weapon."

Seeing that Fang Xingjian was still shaking his head, Zhou Xingwen could not hold it in and said, "400,000…" Then when he saw Fang Xingjian turn to leave, he immediately shouted, "500,000. 500,000 gold!"

As though he had unleashed an ultimate attack, Zhou Xingwen, who had just shouted out the price of 500,000 gold, looked at Fang Xingjian and said breathlessly, "This is the highest price Brother Tiangang can offer. Xingjian, don't go too far. 500,000 is enough to get you a top quality Superior Divine Weapon or push up your attributes by tens of points!"

However, Zhou Xingwen was once again met with great disappointment. Fang Xingjian shook his head and headed for his villa. "It's a fixed price of one million gold. Tell Wang Tiangang, if he can't afford so much, don't come wasting my time."

"One million?" Hearing this number, Zhou Xingwen almost spat out a mouthful of blood. How much was one million gold? There would probably not be more than five people in the entire Great Western City who would be able to bring out so much. Moreover, those people would definitely be second transition level 29 experts or high level aristocrats who had saved up for up to a hundred years. Only these people would be able to accumulate such a walloping sum of wealth.

To Zhou Xingwen, Fang Xingjian was simply demanding an exorbitant and preposterous price.

He could not hold it in and shouted, "Xingjian, it's impossible for you to be able to sell it out at this price. Do you want this piece of Sacred Land to rot in your hands? It's impossible for a novice like you to be able to train for too long in the Sacred Land with one hundred times the density.

"Rather than leaving it to rot, you might as well use it to exchange for more resources. And I believe that other than Brother Tiangang, no one else would be able to offer a higher price than 500,000 gold."

Fang Xingjian ignored Zhou Xingwen's nagging and went back to his room. He needed to find some food. After not having eaten for ten days, his stomach and intestines were now all shrivelled and squashed together.

Seeing Fang Xingjian's backview slowly disappear through the front door, a hint of fury flashed in Zhou Xingwen's eyes. Recalling how he had boasted to Wang Tiangang that he would definitely be able to get the job done, Zhou Xingwen just felt somewhat weak now.

'This guy is really as unrestrained and just persistent in his own ways as the rumors say.

'He really doesn't know a thing about how to conduct himself in society.'

Thinking of this, Zhou Xingwen let out a long sigh and left with a feeling of fury. However, thinking of the amount of money he had paid in order to enter the Sacred Land, his face scrunched up painfully.

'Damn you, Fang Xingjian. To think that you're not even willing to let it go at 500,000 gold… Aren't you afraid of taking too much of what you can't handle?

'You can just continue to guard over this Sacred Land. I'll see how long you can hang on while having so much information gush into your brain everyday.'

He continued to imagine Fang Xingjian getting increasingly weaker. Then he thought of how he himself had a mental breakdown and insomnia for consecutive nights when he entered the Sacred Land with thirty-times the density. Zhou Xingwen secretly decided, 'I'll come look for him again next time. I don't believe he can hang on for long. Maybe when I come the next time, he'll be suffering from headaches and a swollen brain. There won't be a need for 500,000 then.'

Fang Xingjian had not an inkling of the idea Zhou Xingwen was thinking of. Neither could he have realised that he had forced out a first generation Miracle World harassing-type intermediary just like that.

He was in the room, holding on to a big plate of food and eating non-stop while circulating his vital energy and blood, gradually recovering the vitality of his internal organs.

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Chapter 261 Lead the Way

As Fang Xingjian ate, he continued to ponder.

With regard to the primary training for Conferred Knights, what he currently knew was how to synthesise Killing techniques, increase the ether synchronization rate, and increase his level.

As for the other areas, such as tempering attributes and cultivating techniques, these were no different than from first transition Knights.

'With regard to the training for Conferred Knights, I've only relied on my own conjectures and referred to past records. However, the Regional Academy can be said to be the frontline of the battlefield for Conferred Knights. The theories imparted here should all be the most advanced.

'I should look for the chance to attend some classes and understand more about the Conferred Knights in Regional Academies as well as how they train.'

As Fang Xingjian thought about these, he continued to take big bites out of a large ferocious wild boar, producing continuous munching sounds.

Fang Xingjian should first leave the villa, look for Ferdinand, and then look into how he could earn money.

After that, he should look for some classes to attend so that he would know how to allocate the time for his various training goals. These included training his Killing techniques, training in the Sacred Land, and training to increase his ether synchronization rate.

As he continued to think about these, Fang Xingjian had already finished three roasted ferocious wild boars, an entire Bear Seizes Buffalo dish, as well as three pots of vegetable salad made from countless medicinal herbs.

He wiped his mouth, and then with a slight movement, he appeared with a flash outside the door. The changes to his force, which his sword bones had created, caused sword Qis to form as he walked. With a single step, a long sword mark would appear on the ground, as if it was slicing through the ground.

Fang Xingjian continued to walk on like this and appeared out the Sacred Land in the blink of an eye. He felt the density of ether particles was decreasing rapidly, and the scenes in his mind seemed to have changed from a 19201020 resolution to a 640480 resolution, causing him to feel slightly disoriented.

However, when he passed through the Sacred Land's entrance at the next moment, he saw a young maid standing there, waiting. When she saw him, she called out, "May I ask if you're Lord Fang Xingjian?"

"That's me. What's the matter?"

As though she had not met such a young and handsome Knight before, the maid blushed and said, slightly embarrassed, "Your Divine Armor has arrived. It's the reward for the Regional Selection. The Superintendent tasked me to wait for you here so that you can collect it when you came out."

"The level 29 armor has arrived?" Fang Xingjian asked, "Where is it?"

"Please come with me. It's in the Superintendent's office. When he knew what was inside, he didn't even dare take a single step away from it even when he's eating or sleeping. He has been waiting until you finally came out today." The maid then immediately led the way.

Her footsteps were light yet powerful, comparable to an olympic champion on Earth. Clearly, even the maids in Regional Academies had put in great effort into their martial arts cultivation and had taken great amounts of nutrition.

However, to Fang Xingjian, her speed was still too slow. The next moment, she suddenly felt her body become light. She also felt a powerful arm grab her around the waist, and she was soon flying forward at great speed.

Fang Xingjian's voice tremored softly next to her ear, "Point out the way."

The young maid only felt that the arm was extremely strong and warm. Thinking of how this person was the Regional Champion, who had comprehended the seven level of mysteries of the Pantheon Monument and defeated a genius who was under the wings of a Divine level expert, her heart began to beat faster. With a soft voice, she agreed.

Very quickly, Fang Xingjian went on his way while holding onto the maid. Within a mere two minutes, he had arrived before the Administration Building which was three stories high.

The maid in his arms was like a small squirrel, and her head buried into Fang Xingjian's arms.

Fang Xingjian's voice rang out, "Have we arrived? Is it here?"

It was like the maid had just woken up from a dream, and she replied in a soft voice, "Mmm."

Suddenly, she felt his arm move a little, and she immediately reacted. To think that she had been hugging onto his arm all this time… A flush of red quickly appeared on her face. She then took two steps back and said, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

However, when she lifted her head once again, Fang Xingjian was already gone.

Another maid came out and said to her with an evil grin, "Little Ru [1, who was that earlier? He's so handsome!"

Now that Fang Xingjian had completed the second transition, it was as though he had been reborn as a brand new person. With the addition of the one year he spent cultivating during his first transition, his disposition had improved. He was now like a drawn sharp sword, and with the great transformation to his bones and muscles, he was very good looking.

Hearing her companion's teasing, Little Ru lowered her head and said, "He's Lord Fang Xingjian."

"Huh? He's that Fang Xingjian? Oh, my god, why is he so good-looking?" The maid said with her mouth agape. "So young, so good-looking… and he is even a Conferred Knight! Sigh, if only he's willing to marry me…"

Little Ru covered her mouth and laughed, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Nonsense?" That maid pat Little Ru on the shoulder and said, "Hmmm, who was the one acting so lasciviously early? You were grabbing onto his arm, totally unwilling to let go… What a little vixen…"

Little Ru was clearly used to the jokes the other maid usually said, so she was not too concerned. She simply laughed and retorted, "You… you're the one who is a vixen…"

As the two of them joked around, Fang Xingjian had already entered the three-story Administration Building and went to the Superintendent's office on the third floor.

The Regional Academy's Superintendent was in charge various things, including: logistics; food; hygiene; maintenance of buildings and the plants; as well as rearing of ferocious beasts.

Although these were all miscellaneous work, since they all involved Conferred Knights, it was a job everyone would fight for. The person in charge would also be responsible for supervising thousands of people, such as: the maids; servants; chefs; and gardeners

That was right. Although there were less than a hundred teachers and students altogether in the entire academy, there were a few thousand servants serving them.

The only way they could assure that every corner in the entire academy could be cleaned at least three times daily and each meal would be filled with delicacies… was by having this many servants. No matter what the Conferred Knights asked for, the requests would be delivered within half an hour.

There might not be something called 'service spirit' in Miracle World, but all the servants would serve the Conferred Knights as if they were their masters. Moreover, they would provide greater service than anyone in the service industry on Earth.

When Fang Xingjian entered the Superintendent's office, he saw an elderly sitting behind the office desk. Beside him, there was a large metal box which was around the height of a human.

Seeing that Fang Xingjian had arrived, the old man let out a deep breath and said, "You're finally here. With this thing in my office everyday, I didn't even dare to sleep and even needed to get someone to keep watch when I go to the washroom."

The old man was the Regional Academy's Superintendent, a Knight in his sixties. He no longer had his mind on advancing his skills and had been working diligently and conscientiously on his job.

However, a couple of days ago, two Conferred Knights sent over the rewards for the Regional Selection. One of them was the level 29 armor, a Superior Divine Weapon, which was meant for Fang Xingjian.

What kind of precious item was this? It was worth a fortune.

Logically, it was extremely safe in the Regional Academy. However, the Superintendent was still had not been at ease while he guarded this armor.

Unfortunately, Fang Xingjian had been immersed in his training, and no one had been able to call him out. Therefore, the Superintendent could only stay in his office everyday, guarding the big metal box next to him.

How torturing had this been? He had needed to restrain his curiosity toward the Divine Weapon, and yet, he had been constantly worried that someone would have their eyes on it. The Superintendent had been rather afraid the Divine Weapon would be lost while in his possession.

So, he had requested for Governor Devitt to send Conferred Knights to guard the item for a number of times. However,t Governor Devitt was very assured by the Regional Academy's security and had not given his approval.

It just showed how much pressure there had been for such a precious treasure to be guarded by a mere Knight, like him, alone.

[1: The word 'Little' is usually added before a person's name to make it sound more endearing.

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Chapter 262 Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor

The Superintendent's pressure was very great, but Fang Xingjian was finally here, so he no longer had to be held responsible. While walking with great zeal, the Superintendent looked at Fang Xingjian and said, "Xingjian, you're finally here. Come, come, come. Try the armor on. Let me have a look at how it actually looks like. It's also my first time seeing a level 29 armor."

Fang Xingjian walked up to the metal box, and under the Superintendent's instructions, inserted his Knight medallion, which was hanging from his neck, into a hole of the metal box.

The entire metal box seemed to tremble slightly. Then at the next moment, as white smoke gushed out, the box was like a blooming flower. It opened up in all directions and revealed the set of armor inside.

The armor was a dark black color and included guards for his hands, arms, waist, waist, upper thighs, knees, lower thighs, as well as other parts of the body. If one were to put it on completely, it would be a black armor which covered up the entire body.

It stood upright in the metal box, as if it were a living Knight. Although it did not seem to be anything special, it had a unique aura to it.

Therefore, under the Superintendent's envious gaze, Fang Xingjian put on the pieces of the armor one by one.

At the start, Fang Xingjian had still been worried that the armor would be very heavy and thus make it impossible for him to use his specialty, the Single Sword World Subjugation. This specialty forbade him to be equipped with any armor over ten kilograms. Otherwise, Fang Xingjian would not be able to enjoy the speed increment from this specialty.

However, when he put it on, he realized that this level 29 Superior Divine Armor was light as a feather, and when he held it in his hand, it was like paper.

However, its sturdiness was not something to be undermined. Now that Fang Xingjian had completed the job transition to the Heavenly Sword Sovereign, the bones all over his body had been turned into sword bones. Each of his punches and kicks were like the slashing or piercing of a longsword. With just a slight tapping force, he would be able to slash through steel and penetrate steel armors.

However, when he tried applying strength to stroke across the surface of this armor, there was a strong metallic scratching sound, but no marks were left behind.

The Superintendent said enviously, "This armor is known as the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor and was made from the skeletal remains of Sand Country's national hero, Domirov. It took ten years to forge and is a true treasure that doesn't come by easily.

"It's material is light as a feather, yet firm as a rock. Even a level 29 Divine Weapon would not be able to break it easily."

In the blink of an eye, Fang Xingjian had put on the complete set of black Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor. Then at the next moment, the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor let out a slight tremor and turned into a layer of black liquid on Fang Xingjian's body. It stuck onto the surface of his skin as though it was a layer of skin. Following this, the armor's color continued to change, seeming to get gradually accustomed to Fang Xingjian's body. In just a short moment, it changed into over ten different colors and eventually got closer and closer to the color of Fang Xingjian's skin.

In the end, no traces of the armor could be seen at all.

Fang Xingjian moved his arms and legs, and could not feel that he was wearing an armor. This Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor was truly amazing.

The Superintendent said enviously, "It's said that after the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor is put on, it'll be like putting on a layer of skin, and usually, one won't be able to sense its existence. It will absorb sunlight, moonlight, magnetic forces, as well as heat. It'll continue going through its metabolism process on the surface of the wearer's body and help to nurse it. The armor will even gradually increase the physical constitution of the wearer.

"In the future, the wearer will never sweat. They will feel warm in winter and cool in summer, and there will not even be a trace of dust on the their body.

"Although I heard of this a long time ago, I thought that these were merely exaggerations. To think that they were actually true…"

The Superintendent stared at Fang Xingjian's skin and mumbled, "It has already merged onto you skin. Now, the surface of your skin already has the defensive powers of a level 29 Divine Weapon.

"And if you were to keep on wearing this in the long term… With the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor nursing your body and increasing your body's physical qualities, you'll still grow increasingly strong and get closer to having the qualities of a level 29 Conferred Knight even if you don't train your body."

Fang Xingjian tried to clench his fist and felt that this layer of skin was like a living thing. Its connection with his body was growing increasingly stronger; it was supporting his body's metabolism, transmitting of nutrients, and strengthening his physical qualities.

The old man said, "It can even store energy from excessive food intake and use it to strengthen your body. Hehe… In the future, no matter how much you eat, you won't need to fear that you'll not be able to digest it."

Fang Xingjian nodded and asked, "Does it have any other functions? Other than the defensive powers of the material itself and its ability to bind to the user, what other functions does it have?"

"Right now, the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor is still sleeping." The Superintendent grinned and said, "This was forged from the bone remains of Sand Country's national hero. It also contains the martial will he had accumulated over the many years."

"Currently, it's like the armor is in a sleeping state and thus only has the defensive powers, as well as the basic body nurturing abilities, from the material it was made from.

"It will absorb and release powers from ether particles only when it has truly awakened, unleashing the true prowess of a level 29 Divine Weapon."

Martial will referred to the information left behind by powerful experts in ether particles. Just like the information Divine-level experts like the Melancholic Monarch had left behind in the Pantheon Monument, the martial will would not dissipate even after two hundred years had passed by.

This set of Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor had been forged from the bone remains of a level 29 expert. Naturally, the ether particles would retain a large amount of martial will, the person's will, and memories he had before he died.

The Superintendent continued, "In order to stimulate the powers of the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor, you'll need to be able to get the martial will, the will of Sand Country's national hero, Domirov, to yield to you."

Fang Xingjian knew that winning over the martial will was to be able to accept the rush of information from it and, in turn, receive the information which had been left behind in the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor.

Those were all personal information belonging to Domirov. They were gathered in the armor, and like a soul remnant, they would ceaselessly attack the people who disturbed them.

Fang Xingjian touched his skin and said, "Watch out. I'm going to try out the powers of this old ghost."

"What? You're going to challenge the martial will in the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor now?"

What joke was he trying to make? How long had it been since Fang Xingjian had entered the Regional Academy? The Superintendent thought that Fang Xingjian had yet to complete the job transition and was still a level 19 Knight. To be challenging the martial will of a level 29 expert under such circumstances, would it not be courting death?

Moreover, the Superintendent was still next to Fang Xingjian. If Fang Xingjian could not accept the impact of Domirov's martial will and ended up going crazy, would he not have to suffer from the consequences too?

However, he was not aware that Fang Xingjian had the world's best sword talent, while Fang Xingjian was very clear about this. His strong will and his brain's ability to accept and process abilities far surpassed that of ordinary people. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to adapt to the high density of ether particles so quickly.

Therefore, before the Superintendent had a chance to persuade Fang Xingjian against it, Fang Xingjian trembled slightly and sent his Heaven's Perception toward the armor.

In the next moment, a tremendous aura soared upward, and the temperature in the entire office started to rise. It was like suddenly being moved from a place with good weather to a scorching desert. The Superintendent even had the illusion that the sun was piercingly hot as it burned his skin, and there was also wind and sand brushing against his face.

At the same time, an extremely deep and strong voice emerged from Fang Xingjian's body. It was the sound the armor had created when it caused tremors in the air.

"Who's that?!

"Who has entered my mind?!

"Who has entered Domirov's mind?!"

The Superintendent's eyes were wide open and only reacted at the next moment. "This is the martial will's reaction? A tremendous amount of personal information gathered together to form a false persona? So, he thinks he's still alive?"

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Chapter 263 Suppress

Just as Fang Xingjian was using his Heaven's Perception to get a deeper understanding of the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor, a large amount of information gushed into his brain from the armor:

Domirov practicing martial arts when he was young;

The local customs and practices of the Sand Country;

Battles of various scales;

Domirov standing out from many warriors and becoming the national hero;

Then improving his martial arts ceaselessly and gaining more power…

Domirov's life flashed passed very quickly before Fang Xingjian.

As a top level 29 warrior, a large amount of his information had been left behind in his bone remains, forming his martial will.

Then when Fang Xingjian's consciousness came into contact with these pieces of information, the latter were like cats who had smelled blood, gushing frantically toward the point of contact.

After all, for these memory shards, the brain and the human consciousness were their favorite places. As the information gushed in furiously, Fang Xingjian grabbed his head, feeling like it was about to explode.

A large amount of memory shards continued to take over the outer layer of his memory, like they were going to take over his brain. It was as though Domirov was going to be reborn in his body.

"I!" Fang Xingjian opened his mouth, and what came out was an unfamiliar voice in a language—the Sand Country's language. "Domirov!" At the same time, a scorching, boundless, and arid aura continued to surge out from his body, as if Domirov himself had come back to life.

However, in the next moment, the Universal Sword Dominance Lunisolar mental cultivation method started to circulate at full power in Fang Xingjian's mind. His consciousness was like a wave of streaming sword Qis, slashing ceaselessly at the attacking information waves and eliminating them one by one.

This required Fang Xingjian to fight the will with his will. Once he was no longer able to stand Domirov's surge of information, the information would take over the surface of Fang Xingjian's consciousness, and it would be as though Fang Xingjian was hypnotized. Fang Xingjian's brain would think that he was Domirov, or perhaps, multiple personalities might be created.

From a certain viewpoint, it was like Domirov had come back to life. However, to Fang Xingjian, this was a disaster. The people in Miracle World referred to this as entering a state of chaos.

Therefore, when the Superintendent saw this aura soar up, worry and fear immediately flashed in his eyes, and he slowly headed for the door.

He knew that it would be useless for him to say anything to Fang Xingjian. If the pieces of information were gushing into his brain was at a speed of 100 m/s, then the speed at which information was transferred through speech was at most 3 bytes/s.

It was like the difference between a huge river and a small water pipe; there was no room for comparison. How would the Superintendent be able to persuade Fang Xingjian to stop with just words alone? The only thing he could think of now was to leave the place quickly in order to save himself. He had seen Fang Xingjian's performance in the selection and knew it was impossible for him to be a match for Fang Xingjian.

The Superintendent had to leave and look for other Conferred Knights to restrain him.

Fang Xingjian, however, did not care what the Superintendent thought. His entire consciousness was already focused on going against Domirov's martial will.

It was as though he was standing on reefs, receiving continuous waves of attacks from the information currents. Simultaneously, he was slashing out with his sword time and time again in order to turn the information currents into ash.

Relying on his willpower and brain power, which were both at a level that not many in the world had, Fang Xingjian forcefully withstood against the impact from Domirov's will. His disposition and aura also gradually went back to what it had been originally.

In the next moment, the skin all over his body went through tremors and transformations, dressing him in a set of black armor. The armor then went through a whole series of transformations, turning from the inconspicuous black armor to a faint gold-colored armor which reflected a metallic glow.

The surface of the armor, which had been joined together initially, had now become many scales joined together. It was as if he was wearing a layer of dragon scales.

The surface of the armor seemed as though it had turned into a crystalized mirror surface. The glow it reflected was like a blaze of flames jumping about on the armor itself.

However, Fang Xingjian felt as though countless concealed spaces had opened up throughout his body. Various energies in the world, including radiation, magnetism, solar and lunar energies, as well as various physical heat energies… all of them were drawn out violently from void spaces and channeled into his body.

The vital energy and blood throughout his body were like boiling water, making him let out a loud shout unbearably. The scale armor all over his body stood up, trembling the air, followed by a series of loud cries.

Countless energies soared out from his body incessantly. Fang Xingjian felt that his attributes seemed to be growing at a crazy rate.

Concurrently, streams of a faint white glow appeared from Fang Xingjian's limbs and various parts of his body, forming a geometrical figure.

They were various force fields which allowed one to speed up, experience an increase in strength, adjust one's accuracy, or experience automated calibration. These force fields once again increased Fang Xingjian's damage prowess.

Sensing the upheaving transformations within his body, Fang Xingjian subconsciously wanted to try out the powers of this armor. So, he casually threw out a punch toward the front.

His strength had already been very strong to begin with. However, now, with his sword bones, the power from each of his punches was sufficient to create a stream of sword Qi and split open a gap in an ordinary wall.

However, after activating his Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor, his strength continued to soar. His punch was launched out through space, and the violent strength turned into sword force, tearing the air apart. It then transformed into a stream of sword Qi, which was three meters wide and a hundred meters long, and soared toward the horizon. The sword Qi slashed the roof of the office apart, revealing a large stretch of the sky.

Such power…

Was this the power of a level 29 top notch Conferred Knight?

That each punch and kick would have such prowess…?

However, Fang Xingjian quickly realized that his consciousness was swaying and yet Domirov's martial will continued to attack him endlessly, as if wanting to kick him out from this body.

Then Fang Xingjian released a long breath suddenly, breaking off the connection between his will and Domirov's martial will. In the next moment, the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor continued to change, degenerate, then it turned into a layer of skin once again.

Fang Xingjian could also sense that his body was weak, as if it was deflated.

In actuality, he had not become weaker than before. It was just that after having escaped from the overwhelming state of the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor in activation, comparing the state before and after, he felt that his body was very weak. This weakness was just a delusion.

As he released a breath, Fang Xingjian once again looked at his body and then thought to himself, 'Compared to a true expert, my body is still too weak.

'Moreover, the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor only has a maximum of 50% of the Conferred Knight's powers.'

He clenched his fists together tightly, craving more and more for power.

'However, before I reach level 29, this Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor is truly a powerful defensive tool. It is a pity that it requires one to withstand the impact from Domirov's martial will. With my current martial will, I can only hang on for over ten seconds. If I continue for any longer, there'll be a danger of me being taken down.

'Ordinary Conferred Knights may not be able to withstand the impact from his martial will at all.'

Fang Xingjian decided in his heart that he would strengthen his sword arts and mental cultivation method ceaselessly. With a greater mastery of his skills, he would gain more confidence and the development of his brain would be stronger as well, allowing him to be capable of going against the impact from the martial will.

When the time came that he would be able to fully suppress Domirov's martial will, he would be able to use this Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor freely. It would be unlike how he was currently, needing to stop after using it for over ten seconds and then continuing after resting for a couple of hours.

Just as Fang Xingjian was contemplating this, a voice rang out in the office, "Xingjian? Are you alright?"

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Chapter 264 Effects

The Superintendent looked at Fang Xingjian, feeling both worried and terrified.

If it was not because Fang Xingjian had become this year's Regional Champion and his performance had far surpassed that of the Regional Champions from previous years…

Or because Fang Xingjian had stopped the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor he was wearing…

The Superintendent would definitely not take the initiative to stay behind and ask this question.

Hearing the Superintendent's question, Fang Xingjian finally lifted his head, showing an apologetic expression as he said, "I'm sorry, I've destroyed your office."

"It's fine, it's fine." With that, the Superintendent heaved a sigh of relief, grateful there were no major issues. However, he then immediately looked at Fang Xingjian with a curious and envious gaze and asked, "You subdued the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor?"

"Subdued? How could it be so easy? It contains the powerful will of the level 29 top notch expert, Domirov. This is not something that I can subdue and suppress at the moment. The most I can do now is to withstand the impact from his will and use it for just a short moment."

Fang Xingjian thought to himself, 'A level 29 armor is already so powerful. Then if it was a level 30 Divine Armor, the ultimate equipment which is said to have 30% of the powers of a Divine level expert… how powerful would it be?'

For some reason, when the Superintendent heard Fang Xingjian's words, he seemed to heave another sigh of relief inwardly. However, his gaze was still filled with envy. "That's already very remarkable. To be able to use a level 29 armor for a short while… You should be able to utilize have the powers of a level 29 expert?"

"It's not that easy." Fang Xingjian smiled and said, "Level 29 experts are strong in various aspects. Killing techniques, specialties, attributes, Waves, and mental cultivation methods… not one of them can be excluded.

"The Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor only strengthens my five attributes. As for the other abilities, I'll still need to think about them and continue to keep fighting against Domirov's martial will in order to be capable of truly bringing out the best in them."

Naturally, the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor naturally did not just strengthen one's physical capability and strength. However, many of its abilities were not things Fang Xingjian could grasp fully at the moment.

Despite this, his performance was already very commendable. At least, during the ten over seconds he had been using the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor, there would probably be no Conferred Knight of level 25 or below who would be a match for him.

Fang Xingjian said apologetically, "The issue with the ceiling is my fault. I'll get someone to send over money for compensation."

Fang Xingjian was not only the Regional Champion but also a favorite with Governor Devitt. Even if the First Prince did not take any action against him, Fang Xingjian was still not someone who he, a mere level 19 Knight, would be able to go against.

Although he knew that Fang Xingjian was just trying to be polite, Fang Xingjian's words gave him a really good feeling anyway. "No need, no need. It's nothing much. There's no need to think too much into it."

"It's something that must be done. But I still have something to attend to today and will need to take my leave."

Although the Superintendent had appeared very submissive, Fang Xingjian still kept up the basic courtesy he should be showing. He knew that although someone like the Superintendent, who managed the logistical work in the entire Regional Academy, might not be able to offer him great help, he would be able to create trouble for him easily.

If a few polite words could be exchanged for the goodwill of others, then there was nothing which could be more worth it.

After bidding the smiling Superintendent goodbye, Fang Xingjian headed out of the academy. He was going to look for Ferdinand and discuss about how to make money. After all, he was now the Regional Champion and also the person who had defeated Hoult, who was under the wings of a Divine level expert.

Going by the theories from Earth, Fang Xingjian's name was considered quite a marketable product in Great Western Region. If they were to work on this, it would quite easy to earn money even if he were to just set up a martial arts class.

However, he needed to spend long hours in the Sacred Land for his cultivation. Therefore, he could only use his name and not actually spend too much time on the money-earning activities. This was something he needed to discuss with Ferdinand.

Fang Xingjian arrived at the inn where he had agreed to meet Ferdinand and knocked on the door. When Ferdinand came out and saw that it was Fang Xingjian, he broke into an excited smile.

Then he shouted to Anthony and Robert who were behind the door, "Why aren't you guys coming out? The person you have been yearning day and night to meet has finally arrived."

Although Ferdinand had been able to remain calm while Fang Xingjian had been gone for over ten days… to Anthony and Robert, this had been torture.

After all, they had made up their minds to drop out from the Prefectural Academy in order to follow Fang Xingjian to the Great Western City.

If Fang Xingjian were to forget about them… Considering their inability to return to the Prefectural Academy and thus having no official cultivation resources provided to them, they would only be able to seek out a government sector or join some factions. If things were to come down to that, their future would become ambiguous.

Therefore, when they saw Fang Xingjian at this moment, their gazes were filled with both unease and excitement.

They felt uneasy as they did not know what Fang Xingjian would be doing from now on and what the future would be like. Despite this, they felt excited because with Fang Xingjian's performance and talent, he should be able to make his own path in this world.

However, Ferdinand did not care about their emotions and just went straight to the point, "I want to earn money. Ferdinand, what are your thoughts on this?"

"Of course, I'll agree to it 100%." He took out a stack of documents from his room and tossed them to Fang Xingjian while saying, "I've done the research. There are already over five thousand aristocrats in the entire Great Western City, with about eight hundred of them ranging from eight to fifteen years old. How big is this target group? If we were to set up a class, we would be able to bring in four thousand gold every month even if we were to charge each person five gold a month.

"Moreover, Xingjian, with your value, there's no way that we can charge them so cheaply at only five gold."

"Five gold is considered cheap?" Anthony retorted. Before he became a Knight, five gold had been sufficient as his living expenses for an entire year, even if he were to have spent his days enjoying life in great indulgence.

However, Ferdinand smiled with contempt, "These are all aristocrats, so they aren't short of such a small sum of money. Moreover, what kind of status does Xingjian have now? He's this year's Regional Champion, with outstanding performance which has gone unseen in the many decades past. If we were only to charge them five gold each, there would be people who would doubt the quality of our class."

Anthony asked, "Then how much do you think we should be charging?"

"At least twenty gold." Looking at Anthony's bulging eyeballs, Ferdinand continued to say, "Don't tell me that you find it expensive. Xingjian has comprehended all seven levels of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries. How much is this worth alone? I think that everyone would fight for a chance to attend this class at twenty gold."

Putting Anthony aside, how much money could they earn if they were to charge each person twenty gold per month?

Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, "Ferdinand, I don't plan on guiding the students myself."

"Ahh!"

Looking at Ferdinand's astonished gaze, Fang Xingjian said, "However, I can write down what I have learnt from my cultivation. You guys can use the things written to guide the other students.

"I'll be writing down the detailed cultivation means for five sets of basic nurturing sword techniques. You guys can just follow what I write down."

Fang Xingjian had also given it much thought as it was impossible for him to head out everyday and guide students in their cultivation.

However, with his current mastery in sword arts and understanding of the physical body, he would be able to come up with a set of extremely detailed teaching materials.

This was especially so since he could now completely capable of writing down the various possible encounters with each move and stance, while taking into consideration the various details of the cultivation.

While it was not comparable to the effects of having him provide guidance personally, the effects would definitely still be stronger than being taught by other teachers.

As long as Ferdinand, Anthony, and Robert could memorize the contents and provide guidance based on the materials, there should not be much problems.

However, Ferdinand stroked his chin and said, "Xingjian, although your talent is unrivalled, if you're not the one providing the guidance and it's just cultivating with reference to your concluded experience instead, the attraction would not be comparable to the previous idea."

"Then what other ways do you have?"

Ferdinand licked his lips. At the mention of earning money, his brain starting to circulate at a great speed. He said, "If you can bring up your reputation even more, then we shouldn't set up a martial arts class. You can just write your own book and put it up for sale. What do you think?"

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Chapter 265 Reputation and Money

"Reputation? Publish books?"

"That's right, reputation. Xingjian, although you're the Regional Champion and a genius who has solved all seven levels of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries, your reputation is still merely that of a talent and a student.

"Therefore, they'll be willing to sign up to receive your guidance.

"But if it's only your summary, and for them to practice according to your methods… it would probably be much worse. You might as well publish a book which talks about your journey to becoming the Regional Champion, your biography, and what you've learned from your cultivation. There'll definitely be a lot of people who would buy it."

Ferdinand smiled, "By the way, Xingjian, do you want to become an authority in sword arts? To research sword arts?"

"Authority in sword arts?" Fang Xingjian started to think about how pleasing it sounded, but his gaze reflected a total confidence. Putting aside his sword arts mastery, just with his Sword Specialist specialty, his Unparalleled Sword Intent specialty, and the Heavenly Sword Imprint specialty, the maximum level of his sword techniques had been further increased by ten levels.

Moreover, in the first place, he had the world's best sword arts talent and had cultivated over one hundred sets of sword techniques. Even a level 29 Conferred Knight would not be able to proclaim to be an authority in sword arts before Fang Xingjian.

However, Ferdinand stared into Fang Xingjian's eyes, and when he discovered the confidence in Fang Xingjian's eyes, he smiled. "Only when you've become an authority in the area of sword arts, when no one else will retort your words in the area of sword arts and when everything you say is taken as the absolute truth… Forget about conducting classes, you'll be able to sell any books at sky high prices.

"You would be just like Hoppes from your Regional Academy. He's the authority in sword arts in the Great Western Region. Any simple words he says will be studied in detail by countless swordsmen. The sword techniques he created… Just by authorizing other academies to use them, it would bring him a huge sum of money every year.

"In the whole Great Western City, people who want to become his disciple can form a line from the east gate all the way to the west gate."

'Hoppes?' Fang Xingjian thought to himself. Was that not the old man who taught him the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash? He had not expected the old man's reputation to be so great.

Ferdinand continued, "Of course, Xingjian, although your talent is unrivalled, it's not easy to become an authority in sword arts. We'll still need to take it step by step, slowly maintaining and building up your reputation.

"If you want to research sword arts, based on the current trends in the study of martial arts, the most popular and advanced area is the research of specific martial techniques. Regardless if it's finding out a new synthesis combination or creating a set of new martial arts, it'll be able to build up your reputation."

The idea of finding out a new synthesis combination referred to testing out a synthesis combination which had not appeared in history nor recorded in the Regional Academy. Of course, the prerequisite was that the new synthesis had to be powerful enough. Otherwise, even if the synthesis was successful, not many people would give it much attention.

However, such things depended too much on luck, and there were tens of thousands of skill varieties. It was tougher than scaling the heavens to be able to find an effective and powerful synthesis combination.

Usually, only those level 29 top notch experts would be able to come up with a conjecture of the results based on the traits of two skills. Moreover, they had an ether synchronization rate of 100%, and their efficiency would be raised by a lot, allowing them to explore new skills continuously.

Despite this, for strong experts who needed to train a technique for half a year, or sometimes even for one to two years, time was still not enough.

This was even though they were already much faster in comparison to ordinary people, who would need to take ten or even over ten years to be able to bring a technique to the maximum level.

As for creating new skills, the difficulty was even higher. It required one to have a deep understanding toward the human body and the ether particles. The person must not only be able to display the techniques but also be able to understand the deeper principles behind them.

While Fang Xingjian might be able to create a few sets of Nurturing and Training techniques easily, it was of no use. Too many Nurturing and Training techniques were repetitive. Clearly, what people needed the most were new and powerful Killing techniques.

However, Fang Xingjian stroked his chin and gave it some thought. Although his Rebirth Sword Technique was also a Nurturing technique, it was from a combination of one hundred sets of sword techniques. He did not believe that there would be anyone in this world who had synthesized so many Nurturing sword techniques before.

While it was impossible for him to share the synthesis combination for the Rebirth Sword Technique, if he were to come up with a detailed cultivating method and report it as a self-created technique, it would build up his reputation by a lot. It was because the Rebirth Sword Technique's efficiency was definitely greater than any Nurturing sword technique in Miracle World.

He went into deep thought for a while before asking suddenly, "Right, you mentioned earlier that after Hoppes created his own techniques, he authorized it to other academies?"

"That's right. He created new sword techniques and had no reason to give it to other people for free. Neither did anyone dare to blatantly spread around a Conferred Knight's sword technique. However, Regional Academies, Prefectural Academies, or even the National Academy can purchase the rights from him.

"As long as they pay him the royalties, they will be able to teach the sword techniques he created in their academies. The royalties will have to continue to be paid until the person who invented it dies.

"Hehe, do you know that the Radiant Light Sword Technique you practiced was created by Hoppes?"

"The Radiant Light Sword Technique?" Fang Xingjian blinked before continuing to ask Ferdinand, "How much in royalties did the Kirst Academy have to pay Hoppes each year for the Radiant Light Sword Technique?"

Ferdinand gave it some thought and said, "I think our academy paid an annual fee of two hundred gold, with no limits to the number of people who can have access to it."

'Two hundred gold yearly?' Fang Xingjian thought secretly to himself.

There were a total of twelve academies in the Great Western Region, and if they were all to purchase the rights to the Radiant Light Sword Technique, it would amount to 2,400 gold per year. Additionally, with there being eight regions in the Empire, with just the Radiant Light Sword Technique, Hoppes would have an income of over 15,000 gold each year.

This was still because the Radiant Light Sword Technique was not powerful enough. Fang Xingjian believed that the royalties for the more powerful sword techniques would definitely be higher.

This was the first time Fang Xingjian had known about such things. He looked at Ferdinand and asked, "Who is in charge of handling the issues with the royalties?"

"Of course, it's the Empire and the Knight Association. 10% of the royalties must be paid to them." Ferdinand looked at Fang Xingjian and asked, "Xingjian, are you thinking of creating your own sword technique?"

Fang Xingjian shook his head and answered, "I'm not thinking of it. I've already created a sword technique—a Nurturing sword technique."

Ferdinand, who had become extremely excited, immediately appeared disappointed upon hearing that it was a Nurturing sword technique. It was too easy for the effects of Nurturing techniques to clash with another, and there was not much room for creativity. Usually, the ones available in academies were free, and the people, who created them, had all died. Who would be willing to pay for such things when there were plenty of similar versions of them around?

"Nurturing technique…" Ferdinand shook his head and said, "Nurturing techniques would probably be hard to sell out. There aren't many academies who'd be willing to purchase new Nurturing techniques.

"If only it's a Killing technique… That way, even if it's not that powerful, it can be sold with a pricetag and can also build up your reputation."

However, Fang Xingjian smiled and said, "My Nurturing technique is quite good. Oh, right. Where can I register my newly created technique?" What a joke. A level 30 Rebirth Sword Technique would be able to provide one with a total of 20,000 potential points daily. This was, after all, a super Nurturing technique which combined over a hundred Nurturing techniques.

Even if a level 10 Rebirth Sword Technique would only be able to provide a few thousand points, that would already be ten times or a hundred times more than what ordinary Nurturing techniques could provide.

He had also wanted to invent his own Killing technique, but the synthesis of the Supreme Mistwind Sword and Radiant Light Sword Technique was too simple. There would definitely have been people who had already discovered it.

In fact, when Fang Xingjian went to the library to check it out, his guess had been proven to be right. The synthesis combination of his Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash had long been discovered by someone else.

Ferdinand gave it some thought and said, "Actually, there's one in your Regional Academy. This is something huge. You're better off looking for a teacher in the Sword Arts Department to help you with the registration. It's a place with greater authority as compared to some other places."

However, Ferdinand did not hold much hope for Fang Xingjian's nurturing sword technique. He was still hoping that Fang Xingjian could write a book about his cultivation experience or write a biography. Taking in the fact that the Regional Selection had just ended, it would definitely sell well.

Therefore, he said, "Then are you still going to write the book?"

"I will. But I'll just come up with the outline. Help me get someone to go through the rest for me." Fang Xingjian had already decided that after he returned, he would start summarizing the cultivation method for the Rebirth Sword Technique. After that, he would look for a teacher to help register the technique and see if it could be sold to other academies for royalties.

Fang Xingjian was still very confident with his Rebirth Sword Technique.

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Chapter 266 Cultivation and Heading Out

Fang Xingjian then continued to discuss with Ferdinand about publishing books and setting up the martial arts class. Afterwards, he left the inn and headed back to the Regional Academy.

There were too many things he had to do following this.

One of them was that he had to come up with a cultivation method for the Rebirth Sword Technique. Another was that he had to raise all of his sword techniques to the maximum level, since they now had the potential to be trained and raised another ten levels higher. He also had to synthesize the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash, come up with the outline for his book, and raise his ether synchronization rate.

If he had any spare time, Fang Xingjian was also thinking of spending some time attending some of the classes in the Regional Academy.

Fang Xingjian's transition into becoming a Conferred Knight seemed to be a brand new start. However, the things he needed to do had not decreased, but rather, they had gotten harder.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian once again returned to his training room in the Sacred Land. First, he started training with the Rebirth Sword Technique. He wanted to clear the remaining ten levels to the Rebirth Sword Technique and reached the unprecedented level 40.

Fang Xingjian casually picked up a wooden sword meant for training. In that instant, there seemed to be countless ether particles surging over from the void, causing the wooden sword to release a mercury-like glow.

He had already been strengthened by the Heavenly Sword Sovereign's specialty and become a level 19 Inferior Divine Weapon.

Then as Fang Xingjian held onto the wooden sword, he started performing the Rebirth Sword Technique, one move at a time.

The Rebirth Sword Technique had been created from Fang Xingjian's combination of over a hundred sets of Nurturing sword techniques and seemed to have incorporated all the Nurturing sword techniques in the world. It would train up each and every spot of his body. Regardless if it was his muscle, bones, organs, or nerves… they all continued to be nourished ceaselessly by various nutrients under his circulation.

Consecutive booms rang out from Fang Xingjian's body. The deep sounds were created because the blood flow in his body was being circulated incessantly, gushing about like a raging river.

Just like that, Fang Xingjian continued to practice his Rebirth Sword Technique non-stop, unceasingly comprehending all of its fine details. Moreover, as he was in an environment with a hundred times the ether particles density, he felt that it was almost as if there were sword theories gushing into his mind at all times, filling his mind with inspiration.

With every swing of his sword, he seemed to be able to gain new comprehensions toward sword arts.

With the boosts from his Heaven's Perception, one hundred times the ether particles density, his topmost sword talent, Genius Swordsmanship, Sword Specialist, level 1 Unparalleled Sword Intent, Darkness Sword Sense, and all the other series of advantages he held… Fang Xingjian's sword mastery advanced at a tremendous speed. His comprehension of the Rebirth Sword Technique also increased as he kept going.

He continued practicing just like this, having a meal after every two hours before stimulating his organs and blood to digest the food. Then, he would continue to practice the Rebirth Sword Technique for two hours, storing the nutrients, energy, and essence as potentials in his body.

Concurrently as Fang Xingjian practiced, he extracted the essence of the Rebirth Sword Technique. Starting from the second day, he would stop occasionally as he practiced and write down notes in a small book at the side, recording the cultivation method for the Rebirth Sword Technique.

The days passed by. At night, everyday after his training Fang Xingjian would be able to sense that the vital energy and blood in his body was stimulated by the training of the Rebirth Sword Technique. Countless potentials were contained within, as if he were a bomb which could explode at any moment. He was storing a tremendous amount of power.

Therefore, he would practice the new Nine-Headed Dragon Sword Technique a couple of times at night to convert the potential points into attributes. Then as his boiling vital energy and blood started to calm down, his attributes would continue to increase bit by bit.

In the end, after continuing with the cycle for twenty-four hours throughout five consecutive days, Fang Xingjian finally pushed the Rebirth Sword Technique to level 40.

At level 40, the Rebirth Sword Technique came with an exceptionally powerful effect.

When he practiced the Rebirth Sword Technique, not only could he circulate his vital energy and blood to accumulate the potentials, he could facilitate for exchanges of energies between the ether particles inside and outside his body. This would then increase the efficiency at which he accumulated potential points, and he no longer needed to rely only on food to gain nutrients.

With that, the level 40 Rebirth Sword Technique could now increase Fang Xingjian's potential points by 30,000 daily, which was a huge increase from before.

Therefore, after this period of cultivation, Fang Xingjian's attributes had now become:

Strength 836

Agility 1926

Reaction 87

Endurance 60

Flexibility 60

Currently, Fang Xingjian was starting to pursue a balance in his attributes. After transitioning into the Heavenly Sword Sovereign, he would be relying solely on his sword arts talent in the future. He no longer pursued extremely high attributes and started to make up for his weaknesses instead.

By the time Fang Xingjian had trained his Rebirth Sword Technique to level 40, he had also finished writing his sword arts manual. Picking it up, he looked at the cultivation method he had recorded for the Rebirth Sword Technique. There were over 20,000 words, and it was much more complicated than any other Nurturing sword techniques.

This was because there were too many aspects involved with the cultivation method for the Rebirth Sword Technique. It included the control of one's bones, muscles, tendons, veins, vital energy, and blood… and it was not as simple as ordinary Nurturing sword techniques.

However, since he had succeeded, Fang Xingjian planned to register it and see if it could be sold, and then put it up for other academies to purchase and to pay him royalties.

After all, ordinary people would not be able to train it to level 40 like he had done. Selling this sword technique would not be a threat to him at all. Instead, it would bring him a tremendous amount of money. He could start cultivating Mystical Prints, increase ether synchronization rate, and even purchase another level 29 Divine longsword.

In order to put what he thought of to action, Fang Xingjian stood up, stepped out of the door, and headed out of the Sacred Land.

However, unlike how he had done previously, he was no longer slashing into the ground with just a few steps and, in turn, creating sword marks.

After a few days of training his Rebirth Sword Technique, not only had his potential increased and his attributes tempered, he had also gotten a better control and deeper understanding of his own body and strength.

Fang Xingjian moved forward at a dazzling speed, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared at the entrance to the Sacred Land. He walked about around the school casually, asking everyone he met for directions to the office for the Sword Arts Department and then headed over.

The Sword Arts Department was a two-storey building. Although it was an office, the teachers in the department were either just in name or were not in the school for most parts of the year. Otherwise, they were busy with their own cultivation and research for their own sword arts research group, with only a few coming back to handle the administrative work.

However, when Fang Xingjian arrived at the entrance to the Sword Arts Department, he saw the maid, Little Ru, who had delivered the message to him the previous time.

Little Ru was cleaning up the office, and when she saw Fang Xingjian, she blushed slightly. However, the blush faded off very quickly, and she took the initiative to walk up to Fang Xingjian, asking, "Lord Xingjian, what has brought you here to the Sword Arts Department?"

Before Fang Xingjian could reply, someone came over while shouting, "Xingjian! Xingjian!"

When Zhou Xingwen saw Fang Xingjian, he quickly greeted him. So, Fang Xingjian had no choice but to stop as well. He looked at Zhou Xingwen and asked, "You seemed to quite well-informed?"

Zhou Xingwen smiled and replied, "It's nothing much. I just have a few friends around."

Fang Xingjian could not be bothered chatting with him and went straight to the point, "Why, is Wang Tiangang willing to pay one million gold now?"

When he heard this, Zhou Xingwen's expression immediately collapsed. He said, "How's that possible? This isn't the reason why I've come to look for you today. Look at this."

He passed a small bag to Fang Xingjian. Then Fang Xingjian's nose twitched slightly, and uncontrollably, his throat quivered a little bit.

Zhou Xingwen smiled and said, "I've heard that you, Xingjian, have three things you love, namely collecting sword techniques, practicing sword arts, and good food.

"I bought this specialty specially from the Western Sea for you to try."

Little Ru looked at the two Conferred Knights with great curiosity as she listened in on their conversation. When she heard the words 'one million gold', she stared with her eyes wide open.

Even in the Great Western City, ordinary commoner residences would cost at most fifty gold.

Therefore, one gold was a huge sum of money to Little Ru. One million gold was simply an astronomical sum.

How could they possibly have so much money? One million gold… What item could be sold for such a huge amount of money?

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Chapter 267 Sending Gifts and Registering

Zhou Xingwen opened up the bag happily to reveal a gift box. The entire gift box was exuded cold air. He opened it carefully to unveil a small bowl, placed amidst large blocks of ice and filled with black pearl-like items.

As Zhou Xingwen smiled and looked at the curious Little Ru, he introduced it proudly,

"This is the caviar made using the eggs of Ice Shuttle Sturgeons, a type of ferocious fish found in the Western Sea.

"The Ice Shuttle Sturgeon is a precious fish from the Western Sea, and in the entire Western Sea, there are only two places that supply this. The highest quality caviar must be made from the eggs extracted from Ice Shuttle Sturgeons which weighed at least 20 jin or more. Each year, only about 30 jin of such caviar is produced.

"If you don't have strong connections, there's no way that you'll be able to get your hands on it."

Each egg appeared round and full. Exuding a faint golden glow, they looked just like small black pearls.

Little Ru asked curiously, "How do you eat this stuff?"

Zhou Xingwen closed the box, smiled, and said, "You can have it together with seafood, noodles, or even have it with bread as a snack. The great texture of the Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar makes it the king of all caviar. It's cooling and refreshing, without any fishy stench. With an incomparably delicious taste, it is a delicacy of the human world."

As he said this, he gulped unconsciously and then went on to say, "And the Ice Shuttle Sturgeon itself is a level 19 ferocious beast. If you eat its caviar, it'll moisturize your skin, increase the defensive abilities of your skin's surface and its ability to fight against cold and heat. It's said that after eating the Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar, you'll never have wrinkles in your entire life."

Hearing this, Little Ru's eyes immediately lit up. She stared at the caviar and asked, "Then how much is this Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar?"

Zhou Xingwen looked at Little Ru. He would usually not give a hoot about a maid like her, however, he felt she looked quite pretty with her innocent-looking face and great figure. Additionally, she had a well-rounded bosom which could not be concealed by her maid uniform. Any man who saw her would probably have wicked thoughts.

In particular, seeing her standing together with Fang Xingjian… Zhou Xingwen was not sure if Fang Xingjian was interested in her. Therefore, he spoke unconsciously in a polite tone, "This isn't a matter of money. Of course, if you want to talk about the price, the 500 grams here should cost about one thousand gold."

When Little Ru heard the price for the Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar, she drew in a deep breath. That sum of money would allow a person to purchase one of the best manors at the exterior of the Great Western City.

However, considering how it came from a level 19 ferocious beast and had the ability to strengthen one's attributes and improve one's skin conditions, she felt the price was not unexpected.

However, to her, it was still much too expensive.

However, Fang Xingjian did not stand on ceremony and accepted the Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar. Since Zhou Xingwen had gone to so much trouble and had been so attentive to where Fang Xingjian went and what he liked… even to the extent of specially searching for good ingredients for food… Zhou Xingwen was considered to be very sincere.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian smiled slightly and said, "The Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar is not bad. Let's see… we can reduce the one million gold by one thousand."

Inwardly, Zhou Xingwen coughed up some blood. He felt that this Fang Xingjian was a truly stingy person who was unwilling to spare even the smallest amount of money.

Zhou Xingwen smiled helplessly and changed the topic, asking, "Xingjian, why have you come to the Sword Arts Department?"

Little Ru was still staring at that extremely valuable Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar, but when she heard Zhou Xingwen's question, she also turned to look at Fang Xingjian.

Looking at Fang Xingjian now, she felt that he seemed to appear even more handsome than before. His great power, mysterious disposition, and the food he ate which easily cost a fortune… all of these encompassed the Fang Xingjian in Little Ru's eyes with a layer of light.

Fang Xingjian walked on as he said, "I've created a set of sword technique and am here to register it."

Hearing that, Zhou Xingwen's eyes lit up and he asked, "What sword technique is that?"

"I call it the Rebirth Sword Technique. It's a Nurturing sword technique."

"Oh, Nurturing sword technique…" A hint of disparage flashed past Zhou Xingwen's eyes. "If it's a Killing sword technique that has a good effect, then there might be a market for it."

"But recently, the duplication of Nurturing sword techniques has been too high, and it's usually sufficient for an ordinary person to practice about five to six sets of them. No one would continue picking up Nurturing sword techniques of which the effects are replicated for nothing."

Fang Xingjian appeared to have understood the disparage in Zhou Xingwen's eyes. He merely took the caviar and left. His Nurturing sword technique was not something which ordinary people could to understand.

Zhou Xingwen gave it some thought and followed after him. It was a good chance to build up a good relationship with Fang Xingjian.

The matter with the Sacred Land involved hundreds of thousands of gold and was something that tugged at his heart. Once the deal was closed, even if he were to get a 3% commission, it would bring him tens of thousands of gold.

Moreover, Wang Tiangang had promised Zhou Xingwen that once he had gotten his hands on the rights to this piece of Sacred Land with the highest level of density, he would lend it to Zhou Xingwen to use for a period of time. This made the deal even better.

Thinking of the great future awaiting him, Zhou Xingwen continued to talk as he followed Fang Xingjian to the office for registering his sword technique.

An old man was sitting in the chair, dozing off. Fang Xingjian knocked on the door and said, "I want to register a new sword technique."

The old man rubbed his eyes, threw a glance at Fang Xingjian and asked, "New sword technique? Wait a while, the person who checks the techniques is not here. I'll call him over."

Fang Xingjian nodded and sat down to wait. Zhou Xingwen could not help but ask, "Xingjian, have you brought the manual? Why don't you let me have a look? Maybe I'll be able to gain some enlightenment as well."

Although Zhou Xingwen had taken up bare-handed martial arts, having reached the level of Conferred Knights, looking at Nurturing techniques of other martial styles was of no problem to him at all.

Fang Xingjian tossed the manual to Zhou Xingwen, who caught it and started looking through it.

However, upon one look, his feelings of disparage grew even stronger. It was because he noticed that this Rebirth Sword Technique was simply a great hodgepodge, throwing in everything that Nurturing techniques could cover.

To him, this was merely a sword technique which combined many pieces of different sword techniques together as one. By randomly piecing all these different things together, it would not be strange if there were repercussions.

Zhou Xingwen did not finish reading and returned it to Fang Xingjian with a smile. Zhou Xingwen then said, "Not bad, Xingjian. You must have taken references from quite a number of Nurturing techniques."

Fang Xingjian nodded and said, "I've combined the fortes of various techniques. The effect is very good. It far surpasses that of ordinary Nurturing sword techniques."

Although Fang Xingjian was speaking the truth, to Zhou Xingwen, it seemed like Fang Xingjian was just boasting shamelessly. However, he could not retort openly and just smiled, without saying a word. He would just wait for the teacher, who would be checking through the manual, to criticize Fang Xingjian angrily.

About half an hour later, a middle-aged man, with golden beard and hair as well as the grandeur of a lion, walked out. He looked at Fang Xingjian and asked, "You're the one who wants to register a new technique?"

"That's right."

The man who looked like a lion said, "My name is Leon. I'm Master Hoppes' disciple. Have you brought the manual? Let me take a look at it first. If there's no problem, I'll find a time to submit it for you."

Fang Xingjian had answered very casually. However, Zhou Xingwen, who was by Fang Xingjian's side, was already standing up and bowing politely.

It was because the other party was a senior student in the Sword Arts Department, Leon, who was ranked seventh in the academy. He was a disciple to Hoppes, who had taught Fang Xingjian the Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash. Leon had spent many years in Hoppes' sword arts team, and both his abilities and theories were extremely strong.

Therefore, Fang Xingjian passed the manual to him, and Leon started to flip through it casually.

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Chapter 268 Registration and Cultivation

Leon was a member of Hoppes' sword arts team and was also considered to be Hoppes' disciple.

To have this identity, it naturally showed that the level of his sword arts had far surpassed that of most ordinary students.

Additionally, the reason why Hoppes was not the one who came to check the manual himself was because he already had to attend to heaps of work daily.

A sword arts master like Hoppes would have to research countless sword arts theory daily, conduct numerous experiments, and look through loads of documents. There was no way he would still have the time to check through every student's discovery.

Most of the time, the checks would be conducted by the students under him, and only the manuals which were exceptionally outstanding would be submitted to him.

In fact, after enrolling into the academy, other than when the students picked out one of the Eight Prized Techniques of the West to learn, most people would not be able to see the great masters like Hoppes for many years.

However, although Leon was also a member of the sword arts team, he was not as busy as Hoppes and still had some time to concern himself with the matters in the outside world. He knew that Fang Xingjian was this year's Regional Champion and the person who had comprehended the seven levels of the Pantheon Monument's mysteries.

Therefore, Leon patiently took a glance through the sword arts manual Fang Xingjian had written. However, upon one look, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes, and he came to the same conclusion as Zhou Xingwen.

Leon had come to the conclusion that this was a sword technique which had been pieced together using a collection of many parts and had drawn reference from countless other techniques.

Straightening up his expression, Leon looked at Fang Xingjian and said, "I've received this new sword technique. I'll take a good look through it and check against the materials in the library during the next week or so. If there aren't any problems, I'll register the sword technique for you.

"However, as for whether anyone will pick up this new sword technique or even purchase the rights to use it, I won't know."

With that, Leon threw a look at Fang Xingjian before saying subconsciously, "But, young man, it's still better to be down to earth in your training and take one step at a time. It's meaningless to do something like try to increase the number of self-created sword arts."

After saying that, Leon left.

Fang Xingjian fell into a short daze. However, he had confidence in his Rebirth Sword Technique. Even if the person who checked it did not like it, as long as it entered the sword arts archives, then all the academies and certain special factions in the entire Empire would be notified.

This meant that after new techniques appeared and were accepted into the Empire's archives, they would first be seen by the Headmasters of various academies and the leaders of certain unique groups. They would then decide if they wished to bring in or purchase the techniques.

Fang Xingjian believed that there would definitely be someone who would recognize its value. Furthermore, he had no time to grab onto every single person who did not recognize the value of the Rebirth Sword Technique, and convince them of how amazing it was.

Sword arts was something in which it was hard for one to find people who would share the same sentiments. It was impossible for one to request for everyone else to be capable of understanding top notch sword arts.

Therefore, he paid no heed to Leon's attitude and merely left with the caviar.

Upon returning back to the villa, Fang Xingjian then started to practice the Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash. As he waved his wooden sword about, a large spread of white, incandescent glow soared upward and turned into streams of light, filling up the entire place.

It was as if a sun had risen up from the land, with streams of sword light soaring into the skies. Fang Xingjian was surrounded by light.

Level 30 Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash… When it was activated, the impact was truly tremendous, and it startled almost all the other cultivators throughout the Sacred Land.

However, why would Fang Xingjian care about these? It did not take him very long to enter a deep state in his cultivation as he continued to push the Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash toward level 40.

The light seemed to grow increasingly stronger, and one could even see multi-colored light rays appearing around the training room. It was the slight materialisation created from the light glows when countless ether particles underwent frequency changes ceaselessly.

On the other end of the valley, there was a man with silvery hair and red lips, looking like a spirit of the mountains. The man lifted his head to look in the direction where there was a light pillar soaring high up into the air.

He said with indifference, "Radiant Light Sword Technique? No, that's not right. It's also synthesized with other stuff. It can refract and control light… Has it been synthesized with the Supreme Mistwind Sword? There shouldn't be anyone like this in the Sacred Land. Which Elder Martial Brother has picked up a new sword technique?"

Shaking his head, he did not seem to pay much heed to that overwhelming sword light and turned to look toward the north.

"There's another year to the National Selection.

"Northern Ice Region's Rehlings…

"Southern Flame Region's Victor…

"And that person from the Imperial Capital…

"Each of them has great talent, and each of them is a rare find even from amongst ten thousand people. They're all people with strong foundations and have luck and talent that surpasses others. There are still many obstacles if I wish to become the National Champion."

After saying this, he suddenly broke out into a confident smile, "But I'll still prove it to the world that only I, Xiao Tianxia, am the strongest."

A surge of powerful and sharp aura spread out from his body ceaselessly, and the various objects around him, including the floor, walls, tables, and chairs, all started to crack and shatter.

On Fang Xingjian's end, he still continued to submerge in his training. His mastery of the Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash grew increasingly proficient, and the streams of light seemed to be instigated by his arms. Additionally, he could even control the frequency of the light beams, transforming into various colors.

After training for two hours, it was finally time for his meal.

Putting his sword aside, the white sword light gradually dissipated, as if the sun had landed on earth, and the white-colored world once again turned back to normal.

Then Fang Xingjian walked toward that box of Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar. Upon opening the box, a gush of cold air welcomed him. Looking at the caviar, which were clearly distinguished and exuding a bright glow, Fang Xingjian suddenly felt that his mood had turned better. Even his fatigue from his sword arts practice had eased a little.

He carefully spread the caviar onto white bread. Usually, Fang Xingjian would not eat something like bread since the nutrients it hold were too little and it would waste his digestive system's energy to digest it.

However, he specially got himself a piece of bread to go with the caviar.

As Fang Xingjian took a bite, a refreshing and fresh taste exploded on his tastebuds. The corner of his lips curled up slightly, and he finished this caviar and bread with no effort at all.

He then took a look at the other ingredients, picked up a large butter lobster, and spread it with a layer of caviar, combining the caviar's freshness and the lobsters tenderness with some lemon juice and butter.

Fang Xingjian was no connoisseur of food, But he merely tried out the caviar together with many different ingredients.

In a short while, he finished up the food which was two times that of what he usually eats. He then looked toward the food stock in the kitchen and discovered that they were almost all gone. Fang Xingjian immediately put up a sign outside to request for the food supply to be replenished. There would be either guardian ferocious beasts or staff who would send more food over.

It was obviously impossible for the people who cultivated in the Sacred Land to have excess time to waste on cooking. Therefore, the food here were all prepared daily and then placed in the kitchen.

If there were any requirements as to the dishes and amount, they would just need to leave a message in the kitchen.

For example, Fang Xingjian had requested for a meal every two hours, with ten dishes for each meal. Each dish must have medicinal herbs and ferocious beasts.

Even if he was not in an environment with a hundred times the ether particles density, just the food provided in the Sacred Land was worth a lot of money.

After finishing the caviar, Fang Xingjian triggered his organs to digest it. He then sensed a hint of cold air spreading out on the surface of his skin, as if slowly strengthening his skin bit by bit, increasing the toughness and tenacity.

He knew that this should be the effect of the Ice Shuttle Sturgeon's caviar. However, the surface of his skin was already covered by the Heavenly Abyss Annihilation Armor, and he did not really care how strong his skin was.

After digesting all the food, Fang Xingjian put on a serious look and then continued on with his practice. If he were to take any breaks, he would also try to write books. He would also record some of his sword arts experience and the areas one needed to pay attention to for basic sword techniques, in preparation to publish books.

Time passed and two days later, his Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash had finally reached level 40, and he was given the special effect of being able to control the frequency of light.

While Fang Xingjian was practicing unceasingly, in Hoppes' sword arts research room at the southeast area of the Regional Academy, a small matter was brewing.

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Chapter 269 Seen

Since Hoppes was a sword arts master who was considered one of the pillars of the Regional Academy, his sword arts team would always be allocated a huge budget from the academy.

After all, research in sword arts was not all talk.

There were four methods of researching martial techniques. The first method was through putting into actual practice. In other words, by synthesizing techniques, one by one. It was an established fact that this method was the most time-consuming and money-draining of them all.

The second method was a fusion method—through studying and breaking down the traits of various skills and techniques, they would then be combined to create a new technique.

The third method was through inference—analyzing different techniques, studying their unique traits and data, and from there, extracting an inference of the results of the synthesization of different techniques.

The fourth and final method was through originality—similar to how people from the ancient times had gone about it, by using different principles such as that of wind, rain, thunder and lightning, feelings of vengeance in the stand of their own countries and family, or based on various legends, and then applying them to their own martial arts cultivation in order to create their own set of technique.

Although it was said that there were four methods, when put into practice, it was usually a combination of the four methods. The process was not actually clear-cut.

For example, in order to use the inferential method, one would need to first put into practice and then go through the final check. One could also achieve the same end result via the fusion method as one who used the method of originality instead.

After all, it was impossible for the creation of a set of technique to be based on nothing. It could be inspired by various theories and phenomenons in the world, or by other techniques.

To sum it up, regardless if it was for accumulating sword techniques, for the experiment materials required to study various natural phenomenons, or for the students to search for and put conjectures into practice, then carefully research and analyze the traits and effects of various techniques… All of these required a tremendous sum of money.

The inferential method was not one which could appear out of nowhere in one's mind just by thinking of it. Any conjectures would require countless attempts of putting it into practice. Each test, each new sword technique to learn, each movement to change, and each changes to how one circulated the vital energy and blood, required a large number of people to experiment, and thus a great investment. The faster one wished to attain results, the higher the requirement for monetary investment.

Of course, other than money, a person's abilities and the cultivation of their martial arts would also be an advantage. For example, as a level 29 expert, the success rate of his skill synthesis was at 100%. This would save countless money and time.

That night, Hoppes was staying in a five-storey building in the southeast area of the academy, researching sword arts.

This building was known as the Sword Tower, and it was where Hoppes' sword arts team was located.

Hoppes was a level 29 expert to begin with, and thus did not need to stay in the Sacred Land for his cultivation. Moreover, he did not wish for his sword arts research to be affected by the high-density ether particles in the Sacred Land.

Hoppes let out a breath and looked at the paper that had covered the entire table. Looking at the many inferences and the densely written information, he could not help but rub his eyes and sigh, saying, "Flying Dragon Sword Technique and Darkness Slaying Sword… I've already understood their traits clearly. However, the result of the simulation is not outstanding enough.

"The Flying Dragon Sword Technique's ability to allow one's muscles and bones to unleash an explosive prowess, and together with the Darkness Slaying Sword's ability to expend one's potential… Based on my estimations and experiments, the special effect it brings is only a 10% possibility of changing one's form. I could consider further synthesizing it with other sword techniques."

Hoppes had been trying to find a new synthesis combination for a while, a new sword technique that could increase a Knight's ability to fight in the air.

Therefore, after hundreds of consecutive failures, fatigue started creeping up on him.

As for whether he ought to be investing money and time to synthesize the Flying Dragon Sword Technique and the Darkness Slaying Sword, completing the special effect of changing one's form before further synthesizing it with other techniques to get the expected results… Hoppes was still hesitating.

This was how important the person-in-charge of a research team was. Based on their own experience, their martial arts mastery, and their cultivation level to determine the direction, the goals and the processes for the research study.

However, in research, failures tended to be more frequent than successes. Across history, the birth of man-made powerful techniques were all results of countless failures.

Hoppes shook his head, not wanting to continue contemplating this problem. He stood up and headed out, planning to relax.

Passing by many research rooms, Hoppes observed the progress of his subordinates.

Some people were comparing the data of different sword techniques at different levels, verifying the growth curve of the technique.

Some people were studying how slight differences to the human body would affect various sword techniques if they were people of similar talent.

They were all people working under Hoppes' instructions. After all, he wanted to get the general gist of the direction they should be moving toward, but could not always be attending to various trifling issues himself, such as collecting data and repeating experiments.

Just then, he passed by Leon. Leon was reading the manual to the Rebirth Sword Technique which Fang Xingjian had written. There was nothing but contempt and annoyance reflected in his eyes.

For the past few days, he had been reading through Fang Xingjian's manual and comparing it with the data in the library, verifying that there had not been a sword technique like this. However, he still felt that Fang Xingjian's sword technique was a jumbled up combination of various sword techniques.

But even so, it was actually considered a new sword technique. He would just register it. After all, even if others saw it, the disgrace would only be Fang Xingjian's own.

Just as Leon was thinking of this, Hoppes had already appeared behind him. Leon immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "Teacher."

Hoppes threw a glance at the manual Leon was holding, picked it up, and asked, "What is this?"

Leon said, "A newly created Nurturing sword technique." As if he was trying to clear away any affiliation to it, Leon added, "It was written offhandedly by a new student. He forcibly threw in a huge pile of sword techniques together, but the force exertions have been smoothed out, allowing the techniques to flow together. I wanted to register it for him.

"But thinking about it, I still feel that it's too much of a disgrace to our Great Western Region."

He had not finished his words when he realized that Hoppes was staring at the Rebirth Sword Technique manual in a daze.

At first, when Hoppes saw the introduction to the technique, his eyes were filled with contempt. It claimed to combine the forces of countless sword techniques, whilst being able to achieve a hundred times the effects of ordinary Nurturing sword techniques… Hoppes had merely read on with the intention of looking at a joke.

However, after flipping through a few pages, his gaze turned to a reflection of suspicion and astonishment.

Ten minutes later, Hoppes was still reading the manual for the Rebirth Sword Technique, his countenance grim. He understood that this was a sword technique that was worth to be studied in great detail.

Half an hour later, Hoppes was sitting on Leon's seat, still reading the manual for the Rebirth Sword Technique. There was no grief or happiness reflected in his eyes. Leon, who was next to him, was extremely confounded.

After another half an hour passed by, another student came by and said, "Teacher, the new data for the Slaying Sword is out. We have made new discoveries."

"Go back and wait for me for a while," Hoppes said casually.

This 'a while' took an entire one hour, and the student came by three more times, but was dismissed by Hoppes each time.

Five minutes later, Hoppes lifted his head, looked at Leon, and asked, "Who was the one who brought this sword technique?"

"Ah, it's Fang Xingjian, this year's Regional Champion."

"Fang Xingjian?" Hoppes' mind flashed and he immediately recalled the young man who had rejected his invitation.

"So it's him."

The next moment, Hoppes' face relaxed, revealing a smile which he had not worn for very long.

"Where is he? Get him to come over… No, wait, I'll go look for him."

With that, Hoppes passed by Leon, his gaze filled with anticipation.

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Chapter 270 Crowding Around

In the Sacred Land with fifty times ether particles density.

Zhou Xingwen stood there, looking toward the deeper parts of the Sacred Land. Various schemes flashed in his eyes, as if he was waiting for someone.

However, after waiting for a short while, a silhouette gradually approached where he was. It was a guy with black hair and eyes, wearing the Knight attire and exuding a strong sense of inhibition and elegance.

He was the person ranked ninth in the academy, the level 26 Conferred Knight, Wang Tiangang.

Right now, Wang Tiangang was filled with confidence and appeared extremely capable.

As one of the top ten in the Regional Academy at the age of thirty-five, he was considered a young talent with a bright future. Since he would have at least twenty to thirty years to try to work for Divine level, his expression was that of confidence.

Looking at Zhou Xingwen, he spoke calmly, "It's been half a month. Haven't you settled it yet?"

Zhou Xingwen smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Tiangang, that Fang Xingjian is really too tight-lipped. It's really hard to negotiate the price with him. Moreover, he has only come out twice after so many days and is a cultivation freak. It's not easy to even get a chance to speak with him."

Wang Tiangang frowned. As the person ranked ninth in the academy, he was definitely a person of great confidence, but how could he not wish to challenge the eight people before him?

However, before he could challenge people, he would first need to have enough power. Especially now that there was only one more year until next year's National Selection, everyone was furiously bringing out their fullest potential, hoping to stand out amongst the competition. What Wang Tiangang needed was to have more cards in his hands.

For example, a cultivation area with one hundred times ether particles density. With such an advantage, he believed that he would be able to enter the top five and might even be able to shake the three monsters at the very top.

However, Fang Xingjian was now asking for the price of one million gold. To Wang Tiangang, this was an outrageous amount and it was impossible for him to obtain and pay such a huge sum of money.

As for the other fifteen people in the Sacred Land with a hundred times density, all of them were of great seniority and came from influential backgrounds. Other than those ranked in the top eight of the academy, the remaining seven people were the great masters of the academy, and none of them were people Wang Tiangang could replace.

He could only try his luck with a new student like Fang Xingjian, but he could not use force either.

Hearing Zhou Xingwen's words, Wang Tiangang frowned and said, "After he came out, what did he do?"

Zhou Xingwen replied, "The first time was to look for a few of his friends. As for the second time, it was to register his sword technique."

Wang Tiangang was astonished, "Register sword technique? He has created a Killing technique?" No matter the method used, creating one's own sword technique was not an easy feat. It required a high level of mastery of sword arts, and although Wang Tiangang had thought of creating his own sword technique before, he had not succeeded.

However, Zhou Xingwen shook his head and said, "It's a Nurturing sword technique."

Wang Tiangang nodded. So it was a set of Nurturing sword technique. He could easily create a few sets of Nurturing sword techniques at any time. After all, they were martial techniques that train and nurture the physical body, and it was a simple feat for a Conferred Knight like him to be able to come out with several methods to train the body.

"Nurturing sword technique? Then it's nothing much." Wang Tiangang said. "If it's really impossible, I'll find a way to lure him out in a few days time. Wait…you said that he had gone to register the Nurturing sword technique he created? He likes fame?"

"Maybe." Zhou Xingwen had also thought about this before. "However, I've seen the sword technique he created. It's just piecing in jumbled parts from everywhere and was not anything much. It's quite hard to gain fame from it."

"Anyway, it's already been too long. I've submitted a request to the teachers to get permission to visit Fang Xingjian. I can stay in the area with one hundred times density for half an hour. Come along with me.

"This time, we must get this settled."

Just as the two of them were exchanging conversation, two other people came over at a rapid speed along the path like a strong gale. An elderly was grabbing onto an equally wild looking man who was like a lion, appearing before Zhou Xingwen and Wang Tiangang.

They were the slovenly dressed Hoppes and Leon whom he had dragged over with him.

Hoppes came to an abrupt stop when he saw Wang Tiangang. As he did so, the strong gale, falling leaves, and dust and sand which were flying everywhere came to a stop. The scene had a mysterious feeling to it.

When Wang Tiangang saw Hoppes, he immediately bowed and said, "Master Hoppes, why have you come to the Sacred Land?" His impression of Master Hoppes was a person who was obsessed with sword arts and would tend to not cultivate in the Sacred Land. He would instead spend his time in the research rooms outside, endlessly researching newer and more powerful sword arts.

It was only when he heard Wang Tiangang's words, that Hoppes took a long look at him and said, "Oh, Wang Tiangang?" He then immediately asked, "Did you see Fang Xingjian coming out?"

"Fang Xingjian?" Wang Tiangang frowned and said, "I didn't see him. You have something to talk to him about?" Suddenly, a bad feeling rose in his heart.

"Didn't he create a set of sword technique?" Hoppes said, "I've a lot of questions to ask him about this sword technique. It's good that you haven't seen him, it's good that you haven't seen him."

There was only one path which served both as the entrance and exit to the Sacred Land. Since Wang Tiangang did not meet Fang Xingjian, it meant that the latter was still inside.

With that, Hoppes took another step, creating a storm again. The strong gale, fallen leaves, as well as the sand and dust once again followed behind him, leaving behind the baffled Wang Tiangang.

Wang Tiangang frowned and said, "Master Hoppes is looking for Fang Xingjian?"

Zhou Xingwen then looked toward the direction leading to the deeper areas of the Sacred Land, saying, "Let's follow them."

As a master in the academy, Hoppes had great authority, and thus did not come across any obstacles even though he had Leon with him. In the blink of an eye, they had already appeared before Fang Xingjian's cultivation house.

At that moment, Fang Xingjian had just completed his practice for the Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash, reaching level 40 and gaining the ability to change the frequency of sword light, unleashing lights of various colors, or even making them invisible to the eye.

And although he did not put much focus into practicing the Nine-Headed Dragon Sword Technique, he had used this Training technique to temper his potential daily after he had completed his job transition. After a few days, he had also reached level 40 for this sword technique, once again increasing the efficiency at which he was tempering his attributes, reducing the practice time required.

Fang Xingjian was holding on to a pen and paper, writing out the last page to the outline of his book. He was planning to send it out tomorrow and get Ferdinand to find someone to continue work on it before publishing and selling it for a profit.

However, just then, a voice rang out. "Is Fang Xingjian around? I'm Hoppes. I'd like to discuss something about the registration of your newly created sword technique."

Hearing the name Hoppes, the image of the sloven old man who seemed to have no care for worldly possessions and focused only on sword arts once again appeared in his mind.

He opened the door and saw Hoppes standing there, holding onto Leon. When Hoppes saw Fang Xingjian coming out, he immediately grab Fang Xingjian on the shoulder and asked, "The Rebirth Sword Technique… This sword technique is something you created?"

"That's right." Fang Xingjian lifted his head and saw that Wang Tiangang and Zhou Xingwen were also heading over from the distance. The impact of the Sacred Land for Conferred Knights was really not that great and they were able to easily follow behind Hoppes.

Hoppes then stared at Fang Xingjian and asked, "How's the effect of this set of sword technique? How much potential can one get at level 10?"

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