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"Both parties have confirmed. The method of the contest will be a group battle. Liu Ming challenges Lin Qian for the Huaxia Empire's Middle Ages relic quota. The contest begins," the presiding elder declared after speaking, taking out a jade token from his hand and infusing it with soul power.
Immediately, the presiding elder crouched down slightly and gently tapped the jade token on the ground.
A crisp collision sound ensued, and the array patterns constructed by the soul power extended to cover the entire surface of the arena.
The array's fluctuations emerged, gathering the surrounding nature's spiritual energy and transforming it into white soul power, forming a barrier that enveloped the massive Number Thirty-Six Trial Platform.
Once the trial platform was completely covered, the barrier turned transparent, allowing the onlooking disciples to see everything clearly.
Simultaneously, at the center of the trial platform, a cluster of soul power took the shape of a seat. After the presiding elder sat on it, it slowly lifted him upward.
It wasn't until the presiding elder ascended to the barrier's summit that he stopped, allowing him to overlook the entire situation on the Number Thirty-Six Trial Platform.
As the contest officially began, Lin Qian fixed his gaze forward and suddenly shouted, "Prepare for battle!"
Clang!
As Lin Qian's words fell, behind him, two thousand soldiers drew their swords and blades from their sheaths, their heavy armor covered by the emerging soul power.
Meanwhile, the spearmen standing in a circle around the trial platform also responded in kind, stepping forward with the tips of their spears pointed directly at Liu Ming, Lei Kuo, and others.
In an instant, the soldiers of the Huaxia Empire were all ready, just waiting for Lin Qian's command to charge out and attack.
These soldiers, though the lowest-grade soldiers, were significantly strong within their ranks. The soldiers with Shape Origin Realm strength were considered the lowest-grade lower soldiers.
Now, these soldiers possessing Ninth Level Nirvana Realm strength were mid-grade among the lowest-grade soldiers, with a naturally higher level of power.
The twelve cycles of Nirvana had bestowed Lin Qian with a more formidable body and purer soul power.
Hence, although he was still in the Shape Origin Realm, he could withstand mid-grade lowest soldiers passing through the Sky Trace into this outside world.
The entrance to the Trial Land connected to the peaks where the disciples resided, with dense forests between the two areas.
Upon learning that Liu Ming turned the contest into a group battle, Lin Qian controlled the Sky Trace, transporting the soldiers of the Huaxia Empire into the dense forest before they arrived.
After all, summoning so many soldiers out of thin air would be rather shocking to the world.
"I'll give you ten more breaths to prepare. On a side note, my soldiers won't show mercy. If you feel your life is in danger, clasp your hands over your head and lie flat on the ground. Then my soldiers will stop attacking."
"Next, you only have to clasp your head and leave the trial platform to preserve your lives."
"But I must warn you, if you dare to make another move after conceding, the swords and blades of my soldiers will show no mercy."
Lin Qian spoke loudly, addressing Liu Ming and the disciples behind Lei Kuo before turning his head to look at Lei Qian, "Count the breaths!"
Upon hearing this, Lei Qian nodded and looked toward the opposite side, loudly declaring, "One breath!"
"Two breaths..."
Lei Qian's breath-counting voice resonated under the sky, causing the faces of the onlooking disciples to change slightly.
If things were truly as Lei Kuo claimed, with Lin Qian engaging in deceit, then what's happening now?
Lin Qian had already confirmed his participation, and the contest had already begun, leaving him nowhere to retreat.
Yet, Lin Qian remained utterly unperturbed. Those heavily armored soldiers had already drawn their weapons, presenting a ready-for-battle posture.
Lei Kuo's face also changed.
"Something's off, how could Lin Qian confirm this? Why is he so calm!" The scene before him left Lei Kuo somewhat panicked.
According to his anticipated outcome, Lin Qian should have revealed his flaws, refused to confirm the contest in fluster, and despondently given up.
If worse came to worst, the shopworn disciples of the Thunderbolt Department could come up to make a last-ditch effort.
Why would Lin Qian happily confirm it? Why wasn't he anxious, why didn't he panic?
"Ten breaths!" Just as Lei Kuo's thoughts were racing, Lei Qian reached a count of ten.
Boom!
Crimson-gold thunder roared, and purple lightning raged as the soul power within both Lin Qian and Lei Qian burst forth simultaneously.
"Indeed, the aura around the boss is far inferior to this morning. The halo only reveals nine layers, truly capable of concealing the twelve cycles of Nirvana by suppressing one's strength," Lei Qian thought silently as he looked at Lin Qian beside him.
At this moment, Lin Qian also spoke, "I'll take on Liu Ming, and you handle Lei Kuo. Let's see the results of these seven days of training."
"Can I do it?" Hearing Lin Qian's words, Lei Qian lowered his head and looked at his hands, somewhat doubting himself.
"I told you, it's not that you can't, it's that I'm too strong," Lin Qian said as he surveyed the surrounding onlooking disciples, "Prove your strength as Lei Qian to them!"
Lei Qian closed his eyes, his mind replaying the scene of the Thunderbolt Department's collapse, those fishing words of doubt.
When he opened his eyes again, his face was determined, "Following Lin Qian is absolutely correct, I just want to become stronger, I am the grandson of Emperor Lei!"
Crackle!
Purple lightning crackled, and in front of Lei Qian appeared a palm-sized sword-shaped Elemental Artifact Heart. Nine deep purple spherical Elemental Components were taken out from the storage space, appearing in front of him.
"Elemental Weapon Armament!"
The power of the Martial Soul surged, soul power condensed into a sword, and the metal sphere-like Elemental Components instantly melted into liquid metal, flowing toward the Elemental Artifact Heart.
The Thunderbolt Sword was formed, electric serpents gliding across the sword's body, and Lei Qian reached out to tightly grip the sword's hilt.
"Zhao Long, keep the Spear Soldier Team in position, Sword Soldier Team and Blade Soldier Team, charge with me!" Lin Qian's body erupted with crimson-gold Thunder Soul Power, and after giving the loud order, he turned into a flash of lightning and charged forward.
"Kill!"
At the same time, a battle cry erupted behind Lin Qian, and two thousand heavily armored soldiers surged like a torrent of steel, immediately sweeping forward.
Everyone clearly felt that when the two thousand soldiers charged, the ground seemed to tremble.
"Elemental Weapon Armament!"
Observing Lin Qian approaching, Liu Ming, Lei Kuo, and others had a drastic change in expression, their voices trembling as they shouted.
Liquid metal crept over Liu Ming's hands, and once solidified, it turned into a pair of metal gauntlets, each fist bearing a sharp blade.
Just like the sudden appearance beside him, Lei Kuo's soul power also roared with purple lightning, as did the long sword armed with Elemental Components.
As soon as Lei Kuo completed arming himself with the Elemental Weapon, a purple figure suddenly appeared in front of him, a sword light flashed, slashing towards him.
In his panic, Lei Kuo hurriedly raised the armed Elemental Components' long sword in his hand, "Lei Qian, you're overestimating yourself. You've been under my thumb since childhood. Do you think just following Lin Qian for a few days, you can..."
Before Lei Kuo could finish speaking, his entire body, along with the sword in his hand, was sent flying, crashing into more than twenty inner sect disciples behind him before coming to a stop and falling to the ground.
"Wow!"
Below the Number Thirty-Six Trial Platform, the onlooking disciples gasped in shock, gazing in disbelief at the scene on the platform.
Lei Qian was also stunned, looking at the Thunderbolt Sword in his hand with a bit of disbelief, "Was I always this fierce?"
Liu Ming was also taken aback by this scene, his eyes widening as he looked at the suddenly appearing Lei Qian.
"What, are you still in the mood to watch others now?" Lin Qian's voice suddenly echoed in Liu Ming's ear.
Liu Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he turned swiftly, throwing a punch forward.
The punch wind howled, the air erupting in rapid succession, golden soul power entwined around Liu Ming's fist.
Liu Ming, the strongest among the inner sect disciples in physical strength, spared no effort, launching his most powerful strike.
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