In the grand arena of Shenxing City, towering light pillars rose majestically, each adorned with a multitude of names arranged from top to bottom.
A total of one hundred colossal light pillars stood, each inscribed with hundreds of names, amounting to tens of thousands in total.
At this moment, the arena was teeming with a vast crowd, a sea of people gathered in dense clusters.
The nearest group to these light pillars comprised individuals of martial spirit rank or higher, among whom stood one of martial lord status, exuding an overwhelming aura that instilled reverence in those around him.
"Look! That is King Nanlin!"
"The individuals surrounding him are all the lords of Nanlin Prefecture."
"With so many present... it seems over half the lords of Nanlin Prefecture have arrived."
...
Amidst the throng, a cacophony of chatter filled the air.
Among the lords of Nanlin Prefecture, figures such as Xue Yuhang and Wei Yuanlong could also be seen.
"There are so many people... Uncle City Lord, has the assessment begun? Why hasn't Ye Tian's rank changed at all?" Beside Xue Yuhang stood the fiery-haired Liu Hongwu, her eyes wide as she gazed at one of the light pillars.
"It started long ago, but it's only just getting underway. That lad Ye Tian is remarkably composed; perhaps he wishes to avoid drawing attention early on. Let us wait and see!" Xue Yuhang replied softly, his gaze fixed on the name "Ye Tian" atop the pillar.
Not far away, Wei Yuanlong, clad in black, cast a cold glance at them, a sinister smile creeping across his face. He then turned his attention to one of the pillars, where a name was rapidly ascending.
That name was—Ding Hui!
"Indeed, he has not disappointed me!"
A look of pride flickered in Wei Yuanlong's eyes, and he began to engage with the nearby lords.
"Did you see? This lad Ding Hui is the prodigy of our Black Blood City!" Wei Yuanlong's voice boomed, seemingly intent on ensuring everyone heard him.
Nearby, Xue Yuhang furrowed his brow, feeling a twinge of annoyance, but he could only hope for Ye Tian to unleash his potential and surpass Ding Hui.
Liu Hongwu pouted, "Hmph, a temporary lead means nothing; Ye Tian will undoubtedly surpass him."
Despite her words, disappointment lingered on Liu Hongwu's delicate features, as hours had passed and Ye Tian's rank had only marginally improved.
Xue Yuhang frowned as well, but being the more composed of the two, he could guess Ye Tian's intention to conserve his strength, though his heart remained filled with anticipation.
...
Among the numerous cities in Nanlin Prefecture, both Xueyu City and Black Blood City were relatively small, each sending only one participant to the assessment of Shenxing Sect.
At this moment, the true focus of the crowd in the arena remained on the talented individuals listed atop the first light pillar.
"Haha, that lad Wu Ding has indeed not disappointed this old man, ranking first, hahaha..." an elder boasted, his face brimming with arrogance.
Many frowned but dared not speak up.
The Wu family, one of the four prominent families in Nanlin Prefecture, was not to be trifled with, even by King Nanlin himself.
Upon hearing this, King Nanlin glanced over, a hint of a smile gracing his lips: "Wu Ding is indeed impressive; I hope he becomes another shining talent in our Nanlin Prefecture in the near future."
"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness!" The elder from the Wu family cupped his fists in gratitude, then turned to the representatives of the other three prominent families, displaying a smug smile.
"Hmph, it's only a temporary first place!"
"He might be surpassed any moment!"
"The final round of the arena battles is where the true victor will be determined!"
Members of the Yun, Bai, and Meng families scoffed.
"Haha, Zhang Li from our Great Yan City has entered the top thousand!" A burly middle-aged man among the lords beamed with joy.
"Lin Nan from Fengyu City has also made it into the top three thousand!"
"That lad He Xuan has indeed not let me down, breaking into the top five thousand on the first day; this will bring honor to my Xuanfei City."
...
Each lord and powerful clan member kept a keen eye on their recommended prodigies, their faces lighting up with pride upon seeing their high rankings.
Of course, where there were joys, there were also sorrows; as some rose in rank, others fell.
Liu Hongwu and Xue Yuhang remained fixated on Ye Tian's name, their hearts brimming with hope.
...
In the Meteor Mountain Range!
Amidst the lush forests, the echoes of incessant monkey calls and tiger roars reverberated. A figure sat cross-legged in a cave, gently polishing a blood-red long knife, his gaze sharp and piercing.
This individual was Ye Tian.
"Clang!"
A light flick of the blade produced a soft hum. Ye Tian's eyes grew ever more piercing, and a cold smile began to form on his otherwise indifferent face.
"It has been three days!"
"By now, most cultivators should have chaotic entered the Meteor Mountain Range; I need not worry about being besieged anymore. It is time to take action!" Ye Tian retrieved a white token from his pocket, glancing at the number of contribution points displayed: 32.
Although Ye Tian had not actively sought out contribution points during these three days, the sheer number of participants in the assessment meant that some inevitably wandered into his "territory," inadvertently delivering him several points.
However, he deemed these points insufficient.
"Though I am unaware of the true purpose of these contribution points, it is evident that even someone like Liu Yunfei, the foremost inner disciple, has accumulated such a significant amount. Clearly, these points hold great importance within the Shenxing Sect."
Ye Tian silently analyzed.
This realization led him to resolve to seize as many contribution points as possible in the days to come, regardless of the cost.
"Among the participants in this assessment, only the four from the prominent families pose any real threat to me; aside from them, few can challenge me."
"With twenty-seven days remaining, I must gather more contribution points!"
"Now, the real battle begins!"
...
Ye Tian's eyes sparkled with fierce determination as he stood up with a swift motion, shouldering his Xuan Tie battle sword once more and grasping the blood-red knife firmly, striding out of the cave.
As he walked through the dense forest, Ye Tian made no effort to conceal his presence, boldly advancing forward.
Soon, he attracted the attention of four young men.
These four wore hats woven from leaves and were painted green, camouflaged within the grass, making them difficult to detect.
"Kid, strutting about so brazenly, should I commend your courage or label you a fool?" one of the youth with a fair complexion sneered coldly.
"Surrender your contribution points obediently, or you shall receive a lesson you won't soon forget!" another, with a sinister countenance, grinned menacingly.
"Four contribution points!"
Ye Tian's eyes swept coldly over the four men.
In his gaze, they were not four individuals but merely four contribution points.
"Four contribution points?" The four were taken aback by Ye Tian's words; they were not foolish and quickly grasped his meaning, their anger flaring.
"Kid, you're courting death!"
"You've brought this upon yourself!"
"Brothers, attack!"
Furious, the four launched their assault, unleashing a tremendous wave of true essence that surged forth like a tidal wave.
All four were martial artists at the eighth level; together, they could contend even against ninth-level martial artists.
Yet—
Swish!
A chilling blood-red blade aura sliced through the air with a piercing sound, tearing apart the atmosphere and hurtling towards them with immense force.
"Huh?"
"Impossible!"
Boom!
In the face of the four's terror-stricken expressions, the astonishing blood-red blade aura shattered their protective true essence, sending their bodies flying and causing blood to spray forth.
"Surrender your contribution points!" A cold voice followed.
The four, now sprawled on the ground, gazed up at Ye Tian with awe, their legs trembling uncontrollably, rendered speechless.
"Four more contribution points added!" Ye Tian glanced at the numbers on his identity token, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, before sheathing the blood knife and striding away.
"Truly formidable!"
"Not just formidable; he's simply monstrous! Even a tenth-level martial artist would pale in comparison!"
"The four of us combined fell in an instant; we are clearly not on the same level!"
The four lay on the ground, their faces filled with respect as they watched Ye Tian recede into the distance.
Ye Tian continued his bold march through the forest, effortlessly defeating every cultivator he encountered, seizing their contribution points along the way.
For several consecutive days, Ye Tian's contribution points soared, and his ranking swiftly climbed.
...
In Shenxing City, at the arena.
Xue Yuhang and Liu Hongwu watched with exhilaration as the name "Ye Tian" surged upward.
"Uncle City Lord, did you see? Ye Tian's name is rising so quickly; he's already broken into the top ten thousand!" Liu Hongwu exclaimed, shaking Xue Yuhang's arm excitedly.
"Alright, alright, I see it; you'll break my arm at this rate," Xue Yuhang chuckled, though a glimmer of excitement shone in his eyes.
"Oops, sorry!" Liu Hongwu blushed, sticking out her tongue, her lovely eyes still glued to Ye Tian's name. "It's climbing even higher!"
"Indeed, at this rate, it won't be long before he enters the top five thousand!" Xue Yuhang's face was also filled with anticipation.
"That Ding Hui from Black Blood City has only just made it into the top five thousand; in a few days, Ye Tian will surpass him." Liu Hongwu shot a smug glance at the sullen Wei Yuanlong not far away.
"Absolutely, Ye Tian will surely surpass him!" Xue Yuhang laughed heartily.
Their voices carried, seemingly intent on provoking Wei Yuanlong.
Wei Yuanlong's expression darkened, fixated on the ascending name "Ye Tian," his eyes brimming with malice.
"If I had known this brat possessed such talent, I should have dealt with him sooner!" A flicker of regret crossed Wei Yuanlong's mind; he had initially underestimated Ye Tian, failing to anticipate his remarkable abilities.
"Brother Xue, congratulations!"
"Who would have thought that Xueyu City would produce such an extraordinary talent!"
...
As Ye Tian's name continued its meteoric rise, the surrounding lords began to take notice, greeting Xue Yuhang with smiles.
Xue Yuhang adopted a humble demeanor, eagerly conversing with the lords, unable to suppress the joy on his face.