On the twentieth day of the assessment,
Amidst the boundless jungles of the Meteor Mountain Range,
Ye Tian, shouldering the Xuan Tie battle sword, strode forward, while three young men sprawled on the ground behind him, gazing at his back with expressions of awe.
"That is the Blood Blade!"
"Indeed! It's him; who would have thought we would be so unfortunate as to encounter the recently renowned Blood Blade!"
"I've heard he leaves no trace of his passage, having emerged victorious in every encounter, even defeating some who are at the brink of martial spirit."
"Considering that... our defeat is hardly unjust!"
The three young men spoke with lingering trepidation, only daring to depart once Ye Tian's figure vanished from sight.
As the assessment drew to a close, those who felt their contribution points insufficient began to emerge from their hiding places, seeking prey to seize.
Thus, as time progressed, the number of cultivators wandering through the mountains increased.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian's contribution points surged rapidly.
In the entire Meteor Mountain Range, only a handful of individuals posed a genuine threat to Ye Tian, and he had already sensed their presence, deftly avoiding them.
As a result, Ye Tian remained undefeated thus far.
Gradually, his reputation grew, establishing him as a formidable figure in the region.
Clad in blood-red attire and wielding the blood knife in battle, he became known as the Blood Blade.
The name of the Blood Blade became a taboo in this area; anyone who encountered him, even those at the threshold of martial spirit, found themselves vanquished beneath his blade.
"Come forth!"
Ye Tian directed his gaze toward a nearby thicket, sensing a faint disturbance emanating from within. Upon closer inspection, the aura was undeniably powerful, unmistakably that of a half-step martial spirit.
Typically, such a formidable opponent would seize the opportunity to ambush Ye Tian, but the hidden half-step martial spirit remained concealed, refraining from claiming his contribution points.
"Blood Blade, I concede that I am no match for you, but if I wish to escape, you won't catch me. Why waste your energy? Let us each walk our own paths without interference." A deep voice resonated from the thicket.
Clearly, the individual recognized Ye Tian and, lacking confidence in confronting him, chose to avoid conflict.
However, Ye Tian dismissed the hidden figure entirely, commanding, "Come out and face me!" As his words faded, he inverted the blood knife, unleashing a brilliant blade aura that cleaved through the thicket.
Boom!
The thicket erupted in an explosion as a towering figure charged forth, landing not far from Ye Tian.
"Blood Blade, do not overstep your bounds; do you truly believe I fear you?" This was a tall young man clad in blue, with bronzed skin and sharp features, brandishing a black spear that radiated a lethal gleam.
"Yield your contribution points!"
Ye Tian regarded him coldly, the blood knife in his hand beginning to emanate a fierce luminescence, powerful true essence surging forth from within him, enveloping the space with an imposing pressure.
"Arrogant! I shall fight you!"
The blue-clad youth's expression shifted, and with a fierce roar, he unleashed his full true essence, the spear in his grasp resembling a black dragon, piercing toward Ye Tian with relentless force.
Rip!
The sound of tearing space echoed, accompanied by a sharp whistling as the two forces collided.
Ye Tian raised the blood knife, creating a shower of brilliant sparks as it met the incoming black spear. The clash of their formidable true essences unleashed a wave of energy that reverberated through the very ground.
Boom!
The blue-clad youth was sent staggering back over ten steps, staring incredulously at Ye Tian, his mind in turmoil.
"Too powerful! Such strength! How can he be so much stronger than me, even as a half-step martial spirit?" The disbelief shone in the blue youth's eyes.
Ye Tian regarded him with a hint of admiration, remarking, "Not bad! Among the half-step martial spirits I have defeated, your strength is among the strongest."
"Hmph, I acknowledge your superiority, but defeating me will not be so simple!" The blue-clad youth responded with a cold huff.
"Is that so?"
Ye Tian chuckled icily.
In the next moment, thirteen blazing blood-colored blade auras shot forth, targeting the blue-clad youth.
"This..." The blue youth's face paled; while he was not intimidated by top-tier yellow-grade martial techniques, mastering them to perfection was exceedingly difficult, and he had yet to succeed.
Especially during this time, Ye Tian had continually fought, advancing from the tenth level of martial artist to the half-step martial spirit realm, his strength skyrocketing.
Even without the use of blade intent, Ye Tian felt confident in facing some weaker first-level martial spirits.
Among half-step martial spirits, Ye Tian believed he could vanquish any opponent.
"Black Dragon Cannon!" The blue youth roared, unleashing his true essence in a desperate attempt to withstand Ye Tian's blade auras.
Yet, the outcome was that his black spear was severed, the overwhelming force shattering his protective true essence, causing him to spit blood and be flung backward.
At the critical moment, Ye Tian held back; otherwise, the blue youth would have met his demise.
"I concede... My name is Lin Fei, hailing from the County King City. May I have the honor of knowing your name?" The blue youth, now Lin Fei, gazed at Ye Tian with deep respect.
"My name is Ye Tian..."
Ye Tian approached Lin Fei, stating coolly, "With your abilities, passing the assessment should pose no issue. We may very well become brothers in arms, but you must still surrender your contribution points."
"Certainly! One contribution point to meet someone as formidable as Brother Ye is worth it!" Lin Fei readily handed over a contribution point, but instead of departing, he chose to follow Ye Tian.
"What is it?" Ye Tian inquired, raising an eyebrow at Lin Fei's persistence.
"Brother Ye, I have some cultivation questions I would like to ask you, if you would be so kind as to offer guidance?" Lin Fei scratched his head awkwardly.
"Mm?" Ye Tian paused, surprised that this individual was keen on seeking advice during the assessment. He was unsure whether to commend his diligence or deem him foolish.
Nonetheless, Ye Tian held a favorable impression of him, and since they might become brothers in arms, he did not refuse, nodding in agreement. "Speak."
"It's like this; when I exert force with my spear..."
"Your foundation is not solid enough; your true essence becomes chaotic before it even manifests..."
The two conversed as they walked, gradually disappearing into the depths of the jungle.
...
In the bustling arena of Shenxing City,
The assessment of the Shenxing Sect had progressed for over twenty days, yet the number of cultivators in the arena had not diminished; rather, it continued to swell.
Many individuals, aside from eating and sleeping, had taken to sitting in the arena, attentively monitoring the fluctuations in rankings.
Even the city lords and powerful clan members were no exception.
"Look! This lad Ye Tian has broken into the top three hundred!" Suddenly, a gasp of astonishment erupted.
"Huh?"
Xue Yuhao's eyes brightened as he hastily turned his gaze to the first light pillar.
The first light pillar recorded only the top three hundred strong, and Xue Yuhao witnessed the last name flicker momentarily before "Ye Tian" replaced the previous name.
"It's Ye Tian!"
"Uncle City Lord, Ye Tian has entered the top three hundred!"
Liu Hongwu had been closely monitoring Ye Tian's ranking, and upon witnessing this moment, she couldn't help but cheer excitedly.
"Haha! As expected of the foremost genius of Blood Jade City, Ye Tian has certainly not brought shame upon us; he has entered the top three hundred, a feat unparalleled in the history of Blood Jade City!" Xue Yuhao laughed heartily, his face alight with excitement.
"Congratulations, Brother Xue!"
"Who would have thought Blood Jade City would produce such a prodigy? This is a sign of rising prominence!"
Nearby city lords expressed their admiration, casting envious glances at Xue Yuhao.
Among the city lords of Nanlin Prefecture, Xue Yuhao was typically regarded as the least significant, yet at this moment, he stood out remarkably, drawing considerable attention.
All of this stemmed from the changes in Ye Tian's ranking.
"Indeed, little Xue, you have nurtured a genius for our Nanlin Prefecture." Even the King of Nanlin was stirred, glancing over with an approving nod.
"Your Highness flatters me; it is merely my duty!"
Xue Yuhao was instantly filled with exhilaration.
As a minor city lord of Blood Jade City, this was the first time he had garnered the attention of the King of Nanlin, and he felt an overwhelming surge of pride.
"Fortunate fellow!" Not far away, Wei Yuanlong cast a jealous glance at Xue Yuhao, his heart brimming with resentment.
In these past twenty days, Ding Hui from Black Blood City had also made it into the top one thousand, which was quite impressive.
However, compared to Ye Tian, he paled in comparison.
The top three hundred on the first light pillar represented undeniable genius.
Moreover, with only a few days remaining until the assessment concluded, it was possible that Ye Tian could ascend even further.
At this moment, however, Wei Yuanlong had completely abandoned any thoughts of confronting Ye Tian, realizing he would need to maintain a good rapport with Xue Yuhao, refraining from offending him again.
Everyone understood that with Ye Tian's talent, his entry into the Shenxing Sect was a certainty, and his eventual rise to become a martial spirit was all but assured, with the potential to become a martial sovereign.
Since Ye Tian hailed from Blood Jade City, as long as he remained, anyone attempting to challenge Blood Jade City would have to consider whether they could withstand Ye Tian's wrath.
This was why city lords invested their efforts in nurturing geniuses; their own talents may have been lacking, but they pinned their hopes on these prodigies, aspiring for their cities to produce formidable protectors.
Furthermore, according to the laws of the Great Yan Nation, should a city produce a martial lord, the city lord would receive rewards from the royal family.
It was precisely because of such laws that all city lords and dukes in the Great Yan Nation fervently sought to cultivate talents, leading to a flourishing martial atmosphere.
Consequently, the number of powerful individuals within the Great Yan Nation increased, bolstering the nation's strength.