On the twenty-seventh day of the assessment,
The arena was filled with commotion, as all eyes were drawn to the name "Ye Tian" displayed atop the first light pillar. Over the past few days, Ye Tian's name had been ascending rapidly.
With only three days remaining until the conclusion of the first round of assessments, Ye Tian had already surged to the eleventh position.
Indeed, he occupied the eleventh spot on the first light pillar.
If many had previously expressed astonishment at the emergence of a genius from Blood Jade City, at this moment, everyone present, including the King of Nanlin, could not help but acknowledge the prodigious talent of this young man named Ye Tian.
"Congratulations, Brother Xue!"
"You have produced an extraordinary genius in Blood Jade City!"
"This young man is destined for greatness, surely achieving the status of a martial sovereign!"
As Ye Tian propelled himself from the three-hundredth position to the eleventh, the arena erupted in a frenzy of excitement, with countless gasps of astonishment echoing throughout. The city lords surrounding Xue Yuhao approached him enthusiastically, offering their congratulations.
Even the King of Nanlin invited Xue Yuhao to sit beside him, leaving both Xue Yuhao and Liu Hongwu in a state of astonishment, their faces a mixture of anxiety and delight.
"Little Xue, your Blood Jade City has concealed its treasures well; when did such a top-tier genius emerge without my knowledge? Pray, tell me more about this young man named Ye Tian," the King of Nanlin exclaimed with hearty laughter, his voice resonating through the arena, plunging the surroundings into silence.
Everyone leaned in to listen, eager to learn about Ye Tian's exploits, even the four prominent families of Nanlin County.
The reason for Ye Tian's captivating presence was his astonishing ascent through the ranks, surpassing dozens of competitors within a single day.
This was not merely in the lower ranks, but among the top one hundred, a realm occupied by the finest talents. In this context, Ye Tian's ability to swiftly overtake them was nothing short of remarkable.
Curiosity filled the heart of the King of Nanlin, compelling him to summon Xue Yuhao for a personal inquiry.
Naturally, Xue Yuhao dared not withhold any information from the King, promptly responding with respect, "Your Highness, Ye Tian is our foremost genius in Blood Jade City; he..."
As Xue Yuhao recounted Ye Tian's astonishing feats, the surrounding city lords were deeply moved, some expressing their admiration in awe.
"Impressive! In less than three years, he has ascended from martial artist to the ninth level of martial master. Such talent is undeniably monstrous!" someone exclaimed in astonishment.
"Is that so? With the aid of breakthrough pills, it may not be as remarkable; after all, aren't the direct descendants of the four great families using such pills to enhance their cultivation?" another countered.
"Yet, in a humble place like Blood Jade City, how could there be an abundance of breakthrough pills? Clearly, this young man named Ye Tian has relied on his own efforts to cultivate."
"Indeed, to achieve such rapid advancement in a backward location like Blood Jade City is undeniable proof of his exceptional talent!"
The crowd buzzed with admiration for Ye Tian's extraordinary abilities.
Xue Yuhao felt exhilarated; Blood Jade City was now renowned throughout Nanlin County, and he was filled with excitement at the prospect of royal reward from the King of Nanlin.
True to his expectations, the King of Nanlin soon boomed with laughter, "Excellent! What an extraordinary prodigy! City Lord Xue, you have nurtured such a talent for Nanlin County; I shall reward you..."
The shift in address was telling of the King's delight.
It was no wonder; witnessing a dark horse emerge from his domain, shining so brightly, filled him with immense joy.
"Given the speed at which this young man's rank is ascending, it is evident that his true strength is formidable; perhaps he will surprise me in the forthcoming assessments!"
The King of Nanlin gazed at Ye Tian's name, secretly anticipating his future feats.
He had a premonition that this young man named Ye Tian would soon become a household name throughout Nanlin County.
"Congratulations!"
"City Lord Xue, let us share a drink sometime!"
…
After hearing the King's commendations, the surrounding city lords approached Xue Yuhao to offer their congratulations and to forge connections.
Even members of the four great families presented gifts to express their felicitations.
In an instant, Xue Yuhao and Liu Hongwu became the center of attention, surrounded by a mountain of gifts.
Yet, they felt no burden; instead, their faces radiated excitement and joy.
"What a treasure trove! Our Blood Jade City's strength will surely be greatly enhanced; perhaps I might even seize the chance to break through to the second level of martial spirit!" Xue Yuhao thought eagerly.
Liu Hongwu, on the other hand, felt a quiet joy for Ye Tian, knowing that after today, the name Ye Tian would undoubtedly echo throughout all of Nanlin County.
…
While the arena buzzed with admiration for Ye Tian, he was currently wandering through the mountains with Lin Fei.
Thanks to Ye Tian, Lin Fei had significantly increased his contribution points, now ranking twelfth, just behind Ye Tian.
However, Lin Fei's original ranking was already commendable, and being from the royal city, he was a well-known genius, so his progress was anticipated by all.
Of course, with Lin Fei's companionship, Ye Tian had also conserved considerable energy.
Just like the five individuals before them, there was no need for Ye Tian to intervene personally; Lin Fei handled them effortlessly.
"Pathetic!" Lin Fei scoffed, glancing disdainfully at the five youths before him. "Hand over your contribution points."
Ye Tian stood by, clutching his blood knife, remaining passive throughout.
The five youths appeared to be acquainted with one another, having formed a team, and their combat prowess was not to be underestimated.
Unfortunately, they had encountered Lin Fei, a formidable half-step martial spirit; aside from members of the four great families and individuals like Ye Tian, there were hardly more than three others in the Meteor Mountain Range who could surpass Lin Fei.
"Please, brothers, spare us..."
The five youths looked at Lin Fei with pleading expressions, failing to produce their identity tokens.
Ye Tian sneered coldly; he had encountered many such individuals in recent days. However, he and Lin Fei showed no mercy, as this was an assessment, and there was no need for leniency.
Of course, had he encountered Wu Dao, Ye Tian would have certainly let him go.
Yet, for reasons unknown, perhaps due to the vastness of the Meteor Mountain Range, Ye Tian had not crossed paths with Wu Dao in recent days, and his inquiries to Lin Fei had yielded no information about Wu Dao's whereabouts.
Ye Tian was genuinely curious whether the Meteor Mountain Range was simply too expansive or if Wu Dao was hiding somewhere.
Returning to the matter at hand,
Observing the five distressed youths, Lin Fei remained unmoved, stating coldly, "I have no desire to waste words with you; either hand over your identity tokens, or I will leave you half-dead."
Although the assessment rules forbade killing, inflicting severe injuries was permissible. At such a critical juncture in the assessment, suffering serious wounds could lead to dire consequences.
"Brother, let them go; we are destined to be eliminated anyway!" Finally, one of the youths, facing Lin Fei's threat, could no longer contain himself.
Ye Tian, standing nearby, was puzzled; logically, these five youths were not weak. If they combined their strengths, although they may not match Lin Fei, they could at least contend with an average half-step martial spirit. It seemed reasonable that they would acquire some contribution points; even if they lost two, they should still be able to pass the assessment.
However, judging by their expressions, it appeared—
As Ye Tian pondered, one of the youths sighed and handed over his identity token.
Lin Fei smirked coldly, quickly snatching it away, ready to deduct a contribution point. Yet, in the next moment, his smile froze.
Ye Tian furrowed his brow, growing even more curious.
"How is this possible?" Lin Fei exclaimed, eyes wide, turning to the youth who had surrendered his identity token. "What is the meaning of this? Where are your contribution points?"
"What's going on?" Ye Tian took the identity token and examined it closely, his face transforming into one of astonishment: "0… How can there be not a single contribution point!"
The five youths hung their heads in despair at his words.
Lin Fei, skeptical, collected the identity tokens from the other four, only to find them all marked with 0; they had no contribution points whatsoever.
Now, not only was Lin Fei astonished, but Ye Tian was also filled with perplexity.
"This situation is rather peculiar!" Lin Fei couldn't help but glance at the five youths sitting on the ground, dejected, and turned to Ye Tian, saying, "What do you think?"
"What is the situation with your contribution points?" Ye Tian directly inquired of the five youths sitting on the ground, bypassing Lin Fei's question.
"They were all taken by Prince Thirteen!" one of the youths sighed.
"Prince Thirteen!" Lin Fei gasped in shock.
"Do you know him?" Ye Tian asked, puzzled.
"Are you kidding me..." Lin Fei shot Ye Tian a look of disbelief, shaking his head. "Do you truly not know the name of Prince Thirteen? He and Prince Seven are the two most outstanding sons of the King of Nanlin, both possessing exceptional talent."
"How does he compare to you?" Ye Tian inquired, having heard of the King of Nanlin, a martial lord whose influence extended throughout the county.
"Prince Seven has already ascended to martial spirit; Prince Thirteen is slightly stronger than I am, but he should not be your match!" Reflecting on his previous encounter with Ye Tian, Lin Fei pondered before responding.
"Slightly stronger?" Ye Tian's interest was piqued; he recognized Lin Fei's strength and realized that Prince Thirteen must be formidable indeed!
However, Ye Tian then looked curiously at the five youths on the ground and asked, "Even if Prince Thirteen is stronger than you, he is but one person; how could he seize all your contribution points?"
"No! He is not alone!"
"There are dozens of them!"
"Probably over a hundred!"
The three youths answered simultaneously, with the other two nodding in agreement.
"Such a large number?" Ye Tian was taken aback, feeling even more bewildered. "Could he have brought the army of the King of Nanlin with him?"
"Impossible!" Lin Fei rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "The King of Nanlin would never allow that; they are likely his subordinates, as Prince Thirteen is known for his ability to win hearts."
"You all should be cautious; they are nearby, and if you encounter them, your contribution points will surely be taken!" The five youths, sitting on the ground, offered a rare piece of advice.
"They have a point; we should leave quickly!" Lin Fei nodded, glancing at Ye Tian.
Yet, Ye Tian gazed toward the distant thicket, his eyes glinting as he sighed, "There is no need to flee; we are already surrounded."
Swish, swish, swish!
As soon as Ye Tian's words fell, figures emerged around them, nearly a hundred martial artists closing in, trapping them within.