"Yuyang Palace is truly treating Mei Yuanzhi well, specifically arranging for a great demon with a condensed monster core for him to engage in a fierce battle," Yun Fucheng said with a soft laugh. "They likely hope that this battle will help Mei Yuanzhi gain some advancement and increase his chances of entering Primordial Mountain."
"Big brother, do you think Mei Yuanzhi can enter Primordial Mountain?" Yun Fuan asked. "If he enters Primordial Mountain and becomes a Divine Lord, he might outshine our Yun family."
In the entire Dongning City, only the Zhang family's ancestor is a Divine Lord from Primordial Mountain.
What if there's one more?
"Enter Primordial Mountain? Do you think it's that easy?" Yun Fucheng said softly. "The Great Zhou Dynasty has twenty-three provinces, but there are only twenty slots. Moreover, the descendants of powerful Divine Lords from the capital and provincial cities are all vying for those slots. For a genius of common birth to enter Primordial Mountain... it's much harder than for those descendants of powerful Divine Lords."
"What about Meng Chuan?" Yun Fuan couldn't help but ask. "Madam Meng will surely spare no effort to help Meng Chuan."
"What does Madam Meng amount to?" Yun Fucheng shook his head lightly, his true energy faintly enveloping the surroundings to block out sound. "She couldn't even enter Primordial Mountain. Even our father's ultimate ambition is to enter Primordial Mountain."
Yun Fuan nodded.
Whether one can enter Primordial Mountain has become a benchmark for the strength of Divine Lords.
As long as one is strong enough, they will be actively invited to enter Primordial Mountain.
"As for Mei Yuanzhi, he grasped the Ice Momentum too late. His chances of entering Primordial Mountain are only two to three in ten," Yun Fucheng said. "And I know his temperament. He's very proud and independent. Even if he becomes a Divine Lord of Primordial Mountain, he won't be content to stay in Dongning City."
In this world, apart from those bound by large families, truly unaffiliated commoners with exceptional talent are more willing to settle in provincial cities, the capital, or even move their entire families to the vicinity of Primordial Mountain.
...
Opinions were divided, with everyone talking about this Mei Yuanzhi.
Many felt that Mei Yuanzhi's chances of entering Primordial Mountain were slim, but everyone also knew that he still had a glimmer of hope. That in itself was already impressive.
"Take care," the Lord of Yuyang Palace advised.
"Yes," the thin Mei Yuanzhi stood up and walked toward the arena.
On the arena, a figure clad entirely in black shell stood, with a black-shelled arm and a long, sharp tail swaying behind. She smiled at Mei Yuanzhi, but her gaze was cold, carrying a hint of disdain. With a slight movement, one could feel the overwhelming momentum emanating from her.
Mei Yuanzhi narrowed his eyes, a terrifying chill spreading instantly, as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss. The coldness seeped into his bones, and even the surface of the arena began to frost over, as if covered in frost.
"Ice Momentum," the woman chuckled softly. "You won't escape this."
"Kill her," Mei Yuanzhi said coldly.
In an instant, his figure split into seven, the shadows surrounding the woman from different positions, each wielding a sharp blade, ready to strike.
The seven blades slashed toward the woman, aiming to kill.
However, no matter how they attacked, the woman stood still, unmoving, as if unaffected. The blades directly pierced through her body—bang, bang, bang!—but she remained incredibly calm, enduring every strike with ease.
"Puff," a sound echoed.
Mei Yuanzhi's figure suddenly appeared in front of the woman, a blade in hand, slashing toward her neck, aiming to decapitate her. The blade was sharp, even more terrifying than the previous seven.
But then, the woman's hands suddenly moved, gripping the blade firmly, stopping it in mid-air, with incredible strength.
"So, the seven blades were just a distraction for the real killing move, a feint," Mei Yuanzhi sneered.
"Break," Mei Yuanzhi shouted, his blade glowing brightly, unleashing its full power.
The woman's hands, which were gripping the blade, suddenly exploded, shattering into pieces, scattering across the arena. The fragments, carried by the cold wind, scattered across the arena, some landing on the woman's body, freezing her blood.
Mei Yuanzhi's eyes flashed with cold light, and his blade slashed directly toward the woman's chest, aiming for the monster core.
"Thud," the woman was sent flying by the force, crashing to the ground.
"This is the killing move," Mei Yuanzhi said coldly, his gaze fixed on the woman's chest, where the monster core was, ready to destroy it. With a single strike, he unleashed all his power, knowing that the entire world would witness his strength, and the Ice Momentum would freeze everything in its path. "Now, all that's left is to finish her off."
The woman, with her blood-red eyes, was both terrifying and beautiful. While she exuded an air of elegance, she also released a furious aura, as if she were the embodiment of destruction itself, sweeping everything in her path.
The enraged woman's aura was overwhelming, but the monster core was on the verge of cracking open in an instant, causing her to momentarily freeze in shock.
"Interesting," she murmured.
The woman, while furious, was also calculating. She had already figured out the location of the Taoist Academy's camp—the Lie Yang Taoist Academy, one of the branches of the Taoist Academy.
"Let's see," she murmured softly.
In that instant, a flash of light shot out, revealing the exact location of the Taoist Academy. The woman's tail, a weapon in itself, moved with unparalleled agility, striking with such speed that even those watching were left in awe.
"Well done," someone commented.
"Be careful," another warned.
The people around were both shocked and terrified.
The principal of the Lie Yang Taoist Academy, one of the branches of the Taoist Academy, was also furious. He had been guarding the place for decades, but now he was faced with such a threat.
"Hold on," the principal said, his voice steady. "With the speed of that light, and the number of enemies, it's already a miracle that we've held on for this long. But now, there's no one left to help us."
In the next moment, even the principal was shocked. Despite the danger of the battle, the woman suddenly appeared, directly killing the disciples of the Taoist Academy right before their eyes.
"It's the Lord of Yuyang Palace," someone whispered in fear.
The Lord of Yuyang Palace, with a stern expression, stepped forward.
"Surround her," he commanded.
The arrows of fire were about to pierce through the light, but they were deflected.
The woman, seething with anger, began to manipulate the threads of energy around her. Her entire body was filled with an unstoppable force, and even the Lord of Yuyang Palace, who was standing at a distance, couldn't stop her.
"There's nothing you can do," she sneered.
The Lord of Yuyang Palace, his expression calm, strode onto the arena. He looked at the woman, who was now fully enveloped in an unstoppable aura. "I didn't expect you to dare to attack the monster core and attempt to kill the disciples," he said.
The woman laughed coldly. "The disciples are nothing. I want to grind their spirits, to make them suffer. If they die, so be it. The more they die, the better. It's a pity that I failed this time. I didn't manage to kill a single one. Hahaha."
Her laughter was filled with malice.
The monster core was already on the brink of collapse.
"Let's end this," the woman said, standing up. "At this moment, I will use all my power, everything I have."
With a puff of smoke, she vanished.
The woman, in an instant, was torn apart, her entire body wracked with agony, and a pool of pale golden blood gushed out.
The Lord of Yuyang Palace smiled faintly, then turned to Mei Yuanzhi. Mei Yuanzhi was somewhat uneasy at the moment. He hadn't expected that in his series of killings, this woman would be the one to orchestrate everything, effortlessly manipulating him into targeting the disciples of the Taoist Academy from the very beginning. From beginning to end, the woman had never truly fought Mei Yuanzhi.
"You brought such a massive beast with a Monster Core, yet it turned out to be so weak. It's not worth much. Dispose of it," the Lord of Yuyang Palace instructed indifferently.
"Yes," Mei Yuanzhi nodded.
The Lord of Yuyang Palace stood on the arena, his gaze swept across the surroundings with a cold, calculating intensity.
"The outcome of this battle is somewhat unexpected. The woman's control over the Monster Core was truly too strange."
"Since I've brought this beast with a Monster Core to the arena, I won't tolerate any mistakes," the Lord of Yuyang Palace declared coldly. He had already prepared for this grand slaughter, and no one would be spared.
With that, the Lord of Yuyang Palace turned and left, his figure vanished into the wilderness like a shadow.
"Who are you?"
At this moment, a figure stood up, smiling faintly. "Just now, everyone was shocked. Indeed, within the Central Plains, even a beast with a Monster Core is nothing more than a minor threat! Today's grand slaughter will force the disciples of the Taoist Academy to confront the true nature of this world. Those who are weak will never rise to prominence. Even if they possess some talent, without the opportunity to prove themselves in battle, they are nothing more than pitiful creatures. Yet, I also admire them. These disciples of the Taoist Academy have repeatedly challenged the limits, engaging in battles and slaughtering all who oppose them."
"Enough!"
The grand slaughter had commenced with unrelenting fury.
This woman, along with the disciples of the Taoist Academy, were all doomed. Although the Lord of Yuyang Palace had some reservations, in reality, he had already made up his mind. In front of the Lord of Yuyang Palace, this woman was nothing more than a minor pawn.
"It's too terrifying, Chuan. Did you see? In just a short time, the entire situation has changed, and yet you still remain so calm. Many people are already in a state of panic," Liu Qiyue said as she walked home, still unable to shake off the shock. From beginning to end, she hadn't seen the Lord of Yuyang Palace make a move. "Those who were so arrogant earlier are now all dead."
"Really? Even Yasha was killed by that woman. Why are you so exhilarated?" Shangguan Qing'er asked.
"Don't you think the Lord is strong?" Liu Qiyue asked in return.
"Of course, the Divine Lord of the Primordial Mountain is strong. How could he not be?" Shangguan Qing'er replied without hesitation. She had always harbored the dream of ascending to the status of a Divine Lord one day.