Chapter 2316 Raw 2423 : The Second Round Begins
“Deal.”
Xiao Chen grasped the tyrant emperor’s commander tally and turned to leave.
Sinister winds continuously blew in Black Wind Ridge’s depths, constantly emanating an overwhelming baleful aura. Resentment filled the open pit, forming lingering sins that gathered in the air.
As Chu Chaoyun watched Xiao Chen’s figure slowly disappear into the sinister winds, he showed a somewhat complicated expression.
His eyes brimmed with some helplessness and disappointment.
Chu Chaoyun felt helpless in the face of the cycle of epochs rising and falling. Amid the surging great changes, there existed a shocking opportunity that could be obtained only once in millions of years.
Who could monopolize this opportunity?
The weak could not do anything, only drowning in the flow. The determined were like the proud, blazing sun and would do their best to fight. Whether one was willing or not, one would be swept up in this great momentum and get pushed forward.
Anyone would feel helpless at this.
However, Chu Chaoyun could not understand or explain his disappointment.
Suddenly, just as Xiao Chen was one step away from completely disappearing into the boundless, sinister winds, he stopped.
Then, he drew his Tyrant Saber without any warning.
The saber light appeared resplendent and dazzling like the blazing sun. It flared fiercely, looking like the proud sun lighting up the sky.
Chu Chaoyun frowned slightly, as he sensed some rage in this saber light, which he found strange. Where did Xiao Chen’s rage come from?
“Boom!”
Just as Chu Chaoyun felt confused, Xiao Chen’s saber intent soared and quickly reached the peak of his Saber Dao Domain—and broke through the limit. His saber intent continued soaring as he sent a saber strike at the boundless, sinister winds and baleful aura before him.
In that instant, a gale blew.
The saber light immediately scattered the sinister winds for fifty thousand kilometers around. The place suddenly appeared vast and boundless as one’s field of vision cleared up.
“He broke through?”
Chu Chaoyun clearly sensed that Xiao Chen’s Saber Dao Domain had broken through the second layer to the third layer.
Great Dao like the Saber Dao or the Sword Dao were harder to advance than elemental Great Dao.
This was especially so for Xiao Chen, who had three Dao Domains. The difficulty would be a level higher.
However, Xiao Chen broke through his limits with this furious saber strike, immediately advancing a layer.
The sinister winds scattered, and Xiao Chen’s previously blurry figure appeared clearly before Chu Chaoyun.
Xiao Chen stood upright while holding up his saber after he scattered the sinister winds that had lingered here for at least five thousand years with one saber strike.
Ordinary people would not understand how horrifying this saber strike was. However, Chu Chaoyun, who had conquered the inheritance here, understood it extremely clearly. Even more importantly, the saber intent completely shredded the sinister winds and baleful aura.
“Ka ca!”
Xiao Chen sheathed his saber. Then, he soared into the air and flitted up and down before vanishing from Chu Chaoyun’s sight.
Suddenly, Chu Chaoyun showed a grave expression, understanding what happened.
It was Xiao Chen choosing to use the saber in his hand to carve a path out for himself.
“Can one control one’s fate?” Chu Chaoyun asked self-mockingly before leaving, likewise vanishing from Black Wind Ridge, which no longer had sinister winds or a baleful aura.
---
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Xiao Chen met up with the Ninth Prince’s group, which was already heading back.
Wu Meng, the Heavenly Book Scholar, Hao Kai, and the others were all there. When they saw Xiao Chen, they released bated breaths.
“Xiao Chen, what happened? We sensed that you ran into trouble earlier,” the Ninth Prince Wang Yan asked after he sized up Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen’s expression did not change as he replied, “I have dealt with it for now. I also obtained the inheritance of this place.”
Everyone sensed some change in Xiao Chen. However, since he did not mention it, no one asked.
However, the Heavenly Book Scholar’s eyes lit up with joy as he said, “I understand a little about the inheritance here. I had thought before of using it in the second round of the succession race.”
The Heavenly Book Scholar served as the strategist in the Ninth Prince’s team. Wang Yan executed his many plans and measures based on the Heavenly Book Scholar’s suggestions alongside Senior Feng’s experience. The Ninth Prince basically never objected.
“Can you explain more?” Wang Yan looked at the Heavenly Book Scholar, waiting calmly for the analysis.
The Heavenly Book Scholar said, “During the second round, we need to guard Your Highness, preventing any interruption while you refine your Yan Imperial Sword. We also need to split off some people to fight the ferocious beast waves. On top of those, we need to preserve our strongest combatants to fight the other princes’ guests. There is simply insufficient manpower.”
That was right. The Ninth Prince only had seven guests left. Compared to the other princes, he held a great disadvantage in the second round. Everyone clearly understood this.
“I initially thought of working with the other princes to attack those occupying the altars and stir up muddy waters. While preserving our strength, we continuously stir up chaos, exhausting the other princes’ guests. That way, we would have a small chance of clearing the second round.
“This plan is too risky and can easily result in the other princes working to suppress us. If we get careless, we will fail. Now, we no longer need to do that. We can take the initiative to attack, occupying an altar and waiting for the other princes to attack us.”
Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows as a commander tally covered in a viscous scarlet light appeared on his palm. Then, he looked at the Heavenly Book Scholar and said, “It looks like you understand this commander tally well.”
“The commander tally of death that can summon one million Yin Soldiers!” Senior Feng was shocked. He had not expected that this rumored treasure truly existed.
Wang Yan said softly, “I had read of this ancestor in the Royal Court’s secret records. He had a tyrannical personality and used cruel means. He was a tyrant emperor with no care for the cost. During his century of rule, he suffered the wrath of heaven. However, before he died, he killed a million royal guards to bury them with him.”
The Heavenly Book Scholar said softly, “Let’s not care about that for now. Every time we use this tyrant emperor’s commander tally, we can summon one hundred thousand Yin Soldiers. We can use this at least ten times, which will allow us to deal with the ferocious beast waves easily. Given this, we just need to focus on guarding His Highness.”
After some discussion, everyone felt this plan to be feasible.
Although it was quite radical, it was worth trying.
---
Two days later, the first round of the succession race came to an end.
The princes who did not collect sufficient Dragon Essence got forced out willy-nilly together with their guests.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Many figures immediately appeared in the palace’s drill ground. Half the princes were eliminated at the same time.
The various princes and their guests showed varied expressions. Some guests had gained a lot and showed satisfied and joyful looks. They had never expected their prince to clear the first round, so the harvest in the Ancient Yan Emperor Tomb was the crucial thing for them.
Some were unlucky, feeling dispirited and upset. Clearly, these people did not obtain a good harvest.
Some princes regretted the result, feeling that they could have survived the first round had they been luckier. They appeared dissatisfied but felt helpless about it.
The many powerhouses in the palace in the clouds discussed the results as they looked at the eliminated princes.
“This is surprising. The Ninth Prince’s collected Dragon Essence ranks within the top ten. Previously, I could not tell that he had such potential.”
“That’s nothing. He could force the Thirteenth Prince to leave. We could guess the result just from that.”
“It is the Fourth Prince who is surprising. Previously, everyone mocked him for only hunting ferocious beasts, not looking for inheritances. To think that he managed to survive this round.”
“There is also the Sixth Prince Wang Ming. His guests are incredible.”
“Indeed, the First Prince is still the strongest. No one can shake his position.”
The first round of the succession race was for testing the waters. Once it was over, the princes would bring out their true strength, erupting with everything in the second round.
There were only eight spots, so the competition would be intense.
The Misty Rain Pavilion’s group, Mo Chen, Su Ye, and Ao Jiao appeared anxious and excited.
“They survived the first round, but it is hard to say for the second round,” Su Ye said somewhat worriedly. The Ninth Prince had weak accumulations. Initially, he did not intend to fight for the throne. He only came to his senses and decided to vie for the throne after hearing what Xiao Chen said.
Now, the Ninth Prince only had seven guests left. He was at a disadvantage against the other princes.
Mo Chen and Ao Jiao did not care much about the succession race. They cared more about Xiao Chen’s survival. It would be fine if he was safe.
“Uncle Hao Kai, I leave it to you.”
Ao Jiao did not hide her selfish desire as she stared at the flickering light screen at the drill ground.
She sent Hao Kai into the Ninth Prince’s team for one reason: to protect Xiao Chen at the crucial moment.
---
At the Ancient Yan Emperor Tomb:
The Ninth Prince’s group, which was still resting in Black Wind Ridge, had an additional member: the Demon Blood Vulture, which circled in the air. The group readied itself and prepared to leave Black Wind Ridge.
Wang Yan looked into the distance, towards the core region of the Ancient Yan Emperor Tomb. That place contained even greater danger.
Of course, great opportunities came along with danger and risk.