Chapter 560 - 535: The Competition Begins

Everyone else might have been impossible to catch, escaping as they did, but the likes of Chu Hao, a traitor, must not be let go.

Lu Yan moved as fast as lightning, chasing after Chu Hao.

"Run, run, run..."

At this moment, Chu Hao was exerting all his strength, sprinting through the forest.

His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with deep fear.

He had witnessed the moment Lu Yan killed Zhao Tianxia and others, which had nearly scared him to death.

"Why is Lu Yan so terrifying, why?"

"I can’t die, I must escape. Once I’m dead, everything ends, and all my years of effort will have been in vain."

Chu Hao screamed internally.

But in the next moment, a cold and terrifying presence enveloped him.

This presence, like the chains of death, tightened around him. He couldn’t help but stop, his face turning even paler, his body trembling as he looked up at the sky, shivering.

There above, Lu Yan loomed, looking down at him.

"Lu... no, Disciple, Disciple, have mercy, please..."

Chu Hao begged pitifully.

Thump!

A surge of power, like a giant hammer, struck Chu Hao’s right leg.

Chu Hao’s right leg burst into a mist of blood, and he fell to the ground.

But Chu Hao didn’t dare to wail, pleading for mercy instead.

"Let you go, do you think that’s possible? Would those fellow disciples you’ve led to their deaths agree?"

Lu Yan spoke coldly.

At that moment, the sound of tearing through the air was heard; Shen Yinuo, Lu Lingxuan, and Mr. World arrived one after another, looking at Chu Hao with cold eyes.

"Disciple, Ling Xuan Disciple, have mercy, please. I joined the Dragon Alliance at a young age and have been nothing but diligent and faithful. I might not have merits, but I’ve put in hard work. It was just this one mistake—please, spare me this once."

Chu Hao pleaded.

"The Dragon Alliance has treated you well, nurturing you carefully, never suspecting that you would betray us. Chu Hao, you are a major disappointment,"

Lu Lingxuan shook her head.

"No, no, I was just choosing to save myself. The Dragon Alliance would eventually be destroyed; I just didn’t want to be dragged down with it. What’s wrong with that?"

Chu Hao shouted hysterically, as he seemed to realize that Lu Yan and the others had no intention of sparing him.

Thump!

With a palm strike from Lu Yan, Chu Hao burst into a spray of blood, his body and spirit both annihilated.

"What a pity, a few from the three major powers escaped. The events of today, I’m afraid, will spread."

Shen Yinuo whispered.

"Don’t worry. It was a normal clash in the Origin battle; those who are killed have no one to blame. Moreover, with the Alliance Hierarch and the Vice Alliance Hierarchs present, even if the three major powers learn about it, they can do nothing to Lu Yan,"

Lu Lingxuan said, her eyes filled with confident light.

Shen Yinuo nodded, saying no more.

"Lingxuan, is your Soul Power still insufficient?"

Lu Yan glanced at Lu Lingxuan’s Soul Ring and asked.

"During this time, I haven’t gone to hunt Soul Spirits. Have you gathered enough? You go ahead to the Soul Wall first. I’ll join you if I can fill up, and if not, it’s no matter,"

Lu Lingxuan said with a smile.

"There’s still time. I know a place where there are plenty of Soul Spirits, let’s go."

Lu Yan said.

They took Lu Lingxuan with them to the lake’s vicinity once more, helping her gather enough Soul Power, then headed together towards the Soul Wall.

On the way, Lu Lingxuan asked Lu Yan how he had found her.

Lu Yan explained that after leaving the Soul Wall, they had been constantly activating the Jade Talisman to find members of the Dragon Alliance.

After some searching, the Jade Talisman finally responded. Following its lead, they came just in time to encounter Lu Lingxuan being ambushed by Zhao Tianxia and others, and they didn’t hesitate to intervene.

After hearing this, Lu Lingxuan couldn’t help but feel fortunate.

It was a stroke of serendipity.

If Lu Yan and the others had found her any later, she would surely have died at the hands of Zhao Tianxia and the rest.

The group of four arrived near the Soul Wall.

There were more people around the Soul Wall than before, but it still wasn’t time for it to open.

Lu Yan and his companions waited around the Soul Wall, continuing to look for members of the Dragon Alliance with the Jade Talisman.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

This month saw a few disciples of the Dragon Alliance come by, but none had gathered full Soul Power. They were mainly there to watch the excitement.

Apart from that, no other disciples of the Dragon Alliance were seen.

It seems that they were either killed or hadn’t filled their Soul Power and were hiding somewhere, not making an appearance.

"The time has come. Those who have accumulated full Soul Power may pass through the Soul Wall for the final competition. Those who have not will be automatically disqualified and must remain in place; we will retrieve you."

An ancient voice echoed from the sky.

Lu Yan recognized it as the voice of the elder from the Origin Dynasty.

"Let’s go."

With the elder’s voice, numerous figures rushed towards the Soul Wall.

As they approached the Soul Wall, the Soul Rings on their hands lit up, Soul Power thickening and enveloping their bodies, enabling them to pass through the Soul Wall effortlessly.

"Let’s go as well."

Lu Yan and the others propelled themselves forward, nearing the Soul Wall.

As they touched the Soul Wall, the Soul Power from their Soul Rings surged forth, enveloping them, and like crossing through a thin membrane, they appeared on a huge platform in the next moment.

In no time, all those who had filled their Soul Power passed through the Soul Wall, standing on a vast platform.

Lu Yan looked around.

A total of one hundred and two people passed through the Soul Wall.

In the Dragon Alliance, only four of them.

The platform was extremely vast, displaying a bronze hue, with enigmatic patterns circulating on it, making it appear invulnerable.

"Is this a giant staircase?"

Lu Yan looked forward, slightly stunned.

He discovered that they were on the first step of a staircase, with more steps ascending in front of them.

It was just that the staircase was so colossal that a single step looked like a huge platform.

"Your next task is to climb the steps, begin."

The voice of the Elder from the Origin Dynasty echoed once more.

"Climbing the steps, that simple?"

The crowd was taken aback.

However, since the other party had put it that way, there was nothing to question, and the crowd moved, leaping up and landing on the second step.

But when they tried to leap onto the third step, they felt an insurmountable pressure bearing down on them, preventing them from climbing onto the third step no matter what.

It wasn’t just one or two people; everyone felt the same way.

Many were astonished, unable to climb the third step?

"Starting from the second step, if you want to continue climbing upward, you must engage in a fight."

"Each person may choose any opponent to confront, and only by defeating them can you climb to the next step."

"Once an opponent is chosen and they retaliate, you cannot change or switch your opponent—of course, if the opponent avoids and does not fight back, you may select another one."

"If you die in battle, or admit defeat, you automatically retreat to the previous step."

"And the victor can climb to the next step, following these rules, continue the confrontation, until the final ten spots are decided."

"The final top ten may enter the true origin of the Sea of Laws, the place where all laws originate, to comprehend the evolution of laws, which will be greatly beneficial to you."

"The higher the ranking, the better the position you can enter. So, vie with all your might."

The Elder’s voice rose again.

Upon these words, figures on the platform began to move, distancing themselves from one another, forming distinct circles.

Especially avoiding those fearful Initial Beings, not wanting to be targeted by them.

If one had bad luck and was attacked by those fearsome beings at this level, and eliminated early, wouldn’t that be too unjust?

"Of course, for the sake of fairness, everyone will be given a second chance. Those who fall back a step after being defeated may continue to contest; the victor moves forward and, in the end, can still challenge those ahead. However, everyone only gets one chance; if you are defeated a second time, you are completely eliminated."

The voice of the Elder from the Origin Dynasty rang out once more.

This reassured everyone somewhat, even if they initially became a target of those formidable beings, there was still a second opportunity.

However, with only ten spots available, many felt the pressure.

Many continued to stealthily move, distancing themselves from well-known powerhouses such as the various Initial Beings, those with complete five viscera, and the God-level Resurrectionists.

For instance, many moved quietly away from Lu Yan and his group.

Lu Yan of course knew that these people were not wary of him but of Lu Lingxuan.

"Alright, the competition begins."

The Elder from the Origin Dynasty announced.

No sooner had his voice fallen than someone flew out to attack.

Pick the softest persimmon to squeeze.

To make the first move meant to choose a weaker opponent and seize the advantage.

Otherwise, once the weaker ones are all taken, one would have to face the stronger ones.

"Targeting me first, thinking I’m easy to bully?"

Someone objected, retaliated, and immediately a unique aura enveloped the two fighters.

These two had become opponents and could no longer change; others couldn’t interfere either.

Immediately fierce battles erupted across the platform.

Around them, many glanced toward Lu Yan, Shen Yinuo, and Mr. World.

In their eyes, the three of them were the soft persimmons.

But with Lu Lingxuan present, no one dared to advance.

On the platform, those Initial Beings, complete five viscera beings, God-level Resurrectionists, and other top-tier powerhouses met each other’s gaze from the distance but ultimately did not make a move.

Now was not the time for them to confront one another.

They were cautious of each other; fighting now would deplete their strength, which was not advantageous for competing for the top ten later.

Even if they made it to the top ten, they would still need to compete for ranking. The higher the rank, the greater the benefits they would receive.

Whoosh!

An Initial Being made the first move, targeting not a peer but a common genius.

The genius was shocked, trying to dodge, not wanting to become the opponent of an Initial Being, but how could the speed of an Initial Being be match, and the attack had already enveloped him.

He faced only three choices, surrender, be killed, or fight back.

He could only choose to fight back, unleashing his full power.

With a big explosion, his body recoiled, his arm burst, and he coughed up blood.

The Initial Being struck like lightning.

"I concede."

The genius bellowed.

Suddenly, a force enveloped him, and the next moment, he vanished from the platform, appearing on the first step.

He quickly swallowed several Healing Pills, trying to heal his wounds as fast as possible.

He still had one more chance, to fight those who were defeated.

"Let’s make our move, or else it might end up with us having to fight one another at the end," Lu Lingxuan said.