C2685 CHAPTER2685
C2685 CHAPTER2685
Lu Wucheng's voice cut through the stillness as the crowd remained motionless. His words seemed to ignite a spark among the young prodigies, their faces shifting with newfound determination, their eyes alight with the fire of competition.
Four hours is neither brief nor overly lengthy. Yet, for those vying for a spot among the top ten of the Nameless Immortal Gathering, it's a race against time to secure and defend a seat on the elevated stage.
"Brother, yield your seat to me!"
In an instant, a lanky youth, a Ninth Grade True Immortal, leapt onto the platform. His challenge was directed at a young man with the surname Luo, someone Peter Parker recognized.
On that stage, the ten seats were hotly contested, but none dared challenge the formidable Great Luo talents, Yu Sichen and Wan Xinghan. Similarly, the First Grade Heavenly Immortal and the trio of half-step Heavenly Immortals were tough nuts to crack—most wouldn't dare to provoke these four.
That left four Rank Nine True Immortals as the prime targets for challenge, and Luo was among them.
"Do you truly believe I'm an easy mark, Luo Ying? If you're after my spot, you'll need more than bravado," Luo Ying retorted, his gaze darkening as he rose from his seat to confront the challenger.
Being the first among the ten to be challenged signaled to Luo Ying that in the eyes of this scrawny youth, he was perceived as the weakest link—a notion that deeply irked him.
"Only one way to find out if you've got what it takes," the young man shot back, brandishing an Immortal Axe. With a burst of unexpected might, he swung the axe with ferocious intensity.
Boom!
A colossal force bore down on Luo Ying, and in the blink of an eye, a dazzling arc of light from the axe loomed overhead, threatening to cleave the heavens themselves.
Whoosh!
A flash of silver light erupted beneath Luo Ying's feet, propelling his body back several hundred feet in an instant. A silver immortal sword materialized in his hand, clashing with the axe wielded by the gaunt young man.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In a mere moment, they had traded over ten blows mid-air. The fight was fiercely intense, making it nearly impossible to discern the stronger combatant.
A terrifying wave of energy rippled across the elevated platform, yet it left the other nine seated figures utterly unaffected.
Evidently, the ten seats on the platform were safeguarded by powerful enchantments. The tumult caused by the combatants' clash was utterly incapable of disturbing these protective measures.
After exchanging no fewer than a hundred moves, they concluded the bout with a formidable sword technique that swept across the platform, ultimately ejecting the slender youth from the contest.
"Luo Ying wins!"
Observing the outcome, Liu Wucheng promptly declared the victor.
In the first round of the Skyless Immortal Convention, victory could be secured in two ways: either by defeating the opponent or by ejecting them from the platform.
Having secured his win, Luo Ying immediately teleported back to his seat. Without delay, he produced a medicinal pill and ingested it, seizing the opportunity to recover from the exertion of battle.
The defeat of the Ninth Stage True Immortal Realm youth sent a slight shiver through the hearts of all onlookers.
Those bold enough to claim a seat and face challengers were clearly extraordinary individuals. Securing a seat was by no means a trivial feat.
Yet, the allure of ranking among the top ten in the nameless immortal association remained a potent draw for many.
Typically, only the top three from the association could join the nameless immortal palace unconditionally, earning membership within its hallowed ranks.
However, should one land in the top ten and perform exceptionally well, the possibility of being invited to join the nameless immortal palace was not entirely out of reach.
Shortly thereafter, another challenger ascended the stage. This young man, adorned in embroidered garments, targeted a Ninth Stage Heavenly Immortal Realm youth seated near Luo Ying.
The embroidered-clad challenger's cultivation level was merely at the Eighth Stage True Immortal Realm, leading many to view his prospects with skepticism.
Peter Parker watched as a youth clad in embroidered garments ascended the stage, a flicker of surprise evident in his gaze. Despite the young man's cultivation level being at the Eighth Stage True Immortal realm, Peter sensed a strength in him that seemed no less formidable than Wan Xinghan's when he was at the same stage. Moreover, the Ninth Stage True Immortal genius he was challenging appeared slightly less formidable than the likes of He Chenyi from Eternal River Immortal City. It seemed unlikely that the ninth-grade True Immortal would retain his position after this confrontation.
As Peter had anticipated, the outcome was swift and decisive. With merely three deft moves, the youth in embroidered clothing sent the Ninth Grade True Immortal flying off the platform, claiming the spot for himself.
The audience gasped in disbelief. "An Eighth Grade True Immortal with such fearsome combat prowess? Who is this individual?"
"Nie Hexuan wins this battle!" Liu Wucheng's voice rang out, confirming the result.
"Nie Hexuan? I recognize that name. He must be the progeny of Immortal Reverent White Crane, Nie Yutang!" A spectator in the stands, upon hearing Liu Wucheng's announcement, suddenly pieced it together and exclaimed in astonishment.
The revelation that he was the descendant of Immortal Venerable White Crane, Nie Yutang, sent a ripple of surprise through the crowd. In the Immortal World, only those who had ascended to the Great Luo Realm were entitled to the honorific of Immortal Reverent. Immortal Reverent White Crane, Nie Yutang, was a celebrated figure in Cang Yun Province, a Great Luo Immortal Reverent of considerable renown.
In Cangyun State, the Great Luo Immortal Venerables were few. Beyond the three major Great Luo factions, there stood only one other Great Luo Immortal Reverent: the venerable White Crane, Nie Yutang himself. His legend was well-known throughout Cangyun State; despite his humble beginnings and average talent as an independent cultivator, his extraordinary determination and good fortune had propelled him to the esteemed status of a Great Luo Immortal Venerable.
As a scion of the Great Luo Immortal Venerable, Nie Hexuan's innate talent and foundational prowess were leagues beyond those of typical prodigies. Despite the respectable combat abilities of the ninth-grade True Immortal, he stood no chance against Nie Hexuan's might.
The moment Nie Hexuan claimed a seat, the assembled young geniuses couldn't help but feel a collective sense of dismay. Even though Nie Hexuan was "only" an eighth-grade True Immortal, his combat prowess was likely on par with the half-step Heavenly Immortal prodigies.
With Nie Hexuan now out of the running, it was clear that the pool of potential challengers had diminished by one.
Consequently, the focus of the many geniuses in attendance shifted to the three remaining ninth-grade True Immortal contenders. It was evident that they had identified these three as their preferred challenge targets.
Yet, despite the scrutiny directed at the remaining ninth-grade True Immortals, no one seemed eager to step forward and initiate a challenge.
Observing the hesitation, Peter Parker wasted no more time. He stepped out from among his peers and made his way toward the elevated platform with a measured pace.