Chapter 975
Why are there always so many ants who don't recognize their own place?
With so many geniuses killed, the Trial Grounds have become much more harmonious, and no one is fighting and killing Fang Qing and Yang Qi anymore.
"Fa Wuyi, Jing Xing, Xiang Wanxu... they're all dead! They were all killed by Fang Qing and Yang Qi!"
"And Renhe and Huangyuan Wang, who reportedly used immortal artifacts, were also destroyed!"
"This is terrifying... Are they even human? If we go and cause them trouble, aren't we just throwing our lives away?"
"First place in points? Who cares! Survival is the priority!"
Panic and awe replaced the previous greed and hostility.
Those who had initially been eager to participate, or were secretly encouraged by Xiang Li and others, completely gave up their plans at this moment.
Some people even began to deliberately avoid areas where Fang Qing and his companion might be active, for fear of accidentally running into these two killing gods.
Outside the suspended mountain, the Heavenly Ranking in front of Mount Sumeru also caused a huge uproar once again because the names of those ranked at the top, such as Fa Wuyi, suddenly dimmed and disappeared.
Especially the lineage of Ancestor Xiangtian, upon learning of the deaths of the brothers Xiangli and Xiangwanxu, erupted with overwhelming rage and grief. However, under the subtle checks and balances of the Holy Mother lineage and the constraints of the Immortal Realm Trial Rules, they could not directly vent their anger and could only bury their hatred deep within.
The atmosphere of the entire trial was subtly altered by the killing of Fang Qing and Yang Qi.
From the initial fierce competition and multi-party battles, it gradually shifted to a subtle avoidance and dormancy.
The remaining trial participants focused more on hunting demons to accumulate points or seeking other opportunities, and no one dared to openly clamor to surround and kill Fang Qing anymore.
Time in Maha Hell slowly passed in silent slaughter and meditation.
Fang Qing, who was cultivating, suddenly felt something. He sensed a vast, gentle yet irresistible attraction coming from the void, acting on him, trying to "pull" him out of the plane of Maha Hell.
"Is it time...?"
Fang Qing did not resist the suction force. He knew that this was the Immortal Realm Trial Ranking calling all the surviving trial participants back, marking the official end of this strongest trial.
"Shh..."
A gentle and sacred golden beam of light appeared out of thin air above Fang Qing's head, ignoring the layers of demonic energy and spatial barriers of the Maha Hell.
Inside the pillar of light, countless tiny immortal runes flowed, forming layers of spatial vortexes.
Fang Qing stopped resisting and let the pillar of light envelop him.
The next moment, his figure vanished without a trace.
The light and shadow shifted before my eyes, and the space transformed. After a slight dizziness, my feet were already on solid, flat ground.
Fang Qing looked closely and found himself standing on a huge circular platform that was tens of thousands of feet high and made entirely of white jade.
The high platform floats in the void, with a rolling sea of clouds and countless floating islands of suspended mountains faintly visible below.
On the high platform, several hundred figures stood scattered about, each possessing considerable strength, but most were wounded, looked exhausted, and their eyes still held the lingering fear and apprehension from the Maha Hell. They were all looking up at the very center and highest point of the platform.
There, suspended in mid-air, was the "Immortal Realm Trial Ranking"—the Immortal Ranking—a list of trials that shone with golden light and exuded a vast aura!
At this moment, the Immortal Ranking shines even brighter than before entering the Maha Hell! The names on the list shimmer with a faint light, but all the light pales in comparison to the two names at the very top that shine like the sun and suppress everything, like fireflies gazing at the bright moon.
Fang Qing! Yang Qi!
Fang Qing's name topped the list, with the largest and brightest font, exuding an unparalleled majesty of arrogance and superiority. The score following him was so large that it far surpassed the combined score of all the other names.
Yang Qi's name followed closely behind, ranking second. Although his brilliance was slightly less than Fang Qing's, it far surpassed that of anyone in third place and beyond.
"Fang Qing is out!"
"The ultimate trial is over! Look, Fang Qing is indeed in first place, his points are terrifying!"
"Yang Qi is second... those two have really made a name for themselves this time, but they've also gotten themselves into a huge mess..."
"Who would have thought that ruthless figures like Wan Xu, Jing Xing, and Fa Wuyi would all fall at their hands..."
On the high platform, low murmurs spread like a tide.
Countless gazes were cast upon Fang Qing, who had just appeared, a mixture of awe, jealousy, fear, and a deep sense of powerlessness.
Those disciples who were originally in the same camp as Xiangli and Fawu avoided eye contact with Fang Qing.
Boom!
Just then, the entire high platform, and even the suspended mountain star field below, suddenly trembled! An unprecedentedly dazzling golden light erupted from the Immortal Ranking.
A massive, golden beam of light, seemingly connected to some supreme being in the heavens, was forcibly opened from the void at the very top of the Immortal Ranking.
Inside the passage was a vast and surging "Jade Liquid River," exuding an intense and irresistible aura of immortality. This river was entirely composed of liquid, crystal-clear energy, like the purest and most beautiful jade, and within it floated countless jade talismans, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.
These talismans come in various shapes and sizes; some are as majestic as mountains, some as agile as birds, some as blazing as flames, and some as lithe as dragons and snakes...
Each talisman exudes pure and high-level immortal laws, a supreme energy condensation that should never appear in the mortal realm.
"Jade Palace Golden Talisman!"
The knowledgeable old man from the suspended mountain exclaimed in surprise.
"This is the 'Jade Palace Golden Talisman' elixir, specially refined by a supreme immortal from the Celestial Realm to cultivate the most outstanding disciple in the mortal world. It contains the purest immortal primordial energy and fragments of laws. Even obtaining a trace of it is enough to transform a Great Sage. It is an unparalleled nourishing treasure for those attempting to break through to the Heavenly Realm. In the past, the reward for first place in the trial was only a few strands or a small ball. This time... this time it's actually a long river?!"
Under the gaze of countless burning, envious, and jealous eyes that seemed to be spitting fire, the long river of "Jade Palace Golden Talisman" poured down from the golden passage with perfect precision, like the Milky Way falling from the ninth heaven, and surged forth, all of it crashing towards Fang Qing, who was located directly below the Immortal Ranking on the high platform and ranked first in points.
"Not bad, not bad!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Fang Qing's eyes, and then he began to absorb the nutrients.
Splash!
The Jade Liquid River entered his body and immediately transformed into the purest energy and insights into the laws.
His body emitted subtle crackling sounds as it was being washed by the immense divine energy, as if undergoing some kind of profound transformation and evolution.
His skin became even more translucent and jade-like, his bones faintly glowed with a pale golden light, and within his bloodline, it seemed as if stars were being born and dying. His aura was also steadily increasing at a stable and astonishing pace.
This process lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!
The long river of jade liquid gradually thinned and eventually disappeared completely.
"call……"
Fang Qing slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, which even carried a faint jade-like luster.
He could feel that although he had not directly broken through to a higher realm, his foundation had been solidified to an unimaginable degree. The energy accumulated in his body and his understanding of the laws had reached the extreme of the Great Sage realm. As long as there was an opportunity, he could naturally break through to the Heavenly Realm!
He did not monopolize all the energy.
During the absorption process, he was distracted and left about 30% of the "Jade Palace Golden Talisman" energy to Yang Qi.
We're all money-devouring beasts, let's share our wealth together.
Just as the Jade Liquid River completely disappeared, several intense beams of light shot out from the Immortal Ranking once again.
Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!
The light fell and transformed into several objects in front of Fang Qing.
The first item is a longbow with an ancient design, dark gold in color, and engraved with countless ancient stars and runes of destruction.
The bowstring was crystal clear, as if it were formed from condensed light. With a slight tremor, it emitted a terrifying fluctuation that distorted the very space around it.
Along with the longbow, there were also nine other long arrows, all dark gold in color, with arrowheads resembling meteorites and shafts engraved with the immortal script character for "death".
The moment the bow and arrow appeared, a terrifying aura of slaughter, capable of annihilating heavens and destroying countless worlds, spread out, causing many disciples around to involuntarily retreat, their faces turning pale.
"A celestial artifact! A true celestial artifact!"
Someone screamed.
"The Heaven-Burial Bow, the Heaven-Destroying Arrow!"
At the edge of the platform, an ancient figure of extremely high status suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with a terrifying light and a hint of deeply hidden greed. "It's rumored that a Shattered Realm immortal collected the core of a star and the evil energy of the void, and refined it with his own supreme immortal laws. Its power is boundless, far surpassing ordinary half-immortal artifacts! And yet it's been bestowed upon him?!"
Everyone's eyes were filled with envy as they saw that the second treasure was a fist-sized stone with a perfect octagonal shape. It was crystal clear, and its surface was covered with countless fine and mysterious immortal marks. The energy fluctuations it emitted caused ripples to spread throughout the surrounding space.
"A celestial stone! A complete, high-quality celestial stone!"
Countless people gasped in astonishment. This was a cultivation treasure that even Heavenly Realm experts dreamed of, containing enough energy and laws to give a peak Great Saint a powerful foundation to break through to the Heavenly Realm.
The third item is an antique token that is neither gold nor jade, but has a warm and smooth feel to the touch.
On the front of the token is engraved an ancient and majestic character – “Thai”!
This character seems to be directly imprinted with the laws of the Great Dao, exuding an aura that transcends the mundane.
"A decree from the King of Thailand!"
This time, even some of the elders at the highest level of the Suspended Mountain were moved!
"The holder of this token may directly enter the 'King's Academy' and become a 'candidate for immortality' student within the academy!"
Royal Academy of Thailand!
This name resounded like a thunderclap in the hearts of many older people who knew the inside story.
That was the legendary highest academy and administrative body established in the mortal realm by the supreme celestial realm "Taihuangtian" that ruled this starry sky.
In the distant ancient times, it ruled over countless continents and forces, including the Primordial Wilderness, the Savage Wilderness, the Wilderness, and the Great Wilderness, and was renowned for its power.
Although the academy's influence shrank and became hidden due to events such as the invasion of Hell and the shattering of the primordial world, its status and foundation remain something that countless forces under this starry sky look up to.
The Suspended Mountain was merely a major power in the ancient prehistoric continent, comparable to a local strongman compared to the Taihuang Academy, much like the central imperial court.
Entering the Thai Royal Academy means a broader platform, a higher level of inheritance, more resources, and... the possibility of directly connecting to the celestial realm of "Tai Royal Heaven"!
In some respects, the value of this token even surpasses that of the immortal artifact and the immortal stone!
Almost simultaneously, several weaker beams of light descended, one of which transformed into an identical "Emperor's Decree" in front of Yang Qi.
Clearly, with the second-highest score, he has also qualified to enter the King's Academy!
"My darling!"
Yang Qi held the token, sensing the mysterious information and coordinates it contained, and his eyes revealed excitement.
The Royal Thai Academy is exactly what he needs right now.
The rewards from the Immortal Ranking have now come to an end. The golden passage slowly closed, and the light of the Immortal Ranking gradually faded, returning to its normal appearance. However, the names of Fang Qing and Yang Qi still hung high at the top, shining brightly.
The entire high platform, and even the suspended mountain further away, fell into a brief silence after the shock.
The generous rewards, especially the appearance of the "Royal Decree," shocked everyone's understanding.
Many ancient beings were filled with mixed emotions, both envious of this extraordinary opportunity and secretly alarmed—the Immortal Realm's attention to these two seemed to be far beyond what was expected.
Fang Qing remained calm and waved his hand to collect all the items in front of him: the Burial Heaven Bow, the Death Heaven Arrow, the Immortal Stone, and the Taihuang Decree.
The celestial artifact felt heavy in my hand, the celestial stone was warm and smooth, and the token emitted a strange fluctuation, seemingly pointing to some distant spacetime coordinate.
He glanced at Yang Qi not far away, and the two exchanged a look, both seeing the satisfaction and determination in each other's eyes. This trial had yielded far more results than expected.
However, the tree wants to be quiet but the wind keeps on.
Just as Fang Qing and Yang Qi met up, they were talking quietly with the sick old man, Jing Zhengang (and other close associates of the Holy Mother's lineage), sharing their experiences and gains from the trial.
"Fang Qing!"
A thunderous roar suddenly came from above the high platform, filled with boundless rage, grief, and undisguised killing intent. The sound shook the space around the platform violently, and the sea of clouds below churned.
Swish!Swish!Swish!
Several powerful and incomparable figures, exuding demonic aura, crashed heavily onto the high platform like meteorites, blocking Fang Qing and the others' path!
The leader was an old lion, over three zhang tall, with golden fur standing on end like steel needles, a lion's head and a human body, and blood-red eyes. It was the lord of the lion clan, a great saint of the eighth level, a demon giant of the immeasurable level.
Behind him followed the chieftains of the Horse Clan, Leopard Clan, and Rhinoceros Clan, each with a heavy aura, unfriendly expressions, and icy gazes fixed on Fang Qing.
These four clans were the core forces that Xiang Li had previously colluded to try and kill Fang Qing and Yang Qi. Now, Xiang Li, Xiang Wanxu, and the elites from their clans who participated in the attack have all perished, suffering heavy losses. As the clan leader, how could he not be furious?
The Lion Clan leader, in particular, was consumed by rage and murderous intent due to the grief of losing his son and his covetousness for the astonishing reward Fang Qing had just received.
The atmosphere on the platform instantly plummeted to freezing point.
The many trial disciples and onlookers who had been whispering amongst themselves suddenly held their breath and stepped back, clearing a large area of open space, afraid of being drawn into this conflict that was clearly beyond redemption.
"For the sake of the Holy Mother, I can overlook the hatred for killing my son! However, you must hand over the Thai King's Decree in your hand! It must be used by the most outstanding young members of my Lion Clan to go to the Thai King's Academy and continue the glory of my clan! Also, the Burial Sky Bow, the Death Sky Arrow, and that immortal stone must be offered to my Lion Clan as compensation! If so, I might consider leaving you with a whole corpse!"
These words caused an uproar among those around them.
This is hardly an explanation or "compensation"; it's blatant robbery!
They not only want to take away the greatest opportunity bestowed upon Fang Qing by the Immortal Realm, which he risked his life for, but also Fang Qing's life.
And the reason is so absurd—you killed my son, so you have to pay with your entire fortune and your own life!
Even some neutral observers or those who had no affinity for the Holy Mother's faction felt that the Lion Clan's Lord was utterly shameless.
Although the chieftains of the Horse Clan, Leopard Clan, and Rhinoceros Clan did not speak, their auras were subtly connected with that of the Lion Clan Chief, clearly indicating their tacit support. Or rather, they also coveted the treasure in Fang Qing's hands, but simply made the Lion Clan Chief the first to speak out.
Faced with this unreasonable and murderous coercion, Fang Qing remained calm and composed, even a faint sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"The Lord of the Lion Clan?"
Fang Qing raised his eyes, his gaze calmly landing on the lion-like face of the Lion Clan Chief, which was twisted with anger and greed. "Your son, Shi Chonglou, colluded with others to repeatedly try to kill my cousin Yang Qi during the trials, and even participated in the ambush against me. He was inferior in skill and was killed instead, which was his own fault and he deserved to die."
"As for you..."
Fang Qing paused, his tone still calm, yet it seemed to make the surrounding temperature drop suddenly, "Bringing these chickens and dogs out to block my way and spout these nonsense... are you trying to force me to start another killing spree?"
"A clay chicken and a clay dog?!"
The horse clan chief behind the lion clan lord was furious. "You arrogant brat! Do you think you're invincible just because you killed a few junior geniuses? We have cultivated for thousands of years and are the lords of our clans, supreme experts at the eighth level of the Great Saint! Crushing you is as easy as crushing an ant!"
"Why waste your breath on him!"
The leopard clan chief's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "Take him down! The treasure belongs to the capable! What can the Holy Mother do if we kill him? Would she wage a full-scale war against all four clans for a dead man?"
"Excellent! Brother Lion, let's do it!"
The rhinoceros chieftain let out a low roar, and a thick, earthy-yellow light emanated from his body, causing the laws of the earth to surge.
Seeing that Fang Qing not only showed no fear but also mocked him, the Lion Clan Chief was enraged and his killing intent surged: "Since you're courting death, then I'll grant your wish! Take him down! His life or death is irrelevant!"
At that moment, Fang Qing couldn't help but chuckle.
"Why are there always so many ants who don't recognize their own place?"
Fang Qing raised his right hand, the movement still as casual and understated as ever.
There was no earth-shattering burst of power, no dazzling display of supernatural abilities.
He simply slapped her across the face.
Yes, it was a slap!
Like swatting away annoying flies or swatting wild dogs that are oblivious to their own mortality!
Snapped!
A crisp, somewhat eerie slap echoed across the silent platform!
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Under the incredulous, ghost-like gazes of everyone.
A clear five-finger handprint was firmly imprinted on the lion lord's ferocious and furious face, as if he had been struck head-on by an invisible ancient divine mountain.
Click! Click! Click!
The sickening sound of bones shattering, like popping beans, came from within the lion king's body! His neck was twisted at an eerie angle, and a huge, palm-shaped crater had sunk into his chest. His internal organs had probably been pulverized into a pulp, and blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs gushed out of his mouth, nose, ears, and even eyes.
He flew hundreds of feet backward, crashing hard into the incredibly hard white jade railing at the edge of the platform, shattering it to pieces. He then rolled dozens of times on the ground before collapsing like a lump of mud, twitching twice before falling still.
His breath was completely gone, and his soul was annihilated.
One slap, and he was dead! (End of Chapter)