Chapter 978
Eternal Hall, what a great name!
When Fang Qing revealed his Five Elements Divine Body, he was both noble and fragrant, yet also exuded a sense of oppression.
Tai Cangyi, the silver-haired youth, and the others exchanged glances, their expressions shifting between anger and uncertainty.
They were all proud and arrogant individuals, the chosen ones from their respective star systems. They never thought of following others.
However, the strength and mysterious physique that Fang Qing displayed, as well as the powerful confidence contained in his calm tone, made them have to consider things carefully.
In particular, the subtle yet powerful suppression and attraction they felt caused an irresistible thought to arise deep within them—as if following this person could truly allow them to go further!
"Hmph, empty talk, anyone can do that."
Tai Cang suppressed the tremor in his heart and sneered, "Who knows if you're lying to us so you can monopolize the immortal artifact?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Qing was not angry, but simply smiled faintly.
With a slight thought, the crimson-gold dragon-scale immortal boat that had been suppressed by his left hand suddenly shone brightly, emitting a pleasant chirp. It then rapidly shrank, transforming into a crimson-gold radiance that actively entered Fang Qing's brow and disappeared!
He actually refined this immortal artifact completely in a very short time.
This scene once again caused Tai Cang and the others to shrink their pupils and gasp. Immortal artifacts possess spirits, and even if they are unowned, refining them is by no means an easy task, often requiring a long and painstaking process.
This person was able to complete the initial refining so quickly; his strength and methods are simply unfathomable!
"Now, the immortal artifact has recognized me as its master."
Fang Qing said calmly, "But what I just said was not false. My physique will indeed benefit you. If you believe me, then put away your hostility. If you don't believe me..."
His gaze turned slightly cold as he swept over the crowd: "Then let's all come at me together. It's perfect timing, I haven't stretched my muscles in a long time."
As soon as he finished speaking, a terrifying aura, as heavy as a mountain and seemingly capable of suppressing eternity, slowly rose from his body. The temperature of the surrounding world of flames and magma seemed to drop slightly, and the energy in the air became viscous.
Tai Cangyi, the silver-haired youth, and the others felt a sinking feeling in their hearts, as if they were bound by invisible shackles, and even the circulation of their internal energy became somewhat sluggish.
This feeling is even more terrifying than the mere suppression of physical constitution; it is an absolute crushing on a true level of strength.
Cold sweat unknowingly soaked their backs.
They finally realized that the person in front of them was someone they couldn't contend with even if they joined forces! The reason the other party hadn't immediately killed them was probably because he was considering recruiting them.
The silver-haired youth took a deep breath first, the struggle and resentment in his eyes gradually replaced by a calm assessment. He was no fool to have cultivated to the seventh level of the Great Saint realm. Assessing the situation was the first priority for survival.
"Sir...may I ask your honorable name?"
The silver-haired youth clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, his tone becoming much more deferential.
"Fang Qing".
"Brother Fang."
The silver-haired youth said in a deep voice, "My name is Han Che, from the Ice Soul Star Region. Your strength is extraordinary, your mind is broad, and you possess an unparalleled physique. It is our honor to receive your guidance. Please forgive my earlier offense. I... am willing to follow Brother Fang!"
His words were tantamount to him making a statement.
Tai Cang's expression changed, and his companions all looked at him.
Finally, Taicangyi stomped his foot angrily and clasped his hands in a fist, saying, "Brother Fang, I, Taicangyi, am convinced! I am also willing to follow you!"
The other experts who had previously besieged Fang Qing, seeing that the strongest of them, Han Che and Tai Cangyi, had both expressed their support, also put aside their hostility and indicated their willingness to follow.
Most of them are individuals with special physiques or bloodlines, and they are most sensitive to the original aura of Fang Qing's "Five Elements Divine Body." Their intuition tells them that this may be a great opportunity.
In a short while, the tense situation of fighting for the treasure dramatically transformed into a scene where Fang Qing subdued a group of talented underlings.
Fang Qing nodded slightly, and the terrifying aura emanating from his body slowly subsided.
He was not a bloodthirsty man; these people had no mortal enmity with him and were all promising talents. Subduing them would obviously be more beneficial to his future actions at the Thai Royal Academy and even in the wider universe than killing them.
Moreover, he is indeed somewhat interested in studying these special physical constitutions and how to improve himself.
"very good."
Fang Qing's gaze swept over the crowd. "Since you have chosen to follow me, you must abide by my rules. First, you must not betray me. Second, you must not bully the weak or kill the innocent. Third, you must obey my orders. If you do these three things, I will not treat you unfairly. Now, follow me to leave this place and continue exploring this Void Realm."
"Yes, Brother Fang!"
Everyone responded in unison, though they still felt somewhat uneasy and unwilling, but also a faint sense of anticipation.
Fang Qing said no more and turned to walk towards the exit of this world of flames.
His "Eye of the Lord" opened once more, scanning the energy nodes deep within the Void Realm. Acquiring the immortal artifact was merely an appetizer. The hidden opportunities within this Void Realm were likely far more numerous than this.
Behind him, Han Che, Tai Cang, and more than ten other newly recruited underlings exchanged glances and quickly followed, automatically forming two sides to create a protective formation.
A team centered around Fang Qing and composed of more than a dozen Great Sage geniuses with special physiques or bloodlines quietly took shape in the Void Realm.
Their appearance is destined to stir up quite a storm at this entrance ceremony.
And that is indeed the case.
With this elite team as his wings, Fang Qing's exploration of the Void Realm became much more efficient.
With his terrifying ability to see through reality and pinpoint the essence of things, he can easily discover the real treasures hidden deep within this virtual world, carefully placed by the senior masters of the Thai Royal Academy.
The precious resources that other geniuses might have to rely on luck for, or even obtain at all, are like a beacon in the darkness before Fang Qing, leaving them nowhere to hide.
Ultimate True Qi of the Universe!
A fist-sized silver energy crystal, with countless miniature stars seemingly rotating slowly according to some cosmic principle inside, exuding a vast and ancient aura that seemed to govern the passage of time!
It floats silently in the core of a perilous place formed by distorted spacetime turbulence. Any ordinary Great Sage who gets close will be torn apart by the spacetime turbulence.
However, Fang Qing's Five Elements Sacred Body evolved from chaos, giving him extremely strong resistance to the power of spacetime. Furthermore, his "Eye of the Lord" could see through the turbulent nodes, easily passing through and collecting them.
"Rumor has it that this is the essence of energy from the 'Zhoushen Heaven,' a celestial realm even higher than the 'Taihuang Heaven'! It contains a trace of the fundamental mysteries of the laws of time. After refining it, one can condense 'Zhou-level divine power' within the body, which has incredible effects on comprehending the Great Dao of Time and accelerating or slowing down one's own cultivation process!"
Han Che, who knew his stuff, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise when he saw it, his eyes filled with shock and envy.
Fang Qing obtained most of the essence and then infused several strands of pure "Universe True Qi" into the bodies of Han Che, Tai Cangyi, and other core members to help them comprehend it.
This move won everyone over and made them completely devoted to the cause.
The True Qi of the Universe! A strange stone that is completely transparent, like the purest crystal, seems to have countless layers of space inside, exuding an ethereal, vast, and all-encompassing aura.
It is hidden deep within a "labyrinth mountain" made up of countless spatial fragments.
Fang Qing used the power of the Five Elements to stabilize the space, led the team to forcibly break through the maze, and finally obtained it.
This is also a rare treasure from the higher celestial realms, containing the origin of spatial laws, which is of great benefit to opening up one's inner world and cultivating spatial supernatural powers.
Crimson Flame Refined Gold, Dark Nether Heavy Water, Azure Dragon Marrow of Wood... Fang Qing found and collected all sorts of rare and precious materials with extreme attributes and extremely high quality.
These treasures are of great value to him in perfecting his Five Elements Divine Body and consolidating his foundation.
There were even three powerful immortal artifacts.
A mountain-slaying sword imbued with the killing energy of Geng metal, a Xuan Guang mirror capable of reflecting most energy attacks, and a set of immortal artifacts composed of eighty-one "mother-child armor-piercing cones".
Their team swept through the Void Realm like a hurricane, seizing every opportunity they encountered. When they occasionally encountered other scattered trial participants or small groups, they either avoided them from afar or wisely chose to retreat after sensing Fang Qing's unfathomable aura and the team's formidable strength.
Some large groups, blinded by their own strength, attempted to challenge him, but they were quickly defeated by Fang Qing with just a few casual moves.
Fang Qing's name, and the mysterious and powerful team he led, began to spread rapidly among the remaining trial participants, striking fear into their hearts and earning the name "Team Qing".
Time seemed to pass exceptionally quickly in the Void Realm. Fang Qing led his team to thoroughly explore almost every valuable area of this virtual world.
His gains piled up like a mountain, his accumulation of the Five Elements reached a new level, and his underlings also gained a lot, their strength improved, and their loyalty and admiration for him grew day by day.
After Fang Qing deciphered the last secret realm containing the "Nine-Aperture Exquisite Stone"—
Boom!!!
The entire void suddenly trembled violently!
The leaden-gray clouds in the sky churned wildly, the earth cracked open, and countless virtual images began to distort, blur, and dissipate.
An irresistible, gentle force surged forth from every corner of the Void Realm like a tide, enveloping all the disciples who were still active within.
Swish!Swish!Swish!
Light and shadow flicker, space shifts.
When everyone stepped back onto solid ground, they found themselves back on the Kaitai Hall Square.
The sun was shining brightly, the air was fresh, and the familiar buildings and bustling crowds all around made it seem as if the experience of fighting and searching for treasure in the void was just a vivid dream.
But the residual energy fluctuations on each person, the extra real items in their hands, and their still unsettled emotions all reminded them that it had all really happened.
The square was packed with a sea of black people, filled with returning new students.
At a glance, it appears that 80-90% of the people successfully "survived" and did not "die" in the void.
This relieved many people; at least, they retained their status as "ordinary students" and didn't have to be reduced to low-level menial laborers.
But the moment that will truly determine our fate is only just beginning.
On the high platform, Elder Xuanxingzi, who was presiding over the ceremony, along with dozens of elders from various halls whose auras were either majestic, sharp, or ethereal, and even some important figures who were hidden in the void and whose outlines were only vaguely visible, scanned the thousands of new students below with eyes like searchlights.
Their divine thoughts intertwined, rapidly exchanging and assessing each person's performance, gains, and potential in the realm of nothingness.
Fang Qing's team was naturally the most eye-catching. Although they numbered only a dozen or so, each of them possessed a powerful aura and a faint, radiant light. Fang Qing, in particular, had a deep and profound aura, standing there as if he were one with the surrounding world, making him impossible to ignore.
Many elders immediately focused their attention on Fang Qing, their eyes flashing with surprise, admiration, curiosity, and even a hint of fervor!
Fang Qing, too, was not idle.
His gaze calmly swept across the square, noticing that Yang Qi had also returned safely, his aura more refined than before, clearly indicating he had also gained something. Their eyes met, and they nodded slightly.
"quiet!"
Elder Xuanxingzi's voice rang out, silencing the noise in the square.
"The trial in the Void Realm is over! Your performance has been fully witnessed by us."
Xuan Xingzi's gaze was like lightning. "Now, let's announce the preliminary assessment results, and... the selection of disciples by the elders of each hall!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several powerful divine senses enveloped Fang Qing without any hesitation, clearly indicating that an elder was eager to investigate this most outstanding newcomer more closely.
A moment later, an old man dressed in a simple gray robe, with a gaunt face and eyes that seemed to hold the weight of countless ages, slowly stepped down from the high platform and walked straight to Fang Qing.
The old man's aura was not as vast and imposing as that of Elder Xuanxingzi; instead, it had a kind of simple and unpretentious quality. However, Fang Qing's "Lord's Eye" could faintly see that he was surrounded by a layer of time dust that was invisible to the naked eye, as if he had emerged from the long river of history.
"I am Gu Chen, an elder of the Wangu Hall."
The old man spoke, his voice calm yet carrying a power that penetrated to the very soul, "Fang Qing, I have witnessed your performance in the Void Realm. You possess the five elements at your fingertips, an extraordinary physique, a calm and composed temperament, and the ability to command. Would you be willing to join my Eternal Hall and become my 'inner student'?"
Wangu Hall!
It is an extremely ancient and mysterious hall in the Thai Royal Academy. Although the number of disciples may not be as large as that of the "Invincible Hall" or the "Criminal Law Hall", its foundation is unfathomable. It is especially suitable for practitioners like Fang Qing who have ancient traditions and need to trace their origins.
"Students who have entered the inner circle" have a status far exceeding that of "ordinary students," second only to "elite students." They are qualified to receive personal guidance from elders, enjoy better resources, and may even have access to the core traditions within the temple!
A chorus of envious gasps immediately rose from the surrounding crowd.
Upon entering the school, he was personally selected by the elder and became a student in his inner circle. This treatment was absolutely top-notch!
Fang Qing pondered for a moment.
"Disciple Fang Qing greets Elder."
Fang Qing bowed respectfully, saying, "I wish to enter the Hall of Eternal Blessings and receive your teachings."
"it is good!"
Elder Gu Chen smiled faintly, clearly satisfied with Fang Qing's choice. He glanced at the dozen or so people behind Fang Qing, including Han Che and Tai Cangyi, who were watching eagerly, and nodded slightly: "Since you have followed Fang Qing, you can also join my Eternal Hall. If you perform well in the future, you will have the opportunity to be promoted."
Han Che and the others were overjoyed and quickly expressed their gratitude.
Being able to enter the Eternal Hall with Fang Qing would definitely be the best outcome!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Yang Qi was also noticed.
The one who took a liking to him was none other than the Invincible Hall disciple who had previously recruited him in the square.
Fang Qing said it was fine, separating was good, it allowed him to see different scenery! (End of Chapter)