Chapter 1293: Top Five

"The mountain gate trial can only display your own talent and ability. Weapons or borrowed rune artifacts are not allowed. Anyone caught cheating will have their results voided! Additionally, mutual killing is forbidden. Anyone who kills without cause, regardless of their score, will be disqualified!"

Elder Haoyu's voice rang out again.

"Yes!"

The crowd on the square nodded in unison.

The trial valued fair competition. Even if one relied on artifacts to complete it, the results would not be counted.

Otherwise, if everyone brought artifacts to the trial, the Saint Son Hall would not be a gathering place for geniuses but a venue for treasures.

"Everyone, leave your soul imprint on this portal. The Assessment Jade Stele will automatically display your name and origin, facilitating our evaluation and selection!"

Elder Haoyu continued.

The crowd nodded, each using their secret techniques to leave their soul imprints.

"Set off! The mountain gate trial lasts three days. Good luck to you all!"

Elder Haoyu waved his hand grandly.

"Yes!"

The crowd, blood boiling and auras surging, marched in unison toward the portal.

"Since it's a teleportation array, we may not end up together. Whether we pass depends on ourselves..."

Seeing more and more people entering, and it was almost their turn, Zhang Xuan turned to Zhang Jiuxiao.

"Master Zhang, rest assured. I will do my utmost!"

Zhang Jiuxiao nodded.

In the past, he truly had no confidence in passing, but now he had considerable self-assurance.

During this period, studying under Zhang Xuan, he had not only improved rapidly in strength but also undergone a transformative change in his understanding of combat. Most importantly, he had comprehended Half-Step Sword Dao True Interpretation, making him nearly invincible at the same level. He now had great hope of breaking into the top five hundred!

"Be careful!"

Seeing his confidence, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Master Zhang, see you at the Saint Son Hall!"

After instructing Zhang Jiuxiao, Chen Leyao and the others clasped their fists.

"Mm." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The people from the Ice Field Palace walked toward the portal.

In their view, this person had easily defeated Zhang Qian, so passing the trial would surely not be difficult. It only depended on his performance and whether he could enter the elite class.

"Let's go!"

After waiting a while longer, with Zhao Xingmo's shout, over thirty people from the eight great empires rushed toward the portal. Zhang Xuan followed closely behind. Upon contact with the gate, he felt a dense spatial energy envelop him, and with a flash, he disappeared from the spot.

Seeing him leave, Zhang Qian narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth: "Elite class, I must get in!"

With that, he followed closely and entered as well.

Before long, all ten thousand geniuses on the square had entered, leaving only the many reception envoys.

"Let's go to the results hall..."

Zhao Xingmo, along with the other reception envoys, quickly flew toward the Saint Son Hall and soon arrived at a massive hall.

In the room, a bluish-gray jade stele stood in the center, exuding an ancient and timeless aura.

One could tell it had existed for countless years.

The surface of the jade stele shimmered with a warm glow, illuminating the surroundings. The crowd stopped before it and looked up, hoping to find the names of those they had guided.

"It's still early, no need to rush..."

Seeing their eagerness, Elder Haoyu smiled.

The trial lasted three days; coming to see the stele now was indeed too early. The rankings would not be truly determined until at least two days later.

"Mm."

The crowd nodded and sat cross-legged, intending to rest for a while, when the stone pillar flickered and several names appeared.

"Someone already has a score? So fast?"

Their pupils contracted as they looked up in unison.

"Feng Ziyi, 127."

"Zhang Xu, 121."

"Jiang Xuecun, 116."

"Yuan Haiqing, 109."

"Bai Qingxuan, 103."

...

"Over a hundred points? It's only been this long, and they're already this high?"

Seeing the names and scores clearly, the crowd erupted in commotion.

So soon after the start, over a hundred points—that was terrifying.

Most crucially, one or two being this high was one thing, but five in a row exceeding a hundred left everyone stunned speechless.

"Defeating a sacred beast one minor level above one's own cultivation gives 1 point, two minor levels gives 5 points, three levels gives 25... Over a hundred points—what did they do?"

His throat dry, Zhao Xingmo was filled with disbelief.

According to past situations, when the stele first started displaying, it would show at most a dozen points, then gradually increase. To have over a hundred points appear at once, and five of them... what had happened?

"This Feng Ziyi with the highest score—where is he from?"

Unable to hold back, he looked at a black-robed master teacher beside him.

"He's from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. I hear he's a personal disciple of some elder. Young as he is, his cultivation has already reached the middle stage of the Domain Realm, making him the standout among this group." The black-robed master teacher, knowing the details well, explained.

"Personal disciple of an elder?" Zhao Xingmo's breath quickened.

To become an elder at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, one's level must be at least nine stars. A student of such a strong person—no wonder he was so powerful!

"Indeed. The second place, Zhang Xu, is a super genius sent by the Sage Zhang Clan this time, with a bloodline purity reaching the Earth Grade!"

"Earth Grade? That... is already a top-tier bloodline!" Zhao Xingmo exclaimed in surprise.

The core bloodlines of sage clans, based on intensity, are divided into four levels: Second-Class Bloodline, First-Class Bloodline, Earth Grade Bloodline, and the highest, Heaven Grade Bloodline!

Normal core members usually have a Second-Class Bloodline; slightly more powerful ones have a First-Class Bloodline. Those reaching Earth Grade are almost always direct descendants, at least descendants of elders.

"Indeed. Since the establishment of the Saint Son Hall, the Zhang Clan has sent thirty-seven Earth Grade bloodlines. The weakest among them ultimately reached the peak of the Saint Domain Eighth Layer... With such a bloodline, this Zhang Xu's future achievements are bound to be limitless!"

The black-robed master teacher said.

"Peak of the Saint Domain Eighth Layer?" Swallowing his saliva, Zhao Xingmo was speechless.

Such strength stood at the very pinnacle of the entire continent. With a single stomp, forces like the Qianchong Empire would directly collapse, with no power to resist.

"By the way, I saw a Zhang Qian from the Zhang Clan earlier. What bloodline does he have?"

Remembering something, he couldn't help asking.

"Zhang Qian is just an ordinary Second-Class Bloodline. Among the thirty people from the Zhang Clan who came for the trial, he ranks near the bottom, not worth mentioning!" The black-robed master teacher smiled.

"Not worth mentioning?"

His body swaying, Zhao Xingmo's face darkened like charcoal.

Zhang Qian was a peak Soul Departure Realm expert, yet ranked near the bottom among the thirty from the Zhang Clan... How strong must those at the top be?

Too terrifying!

In previous years, although the Zhang Clan had always stood out, it had never been to this extent!

"Jiang Xuecun... is she from the Sage Jiang Clan?"

Suppressing his shock, he couldn't help asking further.

Among the sage clans, the three most prominent were the Zhang Clan, the Jiang Clan, and the Luo Clan!

This person surnamed Jiang had such a good score, only behind Zhang Xu. It was likely that only such an extraordinary family could produce such a genius.

"Yes, the Sage Jiang Clan excels in soul attacks. I have met this Jiang Xuecun once. She is naturally strong in soul power, and her true strength is no weaker than Feng Ziyi's!"

The black-robed master teacher's expression turned serious as he continued: "Yuan Haiqing is a talent from the Sage Yuan Clan! The Yuan Clan is slightly weaker than the Zhang, Jiang, and Luo clans among the sage clans, not ranking in the top three. But I heard that half a year ago, they found a successor with a Heaven Grade Bloodline, and it's not impossible for them to challenge the top three again in the future!"

"Heaven Grade Bloodline?" Zhao Xingmo was shocked.

A Heaven Grade Bloodline is the most supreme lineage among sage clans. Those who possess such a bloodline, unless they fall, invariably become renowned figures on the continent.

For instance, the current clan heads of the Zhang and Luo clans had all reached this level.

"Indeed! The Yuan Clan's rise is inevitable. In recent days, many major powers and large families have extended olive branches, seeking to befriend them." The black-robed master teacher nodded.

"These few are all so strong... What about this Bai Qingxuan? What's his background?"

After digesting the news he had just heard, Zhao Xingmo continued asking.

The first four each had immense backgrounds and lofty statuses. The fifth, being able to match them, should also be extraordinary!

"Bai Qingxuan is from the Blazing Flame Palace!" The black-robed master teacher said.

"Blazing Flame Palace? The super-first-rate force that rivals the Ice Field Palace?"

The Ice Field Palace, though possessing the Yin-Yang Pool and having cultivators of both Yang and Yin techniques, primarily focused on Yin techniques. From the palace master to the elders, almost all were women, all cultivating ice-cold attributes.

The Blazing Flame Palace was the exact opposite, almost all men, all cultivating Yang-attribute techniques like the Blazing Flame Art.

The two sacred lands were said to have been founded by the same ancestor but later split into two forces due to completely opposite cultivation methods.

Over a decade ago, the two forces planned a marriage alliance to change the split situation. Just when a happy event seemed imminent, the Ice Field Palace's palace master fled the wedding on the spot and disappeared without a trace.

In the end, the two forces fell out again and parted on bad terms.

"Yes!" The black-robed master teacher nodded: "The Blazing Flame Palace's reputation is not bright, and it rarely establishes branches, but its overall strength should not be underestimated. Otherwise, the Ice Field Palace would not have sought a marriage alliance back then!"

"Indeed!"

Zhao Xingmo nodded.

So-called marriage alliances require matching families. If the two forces are too disparate, they certainly cannot come together.

Not to mention other factors, differences in cultivation and values make union difficult.

Buzz!

As the two were speaking, the jade stele before them shook again, and more names seemed to appear.

"The top five hundred have appeared..."

Someone shouted.

Zhao Xingmo quickly looked over and indeed saw the stele filled with names from top to bottom.

The height of the stele could accommodate exactly five hundred names, so the Saint Son Hall admitted only five hundred, without any favoritism.

"Quick, see if there are any geniuses you guided..."

The black-robed master teacher laughed.

Zhao Xingmo nodded and looked down the list, soon frowning.

Among so many names, he didn't recognize a single one.

"Under normal circumstances, Zhang Xuan's ability should get him into the top five hundred. Why... isn't he there?"

Zhao Xingmo was full of worry: "Could it be that none of the people I guided can pass the trial?"