Nine Star Hegemon Body Art c1-2048
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If you wanted to appear on the rankings, you would have to work hard to get into the top ten thousand. Before entering the Devil Abyss, each disciple had extracted a drop of their purest essence blood and placed it onto a special jade plate. Those jade plates had been issued from the Martial Heaven Alliance.
The jade plates were connected to the Devil Slaughter Rankings. They were what recorded how many devil creatures a person killed. It was shockingly accurate.
Rumor was that the divine tablet recording the Devil Slaughter Rankings was personally made by the first generation Sovereign, Yun Shang. It had the blessing of a Sovereign, so it couldn’t be mistaken.
It was the only divine item left behind by a Sovereign on this continent. The only regretful thing was that it was only used to count points. It had no offensive or defensive power on its own.
The projection of it was now established. However, there were no names on it yet. The battle had yet to truly start.
The entire Xuantian Dao Sect essentially closed down. All the disciples and Elders came to the plaza to watch the projection. They were calmly waiting to see the names appear on it.
It wasn’t just the Xuantian Dao Sect. All sects belonging to the Martial Heaven Alliance and ancient family alliance were capable of summoning this projection. Countless eyes were staring at it now. This was a chance to witness the rise of heavenly geniuses. Which monsters would fight to the front of the pack?
…
This was a dark and gloomy world, looking like it was always dusk. There was no sunlight. The ground was an unending barren land of mountains.
The smell of blood hung in the air. It was unknown just how many lives had been lost on this battlefield. Some were from the devil race, some were the Martial Heaven Continent’s brave warriors. It was possible to see broken skeletons scattered about. Some were as large as a mountain. Despite having died who knew how many years ago, those bones still emitted immense pressure.
Long Chen led the Xuantian Dao Sect’s army forward. This was the channel the Xuantian Dao Sect protected, and up ahead was the main channel of the entire Eastern Xuan Region.
This time, the Xuantian Dao Sect was about to block the entire Eastern Xuan Region’s devil creatures. They had to advance to the end of the channel.
“Long Chen, do you want to make any deployment arrangements? I’m noticing quite a few nervous disciples,” whispered Hua Shiyu.
The space here felt very oppressive. Furthermore, there were broken skeletons everywhere. These disciples might be powerful, but many were lacking battle experience. For some, this was their first time stepping foot on such a terrifying battlefield. Their tense nerves sharply lowered their confidence.
If Long Chen could say some words of encouragement now or arrange for them to busy themselves with something, it would improve their morale a bit.
“I’ll tell you the truth. You definitely can’t tell this to them…” said Long Chen gravely.
“What is it?” Hua Shiyu jumped in fright upon seeing his expression.
“In truth… I’m also incredibly nervous.” Long Chen clutched his stomach pitifully.
“Stop messing around!” raged Hua Shiyu, angrily punching him. Just how many heaven-shaking things had Long Chen done in the past? Not even a ghost would believe he was really nervous.
Fortunately, Meng Qi and the others were very familiar with Hua Shiyu, so they simply laughed and watched.
“I really am nervous. I’m afraid,” said Long Chen innocently.
“What are you afraid of? I don’t believe you.”
“I’m afraid there aren’t enough devil creatures for me to get in the top ten. If I don’t get in the top ten, the alliance head will punish me. Tell me, how can I not be afraid?”
Long Chen’s voice wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t too quiet either. Quite a few people heard it. Guo Ran laughed, “Boss, don’t worry, you just sit and drink tea. I’ll take first place for you.”
“That would depend on your abilities. However, I’m not holding back this time. The devil creatures have something I need, so I’ll be killing them,” said Liu Ruyan coldly before waiting for Long Chen to reply.
“I’m also going for first!” declared Tang Wan-er. She had long since been waiting for a chance to test her power and have her own name shake the continent. In truth, Tang Wan-er was extremely competitive.
“It seems I have no affinity with the Devil Slaughter Rankings.” Gu Yang scowled. Guo Ran, Liu Ruyan, and Tang Wan-er all had terrifying massive area attacks. With his single spear, it would take him years to catch up to them.
Their relaxed aura infected the other disciples. The pressure weighing on them lightened.
They had just reached the end of the Eastern Xuan Region’s channel when the world began to fiercely tremble. Ferocious roaring rang out. From the front, an endless tide of black figures charged over.
Gulping sounds came from the Xuantian Dao Sect’s disciples. The life and death battle had finally started.
Chapter 1686 Earthen Divine Wall
“Li Qi, Mingyuan, seal the path. Ruyan, you are free to do as you please,” ordered Long Chen without even glancing at those devil creatures.
Li Qi and Song Mingyuan had long since been prepared. With a cry, the ground beneath everyone’s feet began to explode. The ground began to rise rapidly, forming two earthen giants.
Those two earthen giants caused the world to shake, divine runes covering their bodies. Li Qi and Song Mingyuan were standing on their heads. They formed quick hand seals, and the earth giants they had summoned followed along.
“Earthen Divine Wall!”
Li Qi and Song Mingyuan shouted at the same time. Their earth giants slammed their hands on the ground, and a huge mountain range began to rise out of the ground. This was a kind of incomparable energy, the power of the earth. In front of it, everything else wasn’t even worth mentioning.
The huge mountain range slowly grew until it exploded, revealing a thick and sturdy wall within it.
The wall towered over everyone, completely blocking the channel behind them.
The Xuantian Dao Sect’s disciples all looked at this giant wall in shock. This kind of power was something they had never dared to imagine possessing. It was a kind of power that sparked despair. It was simply… too powerful.
Even Long Chen was stunned. The thickness and height of this wall could truly cause an attacker to despair. As expected, the reason earth cultivators were known for being number one in terms of defense was not for nothing.
The earth giants exploded. Li Qi and Song Mingyuan were both covered in sweat. Clearly, creating such an unbreakable defense was very taxing.
“You two should go rest. Now it’s time to drill the troops. The real battle will come later, so make sure to be fully recovered by then,” said Long Chen.
“Alright.” Li Qi and Song Mingyuan nodded. They quickly began to recover their energy.
Their combined power had resolved their worry of the devil creatures charging onto the Martial Heaven Continent. As for the offense…
BOOM!
In the distance, a giant willow appeared, its roots digging deep into the ground and its leaves covering the sky.
The willow leaves looked delicate and light, yet they were actually life-reaping chains. Those devil creatures were torn to pieces before they could get anywhere close.
Long Chen suddenly clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s stunned gazes. “As you can see, the path behind has been sealed. We have cut off our own path of retreat. It’s either they die or we die. In this kind of life and death battle, only the ruthless ones will survive. As for those who are afraid of death, the more afraid they are, the faster they die. A battle is naturally very dangerous, however, I’m telling you that as long as you can see the danger, it’s not really dangerous; only invisible danger is fatal. Without experiencing these battles, you will never understand the meaning of life, nor will you feel true gratitude and respect for life. To you, this is a cha
nce to transform yourselves. In truth, other than my Dragonblood Legion, I haven’t met many true experts on the continent. What makes you an expert isn’t your cultivation base or combat power or talent. It’s whether you know why you want to get stronger.”
Long Chen’s voice resounded through the air, and behind him was the sight of Liu Ruyan slaughtering their enemies. His figure was set off by a rain of black blood in the background.
“The majority of you come from decent backgrounds. You got whatever you wanted as a youth. To tell you the truth, I don’t envy you one bit. Instead, I feel pity. The more your parents gave you, the less you had. Although my parents didn’t leave me any treasures, they taught me respect and gratitude, as well as a work ethic. Your parents and your seniors gave you the best conditions for growth, while my parents didn’t give me anything like that. However, they left me endless room for growth. When I left the Phoenix Cry Empire, I was just a Blood Condensation rookie. I had nothing except my determination to continue advancing. When I cut my way through my thorn-covered path, when my steps stumbled, I didn’t complain. It was in the most challenging times that I gained my brothers and sisters. They’ve become my conviction. When I am helpless, when I am lost, when I am at my worst, they are what support me, what gives me the drive to continue forward. They remind me at every moment why I need to get stronger. Only by getting stronger will I be able to protect everything I have.”
All the Dragonblood warriors clenched their fists. Their bond with Long Chen was forged through blood and fire, and their emotions were something only they could comprehend.
“As for you, you are geniuses, pampered since birth and raised as the future hope of a family or sect. As for your parents, they don’t understand that true experts are not raised. When you say that you want to get stronger, it’s just a catchphrase, something your elders taught you. But you don’t really know why you have to get stronger. Is it to pick up girls? Is it to trample over others? Is it to show off? If that’s what drives you to get stronger, then it’s a limited motivation. Do you know what your motivation to get stronger is?” Long Chen looked out at the one hundred and eighty thousand disciples of the Xuantian Dao Sect.
“Our motivation to get stronger is to live, to defend, to protect the things in our hearts from being snatched away by the cruel reality. I know that many of you don’t truly understand what it means to protect, but I’m sure you have things you cherish in your heart as well. Perhaps it’s your parents, your masters, or your lovers. In truth, what many people love is just themselves. Let me put it to you this way. If what is in your heart is solely yourself, then that will give rise to one kind of emotion: fear. Fear of death.
“Before, I said that the more someone fears death, the faster they die. Now the battle is about to start. Find what you have to protect inside your heart. Imagine it being killed right here in front of you.
“These monsters from a devil world are attacking the continent. Imagine your loved ones dying to their claws, their fangs. What kind of tragedy would such a reality be? That’s why now, you have to raise your butcher’s blade. Cut off these monsters’ heads. Let their sins come to an end with you.”
In the middle of Long Chen’s speech, these disciples felt like they had been drawn into a world of blood. As Long Chen spoke, this world became clearer, and they even saw the people closest to them dying to the devil creatures. Their eyes all turned red. They tightly clenched their weapons.
Meng Qi and Chu Yao exchanged a glance. Long Chen’s Spiritual Strength was truly frightening. Just relying on it to convey his emotions, he was able to form a resonance with a hundred and eighty thousand experts.
It was similar to a hypnotic art, but Long Chen hadn’t used any techniques. He had relied purely on his Spiritual Strength to transmit his emotions, and even the Empyreans were affected.
This emotional transmission made them forget their fear. By making them think of the ones they loved the most, they could summon the greatest power.
At this moment, a large batch of the devil creatures charged past Liu Ruyan’s blockade and toward them.
“What are you waiting for? Release your fury! Kill them all!” shouted Long Chen.
“Kill!”
A hundred and eighty thousand experts roared at the same time. They looked at the devil creatures like the latter had personally slain their parents.
A hundred and eighty thousand experts attacked at the same time. Sword-light soared, saber-images slashed, and countless runes wreaked havoc.
These devil creatures were like lizards covered in thick scales. Their claws were like hooks, and their teeth were jagged.
They weren’t particularly powerful, only equivalent to the human race’s Foundation Forging realm. However, their sharp claws and teeth would be troublesome if landed.
“Long Chen, don’t you think this is inappropriate? They’re too angry right now. If they start out at full strength, they won’t be able to maintain it for very long. This is too much.” Hua Shiyu frowned.
“First, let them kill for a bit and vent. This will allow them to enter a combat state at the fastest speed. Once they’re accustomed to the battle, split them into two rotations. I’ll leave that to you,” said Long Chen. Long Chen was leaving Hua Shiyu in charge of directing this battle. This would increase her reputation and prestige, making it easier for her to lead them in the future.
Hua Shiyu was extremely powerful, and she had the aptitude to be a leader. She had already won the trust of the Xuantian Dao Sect’s disciples.
“Then what will you be doing?” asked Hua Shiyu.
“I’ve already said what they need to hear. Now, I’m just going to eat, drink and enjoy the battle.” Long Chen shrugged.
“You…”
“Don’t worry about it. Based on past precedence, this eruption of the Devil Abyss will last at least a month and up to half a year. At the start, the devil creatures aren’t very powerful. It just so happens that they’re suitable for drilling the troops. For now, my Dragonblood Legion won’t participate. There probably aren’t many kill points to earn either, so we won’t waste our time.”
This was a long battle, and the most frightening enemies would come at the end. Since Long Chen had finished raising morale and reducing their nervousness and fear, the rest could be left to Hua Shiyu.
“Am I really qualified?” Hua Shiyu was uneasy. Although she had a certain influence in the Xuantian Dao Sect, it was a far cry from Long Chen.
“It’ll be fine. Just close your eyes and randomly order them around. No matter what happens, we’ll be here, so what are you afraid of?”
Long Chen waved his hand and returned to the Dragonblood Legion’s side in the back. As expected, they were already discussing something excitedly.
“Boss! So many monsters have appeared this time!” Guo Ran cried out excitedly. He handed a jade plate to Long Chen for him to take a look. Long Chen was also startled.
“Absolutely monstrous!”
Chapter 1687 Xia Chen Dominates the Rankings
Long Chen’s eyes were instantly drawn to one name: East - Xuantian Dao Sect’s Chu Yao, rank 13.
This rank wasn’t won by Chu Yao, but by Liu Ruyan. Liu Ruyan was Chu Yao’s contractual housepet, and their souls were linked. That was why the devil creatures Liu Ruyan killed counted for Chu Yao.
“How ridiculous!”
Long Chen’s jaw dropped. Liu Ruyan had been unleashing large area attacks ever since the devil creatures appeared. She had never stopped killing. However, she was only ranked thirteen. That wasn’t even in the top ten!
Each person had a jade plate, and the rankings they saw were the same. Chu Yao had 3107 kill points, while first place had already surpassed ten thousand.
“Ruyan’s calculated it and says that for these devil creatures, killing ten thousand counts as one point,” said Chu Yao. Her expression was solemn. No wonder Qu Jianying had said that she didn’t have much confidence in Long Chen entering the top ten. It seemed t
he Martial Heaven Continent was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. These monstrous figures were coming out now, taking this chance to make their names shake the continent.
“Ten thousand is just one point. In other words, big sister Ruyan has already killed thirty million of them. As for first place… how terrifying!” exclaimed one of the wood cultivators.
“First place is someone called Xia Chen. Why does that name sound familiar?” wondered Gu Yang.
First place was recorded as: East - Grand Xia’s Xia Chen. The first word referred to what region he was in, with east representing the Eastern Xuan Region. The second term was what power he belonged to, and then it was his name.
“It’s not strange that he would be first.” Long Chen smiled upon seeing that name. That mysterious fellow had finally appeared.
Long Chen was also very curious about Xia Chen. Just what kind of person was he? Xia Yunchong had said that he came from a branch of the Grand Xia, but they didn't have any real details about him. He was too mysterious. Now he had shown his head, using the status of a member of the Grand Xia Ancient Nation to dominate the Devil Slaughter Rankings. Perhaps it was to make the Grand Xia’s name shake the continent?
“How can he be so terrifying? Ruyan has never paused her attacks. Is his attack range and killing power even greater than Ruyan’s?!” demanded Tang Wan-er competitively.
“I don’t know if his killing power is above Ruyan, but his attack range is definitely beyond your imagination. That’s why it’s not strange that he would be first place,” said Long Chen.
“Why?”
“Because he’s a formation cultivator. That’s practically cheating. All he has to do is establish a formation that kills all the devil creatures that enter it. In terms of area attack, he can make it as big as he wants. No one else can compare to him.”
“What the fuck, that’s definitely cheating! However, I’m not going to lose in terms of cheating, hehe!” laughed Guo Ran. That evil, sinister expression of his gave others goosebumps.