Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

It was noon, and the blazing sun was like a ball of fire.

Although a day had passed in the Outer Sect’s competition, leaving only the final ten prodigies, the number of spectators today had only increased compared to yesterday.

A sea of people flooded the area before the Earth Martial Hall, with more arriving one after another.

Atop the high platform...

Grand Elder Zong Rui, Third Elder Zong Han, the Tower Guardian Elder, Prince Gong, and the others took their seats one by one.

Zong Han’s expression was grim as he sat beside the Grand Elder. His pitch-black eyes glittered with a cold, predatory light.

Grand Elder Zong Rui seemed to be chatting and laughing with Prince Gong, but his gaze wandered through the crowd, a sliver of cold killing intent flickering in his eyes.

"He’s here, Senior Brother Li Yunlong is here!"

"Prince Yuwen Xunyi is here too!"

"That’s Senior Brother Luo Qing, third among the top ten prodigies last year. I heard that a few months ago, he killed a Heavenly Destiny Realm Second Stage master with a single sword strike. His strength has increased by a huge margin compared to a year ago. This time, he might even be able to challenge for second place!"

"Both Prince Yuwen Xunyi and Senior Brother Luo Qing are peerless geniuses. It’s just a pity they’ve run into Senior Brother Li Yunlong. In the end, they can only settle for second and third place!"

"What about Jiang Chen? Why isn’t he out yet? I came here just to see him!"

The crowd was in an uproar, with hundreds of thousands of disciples talking animatedly, the noise rivaling that of a bustling market.

Just then, two figures arrived, walking on air—it was none other than Bai Ling and Jiang Chen.

When they appeared, the entire area before the Earth Martial Hall erupted once more.

"Jiang Chen!"

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, you can do it!"

"We came especially for you..."

A small number of experts were shouting their support.

They weren’t experts from the Celestial Alliance; in fact, most of them were usually oppressed by the Celestial Alliance.

They had simply been forced to swallow their anger due to the Celestial Alliance’s terrifying power.

Now, finally, someone like Jiang Chen had appeared—someone who dared to openly confront the Celestial Alliance. Naturally, he had attracted a group of fans!

Bai Ling smiled. "You’re quite popular!"

"It’s nothing special."

Jiang Chen rubbed his nose, a faint smile on his face.

Sensing several gazes upon him, he followed them to their source. Li Yunlong, Luo Qing, the Grand Elder, the Third Elder, the Tower Guardian Elder, and Prince Gong were all looking his way. Aside from Prince Gong and the Tower Guardian Elder, who offered him looks of goodwill and slight nods, the others all stared at him with cold, murderous intent.

"Jiang Chen, you have to be careful. The people from the Celestial Alliance are vengeful over the smallest slight. Your actions yesterday thoroughly offended them. I’m afraid they’ll stop at nothing to eliminate you today!" Bai Ling’s expression was grave as she sent him a low-voiced transmission. "If the situation becomes unwinnable, surrender at once. As long as you surrender, I have a way to protect you. Understand?"

Although Jiang Chen had achieved a breakthrough in the Lingxi Tower and had shown absolute confidence in his ability to defeat Li Yunlong...

But...

Bai Ling just assumed Jiang Chen was trying to comfort her.

After all, Li Yunlong was far too powerful. She didn’t believe that Jiang Chen, with just a minor breakthrough, truly had the ability to defeat him!

Seeing the worry on Bai Ling’s face, Jiang Chen didn’t explain. He just grinned and said, "Don’t worry, Senior Sister. I know what I’m doing!"

"Okay."

Bai Ling nodded.

The two of them then joined the ranks of the ten great prodigies.

The new generation of the top ten prodigies were all present. From left to right, they were: Li Yunlong, Yuwen Xunyi, Luo Qing, Lin Feifei, Qiu Yunbo, Ruan Lingyun, Hex Junchen, Sunx Yang, Jiang Chen, and Bai Ling!

The ten of them stood in a row. The vital energy of each one was as vibrant as a rainbow, and the True Essence circulating within their bodies radiated outward, causing the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to churn violently.

It was like boiling water!

"Ahem!"

A light cough drew everyone’s attention. Looking toward the high platform, they saw Grand Elder Zong Rui sweeping his gaze over the crowd with a serious expression. His resonant voice boomed like a war drum. "Everyone, after a full day of bitter fighting yesterday, the new top ten of our Saint Martial Sword Sect’s Outer Sect have finally been decided. However, as the saying goes, ’there is no first in scholarship, and no second in martial arts.’ Since the top ten have been determined, we must naturally give them a fair ranking!"

"Next, the top-ten ranking matches will proceed based on the rankings of last year’s top ten prodigies, with Jiang Chen and Bai Ling filling the ninth and tenth positions. The ranking matches will follow a free-challenge rule. Everyone has three chances to challenge another person. A successful challenger will take the defender’s rank. This will continue until the final order is decided! Does anyone have any objections?"

Seeing that no one had any objections, Zong Rui nodded in satisfaction.

Just then, Luo Qing stepped forward, stared at Zong Rui, and said in a clear voice, "Grand Elder, this disciple has a question!"

"Speak!"

Zong Rui said with a smile.

Luo Qing glanced at Jiang Chen from the corner of his eye. With a cold expression, he asked, "What if, in the course of a match, one accidentally injures or kills an opponent?"

"As for that question..."

Zong Rui’s cold eyes swept over everyone, pausing for a moment on Jiang Chen. A sinister smile appeared on his face as he said lightly, "Fists and feet have no eyes, so some injuries and deaths are unavoidable. Of course, you cannot intentionally maim others. Otherwise, the match will proceed as normal, and no one is to interfere!"

"This disciple understands!"

"We understand!"

The experts of the Celestial Alliance said in unison.

In the crowd, Bai Ling frowned. She looked at Jiang Chen with worry and said in a low voice, "This rule never existed before. They suddenly brought it up today specifically to target you."

"I know."

Jiang Chen smiled faintly. A cold light glinted in his eyes as he looked at the Grand Elder, Luo Qing, and the others. He gave a slight smirk and muttered, ’I hope you won’t end up regretting this rule later!’

Before long, the Blood Battle Arena was summoned. This was an even larger arena than the one from Jiang Chen and Li Yunlong’s battle the day before.

It was as large as a hundred of the previous Blood Battle Arenas combined, sitting before the Earth Martial Hall like a massive fortress.

The top-ten ranking matches officially began.

The first to take the stage was Bai Ling. She flew up, her long white dress fluttering in the wind. Her cold gaze swept toward Sunx Yang as she said coolly, "Sunx Yang, come up and fight!"

"Hahaha, Junior Sister Bai, you’re actually choosing to challenge me?" Sunx Yang flew onto the Blood Battle Arena, his body radiating a crimson glow, a faint smile on his face.

Bai Ling said calmly, "Two years ago, you pursued my junior sister from the Tenth Hall, but you toyed with her affections and abandoned her, causing her to take her own life. Today, I will avenge her!"

"Which one are you talking about? So many women have died for me over the years, I can’t remember them all!" Sunx Yang said with a flippant air.

"You’re courting death!"

Bai Ling snorted coldly and shot forward, leaving a series of white afterimages in her wake.

Bai Ling also used a sword, a longsword that radiated an icy blue light.

A single sword strike, so cold it could freeze the stars!

Blue ice crystals materialized from thin air and slashed toward Sunx Yang.

"Fiery Sun Palm!"

Sunx Yang shouted coldly. Flames erupted from his body as a fiery palm print the size of a small hut fell from the sky.

BOOM!

Ice and fire collided, as irreconcilable as fire and water!

"Thousand-Mile Ice Seal!"

Bai Ling’s pretty face turned cold. Behind her, a translucent, blue Ice Phoenix materialized.

An Earth Tier Fifth Grade Martial Soul—the Ice Phoenix!

The Ice Phoenix flapped its wings, and a wave of pale blue frost mixed with the fierce wind, flying forward in a fan-shaped torrent of ice crystals. Under the blanket of frost, the crimson True Essence radiating from Sunx Yang’s body was frozen by the frigid wind, turning into a flame-shaped block of ice that covered him.

"I... I’m f*cked..."

Sunx Yang’s eyes widened in shock. He wanted to activate his True Essence, but it was already too late.

A layer of blue frost spread over his body, freezing him completely into an ice sculpture.

"Shatter!"

Bai Ling’s eyes were icy. With a light tap of her slender palm, there was a dull THUD. The ice sculpture that was Sunx Yang exploded, shattering into countless specks of ice that scattered across the Blood Battle Arena.

*HISS!*

The spectating crowd gasped.

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. Watching the frosty girl, the corner of his eye couldn’t help but twitch. He muttered, ’Holy shit, this woman is a total Female Tyrannosaurus!’