Paradise of Demonic Gods
chapter-216

Chapter 216: Contention for the Top Tier (Part II)

As the ice dragon was moving across the skies, several Knights were looking nervously at the tremendous maze under their feet.

Governor Devitt’s voice rang out, “Haha, there’s no need to be nervous. Don’t move recklessly, I’ll send all of you to your designated spots. If you recklessly move about, don’t blame me if you fall to your death.”

Everyone instantly froze up, as if they were really scared that if they were to recklessly move about, the Governor might make a blunder.

In the next moment, with a slight movement of Governor Devitt’s finger, the ice dragon disintegrated. Each of the examinees was supported by a piece of ice beneath their feet, and was sent toward their respective spot out of the one hundred in the maze.

The Knights who saw this scene were all once again astonished by the powers of a Conferred Knight. Regardless of whether it was the ice dragon which had cut across sky or the technique he had demonstrated when he was sending all one hundred Knights to their designated spots, both had displayed Governor Devitt’s terrifying strength.

Fang Xingjian also landed softly in the central spot of the maze, together with the block of ice. He then discovered that, with a dot as the center, a blood-red colored circle was drawn around the ten-meter radius.

From now on, in the competition, he needed to persevere within this circle, all the way to the end.

Just then, another booming sound rang out. In the east of the maze, a stone platform rose up from the ground to a height of over a hundred meters, as if it were an elevator. It had now become an elevated platform.

This was the work of the Deputy Governor Armstrong. All the spectators were located on the stone platform, looking down at the scene of the competition with great excitement.

Kirst’s City Lord was together with Lilia, Ferdinand, Anthony and Robert. Kirst’s City Lord said, “This stage tests the examinees’ ability to handle attacks head-on, as well as their survival abilities. It’s extremely advantageous for the Windstorm Sword Hero.”

Lilia nodded as she nervously looked at the maze, just like the others. Suddenly, shouted loudly, saying, “Look! Why is Teacher right in the middle of the maze?”

Kirst’s City Lord frowned, “Fang Xingjian was in first place in the previous stage. By right, he should have been the first person to choose his position. Does this mean that he has chosen this spot of his own accord?”

At the same time, the other spectators on the platform had also noticed that both Fang Xingjian and Anderson had chosen a post in the center of the maze, exclaiming loudly in their surprise. They had not expected for the two who had been ranked so highly in the previous stage to be taking such huge risks when there was a level 21 ferocious beast in the maze.

On a corner of the platform, Tresia Clan’s Xiu Yi and Zhou Yong had both arrived too. Xiu Yi had once thought of using the Ring of Lightning to win over Fang Xingjian, but he had ended up defeating him. Fang Xingjian had even defeated all eight Knights in the Tresia Clan, also abducting Kaunitz.

Kaunitz’s location was now unknown, and Tresia Clan had become like a wilting flower whose dazzling moment had passed, its reputation in Kirst taking a great plunge.

Zhou Yong was only there to observe, while Xiu Yi had been eliminated through the first stage. Looking at Fang Xingjian positioned in the center of the maze, Xiu Yi’s gaze was filled with hatred. Tresia Clan’s reputation had plunged, and he was also affected. Many businesses of his family had been affected, and their profits were plunging. As a result, his cultivating resources had also been reduced. How could he not hate Fang Xingjian?

Zhou Yong asked, “Martial Brother Xiu Yi, what is the clan head’s plan? Will he be coming?”

Xiu Yi coldly replied, “It’s useless even if the clan head were to come. However, he has already contacted Lord Adri (Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, level 25 Conferred Knight, the younger brother of Tresia Clan’s clan head). Lord Adri should be here very soon.”

“Lord Adri will be coming here in person?”

Xiu Yi nodded and said, “With the hatred of having the bloodline cut off, how could he not? Previously, the Lord had sent people in search of Fang Xingjian. It was one thing when we were unable to find him. Now, to think that he dares to openly appear in Great Western City and even participate in the Regional Selection…

“When Lord Adri is here, he’ll teach him a good lesson.”

Zhou Yong’s eyes lit up and said, “Look, Fang Xingjian chose a spot in the center.”

Xiu Yi said, “Hmph, arrogant fool. This Fang Xingjian is getting more and more arrogant the stronger he grows. It’s fine like this too. In order to cause someone’s downfall, it’s important to let them go wild first. The more arrogant he becomes, the closer he’ll be to failure.”

Regardless of the spectators’ chatter, with the one hundred examinees and the spectators in position, the four examiners, with Governor Devitt in the lead, headed to the north, south, east, and west of the maze respectively, observing from the air.

Governor Devitt spoke in a loud voice, “Then, I announce that the competition starts now.”

The next moment, the small hole in the middle of each designated spot immediately started releasing a large amount of beast-luring incense. This beast-luring incense was colorless, scentless, and useless on humans, but to ferocious beasts, it was highly intoxicating, and the best stimulant.

Amidst the nervousness and excitement of the countless anticipating Knights, one minute later, the first beast’s roar rang out ferociously. Its terrifying roar was a cross between that of a lion and that of a tiger, filled with endless viciousness and coldness.

And after this roar rang out, many other started to follow, filling up the entire maze in an instant, as if the competitors were in a primitive forest filled with various ferocious beasts.

While levitating, Governor Devitt snapped his fingers, activating his Killing technique – Hundred Dragon Ice Incantation. One hundred ice dragons made from frozen water vapour appeared above the maze, swimming continuously, just like true dragons, ready to save the examinees who would either give up or would lose their ability to fight.

But just as the competition started, the two Knights who had been together with David and had chosen the positions right next to Fang Xingjian suddenly made their moves.

Almost concurrently, they did the same action – each took out a dagger to slit his wrist. Blood spurted from the wounds, and they poured it into the small bottles they had prepared earlier.

They then attached each small bottle onto an arrow, knocked each arrow on a bow, and with two sharp sounds, the arrows cut across the sky toward Fang Xingjian’s spot, with the slightest curve.

Fang Xingjian frowned, not understanding what the two of them were up to. They were not allowed to attack each other in this stage. Although he could only sense through the wind, he could feel that the two arrows were shooting in his direction in a parabolic curve. They had been shot at a very slow speed, and the aim was off, thus making them unable to reach Fang Xingjian. They could only land on the outer ring of his designated spot.

However, although these two arrows would not hurt him, to be safe, he still activated the Luminous Heaven Soaring Slash, shooting out two streams of sword Qis to shoot down the two arrows.

However, as the sword Qis hit them, the glass bottles shattered as well. The fresh blood within splashed out and landed next to Fang Xingjian’s spot.

Fang Xingjian frowned. He had sensed the arrows through wind and sounds, but had been unable to sense that they also had glass bottles on them. This was the drawback of being blind.

This blood was very weird. After splashing on the ground, it immediately dried up and turned pitch-black, as if the essence within it had disappeared in an instant.

At the same time, the two Knights who had shot the arrows immediately raised their hands and shouted,

“I give up!”

“I give up!”