The Divine Nine-Dragon Cauldron
chapter-117

"All competitors are to bring their jade identity cards and come forward to receive a contest number plate in accordance with your Hundred Vassal Clans ranking!" announced the umpire on the central arena.

Yun Yan took a deep breath. She was slightly nervous, helpless, and forlorn.

Slowly getting up, Yun Yan bid Su Yu farewell and forced herself to smile, "I hope you see your betrothed and send my regards to her."

Feeling the sorrow in Yun Yan's heart, Su Yu nodded, "After the contest, regardless of the outcome, please wait a moment for me. I have something I would like to give to you alone."

Slightly surprised, the tension in Yun Yan's heart eased. She gently smiled and left gracefully.

"Brother Su, it's the Li family's turn to draw the number plates," The three juniors from the Li Family, reverently and respectfully prompted Su Yu.

Su Yu used the Li family's name to enter the Liuxian Faction, so naturally, he would be with them to draw a number plate.

Lightly sucking in his breath, Su Yu stepped forward and received the number plate "111."

"The hundred-strong match will start now, and in accordance with the given number plates, all three thousand people will be divided into one hundred groups! The number plates are assigned randomly."

Su Yu was assigned to the tenth group.

"The hundred-strong match rules are as follows; you will challenge each other within the group and volunteer to go to the arena to accept any challenge. If no one dares to fight you, you will be ranked first in the group and advance to the hundred-strong stage!"

Though this rule was slightly unfair, it had the element of luck.

If within the group, there were extremely fearsome, strong contestants, like the Three Heavenly Kings from outside of the Sanctum, then the rest of the contestants would have no hope of being in the top one hundred and could only swallow their pride.　　

Still, this would save a lot of time!

"The challenge begins now for the first group!"

In the first group, there were thirty people who were ready for the match at the preparation platform.

Swish—

With a smile on his lips, a young man with a proud expression darted to the arena, cupped his fists, and proclaimed, "Everyone, if there is anyone who wants to overrule me, Ling Feng, come forward and fight..."

Ling Feng was a strong First Level Peak Holy King! Outside of the Sanctum, preceded only by the Three Heavenly Kings, he was placed one of the top ten martial artists.

Naturally, he was qualified to defend the arena.

However, after he had spoken, the crowd silently looked him up and down strangely.

Ling Feng felt apprehensive and re-examined the group he was placed with.

Suddenly, a figure made him jump and his face turned ashen.

"The First Heavenly King from outside of the Sanctum, Zhao Wuxie!"

Behind the crowd of people was a twenty-something-year-old young man with an ordinary face. He sat cross-legged and was quiet. He wore plain green clothes.

Of a mild temperament, he gave off an amiable feeling to others.

Slowly opening his eyes, Zhao Wuxie softly chuckled, "This opportunity is hard to come by, you should learn from each other. I will go to the arena later."

Ling Feng's face was pale and he was quiet for a moment. Then he cupped his fists, bowed, and dejectedly left the arena, "I forfeit." Ling Feng did not have any courage when faced with the First Heavenly King.

The difference between a Second Level Peak Holy King and Ling Feng was like that between clouds and mud. Ling Feng could use all his power and it would still be difficult to leave a single scratch.

The arena was silent for a moment, with no one else stepping forward. Everyone looked powerless, pained, and aggrieved.

For them to encounter Zhao Wuxie after they had waited for the annual Fallen Star Contest, it was so unfortunate!

After a short silence, Zhao Wuxie gently sighed and slowly stepped into the arena, "Is anyone willing to challenge me, Zhao Wuxie, to a match?"

All twenty-nine men lowered their heads, along with everyone else in the crowd.

Zhao Wuxie's eyes had a flash of disappointment. He was bit lonely, wishing for at least a single opponent.

He was a lonely king outside of the Sanctum.

There were more than three thousand people here, but no opponent for him.

After the umpire's announcement, Zhao Wuxie bleakly walked off the arena.

And so the first group was quickly finished.

Zhao Wuxie, the First Heavenly King from outside of the Sanctum, was the supreme king whom three thousand people looked up to. He was the most promising disciple from outside of the Sanctum in the last century.

All the following few matches took about an hour for each fight.

At the fifth match, one person took the lead and jumped up from the fifth group, "Is there anyone who wants to challenge me, Zhao Longyang, to a match?"

He was about twenty years old and wore tight black clothes. His dark skin and rough features gave off an air of malice.

His cultivation base had reached a fearsome Second Level Upper Tier Holy King level! He was the Second Heavenly King from outside of the Sanctum, Zhao Longyang!

At this moment, his grin looked somewhat sinister.

It was quiet under the arena and everyone in his group looked tense, even fearful.

They revered Zhao Wuxie and feared Zhao Longyang.

Zhao Longyang was vicious with his blows, fighting with him would result in serious injuries. So, no one took up his challenge.

"What a bunch of useless trash," Zhao Longyang smirked and left the arena.

The umpire declared Zhao Longyang the winner.

The next match, an eighteen-year-old youth of a tall build with an aloof expression leaped onto the arena.

Handsome and callous, he stood with his arms folded. His eyes were icy, causing people to shudder.

His cultivation base had reached Second Level Lower Tier Holy King!

This person was the Third Heavenly King, Jiang Ming.

"Anyone want to fight me?"

Under the arena, an unfortunate First Level Peak Holy King stepped up to the arena.

"I'm Zhao Lin and I'm willing to fight with you." Zhao Lin was a rare strong female contestant from outside of the Sanctum.

After leaping into the arena, she immediately made her move.

"Golden Flower Finger!" Zhao Lin's jade-like hand lightly pointed, and a dazzling five-pointed golden light illuminated everyone.

Many spectators closed their eyes.

Zhao Lin hid within the golden light, it was difficult to distinguish her figure.

Swish—

Suddenly, her pale hand abruptly shot out from the golden light and struck Jiang Ming's body.

Jiang Ming could not open his eyes under the golden glare. So, Jiang Ming was unable to guard against her silent palm.

Ah—

A miserable shriek came from within the golden light. Zhao Lin's delicate body flew back as if she had been electrocuted.

Jiang Ming's shoulders had only given a shake just now, and Zhao Lin was jolted back.

"You dare show your incompetence with such paltry skill?" Jiang Ming opened his eyes, icily arrogant.

"Who else?" Jiang Ming scanned the entire crowd, but there was no one else to fight.

It was another speedy match.

The many group matches that followed were remarkable, but not as breathtaking.

Even in the tenth match, Su Yu's group, there was no other Holy King apart from Su Yu!

Dashing toward the arena, Su Yu gave off the air of a Holy King. He looked around at the other twenty-nine people, "If there is any challenger, please be quick and let's get this over with!"

He was itching to get on with it and fight with the strongest contestant of the Fallen Star Contest so that he could enter the Inner Sanctum and take Xianer away!

Huh? In front of the arena, the disciples from outside of the Sanctum found him unfamiliar, no one knew this fourteen-year-old First Level Holy King.

"I, Liu Bao, will give it a go," A half holy king leaped onto the arena.

About twenty-five years old, he looked fierce and severe. He was full of killing intent.

"Liu Bao? He challenged a First Level Holy King before and did not struggle. He hunts in the mountains all year round and has ample experience in actual combat. Many new Holy Kings find it difficult to deal with him."

Lightly licking his lips, Liu Bao secretly thought about whether he could beat this young Holy King. Even if it was hard to fight his way into the top nine, he could still enter the top one hundred, and he could inevitably rise to fame.

"Ha!" Liu Bao was terse, blunt, swift, and violent.

In the blink of an eye, he threw a punch at Su Yu's face.

When he saw how slow Su Yu's movement was, his heart was overjoyed. As expected, he was not experienced in actual combat and was just a junior who had used elixirs to advance himself.

However, Liu Bao's joy was short-lived.

A strand of Su Yu's silver hair drifted forward and lightly touched his fist, which instantly turned into ice. The ice immediately spread to his entire body and turned him into an ice sculpture.

Su Yu never made a move from start to finish.

"Is there anyone else?" Su Yu indifferently scanned the remaining twenty-eight people.

Under the arena, there was a stunned silence; this holy king was powerful!

Without a doubt, Su Yu advanced to the top one hundred.

The few who had noticed this match were envious and jealous. Especially the defeated First Level Peak Holy Kings, "It's just pure luck, no big deal, if it were me I would be able to fight my way into the top one hundred too."

Though Su Yu quickly ended the fight, he did not have a breathtaking win. On the contrary, he was despised even more.

The next twenty matches were ordinary and mediocre.

Contrary to what one might expect, it was the lucky ones who made the spectators felt indignant and resentful.

Wu Pangyun's opponent was only a First Level Lower Tier Holy King, who he easily defeated.

Yun Yan's situation was similar to Su Yu's, there was no holy king in her group.

The hundred-strong competition was completed. Besides the Three Heavenly Kings, the three extremely lucky, unfamiliar newbies were the focus of attention.

"The ten-strong competition starts now! A total of one hundred and two contestants will be randomly divided into nine groups. The number one contender will advance to the next round!

"The competition is a two-defeat system! Each person is allowed two matches, if he loses once, he may challenge one more time. If he is defeated both times, then he's eliminated on the spot!"

This system used slightly more time but was fairer.

Those people who had paid attention to Su Yu seemed amused, "It seems like the luck of Su Yu and Wu Pangyun has run out, they are actually grouped with Jiang Ming of the Three Heavenly Kings."

"Hehe... it's better this way, what qualifications do they have to gain the glory of the hundred-strong? Kick them out as soon as possible to show the standard and quality of the Fallen Star Contest. Not anyone can make his mark as he wishes."

On the arena, "The first match is Jiang Ming versus Wu Pangyun!" The umpire looked at the contestant's level of cultivation base, descending from the highest to lowest, in order to arrange a match.

Many spectators could not help but cheer. It was interesting that the starting match was a Heavenly King against a lucky newbie!

Wu Pangyun firmly swallowed and cursed darkly. He thought that he could fight his way into the top nine, but he had already encountered the Three Heavenly Kings once he was in the top one hundred!

Jiang Ming stood with his arms folded and an indifferent look in his eyes, "Make your move! Your good fortune is all used up!"

Gnashing his teeth, Wu Pangyun suddenly struck!

"Moon Cracking Palm!!" A deity level cultivation technique of the Top Realm imbued the First Level Upper Tier Holy King with spiritual energy. It was terrifying beyond compare.

Jiang Ming stood motionless for a long time. He looked indifferent and his eyes never even registered Wu Pangyun.

The expression in his eyes was very subtle and it exquisitely conveyed his condescending attitude!

Boom—

Wu Pangyun's palm loudly struck Jiang Ming in the chest!

However, it was like Wu Pangyun had just struck a big rock!

Pow—

The rebounded force jolted Wu Pangyun's internal organs, and he puked up blood on the spot!

"Wu Pangyun is defeated!" The umpire coldly declared.

The spectators in the stands mocked and ridiculed him.

"Has he finally been exposed? Zhao Lin was already jolted back, he was foolish to attack. It'd be strange if he did not puke up blood!"

Amid the jeering sounds, Wu Pangyun felt ashamed.

"The second match is Jiang Ming versus Su Yu!"

Just as he was stepping down from the arena, Su Yu brushed past Wu Pangyun's shoulder and walked up to the arena.

Because he was overly sensitive in addition to the rift between both men, Wu Pangyun felt Su Yu had given him a mocking glance when they had passed each other.

"Su Yu!" Wu Pangyun snapped angrily as he stopped in his tracks and glared at Su Yu's back.

Su Yu calmly turned around, "What's the matter?"

He was puzzled when he saw Wu Pangyun's expression. When had he provoked Wu Pangyun?

"Su, don't be too cocky! You and I are quite similar in our abilities. Since I've failed, how much better can you be? If you humiliate me now, aren't you afraid of being humiliated by others?" Wu Pangyun snarled.

Su Yu was slightly stumped, then he understood Wu Pangyun's suggestible mentality at this moment.

His mouth slanted to a side and as he gave a sneer, "Useless thing!"

"If you want my ridicule, I'll let you have it." Su Yu pretended to look like he had no choice in the matter as he turned and stepped onto the arena.

"You!" Wu Pangyun's face turned pale and then turned a bright red. "Very well! I'm going to see how you will end up next!"

Jiang Ming stood proudly with a patronizing look in his eyes, he did not even register Su Yu's figure.

"Another extremely lucky junior..." Jiang Ming gently sighed helplessly, "You all do not deserve to fight me, but what am I supposed to do? This is the arena. I, Jiang, can only make do!" A deep loathing formed in his expression, "So make your move! Let's get this over with quickly!"

It disgusted him even being in the same arena as someone like Su Yu, who seemed to have relied on luck to get this far.

"Let's get it over with quickly? Very well! I, Su, have the same idea!" Su Yu looked on impassively, "So, please make your move. Otherwise, you won't get the chance to do so!"