The Divine Nine-Dragon Cauldron
chapter-155

"I cannot agree." Su Yu was clear and concise. He spoke from his heart.

The Fourth Elder was startled, Su Yu had indeed refused!

"Was the condition that I, this old and revered man, offered, not sincere enough?" the Fourth Elder calmly asked.

The Abyss of Wutong's predetermined spot and the additional guidance; though the information would not be as good as the top-grade marrow cleansing elixir in terms of value, it was also not too far off.

Su Yu tactfully refused. "This Elder's offer was hard to come by. But it's just that this disciple is unable to let go of the elixir."

"Why?" The Fourth Elder had a cold glint deep in his eyes, which was a warning sign of his impending anger.

"This disciple is in urgent need of a breakthrough and the top-grade marrow cleansing elixir is crucial for this disciple," Su Yu helplessly sighed.

He couldn't give up the elixir!

Would the Fourth Elder even honor his promise? The so-called guidance lacked a precise explanation.

Having received such a reply, the Fourth Elder's eyes gradually narrowed. He slowly nodded after a long while. "Well, I understand. You can go back."

After waiting for Su Yu to leave, the Fourth Elder's face became gloomy. "I have tried to be nice and you refused. Maybe you prefer the hard way!"

At this point, the break was over.

"The duel segment continues. Five matches had already been completed and the ring defender will be changed. Another five duels start again! It's now your turn." The Fourth Elder appeared to have randomly chosen a Fifth Level Holy King.

But everyone knew in their hearts that this person named Yang Fan was one of the four predetermined disciples.

He was the Fourth Elder's young disciple! Among the four predetermined disciples, his ability was the weakest.

Therefore, the Fourth Elder selected him to get on the ring first, to let him have the chance to challenge the remaining Fifth Level Lower Tier Holy Kings and win a few more duels to gain enough points.

Of all the competitors present, apart from Su Yu (who was a Fourth Level Holy King), there were four Fifth Level Lower Tier Holy Kings. They were enough for Yang Fan to obtain five consecutive points!

If Yang Fan could defeat his opponent in the final duel, he could rely on his score to successfully pass and advance.

Fierce and imposing, Yang Fan was of a medium stature with messy hair. Both his eyes were bright and full of expression, they occasionally shone with an astonishing gleam. He was a strong, powerful presence as he stood tall and towering on the ring.

"Zhang Liangli, come up!" Yang Fan pointed to a female Fifth Level Lower Tier Holy King of that name.

Swish—

The woman who was over thirty years old with attractive looks—though, she was already a married woman. Her features were natural and without makeup. Her gaze was crystal clear. She was virtuous and respectable.

Looking at Yang Fan, Zhang Liangli's brows slightly creased; she felt a little helpless and worried.

She was a good-looking woman and her husband's ability was merely that of a Fourth Level Peak Holy King. With no one to rely on, her beauty was inevitably lusted after in the Faction.

One admirer was Yang Fan.

His ability was strong, he was the Fourth Elder's second disciple! His repeated harassment of her did not work. He had secretly threatened and tried to coerce her into submission.

A month ago, her husband was challenged to a fight and was seriously injured. He was still bedridden to this day. All of these incidents were secretly instigated by Yang Fan.

If she still did not submit to his wishes, obey him, and satisfy his demands, the married couple's days would become even more difficult.

Zhang Liangli was already wavering and struggling within, but she was worried that once Yang Fan had a taste of her sweetness, he would become greedy and want more from her. Then she would never escape his clutches and be reduced into his plaything in the future.

Now, Yang Fan had found a chance to directly challenge her, and to seize the opportunity to beat her.

"Senior Sister Zhang, make your move." Yang Fan looked severe, only his eyes were burning with passion and scorn.

Zhang Liangli took a light breath and with no other choice, she made her move!

It was one thing for her ability to be less than Yang Fan, but with the Fourth Elder watching ringside too, how would she dare to strike with a heavy blow?

"Heartless Fallen Petals!"

Zhang Liangli's lovely figure gracefully danced and twirled, like a spinning flower.

A pink mist began to envelop and wrap her body with a charming veil, she looked like a spring flower.

But the pink mist contained a power that made people drowsy.

Su Yu looked surprised. Zhang Liangli's cultivation technique was closer to the auxiliary type, when it was paired with someone else's, it would achieve a multiplier effect.

Yang Fan slightly smirked. "Senior Sister Zhang's Heartless Fallen Petals has matured and become more skilled!"

Thud, thud—

With a mocking smile, Yang Fan took a few steps back to avoid being hit.

In this way, he would not get too close to Zhang Liangli.

However, Yang Fan's teasing smile deepened. "Unfortunately, I'm destined to be the bane of your existence!"

Only Zhang Liangli could understand the hidden meaning in his words. And that was if he could not get Zhang Liangli, he would never rest.

At the same time, there was another meaning!

And that was... he could restrict her cultivation technique!

Swish—

Yang Fan activated his spiritual energy and concentrated it within his eyes.

Instantly, his eyes changed from his ordinary dark color and suddenly to a scarlet color!

Waves of gleaming light which also looked like a burning flame circulated within his eyes.

"Divine Pupils Flames!" Yang Fan lightly chuckled.

Pop—

Suddenly two small beams of scarlet flames blasted out from within his eyes!

The speed was comparable to a light beam!

When Zhang Liangli became aware that something was wrong, it was a little too late. The beams of scarlet flames had already passed through the powder mist and had struck her chest and abdomen!

Ah—

Crying out in pain, Zhang Liangli was so badly hit by the two seemingly weak flames that she vomited blood and flew backward!

She was hurled exactly toward Su Yu beside the ring.

With a calm expression, Su Yu's hands reached out and caught Zhang Liangli so he could avoid being hit by her body as well.

Feeling his strength behind her, Zhang Liangli lifted her eyes and mournfully smiled. "Thank you, Junior Brother Su..."

On the ring, Yang Fan saw the two people in close contact and his eyes turned cold. "Boy, mind your own business!"

Zhang Liangli belonged to him, he would not tolerate other men touching her!

Su Yu fearlessly looked up into his cold eyes. "You can challenge me!"

As a powerful Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King, he had exceeded Su Yu's limit.

But, in the end, a fight was inevitable. Even if Su Yu was no match for him, he also needed to try his best!

Yang Fan contemptuously smiled. "Soon it'll be your turn, so there's no rush! Enjoy your last moments!"

With these words, Yang Fan gave Zhang Liangli a deep meaningful look.

Zhang Liangli's lovely body shuddered. Fear and a sense of powerlessness sprang up in her eyes.

Her wavering heart was going to crumble, she... had no other choice. If she did not submit to him and satisfy his needs, it would be impossible for her and her husband at the Faction. Things would only get worse.

Aware of Zhang Liangli's change of mind, Yang Fan looked away in satisfaction. Then he immediately challenged the next Fifth Level Lower Tier Holy King instead of Su Yu!

Furthermore, the next three matches were all with the other Fifth Level Lower Tier Holy Kings.

Yang Fan would rather choose the same level of Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King than Su Yu! To avoid any mishaps, Yang Fan was saving the weakest Su Yu for the end, to ensure that the last duel was foolproof!

After all, if he were to be defeated, there was still some leeway. With the Fourth Elder's status, the rules for the next round of assessment could still be revised at the last moment to allow him to get on the ring again and no one would object.

But if the last duel was lost to someone of the same level, then he would not have a chance again!

Therefore, he would rather challenge the contenders of the same level now, and to save Su Yu for the end, to use him as a stepping stone!

You want to use me as a stepping stone? Su Yu's eyes flashed icily!

The duel between Yang Fan and the Fifth Level Holy King was brilliant.

Although he was facing a comparably strong opponent of the same level, his pair of scarlet-flamed pupils was indeed a thorny challenge.

The two competitors dueled for fifty rounds. Then Yang Fan finally had the upper hand and swept his opponent off the ring!

The Fourth Elder nodded a little and lightly breathed a sigh of relief. Everything proceeded according to plan.

So far, ten duels had completed.

Ten competitors were eliminated and ten remained.

"For the final round of duel, we will match you with your opponent. It is a one-on-one duel. If you can defeat five competitors, you will become a member of the Abyss of Wutong!" The Fourth Elder announced and provisionally added, "Also, your cumulative score will be taken into consideration too."

Everyone was mystified by the last sentence.

However, the allocation of opponents soon began and the Fourth Elder took the initiative to assign them.

Su Yu noticed that for the four predetermined disciples, their assigned opponents were not each other but the other disciples who were not part of the prearrangement.

A Fifth Level Peak Holy King predetermined disciple was up against a Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King.

The disciples like Mo Wu, who were beyond the Holy King level, would face a Fifth Level Peak Holy King.

Furthermore, to guarantee that everything would go according to plan, the Fourth Elder did not assign the four predetermined disciples to Tang Yixuan, the Sixth Level Holy King.

So, Tang Yixuan's opponent must be a non-determined disciple.

Unsurprisingly, Su Yu's opponent was Yang Fan!

When their pairing was announced, the Fourth Elder seemed to unintentionally glance at Su Yu. His eyes were frosty with a hint of reprisal.

Su Yu secretly shook his head. He was a dignified Elder, and yet he was so narrow-minded!

It was one thing to shamelessly demand a disciple's item, but when his demand was not met, he would go as far as to secretly harm him; his dark nature was sickening!

When he analyzed the Faction's upper echelon, the ugliest-looking Second Elder turned out to be the most admirable.

After he had been in contact with the upper echelon of the Faction, he could tell that the Faction Master might be sanctimonious, but he lived in fear of offending the Great Elder. He stood by and did nothing when Su Yu was going to be killed by the Great Elder.

The Third Elder had used rewards to deceive the disciples to accept a deadly six-people mission. Though he looked earnest, he regarded the disciples' lives as worthless in his heart.

Not to mention the Great Elder, Fourth Elder, and Tenth Elder.

Such a large Faction, and yet only the Second Elder was trustworthy.

In such a Faction, it was hard for Su Yu to have a sense of belonging.

At this point, the single-elimination duel finally began.

Tang Yixuan was first up and his opponent was a Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King.

Towering on the ring, Tang Yixuan stood with his hands behind and coldly glared at his opponent. "Do you want an invitation from me to leave the ring, or do you want to roll off on your own?"

His opponent, a Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King, gave a bitter smile, cursed his bad luck and took the initiative to concede!

A Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King's gap from a Sixth Level Holy King was just too wide!

Soon after it was Mo Wu of the Dragon Realm and she was the Faction's Four Great Core Disciples. In the presence of such transcendental existence, the Fifth Level Peak Holy King did not even step up to the ring, he had no choice but to concede.

The remaining two predetermined disciples also swiftly defeated their opponents with their absolute crushing advantages.

In a blink of an eye, out of the seemingly endless five duels, four duels had ended with jaw-dropping speed!

Finally, only the last duel remained!

It was the predetermined disciple Yang Fan against Su Yu!

A Fifth Level Upper Tier Holy King and a Fourth Level Lower Tier Holy King.

Their huge gap was like heaven and Eath.

Swish—

Yang Fan took the lead and leaped onto the ring. His fierce eyes held a hint of taunting. "Come on up for a fight, Su Yu!"

After he finished speaking, his lips were still moving as he vaguely mouthed a few words.

The others did not notice, only Su Yu could read his lips and understood.

They were those three words—my stepping stone!

The Fourth Elder had arranged a stepping stone for his own disciple!

With a cold look, Su Yu walked up to the ring with a calm expression. "Your stepping stone? I hope you don't trip over your stepping stone!"

The two men looked at each other and their battle ignited in a flash!