Chapter 979: Another Level Higher

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Fifth level of the Blood God Altar

Wei Longxing’s stature was menacing. With his arms behind his back, his tiger-like eyes burned brightly. “The sect has truly been filled with geniuses in recent years. Today’s battle is getting more interesting.”

Hai Lingyin’s gaze fell upon Zhang Ruochen. He smiled. “When I first saw you at Qianyuan Mountain, I knew that you were extraordinary. You didn’t disappoint me.”

Wei Longxing’s battle intent grew stronger. Filled with confidence, he said, “Since we’re all here, let’s begin the second trial. Whoever becomes the Deity will depend on the strength of the opponent you challenge.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

Hai Lingyin and Sun Dadi both couldn’t wait to fight. Their auras soared, bursting powerfully from their bodies.

“Not yet.” Zhang Ruochen looked very indifferent as he gazed upward. “Since I’m already at the fifth level, I should at least try for the sixth level, shouldn’t I?”

Hearing this, Wei Longxing, Hai Lingyin, and even Sun Dadi were surprised. Climb to the sixth level of the Blood God Altar?

After all, they’d already used all their might to climb to the fifth. How could they continue to the sixth level? Plus, the number of Deity and Saintess candidates throughout history who’d climbed to the sixth level could be counted easily. They’d mostly become figures who’d ruled over the entire Kunlun’s Field.

For example, the genius prodigy who’d comprehended the Blood God Map 1,000 years ago had reached the sixth level of the altar. It was hard for another one like him to appear in the following millennium.

Otherwise, how could he be called a genius prodigy?

Sun Dadi massaged his scalp. “That’s right. Since we’re already in the fifth level, we should at least try. After all, the other candidates don’t even have a chance to try.”

With that, Sun Dadi and Zhang Ruochen stepped on the bloody bones on the path to the sixth level. The bones underfoot were very hard and shone with jade-like light.

A steep cliff was in the near distance. It was thousands of feet from the ground. Beside the bloody mist, there were various huge saint souls. They floated in the air, crying out sharply.

Hearing the roars, Sun Dadi’s chest felt stuffy. He was dizzy and couldn’t concentrate. The Sea of Qi at his brow was about to explode.

In the end, Wei Longxing and Hai Lingyin also pursued them and started climbing toward the sixth level together.

Wei Longxing was filled with battle intent. Walking like a dragon, he said calmly, “Whoever gets the closest to the sixth level will have a stronger potential. Thankfully you three are here, forcing me to use my potential to my greatest extent.”

The four candidates climbed toward the sixth level together. It was the first time this scene appeared since the middle ages. Even the various Saints were fascinated and intrigued, let alone the regular disciples. They all paid close attention to the competition.

Whoosh!

Red flames shot out of Sun Dadi, soaring 30 feet into the sky. The hot flames formed the apparition of a saint monkey. It became one with his body.

Wei Longing’s five-colored saint armor was extraordinary. It was covered in colorful lights and five-colored clouds floated out. They wrapped around him, pushing back the pressure of the altar.

Blue fiery wings sprouted from Hai Lingyin’s back. After they unfurled, they were around 70 feet long. They radiated with powerful saintly Qi. He was like a Luan in human form.

Seeing the blue Luan wings on Hai Lingyin’s back, an elder in the Saint Realm nodded softly. “Hai Lingyin has received the inheritance of a Blue Luan Beast Emperor from the Savage Barren Territory. He will definitely become a Saint within the decade.”

The Blood God Sect Hierarch who’d been quiet this entire time uttered a rare comment, “The resting dragon has exited the abyss and will parade throughout the world.”

With the blue Luan wings, Hai Lingyin’s speed picked up. He quickly reached the front. However, he didn’t lower his guard at all, because Gu Linfeng still looked calm. He didn’t activate his saint soul laksana at all.

Before, Hai Lingyin had thought that Wei Longxing was his biggest opponent. Now, it seemed that Gu Linfeng was his true opponent.

Zhang Ruochen didn’t change his rhythm just because Hai Lingyin reached the front. He continued forward at an even pace, adjusting his mindset to the optimal state.

Around 15 minutes later, Zhang Ruochen had surpassed Hai Lingyin and reached the forefront.

Even with the Luan wings’ help, Hai Lingyin continued to slow down. He could only look at Gu Linfeng’s back.

“How can he be so…relaxed?”

Hai Lingyin’s entire body bulged with veins and he panted heavily. He was at his limit. Finally, he was forced to stop climbing to the top. If he continued, it might be dangerous.

He looked back and saw that Wei Longxing and Sun Dadi had both stopped too. They were seven or eight steps away from him.

He hasn’t slowed down at all. How can he be so strong?

Wei Longxing’s eyes were trained on Gu Linfeng as he walked further away. Wei Longxing felt troubled. He felt unwillingness to accept this, suspicion, despair, and some kind of anger.

“As expected of Brother Gu,” Sun Dadi sighed. “You have to be impressed.”

Zhang Ruochen naturally didn’t know how the people behind him felt. He continued walking steadily, approaching the sixth level.

When he successfully reached the sixth level of the altar, all the Blood God Sect Monks below him seemed to be turned to stone. They were silent. The atmosphere was extremely eerie.

Boom.

Half a beat later, a tsunami of noise crashed through the world.

“Gu Linfeng’s potential actually surpassed Hai Lingyin.”

“I heard that Gu Linfeng’s technique is the Blood Dragon Scripture. It’s only a superior-class Ghost Level technique. How can he do this?”

“Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable. Gu Linfeng’s talent is comparable to that genius prodigy from 1,000 years ago?”

Everyone looked at that man standing on the sixth level of the altar with different expressions. Some were expressions of awe, some of jealousy, and others of suspicion.

“Are these his true abilities?” Bai Yu’s face burned as if someone had slapped him.

“Did I misjudge him?” The Saintess had also gone blank and dazed. The man she’d scorned before had actually reached the sixth level of the altar. Even she couldn’t reach such a height.

It seemed like she had to change her plans about how to interact with Gu Linfeng. Even if a talent like him couldn’t become the Deity, she still had to win him over with all her might.

The various Saints at the top of the altar could no longer contain themselves. They all looked over at Discipline King Haiming.

“The Discipline King’s grand-disciple is truly a rare genius,” the palace lord of the Nether Heavenly Palace said. “I don’t believe that he’s only cultivated the Blood Dragon Scripture.”

Discipline King Tianji scoffed. “Old Haiming, you’ve really calculated well these years and secretly taught such a powerful grand-disciple. It was all for today, wasn’t it?”

The various Saints of the Blood God Sect all thought that Gu Linfeng was his secret disciple that he’d trained to take the Deity position unexpectedly.

No one suspected Gu Linfeng at all. Such a tricky thing could only have been Discipline King Haiming’s idea.

The old man sat squarely in his seat and combed his whiskers. His ancient eyes flashed coldly. At that moment, he already believed that something was wrong with Gu Linfeng.

He didn’t expose Gu Linfeng though. If Gu Linfeng could become the Deity, it was also beneficial to Discipline King Haiming. Of course, he had to use some extreme tactics to completely control Gu Linfeng.

Should I try for the seventh or eighth level? Zhang Ruochen thought, standing at the sixth level.

Ever since he’d started cultivating, he’d cultivated each realm to the limit. He also had the God’s Destiny. His foundations were firmer than the others. His potential was also boundless.

The sixth level of the Blood God Altar wasn’t his limit. However, he didn’t try for the seventh and just stopped there. After all, he wasn’t in this competition to show off. He was only here to get the Deity’s position.

Since he was at the sixth level, he already had the absolute advantage. There was no need to try for the seventh level.

“Why isn’t Gu Linfeng climbing to the seventh level?”

“I feel like he hasn’t used all his power. If he tries, he most likely can reach the seventh level and create a miracle.”

“He’s probably saving up his energy to prepare for the second test. After all, with his current height, he will become the next Deity as long as he passes the second test…”

…

Whether he could become the Deity or not still depended on the second test.

“If he fails the second test, it’ll be useless no matter how high he climbs.” Wei Longxing didn’t give up. He believed that he still had a chance to snatch the position of the Deity.

Whoosh!

He pressed onto the altar and injected his Holy Qi. Eerie wind instantly blew through the abyss. Shreds of bloody Qi gathered toward Wei Longxing, forming 13 figures that stood neatly in the air.

These were the apparitions of the 13 Deities throughout the Blood God Sect’s history. The 13 Deities had all left behind their apparitions while climbing the Blood God Altar in the ninth level of the Half-Saint Realm.

As long as Wei Longxing defeated any of them, he would pass the second test.

The 13 Deities are of different abilities. I can only surpass Gu Linfeng by defeating a stronger one.

Wei Longxing looked to one of them. “Deity Yuan Hong, I challenge you.”

Whoosh.

Deity Yuan Hong’s apparition descended from the sky, standing across from Wei Longxing. The other 12 apparitions dissipated instantly.

Deity Yuan Hong had actually died 80,000 years ago. The figure before Wei Longxing was only an image made from the mysterious power of the altar.

The intelligence, combat ability, and Spiritual Intent of this image was identical to Deity Yuan Hong when he was a ninth level Half-Saint.

“You’re quite brave for daring to challenge me,” Deity Yuan Hong’s apparition said, chuckling. “Don’t you know that I’ve never met an opponent of the same plane?”