116: Chapter 116 Aaron decides on the tempering progress

Meanwhile, in the palace of Country M.

Many members of Country M's World Martial Arts Competition team gathered together with solemn expressions.

"Have Frank and Karen still not returned?"

At the head of the palace, Aaron Helens, dressed in white robes and possessing an aura as deep as an abyss, spoke in a low voice.

Strands of holy light surged from his body, filling the entire palace with an indescribable sense of pressure.

Under the surge of this Holy Light Power, the surrounding Country M ability users didn't even dare to breathe heavily.

"Yes, they... they still haven't returned!"

As a fellow Light Element ability user, Eva was significantly less affected and stepped forward to answer.

Hearing this, Aaron Helens looked up out the window, his gaze fixed directly on the blood moon in the sky.

"It seems they have met with misfortune!"

After a long silence, Aaron Helens continued in a low voice.

"That can't be right. Frank has real strength; maybe he's just hiding out there and will bring Karen back at dawn tomorrow!"

Another Sixth-Rank ability user spoke up, sounding somewhat incredulous.

Clearly, it was difficult to accept this reality. After all, Frank was one of Country M's top ability users with terrifying strength and a crucial combatant for this World Martial Arts Competition.

Karen went without saying; although she was only a Fifth-Rank ability user, she possessed rare dual talents and had limitless potential.

Now, the two of them...

"Even I wouldn't dare linger in the Ancient Mystic Realm at night. The two of them..."

Aaron Helens shook his head and continued.

Though Aaron Helens didn't finish his sentence, everyone understood that Frank and Karen were almost certainly dead.

Many had already witnessed just how terrifying the Xuanhuang Fortress's surroundings were at night.

"Aaron, Frank was highly capable and shouldn't have faced such danger in a place like this. Do you think... he might have been killed by someone else?"

A Sixth-Rank Esper said hesitantly.

"Heh, Frank was one of our Country M elites. How could people from other countries possibly eliminate him..."

"They probably encountered a seventh-tier or even eighth-tier King Beast..."

The other ability users nearby spoke slowly, their tones heavy.

Aaron didn't speak, sinking into thought.

His mind recalled the task he had given Frank during the day: to have him and Karen secretly deal with Zhou Bai, the one from Huaxia who wielded powerful Thunder Power.

Aaron didn't want Huaxia to have another expert capable of purifying violent Qi and Blood Power.

Therefore, he planned to secretly kill him before the Huaxia people noticed, maintaining his own dominant status.

"Has that Thunder Kid from Huaxia returned?"

Aaron asked next.

"He's back. That Thunder Kid even harvested over 40 points!"

Eva, standing nearby, replied.

"He's back!"

Aaron's brow twitched, and a thought immediately surfaced in his mind.

Could it be this Thunder Kid from Huaxia...

But that thought was dismissed the moment it appeared.

Frank's strength was so formidable, and with Karen's support, the two of them would have absolute certainty in dealing with any Sixth-Rank Huaxia martial artist.

Let alone a mere Thunder Kid...

"Since Frank is gone, we must replenish our ranks with a new Sixth-Rank as soon as possible!"

Aaron Helens suppressed the various thoughts in his heart and addressed the crowd.

"Before the fourth stage begins, we must cultivate a new Sixth-Rank. Otherwise, Country M may not be able to maintain its dominance in this World Martial Arts Competition..."

The surrounding ability users nodded.

"Let Eva replace Frank. Does anyone have an objection?"

Aaron Helens continued.

"Eva is very suitable. She has a Light Element talent and can naturally resist most of that violent Qi and Blood Power..."

"Correct, let it be Eva. Once she enters the Sixth-Rank, she can also help us purify violent Qi and Blood Power, increasing Country M's overall strength..."

No one else had any objections and followed Aaron Helens' decision.

"Then for the time being, everyone will hand over half of the fierce beast inner cores they obtain to Eva, letting her push for the Sixth-Rank with all her might..."

Aaron Helens continued.

The crowd nodded and then obediently produced the fierce beast inner cores they had acquired today.

Seeing everyone handing over the fierce beast inner cores they had worked so hard to hunt, Eva looked a bit hesitant.

"Eva, don't overthink it. For the coming period, focus entirely on breaking through to the Sixth-Rank. This is all for the honor of Country M!"

Aaron Helens saw Eva's uneasiness and spoke to her.

"I will definitely work hard!"

Hearing this, Eva nodded heavily, her eyes full of determination.

Then, after discussing a few other matters, Aaron Helens dismissed the crowd.

Aaron Helens walked to the window and looked at the red blood moon in the sky.

"Just cultivating one new Sixth-Rank isn't enough. I must use other methods to ensure Country M's absolute advantage..."

After a while, a flash of brutality crossed Aaron Helens' eyes as he muttered to himself...

...

The third day, morning.

"The effect of a sixth-tier fierce beast inner core is indeed much stronger than a fifth-tier one!"

Zhou Bai felt his Liver being continuously tempered, his face full of joy.

In two days, over two thousand fifth-tier fierce beast inner cores had been mostly consumed by Zhou Bai, and his Liver and Spleen were completely tempered.

The progress of his Stomach tempering had also reached one-fifth, and a majestic power surged within Zhou Bai's body.

Zhou Bai's Qi and blood had skyrocketed by over 100,000, reaching a staggering 320,000 Cal.

After the fifth-tier fierce beast inner cores were exhausted, Zhou Bai tried using a sixth-tier fierce beast inner core to temper his Stomach.

Unexpectedly, the effect of the sixth-tier fierce beast inner core exceeded Zhou Bai's expectations; the Qi and Blood Power within it boosted his Stomach tempering progress significantly, nearly ten times more than a fifth-tier beast's.

Furthermore, the time it took to absorb a sixth-tier fierce beast inner core was shorter than a fifth-tier one.

In just half an hour, dozens of sixth-tier fierce beast inner cores had brought Zhou Bai's Stomach progress to one-third.

"Fierce beast inner cores are truly good things. Unfortunately, the later the tempering of the Five Internal Organs gets, the more Qi and blood are required!"

Looking at the empty space where the fierce beast inner cores had been, Zhou Bai sighed and muttered in a low voice.

However, Zhou Bai didn't dwell on it too much; his rate of improvement was already incredibly rapid.

"I still need to find a way to get more fierce beast inner cores!"

Zhou Bai then left the room.

"God Bai, something has happened. Liu Wen, a member of our Huaxia World Martial Arts Competition team, didn't return to the Xuanhuang Fortress last night. He has likely been killed..."

As soon as Zhou Bai left the room, he heard a somewhat serious voice.

...