197: Arrive on time

"What happened just now?"

"I... I don't know..."

"Was it an earthquake?"

Everyone present felt the strong tremor.

But it came and went quickly, so almost no one knew the reason.

"This aura is..." Southern Palace East frowned, preparing to summon the Emperor's Jade Seal to deduce the source of the tremor.

"Haha, it's just an ordinary earthquake." Saint Wuxu said expressionlessly, casually concluding the matter.

"The Saint Lord is right."

"Indeed, I also think it's an earthquake."

"Hahaha, a mere earth dragon turning over, how can it harm cultivators like us?"

The others dared not defy Saint Wuxu's opinion in the slightest; even Southern Palace East could only retrieve his jade seal after a brief hesitation.

After Saint Wuxu finished speaking and calmed everyone's minds, he closed his eyes again, like an old monk in meditation.

"Holy crap, Saint Wuxu?!" Meng Yun's heart suddenly tightened in alarm: "I calculated everything, but I never expected Central State to send him over?!"

Now, Tianjian Dynasty won't be able to avoid trouble!

"Nangong Jing, my stomach hurts a bit, perhaps from insomnia last night. I'll be right back..." Meng Yun covered his stomach and ran off.

"Hey, we still have one more match, remember to come back!"

"Got it!" Meng Yun's figure gradually receded, disappearing into the crowd.

Whether there would be a chance for the next match, it was truly uncertain now!

Due to the Twin Flowers trait, Meng Yun's own karma had been completely severed, so he didn't need to worry about attracting excessive attention from Saint Wuxu.

At this moment, Meng Yun was standing at the edge of the Imperial City, frantically inserting array talismans into the ground.

As one talisman after another sank into the earth, sweat gradually appeared on Meng Yun's forehead.

"Damn it, it's Saint Wuji's hidden energy reserve!"

Meng Yun gritted his teeth, his original plan to set up the grand array step by step now forced into a rushed construction!

If, before this, the probability of Tianjian Dynasty's demise had dropped to less than half, then at this very moment, that probability was almost one hundred percent!

Even with him, a cheat, constantly disrupting things, he might not be able to reverse this almost total annihilation outcome!

Meng Yun worked non-stop, his Array Master trait operating at full capacity, and a grand array, unheard of in this world, began to rapidly take shape.

If the true Yu Jingshen of the current era were to see this scene, he would be astonished to discover that:

The grand array Meng Yun was currently constructing was precisely the God Slaughtering Array Secret from that historical void—

The Immortal Slaughtering Array!

Yes, this was an array secret capable of truly, genuinely slaying Mahayana cultivators!

At this moment, it was about to be born in the hands of a mere Spirit Transformation cultivator!

"Faster, even faster!!"

Meng Yun's figure was so fast it was almost impossible to catch with the naked eye.

...

Chen Jintong's victory was quite unexpected for everyone.

One must know that Lan Zhiqing already possessed the strength of a half-step Combination Realm, which for a Spirit Transformation cultivator was almost an opponent of a different level.

Even so, Chen Jintong still defeated her after a struggle, his strength was undeniably formidable!

"Hmm..." Saint Wuxu sat at the highest position, his tightly closed eyes having opened at some point.

He looked at the victorious Chen Jintong, a faint appreciation flashing in his indifferent gaze:

"What is this person's name, and from whom did he learn?"

Receiving the emperor's approval, Western Gate Clear, the Pavilion Master of Heaven Sword Pavilion, cupped his hands and said: "Reporting to Saint Lord, this person is my disciple, named Chen Jintong. He is a cultivation fanatic, and is also known as Madman Chen..."

"Haha, Madman Chen..."

Something stirred Saint Wuxu's emotions, and he actually smiled:

"It's not a wrong nickname."

He nodded slightly, saying unceremoniously: "Leaving this child under your tutelage would inevitably be a waste of his talent. When this matter is concluded, why not let him follow me to Central State?"

Western Gate Clear's eyes flickered. He absolutely had no intention of giving up such a prodigy, but he had even less courage to refuse Saint Wuxu!

"This is Jinchan's fortune cultivated in his previous life~" Western Gate Clear cupped his hands in thanks.

Alas.

After all, people aspire to higher places.

Without Chen Jintong's knowledge, his next destination had already been secretly decided.

Such is fate.

Even with Meng Yun, this troublemaker, messing things up, the predetermined destinies of most people would always, in the midst of the unseen, lead to a certain specific outcome.

...

The competition continued.

Xia Ya Dynasty, strong and with the formidable presence of Zhou Huang, almost effortlessly secured a spot in the final round.

At this point, Tianjian Dynasty would compete with Xia Ya Dynasty for the ultimate championship.

And Shui Yue Dynasty would compete with that unknown dynasty for third place.

The top three in this ranking battle would all go to Central State to compete for the rare spots among the ranked dynasties!

The battle for third place began first.

Because that unknown dynasty had been beaten badly by Xia Ya Dynasty and suffered heavy losses, they directly surrendered.

Shui Yue Dynasty won without a fight, successfully taking third place.

What remained would be the most anticipated, the championship battle!

Zhou Huang's gaze swept around, constantly searching for Meng Yun's figure.

"Next, please welcome both representatives to formally take the stage!" A Central State envoy announced.

As the words fell, the people from Xia Ya Dynasty leaped onto the stage.

However, the people from Tianjian Dynasty were late.

Countless people couldn't help but look towards the Tianjian Dynasty's waiting area.

Muttering began to rise.

"Is this Tianjian Dynasty afraid to fight?"

"Logically, they shouldn't be; Yu Jingshen and the others have already proven themselves to be incredibly strong!"

"Could it be... some kind of shady deal?"

"Hiss~~"

Nangong Jing heard the discussions around her, and the anxious expression on her face grew even more pronounced.

"Where is Yu Jingshen?" Even Chen Jintong asked in confusion.

"He said he went to relieve himself..." Nangong Jing said, sounding a bit wronged.

"You actually believed that." Chen Jintong shook his head with a bitter smile, then took the first step, going onto the stage alone.

He believed that Yu Jingshen would never disappear without reason.

Since he left at such an important occasion, then the matter Yu Jingshen had to do was naturally extremely important.

At least, more important than completing this match!

What could be more important than the allocation of cultivation resources for a dynasty for the next hundred years?

"Oh no!!" Nangong Jing stomped her foot in frustration, finally stepping onto the stage as well.

One person was missing.

The Central State envoy naturally noticed this and spoke calmly: "Tianjian Dynasty, where is Yu Jingshen?"

"He went to the restroom." Chen Jintong said with a faint smile.

"Went to... cough cough," the Central State envoy choked on this crude reason, coughing twice:

"Time waits for no one. According to regulations, if Yu Jingshen does not arrive within thirty breaths, he will be considered to have forfeited his right to compete."

As the words fell.

"Dong——"

The sundial illusion in the center of Heaven Sword Pavilion vibrated violently.

The hourglass-shaped runes began to slowly fall.

According to the rules, if Meng Yun had not arrived when the last grain of sand fell, he would be considered to have automatically forfeited.

"Heh heh, thirty breaths."

Zhou Huang leaned casually against the edge of the arena, playing with a wisp of golden spiritual energy between his fingers, his gaze deep: "Nangong Jing, why don't you just surrender?"

The faces of the Tianjian Dynasty members turned ashen.

Nangong Jing clutched the hilt of the sword at her waist, and Chuixue Sword hummed.

Chen Jintong, meanwhile, seized the time to sit cross-legged and adjust his breathing, faint swastika runes appearing around him—his battle with Lan Zhiqing earlier had also significantly depleted him.

"Twenty breaths."

The cultivators of Xia Ya Dynasty smiled, and Zhou Huang even laughed loudly, his voice echoing throughout the arena: "I heard Yu Jingshen is best at escaping; it seems the rumors are true!"

Southern Palace East's eyes narrowed slightly.

As the emperor of Tianjian Dynasty, this action was nothing short of a provocation to him.

"Calm down."

Saint Wuxu merely tapped the armrest lightly, and his vast, abyssal aura suppressed all the commotion.

"..."

Southern Palace East sat down dejectedly.

"Ten breaths."

On the viewing platform, Saint Wuxu's fingertips tapped a crisp rhythm on the armrest.

He tilted his head slightly towards the northwest corner—there were several array patterns flashing wildly, but they were concealed by some more profound restriction.

That was...?

A strange, indescribable feeling made his heart stir.

"Five."

"Four."

Zhou Huang used spiritual energy to conjure a cup of wine, raising it from afar: "To the coward—"

"Boom!"

In the eastern sky, seven stars suddenly lit up.