135: Misjudgment

"As expected, to win this Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony, we still have to rely on the Saint."

True Person Ming Yu, the Grand Elder of the Netherworld Holy Land, looked at the green smoke on the Arena Stage with a cold expression.

Ye Jing was a Disciple she had gone to great lengths to find in the Eastern Region. At the time, she had confidently promised the Sect Master that this girl possessed extraordinary skeletal roots and that with enough resources, she would surely bring supreme glory to the Netherworld Holy Land in the future.

It was precisely because of this promise that the girl was able to trample over many other Disciples and take the position of Saintess less than half a year after joining the Sect.

To stabilize this "pawn," she even used her authority within the Sect to dispatch a High Grade flying boat to bring Ye Jing's entire Ye family from the Eastern Region to the Holy Land in the Central Region for protection.

In her view, if Ye Jing could take the top spot in the Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony, this investment would be immensely profitable. However, if she couldn't even make it past the third round, her "eye for talent" and "personnel decisions" as the Grand Elder would surely become a laughingstock throughout the Sect, and those old fogies eyeing her position would certainly seize the Opportunity to cause trouble!

"Fool! You'd better hold on until the third round, otherwise..." True Person Ming Yu whispered coldly, her aura so frigid it could condense frost. "As your Revered Master, I will have no choice but to use the lives of the hundred-plus members of your Ye family to appease the Sect's doubts."

On the spectator stands, as the Taixu Holy Land and Blood Shadow Holy Land suffered consecutive defeats.

More and more eyes gathered on this obscure five-person team.

Defeating two top Holy Lands in succession was a feat that struck the Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony like a bolt of lightning, stirring the hearts of countless Cultivators as their discussions surged like a tide:

"That woman is hilarious; she actually dares to wait for others of her own accord. Does she really think she's a Golden Core Expert?"

"Even a Golden Core Expert might not be enough. Didn't the Falling Flower Sword Formation of the Taixu Holy Land claim to be able to slay a Golden Core? And what happened? It was broken in a single move. Besides, who among these five is simple? That one who looks like a frail scholar hasn't made a move yet, but he's definitely not simple either."

"I really don't know what kind of Sect produced this group; every single one of them is extraordinary."

...Inside the Myriad Spirit Affinity Realm!

Ye Hao took a step forward, his expression appearing somewhat calm. "Ye Jing, you plotted to gouge out my immortal bone and sent people to hunt me down. It's time to settle the score between us. Where have you hidden the Ye family?"

Ye Jing chuckled at his words, her laughter like shattered jade falling into a cold pond, filled with bone-chilling mockery.

"This immortal bone never belonged to a lowly fool like you! Ye Hao, do you know how eyesore that radiance was when I watched your immortal bone leave your body that day? As for the Ye family..." She paused deliberately. "What point is there for a person about to die to know?"

"Only I can lead the Ye family to greater heights!"

Not far away, Xie Xingchen watched Ye Jing's confident expression and couldn't help but frown, whispering to Xiao Lingxian:

"Senior Sister, I see that woman's aura is only at the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer. Why is she so confident? Could there be an ambush of Cultivators hidden nearby?"

Xiao Lingxian remained her usual cold and aloof self, only showing a hint of closeness when facing her fellow Disciples.

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger and thought for a moment. "Sister Qiyue once said that the Cultivation World never lacks geniuses, but fools are just as numerous."

Li Pingan chimed in, "No ambush was detected in the surroundings, unless there's a Golden Core Fourth Layer or higher expert on the other side, or they have a Magic Treasure to conceal their aura."

"I see! Thank you, Senior Brother and Senior Sister, for clearing that up." Xie Xingchen nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the two.

Mu Wanqing said crisply, "We should just focus on watching the show and holding the line. If Junior Brother really runs into trouble, it won't be too late to step in."

After the man and woman finished their pre-battle trash talk, the killing intent in Ye Jing's eyes surged!

She suddenly reached out her jade hand, and wisps of deep purple nether mist emanated from her body. The nether mist instantly condensed into a bone spear over a zhang long. The tip of the spear flickered with ghostly green flames, piercing straight toward Ye Hao's heart with a space-tearing shriek.

This strike was as fast as a phantom. An ordinary Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer Cultivator wouldn't even have time to react before being instantly pierced through.

However, Ye Hao moved slightly. When the bone spear was only a foot away from him, "Clang—!" The bone spear slammed hard against a layer of ripples. The ghostly green flames were instantly swallowed, and the bone spear cracked inch by inch, finally dissipating into a sky full of nether mist.

Ye Hao stood in place, not even a corner of his clothes fluttering.

Both were stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting such a scene.

Ye Jing hadn't expected the opponent to crack her move so easily. In her estimation, Ye Hao had lost his immortal bone and his Dantian was damaged; even if he had found an Opportunity and his Realm had recovered, he should only be at the Foundation Establishment level.

She even suspected that his qualification to participate in the Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony was obtained through trickery because of his relationship with the Mysterious Realm Emissary.

Could it be that he has an earth-rank magic treasure hidden on him?

Ye Hao hadn't expected this attack to be so weak... He had always thought that this bitch Ye Jing was suppressing her Realm to feign weakness. Could it be that she really was only at the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer?

Back when they were still in the Eastern Region, she was already at the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer. Now that four months had passed, she had only barely broken through two layers?

No... that's not right!

Breaking through from the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer to the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer in four months was already an incredible speed. It was because I've been spending time with my Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters in the Sect that I made a misjudgment.

Ye Hao couldn't help but give a bitter smile.

He had been cultivating day and night in the Sect, all to catch up to that bitch's Realm from the Qi Refining Fifth Layer and then personally settle this grudge.

But he hadn't expected that after soaring from the Qi Refining Fifth Layer all the way to the Golden Core Realm, he had already become accustomed to the terrifying progress of his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters. Unknowingly, he had forgotten the "standard cultivation speed of ordinary Cultivators."

It turned out that ever since he took his Revered Master as his teacher, he had already reached a much higher altitude.

Ye Jing narrowed her eyes slightly. "So what if you have a Magic Treasure for protection? Can a tiny Dao Seeking Sect possibly compare with the foundation of my Netherworld Holy Land?"

She swiped her jade hand across her storage ring, and a streak of pitch-black light instantly flew out.

The light landed and transformed into a giant, pitch-black cauldron. Numerous profound runes were carved on the cauldron, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure.

This was the Netherworld Holy Land's Earth Rank Medium Grade Magic Treasure, the town evil cauldron, which True Person Ming Yu had temporarily lent to her Disciple.

Ye Jing pinched a spell gesture, and the giant cauldron instantly soared into the air. With the mouth of the cauldron facing downward, countless ghostly shadows shrieked as they flew out, transforming into pitch-black chains that wound toward Ye Hao.

However, Ye Hao only smiled faintly. With a casual wave of his hand, a condensed golden light instantly shot out.

“Bang—!”

The golden light collided with the chains, which were instantly melted through. The golden light's momentum remained undiminished as it slammed heavily against the giant cauldron.

The giant cauldron shook violently, and the ghostly shadows on it dimmed instantly. Finally, it was forced back by the golden light, flying backward and landing in front of Ye Jing.

Ye Jing looked at the giant cauldron that had been knocked back. Ignoring the blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, she stared at the man before her in disbelief. "How is this possible... How could you be this strong..."

The gap between Golden Core and Foundation Establishment was originally like a chasm, difficult to cross!

Moreover, this Saintess of the Netherworld Holy Land was only at the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer, a full three Realms apart.