Soul Emperor Martial God

"Demon Hunter Wang Hu, you've lost." Xiao Yi pointed his sword at him and spoke indifferently.

Ahead was a small team of eight people.

Leading them was Demon Hunter Wang Hu, with a Ninth Layer Cultivation, who had gained notoriety in this assessment.

"Wang admits inferiority in skill, the scores can be given to you all, but please, let us leave." Wang Hu's face showed a pleading expression.

"Agreed." Xiao Yi nodded and said, "Hand over the scores, and you may leave in peace."

"Thank you." Wang Hu said gratefully, as he and his companions handed over their scores.

.....

"Vulture Xu Hua, you've lost."

Vulture Xu Hua, a Martial Artist with Seventh Layer Cultivation, was leading a small team.

"Damn it, I didn't expect you to have a flying Martial Artist among you; even in the air, I couldn't escape. Just my bad luck."

"The scores are yours, but just..."

Xiao Yi interrupted, "Hand over the scores, then you can leave."

"Thank you." Vulture Xu Hua offered his thanks.

.....

"Flower Sword Hee Jian, you've lost." Xiao Yi said coolly.

"Hmph, in terms of swordsmanship, I have never been defeated among my peers. Leave your name."

Hee Jian, a swordsmanship expert nicknamed Flower Sword, with Eighth Layer Cultivation, ranked 17th on the Northern Mountain Ranking, had also formed a small team with several like-minded individuals.

"Xiao Yi." Xiao Yi said lightly.

After taking their scores, the group departed.

.....

"Burrowing Rat, Hee Cang, give up." This time, it was Tie Niu who spoke.

"Huff... Huff..." Hee Cang's head spun as he said, "You're tough; even my Burrowing Rat Martial Soul fled underground, and yet it was still shaken out by your Big Barbaric Bull."

Tie Niu chuckled, his Earth-shattering Divine Bull was not to be underestimated.

"Leave your scores and go."

.....

Half a month later, the group had experienced dozens of battles, both large and small, be it other gangs' encirclements or provocation from other small teams, they had decisively won them all.

The five-person group swept through all obstacles in their path, gradually instilling fear in other Martial Artists.

Only a few of the larger gangs dared to provoke them.

Today, in a certain part of the forest.

Xiao Yi sat cross-legged on the ground, surrounded by Lin Jin and the other three acting as his protectors.

Lin Jin spoke solemnly, "Brother Xiao Yi is about to have a breakthrough; we absolutely cannot let anyone disturb him, or the consequences will be severe."

"I understand." Tie Niu nodded seriously, his honest gaze becoming incredibly intense as he carefully watched the surroundings.

The half-month of battle had brought Xiao Yi to a breakthrough in his Cultivation today.

Soon, with a bang, a surge of energy burst forth from Xiao Yi.

"I've broken through." Xiao Yi slowly opened his eyes, joy evident on his face.

It had been some time since he broke through to the Innate Third Layer.

With the past half month of battle and cultivation, he finally broke through to the Innate Fourth Layer.

However, he did not stop his cultivation but instead took out a Golden Wing Pill.

He planned to use the Elixir to make a leap directly to the Innate Fifth Layer.

Just as Xiao Yi was about to consume it, he suddenly remembered the matter of 'laying an egg' mentioned by Lin Jin and Tie Niu half a month ago, and his brow furrowed.

After a moment, he felt a surge of Martial Soul Power from the Golden Wing Pill and immediately realized something.

This Golden Wing Pill, derived from the Golden Winged Eagle Martial Soul, naturally counted as Martial Soul Power.

In that case, things would be easier.

Taking advantage of Lin Jin and the others facing away, Xiao Yi's eyes suddenly changed; his left eye turned pitch black, while his right eye burned fiercely.

A void vortex appeared from nowhere, swallowing the Golden Wing Pill and then grinding it into strands of pure power before merging it into the vortex.

The next second, his eyes returned to normal, and Xiao Yi's energy exploded once again, completing his breakthrough to the Innate Fifth Layer.

When Xiao Yi stood up, Lin Jin and the others turned back to ask, "Is it done?"

"It's fine now." Xiao Yi nodded.

The four gathered around.

"Tsk tsk," Tie Niu said, "Brother Xiao Yi, you were already so formidable at the Innate Third Layer, and now at the Innate Fifth Layer, isn't your combat power off the charts? If Guu Changfeng encounters you again, he's as good as dead."

Xiao Yi smiled faintly, his face brimming with confidence.

"Psh, that doesn't count for anything," Qin Feiyang said disdainfully, "I'm the one with the highest Cultivation here, the strongest of them all, okay? Do you guys think my Innate Eighth Layer Cultivation is fake?"

This guy always loved to show off and grab attention in a big way, but he wasn't malicious.

Yet, if he knew that Xiao Yi had reached the Innate Fifth Layer after just a few months of Cultivation, he would surely be shocked beyond measure.

Given Xiao Yi's speed of Cultivation, breaking through to the Mysterious Profundity Realm seemed imminent.

At that moment, Lin Jin suddenly said, "Speaking of which, in this half a month, we've defeated quite a few groups and gained a lot of points. Within these three hundred miles of forest, our reputation is quite resounding."

Tie Niu said in a deep voice, "That's also why, now when other people see us, they run away from afar."

Xiao Yi pondered for a moment and then said, "Now, the number of people in the forest must be less than half."

"Yes," Qin Feiyang said, "Last night, I took advantage of the darkness to fly high above the forest and roughly counted them. We have at most three thousand people left."

"Among them, those dozen or so groups account for more than two thousand, and the rest are small groups that have teamed up, totaling less than a thousand."

Liu Yanran exclaimed, "Twenty days ago, there were more than ten thousand people participating in the assessment, and now only three thousand are left? Isn't the elimination rate for the first assessment too high?"

Xiao Yi shook his head and said, "Have you not thought about how crazily those dozen groups have been plundering points over these twenty days? Those guys, whenever they encounter Independent Martial Artists or small groups, not only do they rob them of points, but they also kill them on impulse, or they force them to use the Prohibition, admit defeat, and leave the forest."

"The number of people has naturally plummeted by now."

Liu Yanran said, "I just think those groups are too much. Participating in the assessment and vying for points is understandable. But killing at will and forcing other Martial Artists to concede, depriving others of any chance, is excessive."

Xiao Yi said indifferently, "Those dozen groups are all aiming for the top ten rewards, and only five hundred spots are available for passing the assessment."

"That is to say, in the end, they will also engage in fierce fights, resulting in a series of large-scale battles."

"So, any group would want as few Martial Artists in the forest as possible, and they certainly wouldn't give any chances to the Martial Artists they've defeated."

"Otherwise, if those defeated Martial Artists, seeking to avenge their own group, join another group, this would increase the power of the other groups, which would be very disadvantageous for their own group during the final showdown."

After Xiao Yi roughly analyzed the situation, Liu Yanran immediately understood.

Just like Guu Changfeng's group: if the small teams he defeated, wanting revenge, all defected to another group, then he would be in trouble during the final fight. Find the translation on MV&LEMPYR.

At this time, Liu Yanran said, "There are ten days left until the assessment ends."

"Those large groups are all preparing for the final battle."

"And those small groups that are still in the forest are quite strong and have points. To prevent any accidents, they've all gone into hiding, also waiting for the last few days' battle."

"We also need to discuss what to do next."

Everyone pondered.

Lin Jin said, "Now, the only ones who can pose a threat to us are a few large groups. Guu Changfeng's is one, Zhao Buqun's is another."

Zhao Buqun, with his Nine-layered Cultivation, ranked fourteenth on the Northern Mountain Ranking.

"Besides, we don't have much to worry about," said Lin Jin.

"No, that's not right," Qin Feiyang suddenly changed his expression, "There's another person, I remembered, last night while flying, I saw an Independent Martial Artist in the forest."

"An Independent Martial Artist, are there still Independent Martial Artists in the forest now?" everyone was surprised.

"Yes," Qin Feiyang said solemnly, "This person, you must have heard of him, Lei Zhan."

"Lei Zhan?" Everyone except Xiao Yi changed their expressions.

"Could it be that fierce person from the Eighteen Cities of the Eastern Desolate?"

"Yes, that's him," Qin Feiyang said, "Last night when I saw him, it just so happened that Guu Changfeng was leading a couple of hundred cronies searching for other Martial Artists. They didn't expect to run into him."

"That Guu Changfeng, without thinking twice, immediately led hundreds of people to escape like they were flying, not even daring to fight."

"We're in trouble if that guy has also come," said Lin Jin with a solemn expression, "The Eighteen Cities of the Eastern Desolate, located at the farthest east of Northern Mountain County, are the most desolate large cities."

"There, demon beasts run rampant, and numerous forces intricately interweave, creating utter chaos. Therefore, there are many ruthless people, and Lei Zhan is one of them."

"Young and yet already a Third-level Demon Hunter, he has completed many Fourth Level Tasks, undefeated since his debut. He's been hailed as a once-in-a-century genius Demon Hunter from the Eighteen Cities of the Eastern Desolate."

"And his Cultivation is terrifyingly strong, ranking thirteenth on the Northern Mountain Ranking. But Zhao Buqun who ranks fourteenth couldn't even withstand ten moves against him."

Qin Feiyang, always arrogant, also had to admit, "In terms of talent, there are only a few people in the entire Northern Mountain County that can surpass him. And if you include his identity as a genius Demon Hunter, perhaps only one person can suppress him."

"Who?" Liu Yanran asked, puzzled.

"Purple Flame," Qin Feiyang and Lin Jin said simultaneously.

Liu Yanran's beautiful eyes lit up, "That genius Demon Hunter, genius Alchemist? The one who swept through dozens of cities, defeated Young Master Wuyou, and successively beat Murong Yin, Fang Hee, and the Medicine Hall Chief Disciple Ye Ming from the Sky-splitting Sword Sect…"

"Yes, that's him," Qin Feiyang, Lin Jin, and Tie Niu all said at once.

"Purple Flame Yi Xiao."