Soul Emperor Martial God

As time passed, the scores and rankings of each martial artist were announced; the top five hundred had passed this assessment.

It's worth mentioning that Guu Changfeng and Zhao Buqun also passed the assessment, ranking ninth and tenth respectively.

These two were, after all, at the Innate Ninth Layer and also possessed spiritual artifacts.

Although they had been injured by Xiao Yi, they had successfully snatched the scores.

After the tenth-ranked martial artists, the scores began to decrease sharply.

Especially after the twentieth, the scores dropped to seventy or eighty.

After the hundredth, the scores were generally below ten.

Many martial artists passed the assessment with tied scores.

From rank four hundred to five hundred, each had only five points.

The top five hundred had passed the assessment. The remaining martial artists would be escorted out of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect by an inner deacon the next day.

They would have no further involvement in the upcoming assessments.

The Sky-splitting Sword Sect's assessment had three parts in total.

Considering this was just the first part, the elimination rate was already so high; many were already worried about the subsequent assessments.

...

The next day, Elder Yi led the top ten ranked individuals into the Outer Sect Treasury of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect to receive their rewards.

Inside the Outer Sect Treasury, all kinds of strange and precious treasures filled the room.

Cultivation techniques, martial techniques, heavenly materials and earthly treasures, rare items; they had everything, dazzling the crowd.

"Remember," Elder Yi said solemnly, "there are over ten thousand treasures in the treasury, but you have only half a day to choose. Whether or not you can pick items suitable for yourselves depends entirely on your own fortune."

"Furthermore, each treasure has a prohibition, and you must not touch them impulsively. Once you've made your choice, call me, and I will retrieve it for you."

After giving his instructions, Elder Yi sat down at a desk and began flipping through a book.

The top ten in the assessment could pick from the treasures; the first place could freely choose three items, the second and third places two items, and ranks four to ten, one item each.

With over ten thousand treasure items stored, one can imagine how vast the area was.

Xiao Yi walked around casually, searching for the items he needed.

"High-level Xuan Rank martial technique, Stacked Waves Palm.

"Peak Xuan Rank martial technique, Domineering Three Sabers."

"Fourth-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures, Mist Flower, Sea Heart Lotus, Demon Body Tree..."

"Fourth-grade elixirs, Sky-controlling Pill, Giant God Pill, Gathering Spirit Pill, Residual Blood Pill…"

Each treasure was placed on a wooden stand with an introduction in front of it, including the grade and effects.

Xiao Yi was deeply engrossed in reading them.

Suddenly, Guu Changfeng appeared about ten meters away, whispering something to a deacon.

After a while, the deacon accompanied Guu Changfeng over to Xiao Yi.

"Hey," Guu Changfeng called out coldly.

Xiao Yi ignored him, continuing to read the various treasure's descriptions.

"I'm talking to you, didn't you hear me?" Guu Changfeng's face turned angry.

Xiao Yi still didn't respond.

At this, the expression of the deacon standing next to Guu Changfeng also became unpleasant.

"Xiao Yi, didn't you see this deacon?" the deacon asked sternly.

"I see you, so what?" Xiao Yi replied indifferently.

He had indeed seen the deacon, but since he had come with Guu Changfeng, and seemed to have a good relationship with him, Xiao Yi thought he wasn't someone worth engaging with.

"Xiao Yi, don't pretend, return the Wind Singing Sword to this young master," Guu Changfeng said coldly.

"Why should I return it? It's mine now," Xiao Yi responded without turning, his eyes still fixed on the descriptions on the wooden stand.

"The Wind Singing Sword is a possession of the Guu Family, since when did it become yours?" Guu Changfeng shouted angrily, "Oh, I know, for someone like you, a bumpkin, you probably have never seen a spiritual artifact in your whole life."

"Now that you've stolen my spiritual artifact, you refuse to return it," Guu Changfeng said with a look of disdain.

"Say what you will," Xiao Yi shrugged his shoulders and walked to another wooden stand, gazing at other treasures.

"Stop right there," the deacon commanded coldly, "this deacon orders you to return the Wind Singing Sword immediately."

"Why should I?" Xiao Yi's tone turned icy, being repeatedly disturbed while choosing treasures, he naturally wouldn't offer a pleasant reaction.

But he also secretly cursed, the Guu family truly lived up to being one of the great families of Baiwu City, Guu Changfeng was even able to get a deacon from within the Sword Sect to stand up for him.

Only, this Deacon was merely at the Third Layer of Mysterious Profundity, evidently not a person with real power, so Xiao Yi naturally didn't need to show him any respect.

"Just because I am a Deacon and you are not even a regular disciple," the Deacon chided domineeringly.

"Heh," Xiao Yi said contemptuously. "Sorry, first off, strictly speaking, I am not yet a disciple of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect. I am merely here to participate in the examination."

"So, you do not have the right to order me around. Furthermore, don't think I'm not aware of the rules of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect. Even if I became a disciple, you would have no right to control me if I didn't violate the sect rules."

"Secondly, when have you ever seen martial artists in combat who needed to return their spoils of war?"

The Deacon's face turned dark as he rebuked, "Don't be cheeky. Our Sky-splitting Sword Sect is a Martial Arts Holy Land and does not allow its disciples to engage in petty thievery or robbing others."

"Oh, really?" Xiao Yi retorted. "I'd like to ask you, Deacon, about Guu Changfeng, who killed many during the examination and took their lives."

"According to you, does Guu Changfeng need to return those lives?"

In the Flame Dragon Continent, Martial Arts reign supreme. With enough strength, one can disregard everything, even the imperial authority.

Killing, plundering, fighting... the so-called laws and regulations are merely excuses for the weak.

Strength and power are everything in this world.

"Well said." Suddenly, a faint voice came from a corner, it was Elder Yi leisurely reading in the corner.

The Deacon was startled, swiftly curbing his previous arrogance and domineering manner.

"You…" With clenched teeth, unable to out argue Xiao Yi, and with Elder Yi speaking out, the Deacon could only cast a helpless glance at Guu Changfeng before turning away.

"Uncle," Guu Changfeng called out in a panic, then immediately shut his mouth.

Xiao Yi suddenly realized, so it was someone from the Guu family, no wonder he was standing up for Guu Changfeng.

It was not strange for a family like the Guu Family to have someone as a Deacon in the Sky-splitting Sword Sect.

This Deacon had also participated in the examination at the Sky-splitting Sword Sect when he was young and passed. However, his ranking was not high, and he was no genius.

Having spent over ten years in the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, he had only managed to reach the Third Layer of Mysterious Profundity and became a Deacon without much real power.

"Xiao Yi, what would make you agree to return my Wind Singing Sword?" Guu Changfeng had to lower his posture and pleaded. Brought to you by the folks at MV|LEMPYR.

In the upcoming evaluations, there were more battles, and without the Wind Singing Sword, his strength would be greatly diminished.

Furthermore, the evaluations were also ranked, and the rewards were even higher.

Xiao Yi said indifferently, "Simple, the Wind Singing Sword is now my possession. If you want it, you buy it back."

"This…" Guu Changfeng hesitated, "How much do you want?"

"Not much, just 500,000 taels," Xiao Yi said lightly.

"500,000 taels? You might as well go rob someone!" Guu Changfeng cursed in exasperation.

"You pay if you buy; I don't care if you don't. I don't need those few hundred thousand taels," Xiao Yi shrugged, about to leave.

"Wait," Guu Changfeng quickly stopped Xiao Yi. "I... I..."

Guu Changfeng pondering over it, 500,000 taels was not a small amount.

But the rewards in the later evaluations were things even big families like the Guu family didn't possess, and he couldn't possibly give up on them.

Without the Wind Singing Sword, his strength greatly reduced with no certainty of obtaining those rewards.

Thinking about the rewards that he coveted intensely, he finally nodded, "Alright, I agree."

"But I don't have that much money right now," Guu Changfeng said.

Xiao Yi's expression turned cold. "Wasting my time."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Wait," Guu Changfeng quickly said, "I only have 350,000 taels now, can the remaining amount be made up with items?"

This 350,000 taels was what his father had given him to purchase Cultivation Items for the coming years.

To part with it all at once, his heart bled.

"What items would you use to make up?" Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow, asking.

Guu Changfeng took out a low-level Qiankun Bag, saying, "Here are some third-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, third-grade demon beast cores and essence blood, totaling up to 150,000 taels."

These items were also what the Guu family had prepared for his cultivation in the coming years.

"These items are of no use to me," Xiao Yi outwardly frowned, but inwardly he was smiling.

"Let's do this," Xiao Yi said with a look of disgust, "You ranked tenth and would have one opportunity to select an item from the treasury. That chance will be mine, along with your 350,000 taels and this pile of junk, it's barely equivalent to your Wind Singing Sword."

"Junk?" Guu Changfeng clenched his teeth, thinking that those were all valuable items, but he dare not burst out, and could only say, "Alright, deal."

Xiao Yi nodded and coldly said, "Once I select the items, I will come to make the transaction."

Saying so, he turned and left.

Guu Changfeng glared at the departing figure of Xiao Yi, vengefully thinking, "Xiao Yi, just wait, before long, I will make you pay back tenfold."