Martial World

“62!?”

“My heavens!”

Under everyone’s burning hot gazes, these two simple characters of Lin Ming, inserted in the middle of a row of names, was utterly dazzling!

62!

In his second assessment, he had soared into the top 72 rankings! The Heavenly Abode had 72 people altogether. This meant that Lin Ming’s strength already sufficed to enter the Heavenly Abode!

15 years old, entering the Seven Profound Martial House for one month, cultivation of the early Third Stage of Body Transformation, and he had the qualifications to enter the Heavenly Abode!

For the last 100 years, three martial artists had appeared who had entered into the top 100 during their second round of assessment. But if talking about someone who could enter the Heavenly Abode during their second assessment, there had never existed anyone like that!

All of the disciples present, and the scouts sent by the princes, stared wide-eyed at the Ranking Stone. Murong Zi incredulously covered her mouth in disbelief. The scouts were so shocked, they had forgotten to immediately report the results via their sound transmitting talismans.

This defied the heavens’ will!

This was an absolutely monstrous genius who surpassed Ling Sen, Ta Ku, and Zhang Guanyu!

“No… it’s impossible! He only managed to pass through four incense sticks of time, he should only be past the first 100 rankings, how could his ranking possibly be so high!?” The Heavenly Abode martial artists said. Their rankings were in the 70’s and above. With Lin Ming rising into the middle of them, that meant there was the possibility that one of them would be squeezed out of the Heavenly Abode.

“Was there a mistaking in the Ten Thousand Killing Array’s Ranking Stone?”

“How could that be possible? It was an illusory magic array engraved by a Xiantian master.”

“Even a Xiantian master could make a mistake…” Some people were unconvinced. No one wanted to be kicked out of the Heavenly Abode.

“Shut up, it’s impossible for there to be an error in the Ranking Stone. That Lin Ming could kill his way into the top 72 with only four incense sticks of time is because the speed at which he killed his enemies in the Ten Thousand Killing Array is much quicker than martial artists at his level!”

The deacon who was responsible for the Ten Thousand Killing Array spoke up. This person was a graduate of the Seven Profound Martial House and had already broken through to the Pulse Condensation Period. In the Seven Profound Martial House, he was not only a deacon but also an instructor.

Much quicker than martial artists at his level?

Hearing the deacon’s judgment, it was as if all the air in the surroundings had been sucked out. In the Ten Thousand Killing Array, the enemies overwhelmed to the point of blotting out the sky. Wave after wave of enemies would come, each wave more formidable than the last. The assessment would cause one to not be able to catch their breath; everyone would try to slow down in order to find an opportunity to restore their true essence. Therefore everyone who entered the Ten Thousand Killing Array would kill enemies at the same time and so their ranking could be judged by how long they took.

If Lin Ming slaughtered at such a speed, then without a doubt he would consume his strength faster, and die faster!

It was just too abnormal!

Murong Zi was still covering her mouth, finding herself at a loss for words. It was only after a moment that she turned to Bai Jingyun and said, “Big Sister Jingyun, you were right… this Lin Ming is simply a farm animal, I don’t know what kind of food he was fed growing up…”

She was very clear on the significance of this ranking. Beyond the top 62 rankings, there were about a dozen students who were set to graduate at the end of the year. Even if Lin Ming stayed at the same ranking, he could enter the top 50 at the end of the year. He could even leap past the top 50 rankings!

But how could Lin Ming stay at the same rankings? He might even enter the top 30 by the end of the year and become her own competition!

Bai Jingyun snorted and then smiled, “Little girl, mind your manners. You are just envious of others.”

“Humph, why would I envy him? I just have to take things a little more seriously, and then we will see if I am surpassed by him!” Murong Zi raised her small fists. Before now, she had just wanted to play around all the time. Before, at the Dream Trial during the entrance exam, Murong Zi’s result was an absolute mess. It was only by taking risk after risk did she cross each hurdle.

…

…

“Damnit! Hurry up and report this to his highness the Crown Prince faster! Damn me, this result has really turned me into a blind dog!” The lead detective under the command of the Crown Prince burst out at his group like an exploding chestnut!

“Yes, yes, we will immediately send the report. A little guy whose head had been knocked around hurriedly whispered the information, and then lit the sound transmitting talisman in his hands…

Meanwhile, the followers of the Tenth Prince also burnt their sound transmitting talisman. The man who led them looked at the four Crown Prince’s men in the bamboo grove, an evil smile curving on his face.

“What a bunch of idiots. They are still making a futile effort to struggle. Time is on our side, his Highness will inevitably win. What kind of trash can the Crown Prince put out? For this Lin Ming, his Highness has already especially prepared a set of human-step scriptures and a top-quality treasure!”

…

At this time, the Crown Prince Yang Lin was in the Eastern Palace. He was playing chess with his mentor, Mister Muyi.

“Haha, what was your highness thinking? That chess move was wrong.” Muyi smiled as he moved a piece and took another one. Yang Lin’s bottom left side of the board had already become a lost cause.

Yang Lin smiled as he shook his head. “Teacher, I have never won playing against you. Whether I lose early or I lose late, the difference is not big.”

“Haha, even if you say that your strength is inferior, you cannot lose your backbone or fighting spirit. Chess is like a battlefield, even if your technique is inferior; someone who dies on the battlefield remains a hero as he was before. But if he surrenders and is captured and then killed, it is only a shame.”

“Teacher’s lesson is wise.”

To Muyi, Yang Lin had no superiority as Crown Prince. In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, a middle Houtian stage master was someone that even the emperor had to give three points of respect to. More so because the current government and court were turbulent, Muyi was the most important person that Yang Lin relied on.

“Tell me, what’s on your mind?” Muyi asked as he put a pawn down on the board.

Yang Lin said, “I visited my father, the emperor today. His body seems to be worse than before…”

“Mmm…” Muyi thought silently. He knew that if Yang Lin was worried about anything, it was the throne change due to the old emperor’s deteriorating condition. He did not have too many forces on his side, and now he had to consider the power and strength of the other princes. The Tenth Prince, the Cloud Prince, was ambitious; he probably would not be willing to stay just a prince. But if comparing the influence in the court, their supporters, and even individual strength, Yang Lin was far from the Cloud Prince. Once a struggle began, he might not come out as the victor.

In the struggles of the throne, once one was defeated, their fate could be imagined. Yang Lin was already the Crown Prince; even if he didn’t want to struggle, he had no choice but to do so. Otherwise, he would lose his life! So these days, Yang Lin has been heavy-hearted, and had not dared to show his hand.

Muyi said, “Your highness. I had just said that chess is like a battlefield. You cannot lose your backbone or your fighting spirit. Your highness, if you lack confidence, then the subordinates under your control will also be anxious. These subordinates of yours have already resolved to follow your highness, and have handed over their lives and their families’ lives. If your highness loses, then the Cloud Prince will surely show no mercy, and will thoroughly cleanse the government. When that time comes…”

Muyi did not say it, but in all the ancient changes of the throne, they were often accompanied by massacres and the thick smells of blood and death. At those times, things like affection and friendship would all be nothing but a joke.