Supreme Emptiness

Chapter 1766: Chapter 1805: Refusing to Enter Sage

Xingyuan Venerable monopolizes seven stone tablets.

The gazes of the crowd carried no doubt, only deep admiration.

Fourth place, Xingyuan Venerable is truly deserving.

The tears of the True Word Venerable flowed like a fountain, her body slightly trembling, and she murmured, ”Father, you have gained the acknowledgment of seven Ancient Saints.”

Jiang Fan stepped forward, gently embraced her, and said, ”Xingyuan Venerable is a role model for all of Central Earth.”

The True Word Venerable remained silent, leaning on his shoulder and shedding silent tears.

At this moment, seven great merit feathers descended from the Divine Stele.

Notably, the fourth place’s merit feather was a size larger than the fifth place’s.

This signifies a higher possibility of entering the Sage rank.

They circled in midair, and upon realizing Xingyuan Venerable was not present, they merged into the void, going off to seek Xingyuan Venerable.

The True Word Venerable raised her head, gazing in the direction of the feathers, longing to follow them.

But how could she traverse the void?

She could only watch them sorrowfully as they disappeared into the void.

Jiang Fan saw the expression on her face and silently hugged her tighter.

His heart ached slightly; he knew the True Word Venerable was about to leave him.

Soon after, the Divine Stele trembled once more.

The third place was about to be revealed!

”Third place on the Demon Race Ancient Saint Merit List, Young Emperor.”

”Third place on the Buddhist Path Ancient Saint Merit List, Young Emperor.”

”Third place on the Confucianism Ancient Saint Merit List, Young Emperor.”

”Third place on the Yunhuang Ancient Saint Merit List, Master of Reincarnation Mountain.”

”Third place on the Immortal Ancient Saint Merit List, Young Emperor.”

”Third place on the Heavenly Guardian Ancient Saint Merit List, Master of Reincarnation Mountain.”

...

Under the calm gazes of the crowd.

The third place was decided.

The Young Emperor alone occupied six stone tablets, while the Master of Reincarnation Mountain obtained three.

Apart from these two, no one else contended.

Jiang Fan was somewhat puzzled; what merit had the Young Emperor achieved to rank higher than Xingyuan Venerable?

At that moment.

Three even larger great merit feathers floated out; these merit feathers had now become the size of a quilt.

They landed on the youth with the Heavenly Human Five Declines from Reincarnation Mountain.

Including the one from the fourth place, he now held four merit feathers.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his Divine Ring melted into golden water, successfully forging a Merit Divine Stele behind him, with some golden water even left over.

The Jiangshan First-class Building Owner and other sages immediately stepped forward to congratulate him.

Today, Central Earth has birthed another sage.

But, what everyone looks forward to even more is another figure.

The Young Emperor!

This prodigy, known as the strongest under the Sage realm in Central Earth’s Divinity Transformation, famed for his domineering coldness, both righteous and wicked.

Now, with six merit feathers in hand, what type of sage will he become?

What astonishing merit inscription will be left on his Merit Divine Stele?

Six great merit feathers flew out from the Divine Stele, heading toward Young Emperor Mountain.

Yet, just as all eyes were focused, a hand formed of thunderbolts grabbed all six merit feathers in its palm.

Then with a clench of the fingers, the six great merit feathers were compressed into a Merit Divine Pearl, the size of an apple.

An imperious and indifferent voice echoed from Young Emperor Mountain:

”When I become a sage, is not for a Saint to decide!”

Then he left, grasping the Merit Divine Pearl.

The world fell silent, only the voice of the Young Emperor continued to echo.

The True Word Venerable was stunned: ”The Young Emperor... refuses to become a sage?”

Jiang Fan was also caught off guard, beginning to ponder.

Is the Young Emperor injured, or was it because he ranked third and felt angered, thus refusing sagehood?

Clearly, he had been desperate enough to eliminate the Five Elements Divine Monarch for a little merit.

It showed his eagerness to become a sage.

How could he refuse when six merit feathers would have enabled him to become a sage?

What shocked him even more was the discussion among several sages.

”Lei Mie, has your Young Emperor gone mad?” Leng Yue Sage said painfully:

”He compressed the merit feathers bestowed by the Saints into a Merit Divine Pearl, directly wasting over half the merit!”

The Silver Moon Venerable of Moon Palace couldn’t even gain a bit more merit, yet the Young Emperor directly caused his sage qualifying merit to be cut in half.

It made Leng Yue Sage’s blood pressure soar.

Wuhen Sage also fumed, ”This bastard! Merit to become a sage, and he ruined it all.”

Several sages were visibly angered.

No one had expected the Young Emperor to make such a move!

Jiang Fan was surprised: ”Does compressing merit feathers into a Merit Divine Pearl cut it in half?”

”Why is that?”

The True Word Venerable wiped her tears, recalling: ”I heard my father say when I was little.”

”Merit belongs to oneself, it cannot be given to outsiders.”

”Unless, you reduce your merit, compressing it into a Merit Divine Pearl.”

Jiang Fan suddenly understood, no wonder the Little Qilin and what Wutong Venerable left in its belly were all Merit Divine Pearls.

While the merit he earned himself was always in the form of feathers.

This measure was likely to prevent strong individuals from seizing merit from the weak.

For example, if a sage demanded the merit of the Heavenly Human Five Declines, would the latter dare refuse?

But if given, the merit would be halved, so a sage had to consider if it was worthwhile.

Though such measures couldn’t completely prevent this, they did impose some constraints.

At this time, the Divine Stele trembled once again.

The second rank was coming.

”Second place on the Demon Race Ancient Saint Merit List, Great Wine Sacrifice of Taicang State”

”Second place on the Buddhist Path Ancient Saint Merit List, Great Wine Sacrifice of Heavenly State.”

”Second place on the Confucianism Ancient Saint Merit List, Great Wine Sacrifice of Hunyuan State.”

”Second place on the Yunhuang Ancient Saint Merit List, Great Wine Sacrifice of Demon Continent.”

”Second place on the Immortal Ancient Saint Merit List, Great Wine Sacrifice of Divine Weapon State.”

”Second place on the Heavenly Guardian Ancient Saint Merit List, Great Wine Sacrifice of Holy Spirit State.”

...

The second place was completely expected by everyone.

The nine Great Wine Sacrifices were the stabilizing force of Central Earth; this battle depended on them to hold the battlefield against the Giant Emperor.

Otherwise, there would be no battle at the Divinity Transformation Realm level.

Interestingly, the nine stone tablets seemed to have agreed to mention each Great Wine Sacrifice once.

No single Great Wine Sacrifice received more mentions.

The distribution seemed perfectly negotiated.

Yet, receiving merit was something the Great Wine Sacrifices were pleased to see.

Nine even larger merit feathers, akin to a carpet, flew toward the Qintian Bureau of the Nine States.

In the Heavenly State’s Qintian Bureau.

A terrifying aura erupted, and while a Merit Divine Stele slowly ascended, a second Merit Divine Stele’s shadow beside it was solidified completely under one pour of golden water!

The Ancient Zen Buddha Venerable’s eyes gleamed, hands clasped: ”Amitabha, congratulations to the Heavenly State Great Wine Sacrifice for transcending calamities and breaking through to the Two Calamities Realm!”

Thus, Central Earth gained another Six Sun Giant Emperor level powerful strength!

At this moment, the Divine Stele trembled again.

The first rank was about to be announced!

Many people instinctively looked towards Jiang Fan, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

If Xingyuan Venerable and the Great Wine Sacrifices were well-deserved.

Then Jiang Fan was even more indisputable.

Throughout the battle, he overturned outcomes multiple times, achieving numerous feats of turning the tide.

The sages present felt inferior.

If all this wasn’t enough to secure him first place.

Then, representing Central Earth in taking first at the Ancient Hunting, winning the Peace Monument.

Sparing calamities for the next millennium.

Such boundless merit, who could match?

If he wasn’t first, it would be strange.

Though it’s unknown, how many stone tablets will list him as first?

Each merit feather for the first place was enormous.

Three feathers could forge a Merit Divine Stele.

If it’s nine, wouldn’t it allow a great venerable to ascend in one step to the Three Calamities Sage Realm, becoming the foremost under a Saint?