Chapter 620 - 620: People from the Saint Extreme Sect

Not long after Pei Yongqing and his group passed, more people arrived.

After the last two encounters, the Withered Wood Monsters were clearly less frenzied. Some even shrank back.

However, it was no use.

The newcomers were the main force from behind—over four hundred Level-Nine Martial Spirits charging in a mighty tide toward the center of the Withered Wood Forest.

Each and every one of them was scrambling to get ahead, running with desperate abandon.

There were only three hundred spots available, but there were over four hundred people in this group alone. If you were too slow, you were guaranteed to be eliminated!

Over four hundred desperate, red-eyed Level-Nine Martial Spirits from the sects were an undeniably formidable force.

And so, the Withered Wood Monsters in this direction met with disaster yet again.

The four hundred-plus disciples were an unstoppable force, steamrolling everything in their path. Whether the Withered Wood Monsters attacked or retreated, any that appeared nearby were blasted to bits by a storm of Primordial Power and Soul Techniques.

The massive swarm of Withered Wood Monsters surrounding the forest's center was torn wide open by the four hundred-plus disciples, who left a trail of splinters in their wake.

These Withered Wood Monsters were supposed to be the final, most difficult obstacle on the way to the center of the Withered Wood Forest.

But in the direction Chu Qingyun and the others had taken, it was a completely different story. After withstanding three powerful charges, the Withered Wood Monsters in this area were arguably the most wretched in the entire forest...

The Primordial Power fluctuations from the Martial King Essence Pill in Chu Qingyun's hand were incredibly distinct.

In the center of the Withered Wood Forest, the Elders and Inner Sect Disciples hadn't gone out to look, but they could still roughly pinpoint the Treasure's location by sense alone.

When Chu Qingyun arrived at the swarm of Withered Wood Monsters with the Martial King Essence Pill...

Everyone in the center of the Withered Wood Forest couldn't help but turn to look in that direction.

The members of the Saint Extreme Sect were the most nervous of all.

Elder Zhu Zhijing of the Saint Extreme Sect's Inner Sect had made a bet with Elder Lei of the Celestial Sword Sect.

Whoever lost would have to apologize to the other.

An apology might be a small thing for an ordinary person, a simple matter of a few words.

But for a powerful and high-ranking Inner Sect Elder—an expert at the Martial Emperor Realm—it meant something else entirely. Bowing one's head once could mean never being able to hold it high again.

"Here they come! I'm telling you, the one who got the Treasure is definitely one of my Celestial Sword Sect disciples!"

"Elder Zhu, why don't you just apologize to me now? If you apologize in advance, you won't have to admit you were completely blind. Haha, what do you say?"

Elder Lei of the Celestial Sword Sect boomed with laughter, brimming with confidence.

After he spoke, a couple of elders from smaller sects chimed in, praising the strength of the Celestial Sword Sect's disciples. This made Lei Jing's smile grow even wider.

Elder Zhu Zhijing snorted. "The results aren't in yet. Any of the fifteen sects could have it. What's there to be so smug about?"

"A chance? A chance, my ass!"

"My Celestial Sword Sect has Pei Yongqing and He Liang, both top-tier Level-Nine Martial Spirits! Who in any of your sects is a match for them!?"

Lei Jing sneered.

The surrounding area fell silent.

Besides the Celestial Sword Sect, the other sects surely had their own exceptionally strong Level-Nine Martial Spirits, who weren't necessarily any weaker than Pei Yongqing or He Liang.

However, such geniuses were usually deliberately assigned to their own sect's Land of Trial.

This was partly to ensure they wouldn't suffer an embarrassing defeat in their own trial grounds, and partly to protect their homegrown geniuses.

Although the assignments to each Land of Trial were, in principle, random...

...the most brilliant talents always received some special consideration.

Each sect's Outer Elders would be careful to assign their top Outer Disciples to their own home trial grounds or to the sites hosted by the weakest minor sects.

As for Chu Qingyun, his presence at the Celestial Sword Sect's trial was an exception, a direct result of Elder Huang's deliberate Black Hand.

'A match... Perhaps there really is one...'

Staring in the direction of the surging Primordial Power fluctuations, Elder Zhu Zhijing suddenly thought of Chu Qingyun.

'Chu Qingyun can unleash attacks with the force of the Martial King Realm. If it's him, he might just have what it takes to fight a top-tier Level-Nine Martial Spirit.'

However, Elder Zhu Zhijing didn't voice this thought.

The Primordial Power fluctuations grew closer and closer. The answer would soon be revealed. Everyone stared fixedly in the direction from which Chu Qingyun and his group were approaching.

"It's someone from the Saint Extreme Sect!"

Suddenly, one of the Outer Disciples who had already arrived shouted in surprise.

"What!?"

"How is that possible!"

The Inner Sect Disciples and Elders from the Celestial Sword Sect spun around instantly, staring at the speaker with faces full of shock, anger, and utter disbelief.

"That's right, it's the Qi of the Saint Extreme Sect. Four of them."

"The Qi of four people from the Saint Extreme Sect, and they're approaching fast."

"And behind them... there are a dozen or so people from other sects, including the Celestial Sword Sect and the Talisman Puppet Sect!"

Other Level-Nine Martial Spirits who had arrived earlier also began to chime in.

Before entering the Withered Wood Forest, these Outer Disciples had all been marked with an imprint that allowed them to sense and identify the sect affiliation of others from far away.

"Dammit...!"

Lei Jing's fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white, and he ground his teeth.

For days, he had been brimming with confidence, boasting that the Treasure would undoubtedly be claimed by a disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect. He had even used it to taunt the Saint Extreme Sect on more than one occasion.

And now, the first to arrive with the Treasure were from the Saint Extreme Sect!

This was a complete slap in the face!

"I see now! The Saint Extreme Sect disciples must have gotten lucky and found the Treasure, and my Celestial Sword Sect disciples are hunting them down from behind!"

"That must be it. Hmph. The matter isn't settled yet. Once my Celestial Sword Sect disciples catch up, the Treasure will still belong to us!"

Lei Jing suddenly declared.

The Level-Nine Martial Spirits glanced at one another before lowering their heads, saying nothing more.

Judging by the speed of the approaching Qi signatures, they could tell that the dozen-odd people behind had no hope of catching the four in the lead.

But at a moment like this, none of them dared to set off the short-fused Lei Jing.

"The last one!"

At the edge of the central area, Chu Qingyun's sword fell, cleaving the last Withered Wood Monster in his path in two. He then led the three behind him in a single leap, charging into the clearing.

Upon seeing Chu Qingyun and his group of four appear, the faces of the Saint Extreme Sect contingent instantly lit up with irrepressible joy.

Lei Jing, however, gritted his teeth. A thick rage contorted his features as he stomped his foot, cracking the very ground beneath him.

He had actually lost!