Chapter 246 - 246

Chapter 246 - The Second Stage — Blue Star

"But ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Clan Elder, I'm no slouch either. I do have a Chaos Body, after all."

Lu ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xuanyuan was somewhat indignant. No matter how you looked at it, he still possessed a Chaos Body — an existence that rivaled the Primordial Chaos Dao Body in power.

Then, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as if struck by another thought, he added with a note of disdain.

"Besides, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍didn't he fail to even defeat Lu Xuanxian? If you ask me, this Primordial Chaos Dao Body isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Lu ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Nianfeng's expression grew solemn as he gazed toward the Desolation Branch's Dao Vessel. After a long pause, he shook his head.

"In ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍any case, you need to be more wary of that Wang Teng. If you run into him during the second stage or the final stage and you can't win, you must choose to surrender."

"As for that Desolation Branch kid, he's certainly strange — and he may still be holding something back. All in all, exercise the utmost caution."

Seeing the Clan Elder's grave expression, Lu Xuanyuan naturally took his words to heart and nodded.

On the other side, aboard the Wang Family's Dao Vessel.

"Patriarch, why didn't you let me kill him?"

Wang Teng approached Wang Daofeng, his face dark.

Though Wang Daofeng was a Patriarch, Wang Teng was the Wang Family's Holy Son. His father was a Dao Venerable, and his grandfather stood at the Peak Dao Venerable Realm. He naturally had the capital to disregard even a Patriarch.

Wang Daofeng sighed and shook his head.

"Holy Son, this is only the first stage of the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament, yet you would expose all of your trump cards?"

"Do you think you'd still hold any advantage in the second stage and final stage that follow?"

"So what? Even if they're exposed, what can anyone do to me?"

Wang Teng's expression remained grim. He didn't spare a thought for the prodigies of those other factions.

But Wang Daofeng waved him off. "The Holy Son is mistaken. You should know that the other factions are no pushovers. From what I've gathered, several of their younger generations also have members at the Immortal Emperor Realm — and there's no shortage of those at the Mid and Late Immortal Emperor Realm among them."

"They've simply kept them hidden."

"If one of their factions produces a Peak Immortal Emperor, or perhaps several, how would the Holy Son handle that?"

"All in all, keep a low profile for now. There's no rush to unveil your full strength until the final stage."

"But what about that guy?" Wang Teng still couldn't let go of his grudge against Lu Xunxian.

To think that a mere Mid Immortal Emperor could hold him back — if he didn't deal with the man, he felt it would haunt him going forward.

"Don't worry about him. He'll definitely make it to the final stage. At that point, the Holy Son can personally settle things."

Since even the Patriarch had spoken, Wang Teng could only comply, though the frustration in his heart refused to abate.

"You'd better make it to the final stage, because when you do, I will personally take your head."

Wang Teng seethed inwardly.

...

"So, Clan Elder, the second stage will be held at the Wang Family's territory in the center of the Dao Domain?"

Hearing that the second stage would be held at the Wang Family's estate, Lu Xunxian couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"Yes and no. The second stage will take place inside a world constructed by the Wang Family — a realm sturdy enough to withstand battles between Immortal Emperor-level beings."

"You'll need to survive ten rounds of matched combat to advance to the next stage."

Though the first round of screening appeared to have eliminated many, in reality it truly had eliminated a great many.

But even so, well over ten thousand participants had endured.

After the second round, roughly only about ten would remain.

And those who survived to the third round would almost certainly all be Immortal Emperor-level existences.

The second stage would begin in half a month.

The journey from the Ghost Realm to the Wang Family would take approximately ten days.

Thus, Lu Tianyuan and the powerful figures of the surrounding factions all piloted their Dao Vessels toward the Wang Family's territory.

But during the journey, another matter arose that forced Lu Fenggu to withdraw.

Lu Fenggu was on the verge of breaking through to the Immortal Emperor Realm.

After receiving the Law of Karma from Lu Xunxian and tempering himself for seven days inside the Ghost Realm, Lu Fenggu had finally taken that step and begun his breakthrough to the Immortal Emperor Realm.

But that led to another problem.

A breakthrough to the Immortal Emperor Realm couldn't be interrupted once it began, and so Lu Fenggu had no choice but to painfully forfeit.

"You've got to give it your all, Brother Xuanxian!"

"Don't worry, I will."

Watching Lu Fenggu cheer him on even as the Clan Elder led him away, Lu Xunxian waved his hand.

Last time, he had also realized he had been a bit too conspicuous. So this time, he planned to keep a lower profile — survive the second round, then immediately surrender in the third.

Surely making it to the third round wouldn't be considered embarrassing.

Ten days later, they arrived before the Wang Family's estate.

Gazing at the Wang Family's territory in the distance, Lu Xunxian's expression grew solemn. They were his opponents, after all, so it was prudent to pay attention.

But he didn't linger on it for long, quickly turning his attention to the world the Wang Family had constructed.

It was immensely vast, and fortified by formations so robust that even Peak Immortal Emperor-level battles couldn't shake it.

Inside, it had been partitioned into a full five thousand zones, each designated for grouped combat.

"All right, the matchup assignments for your bouts will be randomly distributed in three days. Use these three days however you see fit."

Lu Tianyuan checked the time, then spoke.

At those words, Lu Zhengfeng shot a vicious glare at Lu Xunxian before departing the Dao Vessel with his four surviving lackeys.

As for the other three, they had perished inside the Ghost Realm.

Since they had split up upon entering, Lu Zhengfeng hadn't been able to protect them even if he'd wanted to.

Facing Lu Zhengfeng, Lu Xunxian felt not so much as a ripple in his heart.

Nothing but an ant. If he happened to run into the man, he would deal with him as a matter of convenience.

But after hearing the Clan Elder's words, Lu Xunxian began surveying his surroundings with interest.

He had been in the Dao Realm for quite some time now, yet he still hadn't had a proper look around.

Before long, his gaze was drawn to a particular Small World.

The moment he saw it, Lu Xunxian froze. His breathing involuntarily quickened.

That Small World was the very universe in which Blue Star — the world from before his transmigration — existed.

Only, Blue Star's current situation was anything but optimistic.

After carefully sensing the changes on Blue Star, Lu Xunxian's expression turned grave.

"It's only been thirty years since I transmigrated?"

Having surveyed the developments on Blue Star, Lu Xunxian thought for a moment, then vanished.

In the next instant, he entered Blue Star directly.

After all, he had lived on Blue Star for a long time, even though getting crushed to death was hardly a pleasant memory.

And besides, his godsons were still alive. As their godfather, how could he not ensure they survived Blue Star's apocalyptic crisis?