Chapter 173 - 172: 70,000 Combat Power

Chapter 173: Chapter 172: 70,000 Combat Power

In the capital of the Great Yan Country, atop the roof of a small building.

A tall, robust youth dressed in a blood-red robe pinched his fingers together, muttering an incantation.

"This is a yin year, a yin month, and a yin day. This location is a cursed place where many murders have occurred. Furthermore, all roads converge on this building, forming the inauspicious feng shui pattern known as ’a thousand arrows piercing the heart.’"

As he spoke, he pulled a scarlet hemp rope from his robes. It was a sinister object, thoroughly soaked in menstrual blood.

The other end of the rope was tied to a massive rock weighing several hundred pounds.

Staring at the building before him, the red-robed youth gave a savage grin. He looped the scarlet rope around his own neck, then immediately hoisted the rock and threw it over the edge.

CRACK—

Pulled taut by the rock’s weight, the hemp rope cinched tightly around his neck.

The youth’s body flipped over, leaving him hanging from the building like the Hanged Man of the tarot.

His red robes billowed, the blood-colored hem covering his face. The pull of the several-hundred-pound rock instantly cut off his breath.

But with the physical power of his Transcendent Body, the youth could have shattered his bonds with just a slight exertion.

However, for the sake of his breakthrough, he had chosen the most bizarre method of death.

Gazing at the countless branching roads below, the youth deliberately let the "thousand arrows" of the pathways point toward him, his eyes filled with anticipation.

’Right now, it’s three quarters past noon, the time of day with the most potent yang energy. But with my vitality, I won’t die from just hanging here for a few hours.’

’As the yang energy of high noon slowly fades, I’ll time it just right. I can torture myself from this moment of peak yang energy all the way until the zi hour before I finally expire.’

’My blood energy will wane from its peak to its trough, just like the heavens. Breaking through to the First Turn in a yin year, month, day, and hour, only to still be hanged to death... A red robe, the Hanged Man, a cursed house, a rope soaked in menstrual blood, a location pierced by a thousand arrows, and a torturous death by suffocation with my eyes wide open.’

The youth’s eyes were wide with excitement.

By dying this way, he was certain he could transform into the fiercest and most malevolent of vengeful spirits.

Then, he would use his own still-warm body as a vessel to nurture his spirit. His ghostly power would surely flourish, and most Daoist and Buddhist Divine Powers would be useless against him.

’First place in this competition is as good as mine.’

...

Elsewhere, in a cave, another youth was wildly whipping a spinning top.

With each crack of his wooden whip, the top’s rotational speed soon broke the sound barrier, creating a fierce tempest.

Watching the top spin endlessly in place through sheer skill, the youth sighed softly. He sat cross-legged before it, braving the whirlwind.

Gazing at the blurred pattern of the spinning top, the youth slowly closed his eyes. Following the instructions of his elders, he began to establish a mental link with it.

He used his own breath to feel the pulse of the top’s rotation. Then, man and top would become one. He would imbue the top with the mental power from his breakthrough, elevating it into a Sacrificial Artifact.

...

In another area, within a grove of trees, a young woman in armor gripped an iron bow.

Her fingers were hooked on the bowstring, aimed at a large tree before her, performing a dry draw.

CREAK... CREAK...

As the tens of tons of force in her arms pulled the bowstring taut, she abruptly released her right hand.

BANG!

Like an air-burst explosive detonating, a wild hurricane swept through the forest, sending the surrounding leaves into a deafening roar.

The young woman’s face remained expressionless. She stared into the woods and, with great effort, began to slowly draw the bow again.

Her goal was the ancient tree before her. She intended to use the ancient bow in her hands to snap the tree, which was several meters thick.

As one explosive bang after another echoed through the forest, she waited. The moment she could pull an arrow from the void and pierce the ancient tree from a hundred paces, it would signify her official entry into the First Turn.

Across the entire battlefield of the All-Nations Competition, there were many other young men and women just like them, all earnestly preparing for their breakthrough.

In cities, in groves, by rivers, in hidden chambers...

In all sorts of locations, youths were preparing to break through to the next Realm of the Heaven-Ascending Road, each following the methods of their own discipline.

Once they stepped into the First Turn, even if their physical bodies hadn’t been tempered by the Hundred-Day Foundation Establishment, their strength would undergo an earth-shattering transformation.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Fang Can was striding forward like a meteor, rushing toward the imperial city of Great Chu.

As the air was violently displaced, Fang Can pushed his speed to the absolute limit, transforming into a black line invisible to the naked eye as he charged toward the Tower City.

RUMBLE—

Atop the Twin Imperial Towers, Xiang Longtao heard a colossal sonic boom. He opened his eyes to see the ground below being split by a black line.

The hurricane formed by the displaced air caused the buildings on either side of his path to begin to crack and crumble.

In just over ten breaths’ time, the black shadow arrived at the base of the Twin Imperial Towers.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Fang Can looked up at the nearly thousand-meter-high tower, bent his legs, and leaped. He began running straight up its side at a 90-degree angle.

The entire tower shuddered violently, sending bricks and stones flying. Three breaths later, Fang Can was standing at the top, facing the tall figure opposite him.

"You finally made it. I was starting to think you wouldn’t dare to show up."

Xiang Longtao looked at the "30,000" value above Fang Can’s head and smiled faintly. "Not bad. You have what it takes to fight me."

As he spoke, a draconic pattern on Xiang Longtao’s back began to glow.

The wild, crimson dragon of the tattoo started to move, slithering slowly across Xiang Longtao’s skin. Its gaping maw opened in a biting posture, aimed at his neck as if it would devour its master at any second.

’That’s the Celestial Slayer Pattern Map. It enhances his strength based on the power of the enemies he defeats. He’s already taken down one First Turn practitioner, so the boost to his combat power is extraordinary.’

As the onlookers had this thought, the number above Xiang Longtao’s head began to skyrocket madly. At the same time, his blood began to race through his veins as if it were boiling.

’He’s activated his Blood Burning Divine Skill as well? He’s going all out from the very beginning. It seems he’s taking this seriously and wants a quick battle.’ This was the assessment of Prince Qing and the other Martial Artists watching the fight.

The most direct representation of the youth’s combat power was the value displayed above Xiang Longtao’s head.

Xiang Longtao: [13,070 → 42,300 → 79,000!!!]

On the other side, as Fang Can cast an incantation, his power more than doubled!

Fang Can: [35,145 → 70,290!!!]

Watching the two of them, the crowd was utterly speechless.

In an era where the average combat power was in the four digits, these guys’ power levels were already approaching six digits. Plus, they had transformation effects. One look and you could tell they weren’t to be trifled with.

In this year’s competition, the two of them were in a league of their own. If either of them broke through on the Heaven-Ascending Road, the championship was practically guaranteed.

"Good, good, good! You really haven’t disappointed me."

Staring at the numbers, Xiang Longtao’s eyes lit up with delight. "A worthy opponent indeed! The stronger you are, the more pleasure I’ll take in humiliating you!"

"So... let’s fight."