Beihe Realm Star, 97 years later, within a top-tier cultivation space.
"Zhao Xing~"
"Zhao Xing~"
The ripples in the cultivation space condensed into the figure of a man wearing a scholar's robe in a deep shade of blue. His voice quickly traveled to a towering mountain that reached beyond the clouds. At the peak of the mountain stood a black tower.
"Whoosh~"
A flicker of movement, and Zhao Xing appeared before the blue-robed scholar.
"Greetings, Mister Qiao."
The scholar, Qiao Song, was one of the trusted subordinates of the Lord of Beihe, a powerhouse at the Reincarnation Realm.
Since passing the first trial, Zhao Xing had remained on Beihe Realm Star to cultivate.
The Lord of Beihe had sent Qiao Song to deliver a bonus to Zhao Xing, and it was also Qiao Song who had arranged this cultivation space for him.
"Zhao Xing, you're truly dedicated. 97 years, and you haven't stepped out even once." Qiao Song smiled. "The second trial of the Primordial Assembly will begin in three years. It's time for us to set off."
"So soon." Zhao Xing was slightly dazed. Immersing himself in focused cultivation had made it easy to lose track of time.
"Please give me a moment, Mister Qiao. I'll be out shortly."
"Alright." Qiao Song's voice was calm, a hint of admiration in his gaze as he looked at Zhao Xing's back.
"Out of the 14,821 participants from Beihe Star System, there were 2,733 Shennong cultivators, with over 300 at the Great Divine Ability Realm."
"Zhao Xing isn't even a Great Divine Ability cultivator, yet he passed the first trial so easily. That's quite impressive."
Shennong cultivators played a crucial role in a star system's development, and the Lord of Beihe greatly valued this type of talent. Naturally, Qiao Song was also inclined to treat Zhao Xing favorably, personally arranging his cultivation space and even coming himself to summon him.
"Rise!" Zhao Xing waved his hand.
The massive black tower on the mountain rumbled as it lifted from the ground.
"Roar!"
The black tower trembled violently as if resisting, and from beneath it, countless tendrils burst forth, lashing toward Zhao Xing.
"Hmm? It's alive... Is this a plant-type lifeform?" Qiao Song was taken aback.
The black tower was nine stories tall, covered in holes that emitted wisps of blue smoke. It looked entirely like a proper tower, except for the unusual rounded dome at the top, which seemed somewhat out of place.
"Interesting."
Even though Qiao Song was merely a clone, he still possessed the power of the Dao Domain Realm.
And yet, even at first glance, he hadn't noticed that this was a living being.
Even now, he couldn't determine exactly what kind of plant-based lifeform it was.
As a scholar of the Dao, renowned for their vast knowledge, to encounter something he couldn't immediately identify sparked his curiosity.
"Roar roar roar~"
The sound gradually weakened as Zhao Xing subdued the creature and put it away.
"Zhao Xing, is this a plant-based soldier?" Qiao Song asked with interest.
"Yes. I was a bit slow in collecting it. Please forgive my carelessness, Mister Qiao."
"What species is it?"
"A mushroom-type, called the Illusory Star Mushroom."
"Illusory Star Mushroom?" Qiao Song was even more surprised. "Why does it look like that… Is it an experimental subject for your spell research?"
"Yes, which is why I need to store it carefully."
Shennong cultivators of the Self School often conducted research on the origins of life. Some experimental subjects would develop profound Dao imprints that were difficult to replicate, resulting in extraordinary living beings. These subjects were incredibly valuable.
During his 97 years of cultivation, Zhao Xing had spent much of his energy refining his Essence Extraction Divine Ability, and in the process, he had obtained a precious yet controllable experimental subject.
With this reference sample, he could later mass-produce powerful, controllable plant-based soldiers.
"I see." Qiao Song nodded in understanding. "It seems your 97 years of cultivation have been quite fruitful."
For the Illusory Star Mushroom to have changed so dramatically while still maintaining a stable life structure, it had to have developed valuable imprints of the Dao of Life. Otherwise, its structure would have collapsed long ago.
"I only made a little progress." Zhao Xing responded humbly.
"Let's go. We can talk more on the way."
"Yes, sir."
…
Zhao Xing and Qiao Song boarded an official realm ship of the Beihe Star System. Across the deck, massive plazas were set up, each featuring a towering statue of the Lord of Beihe, alongside a colossal Star Mirror.
The Star Mirror continuously played a recorded message from the Lord of Beihe.
"To all geniuses who pass the second trial of the Primordial Assembly, the Beihe Star System will grant a high-tier realm star, ten mid-tier star continents, and one hundred mineral planets—free of charge."
"To those who pass the third trial, the Beihe Star System will grant ten high-tier realm stars, one thousand mid-tier star continents, and ten thousand mineral planets—free of charge."
"Additionally, they will receive a Solar Dao Weapon with growth potential!"
…
"The Lord of Beihe is actually offering a Solar Dao Weapon with growth potential?"
"Even the lowest-grade Solar Dao Weapon starts at 10 billion Red Star Coins. A growth-type Solar Dao Weapon is worth at least 100 billion!"
"What a generous reward."
King Luohou sighed.
"Why didn't he mention a reward for the fourth trial?" Ji Mengjun perked up her ears to listen.
Zhao Xing replied, "Passing the fourth trial means entering the Primordial Realm and becoming a disciple of a powerful figure."
"According to tradition, the Lord of Beihe will not offer additional rewards at that point."
"Because he simply can't afford it. If he's already giving away Solar Dao Weapons at the third trial, what would he offer for the fourth—Origin Weapons? Solar Dao Weapons can still be mass-produced, but Origin Weapons are a different matter. The Primordial Assembly happens once every 3,000 years; even the Lord of Beihe wouldn't be able to keep up with such extravagant rewards."
"Furthermore, the Lord of Beihe is at the Reincarnation Realm. If he gives too much, the karmic burden will be severe. If the Lord of Beihe hands out excessive rewards, what will the teachers in the Primordial Realm have left to offer?"
"The Lord of Beihe is not so shortsighted."
"There's probably another reason." Liu Tianning interjected. "The Beihe Star System has failed to produce a single person capable of entering the Primordial Realm for seven consecutive cycles. There's no need to offer a reward for something that isn't happening."
"Teacher makes a good point." Zhao Xing nodded.
"It's tough." King Luohou sighed. "A vast star system like Beihe has gone 21,000 years without anyone entering the Primordial Realm."
"Talents are dwindling." Ji Mengjun added. "Most people are moving to high-spiritual-energy star systems."
As the four from Great Zhou conversed, they soon arrived at the public resting area.
"Boom~"
Once everyone had boarded, the entrance to the realm ship sealed shut, and the vessel began its journey away from the Beihe Star System.
At the center of the public area, a silver-white projection descended, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"Geniuses of the Beihe Star System, I am Chen Jiu, the artifact spirit of the Grand Derivation Godly Soldier."
Grand Derivation Godly Soldier?
The 14,821 participants fell silent, their eyes filled with excitement.
The Grand Derivation Godly Soldier was a divine artifact, and even its fragmented projections were extremely rare to witness.
For many, if they hadn't passed the first trial, they would never have had the chance to lay eyes on such a sacred object in their entire lifetime.
"You will be traveling to one of the 28 top-tier star systems of the empire, the 'Minor World No. Star System,' where the second and third trials will take place."
"The realm ship's journey and the screening process will take two years and six months."
"During this time, please refrain from deep seclusion training."
"Now, please select your profession and trial division…"
Chen Jiu Emperor announced the details of the upcoming trials.
Zhao Xing followed the instructions and took out his Star Mirror.
[Beihe Star System participant Zhao Xing, please select your professional path. Once confirmed, this choice cannot be changed.]
"Shennong." Zhao Xing immediately selected his profession and confirmed.
[Selection confirmed. Please proceed to choose a specialization path.]
The Star Mirror displayed three options: Heavenly Timing, Earthly Advantage, and True Self.
"True Self." Zhao Xing chose without hesitation.
[Please confirm your trial division: Combat / Support]
At this stage, Zhao Xing hesitated slightly.
"In these 97 years, my greatest progress has been in Essence Extraction Divine Ability, followed by my Juyang Avatar, while the Great Divine Ability Five-Finger Mountain is still lagging behind."
"Through relentless cultivation, my Illusory Star Mushroom has imprinted seven valuable Dao traces. If I choose the support division, will my chances of passing be higher?"
From past statistics, combat-oriented Shennong cultivators were far fewer than those in the support category—roughly an 80-20 split.
And in real-world applications, True Self Shennong cultivators focusing on combat were even rarer, making up less than 10% of their total numbers.
"Forget it. My preparation time is insufficient. No need to compete in the support division."
Zhao Xing ultimately confirmed Combat Division.
Two years and six months later, the Beihe realm ship arrived at the Minor World No. Star System, one of the Red Star Empire's top-tier star systems.
The realm ship activated its transparent mode, revealing a vast, clear night sky.
Starships, realm ships, and floating palaces passed by constantly, emerging from the Void River like migrating constellations.
"Whoosh~~"
The entire star system was experiencing a rainfall of spiritual energy droplets.
Massive volumes of spiritual rain gathered and flowed into structured energy rivers.
Clouds, spiritual waterfalls, and various spirit beasts floated in the sky, making the scene resemble an ethereal paradise.
But this spectacle lasted only two months.
As the Beihe realm ship approached the center of the Minor World No. Star System, the 14,821 participants from Beihe Star System were split into different groups.
"All Shennong cultivators, follow me."
A Primordial Realm Envoy, Zuo Qiyu, lazily waved his hand in midair. Beneath him, a wooden ship covered in vines and blossoming flowers floated gracefully.
Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning exchanged farewells with King Luohou and Ji Mengjun before joining the 2,733 Shennong cultivators boarding Zuo Qiyu's ship.
"Whoosh!"
Once everyone was aboard, the wooden canopy above suddenly expanded with thick vines, enclosing the ship in a living barrier, cutting off all outside vision.
"Stay still," Zuo Qiyu instructed briefly before disappearing into the ship's cabin.
The wooden ship then soared through space for one more month.
When Zuo Qiyu emerged again, there were six of him.
Zhao Xing activated his status panel to examine them and discovered something shocking.
[Name: Zuo Qiyu]
[Primordial Clone]
[Realm: Reincarnation Realm]
…
[Name: Zuo Qiyu]
[Ruhao Clone]
[Realm: Reincarnation Realm]
…
[Name: Zuo Qiyu]
[Cangwu Clone]
[Realm: Reincarnation Realm]
…
"Not a single true body—only clones."
"And every clone is at the Reincarnation Realm."
Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel admiration.
Normally, straw puppet clones would not appear on his status panel—such as a scholar's book golems or a mechanist's construct doppelgangers—because they were considered lifeless objects and did not meet the panel's conditions for a living being.
Yet, Zuo Qiyu's clones registered on the panel.
This meant that he had already mastered a profound branch of the Dao of Life and had refined his straw puppet technique to an extraordinary level.
"No wonder he's a Primordial Realm envoy."
Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel envious.
Zuo Qiyu even had a Primordial Clone, proving that he had obtained Primordial Divine Wood and used straw puppet techniques to forge it into a powerful avatar.
It was essentially the ultimate evolution of Zhao Xing's Juyang Avatar.
As for the Cangwu Clone and Ruhao Clone, they were also top-tier doppelgangers.
Back in the past, Zhao Xing had once obtained a single Cangwu Leaf, which had originated from a Dao Domain Realm Cangwu Tree.
However, the Cangwu Tree species itself was at the Emperor Tier, capable of reaching the Reincarnation Realm!
But even so, it still fell short compared to the Primordial Clone.
"According to legend, in the ancient past, the Void Ancestor shaped the heavens and the earth. Chaos then gave birth to the Primordial Divine Tree, known simply as Primordial."
"What great luck! One of my primary goals in entering the Primordial Realm is to acquire advanced straw puppet cloning techniques. I didn't expect to find a lead so soon."
Zhao Xing silently committed Zuo Qiyu's name to memory.
"Heavenly Timing, combat division participants, step behind me."
Zuo Qiyu's Ruhao Clone called out.
"Heavenly Timing, support division participants, follow me."
Zuo Qiyu's Cangwu Clone instructed.
"Earthly Advantage, combat division…"
…
The six Zuo Qiyu clones further split the 2,733 Shennong cultivators into different groups.
Zhao Xing stood behind the Primordial Clone and observed his surroundings.
Among True Self Shennong combat division participants, there were only 49 people.
This included himself and Liu Tianning.
In contrast, the True Self Shennong support division had well over 1,000 cultivators, forming a long queue.
"Whoosh~"
The vines and leaves unfurled, revealing six green passageways.
Each of Zuo Qiyu's clones led their respective groups into different corridors.
Without a word, Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning followed the Primordial Clone into their designated passageway.
Soon, they arrived at a spacious green hall, its walls made entirely of giant leaves and interwoven vines.
The path ahead revealed a massive gate, shrouded in chaotic mist, clearly leading to a small testing world designed for the trial.
The gate itself was wooden, framed by unknown purple-gold leaves, with an inscription that read: Minor World No. 2436.
Zuo Qiyu came to a stop, turning to face the 49 participants.
"In three months, this gate will open."
"Once you enter, you will discover the content of the trial."
"Remember, if you sustain fatal injuries, whether to your soul or body, you will be immediately forcibly transported out and returned here."
"If you are ejected midway, you must walk back through the passage yourself. From there, arrangements will be made for your return to Beihe Star System."
"If you pass the second trial, you will see me again."
Zuo Qiyu's lips curled into a mocking smirk. "However, I doubt any of you will have the chance to see me again."
Typical True Self Shennong, his personality was utterly harsh and unforgiving!
If it had been anyone else leading them, they might have offered words of encouragement.
But not Zuo Qiyu—instead of motivating them, he went out of his way to sneer at them.
The 49 participants dared not show any visible reaction.
But in their hearts, they were cursing Zuo Qiyu's ancestors.
Zhao Xing, however, was solely focused on analyzing his task.
"Judging by his attitude, the mission related to him won't be easy to complete."
Once Zuo Qiyu finished speaking, he vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, back in Beihe Realm Star, some of Great Zhou's high-ranking officials remained behind.
This was because only on Beihe Realm Star could they use mechanized communication devices to instantly receive information from the Minor World No. Star System.
If they were in Great Zhou's own Fengdu Realm Star, there would have been a delay in receiving updates.
"Sir Lu, why hasn't it started yet?"
Outside the crowded plaza, a massive water mirror stood, though it remained foggy and indistinct.
Inside a viewing pavilion, Great Zhou's officials pressed Lu Ying for answers.
"Sir Lu, did you fail to connect the split-light mirror?"
"Why is it still blurry?"
"It hasn't started yet," Lu Ying replied helplessly. "Please be patient, gentlemen."
"Sir Lu, are you sure your techniques are up to par? I can hear cheering from other locations!"
"Ye Yukong, why don't you take over as the mechanist instead?"
"All you do is rush people!" Lu Ying snapped. "Even Beihe's Lord won't be able to see the broadcast any earlier than us."
"If you lot had even a bit of patience, maybe you wouldn't have been eliminated in the first round."
"Sir Lu, don't be mad! Haha, I was just joking!" Ye Yukong quickly laughed it off and shut his mouth.
"There it is! It's coming through!" Long Xiao suddenly pointed at the water mirror.
"Whoosh~"
Ripples spread across the water mirror, and soon, the image stabilized, displaying a lush green world.
Minor World No. 2436
The giant gate swung open, and a blinding light flooded the green waiting hall.
The brilliance was so intense that Zhao Xing couldn't keep his eyes open.
He felt an immense force pulling him in, and the next moment, he was suddenly suspended in mid-air above a vast green continent.
His Star Mirror trembled slightly. Without hesitation, Zhao Xing focused his mind and began reading the trial instructions.
[Beihe Star System participant Zhao Xing, you have been assigned to Minor World No. 2436 Examination Small World.]
[This world is a "Soldier Type" small world, filled with various plant-based lifeforms, covering all known plant classifications.]
[All plant lifeforms in this world are in a "Wild" state. The moment you approach, they will attack without hesitation.]
[The second trial consists of two phases.]
[In the first year, you must select and subdue a plant-based soldier.]
[Minor World No. 2436 Small World has 1 million participants. There are only 1,000 Grand Divine Ability-level plant soldiers and 10,000 Lesser Divine Ability-level plant soldiers. Their numbers range from 1 to 11,000. The rest are common-ranked plant soldiers, totaling 1 million.]
[After one year, Minor World No. 2436 Small World will undergo a large-scale "Collapse." The entire small world's space will begin to shrink.]
[The only plants capable of resisting the Collapse are the 1,000 Grand Divine Ability-level modified plant soldiers.]
[Each participant can only obtain one Grand Divine Ability-level plant soldier. Once a plant soldier is subdued, its location will be publicly broadcast to all competitors.]
[Survivors of the Collapse will be eligible for the third trial.]
[Countdown: One Year]
After finishing the instructions, Zhao Xing immediately activated his Soul Sight, extending his perception to search for wild plant soldiers.
Now was the time to seize every second!
"One million Shennong cultivators, but only 1,000 available slots…"
"The so-called 'Collapse' means that this small world will continuously weaken, ultimately reaching its end."
"At that point, the spatial structure will become extremely unstable, and terrifying natural disasters will erupt."
"The key issue is competing for those 1,000 Grand Divine Ability plant soldiers."
"One million competitors fighting over 1,000 plant soldiers—not only do we have to capture one, but we also have to defend it."
Zhao Xing rapidly processed the rules while scanning his surroundings.
Due to the pre-trial security check, all of the plant soldiers he previously possessed had been sealed.
This meant he was starting from scratch.
The only way to obtain new plant soldiers was to capture them inside this world.
There were no weapons provided. Even the robes he wore were low-quality, meant to shatter upon impact.
His original Juyang Avatar was also restricted, meaning that if he wanted to use straw puppet techniques, he had to rely entirely on the plants in this world.
Every participant was in the same situation—forced to rely purely on their own abilities.
"Even after capturing a Grand Divine Ability-level plant soldier, I'll have to defend it."
"1,000 plant soldiers… meaning that, in theory, each person has to fend off 1,000 attackers? This is insane!"
"Grow! Grow! Grow!!"
Although Zhao Xing couldn't summon his Juyang Avatar from his origin space, his real body was still capable of expanding.
For the past 97 years, while studying Wu Tian's Great Divine Ability "Five-Finger Mountain," he had already mastered its prerequisite technique—"Treasure Mountain Technique."
"Treasure Mountain Technique is rooted in the Dao of Mountains. The first step is to train one's legs, unlocking 36 key meridian points, absorbing void particles into one's body, and condensing them into a mountain."
"At the first level, the legs become pillar-like, allowing the practitioner to stabilize their Dao Field, even in unstable void environments, greatly enhancing their combat efficiency."
"The technique strengthens both the Dao Field and the physical body, making it exceptionally durable and massive."
"The first stage is the Mountain Foot Technique, the second stage is the Mountain Waist Technique, and the third stage is the Mountain Peak Technique."
"Master all three, and you will attain the Treasure Mountain Divine Ability!"
Zhao Xing was not the only one utilizing a body-expansion technique. Not far from him, a bald middle-aged man was also growing in size.
"Another Martial Shennong? Anyone who passed the first round must have something special." Zhao Xing thought to himself.
The assessments within the Origin Realm were not announced until the competition officially began, but many major clans would make educated guesses in advance.
For example, knowing that the environment would be harsh, some competitors had already trained in survival-focused secret arts ahead of time.
Just then, the bald man, Hu Gang, also noticed Zhao Xing.
The two of them were in dangerous proximity—for a battle-permitted trial like this, that was not an ideal situation.
Hu Gang's gaze darkened. "He sees me growing, and he's not backing away?"
By now, Hu Gang's body had reached half an "Extreme" unit in height.
For a Third Realm martial artist, unless they reached Grand Divine Ability, their maximum body expansion would be one full Extreme unit.
For a Shennong to reach half an Extreme unit in size was already extremely rare, considering that the Shennong path was primarily focused on spells rather than physical enhancement.
Hu Gang was about to intimidate Zhao Xing with a commanding roar, but before he could open his mouth, Zhao Xing's body size surged past one Extreme unit—and was still growing!
"Holy sh*t! What kind of monster is this?! How is his Origin Space supporting such a massive body?"
Seeing that Zhao Xing's True Self Technique was more refined than his own, Hu Gang immediately swallowed his words and turned to run for his life.
"Too strong! I can't win!"
"I need to stay away—this is not the time to fight head-on."
"There are so many geniuses here... My worldview has been too narrow!"
The other Shennong cultivators in Zhao Xing's landing zone also scattered instantly.
Seeing this, Zhao Xing stopped growing.
"Training one's body as a mountain—cultivating the mountain is cultivating oneself. Using my Origin Space as the foundation, nurturing my Treasure Mountain Body… It wasn't until I met Wu Tian that I obtained the complete version of Treasure Mountain Technique."
What Zhao Xing had just displayed was a Grand Divine Ability—Treasure Mountain Divine Ability.
This ability had three core moves: Heaven-Supporting Pillar, Iron Mountain Crash, and Yin-Yang Apex.
From a visual standpoint, it was incredibly intimidating.
Just by activating Treasure Mountain Divine Ability, he had already deterred many competitors.
"Boom!"
Zhao Xing's feet stomped into the earth, stabilizing his Lunar Dao Field. Then, he began moving forward.
"My Lunar Dao Field is only Third-Tier. Compared to the top-tier talents of the Red Star Empire, my Dao Field is a weakness. I need to be careful."
Zhao Xing had already detected powerful plant life fluctuations and was striding forward quickly.
His speed on land was just as fast as flying, but far safer.
Just then, a massive beast resembling a turtle but with horns on its head and a spiked tail flew overhead.
"Roar~~"
"A Void Giant Turtle? A Grand Divine Ability-level Transformation Technique!"
Zhao Xing instinctively halted, his guard up.
With Soul Sight, he peered into the turtle's body and saw a cold-eyed man with purple hair seated inside.
In the True Self Shennong's trial, as long as it was a self-generated ability, no restrictions were placed.
Zhao Xing could use Mountain Law Divine Abilities, and naturally, others could use Transformation Law Divine Abilities.
"Judging by his keratinized skin and peculiar life core, this guy must be part turtle-blooded… A natural-born Grand Divine Ability user."
This meant the purple-haired man was exceptionally talented.
The Void Giant Turtle also sensed Zhao Xing's gaze and turned to look back—it felt threatened.
A strange disgusted expression flickered through the purple-haired man's pupils.
"Why do I feel an innate hostility toward this guy? I've never even seen him before…"
Xiao Xuan frowned in confusion.
But after a brief moment of puzzlement, he looked away.
Time was short—he needed to quickly find a Grand Divine Ability-ranked plant soldier.
At this moment, every Shennong cultivator in the trial understood one thing—if they wanted to survive, they needed to seize a numbered plant soldier!
"I found one!"
Zhao Xing quickly arrived at a storm-ravaged canyon.
The violent thunder and howling winds were so intense that Zhao Xing felt mild static shocks before even getting close.
"The reason this Wind Thunder Canyon exists is because of the Grand Divine Ability plant within it—the Purple Azure Wind Thunder Bamboo."
Zhao Xing activated Soul Sight, piercing through the layers of storm and lightning illusions.
Within his vision, a five Extreme-tall, purple-gold bamboo stalk stood in the center of the valley.
Its leaves and stem constantly absorbed and released wind and thunder energy.
Just as Zhao Xing was about to enter the canyon, a heavenly voice suddenly rang in his mind.
"Leave."
"Shhh~~"
Slaughter Mind Blade activated.
Yet, despite his mental defenses, he still stepped back half a pace.
Zhao Xing immediately traced the attack—it had come from a silver-haired girl at the edge of the Wind Thunder Canyon.
She radiated an aura of purity, resembling an ethereal celestial maiden untouched by mortal concerns.
Zhao Xing could not clearly perceive her face—as if just looking at her would shake his will.
"A Mental-Type Grand Divine Ability user?"
"Unlucky."
Just as he arrived, he encountered a top-tier talent who had already begun subduing the Purple Azure Wind Thunder Bamboo.
But luck had nothing to do with it—inside this trial world, all participants' fortune levels were locked at Derivation Nine.
The silver-haired girl, Xi Lin, was slightly surprised.
Zhao Xing, despite facing her Mental Command, had only taken half a step back.
Even though most of her focus was on subduing the Purple Azure Wind Thunder Bamboo, it was clear Zhao Xing's mental resistance was formidable.
"You want me to leave? Show me some real power first."
Zhao Xing stomped the ground, sending a powerful shockwave surging toward Xi Lin.
The ground ruptured, disrupting her subjugation process.
"Boom!"
However, the shockwave stopped precisely one thousand miles before reaching Xi Lin.
"Ding!" "Shhh!"
Blood-colored Mind Blades flickered in Zhao Xing's eyes, but he quickly recovered his clarity.
After assessing the situation, he turned and left without hesitation.
There was no point in wasting time fighting a Mental-Type Grand Divine Ability user.
After all, Grand Divine Ability-level talents were rare—out of a million participants, there were probably fewer than a thousand.
"Thud! Thud! Thud~~"
His thunderous footsteps echoed through the canyon.
Xi Lin exhaled in relief, watching Zhao Xing's retreating figure.
"If everyone attacking me is as strong as him, I might not survive this trial."
Zhao Xing continued his search without hesitation, weaving through the rugged landscape.
After avoiding two Grand Divine Ability users, he finally found an opportunity—at the peak of a snow-covered mountain, he spotted a Third Realm plant soldier.
However, it was only at the Lesser Divine Ability level.
For Zhao Xing, the top priority now was to create a clone of Juyang. Otherwise, even if he captured a plant soldier, he wouldn't be able to defend it, and it would be stolen away before he could use it.
"The Origin Realm provides a vast variety of plant soldiers, including ten thousand Lesser Divine Ability-level plant soldiers, precisely for competitors like me who practice Straw Puppet Techniques."
"Soul Invasion!"
Zhao Xing activated Slaughter Mind Blade, sending his consciousness into the glowing pine-like plant before him.
The plant was incredibly short, barely the size of a bonsai, making it difficult to spot at first glance. But Zhao Xing had already confirmed that it was a Third Realm plant.
"Ice Snow Silver Pine, perfected at the Lesser Divine Ability level, currently at its peak strength."
The moment Zhao Xing entered its consciousness, the Ice Snow Silver Pine retaliated!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Countless pine needles shot toward Zhao Xing's massive frame—each needle infinitesimally small, yet carrying the lethal force of an early-stage Lesser Divine Ability cultivator.
"Such a unique Divine Ability—it can actually pierce through one layer of my Treasure Light defense?"
Zhao Xing examined the tiny pine needles, no thicker than a strand of human hair.
Even with his massive size, the attacks were small enough to slip through unnoticed, yet powerful enough to be highly lethal.
"However, the real challenge is invading its consciousness."
With only one year, none of the Shennong competitors could afford to slowly tame a plant soldier through gradual training.
And this Ice Snow Silver Pine had just awakened its intelligence, its mind still in a chaotic, primal state—completely impossible to tame willingly.
Thus, the only way to subdue it was through direct Soul Invasion.
The difficulty lay in erasing its existing consciousness while preserving its full combat potential.
"Capturing an intelligent plant versus a non-intelligent one—both present their own set of challenges."
Zhao Xing struggled for half a month, before finally opening his eyes again—his gaze tinged with exhaustion.
Half a month.
In that time, he had experienced the entire lifespan of this Ice Snow Silver Pine.
"Thirty thousand years of memories, completely disordered, crashing against my mind in an endless tide."
"At one point, I even started believing I was the pine tree itself."
As he regained clarity, Zhao Xing suddenly realized—he was standing barefoot in the snow, his feet buried in the soil.
His arms were raised, mirroring the posture of a pine tree.
Long silky strands of pine-like fibers had grown along his arms and shoulders—a side effect of his consciousness being overwhelmed by the pine tree's ancient memories.
"Even my body started subconsciously growing like a tree."
With a quick motion, Zhao Xing ripped his feet free from the ground.
At the same time, he severed the pine fibers and cut his overgrown hair, restoring his normal state.
"No matter what, at least now I have a solid starting point—the first plant soldier is mine!"
"Collect!"
Zhao Xing swiftly secured the Ice Snow Silver Pine, before immediately setting off again—searching for his next plant soldier.
Meanwhile, back on Beihe Star System, inside the Royal Palace, a group of powerful figures watched the battle unfold.
"Zhao Xing succeeded."
Inside the grand chamber, Qiao Song, along with the Lord of Beihe, and various other high-ranking officials, stared at the glowing projection before them.
"My Lord," Qiao Song reported, "out of all the Shennong competitors from Beihe Star System, only forty-nine of them chose the combat-focused division."
"Zhao Xing is the first among them to successfully subdue a Third Realm plant soldier."
The Lord of Beihe, seated on his majestic throne, exuded an aura deep and unfathomable as an abyss.
Hearing Qiao Song's report, he nodded slightly. "Not bad. A promising seedling."
Qiao Song continued, "It only took him half a month to capture his first plant soldier—he might actually have a real chance."
"If he can gather enough plant soldiers, he could potentially weaken a Grand Divine Ability plant soldier, reducing the difficulty of subduing one."
"If that happens, he might secure a spot in the Third Round."
Theoretically, if Zhao Xing could collect enough Third Realm plants, he could inflict significant damage on a Grand Divine Ability plant, making it much easier to capture.
Of course, that was just speculation.
Whether Zhao Xing could find enough plant soldiers, and whether he could even survive long enough to attempt it, was still uncertain.
For now, it was simply a strong start—but nothing was guaranteed.
However, among all the Shennong cultivators, Zhao Xing was undoubtedly the most promising contender.
Time passed, and half a month after Zhao Xing subdued the Ice Snow Silver Pine, he stood deep within a vast primeval forest. Before him, a golden bamboo stood tall, its form resembling a sword, with illusory starlight flickering across its surface.
"Rise!" Zhao Xing's eyes snapped open, and he let out a low command.
"Boom!"
The bamboo ripped itself from the ground, and Zhao Xing collected his second Third Realm plant soldier.
"Lesser Divine Ability level—Extreme Star Sword Bamboo."
He felt a slight stinging sensation across his skin. Upon lowering his gaze, he noticed thin wounds appearing on his arms—remnants of the Extreme Star Sword Bamboo's counterattack.
"It actually pierced through seven layers of Treasure Light and managed to wound me… As expected, its offensive power is one of the strongest among plant soldiers." Zhao Xing clicked his tongue.
Even though his focus had wavered slightly during the subjugation process, causing his Treasure Light from the Treasure Mountain Divine Ability to weaken, it was still a nearly impenetrable defense for most Third Realm creatures.
"Two plant soldiers down." Zhao Xing rubbed his forehead.
The Extreme Star Sword Bamboo had a slightly shorter lifespan compared to the Ice Snow Silver Pine, but even so, it held fifteen thousand years of fragmented 'life memories.'
To subdue two wild, chaos-wrought plant soldiers in such a short period was the equivalent of undergoing high-intensity battles for a Shennong.
Zhao Xing activated Soul Sight, once again scanning for more Third Realm plant soldiers.
"The number of Third Realm plant soldiers is declining rapidly. Looks like many have already been collected."
His Soul Sight covered an immense range, nearly spanning half of the 2436th minor world.
With ninety-seven years of training, both his Soul Sight and Three Divinities Destiny Palace had already reached Lesser Divine Ability Perfection.
With his superior perception, he could always seize the initiative.
"When I first entered this realm, I conducted a large-scale scan and memorized the entire map."
"The pace is faster than expected." Zhao Xing mused. "In just a month, the number of Third Realm plant soldiers has decreased by one-tenth."
"I need to speed up."
Without hesitation, Zhao Xing began crafting his Juyang Clones, using the Ice Snow Silver Pine and Extreme Star Sword Bamboo as core materials, while incorporating various other plant lifeforms as supplementary ingredients.
"These fast-crafted Juyang Straw Puppets may not be made from exclusive materials, but they still possess ten times the combat power of a Lesser Divine Ability-level being."
Under mounting pressure, Zhao Xing created 180 Juyang Straw Puppets in just three days. Both the Ice Snow Silver Pine and Extreme Star Sword Bamboo were completely dismantled and repurposed as materials.
"With these clones creating more clones, my search efficiency has just skyrocketed."
"Scatter!"
The Juyang Clones spread across the land, each tasked with hunting down and subduing Lesser Divine Ability plant soldiers.
The difficulty of capturing plant soldiers lay in two primary challenges:
1. Withstanding their attacks.
2. Resisting the impact of their chaotic 'life memories.'
The Juyang Clones were renowned for their defensive prowess, while the mental shock from memory absorption was shared with his main body.
In just three months, Zhao Xing harvested 800 Lesser Divine Ability plant soldiers.
"Retrieve the clones! Create more!"
Zhao Xing's clone strategy unfolded like a virus replicating exponentially, expanding at a terrifying rate.
However, once he reached a certain threshold, Zhao Xing ceased his search for Third Realm plant soldiers.
Instead, he initiated the second phase of his plan—
Mushroom harvesting!
Two months passed.
Deep within a dark forest, Zhao Xing's Lunar Dao Field stretched across billions of miles, consuming all surrounding light.
"Buzz~"
A mushroom was tossed from within the shadows, landing outside the dark forest before sinking into the soil.
At the center of the darkness, Zhao Xing surveyed a massive pile of mushrooms.
Within Minor World No. 2436, in addition to Third Realm plant soldiers, there were also countless First and Second Realm plant soldiers.
The variety was vast.
After producing over ten thousand clones, Zhao Xing redirected them toward harvesting First and Second Realm mushrooms.
"Third Realm plant soldiers are contested fiercely, but the First and Second Realm mushrooms? Hardly anyone cares about them. I can gather them freely."
"The dark forest under my control has already cultivated over one hundred thousand mushrooms through replication." Zhao Xing analyzed.
He concentrated his inner vision, focusing on one particular specimen—the Experimental Star Phantom Mushroom.
It contained seven types of 'Life Dao Traces.'
These seven Life Dao Traces were the culmination of Zhao Xing's ninety-seven years of research on mushrooms—his most invaluable discovery.
It was an unrepeatable anomaly.
Even if given another chance, Zhao Xing was unsure if he could recreate these seven traces.
This was why the Self School was so obsessed with experimentation—because these serendipitous breakthroughs could not be achieved through conventional methods.
"By utilizing Purification Divine Ability, I managed to cultivate an entire batch of Third Realm mushrooms."
"Since their life structures are stable, and they've undergone 'rebirth,' I can control most of them."
"Of course, some remain uncontrollable."
Zhao Xing had simply replicated the process, without fully comprehending the Life Dao Traces embedded in the Star Phantom Mushroom.
Where there was accidental success, there was also random failure.
"The most powerful specimen..."
Zhao Xing's gaze locked onto a large, pulsating purple-gold mushroom.
It expanded and contracted in perfect rhythm with his own breath.
It was the same size as his own body.
Even its breathing pattern mirrored his own.
Among all his experimental subjects, this was the strongest one.
[Mutated Mushroom]
[Realm: Grand Divine Ability (Variant)]
[Lifespan: 20 years]
[Innate Divine Ability: Unknown]
[Innate Divine Ability: Unknown]
Zhao Xing stared at the mushroom, shaking his head.
Even he didn't know what kind of monster he had created.
Even its Innate Divine Abilities were unknown.
"Out of hundreds of thousands of mushrooms, this one actually evolved into something unique. It has to be worth something." Zhao Xing mused.
"Shame there's only one of them."
Zhao Xing looked up sharply as a series of loud explosions echoed through the air.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the distance, he saw over a dozen shadowy figures vanish abruptly, their bodies flashing with golden light before disappearing completely.
"Eliminated?" Zhao Xing narrowed his eyes in confusion. His peripheral mushroom fields had been partially obliterated.
"Looks like there's a battle near the outskirts of my Dao Field, and the aftermath reached me."
He immediately heightened his vigilance.
For the past two months, he had noticed a pattern—people kept getting eliminated near his territory. His mushroom fields had suffered countless losses because of it.
"The foundation of my territory is now stable. It's time to search for those special Grand Divine Ability plants."
Unlike normal plant soldiers, Grand Divine Ability-level plant life couldn't be detected through scanning techniques.
Zhao Xing had to personally lead his clones and main body in an exhaustive search. Given the amount of time that had passed, he was confident that some clues would have surfaced by now.
In the Green Leaf Hall, a disheveled middle-aged man with crooked features suddenly tumbled through the boundary wall, ejected by golden light.
"That's it? I'm eliminated already?" His eyes widened in shock.
His injuries quickly healed, and his features returned to normal, making him somewhat less ugly.
"What the hell were those mushrooms?" He muttered, recalling his failed ambush.
"I tried to assassinate the Mushroom King, but I ended up getting killed by his mushroom army instead?!"
"There's always someone stronger out there..."
He sighed, shaking his head.
Zhao Xing had cultivated so many Third Realm mushrooms that even though his Dao Field was well-hidden, it was still detectable by powerful senses.
Despite his secrecy, his unique plant army was bound to draw attention.
Over time, many cultivators had sensed the abnormal growth in the region and decided to investigate.
Some, like this middle-aged man, had chosen to attack Zhao Xing directly, hoping to steal his army—after all, if he was eliminated, his plant soldiers would become available for the taking.
But in the end...
He was the one who got eliminated.
"Such a waste..." The man sighed.
He wasn't alone. Tens of thousands of cultivators had already been eliminated by Zhao Xing's mushroom army without Zhao Xing himself even realizing it.
And because of this, he had earned a new nickname—
The Mushroom King.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing was fully focused on his search for the elusive Grand Divine Ability plants.
"The ones that can survive the world collapse… where are they?"
Every time he tracked one down, it was already occupied, guarded by a Grand Divine Ability cultivator who had claimed it.
[Known locations of remaining special plant soldiers in Minor World No. 2436: 728 sites.]
Since the Star Mirror publicly announced the locations of claimed Grand Divine Ability plants, Zhao Xing could track real-time ownership updates.
"Of the original 1000 special plants, 728 have already been taken."
"It's been six months already, and only a little over 200 remain unclaimed."
A hint of urgency flashed in his eyes.
On Beihe Star System – Lord's Mansion
Inside the grand observation hall, where powerful figures watched the ongoing trials, the atmosphere had grown tense.
Six months had passed.
Out of the 14,281 cultivators sent from Beihe Star System to participate in the trials…
Only one-tenth remained.
Several professions had already been completely wiped out—
The Star Historians and Star Dancers, both niche classes, had no survivors left.
The brutal elimination rate wasn't surprising, but watching their numbers dwindle so rapidly still left the Lord of Beihe frustrated.
"Seven consecutive generations…"
For the past seven iterations of the Grand Origin Trials, Beihe Star System had failed to produce a single successful candidate.
Now, with two rounds left, they were already down to only a thousand competitors.
If they failed again, the Lord of Beihe would have to endure mockery from his peers for another century.
Just as he was lost in thought—
"Hahahaha!" A warrior under his command suddenly burst into laughter.
"Another one just got wiped out by Zhao Xing's mushrooms!"
The Lord of Beihe snapped out of his daze.
"How many is that now?"
"32,457 eliminations." Someone immediately reported.
"And the funniest part?" Qiao Song smirked. "Zhao Xing himself has no idea he's eliminated that many people!"
The entire hall erupted into laughter.
"The Mushroom King is really something!"
"It looks like Beihe Star System might finally have a true genius on our hands."
The Lord of Beihe raised an eyebrow.
"What are you all laughing about?" He asked, curious.
"What's this about a Mushroom King? What did I miss?"
Apparently, while he had been discussing imperial affairs and gathering intelligence from his old friends, two months had passed in the blink of an eye.
"Allow me to show you, My Lord," Qiao Song said, bringing up recorded footage of Zhao Xing's battle history in Minor World No. 2436.
The Lord of Beihe leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied the projection.
On the screen, a vast dark forest came into view—
Hidden beneath the shadows, hundreds of thousands of mushrooms pulsed with eerie energy, constantly multiplying and spreading like a plague.
For the past two months, over 32,000 elite cultivators had either wandered too close or tried to ambush Zhao Xing—
Many had Dao Fields stronger than his, believing they could sneak in undetected.
Yet...
None had survived.
They never even got past the mushroom defenses.
The Lord of Beihe slowly exhaled, his gaze sharp and calculating.
"This Zhao Xing..."
"He's a true talent!"
He stared at the massive army of Third Realm plant soldiers, grown entirely from scratch.
"This kid created all these soldiers from nothing?"
Then, something caught his eye.
At the center of the mushroom fields, among the strongest specimens, he noticed one peculiar mushroom—
Unlike the others, it was covered in ancient, cryptic markings.
The Lord of Beihe's pupils shrank.
"That pattern…"
"Could it be… a trace of the Dao of Life?!"
"Interesting."
Over half a year had passed, and Zhao Xing had only taken action three times. Aside from his initial probe against a Grand Divine Ability cultivator, he had not encountered any direct battles.
"My clones have engaged in plenty of fights, but I still haven't found a single wild special plant capable of surviving world collapse."
"Am I lucky? Or just unlucky?"
Zhao Xing felt a bit frustrated.
"Only four months left. There are fewer than 100 unclaimed wild special plant soldiers left."
"Do I really have no choice but to steal from others?"
In theory, snatching from others sounded easy. But at this stage, ownership of special plant soldiers had changed multiple times.
Every claimed special plant was controlled by powerful Shennongs, making the competition for them the deadliest part of the trials.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Zhao Xing sprinted forward, his movements swift as a meteor.
Leaping over a mountain ridge, he descended like a comet—
Boom!
His legs smashed into the ground, sending out ripple-like vibrations.
In an instant, over a thousand hidden cultivators who had been lurking in a void river were forced out by the impact.
"It's him! The Mushroom King! I recognize his aura!"
"This monster again..."
"He controls some incredible Grand Divine Ability. There's no way we can fight him!"
Whispers and murmurs filled the surroundings.
Zhao Xing furrowed his brow.
"Mushroom King?"
"Are they... talking about me?"
He glanced around but didn't dwell on it.
Instead, he claimed the area for himself.
Before him was a vast flowing river, its waters glimmering with dense, heavy energy.
"Heavy Water River?" Zhao Xing's eyes gleamed.
Scanning the surroundings, he noticed hundreds of Shennongs lined up along the riverbanks, staring intently at the water.
Yet none dared to enter.
Meanwhile, inside the river, more than a hundred cultivators were trapped.
They struggled desperately but could not escape the river's pull.
Every few moments, a golden flash would signal someone being eliminated, forcibly transported out of the trials.
"The Grand Origin Realm wouldn't place a Heavy Water River for no reason."
"In every trial where a Heavy Water River appears... there is always a special plant hidden within."
But the river was long, and its exact location was unknown.
Then, Zhao Xing noticed something odd—
Many of the cultivators were glaring at him, some with obvious hostility.
"Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
"I'm just a small Grand Divine Ability cultivator. What's so special about me?"
With a cold snort, he activated his divine power—
Instantly, his body expanded!
His Treasure Mountain Divine Ability had reached perfection, allowing his height to increase dramatically.
Two-and-a-half Extremes!
Although his true maximum size could reach three-and-a-half Extremes, maintaining it for long periods was impossible.
"No need to go all out. This is enough to intimidate them."
"Bigger! Bigger! Bigger!"
His Treasure Mountain Divine Ability surged, and two layers of Treasure Light radiated from his body.
Splash!
Without hesitation, Zhao Xing jumped into Heavy Water River.
Due to his immense size, the river's water only reached his knees.
"Holy—this guy's too big!"
"Is he some Qi Sect Martial Artist disguised as a Shennong?"
"No way! Qi Sect warriors don't have Origin Space or Dao Fields. This has to be some unique divine ability!"
"His size is five times my limit! That pressure…!"
"Who the hell is this Mushroom King? Why is everyone afraid of him?"
All around him, whispers and wary gazes followed his every move.
Splash!
Zhao Xing shielded his head with one hand and bent down, starting his search along the riverbed.
Heavy Water River had drawn increasing attention from cultivators.
However, only a few had the strength to actually search within it.
Simply surviving in the river was already a challenge.
On Day 65 before the deadline—
"Hmm?"
Deep in the center of Heavy Water River, Zhao Xing caught a glimmer of golden light.
At the very bottom, nestled among ancient boulders, a small silver tree radiated tiny star-like glows.
Above its canopy, a golden number flickered—
15.
An energy barrier surrounded it, blocking most scanning abilities.
"Number 15? A special plant soldier!"
"I found one!"
The moment Zhao Xing touched the barrier, a wave of mental energy surged into his consciousness.
His vision flashed, and the small silver tree's image burned itself into his mind.
At the same time—
Boom!
A silver divine glow erupted from the tree.
The barrier absorbed some of the impact, and the river's density further weakened it, yet the remaining force still struck Zhao Xing's chest directly.
The Grand Origin Realm had deliberately set up these conditions—
Newly arrived Shennongs had no equipment, no allies, and no prior preparation.
If they encountered a fully awakened Grand Divine Ability plant soldier too soon, it would be impossible to subdue.
Thus, the challenge of capturing this plant lay in:
Navigating Heavy Water River
Enduring the "Life Memory" impact
Surviving its Grand Divine Ability attacks
Boom!
Even after being weakened twice, the attack still burned a hole through Zhao Xing's shoulder, exposing charred bone.
"Damn, that still hurt!"
Hum!
Treasure Light swirled around him, and his Treasure Mountain Divine Ability activated.
His flesh rapidly regenerated, restoring him to perfect condition.
The silver glow continued to release waves of Treasure Light, and Zhao Xing's recovery ability was gradually declining.
"If I can't subdue it within one month, I won't be able to withstand this assault any longer. I'll be eliminated."
Whoosh—
A searing pain erupted in his mind, as if a blazing current was surging through his consciousness.
Compared to the attacks on his body, Zhao Xing barely cared—he could still endure them for a month.
But the spiritual resistance during the subjugation process was far more unbearable.
"When a plant-based lifeform's consciousness is invaded, its instinctive willpower fights back violently."
"Not every plant possesses psychic talent, but any lifeform that has developed a 'spirit' naturally carries immense spiritual force."
"Especially ancient plant life that has existed for countless ages—its entire experience, from chaotic will to the birth of a soul, must be relived by the one attempting to subdue it."
Zhao Xing closed his eyes and steadied his mind.
If his spiritual will was not strong enough, he could easily be assimilated by the plant soldier's consciousness!
Zhao Xing had seen many Shennongs from the School of Self who, after subjugating too many plant soldiers, stopped believing they were human.
Some would bury themselves in soil all day, thinking they were trees.
Others became mentally dazed, their behavior erratic and bizarre.
This was the aftermath of either subjugating too many plant soldiers or attempting to subdue a plant far beyond their limit.
The only reason he managed to subjugate the Thousand Illusions Tree before was due to spending a fortune on a Water-Origin Life Contract.
But not every Shennong had such expensive resources.
In the wilderness, one might stumble upon a rare plant unexpectedly but lack the necessary preparations to subdue it.
Since opportunities only came once, many Shennongs would risk attempting subjugation despite the dangers.
This was why the Grand Origin Realm's trials placed such heavy emphasis on willpower.
Zhao Xing was soon immersed in the silver tree's memories.
It had originated from a Shennong in the Grand Origin Realm and had undergone countless experiments—its biological structure was repeatedly altered and tormented.
The sensation was so vivid it felt as if a great Dao force was influencing him, causing his own life structure to change as well.
"Tsk—"
Zhao Xing had to allocate a portion of his willpower to resist the transformation.
This meant that instead of lasting a month, he could now only endure for half a month.
"Hold on!"
Zhao Xing gritted his teeth and resisted with all his might.
His perception expanded, his consciousness forcefully invading every fiber of the silver tree's life structure.
Zhao Xing awoke from his trance.
Before he even realized it, he had moved right in front of the silver tree.
Its roots were now firmly planted within his Origin Projection, indicating a successful subjugation.
However, before he could even celebrate, his Star Mirror immediately updated with a new notification:
[Special Plant Location Updated!]
At that moment, his position was displayed to every cultivator in the trials.
"Run!"
Zhao Xing shifted his massive body, quickly surfacing from the Heavy Water River.
His goal was now clear—bring the silver tree back to his own territory!
"Mushroom King, hand over the plant soldier!"
The moment he surfaced, a sharp voice rang out from across the river.
Zhao Xing lifted his gaze and saw a tall, long-haired man floating mid-air on the opposite bank.
A domain of cloud and mist surrounded the man, with thunder and rain swirling around him, expanding his Dao Field significantly.
Zhao Xing blinked.
"He actually called me Mushroom King?"
"Looks like my Dao Field really is too weak..."
He had thought his activities were concealed, but it turned out he had been noticed long ago.
"Guess I wasn't as stealthy as I thought."
"Hand it over, and I'll let you live," Zhao Xing said with a grin. "At least tell me your name so I know who's eliminating me."
"Hong Guang."
"Hong Guang, huh? Where are you from? You seem kind of familiar..."
"Hmph!"
Hong Guang immediately attacked, seeing through Zhao Xing's attempt to stall for time.
A plant soldier that had already been subjugated became easier for a second owner to claim if its first master was removed!
Since Zhao Xing had already taken on all the burden, Hong Guang could simply reap the benefits.
And right now, Zhao Xing was at his weakest!
Boom!
Zhao Xing felt his movement slow drastically.
Turning around, his expression darkened.
Hong Guang's back had sprouted ten dark-gold vines—each one belonging to a Mo Yun Vine!
Not just any Mo Yun Vine—ten mature-stage Third Realm Mo Yun Vines!
"There's no way this trial world spawned this many Mo Yun Vines!"
"How the hell did he get ten fully matured Third Realm Mo Yun Vines?!"
"And they're all at Grand Divine Ability Perfection... I just ran into a true powerhouse!"
Zhao Xing licked his lips.
Running was no longer an option—the Void Seed Divine Ability was already restricting his movement.
He had no choice but to fight!
"Mushroom King, hand over the special plant soldier now."
"You still have a chance to challenge others, but if you refuse, you'll be eliminated."
Hong Guang's cold voice echoed across the battlefield.