I want to tread the heavens

Over the next two days, the Ancient Vine Forest Secret Realm turned into a bloody hunting ground and a brutal elimination tournament.

Fifty disciples who advanced fought each other, battled monsters, and ventured into the remnants of ancient restrictions in order to compete for the limited number of "Spirit Seals." Screams echoed continuously, and flashes of light indicating forfeiture appeared throughout the forest.

Ling Xiao, along with Fa Cai and Guo Xiaohu, used the Starfall Compass's keen perception of spiritual energy fluctuations to avoid several powerful groups of demonic beasts and several obviously dangerous areas. They targeted lone or weak demonic beasts and collected some relatively safe spiritual plants. Although their efficiency was not as high as those powerful inner court elites who dared to venture into dangerous places, they steadily accumulated "spiritual imprints".

Fa Cai recovered quickly after the fierce battle and seemed to have more skillful control over his own power. Although he didn't fully transform again, his speed and the power of his claws and teeth were significantly enhanced, making him the strongest fighter in the team. Guo Xiaohu, after being frightened, also played a role—his cultivation level wasn't high, but his eyesight was good, and he could identify some common low-level spiritual plants, preventing him from making a mistake.

During this time, they encountered two more attacks from other groups of disciples, but thanks to Ling Xiao's slippery movements, Fa Cai's ferocity, and the compass's warnings, they managed to repel or escape unscathed. Ling Xiao also used the compass to find a medicinal herb with antidote properties to apply to the poison wound on his chest, barely managing to suppress it.

By the evening of the second day, Ling Xiao had twenty-seven "spiritual seals" on the back of his token. Based on past experience, this number might barely get him into the top ten, but a top twenty should be relatively safe. However, he knew this wasn't enough. Since Guo Xiaoyue had her eye on him, she would undoubtedly launch an attack in the final arena ranking battle. He needed a higher ranking, more attention, and… less exposure under the public eye.

Just as he was pondering, the compass on his chest issued another warning—there was a violent collision and fluctuation of spiritual energy not far ahead, and there was more than one, which was very chaotic.

"Go check it out, be careful," Ling Xiao gestured. The three of them crept closer and peered out from behind a cluster of giant purple mushrooms.

In a clearing in the woods, five or six disciples were engaged in a chaotic battle, vying for a rare herb in the center that emitted a pale golden glow. Outside the battle, on a boulder, Guo Xiaoyue stood calmly with his arms crossed, observing coldly. At his feet lay the corpse of a formidable saber-toothed tiger, clearly recently slain by him. The spiritual imprints on his token shone almost through his body, numbering probably over fifty.

"A bunch of ants." Guo Xiaoyue looked down at the group of people fighting tooth and nail for a single golden thread grass and curled his lip in disdain. Suddenly, as if sensing something, his sharp gaze shot towards the direction where Ling Xiao was hiding.

"You've been watching for so long, aren't you going to come out and say hello, Ling Xiao?" Guo Xiaoyue's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the chaotic battlefield and reached Ling Xiao's ears.

They've been discovered! Ling Xiao's heart skipped a beat. Knowing there was no way to hide, he simply led Fa Cai and Guo Xiaohu out. The group fighting in the open space also temporarily stopped, watching the uninvited guests warily. Especially seeing Guo Xiaoyue's obvious hostile attitude towards Ling Xiao, they all stepped back and gave up the space.

"You're lucky to have survived this long and even accumulated some spirit seals." Guo Xiaoyue's gaze swept over Ling Xiao, especially when she saw the bulging storage bag at his waist (used to store spirit seal tokens), a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. "However, that's enough. Hand over that thing you got from the ruins, then crush the token and get out of here. I might consider making sure you suffer less humiliation in the upcoming ranking battle."

He made no attempt to conceal his purpose, adopting an arrogant and condescending attitude, as if he were bestowing charity.

Ling Xiao gripped the broken sword tightly, slowly raised his head to meet Guo Xiaoyue's gaze, and said calmly, "If you want it, come and take it yourself. Just like your lackeys did in the ruins."

Upon hearing this, Guo Xiaoyue's eyes suddenly turned cold, the pale blue vortex around him intensified, and a powerful aura of the sixth level of Qi Refining erupted, enveloping the entire area! The other disciples on the open ground turned pale and retreated one after another.

"Sharp-tongued." Guo Xiaoyue slowly descended from the boulder, her aura growing stronger with each step. "It seems you truly won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. Very well, right here, I'll let you realize just how insurmountable the chasm between us truly is!"

His figure blurred and vanished from the spot! The next moment, he appeared three feet in front of Ling Xiao, a hand wrapped in sharp wind blades, like a blue dragon's claw, aimed straight at Ling Xiao's crown! The speed far surpassed Guo Yan's! The power was enough to shatter stone tablets!

"So fast!" Ling Xiao's pupils shrank sharply, and the compass warning vibrated wildly, but his body couldn't keep up with the speed! A sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator against a third-level cultivator was a qualitative crushing defeat!

"Roar!" Fa Cai roared, rushing forward recklessly in an attempt to intercept.

"Get out of my way!" Guo Xiaoyue didn't even look at him. With a casual wave of her other hand, a condensed wind blade slashed out, sending Fa Cai flying through the air. His gray fur scattered, and he crashed into a small tree, letting out a painful groan.

"Get rich!" Ling Xiao's eyes were bloodshot, but the aura of death was already overwhelming! He used all his strength to activate the Swimming Fish Step, frantically leaning back to the side, while holding the broken sword horizontally above his head.

"clang--!!!"

A deafening explosion! Guo Xiaoyue slammed her palm onto the broken sword, and the violent wind spiritual power and immense force surged like a tsunami, rushing along the blade and into Ling Xiao's body!

"Pfft—!" Ling Xiao coughed up a mouthful of blood, his arm bones creaking under the strain. He flew backward like a broken sack, crashing through several vines before landing heavily on the muddy ground ten feet away, rolling several times before coming to a stop. The broken sword in his hand clattered to the ground. He struggled to get up, but felt as if his internal organs had shifted, his blood was churning, and his vision was blurring. Another mouthful of blood surged into his throat.

With just one move! Guo Xiaoyue might not have even used his full strength, yet he was already seriously injured!

The gap is so large it's despairing.

Guo Xiaoyue slowly withdrew her palm, looking at Ling Xiao, who was in a sorry state and almost unable to fight. Her eyes showed no emotion, only endless indifference and contempt.

"See that clearly? This is true power." He strode forward, looking down at Ling Xiao, who was struggling to prop himself up, as if he were looking at an insect that he could crush with a flick of his wrist. "In the face of absolute power, all your little tricks, your slippery movements, your slightly special beastly abilities are a joke."

He bent down, reached into Ling Xiao's arms, and pointed directly at the "thing" that had piqued his interest.

Ling Xiao gritted his teeth, his mouth filled with the taste of blood. He watched the hand getting closer and closer, his eyes filled with resentment and anger, but his body felt like it was filled with lead, and he couldn't move.

Is this... going to be the end of it?

No! Absolutely not!

Just as Guo Xiaoyue's fingers were about to touch Ling Xiao's collar—

"Time's up! All disciples still in the secret realm, cease fighting immediately and prepare for teleportation!"

The presiding elder's voice, transmitted through some kind of formation, resounded throughout the entire ancient vine forest! The three-day deadline has arrived!

Guo Xiaoyue's hand froze in mid-air. He frowned, glanced at the white light of teleportation gathering in the sky, then at Ling Xiao, who was almost unconscious at his feet, and at Fa Cai, who was struggling to get up not far away, baring his teeth and growling at him but not daring to approach.

"Hmph, consider yourself lucky." Guo Xiaoyue straightened up, tidied her spotless robes as if she had only done a trivial thing. "Then I'll let you linger a little longer. I hope you can still stand on the final stage."

He stopped looking at Ling Xiao, turned around, and let the white light of teleportation envelop him.

The other disciples on the open ground were also taken away by the white light.

Ling Xiao's vision went black. His last consciousness was seeing Fa Cai limping towards him, anxiously licking his face with his warm tongue. Then, he was overwhelmed by endless darkness and excruciating pain.

……

When Ling Xiao regained some consciousness, he was lying in the temporary treatment area outside the central martial arts arena. Fa Cai was by his side, and upon seeing him open his eyes, he immediately began to sob. Guo Xiaohu was talking to a doctor with a mournful face. The surroundings were noisy, with many injured disciples receiving treatment.

He turned his neck with difficulty to look at the high-hanging spiritual seal ranking light screen.

His own name was prominently listed at number fifteen. At the top, the name shone with golden light, was none other than Guo Xiaoyue, whose number of spirit seals was more than double that of the second-place winner.

"Awake?" A familiar voice came, weary. It was Uncle Rong. He sat in a wooden wheelchair beside him, his face still pale, but his eyes filled with worry. Guo Yun stood behind him.

Ling Xiao tried to speak, but the aggravation of his internal injuries caused him to cough up a mouthful of stagnant blood.

"Don't move. Your internal organs have been shaken, and your meridians are damaged. You need to rest," Uncle Rong said in a deep voice, stuffing a pill into his mouth. "The ranking battle begins in an hour. You..."

Ling Xiao swallowed the pill, and a warm current spread through him, slightly reducing the pain. He looked at Uncle Rong, then at the glaring name on the light screen, and the weak light in his eyes was gradually replaced by something deeper and more stubborn.

Slowly, with all his might, he raised his trembling hand and grasped Uncle Rong's calloused palm.

His lips moved, his voice hoarse and weak, yet exceptionally clear:

"I...want to fight."