149: 7 seconds

Qingfeng replied:

"Defeating a Bronze-Armored Warrior earns you an elemental weapon or a Level 4 Talent Skill."

"Defeating a Silver-Armored Warrior earns you an awakening weapon or a Level 5 Talent Skill."

"As for defeating a Gold-Armored Warrior, you can choose a companion weapon or a Level 6 Talent Skill."

"A companion weapon?"

"A Level 6 Talent Skill?"

Xiao Weiqing's eyes lit up, and he couldn't wait to go in right now.

The others were the same, their breathing becoming rapid.

"However!"

Qingfeng's tone shifted.

Chu Xu asked, "However what?"

"At most, only one person can obtain a companion weapon or a Level 6 Talent Skill."

"At most, only two people can obtain an awakening weapon or a Level 5 Talent Skill, and the same goes for elemental weapons and Level 4 Talent Skills."

Xiao Weiqing frowned. "In other words, no matter how many people successfully challenge the Gold-Armored Warrior, only one person can receive the reward?"

"Correct. At most, five of you can receive rewards; the rest will still be given a portion of cultivation resources."

"Then how is it determined who gets the reward?"

"Based on the time taken to complete the challenge."

After speaking, Qingfeng stood to the side, clearing the way.

Facing the three doors, the crowd hesitated.

Dongfang Xuan pulled Xiao Weiqing and Xia Mo to the side.

"What are your choices?"

"I'll challenge the Gold-Armored Warrior," Xiao Weiqing said without hesitation.

Xia Mo glanced at Dongfang Xuan. "And you?"

"I choose the Gold-Armored Warrior too!"

Xia Mo nodded. "Then I'll choose the Silver-Armored Warrior."

Xia Mo understood clearly. Putting Xiao Weiqing aside, her strength was inferior to Dongfang Xuan's. Regardless of whether Dongfang Xuan succeeded against the Gold-Armored Warrior, she shouldn't challenge it.

"Xiao Weiqing, it's up to us now. No matter who gets the final reward, we can't let the other three nations have it."

"Of course."

Xiao Weiqing had his confidence. He had already fought Youth Jiu Tian; why would he fear a Ninth Realm? His current strength was even better than it was half a month ago.

The companion weapon was as good as his!!

The various factions finished their discussions and prepared for the challenge.

"Daoist, can we just go straight in?"

Qingfeng said, "Yes. There are many rooms inside; you can challenge them simultaneously."

Xiao Weiqing did not hesitate and stepped into the door for the Gold-Armored Warrior challenge, with Dongfang Xuan following closely behind.

Next.

Ye Tianming and Chu Xu also entered the Gold-Armored Warrior challenge door one after another.

On the Vermilion Bird Empire's side.

Xie Sheng said, "Yun Xi, that Xiao Weiqing has challenged the Gold-Armored Warrior."

Yun Xi parted her red lips and said, "I will challenge the Silver-Armored Warrior. Ruan Dong, Xie Sheng, you two challenge the Bronze-Armored Warrior. Don't compete with them."

Ruan Dong asked, "Yun Xi, is that Xiao Weiqing really that strong?"

A deep look of wariness flashed in Yun Xi's eyes. "Very strong."

By now.

All ten people had selected their targets. Xiao Weiqing, Dongfang Xuan, Ye Tianming, and Chu Xu were challenging the Gold-Armored Warrior.

Xia Mo, Fu Xiaoling, Yun Xi, and Taniguchi Takao chose the Silver-Armored Warrior.

As for Ruan Dong and Xie Sheng, they chose the Bronze-Armored Warrior.

After stepping in, Xiao Weiqing arrived in a stone room.

It was a very familiar stone room.

The layout was almost the same as the stone room where he had fought Youth Jiu Tian.

Was there some connection between the Wanyuan Civilization and the Tianxing Civilization?

He didn't dwell on it.

A warrior wearing golden armor appeared in the stone room, holding a Saber.

"Challenge begins."

With the command given.

The Spiritual Qi in Xiao Weiqing's three Dantians erupted violently.

"Flame True Body!"

"Flame Dragon!"

*Roar!*

The giant flaming dragon lunged forward rapidly, with Xiao Weiqing following closely behind.

That's right.

He was using the same tactic he used against Youth Jiu Tian to deal with this Gold-Armored Warrior.

*Boom!*

The massive impact instantly swallowed the Gold-Armored Warrior. However, the warrior lived up to its Ninth Realm youth-level strength; though it was forced back, it still held the Saber horizontally with both hands, resisting desperately.

*Bang!*

An explosion erupted within the stone room, making the entire room shake. The Gold-Armored Warrior emerged from the flames.

But.

Xiao Weiqing was prepared and had been waiting for this exact moment.

"Seamless Slash!"

On the remaining half of the Scarlet Dragon, flames gushed from the blade, entwined with ten wisps of Samadhi True Fire, as it slashed violently at the Gold-Armored Warrior.

Before the half-broken Scarlet Dragon could even reach the Gold-Armored Warrior, it began to melt because it couldn't withstand the Samadhi True Fire.

"Slash!"

The Gold-Armored Warrior's reaction was incredibly fast, immediately raising its Saber to block Xiao Weiqing's strike.

But unexpectedly.

Before the blade melted, it seemed to fast-forward by a second, passing through the Saber's hilt and slashing into the Gold-Armored Warrior's shoulder.

*Clang!*

The Scarlet Dragon struck the Gold-Armored Warrior with a crisp sound, then shattered into pieces.

Xiao Weiqing's figure retreated sharply. Meanwhile, the Samadhi True Fire had already melted the Gold-Armored Warrior's shoulder, burning a large hole. The right arm fell off, and the flames spread toward its chest.

"Challenge successful. Challenge time: 7 seconds!"

"What are you doing? What on earth are you doing?"

"Hurry up and put away your flames."

Qingfeng appeared in the stone room at some point, shouting in alarm.

Xiao Weiqing waved his hand, and the Samadhi True Fire vanished.

"My Gold-Armored Warriors! I didn't have many left to begin with, and now another one is scrapped."

Qingfeng wanted to cry but had no tears.

"Cough... sorry."

"Sigh... forget it, I don't blame you."

"You kid, you remind me of a guy eighty years ago who shattered a Gold-Armored Warrior into pieces with a single punch."

"Your Blue Star really does produce nothing but monsters."

"Come on, I'll take you to pick your treasure."

Xiao Weiqing asked, "Aren't we waiting for the others to finish their trials?"

"Wait for what? Setting aside whether the others can even succeed, you finished off the Gold-Armored Warrior in 7 seconds. Who could possibly have a shorter time than you?"

Xiao Weiqing nodded slightly.

Following Qingfeng through a door, they arrived at the entrance of another side hall. Two cold, massive bronze gates emitted an aura of eternal silence.

Qingfeng raised his hand and pressed it against the air.

*Hum...* The bronze gates slowly opened.

Entering the side hall, as far as the eye could see, eight golden pillars seemed to connect heaven and earth.

Above the vault, Spiritual Qi cascaded down like a waterfall, making Xiao Weiqing feel as if all his pores had opened. Thanks to the Hundred Rivers Return to Origin, his body began greedily absorbing the Spiritual Qi involuntarily.

At the end of the hall was a four-tiered jade platform.

It was adorned with jewels and treasures. On the bottom two tiers, dozens of multicolored light orbs of various kinds floated. The third tier had five or six, while the top tier had only one light orb—the largest one, emitting an indescribable aura.

"Pick one for yourself."

"How many pieces?"

Qingfeng: "?"

"How many do you want to pick?"

"The more the better."

Qingfeng: "..."

"None of that. At most one."

Xiao Weiqing said, "Can you introduce them?"

Qingfeng nodded. "On the first tier of the jade platform are all Level 6 Talent Skills and companion weapons of Seventh Realm experts."

"The second tier holds companion weapons of Eighth Realm experts, and the third tier is for the Ninth Realm."

"Then what about the one at the very top?"

Qingfeng was silent for a moment before saying with a slight heaviness, "That is the companion divine weapon used by the God Yun Chen before he ascended to godhood. This divine weapon is comparable to a Divine Artifact. After God Yun Chen fell in battle, the weapon reverted to its nascent state and was left here."

Xiao Weiqing's eyes brightened. "Then I'll choose that one."

Qingfeng said, "You can try."

"What do you mean?"

Qingfeng shook his head and didn't speak.

With confusion, Xiao Weiqing stepped onto the jade platform and walked toward the light orb at the very top.