336: Strange phenomenon

Three days later.

From early morning to noon, continuous rain fell over the entire ruins.

Suddenly.

Somewhere in the temple.

A beam of rosy light soared into the sky.

It pierced through the cloud layer.

Then.

Above the temple, a brilliant light pierced the sun, clouds surged, and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi converged frantically like a tide.

Near the temple, birds, beasts, and various Yao Beasts instantly scattered, unable to avoid it in time.

Qingfeng, who was currently receiving the Geniuses participating in the final assessment, was startled by this sight.

"It's done?"

"Quickly choose your challenge difficulty based on your own strength. I will be right back."

Qingfeng left the group of Geniuses behind and hurried away, running toward where Xiao Weiqing was.

Side Hall.

Xiao Weiqing sat cross-legged in mid-air, his entire body bathed in fire.

Before him, the five elements hundred refining furnace was like a giant fireball, with golden rosy light shooting from the furnace mouth straight into the sky.

This golden light was not physical, nor did it actually break through the temple's dome.

This was a phenomenon.

A phenomenon indicating that a Divine Artifact was about to be born.

Qingfeng stood outside the door, feeling the commotion inside with complex emotions.

A moment later.

He drew several runes in the air with both hands, as if activating something.

Instantly.

A screen of light rose, enveloping the entire side hall and isolating the energy within.

Otherwise.

Once ten thousand calamities completely transformed into a Divine Artifact, the energy commotion would definitely be more than those kids outside, who didn't even have first-tier strength, could withstand.

Time passed.

Xiao Weiqing's eyes were tightly shut as he sensed every tiny change within the five elements hundred refining furnace.

It was a critical moment; the slightest mistake could result in all previous efforts being wasted.

At some unknown point.

In the void, a mysterious low chanting seemed to echo between heaven and earth.

Inside the five elements hundred refining furnace.

Ten thousand scales flew within the furnace, and the Samadhi True Fire began to pull inward, branding each scale; upon closer inspection, every scale had unique patterns.

Like ancient divine runes, or talismans, resembling Seal script or Clerical script.

Immediately after.

Phantom images continuously manifested from the fire-viewing port, all sharing a common theme.

It was a Human Race God of War fighting; his opponents included the Human Race, the Yao Race, the Mechanical Race, and some alien races Xiao Weiqing had never seen before.

Buzz~

With a tremor, all the phantoms shattered.

The final energy aftershock passed through the energy shield and spread in all directions of the ruins.

Inside the side hall.

Everything returned to tranquility.

The five elements hundred refining furnace went out.

Thousands of scales flew out from the furnace mouth, emitting a mysterious light, and all sank into Xiao Weiqing's body.

Outside the hall.

Yao Chongwu was nearly knocked unconscious by the energy aftershock and slumped onto the ground.

"Are you alright?" Qingfeng asked.

"Daoist, I'm fine. What just happened?"

Yao Chongwu shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, it was caused by a bastard."

"A bastard?"

Yao Chongwu looked puzzled.

Qingfeng didn't answer and continued walking forward.

"Let's go. Take your reward and leave the ruins; this assessment is over."

"Yes, Daoist."

Yao Chongwu followed Qingfeng, his heart burning with excitement. This time he had narrowly defeated the Geniuses of the Vermilion Bird Empire to win the final assessment. By entering this Secret Realm, he had become the biggest winner... Entrance to Civilization Relic No. 1.

Night fell.

Clack~~ Clack~~ Clack~~~

Dozens of large lights were switched on, making the entrance plaza as bright as day.

Hundreds of teachers and deans were waiting expectantly, keeping their eyes on the entrance at all times.

"Teacher Jiang, did Dean Pang go back?"

Jiang Peng replied, "Yes, Dean Zhang. He had no choice but to return."

Dean Zhang nodded. "Sigh, the Purple Forest entrance was only anchored two years ago. I didn't expect the second entrance to be anchored so soon."

Jiang Peng looked worried. Just three days ago, Pang Zhen had received a notice from the academy that the Luojiang Demon Realm entrance had been anchored. Without any hesitation, Pang Zhen returned to Luo Jiang Academy ahead of schedule.

"They're coming out! Look, they're coming out!"

The teachers looked toward the entrance of Relic No. 1. Sure enough, a figure dashed out of the passage, clutching a large bag in his arms; he must have gained quite a lot in the ruins this time.

Then.

One after another.

Hundreds and thousands of Geniuses poured out like a tide, each with a different expression—some excited, some relieved, and some angry.

"Chongwu, it looks like you had a good harvest this time?"

The Upper Academy Trainees of Luo Jiang Academy were discussing their respective trips to the ruins.

Facing the question.

Yao Chongwu said calmly, "It was alright, just good luck." Despite his words, the upward curve of his lips betrayed him.

"Him? He won the final assessment, the lucky bastard."

"Huang Wenyang, how do you know?" Yao Chongwu asked.

"Hmph, don't tell me Daoist Qingfeng took you to drink tea. Not long after you left, a phenomenon appeared at the temple. Did you get some incredible treasure?" Huang Wenyang said with certainty, looking at him as if to say 'don't take me for a fool'.

"Speaking of the phenomenon, we saw it too. Yao Chongwu, did you really get some treasure?" another Upper Academy student asked.

"Wow, isn't that even better than the item Senior Xiao Weiqing got last time?"

"That's right. Senior Xiao Weiqing got a companion weapon used by a Seventh Realm Expert during their lifetime, but we didn't hear anything about a phenomenon then."

Yao Chongwu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Don't listen to Huang Wenyang's nonsense."

He had indeed obtained a decent treasure—a pair of gauntlets, also used by a Seventh Realm Expert.

As for the phenomenon, he had felt it too. According to Daoist Qingfeng, it was caused by a bastard, but he didn't dare to ask.

"Zhang Xing, how did you end up like this?"

A cry of alarm erupted from the Luo Jiang Academy crowd.

Everyone looked over.

Li Wei was supporting Zhang Xing; both were heavily injured, especially Zhang Xing, whose left arm was gone from the elbow down.

Looking at the wound, it had been severed by a Sharp Weapon.

"It was Wang Feng from Qingyu Academy," Li Wei said hatefully. "Zhang Xing and I were lucky enough to find a piece of purple gold meteorite iron, and then we were targeted by Wang Feng's three-man team."

"If it had just been Wang Feng's team, Zhang Xing and I wouldn't have been afraid of them."

"But that bastard Wang Feng, in order to snatch our purple gold meteorite iron, actually colluded with people from the Tianlang Empire."

"What?"

"Colluded with the Tianlang Empire?" someone in the crowd shouted angrily.

These Geniuses had entered Civilization Relic No. 1 knowing they might encounter danger or even lose their lives.

They had also expected life-and-death struggles if they encountered other countries; they were prepared for that.

But.

Being injured by a fellow countryman from Great Xia colluding with the enemy was unacceptable.

"You guys look after Zhang Xing, I'm going to find Wang Feng!" Li Wei exploded completely.

In the ruins, they had finally thrown the purple gold meteorite iron to the Tianlang Empire Geniuses to let them fight amongst themselves so they could escape, but Zhang Xing's hand was already ruined.

In the ruins, Li Wei had to take care of Zhang Xing, but now that they were out, he could no longer suppress the rage in his heart.

"Let's go, we'll go together."

"Together! Fuck! That traitor Wang Feng."

The Geniuses of Luo Jiang Academy immediately turned and walked toward the direction of Qingyu Academy.

"Wait!"