Chapter 168: Dragon Palace, Lin Jing!

Bai Yuran giggled, “That’s how it is. However, I heard from Senior Brother that many hidden geniuses have been invited to this Heavenly Pride Battle, so it won’t be that easy to get first place.”

Lin Jing said indifferently, “According to the rules this time, isn’t it up to you guys whether I can be first?”

The rule for this Heavenly Pride Battle was that there were no rules; as long as the opponent wasn’t killed, all means and the Hundred Arts of Cultivation could be used freely.

However, according to Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, the outcome of the duel was only for reference. The final heavenly pride ranking would not depend entirely on the results of the Heavenly Pride Battle but would be determined by Heavenly Secrets Pavilion based on the participants’ combat performance.

In other words, if Heavenly Secrets Pavilion believed a certain Genius relied too heavily on external help, even if that Genius won the battle, their final ranking might not be very high.

If two people both used Low Grade Magic Treasures to fight, and one person’s Low Grade Magic Treasure was refined by the Cultivator themselves while the other’s was a gift from an elder, then if the two sides tied, the ranking would be self-evident.

“That’s true, but the people of the world aren’t blind, so Heavenly Secrets Pavilion will definitely make reasonable arrangements,” Bai Yuran said. “I’ve told you so much intelligence; shouldn’t there be some kind of gesture?”

Lin Jing looked out the window. “Indeed, but the time isn’t right yet. When the time comes, I will use my own Lifespan to ask you for a divination.”

Bai Yuran curled her lips; to put it bluntly, it was just a verbal agreement!

After Lin Jing left Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, he went back into seclusion, quietly waiting for the start of the Heavenly Pride Battle.

Over the next period, Lin Jing received information that although Heavenly Secrets Pavilion had invited more than two hundred geniuses, in the end, only a little over a hundred came to Celestial Mystery City.

Half of the geniuses gave up on this Heavenly Pride Battle.

This was because, in the end, only the first place on the heavenly pride ranking could obtain the Rare Beast’s blessing, which made some geniuses hesitate.

Therefore, the participants in this Heavenly Pride Battle could roughly be divided into two types.

One type consisted of those who hadn’t entered the heavenly pride ranking yet but already had the strength to do so, intending to take this opportunity to make a name for themselves and ascend the list.

The other type consisted of those already at the top of the heavenly pride ranking who had thoughts of challenging for the number one spot.

As for those who were originally ranked in the middle of the heavenly pride ranking, with no hope for first place and little chance of being pushed out, they basically didn’t come.

However, for Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, as long as there could be a huge change in the top ten of the heavenly pride ranking, it could attract the attention of the world; it didn’t matter how many people came.

Time flew by.

Soon, the date of the Heavenly Pride Battle arrived. Heavenly Secrets Pavilion had opened up an incomparably vast arena. Outside the arena were rows of floating bluestones, which served as seats for the audience.

There were a total of 100,000 spectator seats, and Heavenly Secrets Pavilion had sold them all out. From the Qi Training Stage to the Nascent Soul Stage, most were Cultivators from the Profound Realm. Many Cultivators in the Profound Realm were paying attention to this Heavenly Pride Battle, and many elders brought their Juniors to witness the style of the prodigies.

“It seems you all have recovered well.”

On a floating bluestone, Lin Jing stood there, smiling faintly as he looked at the Dragon Palace group. Xu Zhizhi’s mouth twitched as he said, “Originally, my expectation for the Heavenly Pride Battle was just to be able to enter the heavenly pride ranking after it ended.”

“Now that I think about it, if I can’t make it into the top fifty, I’ll be letting down the suffering I’ve endured this past month!”

“You can do it. You were originally a Genius chosen by a Grotto-heaven. Now that your cultivation has improved, entering the heavenly pride ranking is easy. But… don’t forget my matter,” Lin Jing laughed. “When you encounter an opponent that’s hard to deal with, use the Spells you’re good at. When you encounter a weaker one, just let your Pet Beast handle it.”

“Although winning like this will give a small bonus to your performance, as long as you reveal your strength when you encounter a strong enemy later, it won’t affect your ascent to the heavenly pride ranking.”

Everyone’s mouths twitched, and even Wang Xiao was no exception. After a month of such tossing and turning, Wang Xiao suspected that not many people here could even beat his War Tiger!

This Heavenly Pride Battle was hosted by the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion Nascent Soul Cultivator Tian Huihua. There were a total of 128 participants. Tian Huihua floated in the air: “Next, those whose names I call will go to the arena. When one side admits defeat or loses the ability to fight, the match will be considered over.”

“First group, Gao Family of the Cultivation Families, Gao Sheng.”

“Against, Zhong Family of the Cultivation Families, Zhong Xin.”

“Ah?” As soon as the list for the first group came out, on the academy’s side, Gao Sheng was stunned and said, “Me? First to appear? Am I that eye-catching!”

“Maybe your Spirit Luck Body took effect,” Lin Jing said with his arms crossed, looking at the armored woman appearing on the arena.

“Damn it, why isn’t it an odd number? That way, maybe I could have gotten a bye.”

The Dragon Palace group looked at Gao Sheng like he was an idiot: “The one determining the heavenly pride ranking isn’t entirely the ranking of this Heavenly Pride Battle, but the combat performance. What difference does it make whether you get a bye or not?”

“Alright, but this opponent… Foundation Establishment Perfection, so strong. I probably can’t solve it with just the Dragon Horse.”

“It’s fine, then fight together,” Lin Jing said. Gao Sheng flew down. The Zhong Family was a military Family; their Family Cultivators had served in the army for generations, and the Zhong Family Army was famous at the borders.

Although they didn’t have a Soul Transformation Cultivator, it was said that the Zhong Family Army could fight any Soul Transformation Cultivator by working together with the help of a military formation.

When Gao Sheng and Zhong Xin stood on the arena together, it instantly caused widespread discussion.

“Zhong Family Army Cultivators have mastered the secret technique ‘True Qi Horse Transformation’ and have excellent horsemanship; their ability to charge into battle is incomparably terrifying. Although this Zhong Xin is not a member of the heavenly pride ranking, she has probably just been honing herself in the military camp with no records of her battles. Coming to participate in the Heavenly Pride Battle this time, she is bound to make a name for herself,” an elder introduced to a Junior.

“And the Exorcist Gao Family is also quite extraordinary. Their ‘Great Enchantment Art’ is superb, capable of attaching Exorcism Power to any Magic Treasure to enhance its power. They are the nemesis of evil demons!”

At the same time.

“Zhong Family, Zhong Xin.” The armored woman transformed her true essence into a horse, riding it herself, and took out a long spear.

Her aura was matchless as she stared at Gao Sheng, whose cultivation was much lower than hers, her heart as calm as still water.

The Gao Family’s Great Enchantment Art could certainly enhance the power of Magic Treasures, but this Gao Sheng’s cultivation was not high and was nothing to fear.

“Hidden Dragon Academy, Dragon Palace, Gao Sheng!” Gao Sheng did not announce the Gao Family’s name; the Gao Family’s name didn’t need him to promote it at all. After Gao Sheng finished speaking, he took out a bottle. With a shake, a dragon-horned white horse appeared from the bottle, growing from small to large.

Beast Trapping Incantation, a Dao of Beast Taming Spell, its function is to control Yao Beasts to become smaller for easy carrying. The bottle Gao Sheng was holding was not actually a spatial Magic Treasure but just an ordinary jade bottle, though it was more than enough to hold the Dragon Horse he had shrunk with the Beast Trapping Incantation.

This dragon-horned white horse had hard horseshoes made of rare metal on all four feet and was clad in armor, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

“How can True Qi Horse Transformation compete with my Exorcism Precious Horse? Let me experience the horsemanship of the Zhong Family Army!” Gao Sheng hid behind the horse and applied a layer of enhancement to the Dragon Horse’s equipment—the Great Enchantment Art!

“Charge!” Gao Sheng shouted. The Dragon Horse’s eyes turned red as it roared and charged at the opponent, its Bloodline Power erupting and soaring into the sky.

Zhong Xin:?

“What on earth?” she spoke blankly, then her expression changed as she sensed this strange Dragon Horse.

It actually had a King-level Dragon Bloodline!

Moreover, its entire body was armed with rare metal, and its equipment had even been enhanced by this Exorcist Cultivator!

Zhong Xin didn’t understand why the Spell style of the Exorcist Family had changed so drastically.

Not only did she not understand, but Gao Sheng’s father didn’t understand either.

“Damn it, who taught you to use the Great Enchantment Art like that?” In the crowd, Gao Sheng’s father, who had come secretly to watch the battle, had thought Gao Sheng could learn something good at Hidden Dragon Academy, but seeing Gao Sheng use the Gao Family’s Great Enchantment Art on his mount’s equipment, his face darkened.

Although Gao Sheng’s fighting style was misunderstood, this charge of the Dragon Horse, enduring the opponent’s Spells without fear of pain and directly knocking Zhong Xin off her horse, was indeed powerful.

“Next time, raise a real horse.” Gao Sheng calmly stroked the returning Dragon Horse.

The whole place was in an uproar.

At this time, people remembered the introduction Gao Sheng had given himself at the beginning.

Not Gao Family’s Gao Sheng, but Hidden Dragon Academy, Dragon Palace, Gao Sheng.

The people of Hidden Dragon Academy knew, but what on earth was the Dragon Palace?

“Dragon Palace, I know. That’s an organization established by students in Hidden Dragon Academy. Every member has raised a dragon-blood Yao pet. It’s said that there are several Dragon Palace Cultivators in this Heavenly Pride Battle.”

“An organization established by students?? Who?? This Gao Sheng?”

“How could it be him? He’s just an inconspicuous member of the Dragon Palace. The founder of this Dragon Palace…”

…is the Saint Child of the Beast Control Sect, Lin Jing, who is currently ranked at the top of the heavenly pride ranking!!! These Dragon Palace members are all geniuses who admire his Dao of Beast Taming strength!! You’ll know once Lin Jing takes the stage.”

A group of shills found by Xu Zhizhi began to introduce the Dragon Palace among the audience. Some shills even found some hidden geniuses and, despite the other party’s frowning, bragged about the Dragon Palace and Lin Jing without sparing any effort.