Chapter 459: The Great War of the Three Domains (Two-in-One)

Yan Jing followed Sheng Xia out of the hotel.

Everyone had gathered in a clearing surrounded by several buildings.

Some stood atop the roofs, some hovered in midair, and others remained on the ground, loosely forming a circle.

The two of them pushed through the crowd to the very front.

"What's the situation?"

Yan Jing looked at Sheng Xia.

Two people stood in the center of the ring.

Yan Jing was fairly familiar with one of them; it was the captain of Zhou Kai's team.

The person standing opposite him, however, was a stranger.

It was a man with thick eyebrows and large eyes. His long red hair shot straight up like a blazing fire, hovering in midair. Between his brows rested a red, flame-shaped mark.

"People from the Beast Lord and Tianzi have arrived,"

Sheng Xia said, her expression grim. "Both of their Summit climbers arrived together. Just a moment ago, the domain lord almost thought they were preparing for war. Only later did we learn they came for the God Storage Land."

"They heard what was at stake and want to go in and explore it too."

"I see." Yan Jing watched the scene with interest and smiled. "So this guy is from the Beast Lord?"

He had seen more than one of the Beast Lord's young Monarchs before.

The Eighth Monarch, who was skilled with a blade, had died by his hands.

And there was another—Jin Yao.

He looked into the distance and spotted a figure on the opposite side.

Jin Yao was still wearing his luxurious golden robes. His long blonde hair was tied up high with a jade thumb ring, and his features carried a demonic charm.

Jin Yao was also skilled with a blade.

But he was different from the Eighth Monarch.

Jin Yao's bladework was much more sweeping and unrestrained; Yan Jing still had a clear impression of it.

"Yes, the Eleventh Monarch of the Beast Lord."

Sheng Xia nodded. "In the end, she chose to compromise. After negotiating with the two Summit climbers, they decided on a seven-round duel to determine whether the other two sides can enter the God Storage Land."

"After all, we are currently within Yueyin's borders, and our national weapon can be deployed at any time, so they wouldn't dare act too recklessly."

"Best of seven. If we lose, we have to give them a total of thirty main entry quotas."

Yan Jing smiled slightly. "Thirty quotas doesn't sound like much."

Sheng Xia shook her head. "Yueyin has two hundred seeds, the Beast Lord has twenty Monarchs, and Tianzi has only nine sons."

"It might only sound like thirty quotas, but that's enough for them to send in all their top combatants."

As they spoke, both combatants in the ring made their move simultaneously.

The captain of Zhou Kai's team struck first. A longsword flew from its sheath, instantly multiplying into thousands of sword phantoms. As if tearing the surrounding space apart, fierce gales surged from out of nowhere, intertwining in turbulent currents.

This was the sword of a sword cultivator from Minhu.

Nourished day and night by his own blood, it would grow in power every single day until he drew it next.

The man hadn't drawn his sword in months. Even when he clashed with Zhou Kai during their journey, he hadn't considered using it, saving it precisely for a moment like this.

"That strike is very powerful," Sheng Xia said softly. "She specifically picked him to fight. Seeing this now, it's no wonder—"

"First, it's to lower the enemy's guard, and second, it's to boost our morale."

"If we can win a round without even fielding the six of us from the First Ring Domain, our morale will definitely skyrocket."

But just as the storm of sword phantoms was about to fall, the man with fiery red hair finally moved.

He reached out and thrust his hand straight into his own chest!

Crimson blood sprayed from the wound, immediately bursting into raging flames the moment it touched the air.

The burning blood was blindingly hot, like a sun. The ambient temperature spiked, and sweat beaded on everyone's foreheads as they hurriedly backed away.

The flame-shaped mark between the man's brows lit up, instantly absorbing all the blazing blood.

An instant later, a crimson spark shot from between his brows, drifting lazily toward the swordsman.

The swordsman didn't drop his guard. Thousands of sword phantoms surged toward the spark, but before they could even get close, they melted away.

A split second later, the spark landed on him. Before he could even activate a Ritual, the man let out a bloodcurdling scream, collapsing to the ground and thrashing wildly.

The roaring flames scorched the man's body, seemingly burning the hearts of every Yueyin seed present along with him.

Who could have expected the first match to end in such a rapid defeat?

Many of them knew they weren't as strong as that swordsman, and this scene was a vicious slap in the face.

A crystal-clear orb of water fell from the sky, crashing onto the flames engulfing the man.

With a rushing hiss, the water orb shattered, finally extinguishing the blood-red fire.

But the man who had been burning was already charred black as coal.

Though his life wasn't in immediate danger, without incredibly potent healing items, he definitely wouldn't make it to the ranking competition this time.

"I accept this victory."

The red-haired man smiled and cupped his hands in a polite salute before turning back toward his team.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps when his body swayed, nearly crashing to the ground.

Only then did the crowd notice that the wound on the man's chest was still gushing blood. Clearly, that earlier move wasn't something he could use casually; it was a lethal trump card.

"The second round."

The Yueyin domain lord's cold, clear voice echoed through the air, though her figure remained unseen.

"Both sides, prepare to enter the ring."

This time, an incredibly adorable little girl stepped out from the opposite side. She wore a frilly dress and held a small stuffed dragon in her arms.

As for Yueyin's fighter, it was Shui Nianshuang, the one who had just intervened to put out the flames.

"We have to secure a point first,"

Sheng Xia said. "The domain lord is probably a little angry."

"What's her background?" Yan Jing asked, looking at the legal loli.

"She's from Tianzi,"

Sheng Xia replied.

Yan Jing grew even more interested. This was his first time seeing someone from Tianzi.

"Which numbered child is she?"

"I don't know." Sheng Xia shook her head. "Tianzi is very mysterious, and they rarely reveal any information about themselves."

"But there is almost no chance that Shui Nianshuang will lose."

"If placed in previous iterations of the First Ring Domain, she would absolutely rank in the top two."

"Is that so."

Yan Jing nodded.

In the surrounding crowd, quite a few people began to cheer for Shui Nianshuang.

Yet, an accident no one could have predicted occurred.

Shui Nianshuang actually lost.

The battle lasted for about ten minutes.

For the first nine minutes, Shui Nianshuang completely suppressed her opponent.

But during the final minute, Shui Nianshuang suddenly began to tremble violently. Gashes tore open across her skin, and her face went ghastly pale.

A few exchanges later, she was defeated.

"The power of a Deity—"

Before falling unconscious, she managed to gasp out this final clue to the crowd.

Meanwhile, the adorable girl on the other side sat atop her stuffed dragon, which had grown dozens of times larger, smiling and bowing to the crowd.

Obviously, this was yet another tactical failure.

The opposing side hadn't gradually scaled up their strength. Instead, they sent out a ruthless powerhouse in the second round. Combined with her harmless to man and beast appearance, she caught Yueyin completely off guard.

Sheng Xia's expression was incredibly grim.

The other side had a God's Candidate Ticket.

This was something they hadn't anticipated.

Losing this round pushed Yueyin to the edge of a cliff. They were only two losses away from total defeat.

Fortunately, in the next round, the short youth from the First Ring Domain named Xu Feng stepped up and defeated the Seventh Monarch of the Beast Lord.

Of course, everyone could tell that the Seventh Monarch had held back slightly.

He hadn't chosen to risk his life in a desperate struggle.

But a win was a win, and it restored a fraction of everyone's confidence.

However, the match that followed plunged everyone's hearts straight back to rock bottom.

Zhou Kai fought against the Fourth Monarch of the Beast Lord.

The two fought so fiercely that the sky went dark and the earth shattered. Even the ground of the First Ring Domain was blasted apart by their clash.

In the final moments, Zhou Kai fell to a disadvantage. Just as he let out a furious roar and prepared to use his trump card, the domain lord forcefully halted the match.

"We concede this round."

As her voice faded, everyone's expressions couldn't help but darken.

The score had now reached 1–3. Even though letting the other factions into the God Storage Land wasn't a massive deal, everyone's confidence still took a severe hit.

Initially, the six from the First Ring Domain had seemed completely invincible, yet to their surprise, they had suffered back-to-back defeats.

Could they still win?

"It's my turn,"

Sheng Xia said softly.

"I wish you the best of luck, Miss Sheng,"

Yan Jing smiled.

"Thank you."

Sheng Xia's expression was quite grave.

Having been raised by the domain lord since childhood, she placed great importance on Yueyin's honor. She refused to let this duel be lost by her own hands.

This time, the opposing fighter was still from the Beast Lord, and it was none other than the Third Monarch.

A man clad in heavy armor.

His frame was incredibly massive, standing nearly three meters tall. His rugged, brutal face overflowed with a primal aura, making him look less like a human and more like one of the inner world residents.

The crowd didn't hold much hope at this point. After all, the methods displayed by the Fourth Monarch just moments ago had been terrifying enough, and the man standing before them ranked even higher: the Third Monarch.

Furthermore, everyone had long heard that Sheng Xia's role among the six from the First Ring Domain leaned more toward support.

But the outcome reversed their expectations once again.

About twenty minutes later, a massive crack splintered across the man's armor, and he willingly surrendered.

"Thank you for the match."

Sheng Xia cupped her hands in a polite salute and returned to her team amid the roaring cheers of the crowd.

"Incredible, Miss Sheng," Yan Jing smiled. "It didn't feel like you used your full strength."

Sheng Xia remained noncommittal. "My opponent didn't fight to the death either."

"True. After all, they still hold the advantage."

Yan Jing laughed.

With the score at 2–3, everyone's hearts leaped into their throats. If they could win the next battle, Yueyin would secure back-to-back victories and completely swing the momentum in their favor. They could very well ride that wave to seize the final round.

But if they lost the next round, it would truly be over.

The other side would absolutely send out a ruthless heavy hitter.

Everyone shared more or less the same thought at that moment.

Yet, exceeding all expectations, the one who stepped forward was the Fifth Monarch of the Beast Lord.

Jin Yao.

"I wish to fight Mr. Yan. Is Mr. Yan present? Will you accept?"

He smiled as he looked toward their side of the crowd.

Clearly, he had noticed Yan Jing's arrival and wanted to wipe away his previous humiliation.

The eyes of the crowd lit up.

Everyone knew that Yan Jing had beaten the living daylights out of Jin Yao in the Dungeon. Now Jin Yao was practically serving himself up on a silver platter. Wasn't this a free point?

Yan Jing's gaze flickered. Looking over at Jin Yao, he smiled. "I defer to the domain lord's decision."

No one could find a single flaw in that response, and the crowd's eyes grew even brighter.

Given the domain lord's calculating nature, she would definitely choose the safest path to victory.

But the result once again made everyone's jaws drop.

The one who stepped out this time was that refined and elegant-looking man from the First Ring Domain.

"I'll take this match."

The man smiled as he looked across at Jin Yao. "Mr. Yan has already defeated you once, so the domain lord sent me to test your mettle."

Jin Yao pursed his lips and sheepishly walked back to his team. "Forget it, I concede."

"I'll give you guys this point."

Now, no one could understand what was happening.

They neither understood why Jin Yao had surrendered nor why the domain lord hadn't sent Yan Jing to fight.

But Yan Jing just smiled.

Of course, he didn't want to fight.

But he couldn't outright refuse either.

Jin Yao's timing in stepping out was very clever.

Logically speaking, if the other side actually wanted to win, there was no way they would send Jin Yao.

He thought of three possibilities.

First, Jin Yao was genuinely a little touched in the head, and after having some fortuitous encounter, he wanted revenge to wipe away his humiliation.

But even if that were true, Jin Yao still had to convince his side to let him fight, which meant he had to make them believe he was guaranteed to win.

Second, the opposing side felt that it didn't matter even if Jin Yao lost, because the final person they sent out was absolutely certain to win.

And as for the third—

Yan Jing smiled but said nothing.

Soon, the final duel began.

The crowd watched with blazing eyes. Out of the six from the First Ring Domain, only their rumored strongest member had yet to fight. Naturally, everyone expected the upcoming match to be an epic, highly anticipated showdown.

But contrary to expectations, Tianzi sent out a man dressed in a python robe for the last round, while Yueyin didn't dispatch their top fighter. Instead, they chose someone incredibly ordinary-looking.

The final result, naturally, was a crushing defeat for Yueyin.

With that, the duels completely concluded.

Sheng Xia sighed. "Brother Wan got injured two days ago. He's still recovering."

"I'm a little confused, though. Why didn't she send you out to fight, Mr. Yan?"

"I'm not too sure myself." Yan Jing smiled. "Still, I'm glad I got to witness these matches. Well then, until next time, Miss Sheng."

Yan Jing gave a slight bow and walked back toward the hotel.

A smile lingered on his face.

Things had played out pretty much exactly as he had expected.

There was a third possibility as to why Jin Yao had stepped forward.

And that was—

The people behind the scenes had arranged it.

Jin Yao provoked him to force him to fight.

If he refused to fight, it would be cowardice. But if he agreed, that person most likely wouldn't actually let him take the field.

Instead, she would have made him fight the final round.

As for why Jin Yao had been ordered to step out, and who exactly arranged it...

Yan Jing felt that perhaps the outcome of this entire competition had been rigged from the very start.

The final choice of fighters, paired with Sheng Xia's mention of the "injury," confirmed his suspicions.

He just hadn't expected to be left out.

"Why didn't you send Yan Jing out in the end?"

From behind a veil of white silk, a cold, clear voice drifted out.

Sitting opposite her was a figure wearing a dragon-print T-shirt, their back turned to her. Hearing this, the figure laughed. "Then let me ask you: why must that little guy surnamed Yan be sent out in the end?"

"Even I can't quite see through that little guy."

"If that little guy turned out to be a secret weapon, what would happen if you changed your mind at the last second and wanted to win?"

From behind the white silk veil, the woman offered no response.

There were some things she couldn't tell the person across from her. She had done all this simply because she wanted to teach Yan Jing a lesson and make him suffer a little.

Yes, it was just that childish, that simple. That was why she couldn't say it aloud.

Of course, if Yan Jing had actually won...

That would have been fine, too.

No matter what happened, she stood to lose nothing.

"Alright, alright."

A muscular woman sitting imposingly to the side in a tiger-skin skirt and bandeau laughed. "It was already agreed upon anyway, so what's the point of bickering? Right, everyone?"

"We're all holding our cards close to our chests. We'll find out who's truly the strongest once we're inside."

The God Storage Land.

Yan Jing suddenly stood up, pulled out some cardboard, and looked at Ning Wei beside him.

"Do you know how to age things?"

"Age them? What are you trying to do?" Ning Wei looked at Yan Jing suspiciously, getting a strong feeling that this guy was plotting something crooked.