King Victor Zhao was no fool—he could instantly sense someone locking their divine sense onto him. But he simply pretended not to notice and instead began chatting idly with Evan.
“Brother Evan, do you think your son will make it through this round? You seem awfully unconcerned—are you really that confident in him?” King Victor Zhao laughed.
“My son is a dragon among men—don’t you want him as your son-in-law? Without that connection, things won’t be nearly as convenient for you, don’t you think?” Evan chuckled.
“I don’t want to interfere in young people’s affairs. If Serene isn’t willing, there’s nothing I can do. But honestly, I’d love to become in-laws with you—it all depends on whether he can advance. Otherwise, even if Serene is willing, the others who pass won’t agree.”
If that happens, the other three powers will seize on it and make a huge fuss. I’m sure you understand—so for now, let’s just watch how these young ones perform!” King Victor Zhao smiled.
Princess Ivy and the Emerald Immortal Empress sat quietly, watching as the first contestant—a young woman—took the stage. They heard the crowd’s whispers too: she was King Warren Lin’s niece from Bloodsea City, a true pride of the heavens. While not quite as beautiful as Princess Serene, she was still striking and her strength was impressive—a rare talent indeed.
The young woman walked calmly up to the Testing Screen at the center of the arena, pausing to examine the mysterious artifact closely.
“Each person gets three tries. This screen can withstand powerful attacks but will also unleash a fierce rebound force—so be careful during the test, and don’t get seriously injured!” the elder announced loudly.
Everyone knew about the rebound force—stronger attacks meant stronger backlash. But if you wanted a good result, you had to go all out; getting hurt was just part of the deal.
The young woman nodded, then drew a dark green longsword from her storage ring. The blade shimmered with a ghostly light—clearly a top-tier Nether artifact.
After one last look at the screen, she stepped back several paces, her grip on the sword tightening as Nether Force surged into the blade. Then, with a flash, she darted forward, leaving a trailing afterimage across the arena.
Her longsword swept out in a blur, unleashing a massive arc of sword energy that slammed squarely into the screen.
The moment her strike landed, the entire arena shook violently—the shockwaves rippled through the plaza, making the surrounding space tremble. The sheer power of her attack was obvious.
With a thunderous boom, the girl was blasted back dozens of meters—she nearly fell off the platform. Her face went pale, and a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. The backlash had clearly injured her.
Evan glanced at the girl and noticed her arm was trembling, the skin between thumb and forefinger split open. Still, she kept a firm grip on her sword.
The girl stared straight at the screen, waiting for the number to appear. She was sure this strike would be enough to pass.
The screen flashed with white light, then a large number appeared—seventy. Many in the crowd saw it. The girl’s pale face broke into a smile; she knew she’d made it.
“Combat Power Value: seventy. You still have two more chances!” the elder announced. Instantly, excitement swept through the crowd—especially those still waiting to test, who were itching to prove themselves.
“I’m done. This score should be enough to pass, right?” the girl said to the elder, her tone calm and dignified.
“You’ve passed,” the elder replied coolly. The girl stepped down from the stage, and the second contestant walked up to begin their test.
The next contestant was a youth who looked about thirty, his skin pitch-black as if he’d crawled out of a coal pit. He strode slowly up to the screen.
“Begin!” the elder called. The youth let out a thunderous roar—his clothes shredded to tatters and drifted away, revealing a body packed with muscle and raw power.
He swung a fist at the screen, and as he struck, his knuckles erupted with blazing red light—fire-element power. The punch was clearly no ordinary attack.
Evan watched the youth, sensing that his true strength was far from exhausted—he must have even stronger moves. Judging by his physique, his defense was monstrous; Evan suspected he might be a Netherbeast.
With a deafening crash, the arena shook violently, as if the youth’s punch might shatter the whole platform. He was knocked back dozens of steps by the screen’s rebound force.
Each step back was clearly a struggle, but his formidable defense was on full display—his pitch-black body remained unscathed. Once he steadied himself, he glanced at the screen, eager to see his result.
The screen flashed white, then revealed a number. The youth looked slightly disappointed, but the elder announced, “Combat Power Value: sixty-eight! You still have two more tries—want to go again?”
“I do!” the youth replied instantly, producing a pitch-black staff. Sixty-eight was enough to pass, but he wanted another shot. The crowd watched eagerly, curious to see what he’d do next.
He stopped about ten meters from the screen, then swung his staff with lightning speed, whirling through the air in a rapid spin.
In an instant, the air filled with shadowy staff images, and a storm of energy shot out in all directions. The youth’s attack reached late Nether King Realm—maybe even early Nether Emperor level.
The barrage of staff shadows converged on the screen, making it tremble. The youth was knocked back several meters by the rebound force, landing in a half-kneel, blood at the corner of his mouth. But he quickly stood, eyes gleaming with determination.
The screen displayed another number—this time it was seventy-six, a terrifying score. Though not quite eighty, it was still extremely rare; few could surpass it.
Evan glanced at the youth, then said to King Victor Zhao, “This guy’s not bad. You should focus on cultivating him—he’s straightforward, and if he pledges himself to you, he’ll be loyal to the end. People like that are rare.”
“Is he really that good? Then I’ll pay special attention to him. Anyone with a Combat Power Value like that has real talent. But what I’m most eager to see is your son Chase’s score,” King Victor Zhao replied.
“Just wait—you’ll be surprised!” Evan said calmly. Seeing this youth reminded him of his old friend Niu Tian from the lower realm. He wondered how Niu Tian and Zhao Fei were doing now…