“I’m gonna kill you!” raged Li Ling’er. Subconsciously, she had already superimposed Meng Hao’s image over Fang Mu. She didn’t realize that this had happened, as the sudden intense pain in that specific region left her with no time for deep consideration.

Just when she had been about to attack, agonizing pain sent her staggering backward. At the same time, the long spear whistled through the air and came to a stop right in front of her forehead.

Meng Hao looked down at her coldly. After the previous incident, his mother had told him that Li Ling’er was the same Princess Ling’er whose hair he had lit on fire as a child. He also knew that his Grandpa Fang had arranged for the two of them to be married.

However, Meng Hao did not approve of such an agreement. He only had one wife, and that was Xu Qing.

Li Ling’er trembled as she felt the coldness radiating off of the spear that was pointed at her forehead. A sensation of imminent death washed over her, and she knew that if she didn’t say the two words that Meng Hao was expecting to hear, the spearhead would unhesitatingly stab directly into her forehead.

“I don’t want to kill you,” Meng Hao said coolly. Actually, there was something else that he wanted to say…. He still had Li Ling’er’s promissory note in his bag of holding, so until he got his spirit stones, he needed her alive.

If she died, who would repay the spirit stones…?

Li Ling’er glared at Meng Hao, her ample chest rising and falling as she breathed heavily. Finally, she gritted her teeth and slowly said the two words.

“I concede.” Immediately, she vanished, then reappeared on the next layer of leaves. She had not lost her chance to get into the semifinals. If she won out in the following three matches, she would still have that opportunity.

After all, this first round was only to determine who was in the top 4 and the bottom 4.

Immediately, the crowds in the Ninth Mountain and Sea began to comment.

“Fang Mu beat Li Ling’er!”

“He’ll definitely be in the top 4! Li Ling’er is a Chosen of the Li Clan, and will without doubt become a true Immortal in the future. I even heard that she’s never been beaten before, and that a fight between her and Fan Dong’er once ended in a draw!”

“This Fang Mu is invincible!”

Meng Hao was actually not the first person to secure a win. Shockingly, the first battle to end was the one between Zhao Yifan and the hulking man from the Kunlun Society.

That battle had been just as astonis.h.i.+ng as Meng Hao’s fight just now, and had drawn quite a bit of attention. When the man from the Kunlun Society attacked, he used an enormous chain of mountains. Even he himself seemed like a mountain, completely impervious to all attacks.

However, Zhao Yifan was also a terrifying figure, which became clearly apparent in their battle. He only used six Earth-shattering sword moves in the fight. Each sword attack was more shocking than the one before it, and they slashed down onto the mountains, severely injuring the big man from the Kunlun Society.

The final sword blow was so powerful that the man from the Kunlun Society was powerless to resist it. His mountains exploded, and were it not for the fact that Zhao Yifan was holding back his killing intent, the man would definitely have been slain.

The battle’s result caused quite a commotion in the outside world. Unfortunately, the Patriarchs in the starry sky palace were not watching the arena matches, but instead were focused on the white-robed woman. Their expressions were a mix of reverence and other complex emotions.

Booming sounds continued to rattle out as the garrulous old man, one of the trial by fire compet.i.tors, fought against the young man from the Burning Incense Stick Society. Although their ages were different, both of them gave off the feeling that they were hustlers of some kind.

One of them didn’t attack, but rather, constantly mumbled and chattered madly at his opponents, frothing at the mouth. The other smiled and transmitted words into his opponent’s minds, causing them to fall down and wors.h.i.+p him. In fact, even after those battles ended, the opponents would continue to look piously at the young man from down below on the lowest layer of leaves.

When they fought, they didn’t engage in close quarter fighting. Instead, they sat down cross-legged and looked at each other. Although nothing usual seemed to be going on, those who were in the know understood that they were currently in an extremely ruthless showdown.

“A battle of divine will!”

“The Burning Incense Stick Society excels in the use of divine will. They coalesce the will of many living things to become their Dao of burning incense. Xie Yixian is a Chosen of the Burning Incense Stick Society, and supposedly, he’s in the running to become Dao Child! His strength in divine will is spectacular!” [1. Xie Yixian’s name in Chinese is 謝一仙 xiè yī xiān. Xie is a surname which also means ‘thanks.” Yi means ‘one,’ and Xian means ‘Immortal’]

“If I remember correctly, the old man’s name is Qian Duoduo. He… is actually going to partic.i.p.ate in a divine will contest with Xie Yixian from the Burning Incense Stick Society!” [2. Qian Duoduo’s name in Chinese is 錢多多 qián duō duō. Qian is a surname which also means ‘money.’ Both Duo characters mean ‘many’ or ‘more’]

On the other battleground, Fan Dong’er was facing the young man from the Paleo-Immortal Mausoleum. Fierce fighting raged between the two of them, and the face of the young man from the Paleo-Immortal Mausoleum twisted with pa.s.sion. His eyes seemed capable of melting any coldness, but what had driven him mad was not Fan Dong’er. Rather, part of the mist behind Fan Dong’er had been scattered during the course of the fighting to reveal the female corpse behind her.

“That is… the most beautiful corpse I have seen in my entire life!” murmured the young man. Seven coffins were arrayed in front of him, all of them opened to reveal seven corpses, which he was using to fight Fan Dong’er.

Fan Dong’er was on the verge of going mad. Right now, there was nothing she hated more in the world than corpses, and the look in her opponent’s eyes filled her with revulsion.

Booms rang out, and time slipped by. The white-robed woman continued to float above the Dao Tree, coldly watching the cultivators in the arena matches. It was impossible to tell what she might be thinking.

After a long moment pa.s.sed, a boom rattled out next to Fan Dong’er, and the young man coughed up a mouthful of blood. He fell back, and as he did, a black hair suddenly appeared in his hand. It did not belong to Fan Dong’er, but rather, the female corpse.

Fan Dong’er’s face twisted into a unsightly expression as the mist behind her vanished. The white-robed corpse was now clearly visible to everyone who was watching in the Ninth Mountain and Sea.

[caption id="attachment_72975" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Official ISSTH art of Fan Dong'er[/caption]

“I concede!” cried the young man from the Paleo-Immortal Mausoleum. He coughed up some more blood, but his face was plastered with a look of enchantment. He held the hair up to his nose and inhaled deeply, then carefully put the hair away. Eyes burning, he looked over at the female corpse behind Fan Dong’er.

“She is my true love. Fan Dong’er, you better take good care of her.” With that, the young man vanished to appear on the set of leaves for the bottom contenders among the top 8. However, he continued to look down at the corpse, intoxicated.

Discussions immediately rose up among the audiences in the Ninth Mountain and Sea.

“That guy Xiao Luo from the Paleo-Immortal Museum is such a pervert! He’s a Chosen, but it turns out he’s actually a necrophiliac!” [3. Xiao Luo’s name in Chinese is 肖羅 xiào luō. Xiao is a surname which means ‘resemble.’ Luo means a lot of things including ‘net’]

“I can’t believe what everyone has been saying is true! There’s a female corpse floating behind Fan Dong’er!”

“From what I heard, the corpse got attached to her when she ran into some fellow named Meng Hao on Planet South Heaven!”

As the crowds buzzed about the matter, the match between the garrulous Qian Duoduo and Xie Yixian from the Burning Incense Stick Society had come to an end. Xie Yixian’s face was flushed, and blood gushed out of his mouth. After wiping it off, he sighed lightly, rose to his feet, and bowed to the old man.

“I have been thoroughly convinced that your divine will magic is an amazing inheritance, Fellow Daoist,” he said. “I, Xie, concede.”

Qian Duoduo’s face was also a bit pale. His eyes snapped open and he rose to his feet, then solemnly clasped hands toward Xie Yixian.

Conversations immediately broke out.

“So, Qian Duoduo actually won!!”

“He defeated Xie Yixian from the Burning Incense Stick Society. Just how strong is his divine will? He’s really a dark horse in this compet.i.tion. Earlier I had a.s.sumed he wouldn’t make it past the top 16. I never imagined he would pull off a win like this and make it into the top 4!”

Regardless of the a.n.a.lyses of the outside crowds, the top 4 had been decided: Meng Hao, Zhao Yifan, Qian Duoduo, and Fan Dong’er!

The bottom four consisted of Li Ling’er, Xie Yixian, Xiao Luo and the hulking man from the Kunlun Society. What would happen next would be the final three battles of the round!

Now everyone from the top four would have to fight against the rest of the bottom four. After all of the battles were completed, the four people with the most wins would become the semifinalists!

After six hours of rest, when everyone was back at their peak readiness, the second fight in the struggle to qualify for the semifinals began! Meng Hao stood motionless on the bronze leaf as light glittered in front of him to reveal the hulking man from the Kunlun Society.

The man stepped forward, and it was like the descent of numerous mountains, although Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever. Regarding the various sects of the Ninth Mountain and Sea, he was already familiar with the Demon Immortal Sect, because of Zhixiang. Also, he knew of… the Kunlun Society.

His master Pill Demon had joined the Kunlun Society, and because of that, Meng Hao smiled amiably at the hulking man.

The big man stared in shock, then nodded at Meng Hao and clasped hands.

“I am Yang Yi from the Kunlun Society,” he said. “Fellow Daoist Fang, please give me some fighting tips!”

“Of course!” replied Meng Hao, clasping hands back at the man.

Introductions having been made, Yang Yi’s eyes began to glow brightly, and a ma.s.sive aura exploded out as he charged toward Meng Hao. As he neared, shockingly, numerous mountains materialized around him.

Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever, but his pupils constricted. He had noticed before that this hulking man was actually wielding… the Mountain Consuming Incantation!!

The Mountain Consuming Incantation was a Daoist magic from the ancient Demon Immortal Sect, and previously, Meng Hao had a.s.sumed it was something only he could wield. Having seen the hulking Yang Yi in action, though, he was now much more interested in the Kunlun Society.

“So, the Mountain Consuming Incantation…?” thought Meng Hao. Laughing inwardly, he also stepped forward, causing numerous mountains to materialize around him. Of course, with the help of the black feather, he made them look like streams of water.

In the blink of an eye, the two began to fight back and forth. They did not use a variety of techniques, but rather, focused on the Mountain Consuming Incantation, and their incredibly powerful fleshly bodies.

RUMMMBLE!

Dozens of exchanges occurred, after which Yang Yi fell back, body trembling, but eyes overflowing with the desire to fight.

“Wonderful! This match is far more enjoyable than the fight with Zhao Yifan!” Yang Yi laughed heartily, then clenched his fists, causing the mountains around him to link up into a mountain range. He himself seemed to change into an enormous mountain.

Meng Hao was laughing as loudly as Yang Yi. He attacked, causing the streams to unite into a mighty river that rumbled through the air. They fought back and forth again, holding nothing back. Booms echoed out, attracting quite a bit of attention from the shocked audience.

They didn’t fight for very long, only enough time for an incense stick to burn. Finally, Yang Yi was sent staggering backward seven or eight paces. Panting, he flicked his sleeve, causing the mountains to vanish. Then he stood there and gazed deeply at Meng Hao. Finally, he shook his head and laughed.

“I’m not a match for you. I have to concede! However, I do have to say that this was the most fun I’ve had in all of the arena matches!

“Yang Yi won’t be entering the semifinals. However, if you have time, Elder Brother Fang, please come to the Kunlun Society so that we can drink together!”

Meng Hao laughed. He could sense that Yang Yi was an outspoken and straightforward person. After all of Meng Hao’s years spent in the world of cultivation, he could tell that the man was no hypocrite or faker. Meng Hao nodded and smiled.

“I will definitely be going to the Kunlun Society!” he said.

Yang Yi laughed as he faded away to reappear on another leaf for his third battle.

Meng Hao took a deep breath and then sat down cross-legged. After an hour pa.s.sed, light suddenly glittered as the third battle began. However, no opponent appeared. Instead, rumbling could be heard as nine coffins materialized, smas.h.i.+ng down from up above.

“The female corpse behind Fan Dong’er is my true love, so I can’t harm her. The rest of you, however, are completely different!” The voice which spoke was soft and feminine, but the figure who walked out of the light was a man.

This was none other than Xiao Luo from the Paleo-Immortal Mausoleum, one of the Five Great Holy Lands!