In a different area of the Jade Dragon Empire lands, beyond the sheer cliffs guarding the ancient city, lakes of lava dotted the landscape, bathing the area in an intense heat. On a small rocky island in the middle of the sea of lava, a battle between two youths was taking place. The ones who could make it past the ancient city this early on were some of the most powerful youths within the Honorable Alliance, and the incredible battle arts being used in the battle was one indicator of their talent.
Both cultivators were in the Middle Heaven Tribulation Realm, making the battle all the fiercer. One of the youths had a head of long silver hair and a handsome face, while the other had short black hair, and a look of pure arrogance on his face. A powerful blue aura surged around the silver-haired youth, while a crimson red aura surged from the other.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Battle arts flew in all directions, shaking the nearby land with their immense power. Beams of powerful lighting surged towards the black-haired youth, slamming onto the island with great power, while crimson sword lights cleaved out to meet the lightning strikes. The battle raged on for a short while, before the battle arts eventually ceased, and the sound of flowing lava all that was audible.
The dust and debris kicked up from the battle faded away, revealing one of the youths gripped by the neck, raised off the ground. The youth gripped by the neck was covered in blood, his long silver hair turned crimson, and handsome face battered and scarred. The black-haired youth had some wounds as well, but he ignored them as they were mostly superficial.
The youth with the short black hair looked at his opponent in his grip, cold arrogance in his eyes as if he were looking at defeated prey.
“Let me go!” a hoarse and pained cry sounded out from the one gripped by their neck as he struggled to free himself but was unable to do so. He had been badly injured in the battle, and his remaining strength was not able to make his opponent budge, whose grip was unlike anything he had felt before. It was as if he was being gripped by a primal beast, whose strength had no match.
“And why would I do that?” the short, black-haired youth replied smugly, his arrogant smile widening as he watched his defeated opponent struggle..
“We’re…from the same…alliance,” the silver-haired youth choked out the words. “Why…are…you doing this?”
“Why? Because I want to, that’s why,” the black haired youth replied, before a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.
“How about this. Tell me your name, and I’ll let you go,” the black-haired youth said.
“Why…do you care…about my name?” the silver-haired youth asked.
“It’s simple,” the black-haired youth replied. “I want to climb the Jade Dragon List, and be listed on the very top. You seemed quite strong, so I picked a fight with you, figuring you’re on the list yourself. Only by defeating those on the list can one climb to the top,” the youth explained.
The silver-haired youth stared at his opponent with narrowed eyes, not sure whether to believe his opponent or not. However, he had no choice in the matter, as he was firmly at the mercy of his opponent. In the end, he decided to comply, as it was his only hope out of this situation.
“Rael…my name is Rael,” the silver-haired youth finally replied.
“Rael…Rael,” the black-haired youth repeated as he took out a jade piece in his free hand and sent his divine sense into it. His eyes quickly lit up as he found what he wanted.
“Rael Nierre
-From the Heavenly Lightning Sect
-Middle Heaven Tribulation Realm
-Rank: Sixty Two
-Fighting Style: Specializes in Lightning Battle Arts”
The black-haired youth stopped reading half-way through, not even bothering to check the feats listed in the details of Rael.
“I was right,” the black-haired youth said after reading Rael’s details. “You are quite strong. This hunt seems like it was quite bountiful.”
A smile appeared on the youths face once again, the wickedness sending a shiver down Rael’s spine. It was as if he were being stared at by a demon who desired to kill and devour him.
Crack!
Before Rael could react, a loud cracking sound boomed out, as the black-haired youths hand gripped with all his might, shattering Rael’s neck in an instant. Rael’s limbs dropped down limply, life no longer contained within his body. The black-haired youths other hand quickly swiped past Rael’s neck, severing his head from his body.
Rael’s head suddenly vanished, along with the spatial ring contained on his finger. The black-haired youth inspected the contents of Rael’s spatial ring, while he tossed the remainder of Rael’s body into the nearby lava. Rael’s headless body quickly sunk beneath the surface of the lava, as the last remaining trace of his existence was destroyed.
“Not bad,” the black-haired youth muttered as he finished inspecting the contents of Rael’s spatial ring. After cleaning up the battlefield, the youths’ gaze shifted in all directions, seeing if there were any witnesses. However, the area was barren and empty of any other cultivators, as those capable of making it this far so quickly were few and far between.
The black-haired youth quickly left the area and proceeded forward through the lava-filled land. He eventually came across another person, a blue haired girl draped in blue robes. The robes had the symbol of an icy moon on the back.
“The Ice-Moon Sect Huh?” the black-haired youth mused as he took out the Jade Dragon List and sent his divine sense back into it once more. Starting from the top of the list, he scanned upwards to find the identity of the one he was looking at.
-Brielle Elseen
-From the Ice-Moon Sect
-Middle Heaven Tribulation Realm
-Rank: Eighty Six
“Brielle huh? And eighty-six? Another good target. It seems as though my luck has been quite good today,” the youth said to himself, identifying the girl in the distance.
The youth’s divine sense casually glanced through the rest of the list, seeing if there was anything else of note. His divine sense suddenly stopped in its tracks, as it locked onto a certain name that he had not noticed before. He remained silent for quite some time as his divine sense locked onto the name.
“Now this is interesting,” the youth muttered as his eyes narrowed as he read over the details contained within. “I never expected to see this name again. And the Heavenly Lightning Sect? Tch, I should have asked Rael about this before I killed him. Oh well, it’s most likely a coincidence anyways, as the alternative is impossible.”
Boom!
A boom sounded in the distance, catching the attention of the black-haired youth. The Ice-Moon Sect girl had begun a battle with something, causing the black-haired youth to frown.
“It would be a shame if she were to perish before I get to her,” the youth muttered with slight displeasure, his body flashing forward towards her as he put the previous thought in the back of his mind.
…
“Hey, you’re on the list!” Adam exclaimed loudly.
“Is that so?” John replied, not finding it too surprising. “What rank did they give me?” he asked, slightly curious about the Heaven Scrying Sect’s judgment of him.
“Let’s see…Rank two hundred and forty two. What the hell? Why is it so low?” Adam exclaimed, unhappy at the low ranking.
“That’s higher than I had been expecting,” John replied, although he was fine with the rank he was given. He had come to the Jade Dragon Empire trial lands to get stronger, not be on some vanity list.
“Still, you brutally savaged Vildren, and he’s ranked one rank below you. That alone should have put you higher on the list,” Adam replied, still unhappy about the situation.
“It’s fine,” John replied, his gaze shifting towards Iris who had suddenly stopped walking.
“What is it?” John asked, as he could tell something was on her mind.
Iris’s concentration seemed to be internal, as John could tell she was carefully inspecting her body from within with her divine sense. After a moment of inspection, Iris’s gaze shifted to John, a serious look appearing on her face.
“It seems like my recent battles have given me the final bit of comprehensions I need to push forward once more,” Iris said to John.
John raised an eyebrow as he heard this, as he could tell what Iris was hinting at.
“You mean?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m about ready to break through to the Heaven Tribulation Realm.”