On the vast Eldritch Battle Platform.
Boom! Boom! Boom! In an instant, ten imposing figures descended from the four corners of the stands. Each of them was tall and muscular, clad in identical battle armor, their presence intimidating.
In the blink of an eye, they had surrounded Wu Yuan.
“They’re Elite Eldritch Warriors!”
“They are among the strongest in the eldritch army, easily ranking in the top hundred of the entire tribe.”
“Ten against one Hou Feng?”
“Is this the first level of the Archeldritch Trial? It seems too difficult.” The tribesmen observing the battle began to discuss.
They had all heard rumors about Hou Feng to varying degrees, including tales of him slaying an Immortal General, but none had witnessed it firsthand.
The Elite Eldritch Warriors, however, were undisputed powerhouses within the tribe, their strength known to all.
In the entire Hou Cheng Tribe, with tens of thousands of Eldritch Warriors, only a hundred had earned the title of ‘Elite’. One could imagine how low the probability was.
“Can Hou Feng win?”
“He should be able to, right? This is only the first level. He should at least make it to the fourth or fifth level before failing.” The million spectators debated amongst themselves.
…
On the Eldritch Battle Platform.
“Kill!” “Kill!” The ten Elite Eldritch Warriors dared not let their guards down. They had all studied the reports on Wu Yuan’s abilities before the battle and were well aware of his strength.
The moment they landed, they charged towards Wu Yuan, roaring battle cries. They attacked from all directions, attempting to disrupt Wu Yuan’s vision while simultaneously unleashing their most powerful ether arts.
Wu Yuan, however, stood calmly in place.
“Isn’t Hou Feng going to make a move?”
“He’s not even using any ether arts?” Countless spectators were puzzled, but many of the observing Eldritch Generals and Earth Eldritches remained calm.
Finally, just as one of the Eldritch Warriors violently swung his battle saber, aiming to cleave Wu Yuan’s head, a layer of hazy earth-yellow light appeared in the void.
Boom! This layer of light was like an invisible giant palm, or rather, a vast world. It pressed down heavily on Wu Yuan’s opponents!
Splat~ The Eldritch Warrior seemed to have been struck by a tremendous force, plummeting downward abruptly.
He wasn’t the only one.
Thud~ Thud~ Thud~ The Dao fluctuations of Celestial Body True Intent formed a domain. As this domain spread out, those Elite Eldritch Warriors who had been exuding overwhelming auras moments ago fell one after another like meteors, crashing heavily into the stone wall below the Eldritch Battle Platform.
They couldn’t move. No matter how much they struggled, these Eldritch Warriors remained immobilized, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at Wu Yuan in the air above.
At this moment, the hazy earth-yellow light enveloped the entire Eldritch Battle Platform. With the postures of the ten Eldritch Warriors, it seemed as if they were prostrating themselves before Wu Yuan.
The outcome was clear.
“Eldritch General Hou Feng has passed the first level of the trial,” a cold voice announced once more. “Prepare yourself. The second level of the trial will begin in ten breaths.”
Whoosh~ With a mental command from Wu Yuan, the pressure of the Celestial Body domain was lifted. The ten Elite Eldritch Warriors exchanged glances before departing in streaks of light.
How embarrassing! They were the trial examiners, yet the examinee defeated them without even moving a muscle.
However, for these ten Elite Eldritch Warriors, they didn’t feel that this was a disgrace. They had all sensed Wu Yuan’s immense power and were genuinely in awe.
Eldritch race warriors admired the strong above all else, and someone like Wu Yuan was destined to become a super powerhouse in the future.
Dealing with a group of Eldritch Warriors? Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, but remained calm inside.
These Elite Eldritch Warriors hadn’t even reached the seventh-level True Intent stage of a Lesser Law. They were utterly incapable of resisting a domain equivalent to the Dao Field stage of a Lesser Law!
Given the gap in Dao comprehension and foundation, Earth Immortals could suppress peak Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala powerhouses with a single thought using their Dao Fields.
Although Wu Yuan had only exhibited the third-level True Intent stage of the Celestial Body Dao, as an Intermediate Law, it was comparable to the comprehension of a peak-stage Earth Immortal.
…
“He won just like that?”
“That’s too incredible.”
“What was that layer of light? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Me neither.”
“Eldritch General Hou Feng won without even moving a finger? Even other peak-stage Eldritch General powerhouses couldn’t do that, right?”
The spectators stared in disbelief. Those eligible to view the trial were at the peak-stage Eldritch Soldier phase at minimum, so they had a decent level of perspective. Most of them thought Wu Yuan could win. But they hadn’t expected Wu Yuan to win so effortlessly.
…
“Is that really a Dao Field?” Above the Eldritch Battle Platform, the large group of observing Eldritch Generals was also in an uproar, all looking on in shock.
“Is it truly a Dao Field?”
“An Eldritch Warrior whose comprehension of heaven and earth has reached the Dao Field stage? What kind of monstrous prodigy is this?” The group of Eldritch Generals discussed heatedly.
“Haha, I told you all,” Eldritch General Hou She laughed. “I said it earlier, but you didn’t believe me.”
Before the trial, Eldritch General Hou She had mentioned that Wu Yuan comprehended a Dao Field, but few of the other Eldritch Generals in the tribe believed him.
A Dao Field! Comprehending a Dao Field meant one could become an Earth Eldritch. This was something most Eldritch Generals couldn’t achieve even after tens of thousands of years of cultivation.
…
“A Dao Field?”
“Is it the Land Dao Field?”
“Judging by its power, it does seem to be a Dao Field, but from its appearance, it doesn’t quite look like one.”
“I don’t think it quite resembles one either.” The six Earth Eldritches observing from afar in the Earth Eldritch Hall all had looks of confusion.
They weren’t surprised by Wu Yuan defeating ten Eldritch Warriors with a single thought; this was within their expectations. Their main focus was that the technique Wu Yuan had employed was slightly different from what they had imagined.
“Why do I feel like it resembles the Celestial Body Dao?” Earth Eldritch Hou Fu suddenly spoke up, his voice tinged with shock. “I once saw High Eldritch Hou Zhi employ it. It’s very similar.”
“What?”
“The Celestial Body Dao? One of the three Intermediate Laws, the Law of Celestial Body?” The other Earth Eldritches instantly erupted in disbelief.
The Huanggu World was different from the external world. Their naturally powerful bloodlines made it extremely easy for them to comprehend particular Lesser Laws, but it also limited their upper potential.
Even among these Earth Eldritches, the vast majority had only comprehended a single Lesser Law to the Dao Field level, never crossing the threshold of Intermediate Laws.
“Hou Fu, can you be certain?” Earth Eldritch Hou Cheng, clad in white robes, asked with a fervent look.
“I can’t say for sure. It was only for a few breaths,” Earth Eldritch Hou Fu shook his head. “I’ve only seen the High Eldritch employ it a few times. I need to observe it again.”
Among the Hou Cheng Tribesmen, only Earth Eldritch Hou Fu had participated in the Battle of Heavenly Pillar Mountain and had broad experience.
“Alright, good.” Earth Eldritch Hou Cheng’s eyes glowed. “Watch carefully. If Hou Feng has truly comprehended the Law of Celestial Body and reached the True Intent stage… Perhaps a super powerhouse that will shake Huanggu is about to emerge from our eldritch race.”
…
The second level of the trial soon began.
This time, the examiners were twenty Elite Eldritch Warriors, who were once again suppressed by Wu Yuan with a single thought.
…
The third level of the trial consisted of thirty-six Elite Eldritch Warriors forming three battle arrays. This finally forced Wu Yuan to make his first move, sweeping them away with a single palm strike.
Yes, just a simple palm strike. One palm shattered an entire battle array.
Passed!
…
The fourth level of the trial involved sixty Elite Eldritch Warriors forming five battle arrays. They were still swept aside by Wu Yuan with a few palm strikes.
…
The fifth level of the trial consisted of 120 Eldritch Warriors.
Passed!
…
The sixth level of the trial, the highest level of the Archeldritch Trial that a high-tier eldritch tribe could conduct, soon began.
By this point, the audience surrounding the Eldritch Battle Platform was in a frenzy.
“Hou Feng!”
“Hou Feng!”
“Pass the ninth level of the Archeldritch Trial!” The million eldritch tribesmen roared excitedly, all conquered by Wu Yuan’s strength.
In the short lifespans of most Eldritch Soldiers, they had never seen such a formidable Eldritch Warrior who could easily triumph over a hundred opponents.
“It truly is a Dao Field!”
“In the future, he’s destined to become an Earth Eldritch, or even a High Eldritch.”
“A monstrous prodigy.” The hundreds of Eldritch Generals were equally in awe of Wu Yuan’s performance, all discussing amongst themselves.
In their imagination, Wu Yuan would likely lead the Hou Cheng Tribe to new heights of prosperity in the future.
Boom! Amidst the commotion, a shockwave rippled in all directions as a figure in black armor appeared on the Eldritch Battle Platform.
When the countless spectators saw who it was, their fervor reached a deafening crescendo.
“It’s Eldritch General Hou Kong.”
“An Eldritch General! The sixth level of the trial is indeed a battle between Eldritch Generals. However, Eldritch General Hou Kong is the real deal.”
“Can Hou Feng win?”
“It’s hard to say. Though Hou Feng’s strength is formidable, his base ether is far inferior.” Countless voices of discussion arose as all eyes turned to the two figures on the Eldritch Battle Platform.