The crowd continued to venture deeper into the mining area, searching for ore and eliminating冥火 (Mínghuǒ).
An hour later, Wen Ruchu was also astonished.
"So, so powerful?" he looked at Sun Jian.
"Yes, that powerful!" Sun Jian was completely awestruck.
Wen Ruchu was ecstatic. The sixty million hadn't been wasted. By following the people from Qingxu Heaven, he would be completely safe with their help. If he worked a little harder, he was sure he could make it into the top hundred.
He trotted over eagerly and asked, "Everyone, when will you help me kill some 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)? You promised."
Su Luo said calmly, "Don't panic, we have three days. What's the rush?"
Wen Ruchu had to suppress his impatience and took the opportunity to eliminate a few 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) himself.
Meanwhile...
Other contestants were also continuously searching for 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) and venturing deeper into the mining area.
As the 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) increased, so did the number of contestants who couldn't withstand it. While they could handle a few clusters of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) at the start, once they went deeper and encountered more than ten clusters, the negative effects intensified.
People became increasingly irritable, lost control of their negative impulses, and their killing intent surged.
Some knew they were being corroded by the 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) and quickly took the prepared Heart-Cleansing Pills. Others carried special spiritual artifacts for calming the mind, which had some effect, but most people hadn't anticipated this and could only endure it directly.
Finally, someone couldn't take it anymore, going mad with bloodlust.
Others had their souls absorbed by the 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) and died completely.
Some, unwilling to lose their lives, activated teleportation talismans to escape the ancient mining area... On the Sun Moon Plaza, the number of returning contestants began to increase, their faces pale with panic, thankful they had escaped quickly.
Onlookers whispered amongst themselves.
"They've only been in for fifteen minutes, and some have already left because they couldn't bear it. It seems the ancient mining area is truly dangerous."
"Isn't that Ji Feiran? He's the top expert of the Qiankun Sect, yet he withdrew so early..."
"So terrifying! I'm never going to the ancient mining area again! Those 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)... ah!" A female contestant who had escaped from the ancient mining area collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, her face drained of color.
However, more people's attention was focused on a transparent crystal screen set up on the plaza. It displayed the locator bead numbers of all contestants who had entered the ancient mining area, marked with names and numbers.
Some were bright, indicating the person was still in the ancient mining area and alive.
Others had dimmed, signifying the person had died or escaped the mining area and withdrawn from the competition.
The four Emperors had been closely watching the numbers next to the names, which represented the number of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) eliminated by each genius contestant. The one in first place had already eliminated over three hundred 冥火 (Mínghuǒ).
"Shui Xuanmo, 325. Quite impressive. Truly the Saint Son of the Taichu Sacred Land!" Emperor Hongyue stroked his long beard and chuckled, looking at Shui Hanyi below.
The Taichu Sacred Land was the state religion of the Hongyue Empire. If Shui Xuanmo could replace Li Tianjue as the first-place winner, it would also bring him glory.
"I didn't expect the Taichu Sacred Land to so far surpass Qingxu Heaven at the start of this final."
Emperor Haiyao said meaningfully, "Currently, the second place is Gongzi Duan Shu from Penglai Island, 282... Oh, he's eliminated a few more, now 291. Not bad! Third place is Tianji Wen Daier of the Six Desires Cult, 288. Fourth is Gongzi Li Shaotian of the Thunderclap Gate, 254... Hmm? Not a single person from Qingxu Heaven is in the top ten."
Emperor Beiming said indifferently, "It's only the first day, why are you all in such a hurry?"
Emperor Hongyue smiled and looked to his left and right, saying, "Your Majesties, shall we guess who will win first place this time?"
Emperor Haiyao said, "In my opinion, the number one spot on the Heavenly Pride Ranking might change. Everyone is competing so fiercely this time, and Qingxu Heaven's Gongzi Li Tianjue, how many does he have now? Let me find it... Oh, he's actually ranked 56th. How could this happen?"
The two elders of Qingxu Heaven exchanged glances, also finding it strange.
"Did Tianjue and the others encounter very little 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)?" The Grand Elder looked at the Second Elder in surprise, not understanding what was happening.
"No need to worry, it's just the beginning. Don't you trust Tianjue's abilities?" The Second Elder was very calm.
"That's right, and there's also Su Yatou! She's as cunning as a spirit, she'll definitely be fine."
Just then, Emperor Tianyan's expression changed: "Look quickly, it's Saint Son Shui Xuanmo, who is in first place!"
The numbers behind him were changing rapidly.
327, 331... 345... 360, 362... 408...
Heavens, how could they change so quickly!
It was like flying, and in the blink of an eye, it became 417, and it was still increasing.
Other observers were also shocked. Could this be an encounter with a cluster of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)?
Within the ancient mining area.
The seven people from the Taichu Sacred Land who had entered the mining area were excitedly watching Saint Son Shui Xuanmo and a man in black. The two were cooperating with exquisite precision. Wherever they went, large swathes of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) disappeared.
No one knew who the man in black was, as he had appeared suddenly.
However, the Saint Son and Saintess clearly knew him, and they were even eliminating 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) together. Perhaps he was a helper invited by the Sect Master?
"I didn't expect you to find a place with more 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)."
Shui Xuanmo said while attacking.
A cold smile curved his lips. Fantian kept waving his hands, and strands of spiritual light, like silk threads, flew from his fingertips, entangling the 冥火 (Mínghuǒ), tearing them into pieces, and then Shui Xuanmo would deliver the finishing blow, causing them to dissipate completely.
In just a moment, the two of them had eliminated several hundred 冥火 (Mínghuǒ).
"Follow me, and I can help you become the first place in this final." Fantian's triumphant smile carried a hint of danger, and the madness flashing in his eyes always made people feel that he was brewing a terrifying storm.
But with his help, Shui Xuanmo's locator bead already displayed the number 487.
Eliminating 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) doesn't necessarily require doing it alone.
Having help can lead to twice the results with half the effort!
Shui Xuanmo understood his father's intentions even more. Although the young master of the Dark Demon Ridge appeared frenzied and arrogant, he was a tool that could be easily utilized. As long as he was appeased, he would obediently do as he was asked.
"Young Master Fantian is truly amazing."
Shui Xuanmo said insincerely, looking at the darkening sky ahead, shrouded in mist. He asked warily, "Where are we going now? The 冥火 (Mínghuǒ) ahead is getting more numerous. Will something happen? If we get lost and stumble into the Mire of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ), it will be terrible."
Fantian narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "This young master is going to the Mire of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ). Are you afraid?"
Shui Qingyue's expression changed: "You're actually going to the Mire of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)? Are you crazy? That's one of the Four Forbidden Zones!"
"Woman, you'd best not question this young master's decision."
Fantian looked at Shui Qingyue chillingly, completely disregarding her peerless beauty. "To kill those eyesores, especially those from Qingxu Heaven, we must lure them into the Mire of 冥火 (Mínghuǒ)! As for your side, it's time to act."
Shui Xuanmo said confidently and proudly, "You don't need to worry about it!"
After speaking, he took out a transmission jade token, his voice full of absolute control: "The plan begins."
...
The various geniuses who had entered the ancient mining area suddenly felt that something was wrong.
A group of people had appeared from nowhere, each holding weapons and pointing them at them.