The rest of the competitors all showed up in the arena.
Their numbers had been reduced to a fraction of the former amount. From millions of cultivators to barely about a hundred thousand and some change.
The majority of the cultivators all lost at the early stages of this trial and only a few remained.
With this event completed, the harder parts of the trial will now begin.
The Lord of Lords then said, "This next trial is made by the Flamboyant Sun. Known for his joy for endless battle…" but the Lording Sun couldn't finish his words as the man spoke up.
A bright light emitted from his seat as he stood forward, a young man in looks, with a wide smile on his face. "I SHOULD TAKE IT FROM HERE!" he proclaimed with a wide smile and a puffed chest.
"Good children!" he said, "You made this old heart of mine throb for a second! I have seen how you all fought so valiantly and FLAMBOYANTLY! You are the good seed that we left behind that will surely lead the future!"
'…'
I couldn't even express how I was feeling right now. It seems that his presence itself is making me want to fight.
I shook my head and removed this absurd feeling. But looking at the stage, everyone seemed to be entranced by the words of the Flamboyant Sun.
I see, it's a type of charm that makes one yearn for battle.
I could already tell what is the next trial.
"You have all proven what you are capable of, power, wits, and dedication, and for that, you are all heroes! But there can only be one who deserves the title of the Strongest Under the Sun!" he said as he opened his arms wide.
"Now, sadly, your numbers are a bit too much for my liking. So, for those who are able to stand still under my pressure without crumbling, you will be allowed to move forward. Now let it begin! SHINE FLAMBOYANTLY!" he said and suddenly the aura around him began pouring down on all of us.
Meaning, that the participants, it seem to completely disregard the people in the audience.
I'm pretty surprised that he is able to fully exert his force over more than a hundred thousand participants so precisely. It isn't easy to be one of the suns after all.
"Oh, what a great test of one's courage!" the commentator said and then turned to me to see me simply sipping from my drink.
"Euh, is the pressure not affecting you?" asked the commentator as the first few cultivators began crumbling down.
"Not really…" I said as I continued drinking.
"Good, you really do have a strong soul," said the Dusking Sun who was still sitting next to us. "But I wouldn't be too arrogant, because that guy is a little bit…" he didn't finish his words and only gestured with his hand.
A gesture that everyone could understand.
The man was whack.
"Good! The majority of you can easily pass this level of pressure since it is but the first stage of Origin Qi, now it will become harder! Stand strong!" he said and then the pressure increased.
Not for me though.
Because, still, once again, stuff like mental soul pressure seems to be highly incompatible with me and never posed a threat or danger to me.
I guess having a soul that transmigrated multiple times isn't simple. I was Du Shen and became a man who lived in a normal modern urban world, then came back to a world of cultivation again.
My soul had gone through a lot of tribulation and became stronger than ever.
However, for many other cultivators, they continued falling down like flies.
Tens, then hundreds of them.
"Good! The last level now!" he added.
And suddenly the pressure was so strong it was visible, even I actually winced a bit.
Not because it affected me, but because the very ground around me was slightly dented downward.
Yet, for the cultivators, some began bleeding from their mouths and noses, even eyes.
They fell unconscious and were unable to support themselves.
The eyes of the Flamboyant Sun landed on me, and his smile which was wide, became even wider.
"Hoo! There are some interesting kids here, but this is enough," he said.
He seemed to have reached his desired number of cultivators.
A quick divine sense scan gave me the exact number.
A hundred thousand and two thousand and four hundred cultivators.
"Good, for you all, you will be participating in a battle. A battle against each other. Each of you is required to win at least ten matches, you may lose one and only one match, by ten rounds. Only a hundred cultivators will remain," he said.
"However! I see that many of you have yet to fully exhibit your strength, if you wish to continue this pressure test, I will award the last one standing something from my personal storage. Who here wishes to continue?"
Before I could even process this.
I received four divine sense messages at the same time, all with the same content.
"ACCEPT IT!"
It was from the Lord of Lords, the Wisest Sun, the Red Sun and the man next to me the Dusking Sun.
"Do note, that if you are injured, you will have only yourself to blame if you're faced with a stronger opponent," he said.
Many cultivators felt unwilling to risk it. Since the last burst of pressure was strong enough to crumble many cultivators, this one will be far stronger and might cause them irreversible damage.
"You can accept or refuse via your bracelet," he said.
I didn't hesitate to accept as it was suggested by four suns.
And seeing the rest of the cultivators a good portion of them withdrew, but there was still many who wanted to push themselves further.
"Good! I enjoy seeing the fighting spirit in the younger generation! Now ready up! Here it comes!" he said and immediately the pressure released from him became several folds stronger.
Strong enough that even I felt slightly agitated, my cup became several times heavier and the floor underneath me began rattling.
As for the audience, those who weren't fully prepared immediately fell to the ground, as if crushed by a heavy boulder.
Many immediately were disqualified and looked in terrible shape.
The damage done to these cultivators was obvious to everyone who was barely able to support this. Not only did they realize that the next level would immediately crush them, they also realized that it would harm their cultivation base and make them weaker in the battle stage.
So many began folding.
As of now, only a few hundred cultivators remained, most of them were cultivators in the Origin Shattering Realm.
Though these guys couldn't use their full cultivators, their souls had evolved enough to sustain this much pressure.
And a few among them surprised me, mainly the Fire King who seemed to stand strong against this pressure, though his ears were bleeding he still stood with crossed arms.
Zhang Tian also seemed to be in a slightly miserable shape but he was also standing. And lastly, Dao Shen who even I didn't notice until now, he was grinning from ear to ear, though blood was seeping through his nostrils and ears, he seemed to enjoy the challenge.
However, the Flamboyant sun was not fully impressed, "Next level! Your last chance to leave!" he said.
And immediately the majority of cultivators opted out, even Zhang Tian and Dao Shen opted out.
The Fire King and a few Origin Shattering Realm cultivators decided to stay.
"This one will be an incremental increase! You may quit at any time!" he said and more pressure poured on us.
It was heavy, and liquid-like even as you could visibly see the grass itself stick to the ground and the entire arena felt as if it was sinking.
It was pretty strong to be fair, enough that even I began feeling it.
As for the Fire King, he spat out a burst of blood and sighed as he quit.
More and more Origin Shattering Realm cultivators began falling down.
And among the very few that remained was a man with several swords strapped to his side.
"I see that the Demon Sword is more than capable of sustaining this much pressure! As expected of the third rank of the last competition…" the commentator then stared at me, "How in heaven's name are you still not affected?" he asked.
I simply shrugged, "Skill Diff, I guess."
The commentator didn't understand what I meant and simply looked at the remaining cultivator beside me, the Demon Sword who seemed to be under an awful lot of pressure.
Suddenly a divine sense message reached my ears.
"Give up right now, or you'll make an enemy out of me!" it was obvious who it was.
The Demon Sword.
I smiled and looked at the Flamboyant Sun, "So when is this pressure trial going to start? I've been feeling rather bored."
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