"Daddy!" Du Ping, whose tiny figure had grown slightly, resembling a healthy six or seven-year-old boy despite barely being five years of age, exclaimed aloud in concern. Feeling insecure, Du Ping lifted his big bright eyes towards his older brother, Du Ming, and asked: "Will father win?"
He sought confirmation! Anything to reassure his little heart that was being besieged by worry.
Du Ming, the eldest, held his younger brother's hand as he comfortingly said, "You don't know this, but Father has always been invincible. No one can hurt him, not even gods and immortals."
"Invincible? Not even gods? Not even immortals?" With each word, the worry dissipated as excitement painted the little boy's cute expression, and hope exuded from every fiber of his being.
"TAKE THEM DOWN, FATHER! INVINCIBLE!" Du Ling energetically cheered, his cultivation base at the Fifth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, the Yang Growth Phase, being fully utilized. Despite his age, his cultivation was truly peerless amongst the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region's youths his age after Wei Wuyin's calculated efforts.
Du Ping's vocal power shook those nearby as they glanced at the five-year-old that was in the Yang Growth Phase.
A five-year-old with that level of cultivation? Unbelievable!
Moreover, after looking closer, they found nine types of elemental energies flowing vigorously within Du Ping's little body, flourishing with incredibly pure power. There were even faint signs of his Heart of Qi naturally gathering ambient mana within it—a sign of reaching the False Reality Phase, the Sixth Stage of the Qi Condensation! If one looked closely, a transcendent Yin-Yang Essence Pellet was slowly being refined in his Dantian.
Awe and disbelief swept all who noticed!
At another location.
"You better not disappoint him!" A violet-skinned giantess stared at Du Ling's lone figure on the stage, her golden irises flashing with an equal light of concern that didn't lose out to Du Ping. She knew that Du Ling was now upholding Wei Wuyin's legacy, but was given a disastrously unfair disadvantage by his absence and that trashy Extraction Stage segment added after Wei Wuyin's departure.
A cruel, shamelessly calculated tactic by these inferior men and women, all vying for supremacy on the stage that Wei Wuyin had established with his presence and ideas. What was truly laughable was that they laughed! They were treating Wei Wuyin as a reckless youth, impatient and foolish, solely because he left earlier. Utterly shameless!
The violet-skinned giantess was none other than Da Shan. It was unfortunate that Wei Wuyin had eliminated the competition being Chosen, emphasizing the limits of Alchemists instead, but she understood the reasoning and sentiment. It was just too bad she couldn't fight it out with others!
Many others echoed her heartfelt sentiment intermixed with pride and fighting spirit, feeling unable to display their worth before the true powerhouses of the world, but this stage was set by and for Alchemic Sovereigns. Not even Demi-Mortal Lords had much of a voice here, and the Earthly Saints were all subdued after the King of Everlore's name was brought into the discussion.
That said, watching the concentrated efforts and abilities of Alchemic Sovereigns was an extremely rare opportunity. They could see the true strength of an Alchemic Sovereign's true nurturing!
Kree.
Bai Lin lazily watched beside three outstandingly beautiful Valkyries—Su Mei, Xue Yifei, and Wu Baozhai. After Wei Wuyin left, the majestic phoenix was left with little to do but refine the materials that Wei Wuyin had left behind and mentally grasp her innate Bloodline Abilities. After refining the Fire Phoenix's feather of Huoyan Liulan, Bai Lin's strength experienced a rapid rise. Even her aura matched the unfathomableness of Earthly Saints.
To Bai Lin, this battle was already decided. Since Wei Wuyin was confident to leave, he possessed absolute certainty to claim victory in any circumstances. This was her unshakeable belief in Wei Wuyin.
"Du Ling shouldn't lose," Wu Baozhai frowned as the stage was filled with Chosen Knights cultivated by Alchemic Sovereigns, given instructions of Exalted cultivators, and all with youthful exuberance and confidence. Despite her words, there was a tinge of doubt in her tone. The Extraction Stage was truly an unfair disadvantage to Wei Wuyin and Du Ling.
"..." Xue Yifei didn't comment, but her fierce eyes reflected her belief that was not the slightest bit inferior to Bai Lin's.
"This shouldn't take long," Su Mei calmly stated. Then, she looked elsewhere. Her untainted black eyes containing a type of deep purity reflected Xun Yicao's image. While there was no killing intent within her gaze, there was a sinister, indiscernible light festering within her pupils.
A distance away, Ai Juling held both hands before her chest. This fight will affect Wei Wuyin's reputation. While he was an officially recognized Alchemic Sovereign under the age of a hundred, this could still hurt his identity going forward with all sorts of harmful titles. She prayed in the deepest parts of her heart that Du Ling would come out triumphantly.
"Junior Sister Ai, you don't have to worry, your 'boyfriend' will only experience a minor setback here. I'm sure he'll recover with his means," Shu Yu, her Senior Apprentice Brother, remarked with a tinge of mocking in his voice. The fact that an elf thought that Wei Wuyin was her boyfriend felt laughable. He hadn't even looked this way once when he was here; moreover, he was an undeniable genius of the ages, possessing a type of charisma and talent that was heaven-blessed, so how could an inferior elf dare think that she was capable of holding him?
If they had any type of relationship, it was likely a measly one-night stand at best. She was pumped and dumped as he went off searching for better things, far better than a pathetic elf. His words also contained a type of jealousy and unwillingness. If he even remotely entertained the idea that Ai Juling had a relationship with Wei Wuyin, he would have to accept himself as fully inferior, lower his head to her…to an elf.
Ai Juling ignored him; the battle was beginning!
Du Ling wasn't the target of everyone, but it was clear that most were instructed to eliminate him first or saw him as the greatest threat amongst the competition. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous. While most of these cultivators weren't innate geniuses, they had been cultivated by Alchemic Sovereigns that were held with the highest regard throughout the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region. It was impossible to not have concerns.
After the extra eighteen months provided to them, not a single Chosen Knight present was at the Qi Condensation Stage, and they had all stepped beyond that realm, entering into the Astral Core Realm. Their auras were robust, exuberant, and pure.
Despite the differences in cultivation base, not a single one wasn't told they weren't ordinary, and likely that, given their cultivation and nurturing, fighting across at least two or three stages was entirely possible. And in truth, it was!
But only amongst the most ordinary fighters. Still, they were all confident in their abilities, from the World Sea to the Spatial Resonance. After all, they were cultivated by experts at the Mystic Star Phase!
Du Ling felt pressured, so he decided to give it his all! When Evergod declared the match was beginning, he was instantly faced with thunderous winds of many auras blasting toward him. The Chosen Knight of Xun Yicao saw this and mockingly smiled; he decided to wait and see as the others attacked first, gauging Du Ling's strength while exhausting him.
Numerous long-range arts and spiritual spells were launched toward him. Not a single cultivator decided to attack close-range even if it was their specialty; they were all trained by Exalteds and knew not to throw themselves in the crossfire of other attacks. A literal mountain of colorful and varied astral force and spiritual force crashed toward Du Ling. In the face of such a disorganized assault, there were conflicts, yet they still had a target like a rain of bullets.
Du Ling released a low, forceful howl as he mustered the entirety of his cultivation base! A dark-red scorching astral ward manifested as he levitated off the stage, it was perfectly spherical; the temperature of the world jumped by dozens of degrees in an instant as distortions emerged in the air.
BOOM! BAM! DOOSH!
He buffeted their initial assaults with purely his astral ward! Be it spell or art, they were all unable to breach his astral ward. The expressions of those vicious Chosen Knights changed, disbelief flashed across their eyes.
Then, with another guttural roar that shook the hearts and minds of many, Du Ling's Soul Idol manifested! A ten-ringed Volcanic Mountain towering over the world at the height of ten thousand meters bellowed with raging spiritual strength! The temperature once again spiked as the spiritual wind raged!
Several grunts resounded as several Chosen Knights with weaker Spiritual Strength took several steps back due to Du Ling's spiritual winds! Some even lost consciousness for a second or two, fortunately regaining themselves immediately. They had once seen Du Ling's foundation displayed over twenty months ago, but experiencing it close-up was deeply heart-shaking.
Ten rings?
But many of their eyes constricted. A few roared defiantly as they instantly manifested their Soul Idols! These were the top-tier Chosen Knights, and they belonged to the strongest Alchemic Sovereigns. Amongst them were San Luoyang's Chosen Knight Duze Beixuan, Mu Yura's Chosen Knight Li Qingli, and Xun Yicao's Chosen Knight. They were all top-tier, revealing to the world their newfound power!
Not a single one was beneath nine-rings, stunning everyone who was observing. One must know their cultivation bases were wildly different before, with Li Qingli not even being an Astral Core Realm cultivator while Xun Yicao's Chosen Knight was only at the first stage. In comparison, Du Ling was at the Fourth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, the Spatial Resonance, yet they had, in eighteen months, brought their Chosen Knights to this level!
They weren't the only ones; four others had also reached the Soul Idol Phase, and they didn't hold back. When seven Soul Idols of nine hundred meters manifested, seemingly in a concerted effort to resist Du Ling's spiritual aura, it was an astonishing sight to behold.
Du Ling was like a monstrous giant before seven heroic immortals fighting against their enemy! Unfortunately for these Immortal heroes, Du Ling didn't stop! He pushed his cultivation base once more, interfacing with his Domain Seed!
Worldly Domain!
WOOSH!
As it unfurled, it expanded rapidly to encompass four hundred and sixty meters of space! It was a full hundred and sixty meters larger than before! Du Ling hadn't just dilly-dallied during the eighteen months, but had thoroughly refined the latent alchemical products within his body to their fullest extent, amplifying his cultivation base to another level!
When his Worldly Domain was unleashed, many of the Chosen Knights were aghast as a Worldly Pressure descended upon them! Those in its range were instantly subjected to its might. A series of harsh and fleshy thus occurred as bodies kneeled, causing cracks to surface on the stage! As for those afar, the entire stage was drowned by Du Ling's Sky Pressure, and the expressions of everyone distorted and reddened as if they were on the verge of exploding.
"...!" The crowd was awed. Du Ling's actions were domineering! The Alchemic Sovereigns were stunned; they had given their Chosen Knights instructions on how to resist and fight against a Worldly Domain, but before this absolute power and terrifying foundation, they could only suffer.
Out of the seven Immortal heroes, only three remained mostly unaffected. They were Duze Beixuan, Li Qingli, and Xun Yicao's Chosen Knight! They revealed something that took everyone by surprise…
Worldly Domains!
The three unfurled their Worldly Domains, all of a purist-type color, yet they were Worldly Domains nevertheless!
Ever-Domain's False Worldly Domains!
The Sky Pressure of Du Ling was dealt with easily, dismissed like air. None of them were within the range of Du Ling's Worldly Domain, so they didn't have to face the genuine article's power.
Du Ling's eyes glinted.
He floated above the Chosen Knights like a divinity. The nervousness he possessed vanished as he spotted some Chosen Knights kneeling and others wreathing in tremendous pain as the spiritual winds besieged their bodies and Astral Souls. They were defeated before he launched a single true move.
He looked at the four Soul Idols of the other Chosen Knights, and they were shivering as if they were on the verge of total collapse. Du Ling's spiritual strength was tyrannical to the utmost!
"DADDY IS INVINCIBLE!" Du Ping's little voice resounded, and despite the protective formation's existence, Du Ling could still hear it by some miracle. He turned to see his sons with bright, worshipful eyes. A never-before-felt emotion swelled within his heart. Pride?
It felt so good.