Chapter Thirty-Five: The Advancement Tournament (Part Two)

Jiang Feng had never entertained the idea of defeat, not even during his ordeal in the Inferno of Lava. His mind was always consumed with thoughts of survival. No wonder the Wang family exercised such caution, mobilizing their entire estate; clearly, it was all for that miraculous summoner.

Jiang Feng could only reassure the Wang family, urging them not to worry. He promised to find a way to fight the summoner to the death, vowing to defend the Wang family's safety with his life. Although uncertainty gnawed at him, Jiang Feng knew that if the Wang estate master could enlist Master Yi Chen, their bond must be profound. In essence, the battle was already halfway won.

"Young Master Jiang, Master Yi Chen has specially prepared these elixirs. He instructed us to ensure you take them." Jiang Feng glanced at the chaotic array of pills on the table and swallowed them all at once. Ever since his experience in the world beneath the sea, Jiang Feng regarded life with increasing detachment. He believed he would not die easily; if death were so simple, he would not have survived all this time.

When the Wang family saw Jiang Feng gulp down the elixirs without even sniffing at their ingredients, their admiration for his courage deepened. They unanimously believed that this young man would one day conquer the world.

After drinking the elixirs, Jiang Feng returned to his room. On the way, he felt a peculiar power, reminiscent of what he had encountered in the sea, stirring within him—no, it was stronger, flooding his entire being. Glancing at the courtyard's locust tree, Jiang Feng struck it with his palm, toppling it in a single blow, leaving the bystanders dumbfounded.

He looked at the fallen tree, thought nothing more of it, and went straight back to his room to play with the divine beast. Before entering, he heard the beast chattering away. Jiang Feng feared something had happened to it, but to his surprise, it was Wang Yingying playing with the creature. The divine beast seemed to like Wang Yingying and offered no resistance. Jiang Feng felt a wave of relief; if anything had happened to the divine beast, he would never forgive himself.

Seeing Jiang Feng return, Wang Yingying sat beside him and smiled, "Jiang Feng, I really want to see what the bird looks like when it grows up. Can you make it bigger for me? I promise not to tell my father."

"How can it get bigger? Aren’t all birds like this?" Jiang Feng asked, puzzled.

Wang Yingying shook her head. "He told me he can grow bigger, but only you can control him."

Jiang Feng looked at her with a strange, bright gaze. Was this woman the legendary expert in beasts? No wonder Master Yi Chen insisted she accompany him to the mysterious forest—having a translator would be helpful. However, her spiritual power and necromancy were quite weak; she would likely be a burden in the future.

"Grow bigger," Jiang Feng uttered the incantation. Instantly, the divine beast expanded in size, snuggling up to Wang Yingying, swaying left and right affectionately. Jiang Feng felt a momentary illusion—why did the beast seem closer to Wang Yingying than to him? Could it be that the divine beast was awakening to love? Jiang Feng shook his head, dismissing such thoughts; after all, a divine beast was far removed from ordinary creatures, and it was foolish to measure it by human sentiment.

Ever since she learned about the divine beast, Wang Yingying found every excuse to visit it, often conversing with it. Jiang Feng gradually grew accustomed to this life. However, tomorrow was the Wang family's advancement tournament. If he did not devise a strategy, he feared the summoner would harm him. He could not allow himself to die, and even less could he let the Wang family fall to evil. Thus, his heart was heavy with the unknown.

The next morning, a misty rain fell from the sky, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm for the rare advancement tournament at the Wang estate. The tournament was organized in stages: preliminary selection, semifinals, and finals. Despite the lengthy schedule, the spectators’ excitement was undiminished, with some even opening betting pools at three-to-one odds.

Wang Yingying intended to participate, but Jiang Feng stopped her, saying he would compete in her stead. The Wang family's arena was set at the easternmost corner of the estate, a square platform bordered by wards to prevent soulcraft or necromantic tools from harming innocents. Jiang Feng found these arrangements reasonable and thought the estate master a trustworthy man.

Around a hundred contestants registered, some drawn by the Wang family's wealth, others eager to display their prowess. Among them were those with darker motives, and the Li family was first among them.

The drizzle continued as the Wang estate master took his seat at the podium and announced the tournament's theme: "This tournament is to select talented individuals for Wang Estate. The martial contests will be conducted with restraint, but blades are blind and necromancy merciless. If anyone is injured, the estate takes no responsibility. Since you have all signed the life-and-death agreement, opponents will be assigned automatically. Winners advance to the quarterfinals; losers are eliminated."

The estate master's meaning was clear: over fifty would be eliminated in the first round. Jiang Feng was not surprised; the ratio of contestants to eliminations was the same as at his family’s tournaments, though those were limited to Jiang clan members and had fewer rules. Here, the entire estate was involved, making it very different.

The contest officially began...

Once the referee announced this, everyone summoned their spirits, and the crowd cheered for their idols, many staking their silver coins on the outcome.

Jiang Feng’s first opponent was a fifth-level necromancer, a man of upright appearance who gave no hint of his skill. Jiang Feng, half-lidded eyes and a mischievous smile, deliberately confused his opponent. Seeing Jiang Feng’s odd grin, the man’s heart burned with rage. Sword in hand, emboldened by necromancy, he charged at Jiang Feng, creating a powerful shockwave. Jiang Feng did not even spare him a glance, retreating lightly. The man missed, and shouted at Jiang Feng, but Jiang Feng was used to such bluster. He invoked the Xuantian Divine Palm, unleashing eighty percent of its power at his opponent. The man tried to dodge, but Jiang Feng’s speed left him no time to react. Forced to raise his sword in defense, the blade snapped like a twig. Jiang Feng still observed the tournament’s gentle policy, stopping short of lethal force. The man, terrified, collapsed to the ground, crying out, “Master, I was wrong! I was wrong!”

Jiang Feng looked up, spat out a curse, adjusted his internal energy, and prepared to leave the stage and rest for the next match. Unexpectedly, halfway down, the man suddenly rose and struck Jiang Feng’s back with a necromantic palm. The blow landed, but Jiang Feng, as if nothing had happened, redirected the force with his battle aura, sending it back. The man, struck by his own palm, was now barely alive.

“Anyone who attacks me from behind must die.” The word “die” echoed heavily. The man, as if seeing death itself, closed his eyes and said no more. Jiang Feng stabbed his long spear into the man’s chest, reducing him to dust. The crowd was stunned by Jiang Feng’s ruthlessness, and even the Wang estate master raised objections.