Chapter 1255: From Active to Passive
Luo Yao had never mentioned the procedures for this competition to anyone, not even to Huo Laoban, the Guardian he had personally elevated. Not a single word had been disclosed, so besides Luo Yao himself, no one knew the competition's process.
Now, as Luo Yao announced the competition's procedures, tens of thousands of people present were stunned, for no one had anticipated he would do something like this.
Following this process for the competition would indeed save a tremendous amount of time, and it was exceptionally simple and convenient, yielding results quickly, unlike the time-consuming nature of individual duels.
However, among the tens of thousands present, quite a few discerned the underlying implications of Luo Yao's approach.
The three Guardians—Wen Hexuan and the others—standing on the arena stage clearly harbored dissatisfaction with Luo Yao, the newly appointed Great Emperor. Both their tardiness today and their demeanor when facing him revealed a complete lack of respect.
Luo Yao's attitude towards the three was equally unfriendly. Though he didn't erupt in a thunderous rage or glare furiously at them, his dismissive manner and the combative tone in his words all indicated his profound displeasure with the trio.
Now, Luo Yao was having Wen Hexuan and the two other Guardians simultaneously face over two hundred Emissaries of Death who had opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. To many, it was clear Luo Yao intended to deal with these three Guardians.
"Oh, Luo Yao played that move beautifully!"
Yun Yao was first shocked, then her face lit up with exultation. Like everyone else, she hadn't expected Luo Yao to make such a decision, but she felt not the slightest worry about it. Instead, she was thrilled, for to her, Luo Yao’s decision meant a good show was about to begin.
Yang Haoran thought to himself. He, too, was deeply shocked by Luo Yao's decision, but he didn't let that shock show on his face, which still held a faint smile, making it impossible for others to guess his true thoughts.
The three Guardians quickly recovered from their shock. Ye Xianglan’s smile vanished, her expression turning serious. Long Yan’s face was no longer merely sullen; it was contorted with fury. He had suppressed his anger before, not letting it erupt or show on his face, but Luo Yao’s decision had made his inner rage impossible to contain, and it now fully manifested through his facial expressions.
As for Wen Hexuan, his complexion also turned somewhat grim. Seeing the enraged Long Yan about to lose control and seemingly confront Luo Yao directly in front of everyone, Wen Hexuan immediately intervened, restraining Long Yan.
"Don’t be impulsive. If we openly clash with him in this setting, we’ll be in the wrong, and it won’t do us any good. On the contrary, it will put us at a significant disadvantage."
Wen Hexuan whispered his warning to Long Yan. Though Long Yan was still furious, Wen Hexuan’s reminder had some effect. He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed a portion of his burgeoning rage once more.
This fury was not entirely quelled by Long Yan, for his inner rage at that moment was simply too intense; complete suppression was utterly impossible. All he could manage was to suppress a small fraction of it, preventing himself from impulsively acting against Luo Yao, yet the anger on his face remained.
Wen Hexuan didn't expect Long Yan to fully suppress his inner rage. As long as Long Yan could control himself and not actively make a move against Luo Yao in this setting, he would be satisfied.
"Heh heh, Great Emperor, having the three of us face over two hundred Guardians simultaneously. . . that might be a bit inappropriate, don’t you think?"
Wen Hexuan looked at Luo Yao, who was above the black clouds, and forced out an unnatural smile as he spoke.
"The three of you are currently the strongest Guardians under my command. Using your strength to select new Guardians is most fitting. If I were to replace your positions with other Guardians, they wouldn’t perform as well."
Luo Yao replied blandly. From his words, it wasn't hard to tell that he had not the slightest intention of changing his decision because of Wen Hexuan’s remarks.
Wen Hexuan naturally understood that Luo Yao was not going to change his decision, but he didn't give up because of it.
"Great Emperor, although our strength is acceptable, even if we were stronger, it’s impossible for the three of us to simultaneously face over two hundred Emissaries of Death who have opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. This truly puts your subordinates in a difficult position."
Wen Hexuan said with an unnatural smile, but Luo Yao remained unmoved.
"I am well aware of your collective strength. Currently, our Jingling Continent Underworld Division is perceived as the weakest by outsiders, so it is imperative that we demonstrate our strength to others. No other Guardian under me is capable of undertaking this task apart from the three of you, so I can only entrust it to you. Moreover, this is not a life-and-death struggle; we are all our own people, so stop short of causing serious harm. Just unleash all your power, and regardless of whether the three of you win or lose in the end, your task will be accomplished, and I will naturally record your meritorious service."
Luo Yao’s words had unequivocally declared his resolve. Wen Hexuan knew that no matter what he said, it would be absolutely impossible to change Luo Yao’s decision. This move by Luo Yao left him feeling caught in an inescapable dilemma.
If the three of them could overpower these two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death, then their reputation would be preserved. But if they proved no match for these two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death and were directly knocked unconscious, then the three of them would be utterly disgraced this time.
However, it wouldn’t be easy to defeat over two hundred Emissaries of Death who had opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. Wen Hexuan felt that if the two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death unleashed their full power, it wouldn’t take long before they were knocked unconscious and carried off.
"Great Emperor, could you allow the three of us to discuss a strategy? After all, over two hundred Emissaries of Death who have opened their Heaven and Earth Souls are no small number. Even if the three of us possess some strength, we cannot withstand the assault of so many Emissaries of Death."
Wen Hexuan knew he couldn't change Luo Yao's decision, so he wanted to buy some time to discuss with Long Yan and Ye Xianglan, to quickly devise a viable countermeasure that might resolve the current dilemma.
"I can give you time, but the Spirit Mediums won’t. We’ve already wasted a lot of time waiting for the three of you before; now you wish to waste even more?"
Luo Yao’s brows furrowed slightly, and he asked blandly. His sullen face, combined with his faintly furrowed brow, already showed that he was in quite a displeased mood.
Wen Hexuan acted as if he hadn't noticed Luo Yao's displeasure, and he was about to say something more, but Luo Yao didn’t give him the chance.
"Today’s competition is merely to select two individuals to fill the two vacant Guardian positions; it is not a life-and-death struggle. Both sides must stop short of causing serious harm and absolutely must not deliver killing blows. Those who disregard this rule will face severe punishment. Alright, let the competition begin."
Luo Yao spoke blandly. The moment his words fell, many among the two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death immediately unleashed their powerful energy fluctuations.
"Esteemed Guardians, forgive us!"
"Heaven Soul! Open!"
"Earth Soul! Open!"
As the first batch of Emissaries of Death opened their Heaven and Earth Souls, more and more individuals followed suit, unleashing powerful energy fluctuations one after another. Instantly, chilling winds whistled across the entire arena, and violent Spirit Power raged wildly!
However, among these two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death, some were subordinates of Wen Hexuan, Long Yan, and Ye Xianglan. They were virtually the trio’s trusted aides. The three of them had spared no effort in helping these confidants gain the strength to open their Heaven and Earth Souls.
Precisely because of this, while the other Emissaries of Death opened their Heaven and Earth Souls and unleashed powerful energy fluctuations, those who belonged to Wen Hexuan’s trio did not. Their reaction caught Wen Hexuan’s eye. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and suddenly, a way to break the deadlock came to mind!
The first wave of attacks shot swiftly towards Wen Hexuan and the two others. Various Soul Armaments locked onto them, closing in at extreme speed.
Wen Hexuan and the two others dared not slack off. They all opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. Facing such a fierce assault, they couldn’t hold back any strength. After all, their opponents were not only numerous but also powerful experts who had opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. If they held back, they would be eliminated in just a few exchanges. If that happened, they would truly lose immense face!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Deafening explosions resounded ceaselessly, and the entire venue erupted in gasps—gasps that even drowned out the sounds of the blasts.
The reason the crowd in the spectator stands erupted in such loud gasps was partly because the energy fluctuations unleashed by Wen Hexuan and the two others were simply too formidable, far surpassing those unleashed by any single Emissary of Death on the arena. Another reason was that they hadn't expected the competition to start so ferociously.
The barrier formed from Wen Hexuan and the two others’ Spirit Power not only withstood such fierce assaults but also managed to block the Emissaries of Death’s Soul Armaments.
The first wave of Emissaries of Death to attack the trio consisted of around thirty-odd individuals. Compared to over two hundred Emissaries of Death, thirty-odd was indeed not many. Yet, for thirty-odd Emissaries of Death, all having opened their Heaven and Earth Souls, to attack simultaneously—the scale of it was extraordinary, and the power was astonishing. However, they failed to breach the Spirit Power barrier formed by Wen Hexuan and the two others. From this alone, one could discern just how terrifying the trio’s strength truly was.
However, the Spirit Power barrier only held for an instant. As more and more Soul Armaments slammed into the barrier, it trembled violently and began to show cracks.
"Unleash your full power! First, eliminate all the other Emissaries of Death, and leave as many Emissaries of Death under our command as possible!"
In this situation, Wen Hexuan knew they had no more time to deliberate, so he decisively gave up on discussion and spoke in a deep voice to Long Yan and Ye Xianglan.
Though Long Yan and Ye Xianglan were displeased at the moment, they hadn't lost their rationality. They understood Wen Hexuan’s meaning after just a moment’s thought.
Luo Yao had said that if the three of them were defeated by the two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death, then the uneliminated Emissaries of Death would proceed to the next round of competition. Conversely, if the two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death proved no match for the trio and were instead eliminated by them, then the final two eliminated individuals would fill the two vacant Guardian positions.
Wen Hexuan’s words at this moment meant he wanted to first eliminate the Emissaries of Death who were not aligned with their trio, trying to keep as many of their own subordinates as possible. Then, regardless of whether the trio ultimately defeated the contestant side or lost to it, those remaining on the arena would be their own subordinates. Thus, the two Guardians selected would naturally be people from their faction.
Ye Xianglan and Long Yan both understood the stakes of this decision. Both felt Wen Hexuan’s decision was correct. In the current situation, Wen Hexuan’s decision could be said to be quite astute, so neither of them opposed him; both simply nodded.
Concurrently, facing an increasing number of Soul Armament attacks, the Spirit Power barrier formed by the trio was simply unable to continue resisting and shattered with a crash. However, the instant these Soul Armaments broke through the defense, the trio’s bodies had already vanished from their original positions.
Everyone’s Soul Armaments missed their targets, but then the Emissaries of Death quickly discovered where the trio had moved. They controlled their respective Soul Armaments, launching attacks again, giving the three no breathing room whatsoever. Wen Hexuan and the two others, while fending off these Soul Armaments, simultaneously exchanged a glance with their own Emissary of Death subordinates!
The Emissaries of Death under the trio’s command not only refrained from joining the other Emissaries of Death in launching a fierce assault against the trio, but they hadn't even opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. After all, the three were their immediate superiors, and they were the trio’s trusted aides. Their reverence for the three stemmed from the depths of their bones; how would they dare to be disrespectful? They certainly wouldn't dare to commit such a grave act of disrespect as attacking the trio.
Now, receiving the trio’s eye signal, these Emissaries of Death below them immediately caught on, understanding what the trio meant. In an instant, the Emissaries of Death under the trio’s command all opened their Heaven and Earth Souls and summoned their Soul Armaments. However, instead of attacking the trio, they launched their attacks against the Emissaries of Death who were not among the trio’s subordinates.
The fierce battle had just begun, and the two hundred-plus Emissaries of Death had not yet spread out, all remaining in the same area. Although there was some distance between them, it wasn’t too far. Thus, when the Emissaries of Death under Wen Hexuan’s trio suddenly attacked the other contestants, they immediately caught them off guard.
Meanwhile, Wen Hexuan and the two others also controlled their respective Soul Armaments, launching counterattacks. With their formidable strength, some of the weaker Emissaries of Death were simply unable to resist. Coupled with the surprise attacks from the Emissaries of Death under their command, in an instant, some of the lowest-ranked individuals were sent flying. They spat out mouthfuls of blood, falling heavily onto the ground outside the arena, while others were knocked unconscious on the spot, directly eliminated.
In just a short while after the competition began, over a dozen individuals had been eliminated. Luo Yao, witnessing this scene from above, furrowed his brows even tighter, for he had already discerned the trio’s intentions.
He had allowed Wen Hexuan and the two others onto the arena, frankly speaking, because he wanted to deal with them. He didn’t just want to teach them a lesson; he wanted them to be utterly disgraced. After all, the trio had given him, the Great Emperor of Jingling, no face at all today.
The competition procedures he had initially decided upon did not actually involve Wen Hexuan and the two others taking the stage. It was precisely because the trio had publicly humiliated him in front of so many people that, in his anger, he had made the spontaneous decision to have them enter the arena, intending to use this method to warn them.
Because he was angry at the time, and coupled with the fact that this was a spontaneous decision, his consideration of the matter wasn't entirely comprehensive. Thus, he had overlooked a crucial issue: among these contestants, approximately one-third were Emissaries of Death who served the trio.
With nearly one-third of the Emissaries of Death siding with Wen Hexuan and his two companions, combined with the trio’s terrifying strength, the possibility of Wen Hexuan and his companions being beaten to a pulp was quite small. Instead, it was far more likely that Wen Hexuan and the two others, leading their own Emissaries of Death, would systematically eliminate the other contestants one by one.
If it truly came to that, then while he would indeed gain two more Guardians under his command, it would be difficult to say whether these two Guardians would truly obey his orders as the Great Emperor Luo Yao. In all likelihood, they would stand with Wen Hexuan’s faction and join forces to oppose him, the newly appointed Great Emperor of Jingling!
It was precisely because Luo Yao had considered these factors that his brows were now deeply furrowed, and his complexion had turned much grimmer than before.
His inner fury made an idea form in Luo Yao’s mind: to order that contestants were not allowed to attack each other, only to launch attacks against the opposing faction.
But this idea only existed in his mind for an instant before he dismissed it.
Because before the competition began, he had not set a rule forbidding contestants from attacking each other. Now that the competition had already started, if he, as the Great Emperor, were to forcibly add such a rule on the spot, not only would Wen Hexuan and the two others seize a handle to turn the tables on him, but it would also make tens of thousands of people present mock him.
Therefore, even though he knew that continuing like this would likely be extremely disadvantageous to him, he forcibly suppressed his anger and did not intervene.
Though Luo Yao wasn't flying into a rage at this moment, his inner fury had actually reached an exceptionally intense level. A perfectly good move had been forcibly and easily countered by Wen Hexuan and the two others, shifting him from being proactive to being on the defensive. How could he not be angry? If the occasion weren't inappropriate, he would likely have already vented his inner rage!
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