Boom!
“Great Vajra Palm!”
The 80th-ranked Holy Son Candidate unleashed his proudest martial skill. It was a lower Profound Grade technique, which he had exchanged using contribution points. He spared no expense to obtain it early, for the sole purpose of increasing his combat strength.
His cultivation had just broken through to the 9th stage Spirit Sea Realm, so his low ranking was mainly due to that. When his palm struck the Martial Dao Stele, the star marks lit up again—this time, reaching the twelfth star.
“One-restriction, three-star. Qualified,” Elder Wu Lin noted.
The next Holy Son Candidate stepped up. Those ranked lower began to test one by one. As if by tacit agreement, none waited for a dramatic finale. Most of them displayed one-restriction, three-star combat levels.
Combat power within the same realm was ranked from one-star to nine-star. Nine-star represented domination within that realm. Beyond that was the one-restriction level—meaning one could challenge those in the next cultivation realm.
The Martial Dao Stele lighting up with nine stars signified nine-star combat power. Ten stars indicated one-restriction, one-star. Even though it was just one more star, it wasn’t considered ten-star—it was one-restriction, one-star, because the gap between nine-star and one-restriction was not linear.
If the gap from eight-star to nine-star was ten, then from nine-star to one-restriction was at least a hundred.
A quarter-hour passed.
More than half of the Holy Son Candidates had finished testing. The highest result so far was one-restriction, four-star.
Since the Saintess Candidates would compete after the Holy Son Candidates, their tests would be held later.
As they observed the tests, some Saintess Candidates looked concerned, others relaxed, and some indifferent. After all, both ranks were equal in status. But aside from comparing among themselves, Saintess Candidates also measured themselves against the Holy Son Candidates.
“Eighty-one Holy Son Candidates, and the quality is worrying,” the 35th-ranked Saintess Candidate said with a light smile. Though she was ranked low, her combat power in the last test had already reached one-restriction, five-star.
“With so many participants, of course some are just making up the numbers,” another Saintess Candidate said with a smile.
Finally, testing reached the top thirty.
The 30th-ranked Holy Son Candidate struck with all his strength—fourteen stars lit up.
“One-restriction, five-star. Qualified.” Elder Wu Lin nodded. “Next.”
The 27th-ranked Holy Son Candidate struck a one-restriction, six-star rating, stunning everyone.
“This guy really hid his strength! Looks like he’s aiming for the top twenty!”
“Damn! How did he reach one-restriction, six-star?!”
Those ranked ahead of him started to panic—they hadn’t reached that level yet.
From there up to the 21st-ranked, all were one-restriction, five-star. The 20th to the 10th-ranked were all one-restriction, six-star. The gaps between them were extremely narrow.
“Who’s going first?”
Among the top ten, everyone had a shot at the Holy Son title depending on their overall strength, but none of their combat powers would be weak. Most were expected to reach one-restriction, seven-star.
“What’s there to hesitate about? Aren’t we all one-restriction, seven-star? Unless someone made a breakthrough.” The 8th-ranked Holy Son Candidate, Shi Lei, was always straightforward. He jumped onto the platform and launched a fierce fist technique.
Fifteen stars lit up on the Martial Dao Stele.
“One-restriction, seven-star. Not bad,” Elder Wu Lin said with a smile.
This level of power was already very strong and had been rare in past events.
Shi Lei sighed. His cultivation had increased, but his combat level hadn’t improved much. At his level, breaking through further was very difficult.
Seeing this, the 7th-ranked Holy Son Candidate Xiao Yan also tested himself. He thought he might reach one-restriction, eight-star, but the result was still one-restriction, seven-star—unchanged from last time.
“Hmph. Even if I didn’t improve, I’m still stronger than our top-ranked Holy Son Candidate. At least I didn’t drop a level!” Xiao Yan remarked sarcastically.
With that, the expressions of the other top ten Holy Son Candidates became odd, but oddly confident. That’s right—even if they hadn’t improved, they were now stronger than Chu Ying!
With that thought, testing sped up.
Everyone showed one-restriction, seven-star.
Now, only three hadn’t tested.
Su Yichen—the eternal second place, Ye Junfan—the Archaic Sacred Body, and Chu Ying.
Most of the Holy Son Candidates didn’t care about Ye Junfan. He was ranked 81st—how strong could he be?
As for Chu Ying, he was considered crippled. No one paid him any attention.
Only Su Yichen remained a true rival.
“Since everyone’s set the stage, I might as well stop hiding,” Su Yichen said confidently.
He clearly meant to say: the others were the bricks; he was the jade.
He casually struck the Martial Dao Stele with a single palm.
The stars began to light up.
Disciples watching through the projection in the Supreme Profound Holy Land widened their eyes.
“Just a casual palm and he hit one-restriction, six-star?! What kind of monster is this?!”
“The 2nd-ranked Holy Son Candidate must’ve broken through his combat level! I guarantee it!”
“Looks like he’s going to shine in this competition!”
In the Supreme Profound Holy Land, Su Yichen had many admirers. All Holy Son Candidates had fans to some extent.
“Brother Su is amazing!”
“Brother Su is definitely going to be number one!”
On Martial Peak, the Holy Son Candidates were stunned. Even others in the top ten like Xiao Yan looked displeased.
Because if they did the same, a casual palm wouldn’t reach one-restriction, six-star. At most, it’d be five-star.
Several Saintess Candidates watched closely, clearly paying attention.
“Everyone, take a good look!”
Noticing their reactions, Su Yichen grew smug. He suddenly assumed a powerful stance, shouted loudly, and used his strongest technique: “Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms!”
As the palm landed on the Martial Dao Stele…
Swish—seventeen stars lit up!
“One-restriction, eight-star combat power!” Even Elder Wu Lin was amazed.
He had heard that in the last competition, the highest level reached was by the top-ranked Chu Ying—also one-restriction, eight-star.
He didn’t expect someone to reach it again already.
“One-restriction, eight-star! That was Chu Ying’s level before too!” The 3rd-ranked Holy Son Candidate Li Yifeng squinted, his expression growing grim.
Chu Ying was ruined, and Su Yichen had just taken his place! Another powerful rival!
“Chu Ying, as the former holder of one-restriction, eight-star combat power, what do you think of my palm strike?” Su Yichen smiled calmly, one hand behind his back, exuding the air of a martial arts grandmaster.
He looked at Chu Ying and spoke, deliberately emphasizing the words “former holder.”
“It’s alright. Average at best,” Chu Ying replied indifferently.