ps: A small loophole appeared in the previous chapter, where Senior Brother Shen Zui was mistaken for Xing Tian. My apologies.
...
Qi Tian's psychological shadow area was immense.
Before the start of the Global Martial Arts Tournament, Jiang Wuming refused to join the Underworld Hall. However, the Hall Master of the Underworld Hall was not angry. Instead, he told Shen Zui to find an opportunity to continue wooing Jiang Wuming.
Upon learning of all this, Qi Tian felt a sense of indignant resentment.
This was a contradictory resentment.
On one hand, Jiang Wuming's refusal to join the Underworld Hall made him, the Saint Son of the Underworld Hall, feel that Jiang Wuming was disrespectful to the Underworld Hall.
On the other hand, the Hall Master's attitude towards Jiang Wuming made Qi Tian unconvinced. He wanted to prove that he was stronger than Jiang Wuming.
Because of this contradictory resentment, Qi Tian decided to teach Jiang Wuming a lesson in the genius division of the Global Martial Arts Tournament. He even wanted to take Jiang Wuming as his battle slave to vindicate himself.
However—
After the Global Martial Arts Tournament began, Qi Tian discovered that his dream was out of reach.
Especially when Jiang Wuming broke through to the Two-Star War God realm and leaped to the sixth stage, it plunged Qi Tian into despair.
Although he was a Ten-Stage One-Star War God, he had only recently entered this domain. Even if he could break through to the Two-Star War God realm at any time, given his insufficient foundation and accumulation, it would be difficult to surpass someone at the Four-Stage Two-Star War God realm.
Just now, when he was discovered by Jiang Wuming and reported by Caroline, he immediately caved and chose to become Jiang Wuming's battle slave.
He couldn't win in a fight, and he couldn't escape.
What else could he do?
Unlike Qi Tian, Caroline's mood was quite relaxed. As she walked, she kept observing Jiang Wuming, as if Jiang Wuming held immense attraction for her.
In fact, this was indeed the case.
She was very curious about Jiang Wuming.
That curiosity initially stemmed from the admiration the Hall Master of the Underworld Hall had for Jiang Wuming.
She knew very well how mysterious the second strongest combatant on Earth was, and possessed terrifyingly unparalleled strength.
Even, in her opinion, if the Hall Master of the Underworld Hall were to unleash his full power, even Zhuge Lingjun, who was hailed as invincible on Earth, might not necessarily win.
Later, her curiosity about Jiang Wuming stemmed from everything Jiang Wuming had done.
Especially in the genius division of the Global Martial Arts Tournament – the strength, courage, and wisdom displayed by Jiang Wuming in the competition were all considered the ceiling for the younger generation.
"You are killing criminals now to win the championship and receive rewards. Why didn't you choose to join the Underworld Hall? Lord Shen Zui should have told you that the Underworld Hall not only has cultivation methods for the spiritual domain but also attack secret arts and other powerful martial arts techniques for the spiritual domain."
As they walked, Caroline, unable to suppress her curiosity, asked Jiang Wuming.
"There is a saying in Longguo: 'Those who walk different paths cannot plan together.' The Underworld Hall's strategy, to put it nicely, is to coexist with the enemies from beyond the domain. To put it bluntly, it's being traitors and running dogs—I would rather die standing than live kneeling!"
Jiang Wuming replied calmly, which was also the reason he had refused Shen Zui.
"Ignorance. We are not like ordinary people, nor are we like ordinary martial artists. Geniuses like us can live better in the Martial Arts Era, or rather, the new era to come!"
Qi Tian turned his head and retorted.
"Bang!"
The response to Qi Tian was a kick.
Jiang Wuming kicked Qi Tian in the backside.
Qi Tian shot out like a skyrocket, and Jiang Wuming's words echoed in his ears.
"You, the battle slave, are indeed different."
"???"
Qi Tian wanted to curse. Couldn't you be more reasonable?
"Ding—"
Just as Qi Tian landed on a large tree, both Jiang Wuming's and Caroline's watches chimed, and the latest points rankings appeared on their watches.
Gu Tianlong, 148 points, first place.
Zorro, 118 points, second place.
Jiang Wuming, 100 points, third place.
According to Caroline, when Zorro and his men were searching for Jiang Wuming, Ye Kunlun, Ye Feng, and Yuan He, they had arrived at coordinate area 18 and encountered other isolated criminals, but they did not attack and kill them.
This was because, for Zorro, killing Jiang Wuming and the other three was his primary mission, and whether he won the championship or not was irrelevant.
After all, the championship reward was a cultivation technique for the spiritual domain that Saint Lun @ Roman had obtained.
Since the Roman family had offered that cultivation technique as a reward, they must have kept backups!
As for those who followed Zorro, they had all received Zorro's promise—Zorro would share that cultivation technique with them after the competition!
Under such circumstances, they had no interest in killing criminals.
And when criminals encountered them, they would flee immediately.
...
Coordinate 18 was the highest point of the island, a volcano.
Of course, the volcano was dormant.
When Jiang Wuming led his team to the volcano at coordinate 18, three Two-Star War Gods, leading criminals, were gathered in the crater, as if engaged in a high ground defense battle.
And at this moment, they were facing two enemies: Gu Tianlong and Gade.
Before the competition, Gu Tianlong had predicted that Zorro and his group would encircle and hunt Jiang Wuming and all the contestants from the Longguo delegation.
After he landed on the island and heard the commotion caused by Jiang Wuming's life-or-death battle with Sean, he did not go to support them like Ye Kunlun, Ye Feng, and Yuan He. Instead, he chose to stay away from the battlefield and kill criminals alone to gain points.
Apart from his encounter with Zorro and his escape, he had been killing criminals the rest of the time.
He had killed a total of twelve One-Star War Gods and twenty-eight criminals below the One-Star War God realm, earning 148 points.
At this moment, apart from the criminals in the crater, there were no more criminals on the island.
Therefore, he came to the crater and encountered Gade, a genius from the City of Sin.
Unlike Gu Tianlong, Gade's goal was not to gain points or win the championship, but to temper himself.
After landing on the island, he wanted to find a Two-Star War God criminal to fight, but he only encountered One-Star War Gods or criminals of weaker strength, so he killed them casually.
When he arrived at the crater, he discovered Two-Star War God criminals. However, with three Two-Star War Gods gathered together, plus other criminals, he had no opportunity to make a move. He didn't even dare to get close, as it would be like a lamb entering a tiger's den.
Just as he was contemplating how to lure out a Two-Star War God criminal, Gu Tianlong approached him.
"Hello, Mr. Gade, I am Gu Tianlong from Longguo," Gu Tianlong introduced himself to Gade, showing great politeness.
"What is it?" Gade glanced at Gu Tianlong.
"I can see that you also want to kill criminals, but the criminals are gathered together. Neither you nor I can approach the crater alone."
Gu Tianlong first stated the facts and then revealed his purpose, "I want to cooperate with you to kill criminals!"
"I don't cooperate with cowards."
Gade refused with disdain.
"You... What do you mean?!"
Gu Tianlong's expression changed, and he was somewhat annoyed.
"Zorro of Europa, in league with contestants from other regions and countries, is encircling and hunting the Longguo contestants. Jiang Wuming and three other Longguo contestants are bravely fighting, while you alone are surviving. If you are not a coward, what are you?" Gade said contemptuously.
"I... I couldn't find them!"
Gu Tianlong vehemently denied it, but his words sounded weak and unconvincing.
"Heh heh... If you really wanted to find them, you would do everything you could to kill criminals, gain points, and even choose to cooperate with me?"
Gade sneered at Gu Tianlong and said, "It seems my assessment of you was inaccurate. You are not a coward, but a scoundrel."
"I... The reason I am looking for you to cooperate is that I thought they were already dead!" Gu Tianlong tried to defend himself again.
However, as soon as his words fell, he suddenly sensed several familiar auras. His expression changed drastically, and he looked down the mountain.
The next moment.
He clearly saw Jiang Wuming leading Ye Kunlun, Ye Feng, and Yuan He towards the crater, with Qi Tian and Caroline following behind them.
"Compared to you, a scoundrel, I would rather cooperate with Jiang Wuming. But unfortunately, I won't have the chance."
Gade also saw Jiang Wuming and the others and sighed softly.
Since Jiang Wuming had brought people here, it proved that Zorro and the others, as well as all other criminals, were dead.
This time, Gu Tianlong did not reply to Gade. Instead, he looked at Jiang Wuming and the others with disbelief: How could they still be alive?!
...