Chapter 273

Chapter 273: Five Supremes

“It has been so long since anyone challenged the sixth layer,” someone said.

“The test is still the Five Element Tribulation,” another replied.

“It is the same test, but the power of this tribulation… tsk tsk,” a third said.

“Three hundred years ago, someone also reached the sixth layer. Sadly, as soon as the tribulation began to show, he fell straight off the altar,” another voice added.

“Anyone who steps onto the sixth layer is already a peerless genius. Li is still young. If she trains more, she could become the next person to clear all seven,” someone concluded.

“That would be best. In another thousand years, our Human Race may bring forth another of The Strongest,” came the hopeful answer.

Inside the City Lord’s Manor, Ember looked helplessly at several uninvited guests and said, with a small sigh: “Are you worried I will go back on my word? I already promised to help teach the Disciple, but at least wait until the golden altar ends.”

She studied them and thought: [I never knew they were all so impatient.]

“It is not urgent to start teaching,” a stunning woman said as her figure slowly took shape: “We have simply waited for a newcomer for too long.”

Behind the woman spread a pair of unusual wings.

She was Kong Qing Luan, the only person alive to carry the Ancient Phoenix bloodline among The Strongest.

“The Heaven Severing Lands are expanding faster and faster. The five of us keep our true bodies there on long term guard, and it grows harder to hold,” a man said calmly.

He was Xing Tian Gang. He cultivated neither dantian nor Nascent Soul. All his power was forged into his flesh. He was the only Human Race expert who reached the peak by pure body refinement.

“If Li truly can walk to where we stand, our pressure will ease,” an Elder said with a smile.

A compass hovered behind him.

He was Wu Xiang, the only one among The Strongest of the Human Race skilled in prophecy.

“I hope so. I worry we will not last until the day she grows up,” a woman said, lifting a pale hand, a faint sorrow in her eyes.

She was Ye Hong Yao, the only The Strongest Alchemist of the age.

Together with the City Lord Ember, these five were the greatest of the Human Race.

This world hid too many secrets. Many Human Race geniuses grew up under their shelter.

But only they knew how bad the situation had become.

The five of them were already close to their limits.

Even so, they would keep holding.

They had to win more time for the Human Race to grow.

After a pause, Ember asked: “On the Demon Clan’s side, they still will not work with us?”

“More than that. The Demon Clan is walking closer and closer to the Heaven Severing Lands, and they may fully throw in with those Devil Seeds,” Xing Tian Gang said, a hint of killing intent in his tone: “If they do, we will wipe the Demon Clan out too.”

“Not only the Demon Clan. Inside the Human Race there is the Righteous Path and the Devil Path, and they still fight without end,” Ye Hong Yao sighed.

At their level, such labels no longer mattered.

The Human Race’s Devil Path was not the same as the Devil Seeds of the Heaven Severing Lands.

Righteous Path or Devil Path was mostly defined by the style of cultivation.

If one cultivated ghost ways, Netherworld arts, or blood fiend methods, that was the Devil Path.

If one cultivated the orthodox immortal arts passed down from ancient times, that was the Righteous Path.

The Devil Path often trained faster, but their roots were less stable, and the chance of suffering a Devil Demon tribulation was higher.

Also, because Devil Path methods sometimes touched eerie things, to mortals they often looked frightening.

“There will always be struggle where there are people,” Ember said evenly: “The fight between orthodox and demonic cannot be erased. A bit of competition among the juniors is fine. But if anyone dares to side with the Heaven Severing Lands, no matter Righteous Path or Devil Path, kill without mercy.”

She spoke lightly, but in truth, her hands were already stained with the blood of many traitors.

“If we can find them, we will kill without mercy. But Devil Seeds are formless and traceless. It is not easy to find them one by one,” someone said.

“The high grade Devil Seeds are likely visible only to the City Lord’s True Eye. But using that art is not easy either,” another added.

“Damn Devil Seeds. We will erase the entire Heaven Severing Lands sooner or later,” a third said.

The five of The Strongest discussed a name most people could not even bring themselves to say.

But if you looked closely, no matter what they said, even Xing Tian Gang, who always shouted for battle, had a thin thread of worry hidden deep in his eyes.

Others might not know, but how could they not?

These years, their true bodies had guarded the Heaven Severing Lands.

They had used all their strength, yet the Devil Seeds kept growing in number.

If no turn came, then when they finally could not hold, the Human Race’s end would be almost certain.

None of them wanted to say that aloud.

Perhaps.

Perhaps the Human Race still had hope.

“Look. The tribulation is beginning to take shape,” Xing Tian Gang said with interest.

It was said that the one who cleared all seven layers of the Golden Soul Altar and later reached the peak was him.

Relying on a body of unmatched strength, he had carried through to the end, and the altar’s chances had helped him greatly at the start.

“Others do not know this, but clearing the sixth layer is the same as clearing the seventh. This is already Li’s final trial,” he said with a smile: “But the Five Element Tribulation is no easy crossing.”

On the golden altar, Li Shuang slowly opened her eyes.

In those three days, she had tested the strength of this round of Five Element Tribulation.

It was truly terrifying.

If this had been the first trial when she entered the Golden Soul Altar, Li Shuang felt she would not have lasted more than a few breaths.

But after the tests of the earlier layers, her gains were great.

Two rounds with the Five Elements Crystal, and repeated tempering of her soul.

All of it would help her last longer here.

At this stage, Li Shuang decided at once to give up the method of cutting the source line to pass.

On the fourth layer, cutting the source line had already been very hard.

Here, trying that method again had no chance at all.

Even when you gamble, you need some chance to win.

She would not join a bet she was sure to lose.

Choosing another way to pass meant she would not obtain the high grade Five Elements Crystal.

That was a huge loss.

But since it could not be done, there was no need to dwell on it.

Next, she would simply endure.

If she endured these last few days, she could step onto the final seventh layer.

Li Shuang lifted her eyes to the sky.

The seventh layer led straight to the top of the Central Pillar.

What lay upon that pillar?

No one knew.

But she wanted to see it with her own eyes.