The sky, great stars flowed.
The ancient city, killing intent permeated.
Corpses littered the ground, countless weapons plunged into the earth in all directions.
This first city of the Human King's Path, who knew how many years it had existed, how many great battles it had witnessed, how many prodigies had met their end here.
Looking out, one could see only prodigies, monsters, and freaks who had stepped into the Venerable Realm before the age of fifty.
Upon the colossal arena.
The prodigy walking ahead of Chen Jiuyang and Qi Degui was beaten into severe injuries and thrown off the stage.
Following that, a faint light emerged on the arena, a kind of Dao rhythm appeared, empowering the victor. In a moment, the victor transformed into a stream of light and went into seclusion.
The gazes of the crowd shifted. Some were eager to try. They had been in this first city for quite some time, and those lingering near the arena all knew the opponent's combat prowess.
After their gazes swept across, hundreds of people's eyes fell upon Chen Jiuyang and Qi Degui.
A prodigy wielding a blood-colored long axe stepped forward, staring at Qi Degui and Chen Jiuyang, his deep voice ringing out:
"You two, who will fight me."
Qi Degui sneered, "Brother Chen, it seems we are being treated as chickens, becoming meals on someone's plate."
Chen Jiuyang's gaze was calm, "It does seem so. Since they wish to gauge our strength, allow me to go first."
"No, I should go first. Brother Chen can just observe for now." Qi Degui narrowed his eyes, possessing a somewhat cunning and roguish demeanor.
Both he and Chen Jiuyang were peerless prodigies who could ascend the stone tablet's rankings. However, he was in the thousandth place, while Chen Jiuyang was in the four hundred-odd range.
He figured he could give those who underestimated them a surprise.
Chen Jiuyang chuckled, "Alright, since Brother Qi has such thoughts, I won't stop you."
Looking around, all were true prodigies. Chen Jiuyang, who could crush elder generations in the Void Return stage on Earth, felt the dormant fighting spirit within him awaken, brewing, anticipating, and roaring, stirred by the atmosphere upon arriving here.
He was eager!
Qi Degui flew onto the arena, and the prodigy wielding the blood-colored long axe also ascended.
As they were all prodigies, having entered this first city of the Human King's Path, they naturally would not underestimate or look down on each other.
Both parties cupped their fists and announced their names.
"Wang Ziteng."
"Qi Tian Sect, Qi Degui."
As the voices fell, discussions erupted from all sides.
"Wang Ziteng, it's actually him. A prodigy who entered the first city ten years ago, who actually survived until now. I thought he was dead, but unexpectedly, he has reappeared. It seems he is not far from condensing his Great Dao origin."
"We cultivate Dao, nurture Dao, sever Dao, purifying ourselves repeatedly, with the goal of condensing our own Great Dao origin. This Wang Ziteng carries a Dao rhythm; he should not be far from condensing his Great Dao origin."
In the Venerable Realm, one nurtures Dao, to sever Dao, and cultivate one's own Great Dao origin to go further.
"But this Qi Tian Sect is a supreme great sect. Qi Degui should be a core disciple, and his strength should not be weak."
While they were still discussing, Qi Degui and Wang Ziteng on the arena had already begun their fierce battle.
"Heaven-Overturning Seal, the signature inheritance of the Qi Tian Sect!"
A colossal hand, as if capable of obscuring the sun and moon, slammed down towards Wang Ziteng.
Wang Ziteng swung his blood-colored long axe resolutely, blocking the massive hand. With one clash, after confirming each other's strength, their eyes revealed solemnity.
Then, abandoning any further probing, they engaged in a white-hot battle.
Chen Jiuyang watched the two fight on stage with great interest.
Both unleashed their ultimate techniques and trump cards, fighting until both were spitting blood and severely injured, yet neither was willing to concede. It seemed these two were evenly matched.
After another half-hour, both collapsed to the ground. This scene surprised many.
"This Qi Degui, at the first level of the Venerable Realm, having only recently entered it, actually fought Wang Ziteng to a draw. It seems that before the checkpoint, there will soon be another person challenging it."
"A supreme great sect is indeed a supreme great sect. Such combat power is truly formidable."
Chen Jiuyang extended a hand and swept Qi Degui, who was on the arena, down.
"Damn it, this prodigy actually fought to a draw in his first battle. It seems this first city of the Human King's Path is truly filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers, not to be underestimated." Qi Degui, severely injured, still grinned at Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang said, "Your combat power has not yet reached its peak. You have just condensed Dao, and have not created your own divine abilities or techniques. It is indeed normal."
Qi Degui, his shortcomings pointed out by Chen Jiuyang, immediately drooped his head, "Brother Chen speaks the truth. After I recover from my injuries, I will fight more to develop my own invincible divine abilities and techniques."
Chen Jiuyang chuckled, "Keep it up."
Then.
A prodigy with a saber similarly at his waist appeared, his gaze burning, looking at Chen Jiuyang and saying, "We are both saber users. How about it? Come, fight?"
Concise and to the point, his fighting spirit surged.
"Good."
Chen Jiuyang slowly nodded. He had been practicing the Jinghen Saber Technique for half a month, but his progress was too slow. Hadn't he entered this Human King's Path precisely to hone his saber path and improve his cultivation?
Why refuse a battle?
Chen Jiuyang took a step forward and appeared on the arena.
Many people's eyes immediately narrowed slightly:
"This is interesting. In this single step, there is a hint of divine ability. A bit arrogant."
On the arena.
Chen Jiuyang and his opponent cupped their fists.
"Chen Jiuyang."
"Shen Feng."
As the voices fell, the next instant, both drew their sabers simultaneously.
"Boom!!!"
Shen Feng's body erupted with a vast and terrifying saber intent, like a heavenly saber hanging above people's heads, instilling a sense of danger.
It was clear that on the path of the saber, the opponent had gone very far, not comparable to Chen Jiuyang at the moment.
Chen Jiuyang merely drew his saber in an ordinary manner.
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The arena then echoed with the sound of clashing sabers, sparks flying.
Both sides fought with sabers, each strike aimed at the opponent's vital points, all carrying a sharp intensity.
Although Chen Jiuyang had comprehended the Saber Dance, this was merely a superficial understanding of the saber path, nowhere near the saber intent of Shen Feng.
After hundreds of exchanges, Chen Jiuyang had accumulated dozens of saber wounds, clearly at a disadvantage.
The spectators' gazes were calm:
"Why is Chen Jiuyang's saber mastery so clumsy?"
"If this is all the strength he has, then he will only turn into a handful of yellow sand in this first city."
The strong were respected, and judgment was based on strength.
Even Shen Feng, who was fighting Chen Jiuyang, felt something was amiss:
"This Chen Jiuyang's combat power is indeed not weak, but why is he so unfamiliar with the saber path, only understanding it superficially, as if he had just encountered it?"
Qi Degui, who was taking medicine to heal, looked at the dozens of saber wounds on Chen Jiuyang's body with confusion.
"What is Brother Chen doing? With his divine ability combat power, he should be able to finish off someone like Shen Feng with a single punch."
Only Chen Jiuyang himself knew.
He had made up his mind to walk the path of the saber. The first step was to feel the saber path, to believe in the saber.