Chapter 517: Who Is Number One?

Not only Su Che and the others, but even Princess Xueyu’s expression changed slightly—she truly couldn’t guess how the mysterious old man would alter the rules of the game.
Only to hear him roar fiercely, “You over a hundred people, fight it out right here. The ten who survive will be granted freedom—I’ll let you leave my private domain and return safely to the cultivation world outside.”
So that’s how it is!
These words were directed at those who had arrived later on the other side of the cable car, those in the Tribulation Phase and Void Refinement Phase, and had nothing to do with Su Che and the others at Yunzhong Temple.
However, the fact that the ten survivors would gain freedom and return safely to the cultivation world made many Great Vehicle Phase cultivators secretly envious. Of course, it was only envy to some extent—actually participating in a chaotic fight among over a hundred people would indeed fill them with fear.
Since all of them could only exert the combat power of the late Yuan Ying stage, if they were attacked by many people at once, even these Great Vehicle Phase cultivators might die on the spot.
After all, with their cultivation sealed, no matter how strong their physical bodies were, they couldn’t withstand the powerful attacks of Dao artifacts. Mortal flesh could never achieve an invincible state of immortality.
Hearing the mysterious old man’s words, those in the Tribulation Phase and Void Refinement Phase who had just arrived on the other side of the cable car were completely stunned.
Fight it out here, and only ten can survive?
What a cruel situation—how could things turn out like this?
Yet, no matter how reluctant they were, in the face of this mysterious old man who held absolute power, these ants had no right to protest. The consequence of protesting would be…
“Elder immortal, this isn’t fair to us!”
A cultivator in the Void Refinement Phase shouted loudly, “We’re already only at the Void Refinement Phase. Even if we can only exert the combat power of the late Yuan Ying stage, it’s still impossible…”
Before he could finish speaking, a cry of shock was cut short as an invisible force dragged him high into the air. Then, his cry turned into a scream, his body shattered into pieces, and he died instantly.
“That’s what happens for whining!”
The mysterious old man roared again, “I give you fifteen minutes to prepare and devise strategies. After fifteen minutes, if anyone still doesn’t start fighting, they’ll be executed on the spot! Also, another rule still holds—your feet must not leave the ground, and you’re not allowed to wander outside this one-thousand-zhang radius!”
All over a hundred cultivators fell silent; no one dared say another word.

Making use of this incredibly precious fifteen minutes, this group hurriedly formed factions—anyone they knew a little could join a temporary squad. In a chaotic fight among those of similar strength, an individual’s power was minimal, especially in ground combat where movement was extremely limited. If surrounded by others, a single coordinated attack could be fatal. The short fifteen minutes passed quickly, and with a roar, over a hundred people divided into nine temporary squads began a chaotic exchange of magical attacks. Team A fought Team B, Team B fought Team C, Team C might attack Team A, and Team D might also attack Team A… It was a chaotic battle with no pattern at all! A range of a thousand feet was extremely narrow even for battles among those at the late Yuan Ying stage, let alone with over a hundred people packed together—like two ordinary people locked in a cage less than ten feet wide, fighting with knives, with hardly any room to move or dodge. They could only fight head-on; individual tricks were almost useless, and it depended on who was luckier to survive until the end. Such a competition was truly cruel and heartless, showing that the mysterious old man didn’t treat them as human beings at all. Of course, it was also possible that this mysterious old man wasn’t human in the first place and viewed humans as outsiders. After the fighting began, Su Che and the others watched from afar as if it were a good show, but Lin Feng’s expression was extremely complex. His biological father was on that battlefield, potentially dying at any moment. Father! The weight of this term varied somewhat in everyone’s heart. Although Lin Feng harbored resentment toward his father, it didn’t mean he wished for his death. Perhaps in the face of great interests, even biological fathers and sons might turn on each other, but in most cases, a sense of kinship still lingered deep in their hearts. “Will he die?” Although Lin Feng’s soul had been altered, as long as his thoughts didn’t violate his loyalty to Su Che, his other aspects remained intact. From a distance of a hundred miles, it was difficult to see the actual battle clearly, especially with the smoke and dust raised by various spells and magical powers—after just a few moments, nothing could be seen at all. “Can’t see anything!” Lao He said disheartenedly in the Immortal Prison. Then, with great interest, he muttered, “Master, guess what kind of reward that mysterious old ghost will give you? Magical artifacts? Divine medicines? Secret immortal techniques? Or the inheritance of the Great Path?” “I don’t know.”

Su Che thought to himself, “I haven’t dared to hope too much. I just hope he won’t change his mind at the last minute and force everyone on our side into another fierce battle. If that happens, we’re doomed!”
Indeed, if Yunzhong Temple also engaged in a chaotic battle where only the top ten could gain freedom, then Xueyu Xianzi and her group would be perfectly satisfied—having Su Che captured in this mysterious space, with no more miracles possible.
Therefore, Su Che didn’t dare hope for too good a reward. It would be enough if it turned out to be just a nightmare…
As they spoke, the giant head of the mysterious old man suddenly appeared on the side of Yunzhong Temple, seemingly uninterested in the chaos and fighting on the other side.
From above, he scanned the fifty-five people standing outside the temple gates. Whenever his gaze fell on someone, that person’s heart would race with extreme tension.
Who wouldn’t be nervous facing such a madman who could kill them at any moment?
Even those who faced death bravely wanted to die meaningfully. To be killed like livestock in a game was simply unacceptable.
Finally, the old man’s cold, heartless eyes, tinged with madness, settled on Su Che’s face.
“Which of you two is number one?” he demanded loudly.
Su Che understood perfectly. He was asking who was number one when he entered Yunzhong Temple with Tianyin.
“Does he even know how to ask others’ opinions?” Su Che couldn’t help but feel puzzled. It was this thought that made his response come a step after Tianyin’s.
“He’s number one,” Tianyin replied without hesitation.
Su Che was slightly stunned because his own answer would have been the same—him as number one and Tianyin as number two—had Tianyin not spoken first.
It wasn’t that he craved a generous reward for being number one, but rather fear of facing the terrible fate of being the first target. In front of this unpredictable old madman, being number one might not necessarily be a good thing. If disaster struck, as a man, he must protect Tianyin first.
Even if he had to die, he would die before her.
“You’re number one?” The old man glared fiercely at Su Che and asked again, “Are you two really sure of this? Do you not regret it?”
Su Che was terrified inwardly but still forced himself to say, “Yes, that’s it!”

Hearing Su Che’s reply, not only Heng Yi and the other two were deeply worried about their master’s safety, but even the Fairy Xue Yu and others were secretly anxious. Many people were silently praying: Please don’t let Tian Yu die at his hands!
“Haha, great!”
The mysterious old man’s laughter was deafening. The 55 cultivators in front of Yunzhong Temple were so shaken that they could barely stand, swaying like seriously ill people.
Su Che quickly held Tian Yin in his arms to prevent her from falling.
“Very well, then I’ll award you the prize for first place!”
The mysterious old man’s shout resounded throughout the heavens and earth…