This Goddess is furious!"
Zi Yuan's cheeks puffed up like a steamed bun, her small face red with anger as she saw Qin Feng watching the Misses dance.
And then there was that rabbit, Shiro. After receiving two carrots from Qin Feng, the little creature happily joined the Misses, clutching the vegetables, wiggling his tail, and twitching his ears. Truly, a master like Qin Feng deserved a companion like Shiro.
"Could this child have fallen for Qin Feng!?"
The Moon Goddess appeared beside her, glancing at Zi Yuan with concern.
When Qin Feng was younger, she hadn't paid him much attention, assuming Zi Yuan liked the little brother. But now, it seemed that Zi Yuan truly adored Qin Feng.
She had never doubted Qin Feng's talent and firmly believed he could bring supreme glory to the Moon Goddess Palace—but his character? That was a different matter entirely.
Who could approve of a person who would even dig out his younger brother's Supreme Bone for power? He was not a suitable match, not at all.
---
At that moment—
In the Yin Moon Kingdom, inside the palace of the Six Paths Emperor, Princess Nan Feng had come personally to request participation in the Yin Moon Kingdom Life-and-Death Elimination Competition.
Originally, after witnessing Qin Feng's terrifying power, she had no intention of entering such a deadly contest.
But she reconsidered. If she led the way, claiming to "wash away the humiliation of the Xia Empire," the Prodigies from noble families accompanying her would follow without hesitation.
If some of them perished, it would fulfill the quota. If she triumphed, it would erase shame, strengthen her standing in her father's eyes, and solidify her influence among the civil and military officials—paving the way for her eventual ascension to the throne.
Win or lose, she would profit. Why not try?
"The Xia Empire envoy wishes to participate in the Life-and-Death Elimination Competition!?"
The Six Paths Emperor barely flinched. Sending Imperial Students as an envoy to display strength was nothing new. Participating in the Life-and-Death Elimination Competition? That was just the most direct way to flaunt it.
"Very well."
The Emperor nodded, granting permission without hesitation.
As ruler of the Yin Moon Kingdom, he had absolute confidence in his Prodigies, feared no challenge, and could even eliminate a few Xia Empire Imperial Students if necessary. Exactly the scenario he desired.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Both sides exchanged polite smiles, their cooperation smooth and pleasant.
Meanwhile, the noble family Prodigies of the Xia Empire were blissfully unaware—they had been effectively "sold out" and still planned to grind Qin Feng into the dirt.
---
Soon—
Registration for the Life-and-Death Elimination Competition began.
Due to the high fatality rate, participation was voluntary, but registering didn't guarantee entry. Each aspirant first had to prove their ability in a preliminary selection competition. The Yin Moon Kingdom needed true Prodigies, not reckless cannon fodder.
Because of the sheer number of participants, the Kingdom divided the competition into tens of thousands of battle zones. Each zone would select ten representatives. From over 100,000 participants, 1,000 would be chosen for specialized cultivation under Gu-enhancement techniques.
Exceptional talents could even earn the title of Saint of the Yin Moon Kingdom, equivalent to a Prince of the Xia Empire, with a chance to inherit the Emperor's position and become the real power-holder of the Kingdom.
"Saint? That doesn't feel as noble as my title of God Son!"
Qin Feng muttered as Zi Yuan pulled him toward registration.
Though he was the God Son of the Moon Goddess Palace, he had no special privileges here—he still had to qualify through the selection competition.
Zi Yuan tilted her head proudly. "Of course! In the Yin Moon Kingdom, the Moon Goddess is like a guardian deity, and the Goddess is the future successor. A Saint is only a Prince. How could that compare to the God Son—or the Goddess—of our Moon Goddess Palace?"
"Hmm!?"
Qin Feng was baffled. His noble status as God Son shouldn't require him to fight for a Saint title. Wasn't that lowering his own rank?
"What an idiot!"
Zi Yuan shot him a look, her small face slightly red. "In the future, you'll be Emperor and I'll be the Moon Goddess. Then it will be easier for family matters to be discussed in private."
"I, Your Rabbit, understand!!"
Shiro, perched on Qin Feng's shoulder, suddenly exclaimed, "This is collusion! Officials protecting each other!"
"What outrageous words are these?!"
Zi Yuan's face reddened further, and the rosy atmosphere was completely ruined.
---
A chorus of exclamations rose from the registration area. All eyes turned to Qin Feng.
"Look! It's Qin Feng from the Moon Goddess Palace! Is he participating too!?"
"I thought he was only fifteen—too young, right?!"
"The Life-and-Death Elimination Competition requires participants to be under 25. Fifteen is a huge gap."
"I heard thousands of Entering Dao Realm cultivators are here this year. His Transcendent Ninth Level cultivation doesn't matter."
"He has no advantage in age or cultivation—he's too impatient."
"Let him wait ten years. At 25, first place will definitely be his."
"Young and low-level cultivators don't mean Qin Feng is weak. Remember his half-drawn sword from a few days ago?"
"No weaklings exist under such a reputation. This is a top talent of the Ancient Wasteland."
Seeing Qin Feng register, many contestants hurried to sign up in other battle zones. His full power was terrifying. Few wanted to face him.
Some, however, driven by pride and youthful arrogance, were eager to clash head-on.
After all, the Life-and-Death Elimination Competition was filled with under-25 cultivators. Their "I am number one, not Heaven" mentality fueled a delusion of invincibility. Middle age would later reveal them to be nothing more than numbers in the grand scheme.
Clang!!
A crisp gong rang, announcing Princess Nan Feng's arrival in a luxurious carriage. Over a dozen Imperial Students accompanied her, though Zhu Tou was nowhere in sight.
"What are they here for!?" Zi Yuan asked suspiciously.
"To register!"
Princess Nan Feng wore a practical martial arts uniform instead of opulent clothing.
"We are here to wash away humiliation!"
The noble family Prodigies shouted in unison, their desire to harm Qin Feng palpable. Thoughts of Zhu Tou's humiliation only intensified their hatred.
"Being used as a pawn, and still showing off!"
Qin Feng muttered inwardly. These young Prodigies were too inexperienced, blindly rushing into battle at Princess Nan Feng's suggestion, unaware she could withdraw anytime.
But seeing Fang Chang participate invigorated him.
Clang!!
A deafening gong silenced the scene.
"Registration closed. The selection competition officially begins!"
A cold-faced Black-Clothed Man floated above, forming a hand seal and pointing toward the ground.
Rumble!!
The earth shook violently as hundreds of arenas rose from below.
"The selection competition has begun!"
Cultivators streamed in from all directions—some stepping onto Flying Swords, others floating in mid-air, and many perched on rooftops and trees. Some used Spells to project the scene across thousands of miles, like a live broadcast.
Soon—
Thousands of contestants entered the arena, drawing numbers to determine their respective battle zones.
"Only this many people!?"
The Black-Clothed Man frowned at Qin Feng, standing calmly in the arena.
In past years, tens of thousands would have participated, but with Qin Feng and the Xia Empire Imperial Students here, the number was less than a tenth.
All Imperial Students were noble family Prodigies, their strength undeniable. Many remaining contestants gambled on luck, hoping to avoid Qin Feng and the Imperial Students, surrendering immediately if they encountered them.
"I surrender!!"
Qin Feng blinked—this was the eighth opponent to give up without a fight.
Others fought back, but he won eight consecutive matches without even moving, advancing directly into the top sixteen.
Heaven seemed to answer him—the ninth match was against Wang Peng, a Xia Empire Imperial Student who refused to surrender. He charged Qin Feng with an iron rod.
"As expected of an Imperial Student… this rod hits hard!"
Qin Feng felt the strike's power, dodged like a ghost, and flicked a few silver needles as hidden weapons.
"Despicable!"
Wang Peng's eyes blazed with disdain. He hadn't expected hidden weapons.
Too late to dodge, he raised his arm. The needles pricked his arm, causing only minor scratches.
"You lost," Qin Feng said calmly.
"Lost? You poisoned me?!"
Wang Peng panicked, examining the silver needles.
"I am a proper gentleman—how could I poison someone?" Qin Feng replied earnestly.
"Phew…"
Wang Peng exhaled. No poison, no problem.
But Qin Feng's next words made him see red.
"I used an aphrodisiac, you crazy mother pig…"