Stellar Transformations

While another four remain in the third floor, these are Fang Tian, Zong Jue, Qin Yu and Du Zhong Jun, who have not attempted the room challenge.

Who, of the seven, would obtain the ultimate triumph? It is too difficult to ascertain right now.

“Next, Du Zhong Jun!” The thin black young man once again pointed his finger at another challenger.

Du Zhong Jun felt temporarily rooted to the spot. Then hastily bowed stiffly and replied: “Yes, senior.”

At this moment, Du Zhong Jun’s mind was whirling like a typhoon: “The Blood Spirit of Pu cannot compare to the True Dragon Spirit, also I’m not a Super Divine Beast not have a Low Grade Divine weapon.....Which room do I choose?”

He had already mulled over this problem before: if he chose a high level room then he would very well lose his puny life, if he chose a low level room then he would very likely not able to acquire one Divine item.

“Motherf*cker, just put my life on the line then.” His eyes became bloodshot and traces of blood-red light flashing from within. Then shortly, entered the sixth room.

In the sixth room, he would have to face one wave of the maximum power of a Level 6 Golden Sword Immortal’s Sword Spirit.

Even though the Blood Spirit of Pu could increase his combative power for a short duration, once taken he would likely be in a bloodlust, frenzied state. Not to mention, he did not have a Low Grade Divine item as well. So challenging the 6th room was already courting death.

“Brother Qin Yu, say, do you think Du Zhong Jun will survive?” Zong Jue asked.

Qin Yu mused for a while then shook his head: “Hard to say, nobody knows the true power of his final ace, if it was as powerful as Fang Tian’s True Dragon Spirit, than the sixth room would be a walk in the park for him.”

“Fang Tian, with the True Dragon Spirit, this situation must be very favourable for you.” Lan Feng said smilingly at Fang Tian.

“Favourable?”

Fang Tian reflected bitterly at Lan Feng’s off-handed question: when he used the True Dragon Spirit to try claiming the Atlas of Ten Thousand Beasts, he expended 20% while fighting Man Gan’s three man alliance, and another 50% to fully suppress that alliance. But, that wasn’t the end: when he was just about to obtain the Atlas, he attacked by Lan Feng, which cost him another 20% of the True Dragon Spirit to defend.

Now, Fang Tian only had approximately 10% of the True Dragon Spirit left.

Only ten percent?

If he was at 100% power, then even the 7th room was easy, but with only 10% he did not even dare to challenge the 6th room.

“Ahhhh.....” Suddenly, cry of pain and bloodlust was heard from the sixth room.

“Du Zhong Jun, what happened?” Qin Yu, Fang Tian and Zong Jue looked towards the 6th room.

.....

The interior of the sixth room.

The moment, Du Zhong Jun entered the 6th room, he immediately consumed the Blood Spirit of Pu. The energy enveloped his entire body and caused all his Spiritual Energy to increase explosively, while his pupils turned completely blood-red.

“Must stay calm, stay calm.” Du Zhong Jun chanted over and over again, as he felt an overwhelming blood thirst surge within his mind. He could only suppress his instinctive needs.

A moment later ––––––

A torrent of Sword Spirit energy struck directly at Du Zhong Jun from the front. The fierce Sword Spirit spurred Du Zhong Jun’s inner Blood Devil’s Devil instincts to burst open, releasing copious amounts of thick, sinister energy that gave off a strange glow.

With a bestial snarl of pain, Du Zhong Jun unleashed his abilities.

A stream of blood-red light collided with the incoming Sword Spirit.

.....

From within the sixth room, Du Zhong Jun walked out. His body looked like a deflated ballon, shrivelled like a dried leaf, but still managed to smile respectfully at the thin black youth.

“He even used such a thing as the Blood Spirit of Pu? In terms of spirit power boost, it cannot compare with the treasure of the Dragon Clan.” The young man sighed, and with a wave ––––––– a line of words appeared on the great hall’s wall: “Devil Realm, Du Zhong Jun, Level 5 complete!”

And with a wave, a stream of light descends onto Du Zhong Jun, covering him completely

“Du Zhong Jun has earned 5 points and is now rank 2. Yu Liang will be sent out of Ni Yang’s Realm.” The man explained mildly.

Du Zhong Jun quickly vanished from the third floor, while Qin Yu and the others could hear some disturbance from the fourth floor.

On the third floor: only Zong Jue, Fang Tian, Qin Yu and Lan Feng, remained.

However only the minds of Fang Tian and Zong Jue were clouded with complex thoughts.

From their point of view, Qin Yu was too weak that even breaking through the first room was impossible, let alone the second room. Ever since the first room’s chances has already been used up by the first challenger – Hua Yan.

Even Zong Jue had little confidence in Qin Yu’s success.

To them, the only competition would be from Man Gan, Ao Feng and Du Zhong Jun.

“Next, Fan Tian.” The man announced.

“Yes, senior.” Fang Tian bowed and hastily made a decision while sweeping his gaze across the available rooms: “Since Man Gan got 6 points, Du Zhong Jun got 5 points, then that means.....I must also get 5 points.”

Fang Tian strode towards the 5th room.

Since with only 10% of the True Dragon Spirit remaining, Fang Tian was only confident with the 5th room.

Zong Jue and Qin Yu waited patiently.

Sometime later, the door.....opened again.

Out came a paled face Fang Tian, who could not suppress his excitement from showing on his face.

He concluded that Zong Jue would definitely fail the 5th room without a True Dragon Spirit equivalent consumable. As for Qin Yu? With a Dacheng Stage’s power, any room would be certain death.

As for the indomitable Lan Feng?

Fang Tian was completely as ease, after all, this test was not based on power but whoever earned the highest number of points.

With another wave from the thin black man’s hand, “Dragon Clan, Fang Tian, Level 5 completed.” Following his hand gesture, the man announced the result: “Fang Tian has passed level 5 and same as Du Zhong Jun. But, Fang Tian will be rank three, because Du Zhong Jun passed the sixth room while Fang Tian, the fifth room. That means......Ao Feng will be transported out of Ni Yang’s Realm.”

Another beam of light covers Fang Tian, and he was transported to the fourth floor, while Ao Feng was kicked out of Ni Yang’s Realm.

In the third floor only Zong Jue, Qin Yu and Lan Feng are left. But, in reality, only Zong Jue and Qin are the challengers.

“Currently, the lowest ranker has passed level 5, and there are only treasures on three floors: ninth, eighth and seventh. Corresponding to the floors, there will only be three ranked victors. If you wish to obtain any treasure, you must at least pass a higher-staged level 5, or even higher levels.”

The thin black man imparted some insights onto the remaining challengers.

With a smile, the man looked at Zong Jue, “Zong Jue, it is now your turn.”

“Yes, senior.” Zong Jue’s face wore a firm expression and walked to the.......sixth room.

“Senior Zong.” Qin Yu was alarmed at the former’s decision.

The former was slightly stooped, but he still managed to walk firmly into the sixth room.

Qin Yu was absolutely stunned.

“Qin Yu.” The thin, black man suddenly turned to Qin Yu and smiled merrily, “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Wu Lan. You can called me Mister Wu. There is no need to be alarmed, because no one can hear us.”

Qin Yu gazed at the thin black man, too confused and shocked quickly come up with a response.

“Wu Lan?”

During these several moments, Qin Yu had thought about many things. But he had too many unanswerable questions within him, he could not help but ask: “Mister Wu, I feel as if you have......an inexplicable interest in me, yet I don’t feel that we have ever met before. Could I ask you about this......interest?”

“Haha, yes, I am very interested in you. Very, very.....interested.” Wu Lan beamed joyfully.

“Qin Yu, do you know? I haven’t been home for a very, very, very long time.” Mister Wu actually used three consecutive ‘very’ to emphasize his desire. His face was the very meaning of loneliness.

Qin Yu nodded his assent: “So is Mister Wu trapped here in Ni Yang’s Realm? Can you not go home?”

From the information he gathered, and from the questioning the beasts of the first layer world of the Atlas of Ten Thousand Beasts, this Realm has been in the Mortal Plane for a very long time. And, looking at this thin and black man – Wu Lan, chained here in Ni Yang’s Realm, it must be true.

“Oh, no, not really.” Wu Lan laughed and shook his head, “In this Ni Yang’s Realm? No, it hasn’t even been more than a hundred thousand years yet. That’s not a very long time.”

Qin Yu was startled.

A hundred thousand years is not a very long time?

“I’ve left home for.......how many hundred multiples of thousand years? A thousand multiples, or was it ten thousand multiples? Haaah, it has been an immeasurable long time that even I don’t remember......” Wu Lan sighed while he reminiscent the past numberless years.

Wu Lan’s measure of time had blown Qin Yu’s mind.

What was a thousand times of ten thousand, or ten thousand times ten thousand years? How many years was that?

“When I lived at home, I may have been an insignificant figure, but I enjoyed living there. One day, due to special reasons, I was forced to leave home. After a series of difficult events I came across Ni Yang....” Wu Lan spoke about the memories of his past life, while Qin Yu listened quietly.

Wu Lan beamed widely momentarily and resumed his story.

“Then Ni Yang died. He died so meaninglessly; his death was.....so comical.” Wu Lan’s expression wore an strained smile.

“Mr. Wu, could it be that you weren’t very close with the Emperor? Not even a little friendship? Do you not feel somewhat ill at ease knowing his death?” Qin Yu inquired politely.

“Friendship?” Wu Lan laughed slightly, “Maybe a little. We have known each other for many years, how could we not get along as something like friends? But I........cannot fully feel at a loss for him, because with his death I can leave easily. But today, looking at you.........has made me very happy. I think, in all these years, today was the happiest I felt in all my life.”

“Why is that?” Qin Yu was puzzled.

“It’s a secret.” Wu Lan gave Qin Yu a mysterious smile, “It is not the right time for you to know about it. When it is time, you will know. But......when I saw that ‘thing’.” Wu Lan pointed at Lan Feng, “I knew one thing, and that is: I am, very likely, able to go back home to my hometown now.”

When Qin Yu heard Wu Lan refer ‘Lan Feng’ as a ‘thing’, he knew that Wu Lan had seen through his farce, and that Lan Feng was just a puppet.

“Okay, Qin Yu stop making any more speculations. If you continue down your chosen practice; one day you will understand what I said today and know what it meant.” Wu Lan gave a short laugh

Qin Yu nodded.

Don’t think about things one doesn’t understand.

“Mr Wu, the previous challenger – Zong Jue, is he.......” Qin Yu was a little worried, after all, Zong Jue and himself were close friends. And, Zong Jue knew Uncle Lan as well.

Wu Lan uttered a light chuckle, “To enter the sixth room with his current strength, that would be courting d......”

He was about to say ‘courting death’, but he paused mid-sentence. His expression was also frozen in mid-sentence.

After a while, Wu Lan breathed sharply and spoke hastily: “How could that be?” he was astounded.

“Qin Yu, the guy who gave you this ‘thing’; did he also know Zong Jue as well?” Wu Lan inquired.

“Are talking about Uncle Lan?” Qin Yu nodded, “Yes, Uncle Lan did know Zong Jue, but he gave Zong Jue a weapon instead.”

“No wonder. No wonder.” Wu Lan said in an ‘a-matter-of-fact’ tone.

From the doorway of the sixth room, Zong Jue strode out. His features weren’t too bad, only a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. His eyes shone of vigour and elation. Instead of walking toward the thin black man – Wu Lan, he walked towards Qin Yu: “Brother Qin Yu, if you see Senior Lan again, please thank him for me.”

“This.....” Qin Yu was startled.

But, Qin Yu had already hypothesized about a few things.

For Zong Jue to come out alive, and come to him to thank Uncle Lan, must mean that his survival had something to do with Uncle Lan. He recalled the weapons Uncle Lan gave Hou Fei and Xiao Hei, both the Black Stick and the Cloud Piercer emitted strange energies.

“I can guess that the Black Scimitar given by Uncle Lan to Zong Jue, also has that strange energy.” Qin Yu brooded.

Another line of words appeared on the leader board, ‘Chaotic Astral Ocean, Zong Jue, Level 6 completed.’

Wu Lan announced the results: “Zong Jue has passed level 6 and hereby be placed at rank 2, while Fang Tian will be removed from Ni Yang’s Realm.” Another stream of light shot towards Zong Jue and Fang Tian. One was transported to the fourth floor and the other was thrown out of Ni Yang’s Realm.

The moment Zong Jue vanished, another smiled emerged from Wu Lan’s face.

“Qin Yu, it is now your turn. What room will you choose? With that External Life Embodiment Technique thing, I presume the treasure, on the ninth floor of this Nine Heavens Palace, will be yours.” Wu Lan said smilingly.

Qin Yu responded with his most ‘humble’ smile.

After all, Man Gan was ranked first by expending all his power.

While he was a Dacheng Stage expert, any room he could pick would be at least give 10 or more points.

“But let’s be a little more modest. The seventh room it is.” Qin Yu smiled. While Lan Feng drifted towards Qin Yu and fused with his body.

Then Qin Yu entered the seventh room alone.

A Level 9 Golden Sword Immortal Puppet versus a Level 7 Golden Immortal’s Sword Spirit?

The result? Do you even need to ask?

After only a short while, Qin Yu emerged from the room with a bright smile and a slight swagger in his steps.

“With this, the first ranker is done.” Wu Lan still thought Qin Yu won too easily, and even wore a broad smile on his face, “Qin Yu, be prepared. I will transport you, Man Gan and Zong Jue to the treasure floors: ninth, eighth and seventh, depending on your rank.”

At the same time, another line of words appear on the leader boards: “Mortal Plane, Qin Yu, Level 16 completed!”

~End of Chapter 58~

Note - This chapter was originally translated by thunder at !