Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

Three dazzling orbs of light, like three shooting stars, fell toward the location where Xia Jin and the other two were.

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to it.

The fluctuations emanating from that ball of light were still startling even from a distance of tens of feet.

Without a doubt, this must be an extremely precious treasure!

After all, this was done by the temple itself, so it couldn't be anything less than excellent.

"They're here!"

A glint flashed in Xia Jin's eyes. She didn't move, but her divine sense had already locked onto the ball of light in the very center.

That's right, that's it!

That palm-sized metal fragment! A fragment of the Eastern Emperor Bell!

Just as the ball of light was about to completely descend upon his head, Xia Jin reached out with his right hand, his spiritual power transforming into a large hand, directly grabbing the light in the very center.

"Whoosh"

Xia Jin didn't even have time to examine the ball of light properly after acquiring it.

Because the moment he grasped the fragment, it suddenly transformed into a beam of light and pierced directly into his brow!

"Um?"

Xia Jin was slightly startled, but quickly calmed down.

Because within his sea of ​​consciousness, that palm-sized fragment floated silently above the head of his soul.

From time to time, wisps of chaotic energy descended from the fragments, enveloping his soul and seemingly nurturing it invisibly.

At that very moment, the system notification sounded in Xia Jin's mind again.

[Congratulations, host, on completing the mission: Ranked first in the Ancient Battlefield Trial, and obtained a fragment of the Eastern Emperor Bell.]

[Task Reward: Eight thousand years of cultivation, Primordial Demon Emperor Technique (Beginner Level)]

Inside her sleeves, Xia Jin's hands were clenched tightly.

His face remained calm, but his heart, which had been at peace for so long, suddenly pounded a few times.

Fragments of the Eastern Emperor Bell.

Eight thousand years of cultivation.

The Ancient Demon Emperor's Technique.

Any one of these three items would be enough to drive the dominant powers in the outside world crazy.

And now, they all belong to me!

Xia Jin took a deep breath, and after several deep breaths, she slowly suppressed the excitement in her heart.

He raised his head, remaining expressionless, and looked at the two people beside him.

At this moment, two more beams of light landed in the hands of Venerable Miaodi and the gray-robed swordsman Jian Wuhen.

In the palm of the Venerable Miaodi was a jade bottle the size of a palm. Half a bottle of golden liquid could be faintly seen inside. With just a casual shake, an extremely rich life force emanated from the bottle.

In the hand of the grey-clad swordsman, Jian Wuhen, was an ancient scroll made of animal hide.

Before even looking at it, just holding it, I felt as if a thousand sharp swords were piercing my face.

"You two, put it away right now!"

Xia Jin suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of warning.

Jian Wuhen was taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening.

He quickly tucked the ancient animal-hide scroll into his robes, looked up, and said with gratitude in his eyes, "Brother Xia, I... I'm afraid I can never repay the favor I owe you this time."

Without making a sound, Venerable Miaodi put the jade bottle into his sleeve, put his hands together, and bowed deeply to Xia Jin: "Amitabha, benefactor Xia, I will remember your great kindness."

He raised his head, and a rare look of excitement appeared in his cloudy old eyes.

Only he himself knew what the golden liquid in the bottle meant to him.

The Buddhist esoteric technique he practiced was called the "Nine Reincarnations Great Method".

This cultivation method requires nine lifetimes of reincarnation. In each lifetime, the cultivation of the previous eight lifetimes is sealed. Only when the cultivation of the nine lifetimes is combined in the ninth lifetime can one achieve mastery.

And he is now the ninth incarnation.

However, due to his depleted vital energy, he was never able to fully integrate the cultivation of his previous eight lives. Those eight immense powers were sealed within his eight divine souls, seemingly within reach, yet he could not use even a fraction of them.

But with the life-giving elixir in this bottle…

Venerable Miaodi took a deep breath, and a light like never before flashed deep in his eyes.

Once he merges the cultivation of nine lifetimes, his strength will undergo a tremendous change!

By then...

He didn't continue thinking about it, but simply bowed deeply to Xia Jin once again.

Just then, a somewhat gloomy voice came from the left.

"The three from the Eastern Xuan Continent, would you care to speak with me?"

"Hmm!?" Upon hearing the voice, Xia Jin frowned slightly and turned to look in the direction from which the voice came.

The man, dressed in black armor and carrying two maces on his back, walked towards them with a gloomy expression.

His gaze swept over Venerable Miaodi and his companion, then settled on Xia Jin.

He knew very well that among the three, Xia Jin was undoubtedly the one in charge.

Although he hadn't clearly seen what those three treasures were, the fluctuations when the three orbs of light fell, and the aura that made his heart tremble, were enough to explain everything.

That is an absolutely rare treasure!

It was even more precious than any treasure he had ever seen!

"Fellow Daoist," Li Chen stopped three zhang away from Xia Jin, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and forced a smile, "I am very interested in those three treasures you just mentioned. I wonder if you would be willing to part with them? No matter the cost, as long as you ask, I will do my best to satisfy you."

Xia Jin didn't speak, but glanced at him with a mocking smile on her lips.

"That bastard! How dare he ignore him!?" Li Chen's smile froze slightly, and his eyes narrowed.

Behind him, the man carrying the long spear frowned, stepped forward, and said coldly, "Hey! Our boss is talking to you! Are you deaf?"

Xia Jin still did not react.

Upon seeing this, the gray-clad swordsman Jian Wuhen chuckled, crossed his arms, and looked at the three men with a mocking expression.

These people were just mocking them for "hiding and being too scared to fight," but now they're all crowding around the treasure?

Li Chen's face darkened completely.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart: "Fellow Daoist, I sincerely wish to make an exchange with you. As long as you are willing to part with what you desire, you can choose anything from the entire Tianqi Continent that you set your sights on!"

Upon hearing this, Jian Wuhen's smile froze slightly.

Choose any three items from the treasure trove of the Apocalypse Continent?

This is quite a generous gesture.

However, Xia Jin still did not react and maintained that annoying smile.

Li Chen's eyes turned completely cold.

"It seems you look down on me! In that case, don't blame me..."

Before he could finish speaking, a delicate hand suddenly pressed down on his shoulder.

That's enough.

A clear, cool female voice rang out.

Li Chen frowned and turned around, only to see a white figure that had appeared behind him at some point.

It was the woman with the white veil who had led Xia Jin and the others into the stone gate earlier.

"You're going to stop me too!?"

Li Chen's expression instantly turned somewhat ugly.

The woman showed no respect for Li Chen, merely glancing at him indifferently. "Fighting is forbidden in the Temple Trial Grounds. Violators will be executed."

As the word "death" fell, Li Chen felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

He didn't continue, but took a step back and gave Xia Jin a deep look.

The woman ignored him, but her gaze shifted slightly and landed on Xia Jin.

"You may return to your respective continents. In ten days, we will formally guide you into the temple!"

After saying that, her figure instantly flew into the clouds in the sky.

"You three! I hope you can survive these ten days!" Li Chen sneered, waved his hand, and turned to leave with the two behind him.

After walking several miles, the man carrying the long spear whispered, "Brother, are we just going to let it go like this?"

Li Chen paused in his steps.

He didn't turn around, but a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"never mind?"

He gave a cold laugh.

"Once he leaves the temple, let's see who can protect him."