Chapter 442: The Final Rankings

Chapter 442: The Final Rankings

"Dong Pan lost?"

"Dong Pan's spiritual will was so strong, yet he couldn't withstand Xu Yuan's soul attack?" Thousands of Flying Heaven Demigods in the Divine Palace were astounded, with Yue Shan, He Feng, and other Demigod Holy Sons, their faces turning solemn.

Bai Feng's loss was already surprising enough.

But Dong Pan lost too? Dong Pan cultivated and comprehended the Earth Law and Spatial Secrets, and their combination made his defense exceptionally formidable. In the Sacred Flame Tower, his offense was lacking, and he often ranked 2nd to 5th.

However, in recent ranking battles, he consistently secured the second spot. Among the dozen or so Demigod Holy Sons, only Jing Kui could break through his defense with sheer speed.

In his match with Li Yuan, Dong Pan didn't show any signs of negligence. Through the ranking points, he guessed that Li Yuan should have a special method, and he prepared early to defend against soul attacks.

Even with perfect preparation, he still lost?

If Dong Pan lost, how many Demigod Holy Sons could defeat Li Yuan?

"Impressive!"

"Dong Pan was hit by the attack? Before Jing Kui's breakthrough, Dong Pan's understanding of the Law was always higher, yet he still lost?" The seven True Gods on the high platform were all surprised.

Dong Pan, a Demigod with only Seven Star Veins, had consistently ranked second on the Demigod list. He relied on his exceptional understanding of the Laws.

The deeper one's understanding of the Laws, the more influenced by the origin of the Dao, and often, their spiritual will becomes extremely powerful.

Before the match, this group of True Gods believed that Dong Pan's Demigod had a higher chance of winning.

"It seems Xu Yuan's soul attack is stronger than we imagined," Moonwing True God spoke in a deep voice.

"If even Dong Pan couldn't withstand it, it's unlikely for others to do so. Only Jing Kui might have a chance."

"Yes, let's see if Jing Kui can withstand it." This became the consensus among the seven True Gods.

...

Defeating Dong Pan allowed Li Yuan to breeze through the second group without any further obstacles, swiftly winning all subsequent battles.

Perfect victory! 99 points!

With an absolute advantage, Li Yuan secured the top spot in the second group and also claimed the first spot among the top twenty on the Demigod list.

After losing to Li Yuan, Dong Pan quickly adjusted and won all his remaining battles, eventually scoring 98 points and becoming the second-place finisher in the second group.

Bai Feng took the third spot.

Huff! Huff! Huff! The one hundred participants in the second group finished their battles faster than the first group, all returning to the ground floor of the Grand Hall.

Almost everyone's gaze was fixed on Li Yuan.

Having consecutively defeated Bai Feng and Dong Pan, two powerful Demigod Holy Sons, his strength was undeniable, earning the respect of all Flying Heaven Demigods.

"Xu Yuan."

"Haha, congratulations!" Yue Shan and Yang Di both smiled and greeted Li Yuan.

Even Yue Shan, who might face Li Yuan later and potentially become rivals, was happy for Li Yuan's achievement.

"Xu Yuan."

A deep voice suddenly sounded, and Bai Feng walked up to Li Yuan, saying softly, "I lost this battle. Here's 10,000 divine crystals."

Huff! Bai Feng waved his hand, and a storage treasure flew towards Li Yuan.

Li Yuan reached out and took it, his divine sense immediately perceiving the 10,000 divine crystals inside.

It was accurate.

"Mhm." Li Yuan nodded slightly, seeing Bai Feng's Demigod figure disappear into the crowd.

With Bai Feng's gracious acceptance of defeat, Li Yuan naturally had nothing more to say.

"Tsk tsk, this guy," Yang Di transmitted his voice with a smile, "In the past, every time he fought with Yue Shan, even if he lost, he would never yield, always vowing to make a comeback. This time, he conceded so decisively and straightforwardly."

"That's how strong Xu Yuan is," Yue Shan sighed, "My strength is not much different from Bai Feng's, and I've cultivated for longer... It's normal for Bai Feng to feel unconvinced... But how long has Xu Yuan been cultivating? On his first try, he defeated both Bai Feng and Dong Pan... He'll only pull further ahead in the future."

"Don't just talk about Bai Feng."

"Even Jing Kui, I believe, won't be able to match Xu Yuan in the future," Yue Shan said with a smile.

"You're exaggerating," Li Yuan shook his head.

...

Not long after the second group's battles ended, the first group's matches also concluded.

Jing Kui scored 99 points and claimed the top spot in his group.

Upon returning to the ground, he quickly learned of the second group's results.

"Dong Pan lost?"

"Xu Yuan won and came first in the second group?" Jing Kui, usually calm, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, "He used a soul attack? Even Dong Pan couldn't resist?"

Jing Kui was well aware of Dong Pan's Demigod strength, considering him his greatest competitor.

Even with his current breakthrough, defeating Dong Pan swiftly would be challenging. It would likely take at least a dozen moves.

"Jing Kui, you need to be careful," Dong Pan transmitted his voice, his tone cold, "Your spiritual will is stronger, but Xu Yuan's soul attack is terrifying... Among the powerful Void Deities I've seen, few can match his soul attack."

"Don't embarrass us old folks by losing," Dong Pan said.

"Yes."

"I'll be careful," Jing Kui smiled, his eyes also showing a hint of seriousness.

For the first time, he regarded Li Yuan as a worthy opponent.

...

Time passed, and group after group of participants entered the Void Arena, determining the final rankings.

Over a day and a half, they gradually determined the top two, top ten, and top thirty in each group.

The top twenty on the Demigod list were finally decided.

Jing Kui, Dong Pan, He Feng, Yue Shan, and other Half-Divine Sons all entered the top twenty ranks.

Only two Half-Divine Sons were eliminated.

One was Bai Feng, and the other was the previous session's Demigod Rank 13th, 'Yang You Demigod'.

She and Yue Shan were both in the tenth group.

However, neither of them managed to secure the top spot in their group; instead, they both lost to a Reserve Member—Xia Ju!

"Xia Ju, in the previous session, was only ranked in the 60s on the Demigod List."

"He managed to take first place in Group 10."

"Defeating both Yue Shan and Yang You, two Half-Divine Sons, is truly impressive. His Stellar Technique's might is formidable, and his sword skills are sharp."

When everyone saw Xia Ju's victory over Yue Shan, they were all taken aback.

As a veteran Half-Divine Son, Yue Shan, though not as powerful as Dong Pan and Jing Kui, had consistently maintained a very stable ranking. In the last five sessions, he had never dropped out of the top ten.

But now, he lost?

"Interesting, with Xu Yuan, there's now another Xia Ju?" Jing Kui's eyes lit up. Compared to Xu Yuan, he was more interested in Xia Ju.

After all, Xia Ju's sword skills were visibly impressive, clearly demonstrating his extreme power.

"Perception Star City is indeed a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Another Eight Star Vein has emerged." Li Yuan's heart was also filled with surprise.

There were nearly ten thousand people in the Sacred Flame Hall, and Li Yuan had to continuously fight, so he didn't have the chance to use 'Divine Palace Probe' on everyone.

In the Sacred Flame Tower challenge, Xia Ju was only ranked in the 50s.

Li Yuan didn't pay much attention to him.

It wasn't until the second round's 'Group 10 Battle' that Xia Ju rose to prominence, defeating Yue Shan. Only then did Li Yuan use 'Divine Palace Probe' and discover that Xia Ju's Life Level was at '48.9 Level'.

Another Eight Star Vein!!

"This Xia Ju Demigod, his Law Comprehension was slightly inferior, but it seems he's made a breakthrough in the last five years." Li Yuan pondered: "Once his Law Comprehension approaches that of other Half-Divine Sons, his Origin Power cultivation and Stellar Techniques will become stronger, naturally surpassing the others."

Other Half-Divine Sons, except for Jing Kui, were all Seven Star Vein Demigods.

...

"Xia Ju, finally showing his true potential."

"After nearly three hundred years of cultivation, he's finally made progress. I almost thought he would never become a Half-Divine Son and would directly breakthrough to the Void Deity realm." The seven True Gods on the high platform exchanged thoughts.

The Flying Heaven Demigods were shocked by Xia Ju's sudden burst of power.

Because, regarding Star Vein talent, the information is kept confidential among the Reserve Members. Except for freaks like Li Yuan, others didn't know that Xia Ju possessed an Eight Star Vein.

But these True Gods had known all along.

"Adding Xu Yuan, the Sacred Flame Palace now has four Eight Star Vein Demigods."

"Jing Kui, Xu Yuan, and Xia Ju have all broken into the top twenty." Moonwing True God smiled and transmitted, "However, Luan Su, despite being an Eight Star Vein, didn't even make it into the top 100 of the Demigod List."

"Luan Su has cultivated for a shorter period, not even reaching two hundred years."

"His Law Comprehension speed is also relatively slow." The other True Gods shared their thoughts.

High Star Vein talent doesn't always directly proportional to high Law talent, but the relationship isn't absolute.

Just like the 'Man Huo' mentioned by Gu You and Li Yuan, a Six Star Vein True God, in just a short few tens of thousands of years, comprehended four Law Paths and created a secret technique stronger than most Heaven Gods.

The same applies to the Demigod stage.

Even with the same cultivation time, an Eight Star Vein Demigod isn't necessarily stronger than all Seven Star Vein Demigods.

Among the three Eight Star Vein Demigods in the Sacred Flame Palace, only Jing Kui has displayed overwhelming talent, surpassing the other Seven Star Vein Demigods and showcasing the potential of a Heaven God.

This is why he was valued by the Tai You Heaven God.

Boom~ An invisible pressure enveloped the entire Sacred Flame Palace, causing the bustling hall to quickly quiet down.

"After discussions with the other True Gods and reporting to the higher-ups of Perception Star City," Crimson Sun True God's voice rumbled, "It has been decided that this Demigod ranking battle will offer eighteen Sacred Son positions."

Boom!

Eighteen Sacred Son positions?

Li Yuan, Xia Ju, Yue Shan, and the other top twenty contenders all had solemn expressions.

Does this mean that among the twenty of them, two would be eliminated?

Having come this far, who would willingly accept elimination?

"The rules for the upcoming battles are simple."

"The first-place contenders from each group will be randomly matched with the second-place contenders from other groups for cross-battles. The winners will advance to the top ten and directly become Half-Divine Sons, competing for the final first place."

"The losers will fight for the remaining eight Sacred Son positions." Crimson Sun True God slowly explained.

These rules were not unexpected.

Winning the top spot in their respective groups would naturally provide an advantage in the upcoming battles, avoiding direct confrontations with other group leaders.

Soon, the order for the twenty-to-ten battles was announced.

'Jing Kui' vs. 'Yue Shan'

'Xu Yuan' vs. 'Yan Dong'

'Xia Ju' vs. 'Dong Pan'

...

Each of the ten group battles was highly anticipated, as those who had made it this far were all formidable.

The most anticipated battle, without a doubt, was between Xia Ju and Dong Pan.

Xia Ju was the most eye-catching contender in this session's ranking battle, second only to Li Yuan, with unparalleled sword skills.

Dong Pan, on the other hand, was acknowledged as one of the top three on the Demigod List. Even after losing to Li Yuan, no one would consider him weaker than the other group leaders.

"Yue Shan, you're in trouble. You're up against Jing Kui." Yang Di couldn't help but exclaim.

Yang Di's final ranking was 361st, and his ranking battle had concluded.

"Jing Kui, it's indeed difficult to win against him," Li Yuan said softly.

Even without witnessing Jing Kui's full power, his performance in the Sacred Flame Tower indicated that his strength far surpassed that of other Demi-God Sons.

"It doesn't matter."

"I knew it would be challenging to make it into the top ten of the Demigod Rank after only securing second place in the group stage." Yue Shan, the Demi-God, remained calm and smiled, "Even without encountering Jing Kui, wouldn't He Feng and Xia Ju still be formidable opponents? Not to mention, if I were to face you, Xu Yuan, I'd likely lose as well."

"Regardless of the outcome."

"Let's give it our all in this battle."

"Even if I lose, there's still a chance to obtain a Holy Son quota." Yue Shan smiled.

His character was consistently calm and composed.

...

After the top twenty matchup list was announced, everyone took a brief rest before the battles swiftly commenced.

Perhaps to better motivate the other Flying Heaven Demi-Gods, this time, the battles were held one after another instead of simultaneously.

In the first battle, Jing Kui faced Yue Shan. Despite Yue Shan giving his all, Jing Kui still emerged as the easy victor.

Jing Kui's ease in victory indirectly proved that his strength had surpassed what it was five years ago, reaching a higher level.

The second battle featured Li Yuan against Yan Dong.

This match also attracted significant attention.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Both of them flew into the Void Arena, landing on opposite sides of the stage, capturing everyone's attention.

"Who will win between Xu Yuan and Yan Dong?"

"Definitely Xu Yuan. Even Dong Pan couldn't stop Xu Yuan's soul attack, let alone Yan Dong?"

"Yan Dong, the Demi-God, was only ranked sixteenth in the previous session, making him the lowest-ranked Demi-God Son. He just lost to He Feng, the Demi-God. How can he hope to defeat Xu Yuan? It's impossible!"

His consecutive victories had already established Li Yuan's formidable reputation.

Ninety-nine percent of the spectators believed Xu Yuan's victory was certain.

...

In the Void Arena, Li Yuan and Yan Dong were separated by several dozen kilometers, facing each other from a distance.

Y

Li Yuan, on the other hand, wore a black robe.

"Xu Yuan, your soul attack is powerful?" Yan Dong, the Demi-God, fixed his gaze on Li Yuan, his eyes filled with solemnity, "But based on his ranking in the Sacred Flame Tower, his physical attack should be quite ordinary."

He was well aware of Xu Yuan's prowess, and it was the greatest obstacle to his advancement into the top ten.

Suddenly, both sides made their moves simultaneously.

Yan Dong, the Demi-God, instantly transformed into a streak of light, like a flash of lightning across the void, creating hundreds of illusions, each resembling a ghostly figure, pouncing towards Li Yuan.

Apparently, he had cultivated a star technique similar to 'Nine Shadows Void'.

"Illusions?"

"It's the wind law fluctuation! Yue Shan's information was correct; this Yan Dong, the Demi-God, has comprehended the Wind Law and the mysteries of space." Li Yuan's eyes remained calm.

Illusions? They could evade soul perception.

But could they evade domains?

"Boom!" As Li Yuan's thoughts moved, a vast domain descended, and a mighty flow of earthy yellow energy swept through the eight directions, assaulting the illusions.

Whoosh! The domain and Yan Dong's Demi-God's illusions collided, and nine yellow dragons roared, swiftly annihilating the weaker illusions.

In the blink of an eye, Yan Dong, the Demi-God, was left with only three illusions, each close to one another, surrounded by a green light that resisted the erosion of the Heaven and Earth River domain.

"Boom!"

"Boom!" "Bang!" The terrifying divine fork slashed down, and two yellow dragons were instantly torn apart.

"Xu Yuan, your domain can't bind me." Yan Dong, the Demi-God, charged towards Xu Yuan with a rainbow-like aura.

Any other peak Demi-God would have been directly crushed by Li Yuan's domain.

But it was indeed unable to suppress this exceptional Demi-God.

"Life and Death Scene!" Li Yuan's eyes flashed with determination as he unleashed his soul attack without hesitation.

Hum~ Hum~ Hum~ Three soul fluctuations erupted simultaneously, sweeping towards the three illusions.

Maintaining soul attacks on hundreds of illusions while retaining maximum attack power was beyond Li Yuan's capabilities.

But attacking only three targets was effortless.

"Hum~"

The invisible soul fluctuation instantly invaded Yan Dong, the Demi-God's, mind world... His mind world trembled.

"Here it comes." Yan Dong, the Demi-God, instantly realized that his most significant challenge had arrived.

Endure it, and there's hope for victory!

Fail to endure, and defeat is certain.

"Soul Light! Ten Thousand Phenomena Color! Nine Heavens Tune!" Yan Dong, the Demi-God, unleashed his deepest secrets from the heart, the terrifying means he had hidden for years, fully blossoming in an instant.

"Whoosh~" Li Yuan's soul attack almost instantly overwhelmed Yan Dong, the Demi-God.

Rumble~ His mind world transformed, resembling the emergence of heavenly thresholds, sacred and vast, with divine light swirling, an infinite power protecting his mind world.

"Boom!" Li Yuan's soul attack continued to erode.

Yan Dong, the Demi-God's mind world, fiercely resisted.

"Such a powerful soul attack."

"The soul defense secret technique I've cultivated for years, combined with the 'Ten Thousand Phenomena Heart Pearl' gifted by my teacher, almost couldn't withstand it?" Yan Dong, the Demi-God, was deeply shocked, regaining his composure in an instant, "If I hadn't cultivated the soul defense secret technique to a high level or possessed the Ten Thousand Phenomena Heart Pearl, I would have undoubtedly succumbed."

"This Xu Yuan, his soul attack is indeed terrifying.

"Yan Dong, the Demigod, was shocked.

In fact, when he saw that he was matched against Xu Yuan, he felt a hint of joy.

If he were to face the top contender from another group, he wouldn't have a chance.

Only Xu Yuan, who had relied on soul attacks to reach his current position, was taught by a 'Soul Master' even more terrifying than the Nine Sounds True God.

Therefore, when instructing Yan Dong, the teacher had always emphasized soul defense.

Yan Dong, the Demigod, had always remembered his teacher's words: "The path of the Soul Void is profound and vast, no less than the operation of matter. You've only reached the Demigod Realm, and I don't expect you to achieve greatness in the path of the soul. But you must pay attention to soul defense."

Other Demi-God Sons also understood the importance of soul defense.

However, most of them, unlike Yan Dong, didn't dedicate as much effort. They didn't specifically seek out Soul Treasures that resonated with their soul defense secret techniques, nor did they spend a significant amount of time cultivating soul defense secret techniques.

"I blocked it."

Yan Dong's confused eyes instantly regained clarity, and his battle intent soared: "Xu Yuan, it's my turn!"

Boom! Yan Dong, the Demigod, wielded the two Divine Forks in his hands, and a green light slashed through the sky, unleashing unparalleled might. In an instant, the two Yellow Dragons that had approached to attack were smashed into pieces.

The Yellow Dragons, with only the initial stage of Demigod-level strength, were no match for him.

"Kill!"

The Heaven and Earth River Domain trembled, and Yan Dong's figure moved swiftly, his speed far surpassing Li Yuan's. He had already closed the distance.

"Blocked?"

"Even Dong Pan, the Demigod, couldn't block it, but Yan Dong did?" Li Yuan's eyes flashed with surprise, and he dared not hesitate.

Whoosh! The Dark Star Long Spear pierced through the void, causing it to tremble as if an invisible thread was torn apart. It swiftly attacked Yan Dong, the Demigod.

The fifth form of the Boundary Cloud Spear—Divine Weapon Intent!

However, Li Yuan's spear technique was not weak, and Yan Dong's weapon was even more terrifying. The two Divine Forks fiercely slashed downward.

Boom!

A loud explosion shook the heavens and the earth, but Yan Dong didn't retreat a step. Instead, Li Yuan was instantly knocked back, spitting out fresh blood. The Guardian Spirit Light enveloping his body rapidly dimmed.

After just one exchange, Li Yuan understood.

Although his soul attack was powerful, if it was ineffective, his material attack was still far from being a match for these peerless Demigods.

Yan Dong, the Demigod, possessed 54th-level strength!

"Huff!"

Yan Dong, seizing the advantage, swiftly closed in and unleashed another furious strike!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After three clashes with Li Yuan, the Guardian Spirit Light on Li Yuan's body suddenly dissipated.

Hum~ He vanished from the arena.

In this battle, Yan Dong, the Demigod, emerged victorious! Li Yuan was defeated.

...

"What?"

"Did Yan Dong, the Demigod, win?"

"Did Xu Yuan lose? He defeated Dong Pan but lost to Yan Dong, the Demigod?" A buzz of surprise filled the air.

The outcome of this battle exceeded everyone's expectations, even those of the Crimson Sun True Gods.

After all, Dong Pan, who had long held the second spot on the Demigod Rank, had been defeated by Li Yuan. Yet, Yan Dong, the Demigod, won? Regardless of the outcome, the result was final!

"Xu Yuan's soul attack is terrifying, but it seems that some extremely powerful Demigods have a chance to withstand it," the Purple Robe True God couldn't help but say, "Once his soul attack is blocked... in a material attack showdown, Xu Yuan would be at a disadvantage."

"True, Xu Yuan's material attack is indeed weaker, only at the 52nd level," someone agreed.

"After all, he has just broken through, and it's already remarkable that he has come this far. His progress is rapid, and in a few years, when his material attack becomes stronger, he might shine in the Ancestral Realm War," another added.

"Soul attacks are extreme. If the enemy can't withstand them, they're almost invincible! But if the enemy can withstand them, their effectiveness is greatly reduced," many True Gods nodded, having identified Li Yuan's weakness.

Similarly, given Li Yuan's rapid progress, once he makes up for his weakness in material attacks, he will be even more terrifying than other peerless Demigods.

...

After the battle between Li Yuan and Yan Dong, the Demigod, ended amid the discussions, the remaining eight matches were quickly held, determining the final top ten of this ranking battle.

In the subsequent eight matches, seven were won by the top contenders of their groups.

Only the battle between Dong Pan, the Demigod, and Xia Ju, the Demigod, revealed their formidable strength, engaging in a fierce fight, but in the end, Dong Pan, the Demigod, emerged victorious.

Dong Pan, the Demigod, although second in his group, made it into the final top ten.

On the contrary, Li Yuan, the top contender of his group, failed to make it into the top ten.

...

Time passed, and the first match to be held was the 11th to 20th-place battle.

There were nine matches in total. Li Yuan, who had just lost to Yan Dong, the Demigod, remained unaffected in his mindset and once again displayed the strength of his soul attack.

Nine matches! All victories! Even Xia Ju, who had just revealed his dazzling brilliance, couldn't withstand Li Yuan's soul attack.

Li Yuan's final ranking in the ranking battle was officially announced—11th place! Although he didn't make it into the top ten, he still obtained the title and treatment of a Demi-God Son.

---

P.S.: The restriction on using external objects doesn't mean that even treasures like weapons and armor are prohibited. It refers to not using law treasures, puppets, or technological mists that are beyond one's control. This has been mentioned many times in the text, but some readers keep asking about 'setting changes' and 'rule inconsistencies.'

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end