WHAT! I Have To Kill Heaven's Son To Live!

Two Hours Left Until the End of the First Round—

Morning had broken not long ago.

The sun had just begun to rise, casting a soft golden glow across the entire sect.

Most of the audience remained in their abodes, still asleep. A few had started to gather, rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

Some had been watching through the night, too captivated to rest.

And yet, all the Elders were present—there was no trace of sleep in their eyes, for they had long transcended the needs of mere mortals.

They sat enjoying a lavish breakfast—not out of necessity, but out of habit or pleasure—engaged in lively conversation about the most promising disciples…

Discussing who had caught their attention the most, and who they were considering taking on as a personal disciple.

Elder Nin Wing took a slow sip of his wine before speaking with calm conviction.

"I definitely want to take Yang Lie as my direct disciple... if only the Tempest Sword Saint, Qin Jiran, doesn't interfere," he muttered, voice calm but slightly wistful.

Then, as if accepting the inevitable, he added lightly,

"If I can't have him, then I'll go for Zi Chen instead. That boy's talent is nothing to scoff at."

Elder Quin Jing leaned forward with a dramatic sigh.

"Ahh… I want Yi Ran to become mine… That girl's talent is terrifying. I'd love to take her under my wing, but I doubt someone like me, still so young in the eyes of the sect, would be allowed such a privilege."

Elder Nin Wing smirked and quipped,

"Hey, Elder Quin, don't say 'become yours' like that… others might get the wrong idea."

"Y-You–!" Quin Jing sputtered.

"Hahaha!"

"Haha..!"

The surrounding elders burst into laughter.

Quin Jing chuckled wryly before adding,

"Maybe that cold-hearted lady—Yan Qianhua, the Jade Blossom Saber Saint—whom even the Tempest Sword Saint proposed to over a hundred times without success, will end up taking her as a direct disciple.

Nin Wing Sighed.

"...Right!"

Elder Qin Shi spoke in a calm and composed voice.

"Hm… I've taken a liking to Ma Shen. His stability and sharp instincts stand out. I intend to take him in as my direct disciple."

The booming voice of Qian Ling, an Elder from Iron Bone Peak—ranked as the fourth-strongest among all the peaks—echoed across the arena.

"Hahaha! That brat Rou Jin… he's built like a beast! Born for body cultivation just like me!"

"I'll definitely take him and beat him until his Body Energy awakens! He'll thank me later!"

Elder Ming Rong, gently chewing on a dumpling, dabbed her lips before speaking in a graceful tone.

"I have my eye on Yang Mi. Her talent is truly remarkable, and I believe she's concealing much of her true strength."

"But with her level of potential… perhaps she deserves a more experienced master, someone like our Peak Master, Li Qin."

She paused thoughtfully.

"But if she chooses me... I'll gladly take her in."

Elder Tian Shen of Night Veil Peak spoke, his figure draped in flowing dark robes despite the daylight, his mouth hidden behind a black veil.

"Hm… Though the recording array failed to capture Min Xhen's battle—ranked sixth among the outer disciples—I've had my eye on him for quite some time."

"His mastery of assassination arts, stealth, movement techniques, and even pretending technique is exceptional. He's a perfect fit for our peak."

"I've decided—I'll take him under my wing."

Elder Bin Ming of Jade Lotus Peak stroked his long, snow-white beard.

"I've taken an interest in Rin Jen, the Rank-7 Outer Disciple. He's exceptionally gifted in Spiritual Arts—an area our peak has long been known for. He would thrive under our tutelage."

"I am planning to take him as my personal disciple."

Elder Lin Taishin of Yellow Spring Peak added with a subtle smile,

"Len Hing, ranked ninth among the outer disciples, has shown extraordinary talent in Spiritual Purification and Support Techniques. She's a natural fit for our path. I see a promising future in her."

"I will give her the opportunity to train under my personal guidance."

Meanwhile, Elder Shing Li of Blue Mountain Peak sat in silence, his face twitching slightly.

'Damn it... These old foxes picked all the good ones. Who's left for me?!' he cursed inwardly, feeling robbed.

Then Elder Jin Shin, calm as ever, spoke in a composed tone.

"Hmm… Though Shou Bing stirred quite an uproar when he broke that Mythical-Grade Ability Assessor Artifact…"

He paused and took a sip of tea before continuing,

"...it turned out the artifact was likely already very aged and unstable. The boy wasn't the cause of the second phenomenon after all."

"But he did awaken an Earth-Rank Constitution tied to Wind Elemental Power. That, in itself, is more than enough."

"I believe he is well-suited for Azura Sky Peak and aligns perfectly with my element, so I am considering taking him as my direct disciple."

Another Elder leaned in curiously.

"By the way, does anyone know what caused that second phenomenon?"

A few murmurs followed.

"No, I don't."

"Neither do I."

All nearby Elders shook their heads.

"Whoever it was, they're hiding their presence well. Not even the higher-ups managed to uncover their identity. It's almost... eerie."

"This second phenomenon has become one of the greatest mysteries in the history of the Supreme Dao Sect."

"...Yeah!"

"But I believe one day..." an Elder said softly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation,"...that person will surely reveal themselves. And when they do..."

"The entire continent will tremble."

"Indeed it will."

...

Inside the Secret Realm, however, it remained as bright as day.

There was no night here—only endless daylight, maintained by the grand array embedded in the realm.

The Elders could shift the cycle to night if they wished, but since the competition only lasted two days, they had chosen not to.

For the past thirty-four hours, chaos had reigned within the realm.

Groups of disciples had turned on one another—stealing, ambushing, betraying, even killing—for the sake of obtaining a Purple Crystal.

On another front, hidden spies of the Azura Dragon Sect continued their slaughter—assassinating disciples one after another.

More than two thousand disciples had already perished.

Only around five hundred remained alive—perhaps even fewer.

Greed and desperation had led most of them to ruin, as the fear of leaving without a Purple Crystal pushed them into reckless battles.

By now, some of the stronger and more influential outer disciples had managed to claim multiple Purple Crystals for themselves.

Even the Inner Disciples, though fewer in number and unable to form parties, had performed admirably.

Relying on their superior experience, sharper tactics, and stronger techniques, more than twenty of them had successfully obtained Purple Crystals as well.

The line between genius and survivor was becoming thinner with every passing hour.

During that time, Reon had run tirelessly, traversing across every corner of the Secret Realm.

One by one, he hunted down the spies of the Azura Dragon Sect—eliminating almost all of them.

Now, only one remained.

And Reon was facing him in a fierce final battle.

The spy—Rin Gong—stood bloodied, battered, and barely holding onto consciousness.

His robes were torn, and his breathing ragged. Yet he clutched his spear with unwavering determination.

Opposite him, Reon also stood injured—his sect robes ripped in several places, blood trickling from gashes on his cheek and hand.

His breath came heavy, but his eyes remained sharp and focused.

He exhaled slowly.

'Good. I managed to find and eliminate every single spy hiding in this Secret Realm... Even Yang Lie couldn't do that during the competition.'

'Most of the others were far weaker than Shen Zhi or Meng Sing. Though two were at their level…'

Reon narrowed his gaze.

'And this one—Rin Gong—is nearly on par with them as well.'

'A Stage-1 Golden Core Realm cultivator, and a Spear Adept at the Proficient Level. A formidable enemy…'

'And I've exhausted every use of my Constitution Arts over the past two days just to eliminate the others. Right now, I have nothing left to rely on.'

'Still… I'll fight him alone… because I don't want to always rely on Cloudia or my constitution abilities.'

'I need to learn to depend on myself too.'

Reon lunged forward, murmuring under his breath—

"Nine Yang Sword Technique...

Second Form—Blazing Sunfall Slash."

Swoosh!

A radiant arc of condensed solar energy—like the blazing sun crashing down—sliced through the air toward Rin Gong.

But Rin Gong, despite the blood blurring his vision and the pain wracking his body, let out a roar and thrust his spear forward with all his might.

"Azura Dragon Secret Spear Technique...

Fourth Form—Piercing Dragon Lance!"

A dragon-shaped spear of spear aura burst forth, clashing with Reon's slash.

BOOOM!

A massive shockwave erupted, obliterating the surrounding landscape for hundreds of meters.

Dust, rocks, and trees were flung into the air. Both techniques canceled each other in a violent explosion of light and energy.

'Tch… he's strong. Too strong,' Reon thought, shielding his eyes.

'But I have to close the distance. That's what I've failed to do since the start of this fight.'

With a fierce resolve, Reon dashed forward again.

Rin Gong, sensing the incoming threat, gritted his teeth and began unleashing wild attacks—one after another.

Swoosh!

Swoosh!

Swoosh!

Spear strikes tore through the air in a blur.

But Reon, tapping into his Instinctual Awareness, weaved between them with incredible reflexes.

Whoosh! He ducked one.

Slide! He rolled beneath another.

"Ugh—!"

Some of the attacks grazed him—his skin splitting from the sheer force and speed—but he pushed forward regardless.

Rin Gong's arms trembled, his vision almost completely gone.

Everything around him was a blur of color and noise.

And then—

Reon was there.

Within arm's reach.

But—

"Heh…"

Rin Gong smirked at the final moment, a flicker of confidence glinting in his eyes.