Age of Evolution

Chapter 744: Chapter 747: Public Enemy of the Qin Kingdom

The importance of Holy Land Warriors to a country goes without saying.

Generally speaking, in a small country like Nan Liang, it is quite impressive if a country can have one or two Holy Land Warriors. Some countries don’t even have a single Holy Land Warrior for millions of years. Without Holy Land Warriors, a country would be weak and looked down upon by others.

In the Original World, with five million kingdoms, only a few thousand Holy Land Warriors emerge every ten years, which demonstrates how rare these warriors are.

More and more people began to gather in the Qin Kingdom, awaiting the start of the Holy Land competition.

On the shores of Falling Star Lake, arenas had been set up early on for the martial artists to battle one another.

Entering the Holy Land isn’t so simple; one must win ten consecutive matches in the elimination round to secure a spot in the Huang Class. It can be likened to passing a single-log bridge among thousands of competitors; a slight lack of strength would render success impossible.

As the host country where Falling Star Lake is located, the Qin Kingdom has the most participants. Every time the Holy Land selection takes place, the kingdom becomes as lively as the New Year celebrations.

One particular group in the Qin Kingdom stands out, and that is the followers of National Master Qian Tong.

Qian Tong’s status in the Qin Kingdom is unmatched. As the only Saint-Level Alchemist in the Original World, Qian Tong’s position even surpasses that of the king of the Qin Kingdom, receiving countless people’s admiration and enjoying numerous privileges.

For instance, during this Holy Land Warrior selection, Qian Tong alone has one hundred nomination spots!

At the National Master’s Mansion, all the people Qian Tong nominated have assembled.

Qian Tong sits on the throne in the great hall of the National Master’s Mansion, surrounded by magnificent decorations that rival the Imperial Palace, yet nobody would dare to question it.

He wears a golden Alchemist robe, and above his head, three flowers can be seen faintly appearing.

These three flowers respectively represent the Flower of Vitality, Flower of Qi, and Flower of Spiritual mind.

The blossoming of these three flowers signifies that a martial artist’s essence, Qi, and spirit have all reached their peak state. Qian Tong is indeed at the peak of the Three Flowers Realm!

Looking down at the hundred martial artists standing below him, Qian Tong nods in satisfaction.

These people are all his trusted followers, carefully handpicked by him.

According to his judgment, if there are no major accidents, at least ten of these hundred people should be able to enter the Holy Land, which is his goal.

His followers already include many Holy Land Warriors, and he sends a batch of people to participate in the competition every ten years.

With more and more Holy Land Warriors gathered under his command, Qian Tong’s position in the kingdom has become increasingly stable and he is almost like the puppet emperor of the Qin.

Controlling a large amount of high-level martial force and dominating the entire Da Qin Empire’s elixir market, Qian Tong is truly a winner in life.

“The first round battle list has been released. I only have one requirement for the first round: all of you must pass!”

Qian Tong’s tone is authoritative and commanding, exhibiting the demeanor of one who has long been in a superior position.

“Tell me about your first round battles. Are any of your opponents particularly strong or problematic?”

The martial artists exchange glances amongst themselves, saying nothing, implying that there are no problems.

“Oh! All of you have so much confidence? That’s great; I hope none of you disappoint me.”

“Please rest assured, Saint Master! We will definitely pass!”

In the seventh row of martial artists, a man named Jiao Xi checks who his opponent is for the first round.

Lin Zhen!

Jiao Xi is familiar with Lin Zhen, who had eliminated Qin Jianfeng and claimed first place in the Divine Punishment Star competition.

However, defeating Qin Jianfeng isn’t considered a significant feat. Taking into account Qin Jianfeng’s young age and limited years of cultivation, Jiao Xi believes he too could easily eliminate Qin Jianfeng.

After all, he is a Longevity Realm martial artist, which places him at a different level compared to a World King.

“I’ve really drawn a good lot this time. Lin Zhen is very famous in the Original World, and ever since he entered the competition, countless fans have been supporting him. When I eliminate him in the first round, I will immediately become the center of attention.”

Upon learning that Jiao Xi’s first-round opponent is Lin Zhen, his fellow competitors cast envious glances at him. While they all have to face one round of battle, Jiao Xi has the opportunity to defeat a renowned martial artist; it’s as if he has struck luck.

Qian Tong inquires about the key martial artists’ battle conditions. Among these one hundred people, ten are considered key martial artists, who Qian Tong believes are guaranteed to enter the Holy Land. For this reason, he deliberately manipulated the registration time to ensure that these ten people wouldn’t encounter each other during the elimination round.

In his view, the key martial artists’ entry to the Holy Land is virtually guaranteed. All he hopes for now is that a few more people from the other martial artists will surpass his expectations and give him a pleasant surprise.

His gaze sweeps across the room and lands on Jiao Xi.

“Jiao Xi, I heard that your first-round opponent is the champion of the Divine Punishment Star?”

“Yes, Saint Master, his name is Lin Zhen.”

“Good. This is an excellent opportunity to make a name for yourself. Though Lin Zhen is not well-liked in the Qin Kingdom, he definitely garners attention. When you battle against Lin Zhen, if you get the chance, announce that you’re from my faction. Because in the first elimination round, your battle will certainly attract a lot of attention.”

Jiao Xi understands Qian Tong’s intention, which is to seize the opportunity to advertise himself.

“Please rest assured, Master. I, Jiao Xi, will definitely fulfill my duty!”

********

Before every Holy Land competition, the list of participants would be scrutinized under a metaphorical microscope by the people.

When Lin Zhen’s name appeared, it set off a frenzy in the Qin Kingdom!

More than three years had passed since the Divine Punishment Star event. Countless major events happened every day in the Original World. Even though there were countless competitions daily, the Divine Punishment Star event was almost completely forgotten.

However, while people from other countries could forget, the people of the Qin Kingdom could not.

They remembered clearly how Qin Jianfeng was essentially guaranteed to win first place during the Divine Punishment Star event. He was in the lead from the start and maintained it until the last moment.

But in the end, Lin Zhen snatched the victory from Qin Jianfeng with a last-second finishing move, leaving the people of Qin Kingdom furious. Even though it was later discovered that Qin Jianfeng was from the Imperial Clan, the people of Qin Kingdom didn’t harbor hatred towards them.

At least under the leadership of Qin Wushang, the Qin Kingdom became the strongest nation in the Original World. Even though most Qin citizens knew Qin Wushang was from the Imperial Clan, they still held him in high regard.

Especially the Imperial Clan worshippers, who blasted Lin Zhen to great lengths online, viciously attacking him every chance they got.

Unfortunately, Lin Zhen later became a wanted criminal and disappeared without a trace, calming down the situation. However, the hatred the people of Qin Kingdom harbored towards Lin Zhen never diminished.

Unexpectedly, Lin Zhen, who crushed the Qin Kingdom’s hopes three years before, appeared in this Holy Land selection!

As a result, many people in the Qin Kingdom saw an opportunity to raise a ruckus in the Dimensional Universe, calling for Lin Zhen’s death in the arena!

“Hahaha! Look who I found. Isn’t this the champion of the Divine Punishment Star, Lin Zhen? How come he’s now representing the Kirin Clan?”

“Don’t you know? He’s just a stray dog who was unceremoniously driven out of Nan Liang.”

“Despicable fugitive, do you think you’ll be safe in Da Qin? How did our great nation start to decline? It’s all because of you! I curse you to get your just deserts!”

“No need for curses. This guy is about to get what he deserves. As soon as the competition begins, the Qin martial artists must make sure to take him down in the arena!”

“That’s right! Don’t give him a chance to crush his amulet, kill him!”

“I’m also a participant. My name is Cai Jie, and my registration number also starts with 7. Technically, I’d have a chance to encounter Lin Zhen, but I doubt he’ll last long enough to meet me. I bet he’ll be eliminated in the first round.”

“Quick, let’s find out who Lin Zhen’s opponent is so we can go support them!”

“Found it, found it! It’s someone recommended by Master Qian! His name is Jiao Xi.”

“Awesome! All the people recommended by the Master are strong. Lin Zhen, you’re done for!”

“Register for our group to watch Lin Zhen die miserably in the arena. Everyone will receive snacks and a small stool, paid for by me!”

“No need for you to pay! We’ll all chip in. Watching Lin Zhen die is something we all want to see! Hahaha!”

Originally, this arena competition was filled with incredible fighters who deserved people’s attention.

However, this was the Qin Kingdom, and Lin Zhen, the Kingdom’s public enemy, had surfaced, sparking a wave of national outrage. People even spontaneously organized online.

Countless people planned to witness Lin Zhen’s failure. There were solo viewers, teams, and even people who made banners and placards to support Jiao Xi or mock Lin Zhen.

These banners were incredibly inventive, using every possible technique to ridicule and mock Lin Zhen.

Analytical articles began appearing in the Dimensional Universe, discussing the respective strengths of Lin Zhen and Jiao Xi.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

These people, called Data Emperors, provided a comprehensive three-dimensional analysis. They used the past records, Star Power comparisons, ultimate move comparisons, realm comparisons, popularity comparisons, and countless other factors concerning both fighters.

Many people supported these posts. After all, they were martial artists, and logical judgments were expected.

Betting parlors started opening wagers on who would win between Lin Zhen and Jiao Xi.

The spotlight was stolen from all other powerful fighters by this focused battle, leaving many competitors who planned to make a perfect debut in the first match feeling annoyed.

Jiao Xi instantly became the hottest martial artist in the Qin Kingdom, reportedly gaining several hundred million fans in the Dimensional Universe within a day!

Of course, this wasn’t due to Jiao Xi’s personal charisma or his relationship with Qian Tong. It was entirely because Lin Zhen had a terrible reputation in the Qin Kingdom. Everyone hoped Jiao Xi would swiftly defeat Lin Zhen and give the citizens of Qin Kingdom a chance to vent.

With a wave of overwhelming support, everyone took notice. Jiao Xi felt as if he was floating on air.

He didn’t realize that fighting Lin Zhen would have so many benefits. It seemed he was truly becoming famous.

Jiao Xi clenched his fists in excitement, determined to show his brilliance in the first match. He would crush Lin Zhen beneath his feet and bask in the cheers of the crowd.

Seizing this opportunity would be his first step towards the peak of his life!