’A perfect match for my Fire Step Ascension!’ Chu Bai thought.
Not far from the Fire Ring, a suit of full-body armor emanated an earthen-yellow halo. Its defensive capabilities looked astonishing. It had to be a rare, Upper Grade Defensive Dharma Artifact.
’The Fire Element Ring or that Treasure Armor...’
Chu Bai mused, ’No matter which one I get, it will be a huge boost to my combat power.’
While everyone was still deliberating, a voice devoid of any emotion suddenly echoed from above, instantly igniting the fuse of battle.
"First round, begin!"
At the Judge’s command, the invisible barrier instantly dissipated.
BOOM!
The once-still formation of a hundred cultivators exploded into motion. Countless rays of Spiritual Light shot skyward, and a torrent of iridescent Body Techniques flared to life. Like arrows loosed from a bow, they all charged toward the wasteland where the Dharma Artifacts lay buried.
"Haha! I’ll be taking the lead!"
A wild laugh echoed across the field.
A burly man built like an iron tower stepped out. Flames erupted under his feet as he walked directly on the air. Each step covered dozens of yards, and he surged to the front with unstoppable momentum.
His name was Wu Jianfei, a third-year Fire Cultivator. His Fire Techniques were ferocious and unparalleled, and he was a notoriously ruthless figure at the Daoist School.
However, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
The instant he was about to pull away from the main pack, several subtle fluctuations of Spiritual Power erupted from behind.
"Rise!"
Someone let out a low shout.
The ground beneath Wu Jianfei’s feet violently swelled, and four thick earthen walls instantly closed in, forming a sturdy cage that trapped him inside.
At the same time, several ice spikes and wind blades whistled through the air, cutting off all his routes of escape.
There were no rules against any means, so interfering with one another was naturally permitted.
Faced with a powerhouse trying to seize the initiative, everyone had a tacit understanding: join forces and suppress him first.
"Hmph!"
Trapped in the cage, Wu Jianfei wasn’t the least bit annoyed.
Crimson flames erupted from his body, and his fists, like a pair of red-hot sledgehammers, smashed violently against the earthen wall in front of him.
BOOM!
Earth and stone flew as the cage instantly shattered.
He strode out from the dust. Though his advance had been briefly halted, his aura was even more imposing. He turned and grinned at the crowd behind him. "Instead of wasting your efforts trying to stop me, you’d be better off saving some Spiritual Power so you don’t get trapped yourselves!"
His words were arrogant, but they hit the nail on the head.
Everyone was there to claim a Dharma Artifact. If they exhausted their Spiritual Power on infighting, they’d have nothing left when it was time to actually commune with an artifact. Now that would be a joke.
Perhaps his words served as a wake-up call, or perhaps they saw that the tough and durable Wu Jianfei was too much trouble to deal with. In any case, the number of Magic Techniques aimed at him dropped significantly.
The burly man seized the opportunity to press his advantage, once again solidifying his position in the leading pack.
Not everyone had it as easy as him, however.
The few people at the very front were also being restricted, even though no one was specifically targeting them.
This wasteland was a special Spirit Realm. The deeper one went, the heavier the formless Spiritual Pressure became, as if one were carrying an immense weight on their shoulders.
"Damn it! Someone tripped me with vines!"
"Who conjured this mist? Have some decency!"
In just a few breaths, the main group had already advanced several hundred meters.
But because of the endless stream of interference tactics, the distance that should have separated them never materialized.
The dozen or so people in the leading pack were neck and neck. No one dared to rush too far ahead, afraid of becoming everyone’s target.
Chu Bai remained in the middle of the pack, in no hurry to rush to the front.
Using his Fire Step Ascension, he moved like a slippery fish, weaving through the chaos of errant Magic Techniques.
’No need to rush.’
Chu Bai’s gaze was calm. ’Rushing ahead now will only turn me into a living target. The real struggle begins after five hundred yards, during the artifact communion phase.’
’I’m already near the front, so I don’t need to waste energy obstructing others. I should conserve my Spiritual Power for snatching an artifact.’
’Besides, there’s no limit to how many Dharma Artifacts you can end up with...’

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