Chapter 693: The Great Hunt Begins
After the grand bestowment ceremony ended, Xiao Ze had just returned to the main hall when he noticed a petite figure seated on the throne.
The finely sculpted face of Mandala bore a deep frown, her brows knitted as though burdened by troubling thoughts.
"What's wrong, Mandala?" Xiao Ze asked.
"The Great Hunt might begin earlier than expected," Mandala replied with a tinge of frustration. Then, as if realizing something, she turned to explain.
"You've just arrived in the Great Thousand World, so you probably don't know about the Great Hunt. Let me explain."
"The Great Hunt," she began, "is a deadly competition in the Northern Region's chaotic territories. It determines the region's dominant powers. The danger is unimaginable no faction, not even the top tier ones, can guarantee their survival."
"And the battleground for the Great Hunt is none other than the Northern Region's Forbidden Zone: the Fallen Battlefield."
As Mandala recounted its history, Xiao Ze nodded, his understanding deepening.
The Fallen Battlefield was an ancient war zone where countless top tier experts perished during the invasion of the Great Thousand World by the Extraterritorial Evil Race.
The Tianluo Continent, like the rest of the Great Thousand World, was ravaged by the war. The Northern Region saw some of the most intense battles, leaving the Fallen Battlefield saturated with chaotic spiritual energy, as volatile as a dormant volcano.
Even Earth Sovereign experts were wary of the spiritual storms that raged within the battlefield. Only during brief periods of calm, when the storms weakened, could people enter. This window marked the start of the Great Hunt.
Until recently, most factions estimated that the next Hunt was still some time away. However, recent intelligence suggested the storms outside the Fallen Battlefield were subsiding earlier than anticipated.
Xiao Ze pondered this development. The Fallen Battlefield, as an ancient war site, likely held countless treasures and legacies of the fallen experts. This could be an opportunity for him to gain substantial benefits.
Noticing Xiao Ze's contemplative expression, Mandala asked, "Are you interested in the Great Hunt?"
"I am," Xiao Ze admitted. "If I can obtain some legacies from the battlefield, it would greatly enhance my strength."
Mandala's brows furrowed slightly, her tone turning serious. "The Fallen Battlefield is extremely dangerous. You must think carefully. If you don't enter, even if Daluo Heavenly Territory loses and is divided by other top tier factions, your status as an alchemist would ensure your safety in another faction."
"But if you do enter, the battlefield is a place of kill or be killed. No one will care about your identity as an alchemist."
Xiao Ze nodded, his expression solemn. "I understand the risks, but the path of cultivation is one of continuous struggle. Opportunities are won, not given."
Mandala studied him for a moment before smiling faintly. "In truth, the early start of the Great Hunt isn't entirely a bad thing for you."
She continued, "The approaching Hunt will push top factions to enhance their strength urgently. Pills, which offer quick results, will be more sought after than ever."
Xiao Ze's eyes lit up. "Does that mean the auction will be even more successful?"
Mandala nodded. "Exactly. But leave the details to me. Your focus should be on refining the pills."
Soon, a major announcement shook the Northern Region: Daluo Heavenly Territory would host a pill auction, featuring items that could benefit even late stage Sovereigns.
The timing of this auction, coinciding with preparations for the Great Hunt, immediately drew attention. Factions with vast reserves of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid were eager to exchange it for treasures that could boost their power and survival odds.
For those at the late stage Sovereign level, where progress was painstakingly slow, even massive amounts of spiritual liquid often yielded little improvement.
A single pill could offer hope for breakthroughs where talent alone fell short.
Unsurprisingly, the news set the region abuzz. Leaders of first rate factions, particularly those at late stage Sovereign levels, began amassing resources to secure these coveted pills.
In Daluo Peak's palace, Mandala sat cross legged on her throne, surrounded by a flowing river of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid. Each breath she took refined massive quantities of liquid, strengthening her already formidable body.
After a long session, Mandala opened her eyes, the gleam of spiritual light fading as she absorbed the river of liquid back into her spatial ring.
"Could Xiao Ze really create pills for Earth Sovereigns, as he claimed?" she mused, her golden eyes glimmering with a mix of curiosity and expectation.
With a flash of her figure, she appeared at the entrance to Xiao Ze's chamber.
As though sensing her arrival, the doors opened to reveal a slightly weary Xiao Ze. He exhaled deeply, regaining his composure before handing her a spatial ring.
"Mandala, everything is ready. I'll leave it to you," he said, his tone serious.
Mandala accepted the ring, her eyes flashing with surprise as she inspected its contents. She turned back to Xiao Ze, her lips curling into a confident smile.
"Don't worry. I guarantee you'll earn no less than 10 million Sovereign Spiritual Liquid from this auction."
With that, she turned to leave but paused as if remembering something.
"You're planning to join the Great Hunt, aren't you?" she asked. "If so, have you considered leading an army?"
Mandala's gaze deepened. "Your talent in spirit arrays is extraordinary easily among the best in the Great Thousand World. Perhaps you should consider the path of a war formation master."
Her words carried a note of intrigue.
Mandala had been closely observing Xiao Ze's rapid progress in spirit arrays. His advancement from basic understanding to mastery of Spirit Arrays in just a few weeks was unheard of.
If Xiao Ze weren't from a lower realm, she might have assumed he was simply recovering knowledge from a past life.
Even among the most elite spirit array practitioners in the Great Thousand World, such progress was inconceivable.
And yet, Xiao Ze had achieved it.
Mandala couldn't help but wonder: could Xiao Ze also master the art of war formations, a skill that could dominate battlefields and secure unparalleled victories?
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