The Duke of Thunder couldn't resist the temptation of profit and intended to join forces with the bald elder to kill Wang Xiaoqiang, but seeing Wang Xiaoqiang and Yuu Qingxue suddenly strike and successfully injure the bald elder together, he very sensibly dismissed the idea.

He cast a wary glance at the two, radiating caution. Seeing they didn't attack him, he abruptly turned and sprinted forward towards the path to the checkpoint.

Wang Xiaoqiang, seeing this, did not trouble the Duke of Thunder but instead approached the bald elder, who was heavily injured and lying on the ground, spitting blood with a venomous gaze locked onto Wang Xiaoqiang, gritting his teeth, "Kid, you win."

While speaking, he took out an Instant Escape Talisman, preparing to crush it and flee.

"Hmph, I've been merciful enough to you; otherwise, you'd be dead by now." Wang Xiaoqiang sneered as he approached.

The bald elder showed a vigilant look, slightly moving his hand holding the Instant Escape Talisman. Wang Xiaoqiang halted and said, "What I want to tell you is, you've already been hit by my Yin Blade. The Yin Fiend on the blade has entered your body, but I won't save you. Now, if you escape from the Hundred Battles Fierce Chamber, you might still have a chance of survival. However, your cultivation base will be suppressed by the Yin Fiend. Only I can quickly dispel it. If you want to restore your cultivation, come find me after I've finished my match." Wang Xiaoqiang sneered.

"Hmph, you must be joking. Do you think I believe you?" the bald elder said, but immediately felt a chilling aura spread from the blade wound through his body. Startled, he quickly activated his Fire Element Immortal Liquid within to resist. Fortunately, he had a Fire Element Spirit Root, but soon realized that the Fire Element Immortal Liquid was minimally effective against the Yin Fiend, barely keeping him from freezing.

"Believe it or not," Wang Xiaoqiang said, ignoring him further and looking toward Yuu Qingxue, "Qingxue, let's go through the checkpoint."

Yuu Qingxue nodded, and the two ignored the bald elder and proceeded to the checkpoint.

The bald elder, unwilling to believe Wang Xiaoqiang's words though he did, was forced by reality to accept them. Filled with both hatred and regret, he realized he could have fought through the checkpoints for achievements, fame, and profit, but now his cultivation was firmly suppressed by the Yin Fiend. It was hard enough to fend off the Yin Fiend with his Fire Element Immortal Liquid without crossing any checkpoints.

In unwilling hesitation, he decisively crushed the Instant Escape Talisman. The talisman shattered, transforming into a dark light enveloping him and carrying him out of the Hundred Battles Fierce Chamber.

When the bald elder exited the Hundred Battles Secret Chamber and returned to Biluo City Square, the two Government Officials guarding the square fixed their gaze on him. Their Divine Sense detected his wounds and lack of a Checkpoint Token, revealing their surprise and odd expressions.

Leaving the Hundred Battles Chamber without passing a single checkpoint was unprecedented in previous competitions, an utter disgrace for him personally.

One of the government officers held a Jade Book before the bald elder, revealing his information, and read with a playful tone, "Dai Ying, age 253, leader of Snow Eagle Tribe, Great Luo Golden Immortal Ninth Liquid Realm cultivation base, ranked 29th in the 56th Golden Immortal Ranking..."

The other officer, hearing this, looked at the bald elder with an increasingly odd and amused expression, saying involuntarily, "Dai Ying, you were ranked 29th last competition, and now you're 100th? That's quite a drop!"

Dai Ying blushed with shame, too embarrassed to respond, immediately sit in meditation, operating his cultivation, using his Fire Element Immortal Liquid to expel the Yin Fiend.

But soon, he found Wang Xiaoqiang's words true. His Fire Element Immortal Liquid was too weak to expel the Yin Fiend rapidly. After a long effort, he expelled only a negligible amount.

"Could it be that Wang Xiaoqiang spared me not out of kindness, but intentionally to use the Yin Fiend to control me? But could his Immortal Liquid truly quickly help me dispel the Sickness?" Dai Ying muttered, overwhelmingly despairing.

...

Meanwhile, Wang Xiaoqiang and Yuu Qingxue each entered a checkpoint path. Although the two paths were adjacent and they could see each other, a Restriction separated them. The Restriction was incredibly solid, impervious to any Spell Techniques, even a Purple Mansion Immortal couldn't break it.

Therefore, despite being not far apart and seemingly side by side in their challenge, they could only follow their path, unable to assist each other in any way.

After running for several hundred meters on the checkpoint path, Wang Xiaoqiang encountered the first checkpoint, where a person stood, with red hair and a sinister expression.

Experience told him this was an Evil Immortal.

During a task at Wind Rain Pavilion, Wang Xiaoqiang had faced an Evil Immortal, aware of their terrors.

Evil Immortals advanced through various crooked Evil Arts, with the Spell Techniques being bizarrely ruthless. Compared to a regular cultivator of the same cultivation base, they were no match for an Evil Immortal.

Wang Xiaoqiang's Divine Sense sweep revealed that this Evil Immortal was a Great Luo Golden Immortal Seventh Liquid Realm expert, equating to a Great Luo Golden Immortal Eighth Liquid Realm or even Ninth Liquid Realm expert in strength.

This Evil Immortal was a formidable presence among competitors, but Wang Xiaoqiang was unfazed.

Clipped to the Evil Immortal's inner clothes was a Checkpoint Token, and Wang Xiaoqiang's goal was to seize it, which required killing the Evil Immortal.

The Evil Immortal, upon seeing Wang Xiaoqiang, glanced over him, showing surprise and disdain—surprised that Wang Xiaoqiang's cultivation was only Great Luo Golden Immortal Third Liquid Realm.

Normally, to enter the Hundred Battles Chamber, at least a Great Luo Golden Immortal Sixth Liquid Realm is needed; none of such rank could reach this stage in the Golden Immortal Ranking. Wang Xiaoqiang's rank was a first in the competition's history.

Pressed for time, Wang Xiaoqiang stepped forward without hesitation, casting a cold glance at the Evil Immortal, "Either hand over the Checkpoint Token yourself, or die."

The Evil Immortal curled his lips in a surprised yet contemptuous smile, saying, "Hmm? Low cultivation but big talk. With your level, you think you can kill me? Could you have gotten into the ranking competition through connections?"

Wang Xiaoqiang, hearing this, answered with a question, "I am curious, how come you Evil Immortals, mortal foes with us orthodox cultivators, work for the officials, cooperating with this competition..."

The Evil Immortal was slightly taken aback by the question, then with a sparkle in his eye, replied, "Mmm, that's a good question. It shows you're a meticulous thinker. Fine, since you're about to die, let's enlighten you. We were originally orthodox cultivators but went astray by poor associations with Evil Immortals or practicing forbidden arts. Caught, we were imprisoned in the Ninefold Dungeon. The officials offered us a chance to atone: cooperating with the Golden Immortal Ranking."

"To put it simply, if I kill you, I earn a chance to atone and shed all Evil Arts, being accepted by orthodox cultivators. Conversely, if you kill me, you win my Checkpoint Token; it's that simple."

"So, essentially, I'm betting on a game; you're betting your life," Wang Xiaoqiang said with a playful smile.

"Exactly, though you have an Instant Escape Talisman, if you react slowly, you might die. So, young man, I advise you to make plans early—knowing when to retreat is the true hero; I don't want my hands stained with blood. If you forfeit and leave the Hundred Battles Chamber, we'll be at peace..."

"Hahaha, are you scared?" Wang Xiaoqiang said with a playful smile at the Evil Immortal.

"What? I'm scared? I merely see potential in you, young with such cultivation, and a meticulous mind, so I don't want to kill you. If you ignore my advice, your Great Luo Golden Immortal Third Liquid Realm isn't even enough to make me bat an eye." (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)

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