In the depths of the ominous Forest of Darkness, outside the imposing black metallic castle belonging to Lord Beirut, the invincible mortal – Aiden Rohault – stood before a myriad of powerful saints, each of whom could be said to stand at the peak of their continent, with an enigmatic smile, his eyes fixed on the mysterious young woman that had captured the attention of all those present.
"You should be Yunaia Qingya, right?" Aiden's voice carried a tone of familiarity. "Lord Beirut already told me about your entering."
The mention of the name "Qingya" sent ripples of surprise through the assembly of experts who had gathered here.
Until now, the only Qingya anyone knew of was Aiden's wife, Arianna. The revelation that there were more living descendants of this renowned family piqued their interest. Even Ace and his group couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at this revelation.
Beirut had hinted at the presence of other Qingyas, but the speed at which they had encountered one of them surprised them all. However, they now understood where this woman’s courage to enter the ruins stemmed from.
If there was a lineage with the ability to enter the formidable trials of the Necropolis of the Gods as a mortal, it was those of the Qingya family.
"Lord Beirut stated that my grandmother and I would be permitted to return as long as I can reach the 12th floor,” Yunaia Qingya's gaze remained indifferent as she coolly replied. “Is that still the case?"
Aiden nodded, acknowledging her inquiry. "Indeed, it is."
With a serene demeanour, Yunaia drew a flexible long sword from her side, a weapon that seemed to resonate with the air around her. She faced Aiden, the master who would evaluate her worthiness to venture further into the Necropolis of the Gods, with calm and unwavering eyes. “Let’s begin!”
Aiden flashed an approving smile upon seeing that before turning to address the others. His voice resonated with authority as he began to explain. "This marks the first time the Necropolis of the Gods has opened its doors to mortals. However, for a mortal to gain entry, they must demonstrate a minimum level of power – a strength equivalent to that of an expert at the early stages of the saint realm."
As Aiden spoke, he summoned a large humanoid Deathgod golem from his interspatial ring, a lifeless puppet crafted with the strength of a weak early-stage saint. This inanimate colossus represented the threshold that Yunaia, as a mortal, needed to surpass.
"The challenge is simple," Aiden continued, "to enter, you must have the ability to knock down this puppet."
With the signal given, the lifeless puppet charged forward, displaying a speed that far exceeded that of what a mortal should be capable of. Yet, Yunaia remained unwavering, her focus unbroken. With a graceful motion, she gently waved her sword.
In an instant, the puppet was sent hurtling away, its massive frame crashing into the walls of the metallic lifeform. What astonished those present wasn't just the ease with which she overcame this obstacle but the enigmatic energy that had accompanied her strike.
‘That energy…’ Ace thought to himself as he replayed the scene of Yunaia’s attack over and over again in his mind.
Like everyone else, Ace couldn't help but notice the eerie, blackish-blue energy that seemed to emanate from her sword. It bore a curious resemblance to both darkness and water elemental energy…
Ace was well aware that individuals could harness multiple elements and even use them in tandem.
Olivier's use of both light and darkness elemental battle-qi during their previous encounter was a testament to this.
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However, Yunaia's attack appeared to be more than a mere addition; it was as if both elements had genuinely fused, a feat that, by all intents and purposes, should be impossible. What was even more shocking was that the might of her fused energy allowed her power to multiply tenfold. In terms of raw strength, it rivalled some peak saints. And she achieved this without even tapping into the profound mysteries.
The full extent of her abilities remained a mystery. Still, everyone present understood that, as a descendant of the legendary Qingya Clan, Yunaia's comprehension would have undoubtedly reached the profound stage, hiding immense potential yet to be revealed.
Aiden’s eyes flickered slightly, but he didn’t say much about the power displayed, instead choosing to carry on with the initial assessments.
“Congratulations, Yunaia,” Aiden smiled warmly. “You may now wait with the other saints whilst we complete this portion of the tests.”
Without another word, the white crow, who hadn’t budged from Yunaia’s shoulder this whole time, suddenly leapt off before growing drastically in size, allowing the dark-haired young woman to hop on its back.
Ignoring the stares of the other curious saints, Yunaia and her Divine Beast flew over to a secluded corner, patiently waiting.
“Which one of you brats is next?” Aiden smiled at Ace, Linley, and the others as the Deathgod Golem flew back towards the centre without so much as a scratch on it, causing all those spectating to sigh in amazement.
Before any of the others could voice their response, Wukong stepped forward with a fiendish grin as he summoned his trademark white bo-staff. “This king wants to see how tough this Deathgod Golem really is!”
Then, before Aiden could signal the match to begin, Wukong, with a casual flick of his wrist, summoned his crystalline white bo-staff, gleaming with an otherworldly radiance, before unleashing his unparalleled speed as he charged at the unprepared golem.
He seemed to defy the laws of space and time, appearing in front of the Deathgod Golem in the mere blink of an eye. It wasn’t until they heard the ape-like young expert’s devilish laugh that many even realised he was already on top of his opponent.
The sound of Wukong’s laughter was suddenly drowned out by the thunderous roar of the sound barrier being shattered as he thrust his staff forward.
Still, what truly left the spectators in awe was how Wukong's staff seemed to become the embodiment of thunder and lightning – violent, unwavering, and seemingly unstoppable. The moment of impact sent shockwaves of power rippling through the battlefield.
The puppet, once again, was sent hurtling through the air. This time, it moved with a speed that rivalled even some saints' ability to follow. The sheer force of Wukong's strike was nothing short of astonishing.
While the crowd marvelled at this extraordinary display of power, Ace, Aiden, and those associated with the Yin-Yang Pavilion remained unfazed. It was as though they had anticipated such a feat. Their calm demeanour stood in stark contrast to the astonishment that gripped the other onlookers.
They couldn't help but envy the mastery of “Concepts” demonstrated by those associated with the Pavilion, a secret knowledge they knew would never willingly be shared with outsiders.
Amid the spectators, Yunaia's navy-blue eyes widened in genuine surprise as she witnessed Wukong's astounding power and the profundities hidden within that single strike. It was then that the voice of her familiar, a white crow she stood upon, entered her mind.
"I never expected there to be a mortal capable of such power," the crow remarked. "That monkey's strength should be no weaker than a peak saint. He can’t compare to us, but still, he’s not bad."
Yunaia, reprimanding her beast partner, replied sternly, "Any mortal who dares to enter the Necropolis of the Gods isn't one to be underestimated."
She continued, emphasizing the gravity of their situation. "Oscar, remember, we can't afford to underestimate anyone when we enter the Necropolis of the Gods. If we fail, we'll forever be stuck in that desolate hell hole."
The white crow nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of their quest and the challenges they would face within the Necropolis.
At the same time, the young and handsome Olivier Akerlund watched with narrowed eyes. What was going through his mind as he saw the power of his former rival, only he knew. Still, whatever it was caused him to clench his pale fists so tight that a faint cracking sound could be heard as it trembled slightly beneath his sleeve.
“What the hell is this thing made of?” Wukong complained as he watched the giant golem climb up completely unharmed by the power of his last attack. “This King’s Storm-Fiend Staff Art should’ve at least put a dent in it!”
“You should forget about harming the Deathgod Golem at your level,” Aiden smiled helplessly. “Though this is the weakest model, it was still designed for Demi-Gods. If not for Lord Beirut reprogramming it to have the power of an early-stage saint, none of you would be able to last a single move.”
Aiden’s words caused the spectators to stare in disbelief. It had to be remembered, until recently, the two most famous experts of their Yulan Continent were two Demi-Gods. For Beirut to own such a powerful puppet… It was no wonder he was considered the true overlord of their material plane!