"In the region you descend into within the secret realm, the fierce beasts and spirit beasts you'll encounter will all be at the Sea of Divinity Realm. Of course, whether you can bring them out or form a contract with them depends entirely on your own strength. You might tame a mount... or end up eaten instead," said Commander Hei coolly.
"Forming a contract with a mount will be the first trial of this martial tournament. The goal of this trial is to tame a mount. There are no rules. Use any method you like—whether it's poisoning or playing cute—as long as you succeed, you win. You may fight each other; death equals elimination. After one day, only those who are still alive and possess a mount will be eligible for the second trial, the real tournament. If you don't have a mount, even if you're alive, you're out. That's how cruel our competition is," Brother Xiaosa laughed heartily.
"And of course, this is the most official competition. Not only are there prizes, but also an audience! The audience will be made up of the top powerhouses from across the Eternal Continent. Because the Immortal Mountains and Immortal Sects are sealed and these great beings can't participate in the tournament, we've offered them a special benefit: they'll be spectators. Your every move will be seen by them. Perhaps one might even take a liking to you. So go ahead—kill, rob, and die joyfully!" shouted Commander Hei with fervor.
"Go now! This is the first-ever Martial Tournament. You will be part of history, remembered by the entire Eternal Continent. Leave behind an indelible mark. Remember: you have only one day to obtain your mount. Once it's over, the opportunity will be gone forever!" Brother Xiaosa declared loudly. "The tournament begins!"
As his words fell, a mysterious force suddenly erupted.
Yi Tianxing felt a powerful force dragging his body downward, completely out of his control, as though he were skydiving from an airplane—plummeting toward the ground, and accelerating fast.
In the void, most cultivators had no ability to float or fly. The sudden drop caused many faces to change drastically. Everyone knew falling from a great height could mean serious injury—or even death—regardless of cultivation.
"No! Why! Commander Hei! Brother Xiaosa! I'm your biggest fan! Can I get a parachute?! I don't want to die from falling!"
A pained wail echoed through the air.
"Huh? A Heaven's Chosen?"
Yi Tianxing raised an eyebrow. This person not only knew of Commander Hei and Brother Xiaosa, but also mentioned parachutes—a clear sign he came from Earth. Just that sentence made it 70-80% likely he was a Heaven's Chosen.
Still, he quickly shrugged it off. A Heaven's Chosen, blessed with fortune, usually wouldn't die so easily. Most managed to survive the early trials and even received lucky chances. Entering the martial tournament wasn't surprising.
"No time to worry about them. I've got to take care of myself first. Maybe I'll get lucky and contract a solid mount."
Yi Tianxing steeled himself.
"Ahhh! Yi!! Master!! Help meee!! I'm going to be the first dog emperor to die from falling!! I don't wanna die!"
Green Emperor let out a miserable shriek, flailing his limbs in the air like he was dog-paddling—utterly ridiculous.
"This coward!" Yi Tianxing frowned and reached out to grab him—but he only managed to catch his tail.
"Haha! I knew it! I, Green Emperor, am not so easily killed!" the dog yelled proudly as his tail was caught. But then panic returned, "Master! Don't let go! I'm your most loyal dog! I'll bite anyone you tell me to—East, West, North—aaaahhh!"
Before he could finish, Green Emperor had already flown off again.
"My hand… slipped."
Yi Tianxing retracted his hand. Green Emperor had no fur anywhere, not even on his tail—no grip at all. It truly was a slip.
Everything happened in a flash.
Yi Tianxing's body plummeted rapidly and pierced through a thick layer of mist. The fog turned out to be just a veil, and once through it, he saw an expansive stretch of mountain ranges, endless and majestic—a boundless world unto itself.
"Crap, I'm about to crash!"
"No, no, lift me up!"
"Don't let me hit a rock!"
More cultivators fell like shooting stars. As they neared the ground, each began to display their own methods for surviving. No one could see how others fared—Yi Tianxing had already plunged into the forest.
"Luck's on my side. There's a lake!"
Just as he prepared to use a robe as a makeshift parachute to slow his fall, he spotted shimmering light from below. It was a lake, right beneath him.
He abandoned his original plan. Landing in water would be infinitely better than hitting solid ground. It was the perfect spot.
As for Green Emperor? Who knew where that dog had flown off to.
"That mangy mutt won't die. He'll definitely stir up trouble somewhere. But since this is the competition arena, it shouldn't matter too much."
With that thought, Yi Tianxing hit the lake.
BOOM!
The water erupted in a massive explosion, waves splashing in all directions like someone had dropped a bomb into it. The force of hitting water from that height wasn't much better than hitting ground. If it were an ordinary person, their organs would've been wrecked instantly.
Through the crystal-clear lake, fish and aquatic creatures scattered in panic. Many species Yi Tianxing couldn't even name.
Not staying underwater, he immediately floated up, bursting from the surface.
BOOM!
Just as he surfaced, another loud splash echoed.
In a flash, he saw another figure fall into the lake. It looked like… a woman?
"Not good."
Yi Tianxing had just started to swim for the shore when water surged again. From it emerged a breathtakingly beautiful woman, her icy expression tinged with allure. Her palace robes, soaked by the lake, clung to her body, accentuating every curve—her full chest trembling, an irresistible sight.
The allure was beyond imagination.
Even Yi Tianxing couldn't help but feel parched and flushed. He'd been too busy building settlements and battling beasts lately. Though Cai Yan was by his side, he'd held back out of respect, waiting for the right moment. But now, with his suppressed desires bubbling up…
Seeing such a goddess of a woman, wet and vulnerable—his rational mind nearly lost the battle.
"No. I have to leave. This will definitely go wrong if I stay."
He averted his gaze with great difficulty, forcing himself to swim away. The woman's figure was carved in his mind—it took immense willpower not to act on instinct.
He knew that ancient women deeply valued their chastity. Even though she was clothed, the wet garments left nothing to the imagination. No woman would remain calm after being seen like that.
Better to flee now than to risk disaster.
Still… before turning away, he couldn't resist one last glance.
"You lecherous bastard! You dared look at my body? Then you shall die!"
Fury flashed in the woman's eyes. She had clearly realized what happened and was both shocked and enraged. Before falling, she had seen the lake was empty. She never imagined a man would suddenly appear and witness everything.
And with the water so clear… nothing had been hidden.