Immortal of the Nine Realms

Half a day later, the divine ability users of the various races had finished settling the outcomes among themselves and established a clear ranking. Now, as long as Dai Congyun defeated Fang Chen, he would win first place, leaving Fang Chen in second place.

Dai Congyun cupped his hands to Fang Chen. "God Race, Dai Congyun."

Fang Chen did the same. "Human Race, Fang Chen."

Dai Congyun smiled. "When fighting you, I can only give it my absolute all. Therefore, there may be injuries or even death between us. I ask for your understanding."

Fang Chen shook his head. "We are in no rush to fight."

Dai Congyun went blank for a moment. The surrounding divine ability users exchanged glances.

One of the Southern God Race divine ability users laughed. "If you don't fight now, are you planning to tie for first? The Saint Tower Battle has no such rule. You two should finish your clash as soon as possible and decide who is number one."

He glanced at Fang Chen. "Friend, your Three Heads and Six Arms technique is remarkably extraordinary. If you use it to defeat Dai Congyun, you could even consider that the beginning of a friendly relationship with the Southern God Race."

"I think he's just a member of your Southern God Race, isn't he? Masquerading as a weak race to participate in the Saint Tower Battle. What sort of scheme is your Southern God Race playing?" a divine ability user suddenly questioned out loud. "When we were besieging him just now, the Southern God Race didn't put any effort into helping. You're clearly in cahoots."

These words immediately sowed a trace of suspicion in everyone's hearts.

However, the Southern God Race divine ability user laughed it off. "That is because our Saint has a wager with the God Race Saint. He possesses the strength to seize the championship, so we naturally wouldn't make a move. As long as he takes first place, we win this wager."

Hearing that, the crowd fell completely silent.

Dai Congyun also looked at Fang Chen and smiled. "There's no need for you to have any concerns. Let us settle the outcome right now."

"No rush," Fang Chen refused with a smile once more, with no intention of making a move just yet.

He swept his gaze across the divine ability users of the various races. "They already have their rankings and will sequentially concede and leave once the time comes. Once they are all gone, we can settle our outcome then."

"Well, aren't you something? You actually think we are going to go back on our word and refuse to surrender when the time comes?"

"Judging the heart of a gentleman by the standards of a petty man. What a joke."

The divine ability users of the various races were all angered into laughter.

Dai Congyun's brow furrowed slightly, but he then nodded. "Very well. After all, the Saint Tower Battle is no child's play, and taking first place in one's rank yields substantial rewards. It is only right for you to be this cautious. After all, no one from the Human Race has ever walked as far as you have. You are no longer fighting for yourself; you represent the race behind you."

Within the various Human Inner Domains, a look of realization dawned in everyone's eyes, though some still felt that Fang Chen's actions were excessively cautious.

A human divine ability user shook his head. "There is no need for him to act this way. What kind of supreme existences are the top twelve races? They naturally care about their reputation. There is absolutely no way they would go back on their word."

Going back on their word at a time like this would only give others something to hold against them and turn them into a laughingstock.

Wang Chongsong rolled his eyes. "Your words make absolutely no sense. This is called assuming the worst first so everyone can behave like gentlemen afterward. Old Fang has already made it perfectly clear. As long as these fellows who have already sorted out their rankings concede and leave when the time comes, won't it be fine? It doesn't interfere with the final battle between Old Fang and the guy from the God Race anyway."

Hearing that, the Wandao Alliance divine ability user gave an awkward smile and stopped speaking, though judging by his expression, he clearly disagreed.

***

Time ticked away, minute by minute.

An unknown amount of time passed. When the Sky Hood contracted once more, the designated time to surrender and concede finally arrived.

At the beginning, the divine ability users of the various races did indeed leave one after another in accordance with their agreed rankings, strictly keeping their promise. However, when it came to the few divine ability users from the Southern God Race, a sudden twist occurred.

"Why aren't you guys leaving?"

A Southern God Race divine ability user laughed. "Even Dai Congyun said it himself. The Saint Tower Battle is of paramount importance. How can it be treated like a childish game?"

The remaining divine ability users looked at one another, a collective look of astonishment surfacing in their eyes. Even Dai Congyun was caught off guard.

Finally, one divine ability user snapped out of it. "From the very beginning, you never intended to leave like this? You were waiting for most of the others to leave so you could reap the benefits afterward? You intended to let this divine ability user from a weak race fight Dai Congyun for first place. You wanted... to take first place for yourselves?"

The divine ability users ranked above them all roared in anger.

"By what right? Just because there are three of you from the Southern God Race, you think you can treat us like fools and reap the spoils of our absence?"

"Do not degrade the reputation of our powerful races! Keep your promise and leave at once!"

***

Inside the Inner Domain. The Wandao Alliance divine ability user who had previously thought Fang Chen was being overly cautious could not help but smile bitterly. "As one of the top twelve races, this Southern God Race truly does not care about their reputation at all."

"Yeah... who could have expected this..."

"Hmph, unexpected? That is exactly why they are one of the top twelve races," Wang Chongsong sneered. "To climb to such heights within the Divine Realm, did you truly believe they succeeded through benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, gentleness, kindness, courtesy, frugality, and deference?"

Wang Chongsong's words left many speechless, and their impression of the top twelve races gradually began to shift at this very moment.

***

Dai Congyun's gaze locked onto one of the Southern God Race divine ability users. "Weng You, you hold a high status in the Southern God Race and carry the bloodline of a Saint. The others look to you as their leader. Do not drag down the reputation of the Southern God Race along with them."

Because a batch of divine ability users had just departed, only thirty-odd individuals remained on the field. All of them were staring at Weng You with varying expressions.

Weng You could not help but shake his head and laugh. "Drag down the reputation of the Southern God Race? What is the meaning of that? We are currently in the Saint Tower Battle, not casually chatting in a family backyard. We are competing for first place, do you understand? The combat from earlier was nothing more than child's play. The Saint Tower Battle must naturally involve casualties. From the inception of this battle until now, how many divine ability users have died? Should the contest for the crown of first place end on such an anti-climactic note instead?"

A Deviant Snake Race divine ability user could not help but laugh and curse. "Hahaha, who among us doesn't understand what you're saying? If you want first place, you must possess the strength for first place. Now, you have pointlessly allowed a weak race divine ability user to watch us become a laughingstock. You are utterly shameless!"

Unexpectedly, Weng You merely cast a glance at him. The smile on the Deviant Snake Race divine ability user's face stiffened. With a numb expression, he condensed a sharp blade of immortal essence and sliced his own throat.

Puff.

His massive head tumbled straight to the ground, blood spurting from the severed neck.

The crowd instantly froze in shock.

Dai Congyun's gaze turned incredibly solemn. "You can control minds?! This is your ultimate trump card?"

Weng You looked at Dai Congyun with a trace of disdain. "You only figured it out now? Too late. If you all do not surrender right this instant, you will share the exact same fate as him."

His three pairs of eyes scanned back and forth across the remaining divine ability users, causing their scalps to tingle slightly.

Only now did everyone realize why the Southern God Race divine ability users had chosen this exact moment to strike. From beginning to end, they had always possessed the strength to contest for first place; they had merely tricked a portion of the crowd into surrendering first just to play it safe.