Chapter 1535 - 1512: Shangguan Shenzhou!
By evening, all eight matches of the sixteen-to-eight round had concluded.
The most powerful family, the Ling Family, along with two super first-tier families, the Tian Family and the Zhan Family, naturally advanced with ease.
The remaining five slots were filled by four of the venerable top ten first-tier families.
Surprisingly, the Shangguan Clan, once ranked at the bottom of the third-tier families and almost weakened to the fourth tier, unexpectedly defeated the old first-tier Zhou Family and leapt into the top eight!
This was beyond everyone’s expectations!
Throughout millennia, there have been instances where third or fourth-tier families surged in power to reach the pinnacle of the Deep Mountains’ hierarchy.
However, such occurrences were rare; the last time was 4,550 years ago when the Lin Family from the third tier stunned the crowd and joined the ranks of the first-tier families.
Although they were at the bottom of the first-tier, the speed of their ascent was terrifying.
Yet the Lin Family’s strength faded just as quickly; within a century, they had weakened back to the third tier.
This time, the Shangguan Clan’s surge in strength was even faster than the Lin Family’s, and seemed more stable!
The Lin Family had lost in the sixteen-to-eight round, fought several intense matches in the losers’ bracket, and barely made it to 13th in the hundred-families ranking, just scraping into the top ten first-tier families.
The Shangguan Clan, however, squeezed into the top eight, entering the eight-to-four matches!
Impressive!
"This time’s hundred-families tournament truly holds some surprises," the main judge Tianji remarked with interest.
Divine Traceless smiled slightly and nodded, "These youngsters from the Shangguan Clan, whether in talent or strength, all excel. I suspect the top eight is not their final stop."
The other Ultimate Guardians were astonished, not expecting the Shangguan youths to receive such recognition from Divine Traceless.
They focused intensely, intending to closely observe these young men from the Shangguan Clan.
Then, the eight-to-four matches commenced!
The Shangguan Clan faced was the super first-tier Tian Family!
Almost everyone believed the Tian Family’s victory was certain.
But soon, their expressions changed dramatically!
In the first match, Tian Fan, the Tian Family’s third prodigy, faced Shangguan Shenlong, the Shangguan Clan’s seventh prodigy!
This was expected to be a one-sided match.
And indeed it was.
Except it wasn’t Shangguan Shenlong who was crushed, but Tian Fan!
Seven moves!
In just seven moves, Shangguan Shenlong sent Tian Fan spitting blood and flying off the stage in a crushing victory!
The second match had a similarly overwhelming tone, with the Shangguan Clan’s genius needing only five moves to crush and claim victory over the Tian Family’s prodigy!
The third match, the fourth match, the fifth match...
Even the sixth match!
The Shangguan Clan’s geniuses crushed the Tian Family’s prodigies as if it were child’s play!
Complete annihilation!
In the seventh match, Shangguan Shenzhou faced Tian Yu, touted as the foremost prodigy beneath the seven core disciples of the Ling Family in the Endless Deep Mountains!
Once again, it was a suffocating, eye-widening one-sided match!
Shangguan Shenzhou astonishingly unleashed the power of the Extreme Divine King for all to witness!
In three moves, he overpowered Tian Yu and blasted him off the stage with an absolute advantage!
"Haha! Tian Yu, I heard you’re amazing, yet today you’re such a waste, you couldn’t withstand even three of my moves? I thought you’d last a minute against me, who knew you’d be so useless, hahaha!" Shangguan Shenzhou laughed mockingly, clutching his stomach.
His loud laughter caused the indignance-stricken Tian Yu, fallen on the ground, to vomit a mouthful of blood overflowing with resentment before passing out!
"..."
The entire venue fell silent!
All eyes focused on Shangguan Shenzhou, everyone dumbfounded and shocked!
They were questioning reality itself, "Damn, how is this possible?"
How could the son of the Shangguan Clan, a formerly third-tier family, defeat the favored Tian Yu so swiftly?
How could this even happen?!
Also, if they remembered correctly, Shangguan Shenzhou was only thirty-one!
Thirty-one and already an Extreme Divine King?!
Even the former leader of the hundred families, Ling Tianming, was only a high-level Divine King nearing the Extreme Divine King at thirty-one!
Shangguan Shenzhou’s talent exceeded even that of Ling Tianming!
What was going on?!
The crowd erupted!
"Never heard Shangguan Shenzhou was so awesome before!"
"Yeah, defeating Tian Yu in a few moves, and at thirty-one already an Extreme Divine King, his talent isn’t below that of Huaxia’s prodigy. He’s defying the heavens!"
"Wow, Tian Yu didn’t even have the chance to use his full strength, and got outright defeated by Shangguan Shenzhou! He couldn’t withstand even a single move!"
"The title of the top young talent beneath the Ling Family’s seven core disciples might change hands... No, even the Ling Family’s core disciples may not be a match for Shangguan Shenzhou!"
"Whoa!!!"
The spectators, witnessing the match, couldn’t help but curse in shock!
Ye Huan narrowed his eyes into slits, a dangerous light flickering in them.
This Shangguan Shenzhou felt strangely familiar to him!
Ling Fufu’s expression had completely changed, "How are these Shangguan young talents so strong! Completely surpassed the seven core disciples of our Ling Family by a whole tier! Shangguan Shenzhou’s strength is fathomless, all we know is he can overpower Tian Yu as an Extreme Divine King, but who knows what else he’s got!"
"That’s just too intense, damn it!"
Even the proud Ling Family disciples had explosive reactions of amazement and shrieks upon witnessing Shangguan Shenzhou’s strength!
The Shangguan Clan’s monstrous talents’ strength far exceeded their imagination!
Sword of Impermanence and Cao Mengde, after initially being startled, were filled with ecstasy!
"Wow, who would’ve thought, such a divine-level genius in the flesh!"
Shangguan Shenzhou!
If Shangguan Shenzhou encountered Ye Huan, Ye Huan would perish in an instant!
The two immediately made a call, requesting Ling East to alter the draw information, attempting to have the Ling Family face Shangguan Shenzhou in the finals!
Indeed, the finals!
The two believed Shangguan Shenzhou would reach the finals without any doubt, to clash with the Ling Family.
They even thought the Ling Family would most likely lose to the Shangguan Clan in the individual match!
And should Ye Huan meet Shangguan Shenzhou...
Tsk tsk, the scene would be unthinkable for them!
Ling East didn’t immediately reply, uncertain, he sought out Ling Wuye: "Patriarch, what now, should we let Ye Huan face Shangguan Shenzhou?"
"Damn it, how did the Shangguan Clan suddenly produce so many monstrous talents!" Ling Wuye’s face turned grim, utterly shocked by Shangguan Shenzhou’s strength.
If he thought Ye Huan had a 50% chance of defeating Tian Yu before, now he believed Ye Huan had no chance of winning against Shangguan Shenzhou!
Not just Shangguan Shenzhou, but Shangguan Shenlong and the other Shangguan talents all had the potential to defeat Ye Huan!
For a moment, Ling Wuye felt exceptionally uneasy!
Truly letting Ye Huan face Shangguan Shenzhou, the consequences would be disastrous!
Ye Huan might face a crushing defeat, not only failing to establish prestige but also becoming the laughingstock of the entire Endless Deep Mountains!