THE MARTIAL KING - Season 8 Episode 1

The Platanus Sect was also a third-grade sect. But more importantly, it was located right next to a mine rich with supreme life vitality crystals, which placed it at a great advantage compared to other third-grade sects.

The two intimidating martial artists from the Platanus Sect were prepared to shell out fifty supreme crystals right there and then to obtain the slots. They wanted to avoid the bidding entirely.

After Zen’s onslaught, there were only seven combatants left, including Zen himself.

A blanket of silence fell upon the magic array, which was almost empty. Suddenly someone arose from his little pagoda and offered a price, “Eighty supreme crystals.”

The booming voice came from none other than Owen, the only martial artist who was in the Illuminating Soul Realm aside from Zen in today’s pre-qualifying match.

Owen was visibly upset. He assumed that given his current strength, he would surely meet the quota for the main draw match. He had never expected Zen to appear in such a crucial moment.

Owen speculated that his chances of winning against Zen were very slim, maybe thirty percent. When Zen was striking at him, he desperately wanted to counter. Several whorls of sharp gale winds were circling his hands.

But he finally gave up on the idea.

His chances were miniscule. Zen was stronger than the level 3 he appeared to be.

The timing was perfect. If supreme crystals could solve his problems, all the better. Owen was rich in nothing but supreme crystals.

It all stemmed from a fortunate accident back when he was training himself in the Woollen Grassland. He fell into a cave as he lost his footing and by chance found an exorbitant amount of lost treasure kept secret by a now extinct sect.

And so even as an independent martial artist, Owen was wealthier than the two from the Platanus Sect.

Dismay marked the sullen faces of the Platanus Sect martial artists when they heard Owen’s bid. Things always started to turn complicated once the first bid was struck.

“A hundred supreme crystals,” an irritated voice resounded. It came from one of the martial artists from the Platanus Sect. His teeth were clenched hard.

A disciple’s income normally wasn’t high. Even when one accomplished a quest given out by the sect, it would still share a portion of the reward. A hundred supreme crystals were all they would offer at the moment.

“A hundred and fifty!” Owen declared in a stern voice, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

The two disciples from Platanus Sect looked at each other at that moment. Then they proceeded to discuss using their life vitality so that no one else could hear. One of them shook his head and muttered, “I give up!”

One of the Platanus Sect disciples gave up while the other got a spot worth one hundred supreme crystals.

Zen smiled gently and then nodded, “You have the spot now. Please take an oath by your will of martial arts! And turn over the supreme crystals after you leave the magic array.”

Words were cheap and promises were easily made. If they refused to honor their word, then there was nothing Zen could do about it.

“It’s just some crystals. There is really no need to…” replied the disciple from Platanus Sect.

“If you don’t swear the oath by your will of martial arts, then there’s nothing left for us to discuss, ‘ said Zen passively. Hidden underneath his words was a thinly veiled threat.

Finally Owen and the disciple from the Platanus Sect had to swear at the same time.

After they were sworn in, there was a flash of consent in Zen’s eyes. All of a sudden, the twelve archers beside him drew their long bows at the same time!

The sound of the whistling ranted through the air as the arrows cut through the wind.

Though the rest of the martial artists fought for their lives, they were still slain by the arrows let loose by the archers of the Virtual Tribulation Realm.

After the attack, there were only three martial artists left on the magic array: Zen, Owen and that lone disciple of the Platanus Sect.

When Letitia noticed that the pre-qualifying match was about to end, a strange and complex feeling in her heart intensified. Although she was here for Zen, she suddenly didn’t want to be seen, let alone let Zen know she was there…

So she smiled joyfully and turned to Michael and the others, “Since the test is over, I’m going to leave. But I have a favor to ask of you. Please, please don’t tell Zen I was here.”

Upon hearing the strange favor, Michael and Xiao looked confused. They wondered why Letitia, the leader of Cloud Hall, tried to hide something from Zen, a mere disciple.

Gazed upon by Michael and Xiao, Letitia’s cheeks turned a scarlet hue. Michael and Xiao got even more confused when they saw her reddened face.

Letitia managed to fake a smile and said, “I’ll leave you to it then.” She wheeled around and trotted swiftly out of the palace.

Michael, Xiao, and Cole didn’t have a clue what just happened.

After a few moments, the martial artists that went into the magic array all started to come out and enter the palace.

Among the four hundred who entered, only three managed to have a spot in the main draw match, making the elimination rate skyrocket.

Most of the martial artists were eliminated by the magic array itself. Only twenty were eliminated because of Zen’s little pagoda.

All twenty eyed him with great hatred. If the elders of the World Commercial Alliance weren’t present, Zen probably would have been torn to pieces.

However, Zen remained calm under their hateful gaze. He even had the nerve to smile.

Owen walked up to Zen and threw him a bag of supreme crystals, so did the Platanus Sect disciple. After all they had sworn by their will of martial arts. It was not worthwhile to be bothered by an internal demon just for some supreme crystals.

Most of the martial artists present didn’t even know what they were doing, since they had no clue as to what transpired on the second stage of the test.

Cole watched Zen getting his bounty as his head ached. He wanted to cancel Zen’s qualification desperately, but Letitia would definitely put him in trouble if he went and did it. More importantly, he lacked the reasons to do so. If Letitia truly wanted to reason with the World Commercial Alliance, he would definitely be in trouble.

Though Cole was extremely unhappy with what Zen had done, he could do nothing but let it go.

“The three who passed the pre-qualifying match are Zen Luo, Owen Ao, and Galloway Fu. They have won the pass to the main draw match, and other warriors can receive a reward from the World Commercial Alliance…”

There were apparently talents among the independent martial artists as well. The Martial Arts Contest was an opportunity for the World Commercial Alliance to win them over. Unlike the Cloud Hall and the Ethereal Spirit Sect, the World Commercial Alliance actually took them in, instead of establishing a sect to train disciples.

Zen breathed a sigh of relief after he got the qualification.

Though there was still time before the main draw match, Zen didn’t rest. He went into the Oracle City and bought some necessary supplies and materials. He then rented a nice quiet room and stayed there to meditate, instead of going back to the Cloud Hall.

Zen threw himself into cultivating or drawing divine texture these days. He had to be prepared to kill Marilyn.

Though he had never met Marilyn, he knew she was in the middle of the Internal Elixir Realm. Killing her would be his greatest challenge yet.

Furthermore, Marilyn had Purple Power Body, which was an extremely rare and special power. Marilyn was also trained by Eddie, the most powerful man in the Central Region. Zen didn’t know if Marilyn ever became a formal student of his, but he was sure she learned a lot under Eddie.

Zen faced the critical challenge head on, unflinching. He had to go all out in this fight.

It took Zen a whole day to complete two pieces of divine texture.

They were all drawn under the Cyan Dragon’s requirements and the divine textures were finally inscribed on both of his arms, then they promptly faded into two dim lines of power. The two pieces of divine texture were like glowing tattoos on his arms as they were activated.

Zen began cultivating even more as soon as he was done with the divine texture.

No more than two days later, Zen had finally stepped into level four of the Illuminating Soul Realm all the way from level 3. His primary task had always been to gather more strength and further hone his might.

Right after he leveled up, the cyan dragon’s voice rang out, “Zen, I’m ready to awaken my seventh brother…”