Chapter 320 – Kingdom’s Apex

Ancient River Kingdom, Ancient River Secret Land’s central zone:

Located at the center of the island was a tall mountain. The top of this mountain was completely shrouded in fog, the fog preventing anyone from seeing what was going on at the mountaintop.

There were also tens of thousands of magic arrays flickering in and out of existence on the outer perimeter of this fog. These were not ordinary magic arrays, but rather ancient magic arrays composed of divine runes. Even if a million years passed, these magic arrays would remain unchanged without external intervention.

At this time, a hundred streaks of light converged toward the top of the mountain, disappearing into the fog in the blink of an eye.

When these streaks of light landed on the mountaintop, they transformed into the silhouettes of the Rookie Competition’s top 100 participants. Compared to past instances of the Ancient River Kingdom’s Rookie Competition, many of the top 100 participants this time were new faces. When they arrived at the mountaintop, they looked at their surroundings curiously, and they couldn’t help but be shocked by what they saw.

“The Ancient River Kingdom’s Rookie Competition isn’t all that worse compared to the Myriad Forest Empire’s Battle of Geniuses! Not only did the preliminaries give a bunch of Star Coins and Immortal Equipment, but there is even such an amazing place in this secret land’s central zone!”

“These technique stelae are so ancient and incredible!”

“Are these the rumored ancient stelae?”

The Ancient River Kingdom had a long history, and it was one of the few ancient kingdoms in the Starlight Realm. Yet, the Ancient River Secret Land predated the Ancient River Kingdom, existing long before the kingdom did. It was also shrouded in a layer of mystery, and nobody could uncover its secrets even to this day.

However, no matter what secrets the Ancient River Secret Land held, they were bound to be extraordinary. This point could be seen through the fact that the Ancient River Kingdom was named after the Ancient River Secret Land.

Although everyone participating in the Ancient River Kingdom’s Rookie Competition had known beforehand that the Ancient River Secret Land was an extraordinary location, they didn’t think it would be to such an extent.

For those entering the Ancient River Secret Land’s central zone for the first time, apart from those originating from the Ancient River Kingdom’s and Myriad Forest Empire’s hegemonic powers, everyone else was greatly shocked when they saw the ancient stone tablets covering their surroundings. It was especially so when they saw the divine runes and images engraved on these stone tablets.

Ancient stelae!

These were stelae passed down from ancient times, and they recorded the combat techniques and Mana Techniques of Gods.

All of these recorded techniques were extraordinary, and many of the techniques currently in circulation were simplified versions developed based on these ancient techniques.

The reason these techniques were simplified was that the Mana Techniques and combat techniques developed by Gods were far too complex for most people to learn. Even among Tier 5 NPCs with remarkable intelligence, very few could learn these techniques.

Moreover, the complexity of these techniques was not exaggerated in the slightest. Even the most inferior techniques recorded on these ancient stelae were at the level of God-ranked Mana Techniques and Advanced Silver Combat Techniques, while the majority were Saint-ranked Mana Techniques and combat techniques rivaling Gold Combat Techniques.

Any player who could successfully learn a Gold Combat Technique would be an existence standing at the apex of God’s Domain. Even the various upper-ranking hegemonic powers and apex powers would be willing to extend an olive branch to such individuals.

Only, in the expansive Greater God’s Domain, experts capable of learning Gold Combat Techniques were incredibly few. Their rarity could basically match that of Divine Artifacts…

Of course, while Gold Combat Techniques were incredibly difficult to learn, a bigger reason there were incredibly few experts who had managed to learn Gold Combat Techniques was that not many powers owned a Gold Combat Technique. Apart from apex powers and a minority of upper-ranking hegemonic powers, other powers did not have any way of letting their members learn Gold Combat Techniques.

So, upon seeing the ancient stelae that covered the mountaintop, many of the first-time visitors here couldn’t help but grow excited. It was especially so for the various independent experts.

This was a learning environment that even the Greater God’s Domain’s apex powers would have difficulty providing, let alone the various hegemonic powers.

“What a bunch of country bumpkins! Do they honestly think they can learn the techniques on these stelae so easily? And without restrictions?”

“Only independent players like them will be so naive. If the techniques here were so easy to acquire, the powers based in the neighboring kingdoms and empires would have long since taken action. There’s no way they’d let the Ancient River Kingdom’s powers monopolize everything.”

Many of the experts originating from hegemonic powers looked at the excited independent experts around them in contempt.

The fact that the Ancient Secret Land’s central zone housed a large number of ancient stelae was no secret to the surrounding kingdoms’ and empires’ hegemonic powers. Or, more specifically, this was common knowledge among all hegemonic powers in the Greater God’s Domain.

Saint-ranked Mana Techniques and Gold Combat Techniques were highly sought after in the Greater God’s Domain, valued above even Legendary Weapons.

If there existed a place with many pseudo-Gold Combat Techniques and Saint Mana Techniques available for players to learn, the various upper-ranking hegemonic powers and apex powers would have fought to occupy it without hesitation. There was no way the Ancient River Kingdom’s six ruling hegemonic powers could retain control over the Ancient River Secret Land.

While the various independent players were in awe over the ancient stelae, Midsummer and Wu Xiaoxiao had their attention focused on something else. Rather than look at the ancient stelae, they looked at the various parties protected by magic barriers around them with ugly complexions.

“Why are there so many experts from other kingdoms and empires in the Rookie Competition this time?” Wu Xiaoxiao’s expression grew solemn as she looked at the several parties around her.

Although she knew that the Ancient River Kingdom’s Rookie Competition was a gathering of experts, most of the participating experts typically originated from the kingdom.

Yet, the three parties around them were all made up of experts originating from hegemonic powers of other kingdoms and empires. None of them were players from the Ancient River Kingdom. Moreover, every one of these players possessed great fame, so much so that even she, someone who had only arrived in the Ancient River Kingdom recently, knew about them.

“The Red Star Kingdom’s Glorious Mantra… The Iron Lion Kingdom’s Martial Quadbeast… The Myriad Forest Empire’s Silent Saintess…” Midsummer felt her mind exploding when she saw the leaders of the three surrounding parties. “Are we really taking part in the Ancient River Kingdom’s Rookie Competition?”

Glorious Mantra was a young male Cursemancer, Martial Quadbeast was a muscular male Summoner, and Silent Saintess was a masked young woman. These three people were all titled experts recognized by the Seven Luminaries Alliance. Every one of them possessed fame rivaling the current Saint Three. It was just that these people were no longer part of the younger generation. Instead, they were older-generation paragons who had retired from the younger generation three or four years ago.

It was normally impossible to see all these veteran paragons gather in the same place. Yet, this impossible situation had happened right before her very eyes…

At this time, Midsummer wasn’t the only one surprised by this situation. Even the players who had paid Star Coins to spectate the broadcast of Shi Feng’s battle were dumbfounded.

How was this supposed to be the Ancient River Kingdom’s Rookie Competition? This participant line-up could already compete with the annual Hundred Nations Paragon Battle’s participant line-up.

While Midsummer and Wu Xiaoxiao were scrutinizing the players around them, these players had similarly focused their attention on Midsummer and Wu Xiaoxiao’s party of three. Only, their eyes weren’t focused on Midsummer and Wu Xiaoxiao. Instead, they were focused on Shi Feng.

Before Midsummer and Wu Xiaoxiao could snap out of their daze, a system notification entered their ears, signaling the start of the competition. Immediately afterward, the barriers protecting the various parties disintegrated simultaneously, and a suffocating silence descended on the mountaintop…

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