At first, Gongyi Tianheng's mood was rather good. But after listening to what Gu Zuo said, his brows slightly furrowed: It seems I've still underestimated the Helian Clan's shamelessness.

Gu Zuo nodded: They are! This is just taking one's anger out on someone who doesn't deserve it!

Tianheng met Gu Zuo's gaze with a hint of regret, but still transmitted his voice: Ah Zuo, I didn't expect to have caused you such hardships.

Gu Zuo: …

This was just having daggers stared at him for a bit [1] and nothing more. Suffering hardships and so on was out of the question, big brother.

However, the feeling of being worried over was still very good.

Tianheng muttered slightly: Indeed, it's hard to fathom a person's mind. Originally, I made you save someone to prepare for any eventualities. It was also to give that Prince Beside the Emperor a look… Since the Helian Clan is so ungrateful, we'll stop for now. They're harboring malicious intentions towards you. In the future, when you go out, you'll need to call out to me in advance. Wait until after we return and I'll a.s.sign some Tianlong guards to accompany and protect you.

As for the Helian Clan's malice, he'd naturally retaliate with his own. It was one thing if they didn't act, but if they did… Once he made the arrangements, the Helian Clan would certainly suffer a loss.

Gu Zuo looked at Tianheng acting like this, and felt relieved at once.

In any case, he'd hand this matter over to his big brother. There'd surely be a satisfying outcome.

He wouldn't worry about it anymore!

Thus, the two ended the conversation.

______

All the partic.i.p.ants had moved to rest and recuperate. At the same time, they also waited for the Immortal realm powerhouses' instructions to find out what was happening next and what needed to be done.

They didn't know if that third trial would start now or if it'd be set at some other location.

Currently, among the two male and one female trial overseers, the woman named Zou Qingyue was the leader for this first mission. For the other two, junior sect brother Luo Yanfang and senior sect brother Liu Wuyuan, it went without saying that their strength was very good. But when they joined this mission, their main objective was still Zou Qingyue. As for exploiting the unspoken rules to gain a slight advantage, one should always take what was free of charge.

At this time, the second trial soon ended, and thee people shared their thoughts.

Zou Qingyue lightly sighed: “There are fewer and fewer useful talents among the hundred countries. It's just a life and death grindstone and yet so many people have died. As for those who were finally able to pa.s.s, there are only thirty two. The number of people eliminated is really too high.”

Liu Wuyuan coldly laughed: “Of course there aren't any talents at the borderlands.”

Luo Yanfang heard him speak this way and instead raised a contradicting argument: “Senior sect brother Liu is greatly confused. Though many of the hundred countries are second or third cla.s.s countries, if the Hundred Countries Tournament can distinguish their hidden talents, compared to the young hopefuls from the sect's continent, perhaps they could be even better.”

Wuyuan sneered even more coldly: “Just based on these country b.u.mpkins?”

Yanfang's expression became odd: “Senior sect brother Liu, could it be that you've forgotten someone? That person has been occupying the Qingyun Leaderboard for quite a few years. That record has yet to be broken…”

Wuyuan's complexion changed: “Teng Yunfei!”

Yanfang's voice took on a peculiar tone: “Senior sect brother Teng's name isn't something anyone can just casually called out… Senior sect brother Liu, you need to watch your tongue.”

These two unwittingly began to quarrel with one another again.

Zou Qingyue's elegant brows tightened. When they started gossiping about that person, she reprimanded: “You two, don't take things too far! Don't tell me that you guys honestly think that these words…won't be pa.s.sed on to certain ears?”

Liu Wuyuan and Luo Yanfang paused.

Just now, they recalled the topic of their conversation, and they were overcome by a cold sweat…

Afterwards, Zou Qingyue made the final call: “Those who distinguish themselves in the Hundred Countries Tournament naturally have talent. As for how much talent they have, in the end, we'll surely find out for ourselves in the future. Any disagreements? Right now, we need to finish the mission, not one-up each other over unfounded matters.”

Once she finished talking, she no longer paid any attention to those two. In her heart, she only took note of some talents whom she thought highly of.

Following that, Qingyue saw the martial artists below and that nearly everyone was talking. She announced that the crowd would go back to rest for a day, and wait till noon tomorrow to return to this valley. Then, they would conduct the final round's trial.

For this round's trial, because the thirty two people, who lasted to the end on the grindstones, could directly advance to the finals, they didn't need to undergo the upcoming filter. As for those who withdrew early, if they wanted to forfeit or partic.i.p.ate in the third round's elimination battles, then they could be processed as soon as possible.

This kind of arrangement could be counted as reasonable.

Those who currently had injuries rushed back to heal, and those related to the deceased hurriedly handled the corpses. They all waited for tomorrow.

______

At night, each and every partic.i.p.ant was very busy.

Gongyi Tianheng was considered to be the one who was the most relaxed. Because, in the end, the second round's life and death grindstones tested a martial artist's reaction speed and true qi reserves.

Regarding the former, Tianheng had been sickly for so many years, so one would never know how much effort he put into appearing like a normal person. He also reached a frightening degree in terms of controlling his own body. To him, the concentrated-looking sword lights weren't difficult to dispose of.

As for his true qi reserves, what else was there to say? Six sets of bone pearls was the equivalent of the sum of six people's true qi. It'd be a wonder if someone could wear him down.

As a result, Gongyi Tianheng ultimately knocked back only two top grade Qi Generating Pills to completely replenish his true qi. For the remaining time, he slowly worked out the kinks in his martial skills and contemplated over his corresponding tactics.

Compared to other people, he was exceedingly calm.

Gu Zuo was also very rea.s.sured.

For the two trials, from beginning to end, no matter if it were Tianheng's or another martial artist's performance, they were all observed by him.

He'd yet to make up for his general knowledge, but his eyesight wasn't bad.

Because of his anxiety for Tianheng, he took things seriously, and carefully compared the strengths of the numerous martial artists in the trials — Although, there were certainly some powerful martial artists concealing themselves, he still took a tally of their approximate levels in his mind.

As a result, his worry for Tianheng had lessened a lot.

If those partic.i.p.ants didn't play any shocking tricks, then while he wouldn't dare say it was a given that his honorable big brother would win the championship, there were absolutely no problems with Tianheng keeping his life.

To Gu Zuo, this was enough.

He also didn't know what those Immortal realm martial artists were planning, but the third round's trial was still located in that valley. The previous two times left the b.l.o.o.d.y corpses of many martial artists. Even if the bodies were taken care of, it could still cause a person to feel cold from head to toe.

— It definitely wasn't that those martial artists didn't accept the life and death trial. Rather, as soon as their strength and apt.i.tude failed to compare to their well-known peers, they died so easily. Each of their hearts were somewhat fearful.

When Gu Zuo arrived in the valley with Gongyi Tianheng, he saw that all the martial artists were divided into groups.

En, with a rough count, there were four waves.

On the large boulder, the three aloof Immortal realm judges weren't included.

Among the first wave were the hard pressed martial artists who, for whatever reasons, were incapable of proceeding with the tournament. Their Cangyun Empire's Helian Xingcheng was here. Sure enough, his injuries couldn't immediately improve and he was already a part of those who couldn't go on.

The second wave were those who weren't able to perfectly pa.s.s the second round and were thrown out halfway. They were lucky to be alive and their injuries weren't serious. Now, they had to fight over the placements to advance to the finals.

The third wave was the thirty two people who pa.s.sed yesterday. First, they could watch the fights, then it'd be their turn.

As for the fourth wave, it was naturally the protectors of the martial artists who were and weren't competing. They were Xiantian, one and all. Currently, they were watching over their charges as before.

Gu Zuo counted, and there were only eighty four people who could partic.i.p.ate.

Ah, the Hundred Countries Tournament! Each country could put forth a person, but they weren't limited to just these few… Even though the third round hadn't started yet, there were already many countries that didn't have fighters to partic.i.p.ate.

Apparently, a martial artist's world was just this cruel.

Gu Zuo understood a bit in his heart: Survival was truly difficult.

Fortunately, the Cangyun Empire this time around wasn't bad.

Originally, the people the Cangyun Empire put forth numbered six. Gongyi Tianheng appeared fresh and cool, and Cang Yu was handsome and mighty. The two would directly enter the finals, which especially gave the Cangyun Empire face. Next was Duanmu Qingrong, Huangfu Zhanghao, and Sima Yuanyou. None of them died during the trials. Even though they were heavily wounded, they had since recovered completely and could take part in the tournament for the placements to the finals. This was still possible, except for Xingcheng. Misfortune befell him again, turning him, who was filled with confidence, into a spectator whose heart was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with resentment.

Gu Zuo was secretly delighted.

No matter how the other three young masters performed or if they could fight for a placement, it was the Helian Clan that lost the most face. Who made them act so treacherously in normal times?

Tianheng sensed Gu Zuo's mood, and slightly shook his head while chatting with him in his mind: Ah Zuo, only the Helian Clan doesn't have the chance to partic.i.p.ate. I'm afraid they will push the blame on to you. From now on, you need to be even more cautious.

Gu Zuo's heart trembled.

The Helian Clan still really wants to do this?!

Then, what was he supposed to do?

Tianheng's eyes flashed with a trace of gravitas.

Those who were seriously injured yesterday definitely weren't only Helian Xingcheng. Sima Yuanyou and Duanmu Qingrong's wounds didn't seem any lighter than Xingcheng's.

It was merely that after a night of recuperation, the latter two had already recovered completely. Apparently it was because they were able to dodge in time to avoid any wounds to their internal organs. They were barely able to partic.i.p.ate in the third round. On the contrary, Xingcheng had tried to advance prematurely, which led to this kind of result.

If Yuanyou and Qingrong were likewise unable to take part in the third round, then it wouldn't have been so bad. However, only Xingcheng remained now. Perhaps, the Helian Clan's fury was burning even fiercer.

Yet, after reconsidering, Gongyi Tianheng's gaze became deep again.

No matter what, for the sake of his little pharmacist's secret and their Gongyi Clan's face, it was impossible to give the Helian Clan a Rejuvenation Pill at this time. Besides, since he didn't give one to the Sima Clan and Duanmu Clan, whose young masters were similarly wounded but weren't in danger of dying, he naturally didn't need to compromise with the Helian Clan.

The Helian Clan was petty and already bore a grudge against his little pharmacist. If the other three clans couldn't win a placement today, then they wouldn't let Ah Zuo slip away.

So…

Tianheng tapped Gu Zuo's head, and quietly said: “Ah Zuo, don't be afraid.”

Gu Zuo pursed his lips and nodded his head.

He believed in his big brother. He wasn't afraid.

______

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[1] 被眼刀子剐了两下 - Thanks to user Charysa for clearing things up!

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