Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 461: Bloodforge, One Billion Blood Devil Tokens (3)

Blood Devil Token rules:

Ordinary participants begin with a single Blood Devil Token and must obtain ten to qualify for departure.

Elite participants, those who have cleared level four of the Dark Star, start with ten Blood Devil Tokens and must obtain one hundred to qualify for departure.

Immortal nation participants start with a thousand Blood Devil Tokens and must obtain ten thousand Blood Devil Tokens to qualify for departure.

Second-tier Bloodforge Seeds start with a thousand Blood Devil Tokens, are granted one retry opportunity, and must obtain ten thousand Blood Devil Tokens to qualify for departure.

First-tier Bloodforge Seeds, those who have cleared level fourteen of the Dark Star, start with ten thousand Blood Devil Tokens, are granted one retry opportunity, and must obtain a hundred thousand Blood Devil Tokens to qualify for departure.

The stronger the participant, the higher the Bloodforge Devil Hall’s demands. But the requirements for participants from the Silvermist Immortal Nation are indeed harsh.

Participants from the Silvermist Immortal Nation were classified as second-tier Bloodforge Seeds, regardless of strength.

As for the rules for seizing Blood Devil Tokens? Wu Yuan's eyes narrowed as he continued to read the message; this was the crux of the matter.

The first stage of the Bloodforge Battle would pit billions of immortal cultivators against each other in a grand melee.

The rules were simple: by slaying an opponent, one could acquire a tenth of the fallen's total Blood Devil Tokens, in addition to their initial allotment.

For instance, if an ordinary participant had amassed one hundred thousand Blood Devil Tokens, Wu Yuan, upon slaying this participant, would receive ten thousand and one Blood Devil Tokens.

However, if a first-tier Bloodforge Seed had accumulated one hundred thousand Blood Devil Tokens, Wu Yuan would reap twenty thousand Blood Devil Tokens for the kill.

The more Blood Devil Tokens one possesses at the outset, the more alluring a target they become.

How long would it take to accumulate one hundred thousand Blood Devil Tokens from ordinary combatants alone?

To amass a significant number of Blood Devil Tokens, one must hunt down and slay peerless geniuses.

These rules are clearly designed to motivate countless immortal cultivators to hunt down Bloodforge Seeds and participants from the immortal nation. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, eyes fixed on the final section of the message.

The duration of the first stage of the Bloodforge Battle is one year.

Ordinary and elite participants who seize ten and one hundred Blood Devil Tokens respectively meet the requirements to leave the battlefield after seven months. Thereafter, they may become outer disciples or other official disciples of the devil hall.

All other participants may only leave at the end of the one-year period.

By seizing one thousand Blood Devil Tokens, one is qualified to become an elite disciple of the devil hall.

By seizing ten thousand Blood Devil Tokens, one is qualified to become a core disciple of the devil hall, equivalent to a Void Refiner Protectorate (geniuses from the immortal nation must reach this level).

By seizing one hundred thousand Blood Devil Tokens, one is qualified to participate in the second stage – the ultimate opportunity challenge.

By seizing one million Blood Devil Tokens, one is granted direct access to the ultimate opportunity and qualified to become a direct disciple of a High Immortal.

By seizing ten million Blood Devil Tokens, one is granted direct access to the ultimate opportunity and bestowed the title of Golden Core Bloodforge Marquis, directly entering the final secret vault, and qualified to be a disciple of an Archimmortal.

By seizing one billion Blood Devil Tokens, one is bestowed the title of Golden Core Bloodforge King, granted direct access to the final secret vault, and qualified to be a disciple of an Astral Lord.

Note: At the end of the one-year period, those who fail to acquire the required Blood Devil Tokens for departure will be eliminated!

...

As Wu Yuan finished reading the entire message, a weight settled in his chest. His mind's eye conjured vivid images of billions of Golden Core cultivators clashing in a cataclysmic battle, leaving behind mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

This was no mere voidrealm battle; this was real-world combat, with real consequences.

High Immortal Wu Tian had warned that ninety-nine percent of immortal cultivators would perish. But even this estimate might be an optimistic one. Wu Yuan thought to himself, a chill running down his spine.

He could foresee the desperate struggle of ordinary participants as they acquired their first ten or hundred Blood Devil Tokens. Once they met their quota, they would do everything in their power to avoid further conflict, clinging to survival until the end of the sixth month when they could finally depart.

At the end of the sixth month, a mass exodus of ordinary participants would occur, leaving behind only the most formidable contenders.

For the geniuses and stronger participants, however, a different strategy would unfold.

In the initial six months, countless weak participants would provide easy targets, making it relatively simple to amass a large number of Blood Devil Tokens. But once the latter half of the year rolls around? Wu Yuan pondered. Those who dare to remain would likely possess strength approaching the Amethyst Cradle level.

The remaining opponents would prove far more challenging to deal with. As the trial progressed, the death rate would rise dramatically.

Ten thousand Blood Devil Tokens? For a genius of Wu Yuan's caliber, it wasn't an insurmountable goal.

But to seize a million Blood Devil Tokens, one would need to embark on a relentless massacre from the very beginning to have any hope of achieving such a staggering number.

As for one billion Blood Devil Tokens? Wu Yuan dismissed the notion after a single glance. The number was simply too astronomical.

Even if one were to slay an ordinary participant every second without pause for an entire year, it still wouldn't suffice.

As for hunting peerless geniuses?

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line. Peerless geniuses are limited in number, and they would be difficult to locate. Even if a peerless genius manages to accumulate ten million Blood Devil Tokens, slaying them would only yield a million.

To reach that number, one would have to kill a thousand such peerless geniuses. The mere thought of it struck Wu Yuan as utterly unrealistic.

The purpose of setting such an outrageous benchmark was clear: to inform the countless geniuses that those who could achieve it were more than qualified to become a Bloodforge King.

Even so, it would require immense effort and a year of ceaseless combat and bloodshed just to have a chance at gathering ten million Blood Devil Tokens.

I must give it my all! Wu Yuan resolved, his eyes glinting with determination. At the very least, I'll strive to seize a million Blood Devil Tokens and ultimately become a Bloodforge Marquis.

The first stage was fundamentally about survival.

Wu Yuan harbored no delusions of achieving the rank of Bloodforge King; everything depended on the process.

However, even if it's just a million Blood Devil Tokens, I must still give it my all. A cold glint flashed in Wu Yuan's eyes.

Kill! Carve a path of survival through the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

This was Wu Yuan's nature. He might not revel in killing, but neither did he shy away from it. Having embarked on this path, he would cut down anyone who stood in his way!

...

Time marched inexorably onward. As the moment approached, Wu Yuan's heart grew calm.

It wasn't just Wu Yuan. Throughout the various Origin Blood Worlds under the Silvermist Division of the Bloodforge Devil Hall, countless figures stood packed together.

All 580 billion Golden Core cultivators were waiting.

The truly powerful ones, like Wu Yuan, Ao Qi, Bai Li, and Shui Heng, maintained their composure, silently storing up their battle intent.

The fairly strong contenders, including many second-tier Bloodforge Seeds and over ninety percent of the immortal nation's participants, strategized on how to embark on a killing spree while avoiding the top-tier geniuses.

And the vast majority of ordinary participants trembled with anxiety, fervently praying for good fortune and hoping they wouldn't encounter any overwhelmingly powerful beings upon arrival.

In essence, the stronger one was, the more confident they felt; the weaker, the more fear gripped their hearts!

But such were the rules of the Bloodforge Devil Hall. Born within the dominion of the devil hall, there was but one path to tread—battle!

Even the longest wait would eventually come to an end.

"Wu Yuan, leave your residence and prepare for battle." A faint voice echoed abruptly in Wu Yuan's mind.

Wu Yuan's eyes opened, breaking his deep meditation.

It was Astral Lord Yin He’s voice.

"Little Black, are you ready?" Wu Yuan smiled, rising to his feet, and glanced down at the small black serpent coiled around his arm.

"I'm ready. Kill! Kill!" Little Black's eyes gleamed. "Master, kill to your heart's content! Let the corpses pile high, and the blood flow like seas! Tread upon the bones of countless beings and forge your name as the Bloodforge King!"

"Where did you learn such words?" Wu Yuan shook his head, a wry chuckle escaping his lips.

After a final, meticulous check, he discarded all external treasures, including his eldritch armor, saber, Veiled Serpent Plume, ethercrystal, and more. The rules were clear: no treasures were allowed.

Whoosh! With a swift motion, Wu Yuan flew out of his mansion, quickly arriving outside. There, he saw the other geniuses of District One, including Bai Li and Shui Heng.

"It's Wu Yuan."

"Wu Yuan has arrived."

"Wu Yuan!" Dozens of Bloodforge Seeds, already gathered outside their mansions, turned to look at Wu Yuan, their eyes filled with a mixture of reverence and trepidation.

Compared to Wu Yuan, their strength was leagues apart. Even top talents like Bai Li and Shui Heng knew they couldn't withstand more than a few moves against Wu Yuan in a real battle.

"Everyone, let's go." Wu Yuan said softly. He took the lead, soaring into the vast sky outside District One.

The other Bloodforge Seeds followed suit.

...

What did it look like when over a billion beings, all Golden Core cultivators, gathered in one place?

Stretching for thousands of li, as far as the eye could see, the space was filled with an endless sea of people. Each one emitted an immensely powerful aura, far beyond mortals.

In various regions of the space, even the Void Refiner and Elysian Field cultivators maintaining order seemed insignificant before the overwhelming number of immortal cultivators.

Ants might be small, but when billions gather, they could unleash a catastrophic force.

If billions of Golden Core cultivators unified their power to cast an arcane art, the resulting power would make even a Divided Soul Earth Immortal retreat in fear.

Suddenly, an invisible pressure descended, instantly enveloping the vast heaven and earth. The once clamorous space fell silent.

A billion Golden Core cultivators looked up toward the figure at the edge of the space, about six meters tall and clad in dark red battle armor. Standing in the air, it seemed as if the whole of heaven and earth was beneath his feet.

Flanking him were a dozen fearsome figures, though inferior in power, their auras still enough to make the participants quake.

Further away stood thousands of figures, each with a formidable presence. They were Earth Immortals at least.

"Greetings to the Astral Lord." Thousands of immortals bowed respectfully.

Astral Lord Yin He had arrived.

But among the billion Golden Core cultivators, few showed any sign of respect.

Respect? With a life-and-death battle imminent, and most destined to fall, did status matter? Many Golden Core cultivators no longer cared.

So what if an Astral Lord was a great being? It could not make them lower their heads. Of course, this was partly because Astral Lord Yin He did not force the billion Golden Core cultivators to kneel with his power.

"The Bloodforge Battle!" Astral Lord Yin He finally spoke, his voice resonating through heaven and earth, causing the very fabric of space to tremble.

To the many immortals, it was incomparably majestic. But to the billion Golden Core cultivators, it felt warm, like the guidance of a kindly elder. A final benediction before the storm.

"May you return alive."

No lengthy speeches, no grand ambitions, Astral Lord Yin He simply offered the most sincere blessing to the billions of Golden Core cultivators – return alive!

"Set forth!" The figure in white robes beside Astral Lord Yin He stepped forward. His voice was cold, echoing a million li into the distance.

Boom~ Countless mysterious talismans materialized out of thin air around the space where more than a billion Golden Core cultivators were gathered. They emitted a faint purple glow.

As though a fuse had been lit, the countless purple talismans instantly began linking with each other, forming a web of energy that enveloped the billions of cultivators within.

Buzz~ In the sky, a massive vortex with a diameter of over ten thousand li tore into existence.

Swish! An invisible force took hold, instantly sweeping millions of Golden Core cultivators into the spatial vortex. They had no chance to resist.

Then the next batch followed, and another million flew into the vortex. One batch after another was sucked in.

In less than a quarter of an hour, more than a billion immortal cultivators in the space vanished without a trace, leaving it desolate and eerily silent.