Several more days passed, and finally, no more Saint Sons launched challenges for the arena battle. All the necessary contests had taken place, and all the disputes had been settled.
During the previous Saint Sacrifice, there were seventy-two High Clans. For this Saint Sacrifice, some High Clans had been wiped out or demoted to Minor Clans, while some Minor Clans had newly ascended to High Clan status. This Saint Sacrifice saw the number of High Clans increase to seventy-eight!
The Saint Sons and Saint Daughters of these seventy-eight High Clans were all present.
Notably, Yao, the Saint Daughter of the Mountain River Giant Ape Clan, successfully ascended the thirty-second arena and defended it.
Although Han Xue's state of mind was flawed due to Qing Ling's illusory Verdant Sky Jianmu, she once again ascended the arena of the thirteenth Saint Son.
As for Miao, the Saint Daughter of the Black Lizard High Clan, her strength was not particularly outstanding. After being defeated by the Saint Son of the Sky Jun Salamander Clan, she only managed to secure the thirtieth position among the Saint Daughters, despite using all five of her challenge opportunities.
From beginning to end, no one dared to challenge Qing Ling. Those individuals did not believe they could defeat Han Xue, who ranked ninth, and therefore had no confidence in defeating Qing Ling.
The Golden Dragon Clan elder surveyed the arenas for a moment before announcing loudly, "Since there are no further challengers, the first sequence of this Saint Sacrifice, the Sacred Selection Battle, is hereby concluded!"
As his voice faded, Qing Ling finally felt a sense of relief. He dared not slacken his guard until the very last moment.
From the center of each of the hundred arenas, a ball of spiritual light rose, signifying their respective rewards. The light clusters of the Saint Sons and Saint Daughters ranked from fifty-first to last contained only a single token, engraved with a dragon's claw, which represented exemption from tribute offerings for one hundred Yuan Hui.
The light clusters of the Saint Sons and Saint Daughters ranked within the top fifty not only contained such a token but also a suspended droplet of amber, which encased a drop of pure dragon blood. This signified not just becoming a son-in-law to the dragon clan, but the ability to refine dragon bloodline!
The light clusters of the top ten Saint Sons contained these two items, as well as a congenital spiritual fruit brimming with spiritual energy. The Dao fruit was surrounded by the laws of the Great Dao of Earth and Wood. It was a fruit from an ultimate congenital spiritual treasure, of which only ten were formed after tens of thousands of years, possessing even more profound and precious effects than the Ginseng Fruit of Zhen Yuanzi in later generations.
Qing Ling immediately collected these three items. After a cursory check to ensure the Yellow Zhong Li spiritual fruit was intact, he promptly concealed it. This was not merely a spiritual fruit; it was his opportunity to achieve Golden Immortal status, an artifact that absolutely could not be lost.
On the top three arenas, the Mermaid Clan's Saint Daughter held a pearl the size of a fist. Its magical treasure quality was superior to even the spiritual treasures found in the Xi Mountain ancestral land.
The Saint Son of the Spirit Tortoise Clan held an incredibly heavy thousand-peak magic treasure. Its spiritual treasure quality was already comparable to spiritual treasures painstakingly forged by supreme powerful beings like Tai Xu Shen Ling.
As for the Saint Son of the Giant Whale Clan, who secured the first rank, a blue-eyed youth, he held a Zhen Hai Fork. The dense water Dao power and twelve layers of congenital Dao restrictions upon it signified that this was a mid-grade congenital spiritual treasure!
Qing Ling observed the greedy gazes of the people below and couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. A spiritual treasure with twelve layers of congenital Dao restrictions had already stirred such avarice. If they knew he possessed one with twenty-seven layers of congenital Dao restrictions, nearing an ultimate-grade congenital spiritual treasure, would they not tear him to shreds?
With this thought, he couldn't help but touch the Mi Tian Rope tied behind him, which he used as a hairband.
On the arena, he dared not utilize the other divine abilities of the Mi Tian Rope, treating it merely as a spiritual treasure capable of transforming silk, all to avoid being discovered.
Once he returned to his clan and broke through to Golden Immortal, refining the tenth layer of the Mi Tian Rope's Dao restrictions would allow him to display the might of a mid-grade congenital spiritual treasure, which would undoubtedly be more powerful than the Giant Whale Clan Saint Son's mid-grade congenital spiritual treasure!
Qing Ling's thoughts shifted, and he realized he indeed lacked a suitable spiritual treasure for offense and destruction. It seemed he would need to focus more on refining or seeking a suitable offensive magic treasure after returning to his clan.
As he pondered, the Golden Dragon Clan elder retreated, and Lan Kui stepped forward to preside over the second sequence, transmission.
In layman's terms, this was a matchmaking event!
As soon as Lan Kui finished speaking, the Dragon Clan Great Sages, who had been sitting and chatting, instantly soared onto the hundred arenas, vying to be the first to introduce potential partners to their dragon descendants.
In an instant, the scene became somewhat chaotic.
Elderly dragons, middle-aged men, and women in palace attire all scrambled forward.
After all, these top hundred Saint Sons were arguably the most outstanding ninety-nine Golden Immortals and one Heavenly Tier cultivator within the entire Dragon Clan's dominion!
The various clan members were somewhat bewildered, but then they looked up with envy. The qualification to be contended for by Dragon Clan Great Sages was not something everyone possessed.
One old woman guarded an arena, roaring fiercely, "You old fools, stop snatching! If my dragon daughter cannot find a suitable inheritor of her bloodline, I might just go extinct!"
"Who are you trying to fool? With that bunch of odd-looking descendants of yours, do you dare call them dragon sons and daughters? If you don't feel ashamed, I do on your behalf," a white-bearded old man pointed at the old woman, stubbornly blocking a Saint Son's arena ranked twentieth, engaged in a fierce dispute.
...
"Hey, hey, hey, Madam Hua, what are you doing? You're not even letting the Heavenly Tier little one go? You're old enough to be his ancestor, don't tell me you're still coveting his essence?" a burly man with a coiled beard shouted at an exceptionally beautiful young woman in pink. He also stood his ground on Qing Ling's arena.
"Exactly! Have you no shame? You're a Great Sage, can't you leave some dignity for your hundreds or thousands of dragon sons and daughters? Who in the East Sea doesn't know of your reputation, Madam Hua?" an elder with white hair also admonished the young woman sternly.
The young woman in pink, addressed as Madam Hua, blushed slightly, a mix of shame and anger, especially in front of her own kin. "Where are you people imagining things? I am looking for a good male beast for the dragon daughters of my Li Dragon lineage."
On the other side, a red-haired elder arrived late and couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this. "Oh my, listen to them, Madam Hua, who has ten flood dragons born every ten thousand years, is actually thinking of finding male beasts for her dozens of dragon daughters!"
"Who would believe that?"
"Exactly, exactly. Just stop causing trouble for the younger generation."
Madam Hua's expression turned slightly displeased. "What do you old fossils understand? Ultimately, it still depends on the will of the Saint Son."
Saying this, she turned her head, her eyes like spring water, and smiled gently at Qing Ling, saying softly, "Esteemed Saint Son, I, Hua Li, am an ancestor of the Li Dragon lineage. Would you be willing to join my Li Dragon lineage? I guarantee there will be hundreds or thousands of dragon daughters and flood dragons for you to choose from."
Qing Ling felt a prickling sensation on his scalp. Although this Great Sage's charm techniques were extremely skillful, as the God of Spring, he inherently possessed the ability to induce infatuation and illusions. How could he be swayed by lustful desires?
He bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your kind offer, senior. However, this junior..."
"However, what?" the white-haired elder quickly interrupted, appearing as a benevolent old lady. "Don't worry, you don't have to be afraid of her being a Great Sage and not daring to refuse. With this old woman supporting you, speak your mind. I am an elder of the White Dragon lineage. My dragon daughters are all pure, noble, and untainted, unlike that fellow and the shameless Nine-Tailed Fox from the Northeast Qing Qiu."
"Alas, old woman, who are you calling shameless! How is my Li Dragon lineage the same as that vulgar, slutty fox? During the last Yuan Hui, several of your male White Dragons were constantly lingering around my Thousand Li Cave. How good is your White Dragon lineage?"
"You... It's clearly your dragon daughters who have no shame, running out and seducing my White Dragon lineage's male dragons..."
The old woman and Madam Hua seemed to have a deep-seated animosity, and they began to bicker incessantly.
The red-haired elder and the burly man on the side retreated a couple of steps, appearing somewhat fearful. They conferred, "Qiu Xu, while they're arguing, quickly trick that little snake over. Whether he joins your Qiu Dragon lineage or my Yan Dragon lineage, it's better than being taken away by those two crazy female dragons."
The burly man nodded and was about to step forward to take Qing Ling.
Then, a figure flashed and a cold voice called out, "Even as Great Sage Sovereigns, what kind of behavior is this?"
This reprimand immediately startled the four Great Sage Sovereigns, and they fell silent.
The newcomer was a refined man in a green robe. He glanced at Qing Ling and then announced, "Ninth Saint Son, you have been summoned by the Ancestral Dragon. Do you still intend to quarrel?"
Upon hearing this, the four trembled, and the white-haired elder quickly chuckled, "Elder Qing Mo, you jest. How dare we contend with the Ancestral Dragon?"
The refined man nodded, turned, and said, "Follow me."
Qing Ling was stunned, then inexplicably followed the refined man, dismounted the arena, and flew directly east, descending onto the summit of the Azure Dragon Holy Mountain. A magnificent, towering palace appeared before him.
Upon arriving here, the refined man spoke, "Are you truly the God of Spring?"
Qing Ling gave an awkward laugh. "If my divine position and the inherited memories of my primordial spirit are correct, then I am the God of Spring."
Hearing this, the refined man's expression became slightly more solemn, and his tone grew serious. "I am an elder of the Azure Dragon lineage, acting on behalf of the Ancestral Father to manage the Azure Dragon lineage. My name is Jing Mo. This is the Azure Dragon Holy Mountain. The Ancestral Father's divine consciousness is stationed here year-round. Since you are the Ancestral Father's assistant god, you are considered a distinguished guest of our Azure Dragon lineage. If there was any discourtesy just now, please do not take offense."
Qing Ling, somewhat overwhelmed with gratitude, smiled and said, "You are too kind, senior."
"There is no need to address me as senior; just call me by my name," Jing Mo said. "Because an ancestral assistant god should not be someone who can only call out 'senior' when encountering a strong individual."
Seeing his solemnity, Qing Ling could only nod in agreement. "Alright, senior. I..." He habitually spoke, then awkwardly chuckled, realizing his mistake after the fact.
Jing Mo frowned slightly but said nothing further. He directly led him into the majestic divine hall and respectfully announced, "Reporting to the Ancestral Father, your true assistant god, Qing Ling, has been brought here."
"Hmm, let him in," a clear voice emanated from within the great hall. Simultaneously, the tightly shut double doors of the hall opened on their own.
Jing Mo nodded in assent and discreetly withdrew.
Only Qing Ling remained, gazing at the slowly opening hall doors. A tall, imposing figure clad in green armor slowly turned around.
(3008 words)