This was a place that he had found. It was also them, the Zhao Immortal Tribe, who had triggered the change and caused the star to explode, bringing this black sphere forth.

They were the first to come in, and had racked their brains without any result. They could only hold this platform, which might very well be where others were filtered out.

However, nothing had happened in more than 10 days, and the pressure from those outside had built up. Some had even managed to get in the sphere amidst the chaos and had tried to reach the platform. However, the Zhao Immortal Tribe had beaten them off.

But now, there were many more of them. Even as an extremely powerful 9-realm immortal lord, Zhao Yuanchen was feeling frazzled. And the arrival of the strong eternal phoenix tribe competitors made him realize that obtaining this treasure, which was definitely a ninth-grade Mark of an Immortal King, was not going to be easy.

He made his choice. The stragglers had no backers, and there was no value in joining forces with them. As he himself was crumbling, he would honor the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord, and simultaneously defend against the other immortal lords. This was his best choice under these circumstances.

Zhao Yuanchen, the ferocious son of an immortal emperor, hurriedly said when he saw the retinue of the eternal phoenix tribe - hundreds strong - approach, "Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord, what say you we join forces on this platform and don’t let others in?"

This platform was currently occupied solely by the Zhao Immortal Tribe.

Of course, the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord agreed. Firstly, she wanted to reach the platform. Secondly, she did not want others there. Of course, she wanted to chase away the Zhao Immortal Tribe as well, but the Zhao Immortal Tribe had about 100 people, roughly half her strength. It would not be easy to drive them off. After all, many of them were elites as well. As for the straggler immortal lords, they were weaker on average, and the descendants of immortal beasts and immortal emperors looked down on them.

Zhao Yuanchen readily opened up to them, leaving half the space for the eternal phoenix tribe. They retreated to hold one side. After both factions found their footing on the platform, they all faced outwards. The Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord declared in a ringing voice, "Besides the eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe, no one else is allowed to come, on pain of death! Don’t blame us for what we do to those who defy us! Think carefully now! Is your life more important than a Mark of an Immortal King? Is a Mark of an Immortal King of this level something that you can win on sheer luck alone? I advise you all to scurry away and search for your first and second-grade Marks of an Immortal King. That would be a wise decision!"

She spoke imperiously, not at all holding the individual immortal lords in her regard. After all, many of them were mortals who had ascended.

With the team-up between the eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe, the two strongest forces were now dominating the area. Combined with the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord’s harsh threats, many of the immortal lords were given pause for thought. Of course, many continued to charge recklessly. They were met with the most horrifying punishments from the Zhao Immortal Tribe and the eternal phoenix tribe, who were making an example of them. Live people charging in were being sent back out as corpses.

The fighting was very intense!

The eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe used quick methods to kill the first few people and won themselves some peace. But very quickly, more and more people began to come in, and they started to help each other. They were unwilling to be humiliated. Although they were neither allies nor enemies, they also joined forces and attacked the platform wave after wave! Casualties started to appear even on the side of the eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe. However, for now, no one else managed to set foot on the platform, because the stance had been made all too clear that anyone who managed that feat would also be cut down from all sides.

It was a brutal and savage scene. Despite the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord’s youth, she could stomach such pressure, and she stood emotionlessly, forming a rather good team with Zhao Yuanchen. The immortal lords were cut down like weeds before them.

......

Unbeknownst to them, everything happening within the black sphere could be seen clearly from outside. The highest level immortals were watching, smiling, and discussing. First, the 36 Heavenly Generals’ Li Qingtian said to Zhao Gongming, "Your son knows how to go with the flow. He fought hard when he should have, and now he knows that he is outnumbered, so he immediately joined forces with the eternal phoenix tribe. Truly a promising potential for eternal life."

Zhao Gongming said, "My child is nothing. Look at the Provenance Phoenix Empress’ daughter. She is something special. She has not even reached a third of my son’s age, but is already a 7-realm immortal lord. Moreover, the few hundred she commands are a true core of strength. That is real ability. I am truly in awe of the Provenance Phoenix Empress."

The Provenance Phoenix Empress was high above, and not someone that Heavenly Generals could compare with. Yet actually, Zhao Gongming was silently struggling. Because no matter what their statuses were, this trial was based on real strength. That was how the Marks of an Immortal King were won.

The Provenance Phoenix Empress was quite satisfied with the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord’s performance. She turned smilingly to the Eastern Sublime Gracious Divine Emperor. "Divine Emperor, does this test hide a ninth-grade Mark of an Immortal King?"

From beside her, Marshal Tian You chuckled. "This is a test that I devised. There is indeed a ninth-grade Mark of an Immortal King inside. It is quite precious. It is probably in the top 10 of all Marks of an Immortal King within this challenge."

"I see. I wonder, what is the catch behind this trial?" Provenance Phoenix Empress wondered aloud.

Marshal Tian You smiled and said, "Watch on and you will know, Provenance Phoenix Empress. It is definitely very interesting."

The immortals laughed.

The Ruling Sky Manifesting Sage Great Emperor asked, "Divine Emperor, what arrangements have you made for the 10th-grade Mark of an Immortal King?"

The 10th-grade Mark of an Immortal King was still the talking point that everyone took an interest in.

The Eastern Sublime Gracious Divine Emperor said, "Stop asking, you lot. It was arranged by the Jade Emperor, and truthfully, not even I’m sure about the details. But what I know is that the conditions for its appearance might not even be met in this iteration of the Great Void Immortal Path. It might not even appear within 10 iterations. You should pay attention to the ninth-grade Mark of an Immortal King. After all these years, one has finally been found."

"He’s right. It’s the first time that a 10th-grade Mark of an Immortal King has been introduced. It will definitely go to someone of great promise."

At this time, the Culmination Honored Sage Great Emperor, one of the Five Mountains Emperor Lords, suddenly said, "There is a group of more than 200 people headed this way. Who are they?"

The black sphere continued to attract challengers.

Marshal Tian You gestured, and 200-odd white dots lit up on the constellation diagram. After seeing who it was, the Culmination Honored Sage Great Emperor laughed. "Ah, so it is the Ruling Sky Manifesting Sage Great Emperor’s Ruling Sky Immortal Tribe. The Ruling Fate Immortal Lord is quite a force to be reckoned with, and he is in the mix. He will be a strong leader of the younger generation of the Ruling Sky Manifesting Sage Great Emperor’s tribe."

"You praise him too highly." The Ruling Sky Manifesting Sage Great Emperor was getting excited himself. He saw his son and the Ruling Sky Immortal Tribe approach. Although they were late to the party, they could probably still stake their claim.

This test would definitely remain open for relatively longer, to attract enough experts here. That was also why the Zhao Immortal Tribe had waited around for a dozen days with nothing happening.

The immortals were all watching the eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe fend off the other immortal lords trying to "board" them in a fierce struggle.

What they did not notice was an insignificant being in the maelstrom, currently using the Floating Dreams Pagoda to collect bodies, as well as the dropped destinable immortal treasures. Basically all of the destinable immortal treasures and other valuables of the immortal lords, along with the corpses blown around the sphere, were collected by Wu Yu. Today alone, he had gained huge wealth.

However, after many people had died, the straggling immortal lords learned prudence and paused for the moment. After all, they were within the black sphere. Even if they had not boarded the platform, this was not a wholly bad outcome. The eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe were too strong, and it was difficult for them to challenge that. The deaths had given them pause and instilled fear in them. These people lacked a unifying leader. If they did, they would have overrun the eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe long ago.

Pausing now, both sides started to begin their negotiations. As for Wu Yu, he had already gained a lot. He had harvested a lot of bodies with immortal spirit world nuclei still inside. They held great value for his devouring. However, this would fade with time.

Wu Yu watched the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord from the shadows in the black sphere. He finally understood that he did not stand a chance. The main problem was that he was not strong enough. If he was, would he have to resort to sneaking around helplessly?

He decided to gamble.

"It’s been a dozen days, but nothing has happened. Perhaps another few days will not make a difference. I might as well find a corner to devour and cultivate, and challenge the great hurdle of the Immortal Lord Realm! If I succeed, I might stand a chance to help her. Without strength, everything else is useless."

Alone, he could not possibly kill a 9-realm immortal lord, but Wu Yu had currently collected four 9-realm immortal lords, as well as a dozen 8-realm immortal lords. They had all died at the hands of the eternal phoenix tribe and the Zhao Immortal Tribe. Even for immortals, all was over if they died. If Wu Yu did not devour them, they would just dissipate into the air, returning back to the world.

Therefore, as he saw the disparity between the Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord and himself, he chose to leave the black sphere. He was probably the first to leave it.

When he appeared outside, everyone’s attention was still on the black sphere. There were a few stars nearby which no one was paying attention to. Wu Yu spent half a day reaching one of them, and prepared to begin devouring and cultivating!

A chaotic place like the Great Void Immortal Path would provide numerous opportunities for him to grow stronger!