Chapter 271: Ashore

At Li Pin's residence in Jiang Province City.

Li Yunyao, Lin Xiaolu, Qin Rouran, and Xiang Xiaoyue, the newest addition to their clique, gathered eagerly in front of the television.

"It's starting! It's starting! It's finally about to begin!"

"The King of the Century Competition! The highest honor for martial artists! The ultimate showdown of Martial Saints! I actually get to watch it for free?"

"I want to see Brother Li Pin crush everyone!"

"

Huh?

It's raining over there. I hope it doesn't interfere with the live broadcast."

The group settled onto the couch with snacks, pillows, and stuffed animals, their wide eyes glued to the massive screen that covered nearly an entire wall, not blinking for a second.

Although the program had begun airing, the King of the Century Competition had yet to start. Instead, the broadcast showcased various Martial Saints boarding ships and warships, heading to Crimson Flame Island.

Thanks to the absence of Astral Cultivators within a three-hundred-mile radius, the live signal was remarkably stable, with only brief interruptions.

Despite nearly every Martial Saint carrying astral equipment, their interference with electronic devices was much less significant than that of Astral Cultivators.

Moreover, the production team was only responsible for a limited broadcast of the event. Naturally, none of them had any malicious intent, making it unlikely to trigger any interference from the Astral Equipment.

For now, the broadcast was clear.

Li Yunyao and Xiang Xiaoyue were both very excited.

"Where's my brother? Isn't he the undisputed Martial Saint? Why isn't there a camera on him?"

"Yeah, yeah, I want to see Brother Li Pin."

Meanwhile, Qin Rouran was watching the TV and scrolling through her phone. She quickly found some information and said, "I heard Brother Li Pin won't be departing with the main group. He's going to go to the island on his own. The media probably hasn't located him yet, so they can't show any footage of him."

"That makes sense. My brother is the King of the Century after all. His entrance must be special," Li Yunyao remarked, vigorously waving her pillow and shouting. "My brother is unbeatable in the world!"

The rest of the fangirls eagerly nodded in agreement. "

Mm-hmm!

"

***

At this moment, oil tankers and warships were sailing toward Crimson Flame Island from various ports.

Once the King of the Century Competition began, Crimson Flame Island would be strictly off-limits. The area within a three-hundred-mile radius would turn into a death zone.

Any Martial Saints or Astral Cultivators attempting to enter the area after the battle began would be instantly obliterated by a patrolling team formed by representatives from the Six Extremities, under the pretext of interfering with the competition.

Even imperial princes would not be exempt.

Onboard these ships, the leading instructors were delivering their final instructions to the Martial Saints. "This King of the Century Competition is unlike any before. All Martial Saints, I want you to remember our ultimate goal—victory! Do whatever it takes to win!"

The instructor from the Solar Radiance United Empire surveyed the dozens of Martial Saints before him with a serious expression.

Eventually, his gaze settled on Ao Haichuan. "You are our best hope for bringing this highest honor back to the empire. Everyone will do their utmost to support you.

He cautioned, "While the island is just over sixty square kilometers, with more than four hundred Martial Saints fighting in that space, the final outcome will not be decided in just a day or two. Therefore, you must secure a place where you can rest and recover. Every minute you gain to regroup after the first few rounds of battles increases your chances of ultimate victory."

Ao Haichuan and the nearby top Martial Saints nodded in agreement.

"Remember everything I've taught you about wilderness survival and hunting skills. Use them all if necessary."

"Instructor." At that moment, another Martial Saint, who wasn't as prominent as Ao Haichuan but still seemed like a leader among the Solar Radiance group, spoke up. "Can I kill Tianyuan's so-called King of the Century, Li Pin?"

He grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"That brings me to a key point. Li Pin is no ordinary Martial Saint. He's your greatest threat. We have already prepared four plans for you should you find yourself facing this King of the Century once ashore. Nevertheless, the most likely scenario is that everyone will unite against him as soon as possible and eliminate this threat."

The instructor's gaze turned cold as he looked at the man called Fangs. "I must stress this—Li Pin is incredibly strong, far stronger than you can imagine! If you foolishly insist on challenging him alone, go ahead, but don't drag anyone else down with you."

The man called Fang seemed defiant. "But as fellow Martial Saints, surely Li Pin isn't—"

"Everyone is born different!" The instructor's voice turned icy. "Based on the latest intelligence confirmed three days ago, when the Great Shang's undercover agent Wang Hualong led an attack on Li Pin, the only reason the other two Martial Saints survived wasn't because Li Pin was distracted by Wang Hualong or because they ran fast. It was... Li Pin simply didn't bother to kill them!"

"He didn't bother to kill them?"

"Can Li Pin really take on one Supreme Martial Saint, two Extreme Martial Saints, and two Top-Tier Martial Saints head-on by himself and come out on top?"

"Impossible!"

This statement stirred a slight commotion among the Martial Saints. They were all Martial Saints! Even an Extreme Martial Saint wouldn't necessarily lose to a Supreme Martial Saint.

In a life-or-death battle, if a Supreme Martial Saint wasn't in the best shape, an Extreme Martial Saint could come out on top. Given these facts, how could Li Pin be so much stronger than the others?

"Impossible? This information comes from the world's top intelligence networks and is absolutely accurate!" The instructor's gaze sharpened. "Do you know what Li Pin said? He claimed that those Martial Saints who haven't even reached the Extreme phase don't qualify to die at his hands."

Upon hearing this, Fangs, Ao Haichuan, and the other Martial Saints clenched their fists.

Too arrogant! Too conceited!

To dismiss those who hadn't reached the Extreme phase as unworthy of even dying by his hand was utterly disdainful!

"Are you upset just because of that?"

The instructor's voice boomed. "Let me make this clear—Li Pin has mastered a secret art that, in theory, only Top-Tier Astral Cultivators can cultivate. It's called the Lifeform Force Field. With this power, facing him is like confronting a Top-Tier Astral Cultivator!

"Even Extreme Martial Saints will see their combat effectiveness reduced by at least thirty percent! So, what good is your anger? You must acknowledge that Li Pin truly possesses the strength of a King of the Century! In a one-on-one fight, he might even surpass all previous Kings of the Century!"

After saying that, he turned his gaze back to Fangs. "Now, do you still want to challenge him alone?"

Fangs opened his mouth, wanting to assert that he feared nothing. However, recalling the fate of Wang Hualong and the other four Martial Saints... he ultimately fell silent. Ao Haichuan remained quiet as well.

However, he soon regained his composure. "Perhaps a century ago, Li Pin was like a lion, a fierce tiger! But the reason we humans have remained the dominant species on Gaia is because of our ability to cooperate! No matter how powerful a lion is, it cannot stand against a dozen hyenas! No matter how strong a tiger is, it cannot defeat a pack of wolves!"

His eyes gleamed with determination. "Li Pin's power is known to all. Besides Tianyuan, I believe no one else will want to see such a formidable presence thrive! Once the competition begins, it's almost certain that he will be swarmed by the others!"

The instructor gave a slight nod. "Exactly! After Great Shang shared the news of him killing Wang Hualong, they reached a tacit agreement with us, the Royal Empire, the Star Alliance, and the East Sea's Thirty-Six Countries. Li Pin must be eliminated first. If Tianyuan dares to protect him, they will face elimination as well! This is why I specifically developed four plans targeting Li Pin for you."

He paused briefly before continuing, "However, Li Pin's strength is undeniable. When encircling him, don't rush blindly. Don't sacrifice yourselves for someone already doomed."

Ao Haichuan nodded. "Understood."

Even Fangs remained silent this time.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

After all, how could he possibly harbor jealousy or opposition toward such a terrifying figure—someone so powerful that five of the Six Extremities had silently agreed to unite against him?

At that moment, someone suddenly called out, "We've reached Crimson Flame Island!"

Hearing this, everyone turned their gaze toward the horizon.

There, an island with what appeared to be a volcano at its center stood on the sea, gradually coming into view.

The expressions of all the Martial Saints instantly became solemn.

Many understood that once they set foot on this island, their lives and deaths would no longer be in their hands. Most were likely to remain on this island forever.

A heavy atmosphere weighed on everyone's hearts.

Rumble, rumble!

Just then, a deafening roar seemed to echo from the distant sky.

Dark clouds rose from the east, rolling in and spreading toward them.

"It's going to rain," a Martial Saint remarked.

Thunder!

Downpour!

Slaughter!

Death!

Though the King of the Century Competition had yet to begin, a brutal aura already loomed over them.

Ten minutes later, the ship arrived at a makeshift docking point just outside Crimson Flame Island. By now, the dark clouds had spread overhead, dimming the light slightly.

"Everyone!" The instructor swept his gaze across the groups of people before offering a slight bow. "I wish you all victory and a triumphant return!"

Ao Haichuan, Fangs, and the other leading Martial Saints nodded in response.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Disembark! Ascend the island!"

One of the Martial Saints burst into laughter. "

Hahaha!

The day has finally come!"

He crouched briefly, then with a sudden burst of speed, launched himself into the air and headed straight towards the island.

Seeing this, the other Martial Saints followed suit, unleashing their full power and leaping towards the island.

They weren't the only ones. Elsewhere on Crimson Flame Island, warships and boats also docked at pre-scouted locations, with one Martial Saint after another propelling themselves into the air and landing on the island.

The Martial Saints from smaller nations and forces lowered small boats to complete their landings. However, whether they were from the Six Extremities or other factions, all Martial Saints remained at the shoreline. No one dared to venture deeper inland.

Dozens of Martial Saints, with a mutual understanding, refrained from immediate combat. Instead, a few were dispatched to scout the area.

Meanwhile, drones and satellites from various nations responsible for broadcasting focused on Crimson Flame Island, searching the surroundings.

However, even after ten minutes of careful search, nearly every country received the same feedback.

There was no sign of him!

Li Pin... hadn't arrived yet!

For a moment, countless people exchanged puzzled glances.

"Isn't the time almost up?"

"There are only a few minutes left. By noon, Crimson Flame Island will be closed off!"

"A satellite just passed over. There's no sign of any ships approaching from Tianyuan. Could it be that Li Pin... doesn't dare to show up?"

"That's unlikely. If he wasn't going to come, he would've stayed silent. Why announce his participation in the King of the Century Competition not long ago?"

Speculation spread among the crowd, causing a stir.

However, with only minutes left before the King of the Century Competition officially began, everyone remained patient, holding their positions and quietly waiting.

At this moment, Ye Chengyuan from Tianyuan's Dragon Gate Hall seemed to sense something. He reached out, and a large drop of rain landed on his palm.

"It's raining," he remarked. "Dark skies, torrential rain, perfect for slaughter!"

Elsewhere, Great Shang's killing machine, the Ten-Thousand Slaughter, was inspecting his battle axe. It was an axe over 1.6 meters long, forged from Ashura Ore through a thousand refining processes, now known as the Purgatory Battle Axe.

Rumble, rumble!

Just then, a deafening roar echoed from the dark clouds spreading over Crimson Flame Island as silver lightning split the sky, a brilliant light illuminating both land and sea.

In the midst of this intense brightness, a sharp-eyed Martial Saint noticed something and shouted in a low voice, "Someone is... someone's there!"