Martial Master

Yun Mengze was well aware of the difficulty of this Refiner assessment. Top-level Refiners from several nearby states around Yunzhou had received the news and rushed here. The sheer number was astounding, and among them were many veteran Refiners. Even though Yun Mengze had confidence in himself, he didn't dare claim he could win the championship.

"You lack confidence?" Yun Dongguang asked coldly.

"Father, there are too many veteran experts participating in this Refiner assessment. I've heard that even Heavenly Saint experts have registered. Not to mention, Master Nangong Ying, who has been teaching me, is also participating in the Tian Gong's Refiner competition. Master Nangong Ying is a veteran, half-step Heavenly Saint, and can even refine half-step Tian-grade Saint weapons."

"Although I am talented, I can at most refine the top-tier Earth-grade Saint weapons. I fear..." Yun Mengze knew his advantage was his youth. Age-wise, he was younger than many veteran martial artists, and since the Refiner assessment, like the martial artist assessment, valued potential the most, Yun Mengze wasn't afraid of those veteran Refiners.

But the issue was that there were simply too many veteran Refiners, and he couldn't guarantee he would come in first.

"Nangong Ying, huh? Follow me," Yun Dongguang suddenly chuckled coldly, and an invisible force wrapped around Yun Mengze, swiftly pulling him into the depths of the state lord's mansion.

Buzz! The endless void was pierced through layer by layer. Yun Mengze felt like he was entering an extremely secret cave. Astonished, he looked around. This place was the deepest part of the state lord's mansion, presumably his father's secluded cultivation space. It was his first time here.

In the endless void, cold and damp, Yun Mengze finally found himself standing in a cave. Ahead was a pitch-black door. It was unclear what lay behind it, but the chilling aura emanated a thick scent of blood.

"Father, what is this place?" Yun Mengze asked in horror. Despite his talent and cultivation, standing here gave him a creepy feeling.

"Follow me," Yun Dongguang led Yun Mengze forward and opened the door.

"Yun Dongguang, let me go."

"Yun Dongguang, you despicable person, how dare you frame us? You're not human."

"Yun Dongguang, you beast! I've worked hard for your Yun family for so many years, and you turn out to be such a beast."

Angry shouts came from behind the door, accompanied by a thick scent of blood. Yun Mengze was horrified to see beyond the door, pools of blood with white-haired elders soaking in them. Each radiated a terrifying aura, all were half-step Heavenly Saints, seven in total.

These elders were pierced by chains, imprisoned in the blood pools. Leading them was none other than one of Yun Mengze's Refiner mentors in the state mansion, Nangong Ying.

The remaining six were all Refiner masters within Yunzhou. The weakest among them was a peak Earth-grade Refiner. Yun Mengze remembered them teaching him during his childhood; they were, in essence, his previous teachers.

"Father, you..." Yun Mengze staggered back in terror, almost falling on his backside. His father had bound all his Refiner mentors in this blood pool. Around the pool were terrifying restraints, with blood lights swirling, seemingly refining the essence and souls of these seven Refiner masters.

"Yun Mengze..."

"My good disciple, have your father release us."

"Yun Mengze, you little beast. I regret trusting your Yun family; my eyes were truly blind."

These elders, upon seeing Yun Mengze, started shouting hoarsely. Especially Nangong Ying, who furiously yelled, "Yun Mengze, release your master, you despicable person."

Yun Dongguang's face twisted with a cruel smile, "Ze'er, these are the Refiner masters who taught you. Now, they're trapped in the Seven Souls Rebirth Array. Weren't you worried about not winning the Refiner assessment? No worries, this array will refine these top-tier masters' bodies and souls. By sitting at the central platform and accepting the power of the array, you can absorb their souls and experience..."