Chapter 42: One Against Five, Beneath the Veil of the Reincarnation Saintess...

The words of the Saintess of Reincarnation fell like a thunderclap, leaving everyone exchanging glances in mutual doubt and skepticism.

Several undefeated saintesses were eager for battle. Fiery fighting intent flashed in their eyes, as if they were saying, "Although I do not know what trick she used, when it comes to the so-called laws, which of us here is not a saintess of the Void Refining Realm? Naturally, we fear nothing."

Their hearts were filled with a craving for victory and a desire to challenge the strength of the Saintess of Reincarnation, as if they were waiting for an opportunity to prove themselves.

"If anyone remains unconvinced, you may continue to challenge me. However, I will make my stance clear in advance: this battle within the same realm is inherently unfair to you all. I advise you not to bring humiliation upon yourselves."

As soon as the Saintess of Reincarnation spoke these words, it was like pouring oil on fire, instantly igniting the competitive spirit of everyone present and making their blood boil as if a raging fire had been lit within them.

At the same time, it stirred an eager impulse in the Saintess Linglong standing nearby. A fiery glow flashed across her eyes, as though she were anticipating a magnificent duel.

The mockery in the words of the Saintess of Reincarnation was dialed to the maximum, setting ablaze a raging fire within the hearts of the saintesses present.

Their hearts were filled with resentment and anger, as if they were thinking, "Hmph! Though I know not what despicable means you used to heavily injure the Saintess of Zichen, her strength matches her sacred land—a third-rate place. Defeating her is nothing remarkable; I could do the same."

These words also dispelled the fear of many saintesses, awakening them from their hesitation. Their hearts were once again flooded with a yearning for victory and an eagerness to test the strength of the Saintess of Reincarnation.

Suddenly, a sigh drifted into everyone's ears: "Alas... Kind words cannot awaken those lost in a dream. If you are unconvinced, come and fight."

The provocative battle cry of the Saintess of Reincarnation struck like a heavy hammer against everyone's hearts, sending their fury soaring and filling them with grievance and wrath toward her.

Two of them immediately stepped forward together, contending for the right to fight her. Fiery battle intent burned in their eyes, as if declaring, "I will surely defeat you and prove my strength."

Yet, the Saintess of Reincarnation said dismissively, "Endless bickering, so noisy. If you all still haven't decided, come together instead. I shall take you all on at once."

Her words carried a hint of calm self-assurance and composure, as if proclaiming her ability to effortlessly handle any challenge.

Her unruffled demeanor and formidable strength filled the onlookers with a mixture of awe and resentment, as though they were thinking, "I must defeat you to prove my own strength and worth."

The provocative words of the Saintess of Reincarnation stirred a thousand ripples, instantly tautening the atmosphere on the arena as a massive battle hovered on the verge of eruption.

The Saintess Linglong could no longer hold herself back. With a light and graceful movement, she prepared to step forward and request battle, but Su Ruoxi's telepathic voice timely called out to stop her:

"Linger, do not be rash. You have already secured three consecutive victories. Having earned such distinction today, you need not fight again. This woman's cultivation art is unfathomable. It is better to sit back, watch the tigers fight, and understand her more thoroughly first."

Su Ruoxi's words were filled with deep concern and rationality. Knowing full well that the strength of the Saintess of Reincarnation was unfathomable, she understood that rushing into battle at this moment was by no means a wise choice.

Su Ruoxi's covert warning fell like a basin of icy water over the Saintess Linglong, instantly waking her up and making her comprehend Su Ruoxi's unspoken meaning.

The burning fighting intent in the eyes of the Saintess Linglong gradually subsided. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed and stood quietly beside Su Ruoxi. Maintaining her imposing aura, she stood unmoving like a towering mountain peak, steady and resolute.

Naturally, the Saintess of Reincarnation noticed the subtle shift in the aura emanating from the Saintess Linglong just moments before. With her back turned to Linglong, the corners of her mouth hooked upward into a sidelong, playful, and disdainful smile, as if she were saying:

"Consider yourself wise..." Naturally, she never spoke those words aloud, but the fleeting expression of amusement she wore made everyone present feel her overwhelming and arrogant aura.

Immediately afterward, among the defeated saintesses, the Saintess Biluo suddenly stepped forward. Glare of resentment and anger flickered in her eyes, and her tone carried a hint of mockery and provocation:

"Fine, very well! I may not be able to defeat the Saintess Linglong, and I concede to calling her the Goddess of War, but what kind of thing are you, trying to imitate the Saintess Linglong and strutting around here to show off your might?"

Her words struck like a sharp sword directly at the Saintess of Reincarnation, attempting to provoke her into anger and seize a sliver of advantage for herself.

"Indeed! Even if it is a battle within the same realm, we still have six saintesses capable of fighting. You wish to take on all six of us single-handedly? Do you truly believe you'll die if you stop putting on airs?"

Another saintess chimed in, their voices brimming with grievance and indignation toward the Saintess of Reincarnation.

In their view, such an unfair battle should never be permitted. Believing that the Saintess of Reincarnation was merely emboldened by arrogance, they harbored a deep-seated hatred for her, itching to tear her to pieces.

Finally, seeing that none of them were willing to yield, the Saintess of Reincarnation smiled—a smile carrying a trace of calm composure, as if she had long anticipated their reaction.

Turning back respectfully, she sought instructions from Su Ruoxi: "Greetings, Empress Mother. This Saintess of Reincarnation is willing to fight this peerless battle today. His Majesty surely has no use for such mediocre looks, so it is better to simply dispose of them."

Her words dripped with sarcasm and provocation, completely contradicting her previous demeanor as if she had transformed into a completely different person. No one could tell what medicine she was selling in her gourd.

Her rhetoric seemed to hint at an even greater strength and background, prompting everyone present to feel an even deeper sense of curiosity and vigilance toward her.

Jiang Chen, however, remained nonchalant. With a slight smile, he signaled to Su Ruoxi, "Let her be. If all of them together cannot defeat this woman, she is surely not worth our Xia Dynasty recruiting."

Jiang Chen's words carried a casual detachment and confidence, as though he had already seen through both the strength of the Saintess of Reincarnation and the true capabilities of the other saintesses. His attitude heightened the onlookers' curiosity and wariness.

As soon as these words were spoken, the saintesses stood at daggers drawn, preparing to charge forward. However, a powerful coercion released by a guardian forced them back to their original positions. Choking back their fury, they glared at the Saintess of Reincarnation with looks as sharp as knives, wishing they could carve her flesh piece by piece.

Their hearts were filled with hatred and outrage toward the Saintess of Reincarnation, yet they dared not act rashly.

Instead of angering her, this seemed to amuse the Saintess Biluo. Standing at the front, she sneered, "Good, very well! Since you choose to march to your death, then so be it. I'll be waiting for you on the arena! Sisters, let's take the stage!"

Glancing sideways at the Saintess of Reincarnation, she took a stride and leaped onto the arena. After a moment of hesitation, the others followed suit one after another, though the Saintess Danxia chose not to participate, wisely retreating to the side.

After suffering one blow after another, her temper had been reined in considerably. While she had always fancied herself a supreme prodigy, compared to these individuals, she realized through comparison that she truly fell somewhat short.

On the contrary, her skill in alchemy far surpassed theirs, making her a leader in that field. Thus, possessing this specialized talent, she understood very well that combat was not her forte. Rather than contending for glory, she chose to step aside, await the right opportunity, and learn forbearance.

Seeing the five of them ascend the platform, the Saintess Biluo readily accepted the setup, saying, "Good. The five of you must unleash your full strength and strive for a swift, instant kill to utterly humiliate her. From now on, whatever benefits I, the Saintess Biluo, obtain, I will share with you all."

Naturally, the other saintesses chose to cooperate with her. In their eyes, although the Saintess Linglong stood supreme, she was far too aloof and not cut from the same cloth; the Saintess Biluo, by contrast, was much more approachable. Thus, joining forces with her was inevitable.

Yet, amidst the rolling thunder and the churning winds and clouds, not a single drop of rain fell...

"Saintess of Reincarnation, are you going to get on the stage or not? Are you afraid of us?"

"Indeed! Even if there aren't six of us, two alone are more than enough to crush a solitary opponent like you."

The Saintess of Reincarnation shook her head. With the air of someone forced into a corner yet successfully achieving her goal, she wore a mocking smile. Beneath her gossamer veil, she suddenly reached up, removed the veil, and turned to look at Jiang Chen.

That smile was innocent and pure, her wide eyes complementing an exquisitely flawless face with not a single trace of worldly contemplation, resembling a breathtaking landscape born purely of nature.

"Such an exquisite face," Su Ruoxi murmured softly. Hearing this, the Saintess of Reincarnation flashed a purely innocent smile.

"Is this her true appearance?" Jiang Chen thought, feeling a jolt of shock. Beneath her world-shaking beauty lay a pair of seemingly innocent yet unfathomably deep eyes.

Those eyes suddenly flickered with a faint, murky green hue, radiating an eerie chill. Jiang Chen shuddered, and when he snapped back to reality, he had no idea how much time had passed—the battle on the arena had already concluded.

In the blink of an eye, fighting five opponents simultaneously, she had won. She had won in a way that defied belief, a way that chilled the blood. No one knew when she had stepped onto the arena, nor when she had launched her attack; even as the crowd was still reminiscing about the moment she removed her veil, the battle was already over.

At that moment, the defeated saintesses gazed at the Saintess of Reincarnation with terror, a nameless dread gripping their hearts. It felt as though, in that brief instant, they had gazed upon some terrifying entity straight out of a nightmare...