Chapter 429 The assessment is over

"It's time to end this."

As Xiao Ling whispered in his heart.

In the red circle, the Heavenly Demon Marten, who was fighting fiercely with two phoenixes, suddenly had a flash of intelligence in his eyes. Then, the Heavenly Demon Marten's attack became more and more fierce.

Its body was as fast as lightning, shuttling quickly between the two phoenixes. Its sharp claws swung out suddenly, like a black lightning, and pounced towards the two.

"Puchi!" With two sharp sounds, the sharp claws of the Sky Demon Marten instantly pierced the necks of the two phoenixes.

"Yin!" The two phoenixes let out a shrill cry almost at the same time, and the sound seemed to carry endless pain and unwillingness.

The Heavenly Demon Marten was not moved at all, and a hint of coldness flashed in its smart eyes.

Then, the Sky Demon Marten opened its mouth and a powerful swallowing force gushed out of its mouth, forming a black spiral. The spiral was like a terrifying black hole, emitting a powerful suction force.

The two phoenixes struggled desperately under the influence of the suction, but to no avail. In the blink of an eye, the two phoenixes condensed by soul power were sucked directly into the belly of the Sky Demon Marten.

At the same time, Cao Ying and Dan Chen's faces turned pale as paper. They felt a sharp pain deep in their souls, as if they were slashed by a sharp blade.

The phoenix formed by soul power was devoured by the Heavenly Demon Marten, and the soul connection between them and the phoenix was severed at this moment.

Cao Ying's body swayed slightly, and she almost lost her balance, with beads of sweat on her forehead. Dan Chen tightly covered her chest, her eyebrows knitted tightly, and her expression of pain was fully revealed.

The two of them were filled with shock and frustration at this moment. They did not expect that Xiao Ling's strength was so strong. Even if the two of them joined forces, they were no match for Xiao Ling.

The spectators around were all looking at this scene with disbelief on their faces. They had thought that Xiao Ling might win, but they never expected that when Xiao Ling faced Dan Chen and Cao Ying at the same time, he could win so easily and end the battle so quickly with a crushing momentum.

Everyone stared with eyes wide open, their faces filled with astonishment, as if they couldn't believe what was happening before their eyes. The originally noisy hall became completely silent at this moment, and everyone was shocked by the powerful strength displayed by Xiao Ling.

Xiao Ling moved his mind, and the Heavenly Demon Marten, which was condensed by the power of the soul, was under his control, and instantly drilled back into Xiao Ling's body like a black lightning. In the hall, where the Heavenly Demon Marten disappeared, the space fluctuated slightly, as if the terrifying soul pressure still remained.

Then, Xiao Ling turned his eyes to Cao Ying and Dan Chen, who were panting slightly at the moment, and raised the corners of his mouth slightly, with a faint smile, and slowly said: "Do you two still need to continue the competition now?"

The two looked at each other, both gave a bitter smile, and then shook their heads at the same time.

Cao Ying gently tidied up her slightly messy hair, straightened her clothes, raised her chin slightly, and although there was reluctance in her eyes, she still said calmly: "Master Xiao Ling, I admit defeat. It is true that my skills are inferior to yours, and I am convinced."

Dan Chen nodded gently, and tied her messy hair into two buns at the back of her head. She smiled helplessly and said softly, "I also admit defeat. Master Xiao Ling's soul power is so strong that we can't even compare to him."

Seeing the two girls admit defeat, Xiao Ling nodded gently. At this moment, he had agreed to the Ye family's instructions and it was finally done. He narrowed his eyes slightly, stretched lazily, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

Originally, Xiao Ling thought that this competition would be very boring. After all, with his strength, it would be difficult for him to meet a real opponent. However, the participation of Cao Ying and Dan Chen made this competition more exciting. The talent and strength they showed made Xiao Ling look at them with new eyes...

Cao Ying and Dan Chen were undoubtedly truly gifted. They were born into a family of alchemists like the Cao and Dan families, and their starting point was much higher than that of ordinary people.

Since childhood, they have been receiving far more resources than most people. Whether it is precious medicinal materials, profound alchemy secrets, or guidance from famous teachers, all have provided unique conditions for their growth.

Despite having such excellent conditions, they were able to become eighth-grade alchemists at such a young age, not just relying on their family's resources. Their own efforts and talents were also indispensable...

It can be said that Cao Ying and Dan Chen's success is a perfect combination of talent and hard work. Their families have provided them with abundant resources, and they themselves have made full use of these resources and transformed them into the improvement of their own strength...

Immediately, Xiao Ling leisurely withdrew his gaze, turned his eyes to the side, smiled at Elder Sheng outside the square, and said casually: "Elder Sheng, now both of them have admitted defeat. So this round of competition should be considered over, right?"

Elder Sheng chuckled and slowly walked over from a distance. He was very relieved to see that Xiao Ling, Cao Ying and Dan Chen were not injured and had no grudges against each other.

This is naturally a great thing. After all, judging from the current trend, the three of them are the favorites to win the Dan Association. As the core figures of the younger generation of Danta, Cao Ying and Dan Chen will definitely play an important role in Danta in the future.

Although Xiao Ling did not agree to join Danta at the beginning, he has maintained a good relationship with Danta over the years.

In addition, Elder Sheng occasionally heard some rumors from the elders of Danta, saying that there seemed to be some unclear relationship between Xiao Ling and Cao Ying, and the Cao family also intended to establish some connection with Xiao Ling through Cao Ying.

And from the interactions between Xiao Ling and Cao Ying today, Elder Sheng could also sense that there was definitely some unusual relationship between the two.

Anyway, no matter whether the rumors are true or not, if any one of these three people has problems, it will be a huge loss for Danta.

Elder Sheng stroked his beard and smiled as he looked at Xiao Ling. Not only was this young man's alchemy skills powerful, he was also a Dou Zun-level warrior, and his cultivation talent was also top-notch.

He had never seen such a peerless genius before. This kind of talent was just like God chasing him and feeding him. It was really enviable...

"Haha, now that the competition is over, today's assessment of the five major families has also come to a successful conclusion. Let me announce the rankings." Walking onto the stage, Elder Sheng looked around and nodded slightly.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on him, he stroked his beard, smiled slightly, and said,
"In this assessment of the five major families, the first place is the Ye family, the second place is the Cao family, the third place is the Dan family, the fourth place is the Bai family, and the fifth place is the Qiu family..."

As Elder Sheng announced the end of the assessment, those who had come to watch the excitement among the many onlookers left leisurely when they saw that there was nothing more to watch.

The representatives from the Bai and Qiu families who came this time had no intention of staying here any longer and left sadly.

Although they passed the assessment and did not face the risk of being kicked out of the five major families, their poor ranking made them ashamed to stay.

However, there was nothing that could be done about it, after all, the opponent was too strong. If someone else were to take the test, they would probably end up in the same situation.

The people from the Cao family, the Dan family, and the Ye family all came forward. Ye Zhong was already very excited, and his hands were shaking slightly as he came forward.

After this assessment, the Ye family finally secured their place in the top five families of Danta. For the Cao family and the Dan family, their positions were also consolidated. Although Cao Ying and Dan Chen were no match for Xiao Ling, they could only blame Xiao Ling for being too evil. Both women had already shown their own charm.

Although the process of this assessment was intense, the result was satisfactory to everyone...

Elder Sheng turned his head slightly and cast his gaze towards Ye Zhong. There was a hint of distant reminiscence in his eyes, and he said slowly with emotion,
"Congratulations! The Ye family has survived among the top five families. The Ye family is fortunate to have met a truly amazing talent. We must seize this opportunity. The Ye family, perhaps in the future, we will be able to move to a higher level..."

Ye Zhong naturally took Elder Sheng's almost explicit words to heart. He couldn't help but praise his own wit back then, and at the same time looked at his granddaughter Ye Xinlan beside him. Thanks to his granddaughter, she had met Xiao Ling, the peerless genius, early on at Canaan College. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the Ye family to get in touch with Xiao Ling.

Ye Chong also secretly decided that he would hold on to Xiao Ling's thigh tightly in the future.

"Master Xiao Ling, the Ye family will always remember your kindness. Ye Zhong promises here that if the master has any orders in the future, the Ye family will do its best." Ye Zhong looked at Xiao Ling with a serious expression and a firm tone.

Xiao Ling smiled at Ye Zhong's words and nodded gently. At the beginning, he borrowed the ancient Yang Fire Altar of the Ye family, which brought great help to the Little Medical Immortal. It was for this reason that he agreed to help the Ye family.

Overall, this matter was not too troublesome, and the Ye family was also very polite to him, which made Xiao Ling have a very good impression of the Ye family. If there was really a need for him to help in the future, it would not be a bad idea to take care of the Ye family a little bit...

Ye Zhong looked at Elder Sheng again, and the expression on his face instantly relaxed, with a smile of gratitude slowly emerging. He bowed solemnly and said, "Elder Sheng, I really want to thank you for your care over the years. If it weren't for you, my Ye family wouldn't be qualified to stand here. Ye Zhong must not forget this kindness."

At this moment, Ye Zhong's eyes were full of sincerity and gratitude, as if he was recalling all the help Elder Sheng had given to the Ye family in the past. He straightened his body slightly, showing his inner respect.

Elder Sheng smiled indifferently and waved his hand, saying, "We are all old friends, there is no need to talk about this anymore..."

"Thank you Master Xiao Ling for showing mercy, otherwise my sister would have suffered disastrous consequences. Our Dan family will remember this kindness. If Master Xiao Ling needs anything in the future, you can always contact our Dan family, and we will do our best to help." Suddenly, a gentle voice came. Xiao Ling looked in the direction of the voice and saw the elegant and handsome Dan Xuan bowing his head with a sincere look.

It must be said that Danxuan's elegant temperament and gentle demeanor really make it difficult for people to dislike him. He is elegant and graceful, giving people a feeling of being bathed in spring breeze.

As the saying goes, don't hit a smiling person. Xiao Ling is not the kind of person with a bad temper and a high opinion of himself. Although he was not very interested in Dan Xuan who came to thank him, he would not ignore him.

"It doesn't matter. It's just a game, not a life-and-death fight, so it won't hurt the relationship. Besides, I think Danchen is cute and lovely, so I won't let her get hurt..."

Hearing Xiao Ling's words, Dan Chen, who was hiding behind Dan Xuan and only half of her head was exposed to observe the conversation, instantly blushed and felt very shy. She immediately retracted her gaze and hid behind Dan Xuan again, as if she didn't want anyone to notice her...

This gentle and slightly timid look is extremely cute.

"Cao Ying would like to thank Master Xiao Ling for showing mercy. Master Xiao Ling should not have used his full strength yet, right? If he had, I would have looked even more miserable."

At this time, Cao Ying approached, followed by Cao Shan and Cao Xiu. Her beautiful eyes were charming and her eyes were full of spring water, which was intoxicating. With her hands behind her back, her body was slightly leaning forward, and her graceful figure was fully revealed.

Looking at Cao Ying's sweet smile, Xiao Ling always kept his distance from such complicated women.

Although he had spent a lot of time with Cao Ying, and had had some close contact with her by accident, in Xiao Ling's heart, Cao Ying was just a little more than an ordinary friend. He could get close to her appropriately, but not too close.

After all, the mind of this kind of woman is hard to predict, and it is safer to keep a certain distance before you can understand her true thoughts.

Xiao Ling nodded gently, and then slowly responded: "Well, now you and I are friends, I naturally know what to do and know when to stop, so you don't have to be so polite."

Seeing that Xiao Ling's attitude towards her was still so indifferent, while Xiao Ling had been very kind to Dan Chen before, Cao Ying felt angry. She was secretly annoyed and secretly complained about Xiao Ling in her heart...

Cao Ying's face still maintained the natural and calm look from before, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, outlining a beautiful arc. She opened her mouth to invite: "Xiao Ling, there is still some time before the opening of the Alchemy Fair. During this period, many trading venues will be opened in Shengdan City, and all kinds of rare treasures will be brought out for trading. If you have time, why not let me take you to visit, maybe you can find some treasures that you will like..."

"You know, there wasn't such a lively scene when you came to Shengdan City before. You can't miss it this time..."

Hearing this, Xiao Ling's eyebrows slightly raised, and he actually became somewhat interested. It was indeed as Cao Ying said, there was still some time before the opening of the Alchemy Conference, and it would be nice to go out for a walk since he had nothing to do during this period of time.

So, Xiao Ling nodded slightly and responded casually: "I came here to prepare for the Alchemy Conference. However, if I have time, it's not impossible to go shopping. When the time comes, I'll have to trouble you to introduce me to someone..."

"Haha~, this is of course no trouble. I'll come to you when the time comes, just don't refuse me..."

Cao Ying lightly covered her red lips and giggled, her eyes moving around, revealing her enchanting look.

Seeing that her goal had been achieved, Cao Ying had no intention of staying here any longer. She gazed deeply at Xiao Ling with her beautiful eyes again, and a charming curve appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Immediately, she turned around and walked out of the hall, leaving everyone with a lazy, proud and beautiful figure.

Seeing Cao Ying leave, everyone in the Cao family nodded slightly to Xiao Ling, and then followed her footsteps.

Seeing that everyone from the Cao family had left, Danxuan and Danchen, after greeting Xiao Ling, led everyone from the Dan family who had come this time, and slowly left the assessment hall.

Seeing those powerful bosses leaving one by one, some forces that had a certain relationship with the Ye family in the past also began to greet Ye Chong enthusiastically at this moment.

Although the Ye family is currently in a state of decline, it has still successfully retained its position in the five major families, and will be able to retain a seat on the Danta elders' seat in the future.

The status of the Ye family may not be as prominent as that of the current Cao family and the Dan family, but it is definitely a height that ordinary forces cannot reach.

Ye Zhong smiled at all the enthusiastic greetings from these people. Although the Ye family now had some breathing time, this was definitely not a reason for them to act recklessly.

After experiencing those days of desolation and decadence, Ye Zhong knew very clearly how to speak and act in order to bring greater benefits to the Ye family in the future.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Ling said hello to Ye Xinlan and Ye Chong, and then planned to leave. But at this moment, Elder Sheng came to Xiao Ling with a smiling face.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, and then asked curiously: "Elder Sheng, is there anything you want to say? You might as well just ask directly."

"Haha, Master Xiao Ling is absolutely right. I do have something I want to discuss with Master Xiao Ling. President Xuan Kongzi also wants to invite Master Xiao Ling to discuss some things together. I wonder if Master Xiao Ling will be free later?" Elder Sheng nodded slightly, forced a smile on his face, and said with a smile.

"Since it was President Xuan Kongzi who personally sent a message to invite me to meet him, then I naturally have no reason to refuse." Although Xiao Ling had a little doubt in his heart, he did not show much reaction. He nodded slightly and said, "Cao Ying should come to see me later. Then I can ask her to take me to meet President Xuan Kongzi."

"Haha, it's settled. Later, I will let the president and Cao Ying talk about this matter." Seeing this, Elder Sheng smiled and said.

Hearing this, Xiao Ling nodded slightly. He chatted with Elder Sheng for a while before leaving the hall with Ye Chong and others.

Looking at Xiao Ling's receding back, the smile on Elder Sheng's face slowly faded, and he murmured, "From what the president said, the Soul Palace will also send people to participate in the alchemy conference this time. The Three Thousand Flames must not fall into their hands..." (End of this chapter)