The three-day preparation period was neither long nor short. Strength would either be enhanced—or compressed, depending on circumstances. The upcoming contest, after all, was just valuable experience.
...
On another front, Tsunade brought Hinata along to find Orochimaru, only to discover the latter was still tangled up in some strange research.
This poor chief priest was beaten again—brutally—by the snake hermit. Tsunade's scolding was harsh: "Everyone knows you're anxious, but don't you realize you're trash? Get up and train quickly!" Her voice rang with frustration, like someone trying to forge iron from steel.
"Tsunade, could you be a little gentler? My bones are all broken!" Da She Wan clutched his ribs and pleaded.
Seriously. After that beating, he's nearly dead.
"You know what," Hinata said, covering her mouth with a smile, "let's fix your injuries right away. We only have three days, after all."
Time is running out. This is a battle for honor—no world wanted to be left behind.
...
The same applied to Li Shimin.
Not only did his sister Li Xiuning return, but also Shi Feixuan and Wan Wan.
"Sister, are you going to kill your brother?" Li Shimin asked desperately, staring at the goddesses who each held a longsword.
Li Xiuning smiled faintly. "I've invited a few sisters to join. Though we don't train on weekdays, we must work hard now. Brace yourself, Brother..."
...
In the Shenwu world.
Tanjirou was being chased by the Butterfly Sisters, who zipped around as if playing. Countless supernatural powers had turned into butterflies—beautiful yet deadly—chasing and attacking this poor, exhausted kid.
**Boom.**
**Boom.**
**Boom.**
The glacier cracked. Hot veins erupted from deep in the earth.
"Sister Shinobu, please be gentle… my shoulders are going to go numb…" Tanjirou whimpered.
His plea was answered with even stronger qi jin.
He flew out like a bowling ball.
"Aha~~~" the sister laughed, "Tanjirou's little brother is getting weaker and weaker. It seems my specially crafted devil training is still too light. Get ready for my ultimate punishment!"
"N-no…"
Tanjirou burst into tears.
The gravity rune on his body doubled—again.
This hadn't even been tested yet, and now he's as good as dead!
I really wish I could just drop out.
Tanjirou thought desperately.
...
On the Plane of the Moon.
Unlike the desperate priests elsewhere, Rin Tosaka stood composed, facing not only the Twelve Knights of the Round Table—but Jin Shining and Enkidu as well.
These were her chosen opponents.
Rin Tosaka was a serious character
—deadly serious.
For any battle, even a sparring match,
She demanded absolute perfection.
Right now? Defeating the Twelve Knights of the Round Table. And also beating Gilgamesh and Enkidu.
No easy choice.
But Rin Tosaka's determination didn't waver.
Huh.
Ten magic light bullets swirled around Rin Tosaka's body.
"Come on, Altria… let me fight you first."
"Exactly what I was thinking!"
The Knight King let out a low voice—then launched forward like lightning.
Her sword blazed with golden energy, slashing repeatedly through the magic sphere in front of her in mere breaths.
Altria and Rin Tosaka clashed hundreds of times.
**Boom!**
A violent shockwave erupted.
Altria reached Rin Tosaka's front—and plunged her longsword straight through her chest!
Huh.
The sound of rippling water.
Rin Tosaka's body vanished.
"The Magic of Water·Thousands of Twisted Sharks!"
With massive waves rising beside her, countless blue sharks materialized from thin air—swarming toward the Knight King.
Altria's eyes lit up—excited.
Taking her own body as the center, she instantly condensed divine power—then cut it all away with a single slash!
Sleek sword air.
Split every shark—neatly.
But when Altria looked about for Rin Tosaka, the water surged again—deforming—blocking every angle around her.
A grand enchantment was formed.
Magic—rich, flowing, unpredictable.
Rin Tosaka was one of only a few goddesses in the Divine Domain who had thoroughly mastered the Law of Elements.
Which meant:
Earth, water, fire, wind—the basics.
She had knowledge of other laws, of course, but none so deep as the Four Elements.
The massive water barrier trapped the Knight King.
Then came icy fangs—freezing from mere condensation to solidification in an instant.
"Give up, Altria… the outcome is decided!"
Rin Tosaka declared coolly.
At that moment, Altria noticed her arms and treasured blade both restrained by wind elementals.
...Indeed. Outmatched.
-------------
Compared to the pitiable priestly lot, Murong Fu fared slightly better—at least the goddesses went easier on him, because of Wang Yuyan.
Still, even a standard battle overwhelmed Murong Fu, who was already exceptionally strong in the martial world.
Why?
The answer was simple.
Aside from the two major tournaments—Sage's Cemetery and the Battle of Gods—Murong Fu also sparred with Li Shimin in the training tower every day.
How could he now suppress or beat someone so advanced?
Take current Mu Wanqing.
She dressed in black—like a ghostly specter.
The Law of Darkness worked with flawless fluidity.
Endless, eerie dark arts tormented Murong.
Sometimes he clearly landed a strike—only to be thrown back by an unfathomable counterforce.
"Cousin, dark gods mostly use strange methods. Your attacks are still too crude. Your timing, foresight, and movement must be smoother—otherwise you'll get eliminated in the first round."
Wang Yuyan's assessment of Murong Fu: one point.
Out of ten.
Terrible. With such strength, just surviving one round is tough.
Murong Fu stopped mid-motion, bitterly asking: "Cousin, what kind of training do you undergo every day? I feel I never stop training. Why is there such a gap?"
She smiled faintly. "No special training really. Just suppressing my own cultivation level to challenge higher-rank beasts and goddesses stronger than me."
Do you really think goddesses in the temple are all just lounging around?
Those are just the salted fish.
Self-motivated goddesses trained daily.
Even like their gods.
Aside from preaching, Shi Feixuan even requested divine guidance.
This kind—only you who suffer know.
Leapfrog battles?
A Five-Star goddess can crush ten Four-Star goddesses.
A Six-Star goddess can crush a hundred Five-Star goddesses.
That's the gap!
Even with such a disparity in strength,
They never complained—only studied humbly.
Now that Wang Yuyan reached Seven-Star Goddess, it was not from consuming magical fruits or elixirs—it was from step-by-step cultivation.
(Well, of course, dual cultivation helped too.)
Today, in the Divine Realm, a new goddess named Ye Rou was promoted.
Rumored to possess superb techniques, she instantly drew a throng of admirers.
Murong Fu forced a bitter smile, gripped his long sword tightly—and continued to practice.
---------------------
In the Shenlan World…