He crouched down, following Qinghuo Qiming’s instructions, and tentatively dipped his right hand into the Totem Pool.

Qinghuo Qiming, now wearing that exaggerated mask again, began circling the Totem Pool, chanting incantations under his breath.

Jiang Wang still couldn’t understand what he was chanting, but as the ritual progressed, faint, fiery red wisps of vapor began to materialize in the otherwise empty Totem Pool. Very thin, but undeniably present.

The fiery red vapor, like fish drawn to bait, swarmed towards Jiang Wang’s hand, clinging to his palm, crawling upwards, and “swimming” along the surface of his body towards his back, its destination clear.

Undoubtedly, this fiery red vapor was the manifestation of totem power within the Totem Pool environment.

Jiang Wang could feel that as the fiery red vapor was absorbed, the flame totem on his back began to subtly heat up, and then…

Nothing.

The sensation only lasted until the subtle heating.

Because the fiery red vapor in the Totem Pool had been completely exhausted.

Qinghuo Qiming ended his prayer, removed the mask, his face flushed, whether from excessive exertion or mere embarrassment, it was hard to say.

Jiang Wang gave him a resentful look.

That’s it?

This is what you call bestowing upon me the purest and most righteous totem power?

Pure or righteous, I don’t know, but it’s certainly meager.

I was just starting to feel something!

“This isn’t my fault,” Qinghuo Qiming quickly explained. “It’s all the Clan Leader’s orders. How the totem power stored in the Totem Pool is used, and how much is used, is not my decision.”

At this moment, a voice echoed from the outer chamber.

“Yes, this matter is not the fault of the Shaman. If the outsider from Azure Sky holds any resentment, I, Qinghuo Gaochi, will bear it all!”

The tall and sturdy Qinghuo Gaochi strode into the dark chamber, his expression frank.

“Clan Leader, why have you come?” Qinghuo Qiming hastily greeted him.

“I’ve brought the Qinghuo Clan’s chessmen, chess knights, and chess pawns for the Chess Master to inspect,” Qinghuo Gaochi said, looking at Jiang Wang, “Honored guest, please forgive the Qinghuo Clan’s inadequate hospitality.”

“It is indeed not very thoughtful,” Jiang Wang said without pretense, but without dwelling on the amount of totem power, he stated directly, “Let me see the people.”

“They’re outside,” Qinghuo Gaochi replied.

Qinghuo Qiming cast a surprised glance at him. Outside, meaning these people weren’t even qualified to enter the Fire Shrine. Their strength was therefore obvious.

The three of them returned to the outside of the Fire Shrine.

Sixteen people were standing there.

Sixteen old men, so withered they looked near death, their wrinkles deep enough to trap flies. Each one was trembling, as if a single gust of wind could knock them all down.

Jiang Wang looked at Qinghuo Gaochi: “Have you given up?”

“How could we?” Qinghuo Gaochi replied, “These men may be a little old, but they are all battle-hardened warriors!”

Old soldiers are certainly a hundred times better than new recruits.

But old soldiers are not decrepit soldiers.

Totem power is forbidden in the Game of Life and Death, and for ordinary people, the saying “youth prevails over age” holds true.

Jiang Wang’s face betrayed no emotion, he simply asked, “Are you trying to tell me that I shouldn’t have signed that contract with you? That I made the wrong choice, that I misjudged you, hmm?”

His tone could already be described as stern.

There were so many tribes on Floating Land, it wasn’t as if he was forced to rely on the Qinghuo Clan. Even if he had to fight for a spot, he was confident he could succeed. Aside from Lei Zhangan and a few others, who could stop him?

Qinghuo Gaochi looked somewhat abashed. He knew he hadn’t handled this matter fairly.

But he still said, “Totem power cannot be used in the Game of Life and Death, its contribution to the game is virtually non-existent. Our warriors are all fighting in the Underworld, and they can’t even get their fair share of totem power replenishment. I apologize, but this is all we can offer.”

If it weren’t for the fact that outsiders from Azure Sky had to have totem power to “deceive” the game, he wouldn’t even be willing to give this little bit of totem power.

“Then what about these people?” Jiang Wang asked, “You expect me to lead them into the game and win?”

“It’s still the Underworld problem,” Qinghuo Gaochi said, “The Qinghuo Clan’s strength is ordinary, defending the Underworld is very difficult, most of our young and strong warriors are rotating shifts there. These warriors are all we have…”

“To be used as cannon fodder, while saving your clan’s rations, is that right?” Jiang Wang interrupted him.

The sixteen old men all looked calm, they probably already knew what they were going to face, and were mentally prepared.

From what he had learned from Qinghuo Qiming, the red lines visible on the faces of the Qinghuo Clan members were an external manifestation of their totem power level.

Qinghuo Gaochi had eight red lines on his face, undoubtedly proving that his strength was unmatched in the Qinghuo Clan.

And these old men had nothing on their faces.

Qinghuo Gaochi did not try to hide the truth, he said directly, “We are not using them as cannon fodder, but using them to fill the slots and make up the numbers for entry into the Game of Life and Death. Of course, if you can keep them alive, that would be best. If not, it is their fate. The Qinghuo Clan must continue to exist, we can no longer let our young and strong make such sacrifices.”

As the leader of a clan, saying such words demonstrated his helplessness.

From this, it seemed that the Qinghuo Clan’s survival environment was even more dire than he had imagined.

But the Qinghuo Clan would be satisfied with a top fifteen finish, so they’d be content to reach the Star General stage, unwilling to strive for more, while Jiang Wang could not be. He had come to this world after already achieving his goal, not to take last place. Not to accompany the Qinghuo Clan in being mediocre.

“What if I said I could help you win?” Jiang Wang asked.

He emphasized, “I mean win, not some sixteenth, seventeenth, or eighteenth place finish.”

Qinghuo Gaochi instantly perked up, “Among these Azure Sky outsiders, you have the strength to take first place?”

Many of the Azure Sky outsiders knew each other, and understood each other’s strength, so he wouldn’t doubt that.

Jiang Wang confidently replied, “First place is hard to say. But I’m absolutely confident in a top-five finish.”

He spoke with great momentum, and there was no falsehood in his words.

Qinghuo Gaochi looked at him, still somewhat hesitant, “Historically, the later Azure Sky outsiders are always weaker than those who came earlier.”

“It’s simple,” Jiang Wang said magnanimously, “You have your fists, I have my sword. Why not test it yourself?”

He wanted to give the Qinghuo Clan confidence, and at the same time, he wanted to understand the Floating Land’s cultivation system, and assess the Qinghuo Clan’s strength, achieving three goals in one fell swoop.

Qinghuo Gaochi smiled, obviously Jiang Wang’s reply pleased him greatly.

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

Qinghuo Gaochi’s smile vanished, and he didn’t bother with any further formalities. Simple, direct, and decisive, he unleashed a straight punch, aiming straight for Jiang Wang’s chest.

Jiang Wang simply raised his hand, using the Shenlong Wood scabbard to block Qinghuo Gaochi’s fist. He wanted to test the man’s strength first.

As soon as the scabbard touched the fist, Jiang Wang realized that he was outmatched in strength, and immediately shifted his force, turning the confrontation into leverage, drifting backwards.

As he flew backwards, the scabbard blocked his brow.

Taking advantage of the momentum, he drew his sword, the blade singing!

A cold light flashed, slicing past him, like the rising moon.

Without any visible movement, Qinghuo Gaochi’s fist suddenly turned into fire.

Not covered in flames, nor some illusion.

Jiang Wang, with his outstanding perception of fire-elemental energy, clearly felt that Qinghuo Gaochi’s fist had lost its flesh and blood, and had become fire itself!

The sword passed, but the fire remained.

The fiery fist attacked his face.

Jiang Wang raised his palm in front of him, a flame flower blooming in his palm, directly meeting Qinghuo Gaochi’s fist.

The expected explosion did not occur.

Before he could control the flame flower to explode, it dissipated.

Jiang Wang felt that among the fire-elemental energies he controlled, a certain force suddenly developed “consciousness,” aptly “sabotaging” him, causing the flame flower to collapse.

Bang bang bang bang bang.

Jiang Wang transformed into a fiery meteor, bursting apart.

And Qinghuo Gaochi’s fiery fist suddenly spread its five fingers, forming a virtual grip, and pulled downwards!

The fiery meteor, rapidly flying away, immediately stopped its escape and began to fall uncontrollably!