Chapter 1757: The Capital Seethes With Excitement
Though Yan Qingsang was loath to leave, the two young men departed Cloud Camel Mountain the very next day. Not long after that, Yan Wanjun temporarily dismissed his subordinates and left a letter in his residence before disappearing as well.
It wasn't until several days later that the rest of House Yan discovered his withdrawal. The letter was delivered to the local elder in charge, Elder Liang, as soon as it was found.
The elder paled after perusing the letter's contents. Venerated elder Yan Wanjun had left Cloud Camel Mountain; from what the letter indicated, he seemed to be separating from House Yan as well, at least for the short term. The reason given was quite nebulous, which Elder Liang couldn't make heads or tails of.
The letter was quickly sent back to House Yan's headquarters. The patriarch smashed his fist into the tea table as soon as he read the missive, instantly disintegrating the expensive furniture.
"Yan Wanjun, Yan Wanjun! You belong to House Yan, whether dead or alive! Do you think your crimes will be washed away with the ink in this letter? You fled in shameful fear. Do you know how disastrous this will be for the house?!"
The patriarch was incensed. He had engineered the plot via the Blackjade Coralplum, after learning of the spirit herb's properties from some reference book. He knew of Yan Wanjun's Dream Inducing Grass beforehand, and how the mixture of the two herbs' gases would create a lethal poison.
If his machinations had succeeded, Yan Wanjun would've died under unknown circumstances.
Alas, they had come to naught in the end. The patriarch was astonished when the news he received was quite different from what he expected. He didn't understand how Yan Wanjun had found out about the Blackjade Coralplum's characteristics.
How can this be? Informants had told him that Yan Wanjun had been quite pleased when the Coralplum was first delivered. Furthermore, it had been transplanted near the Dream Inducing Grass. Who would've expected things to end in failure after such a successful beginning?
Even if the plot had failed, the patriarch had been hopeful that Yan Wanjun wouldn't discover anything – especially not the identity of the perpetrator. The rest of the letter however, utterly dashed his hopes.
What others didn't understand was crystal clear to the patriarch's eyes. Yan Wanjun was well aware about the lethality of the Blackjade Coralplum and the patriarch's culpability in the affair.
He hadn't pointed it out in order to preserve internal peace.
But the patriarch was hardly going to be grateful at this juncture. In fact, he was filled with resentment for the venerated elder.
"Yan Wanjun, Yan Wanjun. Do you think you can just leave after causing so much trouble for the house? Do you understand how grave the price will be for your stubbornness and stupidity?"
The patriarch gritted his teeth, his eyes glittering with savage light.
Xiahou Zhen had threatened that many from the patriach's own branch would be killed in Yan Wanjun's stead. The man whom he'd leaned on was a thing of the past. When his closest relatives were threatened, did Yan Wanjun's life matter nearly as much?
Man was a selfish animal, and the Yan patriarch was no exception. Thus, Yan Wanjun's vanishment made his heart sink like a stone. He could almost see Xiahou Zhen's slaughter in front of him.
"Are you trying to ruin the rest of the house by leaving, Yan Wanjun?"
The venerated elder in question was tens of thousands of miles out by now. He couldn't possibly hear the patriarch's angry roars.
His graceful exit made waves in the entire house.
Many venerated elders announced their desire for the patriarch to publicly strip away Yan Wanjun's position as venerated elder. Moreover, they requested that the patriarch issue a joint bounty to hunt down Yan Wanjun in all of Myriad Abyss. The House's elite would be sent out at the same time, of course.
These suggestions were reasonable enough in isolation, but it was very difficult to actually carry any of them out.
Announcements were easy to make, but more would become curious about the reason behind the departure. Why would Yan Wanjun choose this time to take off? He could've avoided Cloud Camel Mountain altogether in favor of outright retirement after the Skymender Festival.
Why would he choose to leave at this point rather than back then? What did the letter contain, exactly?
All kinds of conjecture filled House Yan's halls, filling the listeners' hearts with uncertainty and dread. Most felt that there was something fishy about all this.
Rumors quickly spread through the capital about the real reason behind Yan Wanjun's exile. The Yan patriarch had wanted to kill the elder! The venerated elder had escaped out of despair and fear, leaving behind only a letter to express his thoughts.
Furthermore, the rumor went into excruciating detail about every aspect of the plot, even the bit relating to the Blackjade Coralplum. It was as if the person who spread it had been there.
This rumor quickly boiled over, filling the house and the capital with its vapors. House Yan became the capital's laughingstock overnight thanks to the rumor's ubiquity.
Some said that House Yan was destroying its own foundations and reputation, others remarked that Yan Wanjun was a coward, and yet others said that Yan Wanjun's retirement was wise. There was plenty of debate on the subject.
Jiang Chen was naturally the orchestrator of the circulating rumor. He had spread it after spicing it up. Afterwards, he hid himself inside the sacred land's secret realm in intense cultivation. He went back to the Eternal River to refine himself once more.
Once his request was approved, he wholeheartedly poured himself into the act of cultivation.
The prism crystals he'd dredged up from beneath the underground world allowed him to take to cultivation like a duck to water. There were five colors among the crystals, corresponding to the five elements.
Each crystal was the size of a cat's eye. Even so, a stone as small as that contained terrifying power. A normal empyrean cultivator would have had a hard time absorbing it all, but Jiang Chen had the right method to refine the spirit energy within, as well as the attribute. It was easy for him to absorb the prism crystals that aligned with the five elements.
Cultivation was a wondrous thing. If someone only cultivated one or two elements, his speed of advancement wouldn't be particularly swift. This highlighted the importance of the foundations he had laid down between the true qi and spirit realms. He had all five elements to bolster him.
This was a cultivation method that proved difficult and strenuous at first, but advantageous later on. Jiang Chen also had the tempered body and will to sustain the amount of stress placed on him as a result of his accelerated training.
When he absorbed the prism crystals, there was a world of five elements within him that simulated the truth of martial dao. The crystals were far more potent than Jiang Chen had ever expected.
The spirit energy within them seemed almost infinite. Each cat's eye held more than an ocean of spirit energy within. Jiang Chen received tremendous benefit from these miniature storehouses.
The third day after his return, he broke through second level empyrean with no sign of stopping. He made pass after frenzied pass at third level.
"I have two and a half months. I can definitely make it to third level empyrean!" Jiang Chen encouraged himself silently. His goal was to hit third level in under two months, then rely on the Crowning Empyrean Pill to reach fourth level.
If he could put that into perfect action, he would astound the crowd and the entire nation. After all, he had shown up in Eternal Divine Nation as a mere great emperor cultivator.
It had been only two years since then. Getting to fourth level empyrean from great emperor in that short a timespan was the stuff of legends – certainly enough to break Xiahou Zong's prior record. It would dim the halo around the other genius.
Each dig at Xiahou Zong's illusion of invincibility brought Jiang Chen closer to an overwhelming victory over his mortal enemy at the tournament of geniuses.
If he could topple Xiahou Zong from his mythical throne, Jiang Chen would forever be in the right when it came to Huang'er. Even Xiahou Zong himself wouldn't humiliate himself in making another pass.
...
House Xiahou had heard about Yan Wanjun's exit from House Yan as well. The whole house was completely enraged. If the old man who had shamed them simply left, how would the house regain its reputation?
And how were they supposed to get their hands on Yan Qinghuang without the actual person or hostages to threaten her?
There was heated discussion inside House Xiahou. Some executives proposed a straightforward approach of disciplining House Yan.
"Damn it! Is the House Yan patriarch slacking off, or is he actually useless? Yan Wanjun is just a venerated elder. How can a patriarch be powerless when it comes to a venerated elder? With trash like him as patriarch, no wonder House Yan is in decline!"
"Who knows? Maybe they were in cahoots from the start. I don't believe for a moment that the Yan patriarch would be so subservient as to help us get rid of Yan Wanjun."
"Not necessarily. The Yan patriarch is hardly a noble person. He would definitely rather sacrifice Yan Wanjun over his own blood relatives."
"Either way, we have to do something to teach them a lesson! We can't let House Yan fool us this time. They'll remember only a price paid for in blood!"
Chapter 1758: Duke Xiaoyao
Xiahou Zhen felt rather embarrassed. He'd gone to threaten House Yan in person. As a venerated elder of House Xiahou, he had always felt a natural superiority when it came to the other house. Thus, he had thought the Yan patriarch would carry out his orders unerringly.
But Yan Wanjun had disappeared!
I was deceived by House Yan's patriarch. His demands had not been met, which was more than enough reason to be angry.
"Calm down, everyone. I was responsible for this matter all along. Since House Yan's patriarch has decided to be rebellious, I will clean up my mess." It was Xiahou Zhen's principle to be a responsible man.
"There's not much point in killing a few from House Yan now, venerated elder," Xiahou Zong remarked coolly.
"What do you mean, not much point? We must drill the consequences of disrespecting House Xiahou into those Yan numbskulls."
"Do you think it fruitless to act against House Yan currently, Zong'er?"
"Right now, House Yan is like a lamb to the slaughter. It's not going to run away whether we kill it now or later. If we mete out punishment upon House Yan now, we only push it further towards the Eternal Sacred Land. Though it won't affect the house's plans in the grand scheme of things, it will introduce some unnecessary uncertainty."
The house's plans!
Everyone cooled off when they heard that.
Xiahou Zhen sank into thought. Though he was a venerated elder, he was willing to listen to Xiahou Zong's opinion. In fact, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter.
"Young master Zong is right. The house is in mid-expansion and should prioritize intimidation rather than pulverization. If we crush House Yan utterly, it won't hesitate to turn to the Eternal Sacred Land!"
"That's true. We aren't scared of House Yan, but we have better things to do. Why should we give ourselves busywork? I think it is better to apply both the carrot and the stick. That'll keep them at a reasonable distance from both us and the sacred land."
Everyone nodded in consensus at that suggestion.
Xiahou Zhen inclined his head. "So I should pay attention to how I approach it then. I can kill one or two as a show of House Xiahou's attitude, which should be more than enough."
"Just as it should be. If we don't do anything at all, House Yan will think us weak instead!"
Everyone nodded once more.
"Young master Zong," someone piped up, " Shao Yuan from the Eternal Sacred Land is really quite full of himself. Do you think he's brave enough to face you in the tournament of geniuses?"
"I don't know." Xiahou Zong shook his head coolly. "I certainly hope so. I don't want to be disappointed yet again. It's been so many years, yet no worthy opponent in Eternal Divine Nation has risen to meet me. Shao Yuan is capable at pill dao, but I'm not so sure about his martial dao."
"I hear his martial dao talent is pretty good too."
"Pretty good?" Xiahou Zong smiled faintly. "It'll be a shame if that's all he has to offer."
There were countless cultivators with 'pretty good' martial dao talent in Eternal Divine Nation. Such people were far beneath his attention.
"Of course. There hasn't been a single genius who can go toe-to-toe with young master Zong in martial dao in Eternal Divine Nation. I'm not sure there will ever be one, either. We never towered above the competition like you in our youths, so we don't understand your loneliness very well, haha."
Even House Xiahou's elders needed to praise Xiahou Zong from time to time. His loftiness of position within the house was thus evident.
Suddenly, the voices of the meeting ground to a halt. A figure had appeared in the collective view of the attendees. It was so insubstantial that it appeared to have blown in by the wind.
"Patriarch!" There was instant silence upon the scene.
The patriarch of House Xiahou held penultimate authority within the house. Aside from the venerated forefather, he had the most power. His name was Xiahou Xiaoyao, also known as Duke Xiaoyao.
He was one of the strongest men within Eternal Divine Nation, claiming superiority over all but some of the most venerated forefathers. Even the first prime of the Eternal Sacred Land couldn't claim she was absolutely stronger than him.
His hair swept up on his head and secured with a small hair crown, Duke Xiaoyao cut a lean, graceful figure. Starry mystery radiated from his eyes.
"Greetings to the patriarch." Everyone bowed.
Xiahou Zong bowed in deference before Duke Xiaoyao as well. This act, in spite of his customary arrogance, showed the clout that the duke had within the house.
The venerated forefather barely inquired after the house's affairs, which made Duke Xiaoyao the actual ruler of the house. He had power over its members' lives, as well as the course that the house was to take.
"Sit down, everyone." The duke waved a hand, in apparent high spirits. He radiated an aura of authority that commanded automatic respect from others. His eyes rested upon Xiahou Zong first and foremost. "Well done, Zong'er," he commended. "Your strength within House Xiahou redoubles our might."
This was high praise indeed.
Xiahou Zong was almost humble before the patriarch. "But you are the source of the house's strength, patriarch, the final, perfect touch to the details."
Everyone roared with laughter at the adroit rejoinder. What innovative flattery!
"Everyone, I visited the forefather before I came here. He has given a precise date. Our plan is to be put into motion after the sword competition. Together, you form the backbone of our house. We must all be daring and selfless in this action. Anyone who negatively affects the plan with self-interest will be branded a criminal. The house's future prominence rests upon this plan. If we succeed, we stand to gain untold riches in every respect. If we fail, we might…"
The duke trailed off, but his meaning was clear enough.
"Are the other factions' attitudes clear, Patriarch?" asked venerated elder Xiahou Zhen.
"We're sure about most of them. Some wish to stay neutral, and the majority of the remainder has allied itself with us. The support the sacred land receives will be extremely limited," Duke Xiaoyao remarked confidently.
"Is the Eternal Sacred Land really so badly off now?" asked another.
"Hmph. It has consumed more than half of the nation's resources all this time, yet all it's done with that is twiddle its thumbs. What has the sacred land done for our nation? What geniuses have come out of it over the years? Despite its wealth, it's barely stronger than our house. Is a sacred land like this worth supporting?"
The duke's analysis was pointedly cynical.
"The sacred land has shown signs of decline for several centuries now. We always thought it was loftily untouchable before, but it doesn't look so intimidating now that we're up close. It's lost its former feeling of overbearing dominance! What need have we to fear it any longer?
"It's time for history to lower the curtains on a dying faction. No political layout lasts forever. A change in the Ten Divine Nations by the wheel of history is past due. Regardless of all else, House Xiahou must take ample advantage of this opportunity. We will set the world on fire!"
Every House Xiahou member in attendance felt their blood run hot.
Duke Xiaoyao smiled, then turned back to Xiahou Zong. "Zong'er, our plan begins with the sword competition. Your job is to crush every genius in your way – including those from the sacred land. Ah, I hear they have a new genius called Shao Yuan?"
"Yes, but he doesn't amount to much more than a clown. His comedy show won't last much longer." Xiahou Zong was furious at any mention of the other youth.
The disrespect to him was one thing, but Shao Yuan had dared publicly propose to Yan Qinghuang! This seriously infringed upon his bottom line.
How could someone as proud and ruthless as Xiahou Zong ignore such blatant provocation and insult?
"I hear that kid is more than a little bit unorthodox. Don't underestimate him, Zong'er. Winning against Flora Divine Nation's Shi Xuan is no ordinary feat. Yes, he hasn't shown his martial dao talent yet, and I think he will prove inferior to you in the end. But still, you mustn't take him lightly. In the arena, you and he are mortal enemies. If you can kill him in one blow, do not use two flourishes."
Duke Xiaoyao was a practical man. He cared only about results rather than the process. The best route to victory was the most efficient one.
Xiahou Zong cupped a fist toward his senior. "Don't worry, Patriarch. He's made me angry already. I won't give him the shadow of a chance to leave the arena."
Everyone knew the overwhelming lead Xiahou Zong carried compared to the rest of his generation. They were impressed and pleased with the decisiveness of his claim.
"Good. Our young master Zong is ambitious!"
"Let the glory of House Xiahou begin with your victory, young master Zong!"
Chapter 1759: Countdown to the Sword Competition
The Eternal River ebbed and flowed in a rhythmic manner. Jiang Chen took note of the slightest changes as he cultivated. His mind became more agile and his insight more keen.
Day after day, he absorbed the prism crystals as well as the early rays of sun, morning dew, the air at the riverbank, the energy of the flora, and the smell of the earth… Every existence in the world seemed to be offering energy to him generously, giving what was needed for cultivation.
His body was also undergoing transformation every day. Both his physical strength and fortitude of consciousness were greatly improved.
An empyrean cultivator cultivated through absorbing the energy of heaven and earth. The faster he cultivated and the greater his progress, the more dramatic the natural phenomenon he'd trigger.
Fortunately, the Eternal River was quiet and isolated like a secret realm. People outside knew nothing of what was going on inside, while those inside were oblivious to the outside.
The sword competition was a few months away.
Jiang Chen made amazing progress every day; his efficiency was out of the world, and yet he wasn't satisfied.
"I've reached a bottleneck in second level empyrean. If I break through and reach the next level, I'll be able to take the Crowning Empyrean Pill."
In truth, Jiang Chen would easily make the breakthrough if he took the pill now, but that wasn't his final goal. He only wanted to use the pill to push himself to fourth level empyrean.
"There's still time. I can do it." Jiang Chen quietly absorbed the energy within the crystals and refined their attributes for his own. Even the Five Great Gentlemen would at most be able to absorb only a handful, while Jiang Chen had absorbed more than twenty.
Most would have to be insane to attempt what he did. A lesser cultivator would've already died from overconsumption. Jiang Chen, on the other hand, had room for more.
It wasn't impossible for him to step beyond the threshold of second level. As long as he kept absorbing energy, he'd eventually be able to ascend. That was the moment he was aiming for.
...
Meanwhile, talks about the upcoming sword competition flourished everywhere in Eternal Divine Nation. There wouldn't be a record-breaking number of geniuses, and the talents featured weren't the most remarkable, but there was a fascinating story to follow for this year's event.
The stars of the story were none other than Shao Yuan from the sacred land and Xiahou Zong from House Xiahou. There was even a female lead - Yan Qinghuang from House Yan.
The general consensus was that Xiahou Zong would undoubtedly dominate the competition, followed closely by top geniuses from the most powerful factions, including the Five Great Gentlemen from the Eternal Sacred Land. There would be no surprises.
However, Shao Yuan's proposal to Yan Qinghuang at the Skymender Festival threw a twist into things and made it all the more interesting.
Gossip about Shao Yuan and Xiahou Zong's tussle over a woman spread like wildfire.
On one hand, many were convinced that Xiahou Zong's dominance over the young geniuses couldn't be challenged. On the other, some believed that Shao Yuan had a chance at disrupting the current pecking order.
Although the majority weren't betting on Shao Yuan winning, they admired him for his courage and ambition. Quite a lot were even hoping that the young man could create a miracle.
Not even Jiang Chen knew that he'd gained a group of devoted supporters within the nation. They saw him as a hero for defeating Shi Xuan and restoring the reputation of both the sacred land and Eternal Divine Nation. He was a true man for bringing glory to the nation.
Xiahou Zong was a great genius, but he'd earned his fame through battling his compatriots. His glory had been gained at the cost of his peers. Many were more inclined to support Jiang Chen.
The three primes were also under great pressure lately. A few days ago, Duke Xiaoyao, the patriarch of House Xiahou, visited the Eternal Sacred Land and demanded Yan Qinghuang.
The three primes refused vehemently, insisting that the sacred land would protect Yan Qinghuang as long as she stayed within their territory. But if she left on her own accord, the sacred land wouldn't intervene.
However, they refused to retract Shao Yuan's proposal.
The conversation ended on bad terms. The three primes simply refused to comply with the request. If they surrendered the girl to House Xiahou, it would be the sacred land subjected to no end of mockery.
"First Prime, it was long decided that Yan Qinghuang would be Xiahou Zong's cultivation vessel," the duke declared calmly. "It defies both reason and propriety for you to encourage Shao Yuan to propose to her."
"Your words are unfair, Duke Xiaoyao. We've only heard about this deal and have seen no concrete evidence backing your claims. The youths will determine their own fate. It's wonderful that Shao Yuan has fallen for Yan Qinghuang. Why don't you let them have their happy ending?"
The duke was silent for a moment. "Happy ending?" he growled. "Who will support our happy ending then?"
The first prime smiled faintly. "Let the youths resolve their own conflict. Tongues will wag if we old folk intervene too much. Our youths will also be mocked for crying to their parents like a little child."
She was essentially calling Xiahou Zong weak and incompetent.
A frown creased The duke's forehead. "First Prime, you're being unreasonable. First come, first serve. The Eternal Sacred Land takes more than half of all the resources in the nation--that we've accepted. You shouldn't be pushing for more. You're interfering with House Xiahou business. We can't possibly tolerate that, can we?"
"That's an overstatement. This is simply a matter of the heart between the young. Your words make me wonder if you have no confidence in Xiahou Zong. Do you think he's going to lose in the sword competition? If he truly is as powerful as he purports to be, no one will be able to take Yan Qinghuang from him. If she ends up becoming Shao Yuan's partner, Xiahou Zong has no one to blame but himself for not being strong enough."
The duke flew into rage, his lips twisted into a leer. "Xiahou Zong isn't strong enough? First Prime, I don't know why you're so confident in Shao Yuan, but he's going to die in a battle with Xiahou Zong unless he flees like a coward. Don't blame Xiahou Zong for not showing mercy then!"
"If Shao Yuan is incompetent enough to be killed by Xiahou Zong, then that's his fate."
"Good, good!" The duke laughed. "I look forward to seeing Shao Yuan's blood and guts splattered all over the stage."
"Duke Xiahou sure is confident," the first prime said coolly.
"Haha, I'm not exaggerating when I say that not even the Five Great Gentlemen can defeat Xiahou Zong, let alone Shao Yuan. In Xiahou Zong's own words, he can fight the five gentlemen at the same time and still come out on top."
It was typical of Xiahou Zong to make such a bold statement. Only someone insane would say so without the strength to back himself up, but he was likely the only one qualified to make such a bold statement.
The first prime knew The duke was likely right, but she wasn't going to admit defeat even in conversation. "This seat has asked Shao Yuan if he can defeat Xiahou Zong. Do you know what he said?"
The duke scoffed. "What?"
"Simply, Xiahou Zong is merely a stepping stone in his pursuit of martial dao. He can easily kick the stone away. A little interlude isn't going to change his path to success."
Jiang Chen had said something to the effect. Only, the tone and choice of words had been changed a little.
The duke could barely contain his rage. Shao Yuan was truly overly arrogant! "It seems that we can't come to an agreement about Yan Qinghuang, First Prime."
"Let the fight do the talking," the first prime responded in a steady voice.
"As you wish!" The duke shot to his feet. "When Xiahou Zong destroys Shao Yuan, don't blame House Xiahou for being ruthless and then complain about losing a pill dao genius!"
The first prime gave as good as she got. "I hope House Xiahou won't fall into despair if Xiahou Zong lies dead on the ground."
Chapter 1760: Participation Slots
The crystals Jiang Chen had collected from the underground greatly facilitated his cultivation. He'd reached peak second level empyrean and was one step away from breaking through.
"Just one more step… I can do it!"
He only had a month left, but he was as convinced as ever that he'd be able to overcome the challenge.
Cultivation was different for empyrean cultivators. Before that, cultivation was about tapping into the potential within oneself. After that, it was about combining one's strength with the power of heaven and earth, incorporating the heavenly law.
Jiang Chen had a deep enough understanding of the heavenly law, and he had the necessary physical strength. What he needed and lacked the most now was time.
He was essentially trying to finish three years worth of food in three months. He was talented and adept enough to do it, but it wasn't the natural course of cultivation.
One after another, crystals disappeared from Jiang Chen's hands. Spirit energy spread throughout his meridians, his organs, and even his pores. He struck a perfect equilibrium with heaven and earth. Cultivation was the construction of a bridge between his body and the nature, enabling the exchange of energy.
"I'm getting close. Ever closer now..." He was ascending a tall mountain, trying to reach its peak. Third level empyrean was almost within his reach.
Suddenly, a ball of warmth burst within him, spreading to every part of his body. It felt as if all his pores had opened up as countless hot streams exploded within. Like a ray of light splitting through the darkness, a weight lifted from his chest.
Third level empyrean!
Jiang Chen couldn't suppress his joy. He'd worked so hard for so long and paid a great price to reach his goal. It'd ended up taking it less time than he'd anticipated.
Despite his high spirits, he didn't have time to waste on celebrating. He refocused his mind once more. He'd just broken through and needed to stabilize his cultivation base.
Nonetheless, he hadn't reached his final goal yet. Next came the Crowning Empyrean Pill to push himself to the next level before the sword competition.
Since his ascension to empyrean realm, his edge in cultivating had become more and more apparent. He had more experience with the empyrean realm thanks to his past life, and thus he possessed more knowledge and insights about the realm.
He felt this realm was the true threshold of his journey. Before his ascension to empyrean, he'd been merely laying down the foundation.
He spent a few days stabilizing his base and then selected the finest Crowning Empyrean Pill without hesitation.
"There are many experts in the heavenly planes who used the Crowning Empyrean Pill to achieve an unconditional breakthrough. I have great shared fortune with the pill. It won't disappoint me!"
The higher the cultivation, the rarer the pills for a free level and the lower the success rate. Pills for sage and emperor realm almost never failed to their users. The pills were also easier to refine and less likely to be a failure.
The Crowning Empyrean Pill could still help empyrean cultivators ascend a level, but the success rate wasn't as high.
Of course, Jiang Chen didn't think he'd made a mistake. He'd refined the pill himself. He knew the properties of the pill and how he should use it.
He placed the pill on his palm, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
He'd never expected to one day take the pill himself. In his past life, he'd refined countless pills of unparalleled quality, but never taken any of the cultivation ones himself. That was an enormous tragedy and humiliation to befall the top pill dao master.
"Father, you're protecting me from the heavenly plane, aren't you?" Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill.
A pill of empyrean rank was not to be underestimated. Powerful energy rushed through every part of his body at once. If he hadn't been strong enough physically, his body would have collapsed under the impact.
In reality, his body was much stronger than other cultivators at his level, and his consciousness likewise. He therefore, was able to maintain control over himself in face of the pill's impact.
The pill came into full effect.
He had about twenty days left. There wasn't much time for him to push for the next level.
...
As the sword competition drew ever closer, the entire Eternal Divine Nation bubbled up with excitement. All factions above third tier were allocated a certain number of entry spots, which were determined by the faction's status.
Factions like the Eternal Sacred Land was given ten spots, the most among the factions.
The other first tier factions varied. The powerful House Xiahou received given eight, while the weaker House Yan was given only three.
The second tier factions each had two spots, while the third tier factions each had one.
The number of spots was very limited, which meant that a great portion of the participants would be real geniuses.
All factions were now agonizing over who should represent them, especially the bigger factions. They had too many geniuses and thus many conflicting interests to consider when coming up with a list.
The sword competition was being hosted by the imperial family of Eternal Divine Nation. Members of the imperial family had all cultivated in the sacred land, but that didn't mean the two parties completely got along.
The imperial family naturally wanted to gain full control over the nation, unchallenged by any. Although most of their elites had been cultivated by the sacred land, as the official ruler of the nation, they wanted more autonomy and less restrictions.
It made the imperial family's job difficult as the sacred land all too often involved themselves in political affairs. Therefore, the two commonly held differences in opinion.
The two parties were mutually dependent, but there also existed conflicting interests to a certain degree. The conflict was mostly confined only because of the sacred land's dominant power. The sword competition was the perfect opportunity for the imperial family to demonstrate their authority.
Even the sacred land had to comply with the rules of the competition and follow the imperial family's instructions. In addition, the sacred land was restricted by the number of participants allowed.
They had great difficulty settling on ten people.
The Five Great Gentlemen were undoubtedly going to participate. Jiang Chen also needed a spot because of his feud with Xiahou Zong. Six spots were taken, leaving only four openings.
The fight for the remaining spots was intense. The sacred land was still more powerful than many other factions, even if they weren't how they used to be. Their foundations made sure of it.
In Myriad Abyss, there was a clear line of division between the top geniuses and the rest - empyrean realm.
Only those who'd ascended to empyrean could be considered first tier geniuses. The others, including those at half-step empyrean, were considered second tier and below. They could attend the competition, but they would only serve as a backdrop while the others shone.
But for the Eternal Sacred Land, it could gather ten empyrean geniuses without too much difficulty.
These days, Yan Qingsang had been frantically looking for support to gain a spot in the competition. He couldn't represent House Yan after his grandfather's departure. If he wanted to attend the competition, he had to take one of the sacred land's spots.
There were only four left. He wasn't sure if he could stand out from the great number of geniuses.
Yan Qingsang wanted to talk to Jiang Chen about it, but his friend hadn't ended closed door cultivation. He'd have to find another way. And so, he turned to Ziju Min for advice.
Ziju Min was surprised to see Yan Qingsang. "You've made impressive progress, Yan Qingsang. You've ascended to empyrean realm as well!"
"That's what I'm here for, Elder Ziju. Is it really so difficult to become one of the participants for the sword competition?"
Ziju Min paused. "You want to attend?"
Yan Qingsang nodded earnestly. "I want to very much so. I've lost the opportunity to prove myself to House Yan. I'd like to prove myself to the sacred land. Please trust me, Elder Ziju, and help me with this..."
Chapter 1761: Exit From Closed Door Cultivation!
Ziju Min mused silently. He hadn't paid that much attention to Yan Qingsang and only remembered the young man as part of the package deal from when Jiang Chen joined the sacred land.
He didn't look down on the young man, but given Yan Qingsang's level of talent and fame, it'd be close to impossible for him to gain one of the remaining four spots.
But Yan Qingsang had surprised Ziju Min in ascending to empyrean realm. "Qingsang, your past self would have no chance of participating in the sword competition. Even if you managed to get in, you'd end up being everyone's punching bag."
"Yes," admitted Yan Qingsang. Before meeting Jiang Chen, he wouldn't even be able to secure a spot in House Yan, let alone in the sacred land. Now, however, he was a changed man.
He may not be experienced enough compared to his peers in the sacred land, but he was more than competent enough.
"It's remarkable that you've reached empyrean realm already. Your potential in martial dao is better than I expected. You have my support. I'll at least give you a fair chance to fight for a spot." By that, he meant a preliminary competition within the sacred land.
Ziju Min kept his promise and was a man of action. He made the arrangements immediately after giving Yan Qingsang his word.
Yan Qingsang was like a brother to Jiang Chen. Moreover, he'd ascended to empyrean realm, abruptly highlighting him amongst the younger generation. Therefore, it made sense that he'd be a strong contender for a spot, if not a sure winner.
More than a dozen geniuses were qualified to fight for the four spots. A preliminary competition was thus held.
Yan Qingsang was determined to prove himself. He fought with reckless abandon, which gave him an edge in the competition. Though it came down to the wire, he won two consecutive matches, securing one of the remaining spots.
The ten participants had been selected.
According to the rules, each faction was to submit their list of participants seven days before the sword competition. Four days later, every genius was required to go to the organizer and have their identity verified. Only after that could the organizer schedule the matches and made the necessary preparations according to the number of participants.
The sword competition was a rare event. Each divine nation put great emphasis on their respective ones. It was a precursor for the geniuses' competition a few years later, which was open to all geniuses from the Ten Divine Nations. The participants would naturally be those who outperformed their peers in each nation's competition.
Through the selection process, many geniuses would shoot to fame, and many others would fall into obscurity.
"Elder Ziju, has Shao Yuan been cultivating by the Eternal River?" The first prime asked with earnest concern.
Ziju Min nodded. "He has, and it's been a long time. I believe he must have made great progress."
The first prime sighed. "A few days ago, Patriarch Xiaoyao from House Xiahou came to boast about Xiahou Zong's unparalleled talent. A fight between him and Shao Yuan is inevitable. This seat still worries about the outcome."
Ziju Min was troubled as well. He'd always been confident in Jiang Chen, but this time was different.
Xiahou Zong stood out too much in Eternal Divine Nation. While Shao Yuan had proven himself in the trial of Nine Winding Caves, there was still a large gap between the two.
Shao Yuan had only ascended to empyrean realm a short while ago. He could at most reach second level empyrean during this short period of time. He wouldn't fare well against an intermediate empyrean genius like Xiahou Zong.
"House Xiahou is filled with fame-seekers. Xiahou Zong is talented, but too arrogant for his own good. Perhaps that will be Shao Yuan's only chance."
The first prime nodded. "The list has been submitted. The participants have to be verified tomorrow. Shao Yuan won't forget to show up, will he?"
"He knows the rules," boomed Ziju Min. "It'll be unacceptable for him to require our reminder."
If Shao Yuan didn't come out in time for the verification after they submitted the list, his spot would go to waste, and the sacred land would be subjected to mockery.
"Let's wait. He'll show up before our departure tomorrow." Ziju Min didn't sound that certain.
Early the next morning, the geniuses attending the competition showed up at the meeting spot. Ziju Min was getting anxious as Shao Yuan was still absent.
They would've gone to notify Jiang Chen if they could, but they knew he wouldn't be late without a good reason. There was only one explanation: he was unable to leave because of cultivation.
The first prime was a little frustrated. "Elder Ziju, is Shao Yuan still not here?"
The young geniuses exchanged a look and realized that they were one man short. "Shao Yuan is missing, isn't he?" one of them pointed out sarcastically. "Who does he think he is? Are we going to wait for him at time like this?"
"Agreed. He doesn't consider the group at all."
Yan Qingsang's eyes twitched, but he remained silent. He didn't want to waste his breath arguing with these people. He knew better than anyone what the competition meant to Jiang Chen. His brother would never back down now. He would come.
"We can't wait any longer, First Prime. What if we're late to the verification? We're all going to be affected."
It was rather Gan Ning who huffed. "Does the Eternal Sacred Land not have the privilege to be a little late? What are you lot yammering about?"
Upset, the genius scoffed and retorted, "If I remember right, Gan Ning, you have beef with Shao Yuan, didn't you? Why are you defending him now? Have you been beaten into submission?"
"I'm just telling the truth," Gan Ning responded indifferently.
As they were arguing, Ziju Min's eyes flicked to the north. A ray of light streaked toward them like a shooting star, its speed so quick it couldn't be caught by the human eye.
A figure landed before them in the blink of an eye. It was Jiang Chen.
"Three primes, Elder Ziju, I've been too focused on cultivating these days and lost track of time. I apologize for almost forgetting this important task."
The first prime's expression brightened. She smiled. "We were worried that you'd gotten into an accident and wouldn't able to go to the verification. This is your opportunity to make a name for yourself and win the girl. What would you say the odds of you winning are, Shao Yuan?"
"Ninety percent." Jiang Chen wasn't exaggerating. He was confident that he could defeat Xiahou Zong. He'd reached fourth level, entering intermediate empyrean realm.
Jiang Chen didn't know exactly what level Xiahou Zong was at, but he was sure the man hadn't reached advanced empyrean realm. As long as that was the case, Jiang Chen was confident that he'd be able to defeat Xiahou Zong.
His confidence bothered, rather than appealed to the young geniuses.
It was the first time the Five Great Gentlemen made an appearance together. Aside from Gan Ning, none of them had fought Jiang Chen themselves. They believed that the fight had only ended in a tie either because Gan Ning had pulled his punches, or he was just that much of a piece of trash.
The other four gentlemen didn't think they were any lesser than Shao Yuan. In fact, they believed they far surpassed Shao Yuan in martial dao. They wouldn't let Shao Yuan steal their thunder in the sword competition.
Jiang Chen noticed their hostility, but he didn't react and put it out of his mind. His goal wasn't to triumph over the other young geniuses, but to go after Xiahou Zong and take Huang'er back in an open manner. Otherwise he wouldn't even be interested in attending the competition at all.
"Alright, we're all here now. Let's depart!" The first prime's declaration prompted the group into traveling towards the capital.
Since the sword competition had been organized by the imperial family, it was naturally held in the capital, not too far from the sacred land. Jiang Chen chatted with Yan Qingsang along the way, his gait relaxed, ignoring the hostile looks cast his way.
He'd avenged the sacred land by defeating Shi Xuan at the Skymender Festival, but he knew that not everyone here would be thankful to him.
On the contrary, his rise obstructed other geniuses' path to success. There was no telling how many people had come to resent him in secret.
The group soon reached the location designated by the imperial family. The other factions were already there. Because of the delay caused by Jiang Chen, the Eternal Sacred Land was the last to arrive.
Chapter 1762: Geniuses Gather
No one could fault the Eternal Sacred Land for being late or the last to arrive. It had always been the true ruler and foundation of the nation, enjoying a bevy of special benefits. In fact, some thought that the sacred land's tardiness was intentional in order to fully display its exclusivity.
Jiang Chen was different from the other geniuses in that he focused his consciousness inwards as to conceal his true strength. Meanwhile, his fellows showed off their power for all to see, wanting everyone to acknowledge their strength.
Since all the teams had arrived, everyone was led to a predesignated area. The emperor himself served as the host for this tournament. This was most luxurious treatment indeed. No tournament of geniuses had ever personally seen an emperor as its host before.
This emperor in particular seemed to treat the Eternal Sacred Land with great deference. "First Prime, shall we begin?" he asked with a smile.
The first prime frowned a little at the question.
In theory, the emperor had authority over the proceedings, given that the imperial family was hosting the event. The emperor's question accentuated the sacred land's dictatorial nature—a trait that was nonexistent.
She was mildly displeased at this veiled jab.
Still, no sign of her displeasure showed through in her expression. "Your Majesty," she replied coolly, "we are all guests to this tournament hosted by the imperial family. Please, go ahead and adjudicate. It's not my place to interfere."
Her words were far from biting, but her attitude was clear enough.
The emperor smiled placidly, as if he had meant no harm whatsoever moments earlier.
"Alright. We're only checking off the registry today. After that's done, all the geniuses gathered here will remain in the imperial capital until the end of the tournament."
Verifying identities was hardly a difficult task.
Yan Qingsang had become very serious immediately upon his arrival. He cast cold gazes at House Yan from time to time. There was no hatred in his eyes, but a bleak indifference instead.
The house members returned his gaze largely with hostility and disdain. They had evidently reached a consensus and concluded that Yan Wanjun had fled out because of a guilty conscience.
Understandably, they felt he should've stayed to clean up his own mess. As for the rumors about the patriarch's attempted assassination, those were universally ridiculed. Barely anyone within the house believed them anymore.
Because the house had come to a conclusion about Yan Wanjun, they bore considerable animosity towards Yan Qingsang as well. The young man was the traitor's grandson, and the cousin of the source of the house's trouble.
Jiang Chen didn't care much about House Yan. He had only one enemy in mind—House Xiahou.
Today, Xiahou Zong had clearly taken pains with his appearance. His extravagant attire helped emphasize his tall and handsome figure. He stole the attention of the crowd, and seemed naturally superior to everyone around him.
Even the Five Great Gentlemen of the Eternal Sacred Land felt themselves inferior to a certain degree.
The pressure that Xiahou Zong exerted upon every other genius of his generation was very potent. No genius from any faction dared lock eyes with him.
Everyone knew that he had refined an ocular ability and trained a powerful consciousness. Someone who angered him via a surreptitious look would be subjected to a world of pain through the reciprocal look alone.
Therefore, the younger generation was respectful to Xiahou Zong as a matter of fact. They lacked the courage to even look straight at him, much less face him.
There was one exception though—Jiang Chen. That young man's eyes had been trained on House Xiahou as soon as he entered. He wanted to commit every member of the house to memory, so that he might send them all to hell if he had the chance to.
Xiahou Zong had likewise been watching Jiang Chen in secret. However, his enemy didn't spare him a single look from start to finish. Jiang Chen seemed to think of him as nothing but air.
Xiahou Zong gathered up his strength several times, prepared to make a preemptive strike against Jiang Chen with his ocular skill. Alas, he didn't receive the chance to.
That kid is gutless through and through. He's not even brave enough to look me in the eye. The genius's ego grew all the more when he saw his enemy's evasive eyes.
The registration and verification was quickly complete. There were almost two hundred competitors.
Some geniuses from second and third rate factions were present as well, having obtained spots for themselves. Unfortunately, they were fated to serve as the backdrop for their more talented peers; it was unlikely any of them would make it into the later rounds.
After registration was over, the emperor proclaimed aloud, "Eternal Divine Nation has always had excellent geniuses. This tournament in particular has drawn together our country's best. Each of you will become future pillars of national support! We hope that you will all do your best, and bring your best! Show us the strength of your characters.
"From now on, you are free to do what you like. You may wish to chat with, or learn from, each other. Rivals in the ring may well become friends out of it. Why not encourage each other to improve?"
The registered geniuses were no longer permitted to leave. They would need to stay here for quite a while. Just as the emperor had mentioned, free time was when they could freely intermingle with each other.
Other young geniuses appeared near Jiang Chen rather quickly. But barely any of them were curious about his martial dao potential; they were here for the singular reason of asking after his pill dao talent. Some had been present at the Skymender Festival, and had borne witness to his spectacular skill.
They all wanted to make the acquaintance of this pill dao prodigy. Perhaps they would unexpectedly get something out of it, right?
Jiang Chen had always been steady when it came to dealing with people. He neither refused them with aloofness nor received them with enthusiasm.
The Five Great Gentlemen also gathered similar crowds. However, Xiahou Zong was the most popular by far.
He towered above the crowd like a giant among normal men. There were two dozen or more young geniuses by his side, attracted to him by some kind of inborn charisma.
Yan Qingsang was extremely annoyed by what he saw.
"Those sycophants only know how to suck up to Xiahou Zong. I daresay they think everything out of him smells like roses, regardless of which end it comes from."
Yes, Xiahou Zong was arrogant, detached, even callous. However, he had no shortage of adoring lackeys at any time. Many were overjoyed at a single look or polite comment from him, an emotion that would linger for quite a while.
While Yan Qingsang seethed, Jiang Chen felt as calm as a moonlit pool. What he saw completely reasonable. Humans naturally flocked to the strong.
Xiahou Zong was at the pinnacle of his generation. It was quite likely he would become the ruler of a territory someday. Therefore, it was a good idea to make connections with a man so destined for power. Becoming his close friend wasn't necessary, as long as one did not become his enemy. Most were more than happy enough just to make the acquaintance.
Xiahou Zong chatted with the geniuses around him with complete apathy. He wasn't interested in socializing with those he considered so far beneath him. Shao Yuan was the only topic on his mind.
The day's finally come. No amount of outside pressure will persuade me from killing you, kid! Xiahou Zong's internal monologue was filled with determination.
Suddenly, a young man from House Yan sidled over to Yan Qingsang. He spat a ball of phlegm at the former Yan genius.
Having been prepared for the sudden assault, Yan Qingsang evaded it with a tilt of his head.
"Yan Qingsang, you traitorous scum. What face do you have to appear here?" The youth from House Yan glared at Yan Qingsang disdainfully.
The insult made the young man glower. "Shut up, Yan Seventh. Who the fuck are you calling a traitor? Clean yourself up!"
"Your grandfather Yan Wanjun was a traitor, and you're his grandson. So you're just as bad as him." Yan Seventh was incredibly vicious.
"That's a load of fucking bull. My grandfather was persecuted by the house. Is he not allowed to withdraw from the attacks aimed at him? Traitor? Who's actually brought shame to House Yan again and again, hmm? Who was it that sent someone to Mount Cloud Camel to assassinate my grandfather? Some people have the gall to commit these filthy acts behind the scenes, then make up lies to frame my grandfather. Well, I say those people are becoming more foolish as they age. Maybe one day they'll become real dogs and slaves of House Xiahou!" Yan Qingsang was criticizing House Yan's patriarch, of course. He felt that the meek and indecisive patriarch was the root of all troubles.
"Yan Qingsang," someone from House Xiahou suddenly interjected, "don't drag House Xiahou into House Yan's insignificant affairs. What is House Yan worth? We wouldn't take you as a dog even if you offered!"
The speaker was none other than the smug Xiahou Zong.
Chapter 1763: The Tournament Begins
Yan Qingsang cackled with glee. He hadn't felt much of a sense of belonging to House Yan before, but his loyalties had rested there in the end. Otherwise, he wouldn't have opposed Jiang Chen's initial wooing of his cousin Yan Qinghuang so vehemently.
His disappointment with his house had developed gradually. The attempt on his grandfather's life, in particular, had utterly crushed any remaining hopes. House Yan had betrayed him, not the other way around.
The conclusion freed Yan Qingsang from the chains of negativity.
He cared little for Xiahou Zong's mockery. "Brother." He turned to Jiang Chen. "It's your turn to shine this time. That guy over there has run amok for many, many years. It's high time he was taught a lesson."
Jiang Chen sighed softly, becoming suddenly pensive. He didn't know why, but he was reminded of his prior conversation with the sacred land's venerated forefather—about the dangers lurking beneath the surface.
He hadn't quite understood what it all meant, at the time. But now, it seemed that this danger was no laughing matter.
Though he lacked concrete proof, the passion with which the nation's geniuses flocked around Xiahou Zong was reason enough to suspect something was awry.
At least in the younger generation, Xiahou Zong was far more influential than the sacred land's own geniuses. The Eternal Sacred Land had the Five Great Gentlemen, but the total number of fans around them couldn't match Xiahou Zong's groupies.
This was in itself a taunting swipe at the Eternal Sacred Land.
"Enough with the spittle, Qingsang." There was no need to engage in verbal disputes when the actual fighting was about to begin. Jiang Chen concluded mingling with the geniuses who'd approached him and returned to the rest area arranged by the imperial family.
"Wait up, Brother Shao Yuan!" Many of the geniuses who wanted to form a stronger relationship followed.
"Please be considerate, gentlemen." Yan Qingsang grinned. "Brother Shao Yuan would like to focus his efforts on preparing for the tournament. If you'd like to talk to him, feel free to come after."
The geniuses moaned and groaned at their star's departure.
Meanwhile, Yan Qingsang chased after Jiang Chen into the rest area as well. Each competitor had his own personal resting area.
"Brother," Yan Qingsang laughed, "it looks like you're quite popular. Even the Five Great Gentlemen can't compare." Popularity was a point of frustration as well though. "What a shame that Xiahou Zong has such deep-seated foundations and an illustrious reputation! Sucks that he's the most popular of all."
"If you had the title of 'best genius' for as long as Xiahou Zong, you would be even more popular." Jiang Chen smiled coolly.
"I suppose that's true," Yan Qingsang chuckled. "Too bad I'm not the best, eh? Still, I'm annoyed whenever I see his ugly, self-satisfied mug."
"Let him strut." Jiang Chen waved a hand. "He might not have a chance to after the tournament."
There were three days until the actual fighting was scheduled to begin. Jiang Chen didn't want to waste any time; his tight handle on time wasn't just for the tournament of geniuses.
Yan Qingsang had never seen his friend so serious before. It was a sign for him not to intrude. He said his farewell before returning to his residence.
He had wanted to show off his empyrean breakthrough to the world and make House Yan regret their bad attitude. However, Jiang Chen's placidity was infectious—after seeing it, Yan Qingsang had no more motivation for showing off to the rest of the world. So what if House Yan knew? How could he have been so shallow in the first place?
Jiang Chen had inspired him to work on his own cultivation.
The two friends' behavior was rather exceptional in the views of the rest. The three days' time had been allotted for the geniuses to connect with each other socially. Though the geniuses would no doubt meet each other in the arena, the matches hardly had to be crippling or lethal.
Some geniuses preferred using an opportunity like this to network and build up their contacts.
The first prime had wanted Jiang Chen to do the same in order to build a following. His pill dao talent made gathering a group of adherents easy enough.
As such, she was a little saddened that the young man had passed the opportunity by. Considering the pressure on his shoulders at this tournament though, the first prime couldn't ask for more.
The results of that crucial match was key.
If the young man could bring about another miracle by defeating Xiahou Zong, he would be propelled to instant acclaim. If he lost, his pill dao talent alone wouldn't bring him much popularity.
This was a clash of fortunes. To the victor went the privilege of guiding Eternal Divine Nation's future.
The commotion in the outside world didn't disturb the meditative pool within Jiang Chen's heart. Right now, he wasn't interested in worldly glory or profit. On the other hand, adulation positively surrounded Xiahou Zong.
"Young master Zong, that Shao Yuan really is scared of you. See? He's hidden himself away already."
"Hmph, who would dare call himself a genius before young master Zong? Shao Yuan has some pill dao skills, sure, but we cultivators settle our scores in the ring."
"As long as the young master is here, no one else can possibly be the best genius of Eternal Divine Nation."
"Young master Zong, we look forward to your triumph at the tournament. Teach that fool a lesson!"
"Isn't that right? Drill it into him!"
Though Xiahou Zong maintained an impassive expression, he was quite pleased to hear the flattery. He had a lot of pent-up anger from the affair around Yan Qinghuang. His pride simply hadn't allowed him to show any of it.
"Gentlemen, since you know my goal is Shao Yuan, I hope you know what you have to do in the tournament when you meet me?" Xiahou Zong asked smoothly.
"Ah, definitely. How would we dare duel you? We will surrender on the spot."
"Quite so. Fighting with you means biting off more than we can chew!"
"Young master Zong, I'm going to symbolically use a couple of moves to save some face. Please go easy on me."
"Why would you need to do that? It's hardly shameful to surrender before young master Zong. Since we can't win, we should just save the young master some effort."
The sycophants vied to set the bar for their words and tones lower and lower.
Xiahou Ying found all of this very interesting to listen to. Remembering the proud Shao Yuan made her angry once more. She wouldn't be satisfied until he fell in the ring.
"What if you meet Shao Yuan?" she suddenly interrupted.
"We'll give it our all, obviously."
"Hmph, I'll beat him if I meet him. He needs to be exposed for what he is: a fame-seeking sham!"
"That's right. He's just an outsider. No matter how amazing he is, you really think he can beat us geniuses from the divine nation? I don't believe it for a minute!"
"You don't mind if I smash that kid, do you, young master Zong?"
"If he can't even reach me in the first place, he's not worthy to lose to me," Xiahou Zong stated coldly, indicating that he wasn't opposed to their suggestions.
Jiang Chen didn't know about the makeshift alliance among Xiahou Zong's devotees. Though it had hardly any permanence to speak of, the members of this alliance would doubtless stop at nothing just to lick Xiahou Zong's boots. There would be plenty of resistance against him in the tournament of geniuses.
Of course, he wouldn't have cared even if he did know.
He didn't expect that any opponent would sandbag a match in any arena. Only an opponent who committed himself in full was of interest to him.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Jiang Chen used the time to re-familiarize himself with his own combat methods, abilities, skills, and treasures. A practiced hand was crucial to winning in the heat of battle.
When the rays of the morning sun struck the earth of the fourth day, Jiang Chen looked up into the horizon. The fervor of the impending tournament's atmosphere filled his heart with anticipation.
All of the geniuses were gathered in the arena.
The nation's emperor was in attendance, garbed in a luxurious dragon robe. Imperial guardsmen with suits of polished armor stood all about him, looking very imposing indeed.
The various factions' leaders and notables sat in the guest area in a large circle.
"Friends, the tournament of geniuses is an important affair for the young people of this nation. Every young man and woman who stands here is a scintillating pearl deserving of praise. Only one question remains: who is the brightest among you? That is what this tournament seeks to answer. Please put on a fantastic show for us to enjoy. We, for one, would like you to win Us over from the bottom of Our heart." The emperor refrained from rambling in his speech.
A few introductory words were sufficient before a segue into the rules.
The rules themselves were simple enough. Single elimination was the name of the game.
Since there were nearly two hundred competitors, two small-scale elimination rounds were carried out to reduce the number to a hundred and twenty-eight.
After that, the real elimination tournament could begin. A hundred twenty-eight competitors meant seven rounds to decide the champion.
Jiang Chen was lucky enough to be passed over for the preliminary elimination rounds, but Yan Qingsang was chosen as a participant.
Of course, it was trivial for someone who'd distinguished himself in the sacred land's internal competition to pass the preliminary with flying colors. He faced two opponents in a row, neither of which gave him much trouble. Winning twice secured him a spot among the hundred twenty-eight.
Chapter 1764: Dark Horses Upon Dark Horses
The two rounds of elimination matches were actually for the underdogs whom people had low expectations of. Yan Qingsang had been placed in that category.
After ascending to empyrean realm, he'd improved more than he expected with the training regime that Jiang Chen had designed. He crushed his foes and entered the next stage with no difficulty at all.
It was clear that Yan Qingsang had gone into the elimination matches angry, thinking himself dismissed by others. The selection process should be for young disciples from the second and third tier factions, not a member of the sacred land like him.
He didn't know why he'd been singled out, but his instincts told him that it was on purpose.
His actions made his objection clear, even if he didn't file a formal complaint.
By dealing with his two foes efficiently, he was declaring to the imperial family that he wasn't the Yan Qingsang of yesteryear and should be taken seriously. It was an affront to require him to be part of the preliminary matches.
His dominating results surprised many people, especially those from House Yan. They remembered Yan Qingsang as a young man who would never amount to much. He wouldn't have qualified to attend the competition even if he hadn't left House Yan, let alone take one of the sacred land's spots.
When he showed up, their first reaction was that he'd gained the spot through nepotism, but reality had proven them wrong!
The patriarch of House Yan stared at him with an impassive expression, masking the turbulence in his heart. Things seemed to be getting out of control. What had happened here? How did the hopeless Yan Qingsang suddenly achieve a breakthrough?
The list of a hundred and twenty-eight finalists were determined. The rest of the competition would simply be composed of one-on-one matches. There were rules in place favoring the top geniuses. Seed contestants wouldn't be pitted against one another until the top sixteen.
Jiang Chen wasn't one of them, so he might encounter anyone at anytime, including Xiahou Zong.
Matchmaking smiled upon him as he drew a genius from a second-tier faction on his first round, one at half-step empyrean. The youth was among one of the weakest in the competition.
"I am Qiu Ping from the Silvermoon Manor. I look forward to our exchange." He sounded honorable, but sure didn't act like it. He attacked before Jiang Chen even made a move, clearly hoping to catch his opponent off guard.
Not even those ten times stronger than Qiu Ping could sneak up on Jiang Chen or land a move. It was impossible for him to catch Jiang Chen off guard.
Jiang Chen's battle spirit and determination were as resolute as a monolith once he stepped onto the stage. Qiu Ping was easily blocked before he could even get close.
Dislike flared for his opponent's lack of integrity. If Qiu Ping had been honest with his aggression, Jiang Chen might've easy on the youth and spared his dignity. However, the young man had masked his malicious intent with pretty words and played dirty.
Jiang Chen wasn't going to show an opponent like him any mercy. With a simple push of his palm, Qiu Ping was propelled into the air by an unstoppable current.
"Off you go." Jiang Chen snorted and sent him flying like a kite.
Qiu Ping landed with so much force that he vomited all over the ground; the one-sided match shocking many in the audience. They were startled by this demonstration of power, and speculations ran rife.
"What's Shao Yuan's cultivation level? He made a half-step empyrean cultivator look like a three-year-old! A first level empyrean genius shouldn't be capable of dominating like this."
Jiang Chen had masked his cultivation level and reeled in his consciousness, making it impossible for others to grasp his full power, wreathing a mysterious air around him.
After the match, he went offstage with a calm expression, betraying none of his emotions.
Yan Qingsang wasn't as lucky and went head to head with someone from a first-tier faction. Their fight ran fast and furious, allowing his aggressive fighting style to finally shine.
His opponent had ascended to empyrean realm years before he had, but the two were on equal footing in the sortie. Yan Qingsang even managed to gain the upper hand a few times with particularly relentless attacks.
Their fight was one of the few exciting ones during the first round. Under Yan Qingsang's barrage of attacks, his opponent lost control over the tempo of the fight and eventually lost.
His victory was quite a surprise.
There were others from the sacred land who also obtained unexpected outcomes, but in a negative way. To immense shock, two of their geniuses were defeated in the first round, their opponents also top geniuses from first-tier factions.
Sixty-four competitors remained after the first round. The sacred land had eight disciples in the competition, which was still a decent amount.
"Good work, Brother Yan," Jiang Chen remarked with a faint smile. "I kept an eye on House Yan for you when you were fighting. They were flabbergasted by your performance."
Yan Qingsang's eyes lit up. "Is that so?"
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Maybe they're already regretting their decision."
"Ha, they'll be even more regretful later!" Yan Qingsang ground his teeth resentfully.
The first day of the competition was at an end.
That night, the imperial family held a private meeting, concluding that too many members of the sacred land had entered the next round.
They'd make sure that the sacred land went against one another in the next, so that their numbers would be halved. As the host, it wasn't that difficult for the imperial family to nudge things here or there.
When the lots were drawn the second day, Jiang Chen noticed something unusual. Four candidates from the sacred land were paired up, Jiang Chen being one of them. His opponent was a member of the Five Great Gentlemen.
Yan Qingsang was luckier in the second round and drew a genius from a second-tier faction.
Moreover, bad luck also visited Gan Ning as he was pitted against Xiahou Zong. He'd been full of fighting spirit, but now didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He knew this was the end for him in this competition.
The matchmaking was peculiar, but there was no telling what outcome lot drawing would produce. Jiang Chen couldn't say for sure that the organizer had manipulated the result. At the end of the day, he didn't care who his opponent was unless it was Xiahou Zong.
"You're a rising star within the sacred land lately, Shao Yuan. It's unfortunate that we have to go against each other. I'm not going to pull my punches. If you can defeat me, do try your best. There will be no regret no matter who ends up winning!" His opponent, Wu You, ranked second among the Five Great Gentlemen. His mentality was commendable.
Jiang Chen raised a cupped fist salute. "Brother Wu, I agree that we should do all we can and accept whatever outcome we get."
They exchanged an understanding smile.
As the second strongest of the five gentlemen, Wu You was not to be underestimated. He was most adept at his self-determined 'shadow strategy'. To put it simply, he moved quickly and his fighting style was unpredictable, enabling him to catch his opponents off guard.
However, Jiang Chen had no fear for a quick opponent. He was confident in his own speed and movement techniques. His fight with Wu You became a visual feast of speed.
This was one of the most powerful geniuses in the sacred land, his cultivation at third level empyrean.
The first prime was very conflicted. She wanted both of the disciples to succeed. Wu You was a distant relative of hers, while she had high hopes for Jiang Chen.
If only the match allowed both to win! She didn't want either Shao Yuan or Wu You to stop here.
Jiang Chen appraised the way Wu You moved with appreciation. The man's speed was remarkable. Even by using the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape, Jiang Chen could just barely keep up with him.
The deadlock was his own doing, of course. He had many ways to slow his opponent down, but Wu You was a member of the sacred land, and an honest man on top of that. Jiang Chen didn't want to make him look bad. Therefore, he used only his speed in the fight.
He let slip many opportunities to defeat Wu You in favor of delaying the match, creating the illusion of them being neck and neck. On one hand, it would relax the other's guard. On the other, Wu You would lose with dignity intact.