Translator: AnubisTL
The words hung in the air, met with silence.
Years had passed, but the Heaven's Chosen from the Grand Harmony Academy still couldn't forget that sunny face.
He always grinned, flashing two rows of dazzling white teeth that gleamed in the sunlight.
The memory of that astonishing exam from years ago brought a smile to Zong Shixuan's face.
Five years had passed since then. The Chu Kingdom was in turmoil, with countless cultivators lost in the national war four years prior. The three Heavenly Pride Battles had claimed another batch of Heaven's Chosen.
Many of them had faded into obscurity, their names only occasionally mentioned, leaving behind only faint impressions.
Yet no one could have predicted that the young man who had swindled tens of thousands of examinees and the Grand Harmony Academy out of five hundred billion Spirit Stones would remain etched in their memories to this day.
They still remembered that year.
After enduring numerous trials, the Heaven's Chosen had finally entered the Grand Harmony Academy, their spirits still high. Before they knew it, the year-end trials had arrived.
Their choices varied. That young man, through flattery of Hua Wenyue, had joined the trial team led by the five great Heaven's Chosen, embarking on their trial in the East Sea.
At the time, his true strength remained hidden. Everyone naturally assumed he was a useless parasite, relying on a woman to climb the ranks and living off her.
When Zong Shixuan's group returned, the rest of the team was unharmed, except for Hua Wenyue and Gu Feng.
When his true strength was revealed, when his heroic deeds were celebrated, when many elders from the Sunset Glow Sect came to express their gratitude, when Grand Harmony Academy held a memorial service for him and Hua Wenyue, when—
In that instant, an astonishing truth dawned on everyone, and a towering figure rose before them.
Only then did they realize that he had always been the most unassuming among them. With just a few moves, he had annihilated over a hundred thousand Sea Demons and saved Zong Shixuan and the others from certain death...
The undisputed champion of Grand Harmony Academy's Golden Generation!
But—
He had been gone for five long years!
Memories flooded back, and the image of that man became crystal clear.
Sigh...
Zong Shixuan couldn't help but sigh.
Wu Sheng was also deeply moved, and his Ancient Sword let out a mournful wail.
"What a pity," Dugu Ao, the proud and aloof young man, had completely forgotten Gu Feng's past accusations. Now, only deep nostalgia filled his heart. "If he were still alive, things would be so different."
"He was simply too powerful," Duan Yansheng said in a low voice. "If he had lived to this day, how could we let those clowns from Great Wei strut around like this!"
"Ah... Monk Wu De and Yan Yexue must have been caught up in something important and couldn't make it!"
The main force of this Heavenly Pride Battle consisted mostly of the outstanding talents from Ouyang Qi's generation, so he should have been leading the team.
"Brace yourselves! Don't be discouraged! You are the pillars of Great Chu, the hope of Great Chu—"
Ouyang Qi said in a deep voice, but even he lacked confidence. What good was such a feeble encouragement?
"Arrange the lineup! Who will take the first match?"
The Heavenly Pride Battle between the two nations would be conducted in a semi-wheel format.
In this format, a Heaven's Chosen would step onto the arena, fight, and if victorious, could choose to remain and face the next challenger. If they won again, they would stay; if they lost, they would leave the arena.
The first match was especially crucial. In the previous three Heavenly Pride Battles, Great Wei had always sent their strongest fighters to lead the charge, swiftly eliminating over a dozen Great Chu Heaven's Chosen.
This had severely shaken Great Chu's morale, leaving their spirits low and their momentum faltering even before their turn to fight. As a result, their subsequent casualty rate had been high.
In reality, a Heaven's Chosen could surrender at any time during a match, but they had to endure for a full incense stick's worth of time first. Since Great Wei's Heaven's Chosen were generally one or two minor realms higher in cultivation than their Great Chu counterparts, how could Great Chu's fighters possibly last that long?
"I'll go!" Wu Sheng strode forward with an arrogant bearing, approaching Ouyang Qi. "Vice-Prefect Ouyang, I'll take the first match!"
Ouyang Qi frowned at this. Wu Sheng's strength was formidable, his explosive power terrifying. He could often end a fight with a single sword strike—but his weakness was equally obvious: his stamina was poor.
The ideal vanguard in Ouyang Qi's mind was Monk Wu De.
This monk had a mysterious background, a formidable physical body, and a mystical Kasaya to aid him. Defeating several of the enemy's Heaven's Chosen wouldn't be a problem. Among his peers at the Grand Harmony Academy, only the late Gu Feng could have decisively defeated him. The others, including Zong Shixuan, could only manage a draw at best, and might even lose if the battle dragged on.
Unfortunately, Monk Wu De had been delayed by something and hadn't arrived in time.
"You stay behind and focus on intercepting their top fighters!" Ouyang Qi whispered, his gaze sweeping over Zong Shixuan and the others. He shook his head in resignation.
In that instant, he thought of Gu Feng. That young man had fearlessly faced multiple opponents at once, his stamina seemingly bottomless, and his strength boundless.
Sigh...
"Let me give it a try!"
Just as Ouyang Qi was at a loss, a憨厚 voice rang out from the crowd.
"A Fei, don't be rash! Observe the Great Wei Heaven's Chosen's strength first!"
"That's right. You rarely fight, so you lack combat experience. Don't take unnecessary risks."
"Wait until you've assessed their strength before engaging. Senior Sister Chu warned us about this repeatedly."
"..."
Wu Qi, Qi Tingting, Chao Yuan, Guo Renkai, and the others who had come with him all tried to dissuade him.
"Don't worry," A Fei said, scratching his massive head and shaking off the others' attempts to stop him. "Leader Gu said that in one-on-one combat at the same level, no one can beat me except him!"
He stomped over to Ouyang Qi. "How about I go first?"
You...?!
Ouyang Qi looked up at the towering figure, more than twice his height, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
A nearby companion reminded him that the man before him was A Fei from the Sunset Glow Sect, formerly Gu Feng's follower. Known for his love of sleep, A Fei rarely appeared at the Grand Harmony Academy.
"Your cultivation... is only at the fourth level of the Sea Condensation Realm... You can't risk it!" Ouyang Qi immediately assessed A Fei's precise cultivation level and shook his head with a wry smile.
Not everyone was like Gu Feng, who could challenge opponents far beyond his own level without limits. Stepping onto the arena at the fourth level of the Sea Condensation Realm to face a lineup of Heaven's Chosen at the sixth or seventh level would likely mean death.
"Brother Wusheng should stay back," Dugu Ao declared, stepping forward. "Then I'll go first!"
Known as the West Border Spear King, Dugu Ao had poured all his cultivation into his long spear, making it incredibly lethal. He had also cultivated some Buddhist techniques, making him a suitable choice.
"I had planned to put you in the middle, but since Monk Wu De isn't here, we'll have to do it this way."
Ouyang Qi nodded and continued arranging the order of appearance.
"They're here!"
At that moment, someone on the Great Wei border shouted, immediately causing a commotion.
Millions of cultivators instinctively cleared a path, and the Great Chu contingent turned their gazes toward the opening.
A group of proud, imposing cultivators with profound auras slowly walked down the path.
Their ages were similar to Zong Shixuan and the others, but their cultivation levels were generally one or two minor realms higher than the Great Chu side.
When Ouyang Qi saw the leader, he couldn't help but gasp.
"Great Wei's Young Sword God, Song Zhong, known by the terrifying nickname 'One Sword to the Grave'!"
Like Wu Sheng, Song Zhong specialized in sword cultivation, but his achievements and reputation far surpassed Wu Sheng's.
Wu Sheng was hailed as the greatest swordsman of the younger generation in Great Chu because he had cultivated his Sword Intent to Great Perfection. However, Song Zhong had surpassed Great Perfection, having glimpsed a mere trace of Sword Force, a power only attainable by those in the Soul Core Realm.
Even this mere trace was enough to suppress all Sword Cultivators within the Sea Condensation Realm.
Song Zhong only used one sword. He would only draw his sword once in battle, and that single strike determined life or death, leaving almost no chance of survival.
"Wu Sheng, don't be rash! You're no match for him right now!" Ouyang Qi whispered, sensing the sharp Sword Intent erupting from Wu Sheng's body.
"This battle isn't about personal glory. It concerns the dignity of the Great Chu Dynasty. We must prioritize the greater good!" an Elder from the Grand Harmony Academy added.
"I understand," Wu Sheng said, reluctantly lowering his head.
"I didn't expect him to be here too... The Great Chu Fist Emperor—Hou Yong!"
"Mid-stage Sea Condensation Realm, seventh level. His Nurtured Spirit is a Heavenly Gang Giant Monkey with a trace of ancient demonic ape Profound Veins. One man, one fist, undefeated among the younger generation of Great Wei!"
"This man is terrifying. His combat strength rivals Song Zhong's. Outsiders have predicted that if they were to fight to the death, Song Zhong would likely be the one to fall!"
"Wei Yiping, one of the few peerless feminine cultivators in Great Wei. Her status within her nation is similar to Hua Wenyue's."
"Zou Qingwang, a dual cultivator of both spirit and martial arts. His Soul Power has reached a terrifying Spirit Grade, seventh-tier and a half. Among the three nations, his Soul cultivation is the strongest. His attacks are bizarre and lethal, striking unseen and evading all defenses."
"Luan Yanchang, master of extreme offense. In martial arts, only speed can break all defenses, and only invincibility can shatter all obstacles. Another invincible powerhouse..."
"..."
One resounding name after another emerged, and the millions of cultivators from the Great Chu side let out a collective wail.
Great Wei's delegation this time was even stronger than in the previous three Heavenly Pride Battles, with nearly all of their Heaven's Chosen coming out in full force.
"This is bad! Great Wei wants to crush the morale of our Great Chu cultivators in one fell swoop!"
"If we suffer a crushing defeat in this Heavenly Pride Battle, Great Wei will likely launch a full-scale war against us within days!"
"Spirits of heaven and earth, please grant our Grand Harmony Academy Heaven's Chosen the strength to fight with dignity and avoid a humiliating defeat."
"Unlikely. Out of the hundred Heaven's Chosen from Great Chu this time, only a handful will likely return."
"..."
The despairing cries of the Great Chu cultivators echoed in their ears, but Zong Shixuan and the others remained outwardly calm. Hidden within their sleeves, their fists clenched so tightly that their knuckles cracked.
"Let's shatter all doubts with our strength!"
"Right! We are the strongest! We can win!"
"..."
They roared encouragement to each other, the only way to maintain their fighting spirit.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The bell signaling the start of the Heavenly Pride Battle rang out. Every Great Chu cultivator held their breath, their throats bobbing nervously.
The pure steel arena, shimmering with Array Formations, gleamed in the sunlight, revealing faint bloodstains in the floorboard cracks—the lingering shame left by the Great Chu Heaven's Chosen of the previous battle.
Whoosh!
A figure in a white robe, graceful and ethereal, flashed onto the Arena.
When the crowd saw her face, gasps erupted: "It's her! Yi Jianghua, peak Sea Condensation Realm, level six!"
"She's skilled in poison. She participated in the last Heavenly Pride Battle and killed five Great Chu Dynasty Heaven's Chosen of the same realm."
"Terrifying! That grotesque face, the venom dripping from her body..."
"This is trouble. As far as I know, the only one from Great Chu who could possibly stand against her is Yan Yexue of the Sunset Glow Sect, but she doesn't seem to be here."
"I didn't expect Great Wei to send her out first. It's unexpected, yet makes perfect sense. Great Chu's choice is incredibly difficult!"
"..."
As the audience had predicted, Ouyang Qi's expression darkened when Yi Jianghua appeared.
His worst fear had come true: the opponent's first cultivator was already beyond his ability to handle.
"You have half an incense stick's worth of time to consider your options. No need to rush," an Elder from the Grand Harmony Academy said, wiping the sweat from his brow in an attempt to reassure them.
"Does anyone have Antidote Pills? Bring them all out!"
"It's no use! Without Yan Yexue, we can't guess the nature of her venom. We can't prepare an antidote!"
"No matter. Give all the Antidote Pills to whoever goes first. They'll have to rely on luck to survive the poison."
"Dugu Ao, what do you say?" Ouyang Qi turned to Dugu Ao, who he had originally intended to lead the charge. However, the situation now warranted reconsideration.
"Generals inevitably die on the battlefield. I fear no challenge and will emerge victorious!"
"Good. If you find yourself outmatched, evade as much as possible and hold out for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Preserve your useful body!"
"Brother Dugu, victory isn't determined in a single moment. Look at Gu Feng. We've belittled him countless times along the way, yet it hasn't diminished his radiant image in our hearts!" Duan Yansheng urged, fearing Dugu Ao would recklessly charge into a suicidal battle.
"Dugu Ao, I hope you survive. I've been diligently cultivating these past few years, and I'll catch up to you!" Sima Juncong's expression was grave. He felt a mix of emotions for his childhood playmate and teenage rival.
"Hmph. Without Gu Feng, you'll need another ten thousand years of cultivation to defeat me!" Dugu Ao stood tall, as proud as ever, his arrogance undiminished.
"I'm going!"
He chuckled softly and strode confidently toward the Arena.
"Amitabha!"
Just then, a Buddhist chant echoed from afar, growing closer.
"You bald donkey, you've finally arrived!!!"
Zong Shixuan cursed with a grin as he spotted Monk Wu De in the distance.
"Amitabha!" In the blink of an eye, Monk Wu De materialized before the crowd.
"Old monk, stop reciting that annoying Buddhist scripture! Where's Yan Yexue? Where is she?" Duan Yansheng strode forward, circling Monk Wu De, searching for Yan Yexue.
"Patron Yan was called away on urgent business. She'll be here shortly!" As he spoke, Monk Wu De's eyelids twitched. Patron Yan was currently entangled in a messy situation with Patron Gu and Patron Hua—a tangled mess that showed no sign of resolving itself anytime soon!
As for when she'd actually arrive, he had no idea.
"How long will it take, exactly?" Wu Sheng pressed, his brow furrowed.
"I don't know!"
Monk Wu De's reply nearly made Ouyang Qi cough up blood. "I'm afraid it's too late. Dugu Ao will have to take the first match!"
"Vice-Prefect Ouyang, there's no need for that. We have a better candidate for the opening match!"
At these words, everyone turned in surprise. They realized Monk Wu De hadn't come alone. Beside him stood a young cultivator with a handsome face and extraordinary bearing.
Judging by his age, he seemed even younger than Zong Shixuan and the others, yet his aura was profound, concealing a terrifying power that sent shivers down their spines.
"This is Thirteenth Brother, a friend of mine. He's more than capable of taking the first match!"
Ouyang Qi's gaze flickered over the young man named Shi San, his heart pounding. Even with his vast experience, he couldn't discern the youth's origins.
"Young friend, can you withstand the poisonous venom of the cultivator on the Arena?"
"Mere parlor tricks!" the Thirteenth Young Master said coldly.
"Then, for this battle, I'll have Thirteenth Brother take the lead!" Ouyang Qi thought. Since Shi San was at the peak of the Sea Condensation Realm's sixth level and so confident, he shouldn't fall. After a moment's consideration, Ouyang Qi sent him forward.
"If you're outmatched, hold out for the duration of an incense stick's burn, and you can leave the Arena!" Ouyang Qi added, fearing his opponent might not know the rules.
"Impossible!" the Thirteenth Young Master replied curtly.
With a dazzling display of agility, he landed in the Arena.
"He agreed to fight thirteen matches. Prepare the fourteenth contender!"
His arrogant words, coupled with his poker face, only amplified his arrogance.
From the Great Wei side, the crowd roared, "Kill him!" while the Great Chu Dynasty's side stared in stunned silence, bewilderedly gazing at Monk Wu De.
"Amitabha," Monk Wu De murmured a Buddhist prayer. "Since Thirteenth Brother said he'd fight thirteen matches, he certainly won't fight a fourteenth. We should prepare accordingly!" He thought to himself, "Perhaps only Patron Gu could persuade the cold-hearted Thirteenth Brother to fight a fourteenth match."
As for losing, it never crossed his mind.
How could a member of the Dragon Clan possibly lose to human cultivators at the sixth or seventh level of the Sea Condensation Realm? Not every human cultivator was named Gu, and not every Gu was Gu Feng!
(End of the Chapter)
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