Chapter 139: Youre Less Than Him (1/2)
The day of the reselection had finally arrived!
As a remote backwater of Nephrite Major, Dusk Province was rarely visited by immortals. A spirit realm cultivator was already considered an unequalled powerhouse there, and the proportion of mortals in the general population was far higher than elsewhere. Even Nephrite Major’s immortals sometimes forgot the territory’s existence.
Like a stone thrown into the vast ocean, the reselection should’ve been a trivial affair. It shouldn’t have stirred up any ripples, but today, this pebble had splashed forth torrential waves and shaken the entire world. Countless powerful factions far and wide focused their attention on this tiny spot of the world, closely monitoring the proceedings.
……
Fifteen kilometers to the south of Dusk City, dazzling light shimmered around the Coretrial Arena, painting it with a majestic ambiance.
Qing Han’s figure hovered quietly in the sky above. He was once again the urbane and genteel young master from a noble family. The imperial seal in his hand enveloped him in an aura as weighty as a mountain, as though the celestial emperor were present in the flesh.
Immortals and cultivators alike crowded around Coretrial Arena from every side, representing all of the notable factions in the vast world. It was no exaggeration to state that half of the geniuses in the nine majors, ten lands, and four immortal seas had convened in the premises.
The legacy of an ancient lord was no small matter, so much so that the great factions had come to a tacit agreement. Whoever achieved a hundred successive victories would unearth the legacy and claim it as their own.
This was a grand occasion that pitted more than half of the geniuses from the world over against each other, an event unprecedented in scope for the past hundred thousand years. In fact, many hadn’t come to vie for the legacy, but simply to measure themselves against other talents from all corners of the realm.
……
“Tsk tsk, Little Han is coming up in the world!” In a certain corner of the crowd, a lazy youth lounged bonelessly on a recliner. Two charming female immortals stood at his sides, kneading his shoulders every now and then. “Back then, I simply gave him the token I stole from the emperor. To think His Majesty would really acknowledge him as an imperial envoy! Not bad, not bad, Little Han is really making a name for himself. What a tremendous honor to preside over such an occasion, what great glory this brings to his ancestors! This will go down in history for your Qing Clan.”
The young man was all smiles as he looked at the figure floating in midair.
“Stole? Didn’t you say His Majesty gave it to you before going into seclusion?” Beside him, a tall, stocky, and exceptionally handsome man stared at the indolent youth, his eyes wide from disbelief. “Chen Xiao, don’t you scare me!”
“Qing Buyi, are you an idiot?” Taken aback, Chen Xiao widened his eyes at the tall youth and snorted. “If I hadn’t said that, do you think Little Han would’ve accepted it? What’s all the fuss about, anyway? It’s just a stolen token, what can the emperor do to me?”
Awkwardness crept into Qing Buyi’s face.
“That Zhao Changkong is also here. I hope he’ll refrain from shaming himself this time.” A murderous glint flashed in Chen Xiao’s eyes. “That bastard released the monster that was sealed a thousand years ago on the Water Altar. What an absolute disgrace!”
Expression turning grave, Qing Buyi slowly nodded. He’d already spotted the haughty Zhao Changkong seated in the stands.
Celestial Emperor Zhao Fengyang was slated to formally abdicate after this event, making way for Zhao Changkong to be Nephrite Major’s new ruler. At that time, the major would face turbulent times.
Though the imperial envoy, Qing Han, held sway over the reselection, Zhao Changkong had come nonetheless. The message was painfully obvious: he would soon become Nephrite Major’s true master. As such, how could he be absent from such an extraordinary event?
……
“The hour is upon us!” In the sky, Qing Han’s eyes snapped open. His voice was bright, clear, and marked with authoritative dignity, despite a touch of gentleness. “Step forward, Governor of Dusk!”
Clad in official robes, Lu Yun walked out of the crowd and leaped onto the stage. A flash of blue radiance sealed his peak origin core cultivation back to the golden core realm.
“How odd.” He stretched out his hand and waved it gently. “If I hadn’t known the arena would seal my cultivation, I probably would’ve been scared witless.”
His cultivation had been sealed in a flawless manner. To the assessing eye, it seemed that he had only ever been, and should only be, at the golden core realm. He peeled off his official robes, revealing close-fitting black clothes.