Chapter 1099: The Past; Competition Begins
Why did the Azure Emperor and the descendants of the Tianwu Emperor come into conflict? Why did the Demon Monarchs of the Deep Abyss Demon Race show up so coincidentally? There were too many suspicious points about this.
However, asking Yue Bingyun would be useless. All she had seen were the records of the various Holy Lands.
Yue Bingyun looked at Xiao Chen, finding his demeanor strange. She said, “Aren’t you rather calm?”
Xiao Chen did not reply to her question. He frowned and said, “You mentioned the Dark Church. How much do you know about them?”
“I don’t really know much. The elders and the founder of this Dark Church are all very mysterious. This is especially so for the Church Master. His position is no lower than the Demon Monarchs’, and they were the ones who created the Demon God. They have branches in the three thousand lower realms.”
That was indeed not much information. So, Xiao Chen did not linger on this problem. He asked, “How is that old woman related to the Azure Emperor?”
When Yue Bingyun heard that question, she revealed some distress on her face. Then, she said, “You should have heard that in the history of the Lunar Palace, there has only been one Holy Daughter who fell in love with an outsider. That person is my Master.”
This more or less matched Xiao Chen’s guess. Otherwise, there would not be any reason for that old woman to ask Xiao Chen so many seemingly mundane questions.
“She was the most talented Holy Daughter in all of the Lunar Palace’s history. At a young age of twenty, she cultivated the Longevity Art to the tenth layer; then she patched up the final two incomplete layers, making a significant contribution to the Lunar Palace.
“Unfortunately, she fell in love with someone she should not have. Now, her hair has already turned white, and she has aged greatly. Even after secluding herself in this Meditation Moon Palace for more than ten thousand years, she obtained nothing.”
Yue Bingyun continued, “I am rather curious. What did my master ask you? In order to lure you to Bright Moon City to meet you once, she ignored the Palace Master’s objections and insisted on changing the top prize of this Four Seas Hero Gathering to the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet.”
Xiao Chen felt somewhat laden with grief for some reason. After thinking for a while, he honestly related the conversation he had with the old woman.
This surprised Yue Bingyun when she heard it. She had not expected that this old woman had spent so much effort to draw Xiao Chen to Bright Moon City all so she could ask about the mundane matters of his clan.
After a long time, she said pensively, “Even after ten thousand years in the Meditation Moon Palace, her feelings still have not faded. I really want to see for myself just how charming that Azure Emperor from ten thousand years ago was.”
How charming exactly had the Azure Emperor been for a Holy Daughter of the Lunar Palace to fall in love with him? What sort of person had the Azure Emperor been to have been able to personally end an age?
In all honesty, Xiao Chen wondered as well.
“Speaking of which, although Master took out the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet, it will only end up benefiting others.” Yue Bingyun changed the topic and moved on to the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, “You seem not to have confidence in me.”
Yue Bingyun smiled and looked seriously at Xiao Chen, “You have not formed your Heavenly Seal yet. That means that you are still a Small Perfection quasi-Emperor. Thus, if you want to stand out and appear excellent, making yourself more elegant than the others, it is still too difficult.
“The crucial point is that you are an outsider. If you do not show an absolute advantage when defeating all the various outstanding talents, the few judges of the Lunar Palace might not award the prize to you.”
Xiao Chen’s expression changed as he exclaimed in surprise, “There is such a thing? Isn’t the Lunar Palace supposed to be neutral?”
“That’s right. The Lunar Palace is indeed neutral. We will not get involved with the conflict between you and the Holy Scions. However, the Lunar Palace does not have much of a good impression of the Azure Emperor. If you are unable to create a scene that is beyond dispute…”
Yue Bingyun continued unhurriedly after a pause, “Even if you are the most elegant of all the outstanding talents, the one that stands out the most, you might not be able to obtain the top prize.”
Xiao Chen did not feel angry at this revelation, just somewhat surprised. After all, the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet was in the Lunar Palace’s hands, and the Lunar Palace had not invited him to join the Four Seas Hero Gathering; he came of his own accord.
However, he was quite surprised at Yue Bingyun sharing these things that she should not have.
This was especially so for that last part. As a disciple of the Lunar Palace, logically speaking, she should not have told him this information.
Xiao Chen did not think that he was like the Azure Emperor, making this Holy Daughter submit with his charm. He was not that naive.
This Yue Bingyun before Xiao Chen was still unfathomable. He could not figure out what she wanted or what her bottom line was.
“I’m leaving. Thank you for letting me know. However, I have to obtain the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet at all costs. In three days, you will see a scene that no one can dispute. I will use my own strength to make the Lunar Palace judge me the winner and hand me the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet.”
Xiao Chen’s words sounded calm. However, the expression on his face was one of extreme determination. His gaze seemed as sharp as a knife, piercing through the sky.
Yue Bingyun was mildly startled. She had not expected that Xiao Chen would not show any anger or frustration at all after hearing this news. His mental state showed no openings whatsoever.
After Xiao Chen jumped off the Meditation Moon Palace and left, Yue Bingyun murmured, “I really look forward to seeing whether you are confident or arrogant three days from now.”
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Three days later, Xiao Chen, Qi Wuxue, and Long Fei all woke up early and gathered in the yard.
Qi Wuxue just intended to partake in the liveliness of the Four Seas Hero Gathering. Of course, he did not entertain any notions of competing.
Long Fei was all eager to clash with those Holy Scions of the Immortal Holy Lands, to gauge the distance between himself and these people.
Xiao Chen’s target was clear—the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet. That was all he was here for.
“Wait, don’t go yet. Let me pray to the gods first!”
Qi Wuxue held Long Fei and Xiao Chen back. Then, he placed his palms together and prayed towards the east.
“Hehe! I hope that I, Qi Wuxue, will have a lot of fun today. I pray for Long Fei to appear elegant and obtain the attention of the various beauties. I also pray that Old Brother Xiao Chen will be able to teach those Holy Scions a lesson on my behalf.”
Long Fei smiled helplessly and said, “There are no gods in the world. Those Deity Race ones are just cheating people in order to gain the power of faith.”
After Qi Wuxue prayed, he said mysteriously, “In this Heavenly Starry Ocean, naturally, one would pray to the Sea God. Rumor says that the Sea God truly exists, and he lives at the end of the ocean. There were many believers in this vast oceanic world. Of course, the believers are all ordinary people. Cultivators rarely believe in this kind of thing. I heard that at the end of the ocean…”
Xiao Chen had already walked to the door. He said over his shoulder, “Let’s go. It’s time to go to Bright Moon Plaza.”
Long Fei caught up to him immediately. Qi Wuxue said, “Wait for me. I have not finished my story yet!”
Many people were entering Bright Moon Plaza. By the time the three arrived, the good spots were all gone. They could only choose a higher vantage point in the periphery.
With their eyesight, they could see very clearly in the distance a huge arena in the plaza.
That huge arena had underneath it a formation that a Sovereign Martial Emperor had laid. The formation changed the spatial laws of that place. Inside, one would feel like they were in a much vaster space.
Even if a peak Consummation quasi-Emperor expert waged war in there, they would not need to worry about the shock waves injuring the spectators.
Many exquisite pavilions floated in the air above the plaza. Those were the viewing pavilions that the Lunar Palace prepared for the various Holy Lands and large clans.
At this moment, the gathering had not formally started yet. A thousand female disciples were demonstrating the Bright Moon Sword Dance that the Lunar Palace was famous for. This dance was much vaster than the scene that Long Fei participated in the other day.
A bright moon rose, and sword images flashed as the beauties danced. The performance put on before the event started was very tasteful.
The moment Qi Wuxue saw it, his gaze fixed on it; he could not tear his attention away. He was filled with praise as he said excitedly, “Later, when the bright moon soars and a thousand swords fly up together, the Four Seas Hero Gathering will formally begin.”
Xiao Chen looked over interestedly. The light of the bright moon above the arena pulsated. The thousand white-clad ladies all looked like fairies, dancing as they chased the bright moon.
There were still disciples behind playing the flute, providing music. The head of this group was Fang Qingxuan. As the flute music spread out, her group merged with the sword dance. One could not make out which was leading which, entrancing everyone into a dream.
This left everyone uncertain whether they were entranced with the music or the hundreds of variations of the Bright Moon Sword Dance.
Everyone seemed to slide into a dream state. Suddenly, the flute music turned intense and hot-blooded. This was a piece of murderous music, inciting the hot-bloodedness hidden in every cultivator’s body.
The flute music aroused everyone’s heart, lighting a raging flame in their chest.
The thousand white-clad ladies formed a ring of swords, and they each executed their own dance, different from each other. Then, they all recited a determined hot-blooded poem.
When the flute music reached its climax, it suddenly ceased. A huge, bright moon that could compete with the sun soared into the air through the ring of swords.
The swords left the hands of the white-clad ladies. In that instant, everyone regained their senses with a start, shocked by the scene before them.
A loud rumble reverberated. As the bright moon soared, the vast arena rose with it, leaving the ground.
Then, the arena split into many smaller arenas hovering in the air, setting a backdrop for the largest and highest arena, like stars around the moon.
Xiao Chen counted. Excluding the largest arena, there was a total of one hundred small arenas. They all hung in the air at different heights, surrounding the highest one.
Ten white-clad ladies remained on each of the small arenas, not budging from their place.
As for the largest and highest arena, Fang Qingxuan led a team of ten elite female disciples to guard it.
Qi Wuxue explained, “Haha, it looks like the first stage to clear is those ten Lunar Palace disciples.”
Xiao Chen asked, “Everyone has the right to get on the arena? Is there no need for any explanation or registration?”
Long Fei had arrived in Bright Moon City rather early, so he was quite familiar with this. He smiled and said, “Just do as you please. The Four Seas Hero Gathering’s style is ever-changing. However, it always maintains its casualness, allowing everyone a chance to display their skills.”
Qi Wuxue nodded and smiled interestedly. “In every Four Seas Hero Gathering, there would be people excitedly rushing over, wanting to be the first to occupy the arena. In the end, they would get knocked down by the ten ladies, making themselves look bad. I wonder who will end up becoming a joke this year.”
As the three spoke, the plaza had long since turned restless. Countless people soared into the air, excitedly heading for the arenas in the middle.
The Lunar Palace experts standing guard at the side of the arenas all attacked at the same time. With a palm strike each, they eliminated most of the people. Then, they stopped bothering.
This was Xiao Chen’s first time seeing such an extremely vast scene like this. He could not help but sigh in amazement.