Chapter 608: True Dragon Ranking
Everything happened in one breath. The sudden change in the situation felt extremely strange even to Xiao Chen himself.
Within the Lunar Shadow Saber, the nervous Ao Jiao heaved a sigh of relief. She smiled and said, "He he! Don't be so shocked. This is the benefit of the King Grade True Dragon. Even Sima Lingxuan, the champion of the previous Five Nation Youth Competition, gained less than twenty percent of what you have obtained. Among all the countless champions of the Five Nation Youth Competition, you and the Thunder Emperor are second only to the Tianwu Great Emperor.
When Xiao Chen heard this, he smiled gently and sheathed his saber. His figure flashed in the air, and he landed before the Heavenly Saber Pavilion delegation in high spirits.
Shen Manjun looked at the uninjured Xiao Chen and exclaimed in great shock, "Odd, why are you not injured at all? Even if that Inextinguishable Divine Light did not injure you, the rebound from your final move should have."
Xiao Chen did not hide the truth. He explained the benefits of the King Grade True Dragon in detail to Shen Manjun. Upon hearing him out, she revealed an expression of understanding.
When Xiao Chen looked around, he discovered the others had respectful expressions on their faces, not daring to meet his eyes. Even Jiang Chi and the other half-step Martial Monarchs did not dare to do so. Only Shen Manjun was not affected and could speak to him naturally.
Under the baptism of the King Grade True Dragon, the scarlet mark on Xiao Chen's forehead had lost its devilish charm, retaining only the formidable aura of a king. His current aura was utterly different from before.
After thinking about it for a while, Xiao Chen understood what happened. With a quick thought, he drew in all the king's aura that he emitted.
With the King Grade True Dragon, Xiao Chen could control his aura as he pleased with a thought. He no longer needed to wear that blue strip of cloth. However, due to habit, he still took out another strip of cloth and tied it around his forehead, making himself look the same as before.
Performing a cupped-fist salute to the elders of the Heavenly Saber Pavilion, he said, "I have succeeded in carrying out my mission—Xiao Chen obtained the first rank for the Heavenly Saber Pavilion."
Only now did everyone reveal sincere smiles. In the end, Xiao Chen remained the same. Even though he obtained the championship, he did not put on any airs before his friends and elders. Although he seemed somewhat distant, he still observed etiquette and propriety.
Jiang Chi laughed loudly and said, "Let's not talk about this now. We will celebrate again when we return to the Heavenly Saber Pavilion. The City Lord's Residence will publish the True Dragon Ranking in three days. You will probably end up very busy after that. Let's go back and rest first!"
Xiao Chen had been fighting from dawn until night. Everyone else was somewhat tired as well. They all congratulated Xiao Chen before preparing to return.
The other spectators continued discussing the match. Their surging emotions would not calm down even after some time had passed. However, every banquet would eventually come to an end. Since the Five Nation Youth Competition was over, it was time to go back.
"Hu chi!"
Just as everyone prepared to leave, the thick clouds that never scattered high above Dragon Sealing City suddenly split apart.
A gentle white light came from the sky, illuminating the entire Dragon Sealing City as bright as day. The night scene completely disappeared.
A magnificent white jade ship with extraordinary splendor appeared in everyone's vision amidst celestial music. As the white jade ship descended, multicolored motes of light drifted down like snowflakes.
The cultivators preparing to leave all stopped. After a moment of stunned silence, someone cried out excitedly, "These are auspicious signs. Auspicious signs are filling the sky! The envoy from the Kunlun Realm must be on the jade ship!"
"Hu chi! Hu chi!"
In that instant, countless figures soared into the air. They excitedly headed for the auspicious signs falling from the sky. These auspicious signs were full of pure Spiritual Energy. Furthermore, these were from the Kunlun Realm. The more they could obtain, the more their cultivation would improve.
A handsome man in embroidered clothes stood at the bow of the ship. He looked to be no more than twenty-four years old, seemingly charming and graceful and exuding a dignified air.
The combination evoked a boundless charm even when this man simply stood there quietly.
When this handsome man saw the crowd below rushing frantically to get the auspicious signs, he revealed a mocking smile. He said indifferently, "It is just some grain-sized light, and they are already behaving like this. No wonder the Sky Dome Realm ranks at the bottom of the three thousand great realms."
"Xiu!"
A figure suddenly flashed, moving from a kilometer away to the bow of the ship in a moment. It was the Dragon Sealing City's City Lord, Zong Liang.
Zong Liang glanced at the man in embroidered clothes and felt that he was too young. He said uncertainly, "You are the welcoming envoy that the Martial God Palace sent?"
Not just anyone could become a welcoming envoy. With only a simple trip, they would receive a relatively high reward. If they brought in a super genius, they could receive unimaginable benefits.
The man in embroidered clothes nodded slightly. Although he was only an Inferior Grade Martial Monarch, he did not show any respect to the peak Martial Monarch Zong Liang. He said softly, "I almost did not feel the presence of any Martial Monarchs. It looks like the Sky Dome Realm is the same as before. I will give you three months. Lateness is not acceptable."
Zong Liang did not rush to refute the other party's words. Frowning slightly, he objected, "According to the rules in the past, aren't we supposed to have half a year?"
After the participants obtained Luck, it would not show its effects immediately. Thus, before going to the upper realm, they would normally receive half a year to maximize the effects of Luck.
The Martial God Palace managed more than six hundred great realms. Every realm would have several geniuses. With so many geniuses in addition to the Kunlun Realm's geniuses, the intensity of the competition was easy to imagine.
Only by raising their strength to the limit before going to the upper realm could one obtain more resources and have the right to choose. Three months were insufficient to bring out the full effect of Luck. That was why Zong Liang asked this question.
The man in embroidered clothes answered impatiently, "Is this insignificant Sky Dome Realm worthy enough for me to wait half a year?"
"Ha ha ha! Wan Feng, you judged wrong this time. The Sky Dome Realm's fortune has now changed completely. They produced a King Grade True Dragon genius!" Bold laughter came from the ship's hold as an old man with white hair slowly came out.
The expression of the man in embroidered clothes changed. He said in shock, "Master, the Martial God Palace controls more than six hundred great realms. In the past five thousand years, there have not been even ten King Grade True Dragons. How could the Sky Dome Realm produce a King Grade True Dragon?"
The white-haired old man laughed, "Ha ha! This Sky Dome Realm is rather remarkable in the first place. In the previous great age, they produced the Thunder Emperor. Furthermore, if you examine your roots carefully, you will find them in this Sky Dome Realm as well. Don't look down on this Sky Dome Realm. Doing so might come back to bite you in the future."
Naturally, Wan Feng was in disbelief. What kind of connection could he have with this insignificant Sky Dome Realm? However, this old man was his master.
His master's strength was unfathomable. Even in the Kunlun Realm, his rank was rather high. Wan Feng obtained the role of welcoming envoy this time with the aid of this old man, so he did not dare to show any disrespect.
The white-haired old man went over and patted Zong Liang's shoulder and smiled. He said, "Let's go. Bring me to see your great-grandfather. I have not seen that old fellow for several centuries."
After saying that, the old man casually waved his hand, and a pitch-black spatial tunnel appeared. He jumped into it, leading the way for Zong Liang. When the spatial tunnel started to close slowly, the two had already appeared a kilometer away.
Taking a casual glance down, Wan Feng saw several cultivators fighting over the auspicious signs. He revealed an expression of despisal and returned to the ship's hold.
At this moment, Xiao Chen, who was on the ground, also withdrew his gaze from the jade ship. A barrier around the jade ship prevented him from listening in on the conversation with his Spiritual Sense. However, he could clearly see the expression on Wan Feng's face.
Xiao Chen felt disgusted in his heart. Then, he turned to Jiang Chi and said, "First Elder, these auspicious signs are useless to me. I will return first."
Jiang Chi nodded and smiled. "Off you go, then. Anyhow, you have no way to meet with the envoy from the upper realm for now. I will let you know when I receive any news."
Three days later, Xiao Chen was practicing his Saber Technique alone in an elegant courtyard, digesting everything he comprehended during the long series of intense battles.
In these one hundred and forty matches, Xiao Chen met with all sorts of opponents. Regardless of his opponents' strength, as long they had something interesting, he remembered them.
The Divine Saber Gate's Blood Shadow Saber Technique, Gong Yangyu's Everlasting Heaven and Earth, Lin Fei's Earth Vein Saber Technique, and Xuanyuan Zhantian's Ancient and Unending until the End of Time—such Martial Techniques had their good points.
By comparing them with his own Martial Techniques, Xiao Chen could discover the inadequacies in them. Meditating on all this was very beneficial to him.
From the start of the Five Nation Youth Competition to its end, Xiao Chen's aim had always remained clear: to follow in the Thunder Emperor's footsteps, climbing to the peak of the martial way. The road was still long; there were still countless experts in the Kunlun Realm for him to challenge.
Who defeated the Thunder Emperor when he was in the Kunlun Realm? What kind of existence was the Three Holy Lands there? Were the Xiao Clan Ancestors one of the Holy Lands? These were questions Xiao Chen needed answers to.
However, solving these mysteries would be impossible with his current strength. He had to work hard continuously; he could not afford to rest for a moment.
"Thunder Shadow Chop!" Xiao Chen shouted and took seven steps in the large courtyard. With every step he took, an afterimage would appear. When each of the afterimages attacked, their expressions were all different: rage, grief, excitement, agitation…
Scarlet electricity leaped around the saber, and a cold killing intent was visible amidst the frenzy. At close inspection, Thunder Shadow Chop had many similarities to Gong Yangyu's Everlasting Heaven and Earth, but it had many differences as well.
Gong Yangyu's Everlasting Heaven and Earth did not merge in his states. As for Xiao Chen's move, not only did he incorporate his two states, but he also added his comprehensions.
He included psychological states and used different ones for each attack. Seven steps, seven attacks. Each attack gave off a different feeling.
If Gong Yangyu were here, he would be so astonished that his jaw would hit the ground. Having seven moves in seven steps already required very high comprehension abilities.
Now, Xiao Chen had infused each attack with two states, and they all had different psychological states. Demonic was the only way to describe a talent that could develop this Martial Technique.
"Pu ci!"
The seven afterimages merged; then Xiao Chen attacked empty space. The formless space seemed like an invisible wall. With a loud sound, the saber light tore it in half.
Quite satisfied with the might of this attack, Xiao Chen smiled faintly and sheathed his saber.
This Martial Technique was the Thunder Shadow Chop that Xiao Chen comprehended from Gong Yangyu. He only used half his Essence without solidifying it. Even so, it succeeded in achieving such might, tearing space in half—something that was impossible for him before.