Chapter 196: Chapter 184: Heaven-Filling Map, Dao Discussion
"Thirty-fourth on the Celestial Ranking!"
Qiu Beixuan chuckled lightly. "Chen Che, if you’re just a member of the crowd, then what does that make the other students?"
Chen Che’s expression remained unchanged, but his gaze flickered.
’Clearly.’
’My profile has been seen by others, too.’
Just as he was about to speak,
Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the hotel. Everyone turned to look and saw a large group of students striding in majestically. Each of them possessed a formidable aura; they were clearly no ordinary arrivals. The moment they set foot in the hotel, it was like lions entering a flock of sheep.
The previously bustling hotel lobby fell silent on the spot.
The students, who had been chatting and laughing, subconsciously shut their mouths.
All that could be heard were the hushed whispers and introductions from the parents and teachers:
"The one with the purple hair is Lei Qianfei from Jumang Middle School, ranked fourth on the Celestial Ranking. They say he has an extremely rare Thunder Spirit Root! He’s not only a master of Thunder Techniques but also practices Body Refining."
"The one in the white robes is Hua Feng, second on the Celestial Ranking! Rumor has it he could have reached Foundation Establishment even before Ye Zhihan but deliberately suppressed his Cultivation for half a year to expand more of his meridians. Outsiders speculate that his actual strength might be on par with Ye Zhihan’s!"
"That’s Yu Ziqing in the crop top. She’s a Sound Cultivator, fifth on the Celestial Ranking, with an incredibly strong Divine Sense! She’s from Yuqiang Middle School!"
Yu Ziqing was dressed revealingly in an ultra-short skirt, a tube top, and black over-the-knee socks. Her hair was in twin ponytails and she wore smoky makeup, making her look like a rebellious teen. However, with an Ancient Zither slung across her back, the overall effect was surprisingly youthful and striking.
Hua Feng, dressed in a white robe with a longsword on his back, looked just like a Sword Immortal from a classical novel. His extraordinary air made many of the girls’ eyes sparkle.
Lei Qianfei was incomparably domineering. He stood a full two meters tall with a broadsword on his back, and his posture, whether walking or sitting, was like that of a coiled dragon or a crouching tiger—utterly eye-catching.
These three.
The moment they appeared, they were like the bright moon, instantly eclipsing the light of every other student in the hall.
As they took their seats, they unleashed their auras to their full extent.
The students sitting nearby found the pressure unbearable, and within moments, the area around the trio had completely cleared out.
"Is Ye Zhihan staying here too?"
Chen Che retracted his gaze.
"This is Zhurong Middle School’s home turf. They all pretty much live at home, so they won’t come over!"
Ever since the trio had appeared, Qiu Beixuan’s gaze had been fixed on them.
After exchanging a few pleasantries,
Old Li finished checking in, and Chen Che and Zong Yudao followed him out.
Once the three of them had left, Qiu Beixuan’s teacher approached and said:
"Chen Che? The one ranked thirty-fourth? Why are you wasting time on him? The guy’s just a Middle Spirit Root, and there are rumors online that he used Pills to force his way into Foundation Establishment. He’s not your opponent. You just need to keep your eyes on the top twenty of the Celestial Ranking."
The teacher raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways toward a corner.
Lei Qianfei, Hua Feng, and Yu Ziqing sat there. "The top ten are all the heavy favorites to advance..."
Qiu Beixuan grinned and said with a chuckle,
"I heard Chen Che at the airport saying he had a ninety percent chance of winning. I just wanted to see what’s backing up that confidence."
He could have also reached Foundation Establishment at the end of his second year, but he held back for a month to expand some of his meridians and condense his True Essence. He didn’t break through until summer vacation; otherwise, he would have made it into the top twenty.
"Ninety percent?"
His teacher chuckled. "So you’ve seen him. And?"
"He’s nothing special. Probably just blind confidence!"
Qiu Beixuan shook his head.
...
Starting from the next day, more and more students began to arrive from all corners of the Immortal Sect.
Chen Che followed Li Xiaoshuang on a tour of the Zhurong Daoist School.
This Daoist School didn’t exist on the Earth Element Star, but was situated within a fissure in the void.
It was formerly the sanctum of a Divinity Transformation Ancestor, never before revealed to the world.
The entrance was a Han White Jade Gate that stood thirty-six zhang tall.
In front of the gate lay a modern city, bustling with endless traffic and cacophonous noise.
Behind it was a magnificent, majestic mountain range stretching for thousands of miles. As far as the eye could see, one could spot Immortal Cranes gliding through the void, a centipede over a hundred zhang long traversing the peaks, and pavilions and Immortal Mountains floating in midair.
It was like stepping into a primeval age.
"The Daoist School is huge!"
Zong Yudao’s eyes were filled with shock and longing.
Chen Che, however, was looking at the sky. A massive ink wash scroll, a hundred zhang long and thirty zhang wide, floated in midair, rippling with the wind.
"The Heaven-Filling Map!"
Li Xiaoshuang pointed and began to explain:
"That is your examination arena..."
"We’re taking the exam in *there*!?"
Zong Yudao looked up, clicking his tongue in amazement. He was so excited that he pulled out his phone and started snapping pictures wildly.
He wasn’t the only one. Most of the students who arrived were doing the same, asking all sorts of questions. At the end of the day, they were still a group of high schoolers, filled with curiosity and fascination for anything strange and new.
"This is the Heaven-Filling Map, a supreme treasure of the Divinity Transformation Ancestor!"
"It is a Tier Six High Grade Spatial Magical Artifact. The space within is vast enough to be one-third the size of the Earth Element Star, practically a world unto itself. It once trapped an Outer Realm Evil Cultivator for three days. In every Magical Treasure Book on the Earth Element Star, the Heaven-Filling Map is universally recognized as the second greatest treasure in existence."
"As for the first, that was the Blood Sea Soul Banner belonging to the Outer Realm Evil Cultivator. That item has since been damaged and is now stored in the Immortal Sect’s treasury."
A teacher nearby was loudly introducing the Heaven-Filling Map.
’A Tier Six High Grade Magical Artifact!’
Chen Che’s heart burned with desire.
Although.
He had already known about the examination arena and the Heaven-Filling Map.
But seeing it in person was an entirely different experience.
"The rules of the exam are completely random."
Li Xiaoshuang was explaining the rules. "But based on past years, it’ll be something like fighting for Jade Talismans, a survival battle royale, or arena matches... We won’t know for sure until one second before it starts."
But Chen Che wasn’t listening at all. His eyes were fixed on the Painting.
’My Sword Pill is only Tier Three Top Grade.’
Even after they left the examination site, he kept looking back repeatedly.
’A Tier Six High Grade Spatial Magical Artifact!’
’If I could just get my hands on that...’
But Chen Che knew.
A Magical Treasure of this caliber was considered top-tier even on the Earth Element Star. The Divinity Transformation Ancestor wouldn’t part with it easily. Only a direct legacy disciple would even have a chance.
His turbulent emotions didn’t calm until after they had left the Zhurong Daoist School.
But his determination to win the competition had never been stronger!
...
After seeing the examination site, all that was left was to wait for the competition to start.
"This year’s competition is much harder than before. Last year, only sixteen students had reached Foundation Establishment, but this year’s number has nearly tripled. Even being at Foundation Establishment doesn’t guarantee you’ll make the cut!"
someone lamented.
"That’s right. And then there’s Ye Zhihan, Hua Feng, and Huo Zhenguo... In previous years, you’d be lucky to see one monster of their caliber. This year, we have three. Before the Calamity of Heaven’s Fall, any one of them could have dominated an entire generation!"
someone else responded. "And they’ve basically locked up three of the qualifying spots. That leaves the remaining three thousand-plus contestants to fight over the last seven. You can just imagine how intense it’s going to be. Even Foundation Establishment students might not be able to withstand the pressure!"
These last few days,
conversations like this were incessant.
Zong Yudao heard all this and became so worried and nervous he couldn’t sleep.
’I’m too weak. Who knows if my luck will be enough to carry me through?’
But Chen Che was unconcerned. During this time, he even received an invitation to meet Ye Youwei. His old classmate was very warm, treating him and Zong Yudao to roast duck. Much to Chen Che’s disappointment, Ye Zhihan didn’t show up. He had been hoping to get a measure of the guy.
After all,
the information he had on the contestants was somewhat outdated. Nothing could compare to seeing them in person.
"Do your best!"
As they left, Ye Youwei clenched her small fists, cheering him on.
"Thanks!"
Chen Che waved.
「Two more days passed in the blink of an eye.」
The fifth day of the tenth month. A light rain was falling.
The thirty-li stretch of sixteen-lane highway from the hotel to the Zhurong Daoist School had been cordoned off. Tens of thousands of people had gathered along the route—not just the students taking the exam, but also spectators from all corners of the Immortal Sect.
As far as the eye could see, there was a black sea of heads, an endless ocean of people.
"Th-this many people?"
Zong Yudao stammered.
Even Chen Che couldn’t help but be secretly amazed by the scene.
But on second thought, it made sense.
Although.
This event was held once a year on the Earth Element Star, but before the Calamity of Heaven’s Fall, in the world of Yunzhou, this was the so-called "Contest of Prodigies." Whoever could crush all rivals in the competition would be crowned the leader of the younger generation, a powerhouse capable of dominating the past and present!
However, once they reached the entrance to the Zhurong Daoist School, the crowd was stopped. Only the contestants were allowed to enter.
"Chen Che!"
Li Xiaoshuang glanced at the towering Han White Jade Gate, his tone gentle.
"I’ve said all I need to say. Don’t be nervous. Succeed or fail, it doesn’t matter. Just do your best, and make sure you don’t have any regrets!"
"Got it."
Chen Che nodded slightly.
"Me too!" Zong Yudao piped up from the side.
Old Li was at a loss for words.
He wanted to say, ’You’ve somehow stumbled your way into the final round of the Immortal Sect competition as a mere Qi Refining Third Layer. Whether you advance or not, you’ve already ensured you’ll have no regrets in this life.’
"Let’s go."
Chen Che nudged Zong Yudao, who was still waiting for a reply, and prepared to step through the Han White Jade Gate.
"Ye Zhihan?"
"Ye Zhihan is here..."
Just then, a ripple of shouts came from behind them.
A young man in casual clothes emerged from the edge of the road. At first glance, he didn’t even look like a Cultivator, but more like a student from a regular high school.
"Ye Zhihan?"
Chen Che looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Seeing him again after a year, Chen Che could sense that the other boy’s breathing was long and steady, and he revealed almost no aura at all.
"He doesn’t look all that strong!"
Zong Yudao muttered under his breath.
"That’s a sign of absolute mastery over one’s True Essence! It means his foundation at every Realm is perfectly stable, solid as a rock!"
Chen Che explained.
Feeling the stares of the crowd, Ye Zhihan narrowed his eyes. He scanned his surroundings and soon spotted Chen Che.
"Long time no see!"
He looked slightly surprised for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "I haven’t had a chance to congratulate you on reaching Foundation Establishment. But seeing you today, I’m starting to think those online rumors are a bit exaggerated..."
"The part about me doping up on Pills?"
Chen Che shook his head and smiled, offering no explanation. "Shall we?"
After entering the Daoist School, they moved quickly and soon arrived beneath the Heaven-Filling Map.
Majestic mountains towered in the background.
Beneath the Heaven-Filling Map, the students had already gathered. The vast, open space was deathly silent. In front of the map sat thirteen Nascent Soul True Monarchs, serving as proctors. With a single glance, Chen Che spotted Li Tingyu.
The chain on her ankle was as crystalline as ever, accentuating her small, perfectly-formed feet, their beauty far surpassing that of frost or snow.
Chen Che grinned at her; after all, she was Old Li’s sister.
But her eyes remained downcast. Without reacting, she simply tucked her foot away.
"..."
Just as Chen Che was feeling speechless,
Li Tingyu’s voice spread out from the sky above:
"All contestants, prepare to enter the examination arena! This exam will last for a total of seven days... As for the rules, you will learn them once you have entered the Heaven-Filling Map! But regardless of the rules, in the end, only the top ten will be chosen!"
As her voice faded,
the other twelve Nascent Soul True Monarchs began forming Sealing Techniques and casting Spells.
White clouds swirled, and their True Essence stirred.
SWOOSH!
The ink wash landscape of the once-serene Heaven-Filling Map suddenly seemed to spring to life.
A brilliant light burst forth from within the landscape.
This endless Spiritual Light descended, enveloping all the students in the clearing. When the light faded, the contestants had vanished.
Then,
the landscape within the scroll quietly faded away, the endless ink converging to form two large words:
"Dao Debate!"
