Chapter 79 Martial Spirit Showcase
As they entered, several people immediately recognized Long Tian. Three teenagers of his age approached him.
"Yo, brother Long Tian, long time no see," one of them greeted.
Long Tian readily recognized the teenager; he was Long Heng, his cousin. He smiled, "Yeah, it's been a while. How's your cultivation progress?" he inquired.
"Smooth sailing. Just a month ago, I achieved the Qi Foundation realm," Long Heng replied, his voice tinged with pride and accomplishment.
"Congratulations, then," Long Tian smiled, then his gaze shifted to the other teenagers. "You two must be from the Xia family, welcome to the Long family," he warmly welcomed them.
Both of them bowed respectfully. "It's truly an honor for us to participate in the Long family's annual event," one of them said, a smile on his face.
"Well, enjoy the facilities," Long Tian nodded.
"Anyway, brother, who is she?" Long Heng asked, gesturing towards Liu Qian.
Long Tian smiled, "She's my girlfriend," he replied, placing his hand on Liu Qian's hip.
Liu Qian also smiled, her cheeks tinged with a charming blush, yet her gaze remained steady and unwavering.
"Is that so? Well then, enjoy the party. We'll go somewhere else," Long Heng said and left with his two friends.
He was a bit disappointed. If Liu Qian wasn't Long Tian's girlfriend, he might have tried to get to know her. Besides, she was very beautiful, and it was somewhat rare to see a blonde girl.
As he left, Long Tian and Liu Qian made their way to the banquet area. Long Tian was greeted by several people who knew him, including his family members.
All the members of the Long family were present, and there were at least 300 high-status guests at the party.
He suddenly saw Xia Junsu approaching. "Hey kid, your charm isn't bad at all. You brought a beautiful girl with you," he said.
"Thanks, Uncle Junsu. And also thanks for earlier, those three black cards were quite useful," Long Tian responded, a smile featuring his face.
"Hehe, consider it a small gift from me. Your mother told me that you awakened a dual martial spirit. But don't worry, I didn't tell anyone," he said.
"That's fine," Long Tian responded.
"Alright then, I'll catch up with some old friends," Xia Junsu said, patting Long Tian's shoulder before leaving.
As he departed, Long Tian and Liu Qian continued to explore the Long family's residence.
The Long family's grounds were vast, almost resembling a small city.
And at this moment, Long Tian's aunt, Xia Yunhai, and her husband approached him.
"Oh my, you said you wouldn't be in a romantic relationship. But what's this?" she asked, a playful smile on her face.
"It seems I've had a change of heart, Aunt Yun," Long Tian replied.
"Hehe, I had a feeling. But I can understand why you changed your mind. What's your name, dear?" Xia Yunhai asked, her smile warm as she gazed at Liu Qian.
"Liu Qian," she replied, returning the smile with grace.
"Ah, your name is as beautiful as you," Xia Yunhai complimented. Then, she inquired with genuine curiosity, "By the way, Liu Qian, is Long Tian treating you well?"
Liu Qian's lips curved into a gentle smile, and she gracefully wrapped her arm around Long Tian's. "He treats me exceptionally well, ma'am. In fact, he's the finest man I've ever known, and I'm truly grateful to be dating him," she expressed with heartfelt sincerity.
Long Tian raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by Liu Qian's affectionate gesture, but he welcomed it with a pleased smile.
Xia Yunhai nodded, her motherly warmth radiating. "Ah, I see. Well, you two make a delightful couple," she remarked, her eyes twinkling with a touch of mischief. Then, she leaned in closer to Liu Qian's ear, her words meant for her alone, "I mean, the Long family has exceptional genes, don't squander them."
Liu Qian blushed, a mix of embarrassment and amusement coloring her cheeks. She hadn't anticipated such candid words from Xia Yunhai.
"Alright, we'll leave you two to enjoy yourselves. And don't forget to introduce her to your parents, Tian'er," Xia Yunhai advised, her guidance filled with warmth and wisdom.
"Don't worry about that, Aunt Yun," Long Tian reassured her, his smile radiating warmth.
Xia Yunhai returned his smile, and with her husband and son, she gracefully strolled away, leaving Long Tian and Liu Qian alone.
Observing their departure, Long Tian turned his gaze to Liu Qian. "Initiative, huh? Your acting skills are quite impressive," he remarked, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Hehe, consider it payback for your unexpected hip-hugging move in front of your friends," Liu Qian responded, her playful tone challenging him.
Long Tian chuckled. "Well, well. Shall we go greet some more of my family members then?" he suggested, offering his arm once more.
Liu Qian gave him a playful yet affectionate look. "Sly fox," she teased in return.
"Okay okay. Let's make our way to the banquet; I believe the martial spirit showcase is about to begin," Long Tian said.
Liu Qian nodded in agreement, and together, they strolled toward another area.
****************
The night deepened, and the invited guests had all gathered at the grand event.
Long Tian and Liu Qian found themselves seated at a lavishly adorned table, surrounded by countless others, each adorned with an array of delectable dishes. Long Tian, a picture of grace, raised a glass of wine to his lips, his gaze fixated on the canvas of the starry sky above.
The venue sprawled across the expansive grassy expanse of the Long family's estate, a breathtaking stage for the night's festivities.
Here, young talents from the Long family, all 18 years old and recently awakened their martial spirits, would showcase their abilities.
The individual who possessed the most formidable and extraordinary martial spirit would be rewarded with a bounty of prizes—thousands of high-grade spiritual stones, top-tier weapons, and the coveted opportunity to enter the realm of the dragons for an hour.
Long Tian was quite excited about this. He was confident that he would shine the brightest.
But at this very moment, a young man of his age approached. He grabbed a bottle of wine from his table, poured it into his glass, and took a sip.
Long Tian recognized him instantly; it was Long Guan, his cousin, famous for his exceptional talent. At 18 years old, he had already reached the 8th level of the Qi Foundation realm.
And now, at the age of 20, he believed that Long Guan had awakened his martial spirit just a few days ago.
"This wine tastes better than what they have on my table. It seems they're treating you specially, Long Tian," Long Guan remarked.
"Well, they know who's the best in the family," Long Tian grinned.
"It's not surprising, considering you're the Patriarch's son. But don't think you're the only one with exceptional talent. During these past two years, while you refrained from awakening your martial spirit, you have no idea what I've been through," Long Guan spoke with unwavering confidence.
"You know what? I don't care," Long Tian replied nonchalantly.
A frown appeared on Long Guan's forehead, clearly irked by Long Tian's response.
"Hmph, we'll see whose martial spirit is stronger. One thing's for sure, after this, you won't be the family's genius anymore; it'll be me," Long Guan said with a grin.
Without waiting for Long Tian's reaction, he left.
Observing his departure, Long Tian regarded him with a cold gaze. In the original plot, Long Guan had played a role in the destruction of the Long family, even betraying his own kin.
Long Guan was the kind of person who would do anything to survive, and Long Tian had prepared a plan to deal with him.
Watching Long Guan leave, Liu Qian didn't hide her displeasure. "I don't like him. He's too arrogant," she expressed.
"Well, most young talents in the Long family are arrogant, including me. You just haven't seen it," Long Tian replied.
"Well, you're elegantly arrogant, I'll give you that," Liu Qian playfully responded.
Long Tian chuckled softly. He remembered his original self being very arrogant indeed, but since taking over this body, he rarely showed that side.
After a moment, a host, an elegantly dressed and beautiful woman, walked onto the stage without a ceiling.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the grand Long family's annual soirée," the emcee began, her voice dripping with elegance and charm.
"As we gather tonight, amidst the opulence and allure, we embark on a journey of extraordinary talent and endless possibilities," she continued, her words weaving an enchanting narrative.
"The Long family, renowned for its exceptional martial spirits and unwavering devotion to the path of martial excellence, proudly presents to you the rising stars of our lineage," she declared, her eyes gracefully sweeping across the captivated audience.
A hush of anticipation settled over the guests, each of them drawn into the mesmerizing atmosphere created by the emcee's words.
"The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived," the emcee announced with an infectious enthusiasm. "The martial spirit show-off is about to begin, where the prowess of our young talents will illuminate the night."
"Let's welcome the first participant: Long Yu!" she declared.
As her words hung in the air, the spotlight centered on the stage, and a young man, brimming with confidence, took his first steps toward the platform.
Long Yu reached the stage, and with a deep breath, he unleashed his martial spirit.
A giant dragon emerged behind him, its wings spread wide and its red eyes blazing in the darkness of the night.
The crowd watched in awe as it materialized, a magnificent manifestation of power and beauty, a testament to the Long family's unrivaled heritage.
Then, a text appeared on the large screen that had been prepared.
Martial spirit: Azure dragon
Class: A-Class
Soul power: 1123
Among the spectators, admiration rippled through many. An A-Class ranking and a soul power level exceeding 1000 were truly remarkable achievements. However, among the members of the Long family themselves, this score was considered ordinary; there was nothing awe-inspiring about it.
With a Mythical-type martial spirit, it wasn't surprising that his soul power exceeded 1000.
"Wow, truly remarkable. An Azure Dragon martial spirit! Let's give a round of applause for Long Yu!" the emcee exclaimed.
With that, applause resonated through the beautiful night.
Long Yu stepped down from the stage, his expression composed. He hadn't expected much from his martial spirit. He was well aware that his martial spirit was standard, with many others much stronger.
"All right, let's move on to the next contender. Long Guan, please take the stage."
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