Chapter 128 – Provocation
Translator: Mr Voltaire
Editor: Phoobiee
“No need for such ceremonies,” Emperor Feng said as he waved his hand. A formless aura rippled out, straightening everyone’s bodies. This sort of display of might caused everyone to feel even more respect towards the Emperor – this was not something that anyone could do.
Everyone respectfully said to Emperor Feng, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Everyone here is Our Moonwind Kingdom’s young talents, and all of your futures are limitless. Today, we’re not meeting as Emperor and subjects, but as fellow cultivators. Haha, we hope that you will enjoy the delicacies and wine, and that you can enjoy our hospitality.” Emperor Feng sat down, raising a wine goblet from the table in front of him.
The youths all raised their wine cups as well.
“We wish everyone can soar in the Nine Heavens and become dragon among men,” Emperor Feng said before he laughed loudly and drained the goblet in one gulp.
Everyone raised their cups. “Thank you, Your Majesty! May our Moonwind Kingdom be forever prosperous and peaceful!” 800 or so people simultaneously finished their wine in a single gulp.
These people’s voices were filled with emotion. As long as their Kingdom prospered, their families would be able to live peacefully and happily. Only then would they be able to wander outside at ease. Xiao Yun felt this way as well – he genuinely wished that the Moonwind Kingdom would forever prosper, so that he could rest a.s.sured, knowing that his family was taken care of.
“The martial way is boundless, and the heavens and earth are extremely vast. In future, after exploring outside, you can always come back to see your family and friends,” Emperor Feng said in a kind voice, as if he was an elder saying goodbye to his juniors.
The youths all felt touched and remembered Emperor Feng’s words, and started to feel slightly reluctant to leave.
“Haha, Yong’Er, entertain our guests well; we will not stay too long in your young people’s gathering.” After drinking 3 goblets of wine, Emperor Feng turned to leave. Otherwise, these young people would feel restrained, and would not be able to properly socialise.
“Take care, Your Majesty.” Feng Yu Yong rose and said goodbye to the Emperor. He was only 20-years-old, but had long since stepped into the Essence Core realm. As the Fifth Prince, he was said to be the one most likely to succeed his father.
“Haha, let’s all eat, drink and be merry; don’t hold back!” The Fifth Prince raised his wine cup, and immediately, dancers flowed into the hall to provide entertainment.
Song and dance filled the hall, creating a beautiful scene. However, it was far from enough from attracting these geniuses.
After one round of song and dance, one of the youths below the platform called out, “Haha, Fifth Prince, how about we change the entertainment?” This was a youth from the Qiu family called Qiu Yu Hao.
“Change the entertainment?” The Fifth Prince raised an eyebrow and laughed, “What does worthy brother Yu Hao have in mind?” The other cultivators all looked at Qiu Yu Hao.
“Haha, since we’re all cultivators, how about we use martial arts as entertainment?” Qiu Yu Hao rose and looked around him as he smiled.
“That sounds good.”
“Indeed, song and dance are too boring,” a youth beside him agreed.
“Using martial arts as entertainment; a fine suggestion.” The Fifth Prince nodded and asked, “How would you like to do this?”
Everyone in the hall looked over – surely they couldn’t do a battle royale, right?
“Haha, I’m sure everyone here knows who this youth sitting across from the Seventh Princess is, right?” Qiu Yu Hao said with narrowed eyes. The other cultivators all nodded as they looked at Xiao Yun.
Some people had calm expressions, while others had slight smirks, as if they already knew what Qiu Yu Hao’s intentions were.
“Since this brother can receive such treatment, I’m sure you’re quite extraordinary. How about coming down to compete with him?” Qiu Yu Hao spoke with a sharp gaze, giving a smileless smile. Of course, he knew who Xiao Yun was, but did not say it out loud, wanting to force Xiao Yun’s hand. That way, it would not be the Qiu family openly taking revenge.
This was now an open and fair battle, so if anything happened while ‘competing’, even Emperor Feng would not be able to say anything.
“That’s right, brother, shouldn’t you come down to compete?” After Qiu Yu Hao said this, someone immediately spoke out, “Otherwise, why would you qualify to sit with the Princess and look down on us all?”
In an instant, all eyes in the hall were fixed on Xiao Yun.
There were also young women who had received the right to partic.i.p.ate in the Heaven Origin Sect’s examination. They had come from all over the place, and did not know much about Xiao Yun. These young women looked at Xiao Yun in interest, wondering what sorts of talents he had.
Feeling those looks of provocation, a calm smile appeared on Xiao Yun’s face.
“That Qiu Yu Hao is at the True Essence realm, so I’m sure he’s planned something in advance,” Feng Yu Yao warned Xiao Yun in a low voice.
“It’s alright,” Xiao Yun said as he waved his hand. He slowly got up, looking at the rest of the people in the hall as he said, “Who wants to compete with me?” He did not speak very loudly, but he possessed an extraordinary aura, causing those who met his eyes to feel a chill in their hearts.
For some reason, some of the youths in the hall subconsciously took a step or 2 back, not daring to fight with him. However, there were others who had long since been dying to fight with him.
“I’ll compete with you.” A youth wearing an embroidered robe walked out. He was only 16-years-old, but had a tall and stately figure, and was quite handsome. He was quite displeased that he had not had the opportunity to sit with the Seventh Princess.
Xiao Yun looked at the youth with a sharp look as he said, “Very well. We’ll compete outside.” There was nothing else to say. Since these people wanted to see his strength, why should he try to hide it?
“Since it’s like that, let’s move to the Martial Arts Grounds.” The Fifth Prince waved his sleeve, and a light shone from his body, lifting his body and the tables around him into the air, and giving off a holy aura.
“The Fifth Prince has actually stepped into the Essence Core realm.”
“The Fifth Prince is only 20 years old, but has reached such a state. He’s a true genius among geniuses!” Seeing the Fifth Prince rise into the sky, the various youths revealed expressions of shock. It seemed that the news that the Fifth Prince had stepped into the Essence Core realm was true.
There were 2 other Princes who also left as well.
Outside the Moonwind Hall was a vast Martial Arts Grounds. There were tall buildings around it for those who wanted to spectate.
Xiao Yun and that youth walked onto the stage, while the other youths moved to the buildings to watch.
The Fifth Prince, Seventh Princess and others stood on a platform on the tallest building, with a few youths from the large families sitting behind them.
“I wonder how strong Xiao Yun is?”
“Haha, that person who challenged him is called Liu Jun, and is at the complete stage of the Innate realm already; their Liu family is quite powerful!” As Xiao Yun and that youth stepped onto the stage, the youths of the various families watched in antic.i.p.ation.
If this youth could not even defeat Liu Jun, what right did he have to be so close to the Seventh Princess?
The Seventh Princess’ expression was cold, looking like a divine G.o.ddess. There was not a trace of emotion within her eyes or on her face.
Beside her, the Fifth Prince’s eyes were slightly narrowed as he watched in curiosity.
The Princes were all quite curious towards Xiao Yun. Even though Emperor Feng had warned them about him, they did not know just what sort of talents he had. Most of them were still completely astonished that their Imperial Father had crippled their Ninth Brother’s cultivation and had even stripped him of his t.i.tle for this youth. However, the Fifth Prince and the Ninth Prince did not share the same mother, so their relationship was not that great.
However, the other 2 Princes watching were the Ninth Prince’s full-brothers. Even though they were courteous towards Xiao Yun, they wanted to see just how strong he was, and hoped that the other youths would be able to teach him a lesson for them.
“My name is Liu Jun from Moonwind Kingdom’s Liu family,” Liu Jun said with a cold expression as he stared at Xiao Yun.
“Xiao Yun,” Xiao Yun curtly replied.
“Come,” Liu Jun said. “Show me your abilities.” After saying this, Liu Jun’s eyes glinted as Essence Qi started to roll within his body, like the galloping of ten thousand horses.
Innate realm cultivators could manifest their Essence Qi to attack enemies, and Liu Jun’s Essence Qi swept out from him like a river, as if he was going to use every bit of Essence Qi he had to attack Xiao Yun. Feeling the aura that Xiao Yun’s Essence Qi gave off, Xiao Yun slightly narrowed his eyes, but did not show any signs of acting.
Even though Xiao Yun was still at the complete stage of the Innate realm, his comprehension of the martial way and his own experience made him much more powerful than he seemed.
Liu Jun moved his hands, gathering the boundless Essence Qi. He created a vortex, and a powerful attractive force came from his hands, causing the air in front of him to tremble.
A strange shockwave travelled out, as if there were a pair of formless hands trying to drag Xiao Yun into that vortex.
“What a powerful attractive force; it can actually affect a person’s figure.” Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes as he felt how extraordinary this Martial Skill was.
“This is the Liu family’s Heavenly Vortex Hands.”
Some of the youths recognised Liu Jun’s attack at a glance and called out, “This Martial Skill is quite powerful; once a person’s figure has been affected, if they allow themselves to panic at all, they’ll instantly collapse. Facing this Heavenly Vortex Hands, one cannot let down their guard at all, or they’ll be taken down in an instant.”
Many people wondered, “I wonder what Xiao Yun will do?”
The Heavenly Vortex Hands was indeed quite powerful, but for Xiao Yun, someone who had experienced life and death countless times, this was unable to affect him at all. The instant the vortex appeared, Liu Jun’s hands moved, shooting towards Xiao Yun.
This Martial Skill was quite profound – it first created a vortex to affect a person’s figure, bringing them over, then used both hands to deal a fatal blow. This was a chain attack, and was extremely dangerous.
However, Xiao Yun’s perception was quite incredible. As soon as he saw Liu Jun’s hands move, his eyes narrowed as he also attacked.
Dragon Snake Eruption!
Xiao Yun’s hands moved, as if a dragon and snake were exploding out, sending a powerful might furiously towards Liu Jun.
“A dragon and a snake?” As Xiao Yun moved his hands, everyone felt as if they saw a dragon and a snake, making them feel incredibly shocked.
“What sort of Martial Skill is this?” Even the youths from the large families felt quite dismayed.
This dragon and snake looked incredibly real, and seemed to possess sentience! Powerful Martial Skills could create abnormal signs or spiritual beasts, but trying to create such a thing was as difficult as scaling the heavens. That was why all of the genius youths were so astonished.
“This Xiao Yun’s not simple at all!” Even the Fifth Prince narrowed his eyes and couldn’t help but praise Xiao Yun.