Jinghe City Branch.
A burly young man emerged from the back of a mountainous waterfall, and appeared inside a great hall with a lunge: “Dad, why did you call for this child?”
By the riverbank, a middle-aged man twirled his short mustache: “The clan patriarch has issued an ancestral order. The numerous branches must bring the most outstanding younger generations within the clan to the ancestral residence. Yan’er, you should prepare yourself. We will set off in two hours.”
The burly young man was puzzled: “Why are you in such a hurry? And why was an ancestral order issued so suddenly?”
The middle-aged man said: “The present clan patriarch is wise and resolute. We can assume that something important has happened. The bloodline of my Jinghe City can’t miss this opportunity!”
Diyan City Branch.
A girl in the prime of her youth leaped down from a windy cave on the cliffside, and landed lightly on the ground.
In front of her was a refined and scholarly man.
The young girl’s voice was crisp and melodious: “Father, why have you called for this daughter?”
The scholarly man said: “The clan patriarch has issued a summons. You will be going with me right away.”
The girl startled: “This daughter is about to have a breakthrough…”
The scholarly man sternly said: “It’s an ancestral order. This is no small matter. Ling’er, your aptitudes are the best, but you can’t rashly ignore the orders of the patriarch.”
Tianjiu City Branch.
A handsome young man with a slender figure grasped a long spear. In a courtyard, he constantly lunged and thrusted out. The trajectory of every strike was the same. They were swift, fierce, and out of the ordinary.
An old man appeared before him.
The young man put away the spear, and stood with a respectful countenance: “Grandpa.”
The old man said: “The clan patriarch has issued an ancestral order. You and I will be going to Cangyun City.”
The young man was solemn: “Yes, grandpa.”
Then, the old man sighed: “It’s not a trivial matter for the patriarch to do this. Once you go to the ancestral residence, you must proceed with caution.”
The young man remained serious: “I will, grandpa.”
Similar conversations like these continued to play out in different cities between older and younger generations. All of the branches felt that the ancestral order issued this time was unusual. However, they had seen the current clan patriarch, and knew that he wasn’t one to take rash action. Thus, after receiving the ancestral order, they swiftly reacted, and selected the most outstanding younger generations within their own branches. In addition, with the fastest speeds, they delivered the candidates to Cangyun City.
At the same time, the main branches of Cangyun City also received the ancestral order. Likewise, they chose suitable children with excellent aptitudes at once, and rapidly gathered within the ancestral residence.
They were unaware of what the clan patriarch was doing, but an ancestral order was an ancestral order. They could only swiftly respond to it.
Around seven or eight days passed. After hastening their journeys and traveling day and night, all of the branches throughout the country arrived in Cangyun City. As for the other four great aristocratic families and the imperial family in Cangyun City, they also didn’t know what the Gongyi Clan was planning. Thus, Gongyi Yan was quick to let out some information. It was said that they were holding a large competition within the clan to select the best talents.
This kind of information blocked up the mouths of many people, but there were many more who started looking forward to the Gongyi Clan’s grand event — It was only a pity that once everyone arrived, the Gongyi Clan revealed nothing. Instead, it was kept firmly within the clan. Outsiders weren’t able to grasp any traces.
After the members of the Gongyi Clan gathered at an extremely large and expansive venue within the ancestral residence, they couldn’t help feeling shocked when they saw a gallant young man standing next to Patriarch Gongyi Yan on a raised platform.
This was — Wasn’t this the pride of their Gongyi Clan? The young lord of the direct line of descent who was rumored to have obtained an exceptionally good fortuitous encounter and had been out adventuring all this time — Gongyi Tianheng?
Whether it was the main branches or cadet branches, they all knew that the reason why the Gongyi Clan stably held the position of the number one aristocratic family in the Cangyun Empire in recent years, and why their clan obtained even more unprecedented resources, was precisely due to this young lord. And now, the young lord had unexpectedly appeared. At this moment, many perceptive and shrewd people faintly understood why the clan patriarch issued the ancestral order.
In all likelihood, the following matters certainly had something to do with the young lord.
Subsequently, the crowd of Gongyi Clan members found that another person had appeared beside their young lord. It looked as if he was just a delicate and beautiful teenager. It would be out of the question to say how special he was, but his temperament seemed different from their own — On the contrary, it was like he was part of the same world as their young lord.
Subconsciously, they didn’t dare to underestimate this teenager because of his age.
Shortly thereafter, the teenager tapped the space between his eyebrows.
Suddenly, a powerful and abundant force erupted from the place he tapped, and rushed into the air. A few moments later, everyone was enveloped inside of it!
It seemed like a transparent cover appeared in the sky. In a flash, it vanished — No, it ought to have been concealed.
The numerous Gongyi Clan members were shocked.
T-this was practically the same as a miracle!
What happened just now?
Gu Zuo made an exasperated expression in his heart.
Of course, what he did just a moment ago was releasing his psychic power to isolate this area from the outside world. This was so that what happened inside as well as their discussions weren’t noticed by outsiders. However, if he really used his ability, it could’ve been done silently and without detection. There wasn’t any need to use such an exaggerated hand gesture or let everyone “see” the psychic power!
— This was naturally big brother’s request. Tianheng wanted to show off Gu Zuo’s capabilities, and reveal his position and status. At the same time, it also awed numerous Gongyi Clan members by allowing them to directly observe it.
Later on, when they declared their decision, they could win the trust of the clan with the previous foreshadowing.
Gu Zuo did everything he could to cooperate. Indeed, he resolutely increased his sense of existence in front of all the Gongyi Clan members…
After releasing his psychic power to subdue the crowd, he promptly withdrew to make way for Gongyi Yan.
Gongyi Yan’s voice was clear and bright: “Now that everyone has come here, all of you must be quite surprised. Why did I issue an ancestral order, and have everyone gather here during a non-clan competition?”
The crowd of Gongyi Clan members looked over. Although they trusted the clan patriarch, they really did find it strange.
Gongyi Yan spoke loudly: “My son, Gongyi Tianheng, has returned. He has brought an enormous stroke of good fortune for my Gongyi Clan. He will select outstanding younger generations within the clan. They will follow him to his sect to cultivate, experience an even vaster world, tread upon the ultimate limits of the path of martial arts, and enjoy a lifespan over a thousand years long!”
What he said was still very blatant and unsubtle. Due to perceptual issues brought about by this small piece of land, he knew that if his manner of speech was vague, the clan members wouldn’t necessarily understand what they heard. And since he spoke bluntly, the clan members had nothing else to say. At the very least, a lifespan of “over a thousand years” was definitely understandable.
Presently, Xiantian Realm powerhouses could live the longest, but they absolutely couldn’t live longer than two hundred years!
At that time, the venue was in an uproar.
A lifespan longer than a thousand years? How was this possible?!
After that, Tianheng stepped forward. He lifted his hand, and lightly pressed down.
For some reason, the numerous Gongyi Clan members felt that his movement carried a type of inviolable dignity. They couldn’t help but calm down.
Tianheng faintly smiled: “I know that everyone has their doubts and misgivings. But presumably, not everyone knows that —”
He gave a slight pause, and his following words were clear and distinct: “Above Xiantian is the Immortal Realm with a lifespan of three hundred years. Above the Immortal Realm is the Atomic Realm with a lifespan of five hundred years. Above the Atomic Realm is the Ascendant Realm with a lifespan of one thousand years.
“Thus, if you can follow me to devote yourself to cultivation, you’ll have a lifespan of one thousand years once you reach the Ascendant Realm. These are, by no means, empty words! And if you stay behind in this desolate and forsaken place, no matter how good your aptitudes are, there will never be enough resources. In the end, it will be difficult to advance your realms. Naturally, it will also be difficult to extend your lifespan.”
Listening up to here, the crowd of Gongyi Clan members involuntarily swallowed.
They could hear a type of confidence in Tianheng’s speech. In other words, the other party really was certain of the outcome? If that was the case, coming over this time truly was a monumental opportunity for them!
Someone couldn’t help asking: “Young lord, what kind of realm is your strength at right now?”
Tianheng smiled: “Two years to reach Immortal, and two years to reach Atomic. Currently, I’m at the Atomic Realm.”
After he finished speaking, the imposing aura around his body suddenly rushed out. Immediately following that, he withdrew it!
Only a trace of it was leaked out, but it was already like all of the clan members had seen a gigantic, towering beast sudden appear and use its pair of incomparably gloomy and cold eyes to stare at them. That terrifyingly powerful pressure was like a mountain pressing down on everyone’s hearts. It seemed that, if they experienced it for just another instant, their hearts would burst under the pressure. Even their bodies would be crushed into fine powder, and their flesh squashed into paste!
It was too horrifying —
None of the clan members could rouse their hearts to resist that streak of imposing aura. A good while after that imposing aura was withdrawn, they still didn’t dare to breathe too loudly… Finally, they understood how frightening it was to peek at a corner of an Atomic Realm’s imposing aura!
At the same time, the crowd of clan members firmly believed without any doubts!
After that, when they looked at Tianheng again, everyone’s gazes had undergone huge changes. Their eyes became fervent, reverent, and filled with pride.
It was because Tianheng himself came from their Gongyi Clan!
What happened next was only a matter of course. In order to follow Tianheng to study the path of martial arts and increase their lifespans, all of the cadet and main branches started to compete. With Gongyi Yan presiding over the event, it was the same kind of contest as the previous great martial arts competitions of the clan.
Gongyi Yan, Tianheng, and Gu Zuo walked down from that raised platform, and yielded the large arena to the numerous younger generations.
However, there was something a little different this time around. Only the most outstanding younger generations recommended by the clan were capable of participating in this competition — In addition, when all of the cadet and main branches gathered together, Gongyi Yan had already sent someone to register their names.
Now that it was time for the official martial arts competition, many members of the branch bloodlines were somewhat regretful… They regretted that the candidates brought along and the names registered were so few. Otherwise, perhaps there would’ve been even more chances?
But it was too late now.
Sometimes, when it came the trust of the clan patriarch and their respective judgments, it was also a kind of luck.
Those who were lucky naturally obtained bigger opportunities.
Before long, several people jumped onto the raised platform.
This arena was very large. Under Tianheng’s requirements, there would be ten people in an all-out melee with each round. After every melee, the last three people standing on the platform would be that round’s victors.
If it was like this, then the number of rounds of the competition would be cut down greatly. They would be able to select the best talents as quickly as possible.
However, a competition of this calibre was already full of flaws in Gu Zuo’s eyes, and didn’t pique his interest that much. Nevertheless, he carefully watched, and selected a few people among the fray whose determinations were particularly undaunted.
Eventually, this competition came to an end. Altogether, there were almost two hundred victors.
T/N: Thanks for the correction, Charysa.
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