Only three figures stood upon the grand teleportation array: Chen Feng, Judy, and Brent, enveloped by a faint emerald glow. A moment later, their vision blurred, and the trio vanished within the portal.
Within the green light, Chen Feng seemed to perceive scattered, pale dots of light arranged irregularly in the distance, each one apparently representing a different zone.
“Could these be the connected teleportation arrays?” Chen Feng realized. “One light dot signifies the location of a teleportation array. As long as the array targets one of these dots precisely, directed teleportation becomes possible.”
Grasping this, a wave of relief washed over Chen Feng. He watched a light dot draw nearer, a roaring sound echoing in his ears. In an instant, the green light vanished, and he materialized inside another magic circle.
This magic circle was vastly grander than the previous one, easily seven or eight times its size.
“I estimate this can transport over ten thousand people at once,” Chen Feng mused internally.
Though Chen Feng’s knowledge of teleportation arrays was limited, he instantly grasped the significance of a device capable of moving such a massive number of people simultaneously.
After exiting the array, a toll of five gold coins was required. After paying, the three slowly walked out of the imposing structure housing the grand array.
“Welcome to the Imperial Capital, Yacheng. I, Muhand, am at your service?”
A humble voice sounded from nearby.
“This is a unique feature of Yacheng—tourist guides who wait outside the teleportation arrays for travelers to hire them,” Judy explained to Chen Feng.
Chen Feng nodded. He glanced around; dusk had already fallen. He said, “Take us somewhere to stay.”
Muhand, realizing he had been hired, displayed a flicker of joy. “Excellent. Please follow me.”
The three settled into the carriage driven by Muhand and sped toward the city center. Fortunately, the city gates had not yet closed. After paying a small amount of copper coins, they entered the city.
“Are you here for the Rookie Selection Competition?” Muhand inquired curiously from outside the carriage.
“Of course, we are. With my big brother’s skills, winning the championship will be as easy as taking a breath…” Brent began to boast loudly.
However, as he spoke, he subtly glanced at Chen Feng, only to see him resting with his eyes closed, displaying utter indifference to his bragging. This reassured Brent.
“Heh heh,” Muhand naturally took Brent’s words with a grain of salt. He continued, “To accommodate those participating in the Rookie Selection Competition, His Majesty specially constructed a massive reception center near the Imperial City. It is exclusively responsible for hosting the empire’s emerging talents for the event. May I suggest I take you there?”
“Great!” Brent agreed immediately, excitement lighting up his face. “Let’s go see the other contestants who have come to compete, haha…”
Judy shook her head, sighing inwardly: To think that they are both young, yet the difference between them is so vast…
Imperial Capital Yacheng was indeed magnificent and spectacular. The streets were paved entirely with bluestone, and the surrounding buildings shimmered with all manner of magical lighting fixtures, illuminating the entire thoroughfare.
Although it was dark, the constant flow of people created subtle resistance to the carriage’s progress. Fortunately, the magic circle and the Imperial City were not far apart; after just over an hour, they caught sight of the Imperial City’s grand architectural complex.
“I apologize, esteemed guests, but you must alight here. Carriages and horses are prohibited within a three-kilometer radius of the Imperial City. All those attending the Rookie Selection Competition are housed at the ‘Rookie Inn,’ situated about one li directly ahead.”
Muhand’s voice cut through.
“Mm,” Chen Feng opened his eyes and was the first to step down from the carriage.
After paying the driver, the three strolled along the bluestone street. The ground was smooth, utterly devoid of discarded refuse or litter, appearing remarkably clean, while streams of people flowed by ceaselessly.
“Big Brother, I think we should find a place to eat first, or we might starve to death,” Brent suggested.
Chen Feng nodded. Having traveled most of the day without eating, he was beginning to feel hungry.
“How about that place, the Purple Cloud Pavilion?” Brent pointed toward a tall storefront not far ahead, illuminated by a ring of fluorescent light upon which three large characters glowed: “Purple Cloud Pavilion.”
Even before entering, they saw the establishment was packed, the clamor inside ceaseless.
“Is there any seating left?” Brent casually asked the attendant who greeted them at the entrance.
“We only have one small spot remaining by the window,” the attendant replied with a smile.
The three took a look and indeed spotted a modest table near the window in the main hall. It was small, but more than ample space for the three of them.
They walked over, sat down, and ordered some food, waiting quietly.
Because of the crowd, the food service was slow. While waiting for their meal, the three felt a bit restless.
“Did you hear? This year’s Imperial Rookie Selection Competition is far more exciting than previous years,” a loud voice carried from a nearby table.
Near Chen Feng’s table, four people were seated—two burly men and two women.
“How is it more exciting?” the woman opposite asked curiously.
One of the burly men spoke, “The commander of the Wyvern Knights, the continent’s sole Dragon Rider General, Cainhart—surely you’ve all heard of him?”
“Nonsense…” the woman scoffed. “Who hasn’t heard of Cainhart?”
“I heard his only grandson, Alex, is participating this year,” the burly man continued.
“Alex? Are you referring to the one who single-handedly ventured into the Glacial Demon Garden last year and managed to contract a Rank Four Magical Beast?” the other burly man interjected.
“Who else would it be? To be able to subdue a Rank Four Magical Beast last year, imagine how formidable his strength must be this year, entering the competition with it!” the first man said, tinged with a slight envy.
“By that logic, wouldn’t he automatically secure the championship?” the woman opposite asked.
“Not necessarily. I heard that for some unknown reason, many members of the great families have entered this time, and didn’t our Seventh Prince also sign up?”
“The Seventh Prince?” the woman exclaimed, covering her mouth. “You mean the one who reached the level of an 8th-tier Magician and an 8th-tier Warrior at the age of 23, renowned as a Martial Arts and Magic Prodigy?”
“That’s the one. I heard both he and Alex are top contenders for the title.”
“Even if the Seventh Prince is a genius, his cultivation is only at level 8. I don’t think he can possibly compare to Alex, who possesses a Rank Four Magical Beast!” the man beside him asked doubtfully.
“What do you know? The competition isn’t purely about raw strength; sometimes equipment plays a huge role. His Majesty, hearing the Seventh Prince would compete, bestowed upon him his ‘Rune Sword’ and ‘Dragon Armor.’ Tell me, is he not powerful now?”
“Rune Sword and Dragon Armor?” The other three faces immediately paled. The woman opposite’s voice trembled, “With those two items, how is it even possible not to win?”
…………
“What are the Rune Sword and Dragon Armor?” Chen Feng asked, slightly curious.
Brent looked at Chen Feng as if seeing him for the first time, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. “Big Brother, you really don’t even know about those two items, do you?”
Seeing Chen Feng shake his head, Brent was momentarily speechless. “The Rune Sword and Dragon Armor are both Mid-grade Sacred Artifacts, the most famous sword and armor in the Loci Empire.”
“Mid-grade Sacred Artifacts?” Chen Feng clearly had never heard of them.
Brent rubbed his slightly aching head. “Big Brother, your cultivation is so high; surely you don’t know even basic weapon knowledge!”
Chen Feng shook his head again.
“Weapons are divided into Mortal Artifacts and Sacred Artifacts. Each is further split into three grades: High, Mid, and Low. The weapons we usually see are Low-grade Mortal Artifacts. Swords of true quality are Mid-grade Mortal Artifacts, and only exceptionally rare blades can be called High-grade Mortal Artifacts. As for Sacred Artifacts, ordinary people cannot forge them. To craft a Sacred Artifact, one’s cultivation must reach at least the level of a Dou Zun.” Brent spoke rapidly, feeling rather pleased watching Chen Feng’s incomprehension. The sense of accomplishment that he could instruct his revered Big Brother made him feel quite elated.
“How powerful is a Mid-grade Sacred Artifact?” Chen Feng asked casually.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen one either,” Brent admitted.
:
“This is…” Chen Feng looked at Judy, unsure of what she intended to do.
“Look,” Judy said, handing the dagger to Chen Feng.
“It’s a magic dagger?” Chen Feng started, staring at the special runes carved on it with confusion.
“=Art’”
“Rank Three Magic?” Chen Feng and Brent both sucked in a sharp breath.
Although a Rank Three single-target attack spell released via a magical implement is less potent than one cast normally by a Magician, its speed of release is lightning-fast, making it impossible to defend against—an absolute boon for self-defense or killing enemies.
“This is only a Mid-grade Mortal Artifact,” Judy stated calmly.
“Mid-grade Mortal Artifact?” Chen Feng was now truly astonished.
A magical implement engraved with a Rank Three spell was merely a Mid-grade Mortal Artifact? How terrifying must the offensive power of the Mid-grade Sacred Artifacts held by the Seventh Prince be!
“I heard His Majesty’s Dragon Armor grants complete immunity to spells below Rank Five, and halves the damage of spells from Rank 6 to 8. Furthermore, legend says the Rune Sword’s power is even greater; any Warrior simply holding it can unleash the strength of a Dou Shi!” As Judy finished speaking, her expression became somewhat downcast.
It was clear she was not optimistic about this competition. With those two items, the Seventh Prince was essentially wearing an invulnerable shell and wielding a heavy machine gun—immune to being hit, yet capable of striking anyone at will. Who could possibly win against him in a fight?
“A Warrior channeling the strength of a Dou Shi?” Chen Feng’s face suddenly broke into a smile, his fists slowly clenching. “It seems this competition might be interesting after all. If the skill level is too low, I wouldn’t even bother participating!”
“……” Judy.
Upon hearing Chen Feng’s words, Brent’s eyes began to sparkle again. “Big Brother, you are my true brother! To hear of such a difficult competition and not be afraid, but instead become this excited—you are absolutely too cool…”
Just then, a commotion erupted outside the doors of the Purple Cloud Pavilion. A large group of armored soldiers rushed in from the entrance, followed by a loud shout: “Our young master, Justin, intends to host a banquet for the Seventh Prince here! All idle people must leave immediately!” (To be continued. For the rest of the story, please log on to wwwncom for more chapters, support the author, and enjoy genuine reading!)