With the battle in Zhonghai concluded, Dragon Emperor Island entered a period of hibernation; everything settled into calm, with the final inner-sea clash scheduled in three days.
Ye Chen returned to his dormitory to cultivate, shutting himself off from all visitors.
Outside, however, the atmosphere was electric and buzzing. Of all the contenders in this martial competition, Ye Chen was undoubtedly the most scrutinized. Given his background, even Huang Ling, ranked first in Zhonghai, and Huang Feng, the third-ranked rising star, paled in comparison.
Firstly, his status as an outsider drew intense attention.
Secondly, representing Wangyue Island, he had risen from the outer sea to the island, surging through hundreds of geniuses to reach the Zhonghai region, where he achieved the rank of second strongest among the Zhonghai powerhouses!
This clearly indicated he was undoubtedly a King-grade expert!
The status of a King-grade expert was quite sacred within the Xuanyuan Clan, a fact made evident by the Elder of Wangyue Island.
On Dragon Emperor Island, the easternmost and tallest peak held a magnificent purple palace.
“So, this is the outsider?” A middle-aged man clad in purple armor, possessing long black hair and sharp, chiseled features, sat upon the high golden-purple throne. He watched the battle footage of Ye Chen displayed on the screen in the center of the grand hall, murmuring, “He appears to possess the strength of a peak First-Tier King-grade, perhaps even Second-Tier!”
The figures below the dais exchanged glances, showing a measure of surprise. This man in purple armor was the Island Master of Ziyun Island, a figure whose legacy was both awe-inspiring and unparalleled in brilliance. His discernment was impeccable, and he would not be mistaken.
“This young man possesses Second-Tier combat strength?” an elder beside him couldn't help but question. “He looks incredibly young. To possess such power at this age—will he not eventually surpass the Miss?”
A grey-robed elder nearby frowned. “That is not certain. The Miss has the combat strength of an Early Third-Tier King-grade. During combat, if she unleashes her Xuanyuan bloodline talent, she can even contend with Fourth-Tier experts!”
The first elder frowned in response. “But don't forget, the Miss achieved her strength through the island’s precious medicinal resources, like the Fountain of Divine Power, and by delving into the Abyss of Buried Gods at the age of eight to cultivate. That’s how she reached Third-Tier King-grade so young. But what about the outsider? His strength was absolutely not gained here. He possessed this power the moment he walked in!”
The purple-armored man on the dais nodded slightly. “Indeed. As Teacher Feng suggests, the current strength from the outside world far surpasses our own. We don’t know if this person is an ordinary individual from the outside, or one of their most powerful. Furthermore, we know nothing about the outside world. Ancestral teachings, personally decreed by the Great Emperor Huang, command that our generation must never set foot outside! Now, it seems this was likely for our protection!”
“If everyone outside possesses strength like this boy, and they launch a full-scale attack, must we abandon our homes and flee alone?” The Ziyun Island Master surveyed the room, his gaze radiating authority.
“Of course not!” The grey-robed elder’s face was etched with vigor, his eyes shining with piercing light. “We will fight to the bitter end! What fear do we cultivators have of a battle? Even if blood soaks the ground three feet deep, I will never step away from Ziyun Island! This is my home!”
The Ziyun Island Master was quite satisfied and nodded. “Good.” After a moment of contemplation, he turned to the man beside him. “Tell me, were the invitation letters previously sent to this person all rejected?”
The youth nodded. “According to the news, while the Zhonghai battles were ongoing, the various islands of the Six Divine Islands of the Inner Sea sent out invitations, but they were all refused.”
“This person carries great arrogance!” The Ziyun Island Master smiled faintly. “He likely has his sights set on Lord Dragon Emperor, wishing to join his direct retinue.”
The grey-robed elder spoke sternly. “It is regrettable, however, that Lord Dragon Emperor has extended recruitment offers to several other gifted youths, yet has remained silent regarding this boy.”
The Ziyun Island Master smiled and shook his head. “The less anxious he is, the more he cares. Good things must be savored slowly. He is likely still assessing the situation, considering whether this outsider is here to scout military intelligence or for some other purpose. Therefore…”
The grey-robed elder frowned slightly. “Could it be that he intends to let this boy enter the Dragon Emperor Sacred Land?”
“That is inevitable…” The Ziyun Island Master’s eyes shone with clear, wise light. “Everything here is under his control. Once this boy enters the Dragon Emperor Sacred Land, all his plans will come to naught. Whether he is friend or foe will then become apparent.”
Elsewhere, discussions about Ye Chen were rife, including among the people of the Six Divine Islands of the Inner Sea, all of whom were intensely interested in him.
Far across the vast ocean, on Wangyue Island.
In the Divine Hall, the Elder gazed into a crystal ball. Suddenly, a string of text, unrecognizable to Ye Chen, materialized upon its surface. The Elder studied it for a moment, and the solemnity in his eyes instantly transformed into wild ecstasy. He threw his head back and laughed heartily. Moments later, his laughter subsided, and with a swift movement, he rushed out, his face alight with joy, striking the island’s great bell!
Dong lai…
The deep, lingering toll of the bell resonated across the entire island. Before long, every villager had gathered before the Divine Hall, looking at the Elder with puzzled expressions.
“Everyone—” The Elder swept his gaze across the crowd, his eyes brimming with unconcealed elation. “I bring wonderful news! The headquarters of the Inner Sea Divine Temple has sent word! Ye Chen, Huang Zheng, and Huang Lu, who fought on behalf of our island, have all achieved outstanding rankings in the Inner Sea!”
Whoosh!
The crowd erupted in clamor. Everyone recognized each other, seeing the faces beaming with happiness. Among them, Huang Zhong’s face broke into a smile as he gazed toward the distant azure sea, as if recalling scenes from their three months in the jungle. His hand clenched slightly, the corners of his mouth curving upward…
On the other side, Huang Shan’s expression turned emotional upon hearing his son’s name. That day, he had searched for his son in the jungle but had missed the departing aircraft. Now, hearing news about his son filled him with indescribable happiness.
The Elder gently raised his hand, commanding everyone’s attention. The Elder smiled warmly. “Among them, Huang Lu fought through successive rounds of combat, securing the eighth position in Waihai Midao!”
“Eighth!”
Every face in the crowd showed surprise, followed by envious glances toward Huang Shan standing nearby. Huang Shan, bearing a hunting bow on his back, was enveloped in happiness, grinning foolishly.
“And Huang Zheng!” The Elder’s voice grew more emphatic. “He achieved fifth place, earning the honor of entering the Second-Tier combat system for Zhonghai experts. Although he was eliminated in the first round of the Zhonghai martial competition, he remains a valiant warrior!”
“Warrior!”
“Valiant Warrior!!”
The entire assembly cheered. Reaching the Zhonghai was something they dared not even dream of; how could they not be overjoyed?
“Finally…” The Elder’s voice softened slightly. Then, surveying the entire crowd, his resonant voice boomed across the assembly and indeed, across all of Wangyue Island: “Ye Chen has secured the Second Rank on the Zhonghai Genius List!!”
The entire place fell silent!
Everyone stood dumbfounded, somewhat stunned.
Second in Zhonghai?
Surely they weren't mistaken?
While Wangyue Island erupted in celebration, within Dragon Emperor Island.
Ye Chen sat cross-legged in his chamber, examining a small, emerald-green vine coiled around his arm. This vine was a part of the Origin Crystal Grass; it was curled like an ox horn, shimmering with emerald light, utterly tiny and charming.
“After several days of selection, the Origin Crystal Grass has been growing rapidly, reaching Level 800 in just a few days. The growth rate of this little thing is terrifying; with enough energy, it could probably reach over ten thousand levels in a month!”
“However, where can I find that much inherent energy to supply its absorption? Currently, its daily sustenance requires devouring an 800-level monster to be satisfied. At this normal feeding rate, its growth will be too slow. Only through excess absorption can it grow madly!”
Ye Chen mused. This Origin Crystal Grass was ultimately only an auxiliary type among special flora, not an attack-oriented one. It did not require excessive strength; it only needed to store inherent energy!
“Given its nature, it can store a hundred times its own energy level. This means that at Level 800 now, it can store eighty thousand levels of inherent energy. With my current cultivation at Mid Third-Tier Energy Master, once I have eighty thousand energy levels instantly available, I will barely have to worry about depletion, allowing me to spend energy freely!”
Ye Chen made up his mind. He stopped feeding the Origin Crystal Grass energy at a frantic pace, instead providing only the amount needed for its daily consumption, not a single bit more. Without his permission, the grass dared not consume the stored energy within itself.
“In these few days, the Origin Crystal Grass has stored 5,000 levels of inherent energy within its body. At my own rate, it takes me three days to restore my depleted internal energy completely!” Ye Chen knew the upcoming battles would not be so easy, so he prepared himself mentally for fierce combat.
He flipped his hand, opening the Rune Space, and instructed the old man of the runes, “Activate the ship’s detection instruments and shield the information signatures of this area.”
“Are you planning some clandestine operation?” the green-rune figure grumbled, but he asked no further questions, activating the spacecraft’s detection instruments as Ye Chen commanded.
Then, Ye Chen grabbed out and retrieved the Dark Creature Energy Crystal Core from the spacecraft. It was a pure white crystal core, oval-shaped, emitting a faint chill that froze the surrounding air. Even the cotton quilt Ye Chen was under turned to ice, covering the entire room momentarily in a layer of frost, with no apparent abnormality surrounding Ye Chen.
“Such dense energy,” Ye Chen sighed in admiration. He then clenched his hand, and the Devouring Qi within his body surged out, enveloping the ice crystal, forcibly corroding it. As the black-mist-like Devouring Qi surrounded it, streams of pure energy transferred into Ye Chen’s body through the Qi, instantly filling his previously broad and expansive meridians, crashing down like a waterfall, surging within him…”
This energy carried a slight chill. If it were anyone else, no matter how physically strong, they would never dare allow this different-attribute energy to collide within their meridians. However, under the Devouring Qi, the chill within this energy was instantly torn apart and shredded, even the icy temperature was devoured!
As the energy flowed in, Ye Chen’s internal energy rapidly replenished. He did not immediately channel it into the Origin Crystal Grass but allowed it to settle within his body, constantly absorbing it. He wanted to seize this opportunity to expand his meridians, break through further, and reach Fourth-Tier Energy Master, which was equivalent to the Fourth-Tier King-grade combat strength here!
Only then could he firmly secure his position in the Inner Sea battles! ((To be continuedH