Chapter 71 - Showing off

[Tomorrow]

[9:00]

[19/3/1996]

[R: "Roar"]

Jean and his group were in the place behind their plaque, which had only 5 seats, in front of them there was the main stage of the Sword Discourse Arena and thirty other small sword arenas in a circular shape around the main one.

Jean: It's nine.

Qin Wushang: Then it's about to start.

Suddenly, a loud and clear sound of screeching swords could be heard from midair. Everyone lifted their heads instinctively and saw that there were suddenly a hundred swords about three hundred metres above them. The floating swords seemed to have a mind of their own and started dancing around in the sky.

The screeching sounds of the swords broke the silence of the skies and the sounds were extremely sharp. After circling the stage for a few rounds, they halted in midair above the main seat, and arranged themselves neatly.

Below the floating swords, a white bearded elder walked out slowly, greeted with cusping fists, and spoke in a clear voice.

?: This old one is Heavenly Sword Villa's Sword Baptizing Pavilion's Elder Ling Wugou. I am glad to meet all the heroes and outstanding youths today. I represent our Villa to thank everyone for turning up at Heavenly Sword Villa. This year's Blue Wind Ranking Tournament…

While Ling Wugou was talking, Fen Junchen explained things to Jean, since he was new around.

Fen Juechen: Ling Wugou's nickname is 'Scarless Sword'. Even though he looks like any normal elder, he is rumored to be at the eighth level of the Sky Profound Realm already. He has already hosted several years of the tournament and is fair and just.

He does not joke around and even within the Heavenly Sword Villa, he is a well respected figure. Even Ling Yuefeng has to show some respect towards him.

Jean: Heeeh…

Ling Wugou: This year's Blue Wind Ranking Tournament's witness comes from Profound Sky Continent's Four Great Sacred Grounds, Mighty Heavenly Sword Region's Elder Ling Kun! With Elder Ling Kun's strength and birthplace, I believe no one would doubt Elder Ling Kun's qualifications and authority.

Fen Juechen: The Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, huh?

Jean: Hehe, things are getting interesting…

When Ling Wugou shouted, a green attired middle-aged man stood up beside him and nodded slightly. At the moment he stood up, as if attracted by an invisible force, all eyes were instantly gathered upon him…

He looked to be about forty to fifty years of age, with an average built and expressionless face. Even though everyone appeared to be able to see him, they could not sense his presence at all. It was as though he was an imaginary illusion.

Ling Wugou: Now, let this old man declare the prize of this Ranking Tournament.

Third place in the ranking tournament's individual rankings, will receive one 'Purple Striped Dragon Heart Pellet'.

Second place in individual rankings, will receive three drops of 'Purple Veined Marrow Quenching Fluid'…

... First place in individual rankings, will receive a Sky Profound Artifact, Dragonscale Armor, that originates from the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region.

Jean: *Whistle* A Sky Profound Artifact…

Fen Juechen: It will be Junior Brother Jean's reward, I doubt someone else is as strong as you between the participants.

Jean: Pfft, I don't need that, my body is already tough, maybe I will give it to you after this.

Fen Juechen: Eh?! For real!?

Ling Wugou: Top ten forces in the ranking tournament, after the tournament, will be qualified to explore 'Heaven Basin Secret Realm' in teams.

The top ten forces in the ranking tournament, after the exploration of 'Heavenly Basin Secret Realm', will have the opportunity to see the 'Demon' Sealing Ritual carried out personally by Elder Ling Kun of the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region with their own eyes.

Jean/Fen Juechen: Demon Sealing Ritual?

Qin Wushang: I am not very sure either. Counting this time, I've been here three times altogether, yet I have never heard of this sort of 'reward'.

But the word "Demon", I have heard of. It was rumored that an hundred years ago, Mighty Heavenly Sword Region had sent a 'Demon' to Heavenly Sword Villa, and sealed it under the Sword Management Terrace.

That gigantic sword at the center of the Sword Management Terrace, exists precisely to seal that 'Demon'. Perhaps this seal needs to be reinforced once in awhile, or perhaps the reason why this Ling Kun came to Heavenly Sword Villa, was not to witness this session of Blue Wind Ranking Tournament, but to reinforce that seal instead… Of course, this is only a guess.

Jean: Oh sweet, there are demons too, now what? Angels? Magical flying colored unicorns that talk about friendship?

Ling Wugou: The time hath come. Now, this old man declares; this session of Blue Wind Ranking Tournament, officially begins!

The enormous Sword Discourse Arena immediately became quiet. One could only see the figure of Ling Wugou waver; he had already flown up into the air. Leaving a line of hazy grey phantom, he landed on the dead center of the Sword Discourse Arena in the blink of an eye.

There, a gigantic Profound Assessing Stone already stood in place.

Ling Wugou: This session's Ranking Tournament, has a total of 513 sectoral forces to be ranked, and involves 1545 participating disciples.

The age of every single participating disciple must not be younger than 16, and must not be over 20. Anyone not within this age range will be immediately kicked out. Now begins the lot drawing of the Ranking Tournament.

Before the number is drawn, one must be tested for age and profound strength, and then let everyone know the names of younger generation's outstanding individuals as well… Now, participating disciples called on by this old man, come up immediately for profound strength ȧssessment and lot number drawing.

Skyblade Clan's Li Badao, Ji Hong, Ye Changqing!

Thunderbolt Mountain's Wu Mu, Wu Feiran, Wu Qingyun!

Moon Worshipping Sect…

Divine Cloud Isle…

Waves after waves of participating disciples, with sects as units, came up and carried out profound strength ȧssessment as well as the number drawing.

Same as previous sessions, most of the participating disciple's age all grouped at 19 and 20. 18 years olds were already very rare, and 17 extremely so. As for sixteen… Nearly half of the disciples had already gone up, but there still wasn't even one.

Moreover, over 90% of these participating disciples, had a profound strength centralized between the 1st Spirit Profound Realm and 5th Spirit Profound Realm. Ones that surpassed 5th Spirit Profound Realm didn't even reach one tenth.

To be able to step into the Spirit Profound Realm under the age of 20, even if it was in the Imperial Capital of the Blue Wind Empire, one would be considered as the genius within geniuses. Even for the Blue Wind's number one Profound Palace, there were merely 4 people, including the foreign Fen Juechen.

For those small cities like Floating Cloud and New Moon, one wouldn't even dare to imagine it. But in here, it could only be reduced to ordinary. And for young profound practitioners of 5th Spirit Profound Realm and above, they would be the prodigies blessed by heavens within prodigies blessed by heavens, as well as the top level group of the ranking tournament.

As for people over or lower the Spirit Profound Realm, there was none.

Ling Wugou: Xiao Sect's Xiao Kuanglei, Xiao Zhen, Xiao Nan.

Xiao Zhen, 20 years old, 9th Spirit Profound Realm.

Xiao Nan, 18 years old, 6th Spirit Profound Realm.

The next was the Burning Heaven Clan, that took Fen Juechen's attention.

Fen Jin, 20 years old, 9th Spirit Profound Realm.

Fen Juebi, 20 years old, 8th Spirit Profound Realm.

Fen Yuange, 19 years old, 7th Spirit Profound Realm.

Even if Fen Juebi's talent was lesser than Fen Juechen, he still needed to be careful because Fen Juebi was still 3 realms higher than him, however that won't stop him from winning with Jean's gift.

Ling Wugou: Frozen Cloud Asgard's Shui Wushuang, Wu Xuexin, Xia Qingyue.

Jean: Pfft… *Cough* *Cough*

Jean observed Xia Qingyue from his seat, his eyes glued on her… It has been 1 year and half since they got separated…

Jean: No… Don't mind me…

Cang Yue: Junior Brother Jean, is she…

Jean: Yeah, it's her… Nevermind, it's not important right now.

Cang Yue knew what he was talking about, he didn't mentioned it because it would cause a disaster if everyone knew it.

Shui Wushuang, 20 years old, 9th Spirit Profound Realm.

Wu Xuexin, 20 years old, 9th Spirit Profound Realm.

Xia Qingyue, 17 years old, 8th Spirit Profound Realm.

In that instant, the audience was silent for an entire 3 seconds, and then, suddenly, a large wave of exclamations was set off.

Jean: 8th Spirit Profound Realm… From the 10th True Profound Realm… 'It's funny that I am trying to compare her with me when I used the same time as her to get from 0 to the Sky Profound Realm…

Ling Wugou: Heavenly Sword Villa's Ling Yun, Ling Feiyu, Ling Jie.

Ling Yun, 20 years old, 3rd Earth Profound Realm.

Ling Feiyu, 19 years old, 9th Spirit Profound Realm.

Ling Jie, 16 years old, 6th Spirit Profound Realm.

Jean: Heh… 'As expected from my subordinate, in just 7 months, he came from the 3rd Spirit Profound Realm to the 6th Spirit Profound Realm with not even 20 profound entrances opened, and not only that, his aura is really dense, he could match against people of the 9th Spirit Profound Realm or beyond…'

Ling Wugou: Blue Wind Imperial Family, Fen Juechen and… Dennell… Jean? Did I spell it right?

Jean: Yes, elder!

The audience was shocked, first of all, there were only 2 participants, 1 of them was someone unknown while the other was one of the sons of the Burning Heaven Clan's Clan Master.

The first one to go was Fen Juechen, when he laid his hand on the stone, the results were out.

Fen Juechen, 17 years old, 5th Spirit Profound Realm.

Then it was Jean's turn, when Xia Qingyue saw him, her beautiful eyes widened, carrying a trace of deep shock when she saw Jean.

Xia Qingyue: He… how could it be… him…

Chu Yueli's gaze was fixed on Jean and asked Xia Qingyue.

Chu Yueli: Eh? Qingyue, don't you feel like he resembles someone?

Xia Qingyue: Dennell Jean… Xiao Che… Xiao Che… They look really similar but it is impossible that it's him. His profound veins are crippled and are impossible to restore, so it is even more impossible for him to have any connections with the Imperial Fa-

Her voice paused when she saw a familiar watch on his left arm, that was slowly reaching the stone.

Xia Qingyue: 'It's him! But how can he be here?!'

Chu Yueli: Right, it is indeed impossible that it's him. But there's actually two people in this world that this much alike.

The next person seated beside them, who was Little Fairy, or Chu Yuechan, raised her eyebrows and asked.

Chu Yuechan: You've seen this person before?

Chu Yueli: No. But he looks similar to someone I've met before.

Chu Yuechan: Who?

Chu Yueli: It is exactly the person Qingyue insisted on marrying that year. That person's name was Xiao Che. This person's name is Dennell Jean. They really look alike.

Chu Yuechan: Hmm… So it's him…

Chu Yueli: You have already met him?

Chu Yuechan: Yes, when I was finding a cure for my ice poison, he was the one to heal me and asked me to protect him for 3 months, but after he got to the Wasteland of Death, 7 months ago, anything about him vanished…

Chu Yueli: He survived 7 months in the Wasteland of Death… Interesting.

Xia Qingyue: 'What… What is happening… Why is he here?! How did he get here?!'

Jean finally laid his hand on the stone, and everything went silent… They just gazed at the stone with disbelieving eyes, some of them rubbed their eyes in shock, while others thought that it wasn't working…

Dennell Jean, 17 years old, 1st Sky Profound Realm.