Translator: AnubisTL
Gu Feng walked with a calm smile, his steps steady, exuding an air of tranquility. Wherever he passed, the crowd automatically parted to make way for him.
The examinees all wore expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a spectacle. In their eyes, this was Gu Feng's last desperate attempt to save face after being provoked.
"How foolish. If he had just stayed silent a little longer, the humiliation would have passed once the examinees entered the examination hall. What's the point of going on stage now?"
"Indeed, it's unwise. The Heaven's Chosen on stage are just trying to mess with his mood. Since he's invincible in the Innate Realm, all he needs to do is maintain a good mindset and dominate the second Innate Realm examination hall to turn the tables in one fell swoop!"
"Too young. I thought someone in his position, with vast wealth and power, would have cultivated his mental state to perfection. What a disappointment. I even idolized him!"
"This is the limit of a small sect. Without broad experience, their foundation is ultimately lacking."
"This is going to be entertaining. Going on stage will only bring him greater humiliation. Can he really defy the heavens?"
"..."
Some neutral examinees shook their heads and sighed, disappointed by Gu Feng's actions.
Meanwhile, those from the major sects sneered, their expressions smug, as if their scheme had succeeded.
Their goal was to provoke Gu Feng into retaliating, so they could further humiliate him.
The earlier taunts and challenges had left them embarrassed, and they were eager to seize any opportunity to get their revenge.
Lin Xinhua and the others watched Gu Feng's back, momentarily stunned. When they noticed the Sunset Glow Sect disciples quietly distancing themselves, they finally realized that Gu Feng was about to stir up trouble.
Their eyelids twitched, and they quietly signaled their disciples to move away as well. They weren't foolish enough to warn the other examinees, especially since the major sects had mocked not only the Sunset Glow Sect but also the entire Cloud Prefecture sects.
"Should we step in to maintain order?" one examiner whispered to Ouyang Qi.
"Heh, it won't escalate. At most, there'll be some verbal sparring. If anyone dares to act out, they'll be disqualified immediately!" Ouyang Qi chuckled, lounging in the Grand Preceptor's Chair with his legs crossed, completely unconcerned.
Soon, Gu Feng reached the stage.
His arrival elicited no reaction from the hundred Heaven's Chosen on stage. They didn't even glance at him, as if he were invisible.
Zong Shixuan, the Peerless Prodigy of the Blazing Light Sect, stood with his head held high, gazing at the sky. His fair face glowed under the sunlight, radiating an unparalleled aura. Wherever he stood, it was as if the sun itself had descended. His ambition soared higher than the heavens.
Hua Wenyue of the Flower Sect wore a white lotus robe that clung tightly to her graceful figure. Her phoenix eyes were sharp, with a glint of piercing light. Her short hair was neat, and her demeanor was proud. As the most outstanding genius of the Great Chu Dynasty's third-ranked sect, her sole goal was to lead the Flower Sect to dominate the first Nurtured Spirit examination hall.
Anything less would be a failure.
Her earlier taunts toward Gu Feng had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. Now, she felt it was beneath her dignity. To her, Gu Feng was nothing more than an ant, unworthy of her attention.
She stood as straight as a pine tree, unmoved even as Gu Feng passed right in front of her.
The son of the West Border Grand Marshal, the West Border Spear King—Dugu Ao—narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile on his lips with a hint of killing intent. Standing on the same high platform as someone like Gu Feng was an insult to him. He lowered his head, caressing his long spear, with occasional wisps of Dao essence swirling around it. The aura he exuded grew increasingly terrifying, filling the air with an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Meanwhile, the Peerless Prodigy of the Tyrant Body Sect—Duan Yansheng—was constantly flexing his muscles, opening and clenching his fingers, crushing pockets of air with a smug smile on his face, silently threatening Gu Feng.
The various demeanors of these Heaven's Chosen sent the candidates below into a frenzy.
This is what it means to be a Heaven's Chosen!
They only needed to stand on the platform, without uttering a word, to make others feel an immense pressure.
"Honestly, Gu Feng's courage is commendable. He didn't get scared stiff!" one candidate chuckled softly.
"He's just putting on a brave face. After all, he's still a Sect Master. He wouldn't be so pathetic," another candidate nodded in agreement.
"The Heaven's Chosen are really clever, silently humiliating Gu Feng without even acknowledging him."
"Does Sect Leader Gu really think the Heaven's Chosen would engage in a war of words with him? How naive! Let's see how he gets off this stage!"
"..."
While others ignored Gu Feng, he also couldn't be bothered with them. A war of words? That was the laughable behavior of the weak. He would never stoop to that.
Instead, he walked straight to the center of the high platform, facing the crowd, and began performing a series of stretching exercises—twisting his waist, extending his arms, and loosening his joints.
He even chanted a rhythmic slogan: "One, two, three, four; two, two, three, four; three, two, three, four..."
The candidates below burst into laughter. Was he here to make a fool of himself?
But as time passed, their laughter subsided, replaced by looks of confusion.
What on earth was Gu Feng doing?!
When the stretching exercises had gone on for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the hundred Peerless Prodigies on the platform could no longer hold back.
"Ah—the weather is nice today. I think I'll let my 'North Darkness Mystic Tortoise' out for some fresh air!" Duan Yansheng of the Tyrant Body Sect laughed heartily.
Immediately, he activated his cultivation method, and a massive gray tortoise burst forth from his consciousness, floating above his head.
The North Darkness Mystic Tortoise, over ten meters long, let out a low roar, like a soul-shaking cry, causing the candidates below to pale. Under the overwhelming pressure, some of the candidates closest to the platform couldn't help but tremble, their legs shaking uncontrollably.
"Step back... move back a bit!" Some couldn't withstand the pressure and shouted as they retreated.
"Brother Duan, what a great idea! My Nurtured Spirit will also come out for some air!" Zong Shixuan of the Blazing Light Sect smiled faintly and summoned his Nurtured Spirit.
A deafening dragon's roar echoed across the mountains and fields as an ice dragon emerged, coiling in the air. Its massive scales, each the size of a fan, shimmered with a cold, radiant light, alternating between blue and white.
"Is... is that the 'Demon Archer Ice Dragon'? My heavens, a Nurtured Spirit with one percent of the bloodline of the ancient divine dragon, the Azure Dragon!!!"
One of the candidates recognized Zong Shixuan's Nurtured Spirit and shouted in awe.
"Senior Brother Zong is invincible!!!" The candidates from the Blazing Light Sect roared with passion, as Zong Shixuan was their pride and belief.
"Senior Brother Zong is so handsome! I want to have your babies!!!" a female cultivator exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Facing the tidal wave of cheers, Zong Shixuan maintained a calm demeanor, showing no trace of arrogance. Wasn't this just as it should be?
The arrogant demeanor only fueled the frenzy of the candidates below, making him the brightest star of the moment.
The Black Tortoise and the Flood Dragon clashed, their low growls reverberating as violent waves of Spiritual Power erupted in all directions.
The candidates retreated repeatedly, terrified. If they were accidentally caught in the residual waves of this Spiritual Power, it would likely affect their performance in the upcoming grand examination.
"Hmph—showing off!" Hua Wenyue of the Flower Sect snorted disdainfully as she observed the Nurtured Spirits of the two.
Though her words were filled with scorn, her hands moved swiftly, releasing her own Nurtured Spirit!!
A seven-colored lotus appeared in the sky. Though it was no larger than a basin, the aura it exuded was like a terrifying tidal wave, mysterious and awe-inspiring.
Its radiant light overshadowed even the sun above. Zong Shixuan and Duan Yansheng both wore grave expressions. This was an unparalleled powerhouse, a formidable rival in the examination grounds.
"It's here, it's here!!! Senior Sister Hua's 'Prosperous Colorful Lotus'!!!" A female disciple of the Flower Sect screamed in excitement.
"So beautiful! How could such a stunning flower exist in this world? My eyes are practically blinded!" A disciple from a minor sect exclaimed, his face filled with infatuation.
"Hua Wenyue's aura is unparalleled. If I could marry her, I'd willingly shorten my lifespan by a hundred years!" Her haughty demeanor and cold gaze had a deadly allure for the male candidates.
However, they could only dream. Who was Hua Wenyue? She was both the daughter of the Flower Sect's Sect Master and the sect's top prodigy. Even the Crown Prince might not succeed in proposing to her, let alone these insignificant candidates!
A faint smile played on Hua Wenyue's lips, as if she were a Goddess descending from the heavens, standing above all mortals, calmly accepting their worship.
"This woman is truly formidable!" Dugu Ao, the West Border Spear King, chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light as he gazed at Hua Wenyue.
Only such a woman could match his status and talent!
"Buzz—"
A faint tremor echoed through the air, followed by the sudden appearance of a yellow-and-white striped tiger.
"Flame Serpent Tiger!"
The offspring of the Divine White Tiger and a Spirit Snake, born on a day when the tiger's primal instincts ran wild.
"What a fierce aura! It's practically invincible in battle. Is this the strength of the West Border Spear King?"
The crowd exclaimed in awe, their legs weakening from the murderous aura emanating from Dugu Ao.
"Hmph—I have a sword. Why would I need a Nurtured Spirit for assistance?"
Clang—
The sky seemed to be torn open as countless sword lights appeared, spinning in an orderly fashion above the platform like a sea of stars, their momentum utterly terrifying.
Wu Sheng, the Heaven's Chosen of the Sword Gate!!
Disciples of the Sword Gate, after successfully nurturing their spirits, would integrate their Nurtured Spirits into their divine swords. Thus, their Nurtured Spirits always took the form of swords!!
The display of Nurtured Spirits continued, and the platform had become a battlefield for the Heaven's Chosen to compete.
The candidates around the platform retreated again and again, now standing a thousand meters away.
Their mouths hung open, their eyes wide, as they stared in stunned silence at the spectacle.
This was a rare scene, something that had never happened in previous grand examinations.
Such a grand spectacle had never been seen in the history of the Great Chu Dynasty.
After all, no single faction had ever produced so many Heaven's Chosen at once, and even if they had, they would never have released their Nurtured Spirits simultaneously to compete.
At this moment, everyone was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the scene, and no one paid attention to Gu Feng.
Even the chief examiner, Ouyang Qi, wore a look of stunned disbelief, a bitter smile on his face.
"The quality of this year's candidates far surpasses previous years. The future of the Great Chu Dynasty looks promising!" Ouyang Qi exclaimed with admiration.
"Indeed, it feels like the Heaven's Chosen have collectively erupted!" one of the examiners chimed in.
"It's unbelievable that our Great Chu Dynasty has so many Heaven's Chosen!"
"With proper nurturing, they will become the pillars of Chu in the future!"
"..."
The entire venue was filled with exclamations of astonishment, as if they could lift the sky itself.
On the high platform, chaos reigned. Although no major battles broke out, the competition was fierce.
Just as everyone thought this scene would continue until the exam began!
Gu Feng, who had been overlooked, made his voice heard.
"I say, you've been showing off for so long, isn't it my turn now?"
Perhaps fearing that his words would be drowned out by the noise, Gu Feng repeated himself.
"Those who don't want to die, get the hell down! I'm about to start showing off!!!"
His voice thundered, overpowering the entire venue!
(End of the Chapter)
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