Lighting up the Starry Skies

Lighting up the Starry Skies

In the vast expanse of the Chu Emperor District in the Royal Capital, an immense area was heavily guarded by tens of thousands of soldiers, making it nearly impossible for anyone to enter without permission.

Within this sprawling Chu Emperor District, nine towering platforms stood in a triangular formation: one in the front, three in the middle, and five at the back. Flanking the towering platforms were sweeping flights of stairs, lined with tens of thousands of stone seats and even stone tables. The arrangement was meticulously organized, almost as if it were prepared for a grand banquet.

The first towering platform featured a magnificent flight of steps crafted from Azure Dragon Jadeite, exuding an emperor's aura—revered, aloof, and overlooking all. At the top of these steps sat an impressive grand seat, none other than the legendary Azure Jadeite Dragon Seat.

During the founding of the Chu Empire, the emperor himself had occupied this seat, hosting dukes, feudal lords, and esteemed guests from far and wide. It was here that generals were appointed and armies were mustered.

The shadows of the past lingered on the nine towering platforms, which symbolized the military might and authority of the Chu Empire. Today, these platforms served as the stage for the Jun Lin Banquet.

The Jun Lin Banquet was an event personally attended by the reigning monarch, who would invite dukes, feudal lords, and influential dignitaries. The nine towering platforms, once used for military matters, were now arenas where the brightest talents of Chu would showcase their skills.

On this day, warm sunlight bathed the land of Chu, drawing a massive crowd to the Chu Emperor District. People from the Royal Capital and beyond flocked to the towering platforms. Inns, even those located far from the district, had been specially constructed to provide a panoramic view of the event. These inns were now fully booked, bustling with spectators eager to witness the spectacle atop the nine towering arenas.

Tomorrow marked the commencement of the Jun Lin Banquet, and yet, people were already vying for prime seats, hoping to secure the best views for the upcoming grand event. Enthusiasm was at an all-time high, and the air was filled with the anticipation of witnessing the geniuses of Chu in action.

"I heard that this year's Jun Lin Banquet is the grandest in over a decade," remarked one excited onlooker.

"Isn't it unbelievable that the Snowcloud Country is co-organizing the Jun Lin Banquet this year? The Seven Nights, Three Swords, and Duo Prides from Snowcloud have already set foot in the Royal Capital. They're even staying in the Imperial Palace! And let's not forget our own Chu Country's luminaries like Luo Qianqiu, the 10 prodigies, and standouts like Orchon. This year's Jun Lin Banquet promises to be nothing short of spectacular."

Excitement buzzed through the crowd as they discussed the upcoming competition at the Jun Lin Banquet.

Chu's citizens were well aware of the prominent geniuses taking part, thanks in part to Heaven's Wonder, one of the top three companies in Chu, which had conducted a thorough investigation. By examining the betting odds set by the company, anyone could gauge which geniuses were in the spotlight.

Notably absent from the betting odds were Ye WuQue and Immortal Drunken Sword. Their omission hinted that both had ascended beyond the Arterial Circulation realm, breaking through to Yuanfu.

Among the recognized geniuses, aside from Luo Qianqiu, Sikong Mingyue of Snowcloud Country had garnered significant attention. Sikong Mingyue, along with Snowcloud's crown prince, were hailed as the 'Duo Prides' of the Snowcloud Empire.

Beyond them, the list included Chu's 10 prodigies, the Seven Nights and Three Swords of Snowcloud, as well as a selection of top talents from Emperor Star Academy, Royal Academy, and Godly General Martial Palace—these were the geniuses commanding the limelight.

Within and outside the Royal Capital, many had staked their fortunes with Heaven's Wonder, while others held back, waiting to gauge the geniuses' performances before making their bets. It was understood that the betting odds would fluctuate as the event progressed.

Currently, almost all eyes were fixed on the Chu Emperor District, whether from within the city or beyond.

The Emperor Star Academy was nearly deserted, with only a handful of students remaining. The majority had embarked on their journey to the Chu Emperor District.

Even the academy's elders were en route. Despite any underlying tensions with the Royal Clan, they maintained a façade of cordiality, showing mutual respect. Therefore, elders from the Emperor Star Academy had secured invitations, ensuring their presence at the grand banquet. This wasn't unique to their academy; all nine martial academies in the Chu Capital extended similar invitations to their own senior members, recognizing that their star students were the true protagonists of this extraordinary event.

As the twilight hour approached, the last remnants of students at the Emperor Star Academy bid farewell to the school grounds. After all, the Jun Lin Banquet would commence bright and early the following morning.

The academy's populace had largely forgotten that a single student remained within the Astral River Hall.

After so many days, interest in observing Qin Wentian had waned. Human attention often shifted easily, especially when a major event loomed on the horizon.

Outside the Astral River Hall, Luo Huan, Mountain, and Fan Le stood, sharing a bitter smile as they gazed at the silhouette still sitting on the 4th level.

"If this guy doesn't come out soon, he'll miss this year's Jun Lin Banquet. Even though he might not achieve much this time, it's still a valuable opportunity for him to grow," Luo Huan complained in a hushed tone.

Seeing that Qin Wentian had remained in the 4th level for so long, it was clear his endurance surpassed that of many others. He was, after all, someone who had condensed an Astral Soul from the 4th Heavenly Layer. Mountain, seemingly worried that Luo Huan's words would disturb Qin Wentian, reminded her, "Of course, I understand. Let's hurry to the banquet."

"Mmm," Mountain agreed. Both he and Luo Huan were participants in the Jun Lin Banquet this time.

"Senior Sister, you two go ahead. I'll wait a little while longer," Fan Le said with a smile. Luo Huan and Mountain nodded and left the academy, leaving Fan Le behind. He gazed at the 4th level of the Astral River Hall, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. He rubbed his chin and murmured, "Knowing your personality, you wouldn't want to miss the Jun Lin Banquet."

If anyone in the Emperor Star Academy understood Qin Wentian the most, it would undoubtedly be Qin Yao and Fan Le.

Fan Le had an inkling that his mischievous friend would emerge from the Astral River Hall before the Jun Lin Banquet began.

It wasn't that Qin Wentian couldn't break the restriction on the 4th level. He had already adapted to the pressure after some time. At this moment, he was deeply immersed in analyzing something.

Qin Wentian discovered that in each level of the Astral River Hall, countless constellations formed pathways of runic lines, resembling divine inscriptions. When these lines converged, they shaped an innate technique that manifested an invisible, formless pressure reminiscent of the astral pressure found in the 9 Heavenly Layers. It was incredibly mysterious.

He contemplated whether the emulated astral pressure on the 4th level was already this similar to the real thing when compared to the 4th Heavenly Layer. What would the 5th level be like, let alone the 6th through 9th levels?

Even the academy's founder couldn't emulate the astral pressure of the 9th Heavenly Layer, right? Unless the founder had already reached the stage of condensing Astral Souls from the 9th Heavenly Layer. But that possibility was exceedingly low. At the very least, Qin Wentian couldn't believe that the founder of the Emperor Star Academy possessed such earth-shattering strength.

Not only that, but the current runic pathways that Qin Wentian observed began to transform into beams of fist-shaped lights. In the night sky, four distinct layers of space suddenly manifested. These layers descended in unison, forming a menacing spiral. Each layer merged into the next, and then, from the heart of that ominous black vortex, a straight fist burst forth.

In that explosive moment, it was no longer just a single, one-time attack. It was as if a multitude of fists filled the entire sky, a barrage of strikes combined together. It resembled the principle behind the Revolving Sea imprint, with stacked fist lights superimposed upon one another. Yet, it was even more mysterious, and the attack's power was significantly amplified.

"I want to see what's on the 5th level," Qin Wentian muttered to himself. He stood up and resolutely directed his unwavering consciousness into the heart of the menacing black spiral. Wave after wave of formidable fist-shaped lights bombarded him, but they couldn't extinguish his consciousness. As a radiant light flickered, his figure vanished from the 4th level.

Outside the Astral River Hall, night had fallen. The illumination radiating from the hall remained as bright as before. Fatty Fan Le sat casually on the ground, but suddenly, he felt an intense brightness even with his eyes closed. Startled, he opened his eyes, witnessing the starry skies radiantly lighting up the 5th level. Fan Le sat there frozen, gazing at the Astral River Hall.

"The 5th level, this guy is a monster!" Fan Le's jaw hung open, and an expression of immense shock painted his face. That audacious fellow had actually stepped into the 5th level of the Astral River Hall.

"Doesn't this mean he has a chance to condense an Astral Soul from the 5th Heavenly Layer?" Fan Le blinked his eyes, taking in his surroundings. The entire Emperor Star Academy was eerily silent at this moment, which made Fan Le feel somewhat frustrated. He muttered while staring at the radiant astral light that blanketed the sky, "The astral light is so splendid, but there's no audience."

"Why do you always have impeccable timing? I really wanted to see the expressions on Qiu Mo and Jiang Xiu's faces." Fan Le stood up and paced around, feeling quite dissatisfied. What a missed opportunity to boast! Unfortunately, it coincided with the night before the Jun Lin Banquet, and no one saw... the extremely dejected fatty.

Meanwhile, the old man in charge of the Astral River Hall sat in a remote corner. He watched the radiant light emanating from the 5th level, and his body involuntarily trembled slightly. A glimmer of surprise flickered in his previously weary eyes.

"To enter the 5th level of the Astral River Hall at such a young age," the old man murmured in silence, a sense of joy and astonishment swelling in his heart.

Buzz! Just then, a blinding beam of light shot out from the Astral River Hall, illuminating the entire Emperor Star Academy. The brilliance of the astral light was so intense that the old man froze in his seat, and his body shook uncontrollably.

"How is this possible? How is this possible?!" The old man's face was filled with disbelief as he stared at the radiant astral light that now blanketed the entire sky. In an instant, that beam of light had transformed the entire Emperor Star Academy, and as countless students who had remained behind looked up, they felt like they were gazing upon a second night sky!

Fan Le, who had been pacing, stood frozen in shock. His eyes