Dao Cultivation Ground of a Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant

Dao Cultivation Ground of a Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant...

In the training grounds of the White Deer Institute, the crowd gradually dispersed. While the imposing-eyed Elder escorted Grandmaster Ghaus to some rest, his gaze lingered on Qin Wentian as they departed.

Bailu Shan, too, shot a glance at Qin Wentian before he left. By then, Bailu Yi and the young man at her side approached, both of them smiling at Qin Wentian. "Impressive! Our team this time is truly formidable. Oh, and this is my older brother, Bailu Jing."

Qin Wentian politely nodded to Bailu Jing, but found himself under the scrutiny of Bailu Jing's contemplative gaze. Their eyes met, locking onto each other in a curious study.

"Had it not been for the fact that my brother isn't fond of Divine Inscriptions, his mastery in that field would surpass even mine. He's more inclined toward the martial path and is currently one of the top hundred ranked in the Heavenly Fate Ranking." Bailu Yi smiled, and a thoughtful expression graced Qin Wentian's features. There was no doubting Bailu Jing's prowess—being among the top hundred in the Heavenly Fate Ranking was testimony enough.

"Brother, Qin Wentian is truly remarkable, both in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions and in martial arts. His future achievements won't pale in comparison to yours," Bailu Yi praised, her words carrying admiration.

"That's good to hear." Bailu Jing chuckled, looking affectionately at his little sister. He read the meaning in her eyes. She could only roll her eyes and continue, "Brother, you're reading too much into this. Between Wentian and me, it's not what you think."

"What do you think I'm thinking?" Bailu Jing playfully prodded, earning himself a pinch from Bailu Yi. "I won't entertain you any longer."

"Haha." Bailu Jing laughed, casting an amused glance at his sister. "Whatever your decision, I'll support you."

"I've told you it's not what you're imagining." Helplessness tinted Bailu Yi's innocent expression.

"Alright, alright, I get it." Winking, Bailu Jing smiled and glanced at Qin Wentian. "Seems like you'll need to put in more effort."

Bailu Jing's departure left Qin Wentian utterly dumbfounded. Bailu Yi's elder brother was quite the character. It was clear he had an intense affection for his sister. If Bailu Yi favored someone, he'd stand by her, regardless of who the guy was.

"Pay him no mind," Bailu Yi reassured Qin Wentian. "Let's make sure we're well-prepared for the upcoming exchange."

"Agreed," Qin Wentian replied with a nod.

Bailu Jing suddenly turned back towards them and added, "This time's exchange is distinct from the previous ones. The major clans have hired formidable Grandmaster Inscriptionists as their representatives. You must be cautious."

Bailu Yi was taken aback by her brother's sudden change of tone. Was there a hidden reason behind their decision to hire Grandmaster Ghaus?

"How is this exchange different from the others?" Bailu Yi inquired.

"You've been spending your time with him these past weeks, skipping Clan meetings, and now you're asking?" Bailu Jing chuckled, but he quickly switched to a voice transmission that only Qin Wentian and Bailu Yi could hear. "Rumors suggest that the secret realm might be the Dao Cultivation Ground of a Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant."

Bailu Yi's heart raced. A Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant's Dao Cultivation Ground? So there had been whispers about this. If that were the case, this exchange, designed to select participants for the secret realm, could potentially spark a monumental upheaval.

"But, wait—" Bailu Yi began, but her brother pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet. He continued, "Most other major clans are still in the dark about this, and there's a chance the secret realm's trial is just the beginning."

With that, Bailu Jing resumed his departure. Left standing with Qin Wentian, Bailu Yi gave a rueful smile. "I thought this exchange would be straightforward, but my brother's warning suggests that unexpected complications might arise."

Bailu Jing's words hadn't excluded Qin Wentian, whether intentionally or not.

"The Dao Cultivation Ground of a Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant," Qin Wentian repeated, his voice soft with realization.

"Ascendants are those supremely powerful beings at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm," Bailu Yi explained. "If this news were to spread throughout the Grand Xia Empire, the resulting storm would be unimaginably massive. Transcendent powers would likely move swiftly to secure their advantage."

Qin Wentian agreed with a nod. He had heard of titles like the Azure Emperor and the Pill Emperor. The term 'Emperor' in those titles undoubtedly referred to the Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns who stood at the apex of the Grand Xia Empire.

"Let's get ready. Fortunately, Grandmaster Ghaus is incredibly experienced, so our odds should be quite favorable," Bailu Yi said, her expression a mix of seriousness and anticipation.

...

Meanwhile, beneath the surface of the Moon Continent, a hidden undercurrent was flowing. The various powers maintained a low profile, keeping the news they'd received under wraps, doing their utmost to prevent its spread. Even though they understood that hiding such information might be futile, they still tried their best. Even if the other transcendent powers across the Nine Continents were to eventually hear about it, by then, it might be too late.

Finally, the long-awaited exchange arrived, taking place across the major regions of the Moon Continent.

The entrance to the secret realm of Divine Inscriptions was under the control of the four transcendent powers of the Moon Continent. Thus, today's exchange was a collaborative effort organized by all four powers.

As one of these transcendent powers, the Star-Seizing Manor was responsible for orchestrating the exchange in the Eastern Region.

On this day, all participating sects and clans converged on the Star-Seizing Manor's training grounds. The sight of the Manor's grand architecture stirred envy in the hearts of the participants. This truly was the residence befitting a transcendent power, the Eastern Region's king. Normally, participants wouldn't even have the opportunity to set foot inside the Star-Seizing Manor. Today was an exception, as the Manor's doors swung open to grant limited access to select areas.

The Eastern Region's major powers—the Yan Clan, Leng Clan, Scarlet Thunder Sect, Watermoon Mountain Villa, and Demon Cult—all assembled at the Star-Seizing Manor's training grounds. The place was teeming with experts, as common as the clouds above.

The Yan Clan and Leng Clan found themselves standing in close proximity. Yan Tie and Yan Kong were both present, their sinister intent unmistakably evident in Yan Tie's eyes.

"Grandmaster Yan Tie, I wonder if you were satisfied with the woman we sent to you a few days ago," Leng Lin's father greeted Yan Tie, stepping over to his side and speaking in hushed tones.

"She was quite delightful. How many more young misses does your Leng Clan have?" Yan Tie's eyes widened with malice as he leered at Leng Jian. Leng Jian's face darkened, silently cursing the depraved old monster. Did he really just hint at wanting Leng Lin?

"Grandmaster Yan Tie, my Leng Clan has exhausted our supply of suitable young ladies," Leng Jian initially intended to remind Yan Tie of their agreement, but little did he expect Yan Tie to be so audacious, openly demanding even more of their daughters.

"Hmm? Isn't your daughter one of them?" Yan Tie sneered, his gaze turning toward Leng Lin, who shuddered in fear under his predatory gaze.

"Grandmaster," Leng Jian's face contorted in displeasure.

"One spot, one woman," Yan Tie retorted coldly, causing Leng Jian's expression to sour further.

"The representatives from the White Deer Institute have arrived."

At that very moment, an intense coldness ignited within Yan Tie's eyes as he heard those words. He shifted his gaze towards the direction of the White Deer Institute, locking onto two figures.

Qin Wentian and Chu Mang—these were the two responsible for his son's death. They dared to show their faces in his presence?

Leng Jian's gaze followed Yan Tie's line of sight. When he saw Qin Wentian, his expression involuntarily darkened. Qin Wentian had come. Although he knew Qin Wentian was a third-ranked Divine Inscriptionist, he was unaware of his true level of mastery. Certainly, he hadn't expected Qin Wentian to actually participate in the exchange.

"KILL!" A surge of overwhelming killing intent erupted from Yan Tie. Qin Wentian distinctly sensed the murderous aura. A cold smile crept onto his lips, his eyes homing in on the source of the hostility—both Yan Tie and Leng Jian.

Likewise, a fierce glint of determination flickered in Qin Wentian's calm eyes, akin to a bolt of lightning. He focused his gaze intently on Yan Tie, returning the same intensity of scrutiny.

Leng Jian felt a shiver crawl down his spine as he tensed up. An icy chill gripped him, a stark reminder that this third-ranked Divine Inscriptionist harbored intentions of vengeance, seeking retribution for Leng Ning's death.

The delegation from the White Deer Institute also arrived at the Star-Seizing Manor, positioning themselves directly opposite the Yan Clan members.

Yan Tie shut his eyes momentarily, seemingly unfazed by the brewing tension. His mind was likely calculating the most strategic way to eliminate Qin Wentian and Chu Mang.

At the northern part of the training grounds, a reserved space had been set aside for the hosts. Here, a towering wall of over ten meters stood, and a row of figures materialized atop it. Their stares bore down onto the assembled crowd, their gaze piercing and keen.

"Yang Fan."

A surge of excitement swept through the crowd as they recognized the young man leading the group. This was none other than one of the four Heaven's Chosen, Yang Fan. His presence was a testament to the significance of the upcoming exchange.

This exchange aimed to select potent Divine Inscriptionists to venture into the secret realm, along with participants from the Star-Seizing Manor. As an added incentive, the chosen Divine Inscriptionists would have the privilege of bringing companions with them into the realm.

The crowd was quick to interpret Yang Fan's appearance. Those joining the Star-Seizing Manor in the secret realm would be under his leadership.

Qin Wentian's gaze fixed on Yang Fan. At approximately 22 years old, this individual exuded the aura of a seasoned expert despite his young age, projecting an undeniable air of superiority.

"Allow me to introduce him. That's Yang Fan, ranked #18 in the Heavenly Fate Ranking. He's one of the four Heaven's Chosen hailing from the Star-Seizing Manor in the Eastern Region of the Moon Continent," Bailu Yi whispered, providing Qin Wentian with a rundown of the situation. She proceeded to elaborate, "The other three Chosen include Hua Taixu from the Hua Clan, the top-ranked individual in the Heavenly Fate Ranking; Zhan Chen from the Pill Emperor Hall, ranked #11; and Zhao Lie from the Sky Ember Sect, ranked #28."

"These individuals are widely recognized figures across the Grand Xia Empire," Bailu Yi said, her voice laced with a subtle challenge. She was well aware of the 60 consecutive victories achieved by 'Kirin,' a streak that included duels against Chu Mang, a fifth-level Yuanfu cultivator. Her goal was to spur Qin Wentian, igniting his ambition. She believed that Qin Wentian not only belonged on the Heavenly Fate Ranking but that he should also strive to claim its pinnacle. The #1 spot would be a fitting testament to his extraordinary talents.