Too Young, Talented and Strong (And Handsome)

"Everyone off? Alrighty." I took Victoria back inside of the Sky Poison Pearl. "Let's go."

For this occasion, I decided to have Itachi, Beatrice, and Eleonora accompany me. I couldn't tell you how much of a drag it was to get Rokas to wear anything that wasn't his 'vacation' clothes. In the end, I gave up and left him to his devices.

Of course, Fen Juechen and Cang Yue were a given. Cang Yue was almost as dedicated to the Blue Wind Imperial Family and her father's dream as I was. Well, probably more. As for the elder, Cang Wanhe chose Dongfang Xiu. 

"May I ask how His Royal Highness came to possess a priceless treasure like a Profound Arc?" Dongfang Xiu questioned. "There hasn't been one native to the Blue Wind Empire, not even once in all of its history. Even in the other nations, it is a rare treasure that only the richest of people have."

"My best friend built it for me." I replied simply.

"... Built it? Alone?" Dongfang Xiu's eyes widened.

"In less than a day, yeah." I added casually.

"Less… than a day… what kind of existence is that?" 

"Chao'er has always made extraordinary friends." Cang Yue stated. "I suppose it makes sense that the extraordinary attract similar people."

"How enviable…" Dongfang Xiu let out a sigh before smiling. "No doubt, His Royal Highness is living a life that many dream of."

"Yeah, he really is something," I remarked. "Knowing that people like that exist only makes me more determined, however."

…

"Isn't that the crown Prince?"

"Is his golden hair real? It's soooo beautiful."

"Those heavenly blue eyes… did he just look at me?"

"I wonder if he's going to sing? I haven't been able to make any of his performances."

Along the road to the Heavenly Sword Villa, I received much more fanfare than I expected. No… who was I kidding? Of course, I knew that my radiance and majesty would be praised. It is only natural.

When we reached the mountain gate, a female disciple approached us.

"Oh, I certainly remember you. Even though it has only been three years, you've grown this much…"

"You must forgive me for my outburst, in that case," I recalled, chuckling slightly. "I let my passion slip."

"No need, your Royal Highness. It was the best part of the last tournament."

"You think so?" I smiled, taking out the invitation card. "I'm honoured."

"What happened to your hair?" She took it and inspected our group. "It's quite beautiful-"

"I dyed it." I smiled slightly. "Black was a little bland for me."

"And your eyes?"

"Now that's a secret." I smiled.

"Oh… I see." She chuckled. "Only two participants?"

"Really, I'm the only one necessary." I glanced at Fen Juechen. "Alas, my junior brother was truly adamant about showing his talents to the world, so how could I deny him?"

"Oh… I see." She smiled slightly, nodding. "You may all pass through."

As we kept it pushing, she spoke again.

"I'm rooting for you."

How adorable.

I glanced back and winked at her.

Her eyes lit up and she was over the moon.

The actual Heavenly Sword Villa was a five kilometer walk past the mountain gate. Once we got there, another disciple took us to our pavilion which was just more than large enough for seven people to live in luxury. It was quite impressive when you considered that each of the top five hundred sects got such treatment.

The Heavenly Sword Villa was like a small city by itself. Despite it being my second time here, I still found it to be quite remarkable. 

…

Since we made it decently early, I got to put in some more time on practicing my craft. After setting up a training plan for Fen Juechen, I got straight to it inside of my throneroom.

Fire in one hand and wind in the other…

Cultivating two elements at once was immensely more difficult than I originally imagined. The Fire Seed had not left my side since I attained it. It granted me greater affinity, understanding, control and even partial immunity to the fire element. In truth, my overall progress in the Fire Laws had greatly surpassed my wind in half a year.

At this point… the problem was the wind, not the fire. It's pretty mad considering I had been cultivating the wind element since practically the beginning. 

WHOOOOSH!

BANG.

Beatrice put up her barrier around my mini-hurricane, stopping me from blowing my own face up.

"You'll get it next time." She reassured me.

"Someone is struggling." Yun Wuxin remarked.

"Struggling isn't a bad thing." I countered, taking a deep breath. "Giving up is."

The only example of someone mixing these two elements… was none other than myself. Absolutely no one cultivates more than one element. Some don't even bother learning an element and instead focus on raw power.

The part that hurt was that I did it so flawlessly before…

Only because I had borrowed the power of my vassals but still… I believed that I could it with my own power. 

And so, I kept trying…

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

Again and again and again…

"I'm sure you know the meaning of insanity," Rokas stated, appearing in front of me. "You're not going to get better just by repeatedly doing the same thing."

"I'm not doing the same thing." I denied. "I'm adapting to every failure."

"Cultivating two elements at once is not at all easy for an ordinary person, no matter which combination it is. Wind is a rather harmonious element, fortunately… it is capable of drawing in the others." Rokas explained what I already knew.

"Tell me something I don't know."

He chuckled. "That lion armour I designed was specifically for you. Every inch of it is imbued with formations with a perfect affinity to wind and fire. It can draw in the nearby profound energy and use it to create a field around the armour where fire and wind mix perfectly."

"A field around the armour?" I raised an eyebrow. "What's the use in that? A protective aura? Cooking myself?"

"Yes to both." Rokas grinned slightly. "You do like to struggle, don't you? This is perfect for a masochist like you."

"You're saying that by being in such a field, I'd better understand how it all works?"

"Theoretically, yes." Rokas scratched his hair. "I never had to go through such a hassle. If I wanted someone to use multiple elements, I'd just give them my blood."

"Alright, Vampire Lord, just bring it here."

I put on the armour and channeled my profound energy through it. Just as Rokas said, it converted it into wind and fire… mixing the two and engulfing the armour. The more energy I put in, the more I was getting cooked. My partial immunity helped but holy shit…

It was like being put inside of a furnace.

"I won't lie, I don't see how this is supposed to help." I began to sweat profusely.

"You see, the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace resides in the Snow Region of Extreme Ice. Why? It helps them cultivate their ice profound arts. Following the same principle, you are always hugging the Fire Seed to better attune yourself to that element. This concept is the same… except instead of one extreme, it's two."

Rokas flicked his fingers and the armour floated next to him. The Lion at the chest of the armour glowed, its energy engulfing me. A barrier of wind and fire surrounded my entire being.

Now I was being cooked… but without the armour to protect me.

Slash. Slash. Slash.

Cuts across my entire body flared up rapidly. Little cuts but wounds nonetheless. It wasn't exactly a state that I could be in forever.

An environment where wind and fire mix perfectly…

I took a deep breath and suppressed the feeling of pain. I tried to comprehend the elements around me rather than worrying about my body.

Not soon after, the aura became very weak.

"It ran out of energy." Rokas stroked his chin."Well, it's easy to recharge. Just have someone else operate it."

Poof. Just like that, he was gone.

"Beatrice, put your profound energy into the armour and aim it at me."

"I don't think you getting hurt is a good idea-"

"And while you're at it, don't hold back until I'm on the verge." I stated, dusting myself off. "The more extreme the energy, the better."

"... As you wish."

The level of energy that engulfed me this time was vastly superior to my half-hearted efforts from before… scorching and cutting my entire body simultaneously. I couldn't even last twenty seconds before dropping to the floor.

Fortunately, this was my inner world…

I rose again.

"Again!"

… You know how it goes.

Again and again and again…

I alternated between being cooked and trying to cook my own wind-fire mix hundreds upon hundreds of times…

Enduring lifetimes of pain in the process. 

"You're mad." Yun Wuxin remarked. "How can you keep going for so long?"

"What is a little pain to a life of greatness?"

…

During my long training session, my real body had been taking a hot bath that was enhanced by various wind-attuned medical resources. I was always big on efficiency and the throne room was unintentionally a cheat in that regard. 

I was determined to be able to use a fire-wind profound skill by the finals…

It was part of the reason why I had Eleonora accompany me to the Heavenly Sword Villa instead of the other vassals I could've chosen from. Her powers were centered around aerokinesis which is essentially wind. 

For this specific occasion, she was the only one I summoned. 

"You have need of me, my King?" Eleonora questioned, appearing right outside of my garden tub. She didn't seem embarrassed at all by the fact that I was bathing naked.

"Mhmm…" I nodded, tilting my head slightly. "Come join me, I'd like to bond with you."

"Rather straightforward."

 She smiled, taking off her armour without much hesitation and hopping in on the other side. 

"I do like hot baths." She remarked. "They are quite relieving, don't you think?"

"Yeah, hot baths get me all fired up." I chuckled, looking up. "I've been putting this mind and body through hell everyday, it deserves some rest…"

"Even though that rest is still technically training?" Eleonora remarked, smiling slightly. 

"I don't like to waste time." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "Even if I'm resting, I want to be progressing to some degree."

"I suppose that is why I am here."

"No reason to sugarcoat it." I nodded, lowering my gaze slightly. She did have a wonderful pair. "I desire your control over wind."

"Are you sure that is all?" She smiled and propped herself up slightly.

"..." I grinned slightly as my blood pressure rose. Yeah, I'm getting up there in age. "Are you tempting me?"

"You should lighten up from time to time." Eleonora slipped over to my side, leaning her shoulder against mine."What is the joy in life if you don't take moments to yourself?"

"My joy is growth." I replied, shaking my head.

"When have you done something that interested you, something completely unrelated to the pursuit of strength and power?"

"Singing?" I replied.

"It's still related to your growth."

"What am I supposed to do?" I raised an eyebrow. 

"What you want." Eleonora pressed her index finger on my chest. "You are the King, after all. There's no limit to what you can do. An entire nation moves at your beck and call. You can build cities, see the world, even do smaller things like writing, gardening, playing sports, finding love…"

"You don't have to dedicate your entire existence solely to gaining strength."

"I can't rest knowing that there is someone stronger than me." I countered, shaking my head. "If the Phoenix Empire struck anytime in the near future, it would be over. I can't afford to grow complacent-"

"Then, at the very least… allow me to comfort you while I am here."

She slipped behind me and put my head between her breasts while her hands massaged my body. I didn't say anything, taking a deep and relaxed breath. It felt good being sandwiched between her large breasts.

This was something that I hadn't quite experienced before. No offense to Caroline but her chest… well, she didn't have it like that.

It was hard to move away, like having a good sleep while a shit school day loomed in the sky. 

"It's not so bad, is it?" She questioned with a soft, seductive tone.

"And you called me straightforward…"

"Is it strange to… want you for myself?"

I felt her embrace tighten a little.

"... Is it my authority that makes you act this way?" I questioned.

"No, I chose to. Is it so unbelievable for me to admire you?"

"This goes a little beyond admiration, Eleonora." I chuckled.

"You shouldn't struggle on your own." She countered. "As your vassals, it is our duty to carry your burdens. I am not just a sword for your cause… I could be a sheathe too, if that is what you need."

"I don't just wish for your absolute loyalty… indeed, I am quite selfish and greedy. I desire your heart as well." I turned to face her stunning face. Admittedly, the prospect was rather tempting. "I want you to love me wholeheartedly."

I gently grabbed her face and pulled the silver-haired maiden's lips into mine. It wasn't the same feeling as when I'd have my way with Caroline… it never was. My reasons were not at all pure, in the end.

Even so, if I didn't move forward and allow myself to experience new things… how could I move past her?

I grabbed her left breast with my free hand and gave it a nice squeeze.

"Mhh~"

"Fight for me, embrace me, love me… give everything to me." I lowered myself and opened my mouth to her right breast, wrapping my lips around the nipple pretty damn smoothly. "You belong to me and no one else."

I moved both hands to her large breasts, leading to her letting out a couple of moans as I kept sucking and fondling them. She was getting a little red now.

"If that's what you want… my… King." 

Her voice trembled slightly when I moved one hand lower and started softly rubbing her g spot.

Of course, despite only having a body count of two, I was no amateur. Caroline and I had done practically every sex position under the moon. I most certainly knew how to please a woman… almost as well as scoring a goal.

After warming her up, I went further. I pushed her on top of the tub and began to eat her out without much hesitation.

She held my head in place rather passionately.

"Mhm… you're quite… good… oh yesss… King~"

When she really started trembling, I moved away and observed her slightly disappointed expression. Though, in the end, her lips curled into a smile.

"You wouldn't end it at that, would you?"

"Of course not… we aren't quite united in body yet."

I stood up and gestured with my finger for her to do the same. She stood up with her arms crossed between her breasts. My body was on fire. It worked in my favour this time. There was no need to hold myself back…

What better way to reach someone's heart than to be inside of them?

I used my profound energy to lift her up slightly before moving in to grab her ass, one cheek for one hand respectively. I held her up and pushed the maiden into the wall before ramming her pussy with my dick.

Back and forth, back and forth…

Though my body hadn't quite fully matured, I knew how to use what I had. It wasn't quite all about size. The motion, knowing when to accelerate and slow down, what to do with the rest of your body… There were many factors involved when it came to lovemaking. 

"Oh… you're quite… rough,"

 Eleonora remarked, blushing slightly. She was quite well-composed despite my efforts. I suppose she isn't just an ordinary young woman but a warrior maiden. 

She wrapped her legs and arms around me, making the moment all the more passionate and intimate.

"It feels good… keep… going."

Eleonora didn't last all that long, but neither did I. She ended up squirting on my dick right as I was about to release. I slipped my little brother and pushed her against the floor. I sat on top of her and enveloped her breasts against my dick.

I kept at it until my body gave in, splurging quite a bit of cum all over her face.

I took several deep breaths, observing her playful expression.

"You used me however you wanted…" Eleonora remarked, tilting her head as her lips curled into a smile. "Was that for my strength… or was it your innermost desires taking hold?"

"What man doesn't want to have his way with a beautiful lady?" I questioned, chuckling as I shook my head. "Fighting against nature is an uphill battle… but even more so, I was seeking that feeling."

"That feeling?" She questioned.

"Perhaps… I've grown too cynical. Or perhaps that feeling was not nearly as good as I remember it to be in the first place." I got up, sighing. "Whatever the case, I appreciate you accompanying me on this night… and, well, I apologise if I was too rough."

"You have nothing to apologise for." She laughed. "I did say it felt good, didn't I? You even moved with the intention of pleasing me. I can tell that you are a passionate lover at heart."

[Your bond with Eleonora Viltaria has strengthened her past her original abilities.]

[Your affinity to the wind element has increased.]

"Would you accompany me every night?" I questioned, smiling as I did so.

"I didn't imagine that my King would be so lonely…"

I chuckled. "Oh, not at all… the problem is that I only want you, Eleonora."

"..." She blushed slightly, turning away. "Well, how could I object? My only wish is to accompany your side."

"And you will," I promised. "For the duration of the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament, you will take Zero's place. Even after that, I do need worthy generals to aid in ruling my nation. Given that you have experience in that already, that puts you above quite a number of people."

"I am honoured." She nodded, sitting up and cleaning herself up. "I do not mind the throneroom all that much… but the true world is far more appealing. Besides, I can do very little to aid you in there. Out here, I am far more capable of making an impact."

"I will keep that in mind."

…

The following night, I heard someone approach the courtyard and felt sceptical. Who would be interested in the Blue Wind Imperial Family's representatives? Of course, I was quite the famous young man… but I'd assume that most people would focus on making last-minute preparations for the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

My door?

I got out of my meditative position and stood up. The small whirlwind of fire dispersed in my hands.

"Who is it?" I questioned, feeling slightly irritated. Which dickhead decided to interrupt my training?

"Ah… so this is His Royal Highness' room." I heard a familiar voice. It was Fen Juecheng, the eldest of the Burning Heaven Clan's young masters. "Forgive me for disrupting your rest."

"Hold on." I walked to the door and opened it. I raised an eyebrow as I watched him walk away. "Why are you here, again?"

I had a good idea of why… but I had to press the motherfucker a little bit. 

"I… had intended to offer Her Royal Highness for a walk." Fen Juecheng answered, smiling slightly as he looked up. "After all, the stars are out on this beautiful night. Tonight is also a night with a full moon… a rare sight for one visiting the Heavenly Sword Villa."

"Ah, a full moon." I looked up, nodding. "Yeah, it's pretty. However, my dear sister is an early riser. I believe that she should be fast asleep already."

"... That is unfortunate." Fen Juecheng sighed. "I had hoped to gaze upon the stars alongside her and witness the Heavenly Sword Villa's intriguing full moon together."

Awwww… how romantic.

"I understand how you feel, Young Master Fen." I touched my chest as I spoke with a caring tone. "I, too, as a young man, had felt a great yearning for a certain maiden. I would have given away everything to be with her. I was more than willing to give up my pride, dignity, body, soul… whatever she ever wanted from me. I would've settled for being a nobody if it meant that we would stay together."

Fen Juecheng seemed to eat up my heartfelt confession. Though I did love Caroline wholeheartedly, I'm not sure I would go that far. 

"What happened?" Fen Juecheng questioned. "Surely a genius like yourself could attain countless women under the sky."

"Yes, I could have anyone… anyone but her." I sighed, shaking my head. "That is what makes them, the things that we can't reach, truly beautiful. We grow obsessed, we want them more and more… but they are, in the end, unobtainable and remain purely beautiful."

Fen Juecheng blinked. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that some things… are just not meant to be, Young Master Fen." I wrapped my arm around his neck and patted his shoulder. I recalled Itachi's words as I waffled on. "We can't force love onto others. If they feel the same way that we do, wonderful. If they don't, we can keep trying… but one must be able to open their eyes and realise when the effort is truly futile."

"As her younger brother, I know Cang Yue better than you do… and I can assure you, Young Master Fen, that she has no romantic interest in you." 

I could tell that he was crestfallen just by his expression alone.

"Is it truly… helpless?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Listen, my friend." I looked up at the sky, waving my hand across it. "Do you see how boundless the sky is? How many stars are in the sky?"

"Yes…" 

"That is just as boundless as your options are, Young Master Fen." I smiled, punching his chest lightly. "You are the prestigious young master of one of the Four Major Sects of our glorious Blue Wind Empire. You can have a pick of hundreds of millions of women. Sure, there is only one princess in this Empire… but that's just a silly title. My sister isn't the only beautiful woman in the world."

"What matters most, above titles, background, even above beauty… is finding someone who wholeheartedly loves you. Someone who shares the love and dedication you have for them." I explained, managing a smile. "To achieve that, you must let go and realise it's time to move on. Seek out true love, Young Master Fen."

"That… is my advice to you."

Fen Juecheng was silent for a while, seemingly in deep thought. He gave me a resolute nod in the end.

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness." He managed a smile. "I've attained clarity on the situation. I… truly hope that the Blue Wind Imperial Family and Burning Heaven Clan can repair their strained relations and move forward in unity."

"Oh, we will." I smiled, nodding. "After all, if we, the future generation, choose to befriend each other… who will stop us from standing together at the peak of the world?"

"It's good that your unworthy brothers were removed from the equation." Fen Juecheng smiled as he stepped away from me. "For only one prince is truly worthy of leading the Blue Wind Imperial Family forward."

"I am flattered, truly." I let out a warm chuckle. "I wish you a good night, Young Master Fen."

"Farewell… I look forward to seeing you shock the world." He stopped at the exit of the courtyard. "Oh, and send my regards to my third brother. I hope that he returns home soon. Our father is quite worried, you see."

"I'll make sure that he does, don't worry." I nodded.

'Oh, will I have a surprise for you…'

~

All was going the same as last time; everyone gathered up in the Discourse Arena in their own little spots, Ling Wugou had a fancy entrance with hundreds of swords and gave everyone a nice, eloquent welcome… and then a special guest showed himself.

"This year's Blue Wind Ranking Tournament's witness comes from the 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." 

An elder from the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region?

I started to pay more attention as the figure in question showed himself beside Ling Wugou. The Four Great Sacred Grounds were existences that stood above the seven nations and hardly ever bothered to interact with the 'lower' world beneath them.

'One day, I will have to drag them right back down…'

Everyone focused on Ling Kun, and rightfully so. The power he possessed was beyond anyone's comprehension. At least, anyone outside my circle. He would be no more than a well-made and somewhat satisfactory meal for Yoggy. Maybe Wuxin could beat him too…

"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'. The second place in the ranking tournament's individual rankings will receive three drops of 'Purple Veined Marrow Quenching Fluid'."

Everyone was losing their shit over the rewards. I suppose these rewards are decent… however, how could they compare to my Heaven-Defying Pellets? 

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

"WHOAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

'Wow… a Sky Profound Artifact!'

Undoubtedly, this nice little armour was meant to go to Ling Yun.

I felt like breaking out laughing.

Maybe I should be the one handing out the awards… After all, I have plenty of spare Emperor Profound armour and weapons to give away. Maybe some Heaven-Defying Earth Zaza pellets for everyone in the top ten? I would truly be a generous tournament organiser.

Oh, the temptation to show off the generosity of their great and honourable crown prince… alas, it would so greatly undermine poor old Ling Kun and the Mighty Broke Sword Region. 

Ling Wugou stepped in and explained the basics of the Heavenly Basin Secret Realm.

"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."

The… Demon?

I was curious. What kind of creature do they have sealed up here?

"Ooh, how scary. A demon." Beatrice chuckled, curling her lips into a mischievous grin.

I wonder… is it red with horns and a spiky tail? Probably not.

After all of the explanations, the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament officially began.

"This session's Ranking Tournament has a total of five hundred and thirteen sectoral forces to be ranked…"

He kept yapping on… 

"The age of every single participating disciple must not be younger than sixteen and must not be over twenty. Anyone not within this age range will be immediately kicked out."

'… What?'

'Not younger than sixteen?'

My eyes widened slightly.

Did they change the rules this time? After all, in the past, it was anyone under the age of twenty-one…

I am less than two months away from my sixteenth birthday…

I chuckled.

'This is fine, I'll find a way around it.'

Cang Yue looked at me, and I smiled.

"A minor inconvenience," I remarked.

"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 the younger generation's outstanding individuals as well… now, participating disciples called on by this old man, come up immediately for profound strength assessment and lot number drawing."

It was like a model going down a runway…

At the very centre of the hall was the gigantic Profound Assessing Stone that would take note of everyone's age and profound strength.

The first couple of goons were all between 19 and 20, having low Spirit Profound Realm cultivations. Even the Blue Wind Profound Palace could match those pathetic talents. 

The Spirit Profound Realm was the general standard, the low levels coming from the trashcan sects, the middle levels somewhat more respectable or younger geniuses while the late levels were practically monopolised by the four major sects.

It was an endless cycle of the four major sects being famous, attracting genius disciples and retaining that fame and glory in the future… leading to their stronger older generation, which only furthered the cycle. 

The Blue Wind Profound Palace was stuck in a similar cycle, except it was on the opposite end, a bottom feeder that perpetually struggled to attract any real geniuses or support them due to a lack of resources.

It's similar to Earth, really. The rich keep getting richer while the poor scavenge whatever remains.

Xiao Kuanglei, 20 years old, Half-Step Earth Profound Realm.

Oh my… 

The Zaza at work. 

Last time, the best the Xiao Sect could produce was a twenty-year-old at the ninth level. This could even be considered their best result in at least a thousand years.

"Whaaat? Half-step Earth Profound Realm? At the age of twenty? The Xiao Sect has truly produced a great genius this time around. The Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace is likely to lose its second position…"

"I suspect that this result is because of those Heaven-Defying Pellets that the crown prince auctioned off. I heard they guarantee an entire stage of growth in the Spirit Profound Realm… and could push one even three stages higher!"

"Wow… they are truly Heaven-Defying if this is true."

"The Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, however, has bought three of them… the third one being a vastly superior version for the Earth Profound Realm."

That is enough glazing, background characters.

Xiao Kuanglei looked at me and nodded, smiling slightly.

I returned his smile.

'You're welcome, lil bro, you're most welcome.'

Of course, the Burning Heaven Clan's three participating disciples eventually came up.

Fen Jin, 20 years old, Half-Step Earth Profound Realm.

Look at me, feeding the youth.

Fen Juebi, 20 years old, Spirit Profound Realm level eight.

Fen Yuange, 19 years old, Spirit Profound Realm level seven.

"The crown prince's pellets are truly miraculous…"

Then… the second main event came up. For me, at least.

"The Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace's Shui Wushuang, Wu Xuexin, Xia Qingyue."

They all came up to the centre of the stage simultaneously, acting cold as the fairies who taught them. Since their profound arts refined their appearance as well, they were all pretty for the average person and I could see that even through their absurdly thick veils. Though, to me, the other two were hardly worth a glance…

Xia Qingyue… don't disappoint me.

Shui Wushuang, 20 years old… Spirit Profound Realm level nine.

Wu Wuexin, 20 years old… Spirit Profound Realm level nine.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Xia Qingyue… 17 years old… Half-step Earth Profound Realm.

'Girl… you're not fooling anyone.'

Everyone was losing their shit.

"Ling Yun himself was only at the ninth level of the Spirit Profound Realm at such an age… this level of genius far surpasses his…!"

"It must be that Heaven-Defying Earth pellet…"

Yes, my brilliant background characters, it all leads to me. All roads lead to King James.

"In the younger generation, among the male practitioners, no one is stronger than Ling Yun. This girl called Xia Qingyue, if she were to maintain her talent…"

I stopped Dongfang Xiu.

"No one is stronger than Ling Yun?" I chuckled. "You doubt me too much, Palace Chief."

"Of course… your talent eclipses Ling Yun's, but I cannot say the same for strength." 

"My training has led to quite the results," I replied, smiling slightly.

"There is no doubt in my heart that His Highness will destroy Ling Yun," Eleonora added passionately.

Beatrice glanced at her. "Of course."

Xia Qingyue looked at me for a brief moment before turning away.

Not long after… it was the Heavenly Sword Villa's turn.

Ling Yun, 20 years old, Earth Profound Realm level three.

So this is the level that that I could not possibly reach?

Ling Yun slowly removed his hand from the Profound Assessing Stone and slowly left. With a nonchalant attitude that did not seem to acknowledge the raging crowd around him. He was perfectly calm, wearing the expression of someone who is absolutely confident in his victory.

It was the look of a prodigy.

Ling Feiyu, 19 years old, Spirit Profound Realm level nine.

Ling Jie, 16 years old… Spirit Profound Realm level nine.

The Ling Jie kid in question looked far more excited than his older brother. His talent was pretty damn outstanding, too. Perhaps I could recruit him to my cause. Above all else, I need people with the highest growth rates and his… seems to be in the top three so far.

"The Blue Wind Imperial Family's Cang Chao and Fen Juechen."

"You go first." I nudged Fen Juechen.

He nodded and stepped forward. I followed behind.

"I wonder just how powerful the Crown Prince has grown. I heard that a year and some months ago he had broken through to the Spirit Profound Realm."

Fen Juechen, 17 years old, Spirit Profound Realm level six.

"Is that the Burning Heaven Clan's third young master? Despite being three years younger, he is only two levels below his elder brother…"

"It's no surprise, look at who he is standing beside. The boy of miracles."

'The boy… of miracles? I like the sound of that.'

It was my turn.

Every single eye was on me, from the Heavenly Sword Villa to the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, Burning Heaven Clan, Xiao Sect to the lowest of sects… even Ling Kun was eyeing me with interest.

I took a deep breath and pressed my hand against the strength assessment stone. 

My suppressed profound energy surged into it, leading to the stone glowing vividly.

Cang Chao, 15 years old, Earth Profound Realm level three.

"This level… at the age of fifteen!?"

I glanced at Ling Yun and grinned slightly.

Just like you, buddy.

I removed my hand from the Profound Assessment Stone and began to walk away with a proud and majestic stance that far surpassed Ling Yun's.

"Heavenly genius doesn't even begin to explain it… this Cang Chao is a true monster!"

"Equal with Ling Yun despite being a whole five years younger…"

"How could one look down on the Blue Wind Imperial Family anymore? The Blue Wind Empire's greatest genius throughout its entire existence has been born in it!"

Oh, the d-riding was monumental. Zero would be jealous.

"But… isn't he just fifteen?"

"Right… right… as monstrous as his talent is, he can't participate! He is too young…"

"Even so, the next Blue Wind Ranking Tournament may as well be is… even if he is disqualified now, it isn't all that much of a loss-"

"Halt." Ling Wugou floated forward. "Cang Chao, you are not within the age range."

I smirked slightly.

'Well, what do you know…'

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