The Beginning of Geniuses Gathering

Chapter Thirteen: The Beginning of Geniuses Gathering

Returning to the tranquil lakeside, Tian Phai cast one last gaze at the shimmering waters before venturing toward a dark cave. As he made his way to the cave's end, he encountered a bronze-armored knight patiently awaiting his arrival. Adjacent to the knight lay a large circle inscribed on the ground.

Without any change in expression, the Bronze Horseman gestured, "Stand in the middle."

Understanding the knight's lack of interest in conversation, Tian Phai refrained from initiating any dialogue. He proceeded toward the bisector and positioned himself within it, causing radiant light to emanate from the lines on the ground. The surroundings distorted, and in no time, Tian Phai found himself transported to an entirely different location.

Momentarily overcome by nausea, Tian Phai surveyed his new surroundings. He discovered himself standing within a colossal circular arena, equivalent in size to ten football fields combined. Positioned in the center were fifteen platforms arranged in a circular formation, with a towering platform occupying the central position.

As Tian Phai glanced around, he noticed a multitude of individuals gathered near the large platform. Most appeared to be children and young adolescents, ranging from five to thirteen years old. Intrigued by this assembly, Tian Phai approached the gathering.

Simultaneously, as Tian Phai observed them, they too scrutinized their surroundings. Although an ordinary person might have felt unease under the collective gaze of hundreds, Tian Phai remained unfazed. What caught his attention was the wariness exhibited by those around him.

During his thorough observation, Tian Phai discerned several intriguing individuals within the group. One particularly notable figure was a seven-year-old child donning a black robe and displaying an icy countenance. Yet, it was not the child's coldness or attire that intrigued Tian Phai the most. Rather, it was the fact that this child seemed to have lowered his guard amidst the cautious atmosphere.

Tian Phai, however, knew the truth behind this apparent nonchalance. Despite the child's carefree facade, he meticulously controlled the rapid circulation of his blood and heart, granting him the ability to swiftly respond to any potential threat. Tian Phai was aware of this because he himself adopted a similar relaxed attitude towards the child before him.

Naturally, as Tian Phai noticed the child, the child too took notice of him. Their eyes briefly met before swiftly averting their gaze from each other.

Having thoroughly surveyed his surroundings, Tian Phai continued to do so as new arrivals materialized every few seconds through the teleportation formation. Amidst his observations, a child among the group spoke aloud, "Take your eyes off, or I'll gouge them out for you."

The speaker was a slightly larger boy, appearing to be around eleven years old. His appearance bore an unusual quality, particularly his neck, which sported green scales. His words were directed at the previously mentioned black-robed boy with the cold demeanor. The black-robed boy met his gaze, and a faint smile graced his lips, briefly thawing his otherwise frosty countenance. "I'd like to see you try," he retorted.

...

A surge of anger coursed through the burly boy as he felt the gazes of those around him, particularly fixated on his neck. A deep-seated frustration simmered within him, exacerbated by the sense of being an outcast in this realm. During his time in the cave, he had sought to learn from the serpents' movements, attempting to mimic their grace. Over time, realizing limited progress, he resorted to injecting snake blood into his body, replacing a quarter of his own blood in the process.

Finally, he succeeded in perfecting a martial art based on snake imitation, a source of immense pride. However, the unintended consequences manifested in physical transformations, such as his divided tongue and snake-like scales adorning his skin.

Unbeknownst to him, a sense of inferiority had taken root within his heart as he observed the other children who had passed the test without overt changes to their bodies. And when that cold-faced boy cast his gaze upon him earlier, everything seemed to explode.

It was not his face that drew the cold-faced boy's attention but the scales at the base of his neck, which he had attempted to conceal. To make matters worse, the disdainful look that child bestowed upon his scales ignited an uncontrollable rage within him, prompting him to lash out with threats...

...

"Damn it, forget about your eyes! I'll smash you all!" the burly boy assumed a fighting stance, ready to strike, his words aimed at the cold-faced boy.

However, before he could act, a silver-armored knight materialized between them, his tone chilling as he spoke, "Engaging in combat is strictly prohibited at this moment. Consider this your sole warning. Rest assured, you will have the opportunity to fight soon enough."

The burly boy possessed enough discernment not to cross the line. Perhaps due to his unique transformation and his affinity with snakes, he keenly sensed the immense danger emanating from the silver knight, compelling him to reluctantly comply.

Yet, just because physical combat was prohibited did not mean he couldn't retaliate verbally. Releasing a heavy aura of pressure, the burly boy addressed the cold-faced boy, "Hmph, you're trash. As soon as I get the chance, I'll shatter every bone in your body and feed you to the dogs."

The expression on the black-clad boy's cold face remained unaltered. However, to the discerning observer, a glint of frigid intensity flashed within his eyes, signifying the depth of his coldness and lethal intent.