Ding Dong!
Just as the atmosphere at the Ascension Platform was becoming chaotic, a crisp sound rang out, like the collision of bells and chimes, or the tinkling of jade ornaments in the celestial wind, causing the entire Ascension Platform to fall into silence.
The remaining young talents immediately tidied up their appearances, striving to leave the best impression possible in the eyes of the upcoming judge—though it was a bit strange that this judge wasn’t a human.
“Jiu Jiu!”
Wu Ming gazed into the distance and spotted hazy, graceful figures atop the Daughter Cliff.
Accompanied by many clear cries, numerous emerald green branches sprouted from the crevices of the Daughter Cliff, instantly forming a jungle from which a rainbow emerged, carrying pairs of birds flying side by side.
These mystical creatures were quite unique, each possessing only one wing and one eye. The male was blue-feathered, while the female was red-feathered. Only by combining together could they fly wing to wing.
“It’s here! It’s here!”
The rich young master immediately straightened his back proudly: “See the flowers and fruits in their beaks? Those are the Wen Si Flowers, Wu Dao Fruits, and the seven-colored rainbow stones specifically used to test the cultivation level of Spirit Tamers. If you have any special skills, Wu Ming, show them off now, or you won’t get another chance!”
“Truly… absolutely beautiful…”
Wu Ming, however, had no desire to compete. Instead, he admired the scenery with a calm heart.
Within the colorful mists, thousands of birds flew together, dancing gracefully around the Ascension Platform—an extraordinary spectacle indeed: “It even surpasses the fish bridge in Feipu City…”
“Jiu Jiu!”
A large flock of birds circled the Ascension Platform. When they encountered handsome young men, they dropped the Wen Si Flowers and Wu Dao Fruits they carried in their beaks. These objects were particularly sensitive to literary talent and martial prowess, immediately radiating different glows midair.
The brighter the glow, the more birds were attracted, eventually forming a dark, dense mass.
“Wu Wu…”
At this moment, a flute melody arose, its notes flowing like a small spring, continuous and dense, undiminished even amidst the roaring sounds of the crowd.
After a while, the melody slowed, like a clear spring freezing over, then suddenly soared, like silver bottles bursting open, spilling water everywhere, filled with deep emotion, like a lover whispering sweet nothings in one’s ear.
“Is that… the beloved son of the Eastern Sea King… Gongzi Xiao Bai?”
The rich young master, filled with jealousy, looked toward a tall, elegant youth in the crowd who was playing the flute alone.
His eyebrows and eyes were like painted, graceful and unrestrained. A green jade flute paired perfectly with his white robes. As he played, flocks of birds danced and swayed in the sky, following the rhythm of his melody.
One song, and he could attract a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix!
As the lingering notes faded, the birds joyfully danced, showering the area with Wen Si Flowers like confetti, radiating astonishing brilliance.
“Haha! Gongzi Xiao Bai, you’ve indeed come!”
At this moment, a rough, bold voice rang out, and the crowd parted to reveal another young man, shirtless, with bulging muscles.
His face was covered with thick, wiry beard, each strand like steel needles. Carelessly tying his hair into a bun, he suddenly opened the stopper of a wine gourd at his waist and drank heartily toward the sky: “In these chaotic times, what good are poetry and literature? Can they compare to martial arts and spirit taming?”
“It’s Bai Shou Tian Jun (Heavenly Beast Sovereign)!”
A suppressed voice spread through the crowd: “He’s so young yet already reached the Sovereign level. Without Jun Xuan Ming, he would be the top among the younger generation!”
Boom!
As he spoke, Bai Shou Tian Jun waved his hand carelessly, and a tangible soul pressure immediately spread outward, causing chaos and overturning people.
Buzz Buzz!
Many birds cried out, their rainbow stones emitting a rich green glow, dyeing half the sky emerald.
“Truly worthy of Bai Shou Tian Jun… The rainbow stone has turned deep green. He must already be at the upper tier of the Sovereign level!”
Amidst the crowd’s exclamations, another flock of birds circled above Bai Shou Tian Jun, showering him with numerous Wu Dao Fruits, glowing brilliantly, yet none fell to the ground, as if waiting for something.
Witnessing this scene, the remaining young talents grew anxious, each trying their unique skills, making the Ascension Platform extraordinarily lively.
“Jiu Jiu!”
Suddenly, a pair of birds seemed to have made a decision, gracefully flying toward a young man. Their slender pink beaks tugged at his sleeve.
“Huh?”
This youth was merely an ordinary person who had luckily made it onto the platform, occupying only the most remote corner. He seemed utterly shocked that the birds had chosen him. After a long daze, he climbed onto the bird’s back under the envious and jealous gazes of others.
“Jiu Jiu!”
Above the Daughter Cliff, a dark shadow flashed, transforming into a bird and flying out, carrying a graceful figure who joined the young man, disappearing behind the cliff.
“A thousand miles of fate connected by a single thread. It seems these birds possess spiritual awareness; being both literary and martial isn’t necessarily enough for selection. Most importantly, it depends on compatibility and destiny…”
Observing this scene, Wu Ming thoughtfully touched his chin.
“Brother Wu, why haven’t you taken action yet?”
Seeing more lucky candidates being selected, the rich young master anxiously scratched his head: “My happiness for the rest of my life depends entirely on you!”
“Haha… no rush, no rush!”
Wu Ming was about to make excuses when his expression suddenly changed as he looked toward the distant sky.
“Ao hou hou!”
A tremendous tiger roar, accompanied by an astonishing Sovereign-level pressure, suddenly swept across, unsettling the flocks of birds.
“Hou hou!”
Above the Daughter Cliff, long, elegant white figures soared from the jungle into the sky, then vanished into the clouds.
Swoosh!
A black shadow, like an arrow, shot forth, transforming into a magnificent golden-eyed flying beast.
“Haha… I hope I’m not too late!”
Jun Xuan Ming laughed loudly, proudly leaping from the tiger’s back to the center of the Ascension Platform, his voice booming like thunder rolling toward the Daughter Cliff: “My name is Jun Xuan Ming! I specially came here just to meet the Holy Maiden. On my way, I slightly delayed in fetching a gift. I hope the Holy Maiden won’t mind!”
Smiling, he held out a box made of ice, containing a crystal-clear flower as green as jade. Even though it was well sealed, a fragrant aroma wafted out, making people feel as if they had ascended to paradise.
“It’s Jun Xuan Ming!”
“What a bold statement! Coming straight to request an audience with the female clan’s Holy Maiden!”
“However… Lord Jun is truly a peerless genius from the Fire Continent, on par with the Holy Maiden. I have nothing more to say…”
…
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Upon Jun Xuan Ming’s entrance, his presence immediately overshadowed both Gongzi Xiao Bai and Bai Shou Tian Jun, causing their expressions to darken.
Soon after, a spirit tamer pointed at Jun Xuan Ming’s long box and screamed: “This is… the Eternal Beauty Flower?”
“Haha, indeed! This flower, with just one petal, can preserve a woman’s beauty for a hundred years. Consuming the entire plant extends one’s lifespan by five hundred years!”
Jun Xuan Ming loudly proclaimed, his eyes fixed on the Daughter Cliff, burning with desire: “I consider myself among the top of my generation in appearance, talent, martial arts, and spirit taming. I wonder if the Holy Maiden would grant me the honor of a meeting?”
Although his words were arrogant, in this situation, everyone felt ashamed and had to admit that Jun Xuan Ming truly possessed the domineering aura and strength to back up his claims.
“Jiu Jiu!”
In a flash, a massive flock of birds converged. Even the birds hovering above Gongzi Xiao Bai and Bai Shou Tian Jun diverted a significant portion toward Jun Xuan Ming. Wen Si Flowers and Wu Dao Fruits cascadedown like a shower of petals, shimmering with a radiant seven-colored glow.
The rainbow stones flickered incessantly, their deep green hue shifting to an ink-like darkness, symbolizing Jun Xuanming’s supreme Sovereign cultivation—undoubtedly surpassing that of Bai Shoutianjun.
“Hey? Brother Wu, where are you going?”
The rich young master looked astonished as Wu Ming, smiling, took a few steps toward the center.
“Of course, I’m going to give it a try! If I don’t go now, I won’t have another chance!”
Wu Ming proudly raised his head, no longer concealing the charm bonus he gained from the Great Wilderness Azure Wolf.
“Jiu Jiu!”
In an instant, nearly all eyes in the crowd focused on him.
Every male’s mind echoed the same thought: “This kid is so handsome he doesn’t seem human!”
“Jiu Jiu!”
The previously gathered birds, as if seeing an ultimate temptation, unhesitatingly abandoned Jun Xuan Ming and gathered above Wu Ming.
Flowers and fruits rained down frantically, surpassing even Jun Xuan Ming’s reception, leaving the surrounding people speechless and inwardly cursing: “Damn it! This is such a looks-driven world!”
“Haha… Did you see that? That’s my brother!”
The rich young master pushed through the crowd, laughing joyfully, then suddenly shouted: “Hey? Why are those Wen Si Flowers and Wu Dao Fruits so bright?”
“Hmm?”
“That’s right!”
“Why are the Wen Si Flowers and Wu Dao Fruits glowing so intensely?”
At this moment, others also regained their senses from shock, staring at the dazzling flowers and fruits, their expressions changing: “Does this mean this youth actually surpasses Jun Xuan Ming in literary and martial talent? When did another genius emerge from the Fire Continent?”
If earlier, Gongzi Xiao Bai and Bai Shou Tian Jun could only evoke colorful reactions, and Jun Xuan Ming’s radiance was several feet wide, then Wu Ming’s Wen Si Flowers and Wu Dao Fruits were like miniature suns, emitting blinding light that made it hard to open one’s eyes.
“Moreover, look at the rainbow stones!”
“Mo Green, no! Half-Cyan, peak Sovereign level, surpassing even Jun Xuan Ming!”
“A genius! A true peerless genius!!!”
“Not only his appearance and literary/martial prowess, but even his spirit taming talent has surpassed Jun Xuan Ming? Goodness, am I dreaming? How can such a person exist in this world?”
…
Facing Jun Xuan Ming’s doubtful gaze, Wu Ming smiled calmly, without any resentment.
In terms of literary talent and martial arts, he had rich experiences and accumulations from multiple worlds, far beyond what a youth of this age could match.
As for spirit taming talent? Just a slight display was enough to make Jun Xuan Ming feel inferior!
At this moment, he had completely surpassed Jun Xuan Ming, the top among the younger generation!
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