Free Web NovelChapter 163: Chapter 163: You Are Not Worthy
Shangguan Yiran’s words made Shen Daoxing’s heart pound with excitement, and he was eager to try. But looking around at the pairs of jealous eyes staring his way, he thought better of it. ’I don’t want to attract too much attention.’
"We cultivators walk a path of defiance against heaven, earth, and fate. We should dare to challenge anything and everything."
Shangguan Yiran continued. Though she truly wanted to see how Shen Daoxing compared to the prodigies on the Stone Steles, she could only let it go when he remained unmoved.
Afterward, Shangguan Yiran led Shen Daoxing onto the terrace.
The entire terrace was adorned with carved railings and jade masonry, surrounded by candelabras. Young men and women in fine silks and jade robes were toasting one another, engaged in lively conversation. Stunningly beautiful serving maids weaved through the crowd, turning heads wherever they went.
What a lively scene!
"Everyone here is a prodigy from across the East Continent, all ranked in the top twenty of the Martial Arts Ranking. You can get to know them."
Shangguan Yiran gestured to the crowd as she spoke to Shen Daoxing, then indicated that he was free to move about on his own.
Then, Shangguan Yiran walked into the crowd and began chatting and laughing with several elegant young women. Each one was as beautiful as the next, all of them disciples of the Celestial Profound Sacred Land.
All who could attend this gathering were prodigies in the top twenty of the Martial Arts Ranking, which meant they were as good as disciples of the Celestial Profound Sacred Land.
The Celestial Profound Sacred Land was divided into an Inner Sect and an Outer Sect. Just entering the Outer Sect meant you were a prodigy from somewhere in the East Continent, while those who could enter the Inner Sect were the prodigies among prodigies.
The Inner Sect was further divided into the Seven Great Sacred Mountains. Each year, every Holy Mountain would select the most astonishingly talented geniuses from the Outer Sect disciples to join them.
For instance, Shangguan Yiran’s own Yunxiao Mountain was one of the Seven Great Sacred Mountains, but Yunxiao Mountain only accepted female disciples.
This gathering was, in essence, an opportunity for the Seven Great Sacred Mountains of the Celestial Profound Sacred Land to recruit the prodigies from various regions.
Geniuses from all over the East Continent would break their heads trying to get into the Celestial Profound Sacred Land, and the Outer Sect disciples of the Sacred Land would fight tooth and nail to enter the Inner Sect.
But weren’t the Seven Great Sacred Mountains of the Inner Sect also secretly and openly competing for those truly exceptional disciples?
After all, true geniuses were few and far between.
At this moment, representatives from the Seven Great Sacred Mountains were already secretly contacting the disciples they had their eyes on.
But naturally, no one paid any mind to Shen Daoxing, an unknown disciple from a small, remote kingdom.
Amidst the sounds of laughter and cheerful chatter, Shen Daoxing stood alone in a corner.
Shen Daoxing didn’t mind in the slightest. He wasn’t the type to curry favor with a cold reception. He was perfectly content drinking fine wine and eating delicacies by himself.
He discovered that the Celestial Profound Sacred Land was incredibly generous to its disciples. They never skimped. Even the wine and food were made from precious medicinal herbs and Spirit Beast meat, containing abundant Primordial Energy.
Throughout the entire event, only Shangguan Yiran would occasionally walk over to chat with Shen Daoxing for a bit.
But in the eyes of others, this was incredibly significant. Everyone knew that aside from chatting happily with her senior sisters from Yunxiao Mountain, Shangguan Yiran had only shown favor to Shen Daoxing.
On the terrace, at one of the tables, a tall man with sharp eyes glanced over at Shen Daoxing, seemingly by chance, and asked coldly, "Who is that kid?"
Across from him, a man with a gentle and refined appearance replied nonchalantly, "Some guy from a declining minor kingdom named Shen Daoxing. His strength isn’t worth mentioning—he’s not even on the Martial Arts Ranking. He only got in because of Shangguan Yiran."
After a pause, the refined-looking man added, "However, I’ve heard that this Shen Daoxing is Shangguan Yiran’s fated one."
"Fated one?"
The sharp-eyed man’s lips curled into a sneer. "Him? Is he even worthy?"
Shen Mo Feng, of the Shen clan—one of Daqian’s most powerful Noble Families—was a disciple of the Daqian Imperial Academy, just like Shangguan Yiran. The two were even known as the Peerless Duo, the most dazzling figures in the Imperial Academy, ranked third and second on the Martial Arts Ranking, respectively.
At the academy, Shen Mo Feng had long been infatuated with Shangguan Yiran and had confessed his feelings to her many times. But from start to finish, Shangguan Yiran had never given him so much as a second glance.
Shen Mo Feng was an expert at the peak of the Grotto Heaven Realm’s Ninth Layer, just one step away from entering the Spirit Transformation Realm. Back when he was in the Profound Platform Realm, he had defeated enemies of higher cultivation levels on multiple occasions. He was, without a doubt, the number one expert of Daqian’s younger generation.
But now, Shangguan Yiran had already broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm, soaring beyond the scope of the Martial Arts Ranking. Shen Mo Feng, however, had been unable to make a breakthrough, all because his heart was occupied by someone.
Shen Mo Feng raised his cup, took a sip, and without even looking at Shen Daoxing, said, "Shufeng, go teach him his place. How dare he get so close to Yiran? Tell him if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll get the hell out of Daqian."
"Yes!"
The refined-looking man nodded with a slight smile.
Meanwhile, Shen Daoxing was still enjoying the delicacies and fine wine by himself. While others were happy chatting, he was happy eating.
Just then, a refined-looking man suddenly appeared before him, clasping his hands in a respectful salute. "I am Sun Shufeng of the Hengyang Sun Family from Daqian."
Shen Daoxing looked up. Since the other party was being so courteous, he naturally wouldn’t be rude in return.
Shen Daoxing stood and returned the bow. "I am Shen Daoxing, from Baiyun City in the Martial Kingdom."
Sun Shufeng reached for a wine cup. "Shen, I’ve heard so much about you. I would like to offer you a toast."
"Sun, you’re too kind!"
Shen Daoxing also picked up his cup to clink it against the other man’s.
But just as Shen Daoxing’s cup touched his...
Sun Shufeng’s hand suddenly went limp. With a CRASH, the cup fell to the floor, shattering to pieces and splashing wine everywhere.
Shen Daoxing looked up at Sun Shufeng. "Sun, what is the meaning of this?"
At that moment, the previously gentle and refined Sun Shufeng’s expression had turned completely cold. "The meaning of this?"
Sun Shufeng let out a cold laugh. "Heh heh heh... What makes a country bumpkin like you worthy of drinking with us? You should take a good look at yourself."
As he spoke, Sun Shufeng glanced at Shen Mo Feng in the distance. "Let me tell you, Fairy Shangguan already belongs to our Young Master Shen, Shen Mo Feng. She is his dao companion. Don’t get any foolish ideas. If you know what’s good for you, stay away from her and get out of our Daqian."
"Get out of Daqian?"
Shen Daoxing looked calmly at Sun Shufeng. "And what if I don’t?"
"You won’t?"
Sun Shufeng shot Shen Daoxing a glance and sneered. "Then don’t blame me for not warning you. This cup on the floor will be your fate."
With that, Sun Shufeng turned and left without a backward glance.
Shen Daoxing shook his head with a helpless sigh. He didn’t want to cause trouble or draw attention, but if someone dared to provoke him, he wouldn’t just swallow his anger.
The small disturbance naturally caught the attention of many people nearby, but most of them wore expressions of schadenfreude. After all, Shen Mo Feng’s obsession with Shangguan Yiran was famous throughout Daqian. Offending him would certainly not end well for anyone.
However, at that very moment, Shangguan Yiran’s cold voice suddenly rang out:
"Shen Mo Feng! When did this Commandery Princess become your dao companion? The man for this Commandery Princess must be honorable and upright, a true pillar of strength. At the very least, his power must surpass my own!"
With that, Shangguan Yiran shot Shen Mo Feng a cold glare. "But you... are not worthy!"
