Talisman Emperor

At the fifth level of the training arenas.

This was the battlegrounds of experts at the initial-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm. Compared to the first four levels, the arenas here were much fewer in number. On the eight one arenas in the surroundings, only half were occupied by experts in battle, and the others were in an empty state.

Even the number of experts that were spectating only numbered over a few hundred.

Obviously, only experts ranked in the first ten thousand of the Continental Immortal Rankings could enter the Martial Emperor Domain, whereas experts at the four stages of the Heavenly Immortal Realm occupied most of these positions. It was the number of Mysterious Immortals that was few instead.

Coupled with the fact that this wasn’t reality, it was impossible for most experts to stay here every single day.

Chen Xi didn’t observe the battles of others this time, and he directly selected an empty arena before sitting cross-legged while waiting silently.

But in next to no time, he noticed the atmosphere were slightly off. It seemed as if the other experts weren’t willing to challenge him…

What’s going on?

Could it be that an existence at the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm like me is so insignificant?

After waiting for the time of an entire incense stick to burn, there was still no one that showed any interest. Chen Xi couldn’t help but frown because the fifth level clearly didn’t lack experts, and the start and end of battles could be seen frequently.

Yet there just wasn’t anyone that came to challenge him! 

Could it be that they want to force me to issue a challenge? Chen Xi thought for a moment before standing up immediately, and then he walked down the arena and towards the other arenas.

“I’d like to issue a challenge. Fellow Daoist, please give me your guidance.” In next to no time, Chen Xi found an expert that was waiting for a challenge, and for safety’s sake, he’d found an expert that was similarly at the initial-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm.

“Hmph!” This expert was a robust man. His eyes focused slightly when he saw Chen Xi, and then he grunted coldly before paying no further attention to Chen Xi. This means that he refused.

Chen Xi rubbed his nose and felt extreme self-ridicule in his heart. People really look down on the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm here.

He turned around and left.

“Miss, I’d like to challenge you.” 

“Don’t bother me. I just want to stand here silently and display my beauty!”

“…”

“Fellow Daoist, you seem to have been waiting for a long time. Why don’t we have a spar?”

“Sorry, I suddenly have a slight ache in my stomach. I intend to leave, so let’s do it next time.”

“…”

“Fellow Daoist…”

“Oh, I forgot I have something important to do. I’m sorry brother, head to another arena to find an opponent. We can play when I’m free in the future, but it won’t do now.” 

    …

Hitting a wall over and over again and being rejected over and over again caused Chen Xi’s expression to gradually turn gloomy. He finally believed that these people were doing it intentionally, and they were making up all sorts of lame excuses to avoid fighting him.

What exactly is going on? Chen Xi frowned while he swept the nearby arenas with his gaze.

Sure enough, this careful scan allowed him to notice that perhaps those Mysterious Immortal Realm experts were fighting or spectating, but their gazes inadvertently glanced at him while their faces carried a wisp of an indescribably strange expressions.

Chen Xi pondered deeply for a short moment before he decided to look for another expert. It wasn’t for the sake of issuing a challenge but for a talk because he intended to ask exactly what was going on.

He really didn’t have much time, and he couldn’t afford to be refused like this. If this happened continuously, then his arrival in the Martial Emperor Domain would have completely lost all meaning.

But before he could go looking for another, there was someone that took the initiative to come to him.

“There’s no need to take the trouble, no one will be stupid enough to fight you at this moment.” This was a fair skinned and handsome young man that wore a green robe. His brows stretched to his temples, and he was filled with high spirits.

Chen Xi frowned as he looked at the unfamiliar young man before him, and then he was shocked in his heart. This is an expert! The vital energy in his body is obscure while revealing a profound and perfect aura. It’s rather similar to the aura Liang Bing possesses. 

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Gu Yutang. Even though I can’t be considered to be very famous in the Martial Emperor Domain, yet you’re probably heard of me.” The young man laughed lightheartedly and spoke in a straightforward manner.

Gu Yutang!

Chen Xi finally came to an understanding. So, it turns out that he’s the Gu Clan disciple that’s ranked ninth on the Continental Ascensio Rankings, a top expert at the advanced-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm.

This caused Chen Xi’s eyes to narrow, and then he said without further change in his expression, “I’ve naturally heard of Fellow Daoist Gu’s reputation, but I wonder why you’ve come looking for me now?”

His tone carried a wisp of vigilance.

Early on while he was in the Talisman Dimension, there was great enmity between him and the Yin Clan, Gu Clan, and Luo Clan, so he unconsciously took Gu Yutang to be an enemy.

“There’s no need to be vigilant. Our Gu Clan isn’t on the Yin Clan’ side.” Gu Yutang smiled as if he knew Chen Xi’s thoughts.

When he spoke up to here, he changed the topic and said, “Aren’t you really curious why no one is willing to fight you? Actually, it’s very simple. It’s because they’re worried that you’d defeat them, and they wouldn’t be able to raise their heads high with pride any longer.”

Chen Xi was stunned because he never expected that this would be the reason, and he had the absurd feeling of not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“After all, that battle of yours with Yin Hun earlier was truly too shocking. So before they understand your ability completely, not a single Mysterious Immortal Realm expert will fight you.” As if he was worried that Chen Xi wouldn’t understanding, Gu Yutang provided further explanation.

“It’s just because I’m at the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm?” asked Chen Xi.

“That’s a very important reason. In all those fellows’ opinions, being defeated by one at the same level of cultivation was naturally nothing worthy being embarrassed about; being defeated by someone that’s a stage lower is acceptable as well. However, if they were defeated by an opponent whose cultivation was far below them, then it would be too embarrassing. Even if their reputation isn’t destroyed, they would at least become laughingstocks.” Gu Yutang spoke freely and frankly. “Of course, the other reason is because most of the initial-stage Mysterious Immortal Realm experts on the fifth level today are ordinary figures, and they feel they were inferior to Yin Hun, so they naturally wouldn’t dare accept your challenge.”

Ordinary figures? 

Chen Xi said in his heart, This fellow looks to be modest, yet is actually extremely arrogant in his bones. How could Mysterious Immortal Realm experts that were able to be ranked on the Continental Ascensio Rankings be ordinary figures?

Of course, if it was looked at from Gu Yutang’s perspective, then saying these words was extremely normal.

But right after that, Chen Xi sighed in his heart. I truly wonder if these experts in the Martial Emperor Domain are worthy of their reputation. They can’t even be decisive and boldly accept a challenge. What a disappointment.

“But don’t worry, in less than three days, once everyone has a clear understanding of your identity, background, and rankings on the Continental Ascension Ranking, then there’ll be numerous experts that come to challenge you.” A wisp of ridicule appeared on the corners of Gu Yutang’s lips. “This is the established practice in the Martial Emperor Domain. Opponents are selected based on identity, and battles are chosen based on rankings.”

Chen Xi had a taste of the part about selecting opponents based on identity from Yin Miaomiao earlier, and he understood it deeply. But he never expected the part about choosing battles based on rankings. 

Actually, it was understandable with a quick thought. An expert’s rankings on the Ascensio Immortal Rankings directly corresponded to the expert’s combat strength. So experts with a lower ranking had to consider thoroughly when selecting an opponent.

“Thank you for your guidance.” When he understood all of this, Chen Xi came to sudden enlightenment. This isn’t the rules of the Martial Emperor Domain but the common view of all the experts here. This was why he didn’t know about it earlier, yet even if he knew about it now, he didn’t agree with this common view.

It was just before, he’d come to temper his strength, and only that.

Gu Yutang was stunned and laughed bitterly. “There’s no need for thanks. I took the initiative to come to you and spoke so much, so shouldn’t you tell me your name? At least, it can be considered as an exchange of favors.”

Chen Xi suddenly noticed that this fellow could be considered to be open, and it was rare that he didn’t put on any airs. Chen Xi pondered deeply for a moment before he answered. “My name is Chen Xi.”

Unfortunately, Chen Xi didn’t know that if it wasn’t for Gu Yueming’s guidance, Gu Yutang wouldn’t pay any attention to him at all, let alone come over to speak to him.

“Chen Xi?” Gu Yutang’s eyes lit up, and he repeated it before he said with a smile, “How about we be friends?”

Chen Xi was stunned, and then he said, “So long as you don’t regret it in the future, then there’s naturally no problem.”

What does he mean by not regret it in the future? Gu Yutang couldn’t figure it out but finding out Chen Xi’s name had already satisfied him. With the might of the Gu Clan, he just had to investigate this name and would surely obtain great gains. 

    …

Chen Xi!

Just like Gu Yutang, the various large powers in Southbridge Continent obtained Chen Xi’s names through various means. For a time, the discussions related to this name rose swiftly and spread through every single city in Southbridge Continent, causing a mighty uproar.

In practically overnight, the entire Southbridge Continent’s cultivation world knew Chen Xi’s name, and they knew about the miraculous battle that occurred in the Martial Emperor Domain that day.

This battle occurred between an expert at the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm and an expert at the initial-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm. In the end, Chen Xi who was at the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm obtained a complete victory.

His opponent, the Yin Clan’s expert, Yin Hun, possessed Yin Miaomiao’s Crimsonray Immortal Sword, and this was seen by all the experts present at the time so it couldn’t be falsified at all.

Compared to this, the most shocking to everyone was that after he defeated Yin Hun, this young man called Chen Xi actually issued a challenge to Yin Miaomiao.

Moreover, the words ‘You’re unworthy’ and ‘You won’t have any qualification to challenge me in the future’ became the topic that people discussed the most as well.

Amidst these discussions, everyone finally found out that the young man called Chen Xi’s combat strength was actually ranked at the two hundred and thirty ninth position on the Continental Ascensio Rankings!

If such a ranking was possessed by a Mysterious Immortal Realm expert, then it was extremely normal. But when it was possessed by an expert at the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, it was too unusual and even horrifying.

Even if it was amongst the top thousand of the Continental Ascensio Rankings in Southbridge Continent, it was extremely difficult to find an expert at the Heavenly Immortal Realm, yet now, a young man at the initial-stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm was actually ranked in the top three hundred. This was naturally a great matter that caused the world to fall into a mighty uproar.

So from that day onward, the Martial Emperor Domain had become utterly bustling while the number of experts that entered the Martial Emperor Domain grew steadily. They seemed to intend to witness the graceful bearing of that young man called Chen Xi.

Of course, there were also some that were eager with intent to defeat Chen Xi.

At this moment, Chen Xi had returned to the outside world. He walked out of the private room and found Liang Bing before he told her everything he experienced today.

He wasn’t looking for Liang Bing’s assistance, and he was merely warning her that his fight with the Yin Clan disciples today would probably affect the Liang Clan and that he wanted her to be careful.

When facing this matter, Liang Bing fully displayed the aura of a queen that was imprinted deep within her bones, and she waved her hand in a domineering manner. “Do as you like. It’s doesn’t matter even if you pierce a hole in the sky!”