An imperial king-level ruler.
That meant he’d fully mastered at least one dao and condensed its dao heart.
Between the earth supreme and diviner level, there were roadblocks at every step, and that was even truer between the diviner and ruler level. If you wanted to pursue a dao to perfection and condense its dao heart, you needed talent, but in truth, you also needed compatibility.
These were young talents the great emperors had gathered. There’s no need to describe how stringent their requirements were again.
Breaking through and becoming a diviner in less than a thousand years already made one a shocking talent. Becoming a ruler was downright monstrous. But even monsters were like fireflies compared to the moon that was such a young imperial king; the gap was huge.
Of the people on the flying ships, Liu Qing would have been the center of attention and the focus of their training efforts if not for the youth and the girl beside him. But they were here, and they’d completely blotted out her radiance.
“Hmph.”
Although Liu Qing wasn’t particularly concerned about that sort of thing, as a genius, she naturally had a genius’ pride. Before arriving at the Tenth Divine Mountain, she’d noticed that girl and that youth. She could clearly sense how much of a threat they were to her.
The divine general level girl was a bit easier for Liu Qing to take.
Don’t be fooled by her appearance; to people at their cultivation, appearance was no way to determine someone’s age. It had only been a hundred years since Liu Qing ascended. Even factoring in her time in the Modern Realm, it had been less than two hundred years since her birth.
Who knew? That girl might very well be eight, nine hundred years old. Liu Qing thought that, so long as she had enough time, she could get strong enough to beat that girl to a pulp.
But Liu Qing couldn’t manage even the slightest desire to compare herself to that imperial king youth. They’d come here on two separate ships, but even so, the moment she laid eyes on him, she could sense his daring, as well as a certain sharpness to him.
Even if the gap in cultivation were smaller, she guessed that whatever dao he cultivated, it was extremely despotic.
“Why is it them?”
“He’s actually here too?”
The Ocean Emperor and Xuan Ji exclaimed in unison. Up on the ship, Liu Qing heard every word.
She knew that their exclamations weren’t directed at her, but rather, at the girl and the youth.
Although she showed no sign of unusual behavior on the surface, Cui Twelve was right by her side. He could sense the changes in this girl, Her Seventeenth Highness, Bi’an’s most favored, the genius who’d come all the way from the Modern Realm, the girl who was almost like a little sister to him, right away.
Cui Twelve couldn’t help but grimace and shake his head. He was one of the group’s rare ruler-level experts.
Logically speaking, he’d ascended less than a thousand years ago, and he should have been proud to break through so quickly. But he was clear that he wasn’t even remotely comparable to the true monsters on these boats.
Ye Zichen naturally took in the great emperors’ surprise, but before he could ask, the four flying ships landed on the ground, stirring up huge clouds of billowing dust.
Those standing on the ground instinctively used their divine power to block the scattered dust. Before long, the great emperors steering the flying vessels arrived before the others.
“You sure took your time getting here,” laughed the Ocean Emperor.
“Heh, you’re really saying that? While you lived in ease and comfort on the Divine Mountain, we were out gathering up young talents. Nevermind thanking us for our hard work, you’re really making fun of us for being slow?” Great Emperor Bi’an laughed and berated him, then waved Her Seventeenth Highness, Liu Qing, over.
Liu Qing noticed and walked over. Cui Twelve went with her.
“You ought to know, but Little Seventeen, Liu Qing, is our Four Directions Palace’s youngest highness. It’s been about two hundred years since I brought her here….” Bi’an began introducing her.
“Less than two hundred years,” said Liu Qing. She wouldn’t normally act like this. Becoming a ruler in two hundred years was an enormous shock to just about anyone. Even among the currently famous great emperors, few had broken through to the ruler level so quickly.
She was acting like this entirely because of that girl and youth; she didn’t want them to steal her limelight.
“That’s right, less than two hundred years. Or rather, just a little over a hundred. In her ruler cultivation, she’s already reached the peak of the Dao of Fire, and she’s just a step away from condensing its dao heart,” said Great Emperor Bi’an.
“I’ve heard tell of Her Seventeenth Highness’ shocking talent, but there’s nothing like seeing it with my own eyes.”
The great emperors burst into cheery laughter.
“As for my Four Directions Palace’s Twelfth Highness, Cui Twelve, he never condensed a godhead, but he’s proficient in divination, and is a ruler, too.”
“Greetings, great emperors.” Cui Twelve bowed to them respectfully.
The small group who’d already become rulers were undoubtedly to be prioritized, and they were sure to receive massive quantities of resources.
The other ruler-level young talents were introduced one by one. They took particular care to introduce Xia Keke, who the dragons treated with the utmost importance, and who the Dragon God had high hopes for. After hearing that, the great emperors’ hopes for her increased too.
But she didn’t seem as concerned with appearances as Ye Zichen. She completely disregarded the great emperors’ present and, as soon as she landed, stuck right to Ye Zichen’s side like glue.
This was just their first batch of young talents. After this, the great emperors would continue searching and gathering up top talents. They’d brought four ships, and they included a full ten readers. The great emperors were satisfied with this number.
However, they were rather concerned about that girl with the doll and the cold, aloof youth.
“Don’t look at me like that.” The girl holding the doll herself resembled a doll carved of pink jade. She clutched her doll and hid shyly behind the youth.
The cold, arrogant youth, meanwhile, completely disregarded the great emperors’ gaze. He looked up proudly, then cupped his fist at the Ocean Emperor in greeting, but the gesture was emotionless, and not particularly friendly.
“Ocean Emperor, long time no see.”
Xue Yang smiled faintly and nodded. The other great emperors seemed to know something, and when they looked at the two of them, they seemed rather awkward. Ye Zichen knit his brows and wondered how this proud youth knew the Ocean Emperor.
But his next words made Ye Zichen, Pu Jingwan, and the rest of his friends’ eyes widen in shock. “I lost last time due to my own carelessness. If we fight again, you won’t necessarily be a match for me.”
Everyone instantly froze. It was as if the youth’s words had frozen the very air itself.
The girl hiding behind his back reached out and tugged the hems of his clothes. “Big Brother, when we left, auntie said we had to be polite.”
The youth ignored her. He simply stared the Ocean Emperor down with that same wanton arrogance. But before long, he turned his gaze to Ye Zichen.
His gaze seemed to be evaluating him, and it was decidedly uncomfortable. The rudeness of it made Ye Zichen frown despite himself.
Then, they saw the youth’s eyes flash with inquisitive light. “So, you’re Ye Zichen?”
