Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The end of the qualification battle did not make people any less excited about the Title Battle. On the contrary, most people could hardly wait. They wished the battle would start right away.
The Title Battle would start in three days. For the qualified participants, these three days were their last leisure time.
As an entertainment, Ling Yushi exhibited Ning Haotian’s divine piece of art at her Water Moon Cottage that night. Those ten weapons totally changed people’s opinions about the calligraphy works and the paintings of the Civil and Martial Arts Institute. Those present all made progress after pondering them; their fighting powers increased a lot. As a result, Ling Yushi and Ning Haotian achieved big fame in the ancient city.
On the other hand, people were doubting Tian Ling and Jiang Chen more and more. When Junior Sword Venerable arrived, he would disclose the truth of the two divine pieces of art. And his arrival would coincide with the day the Title Battle would be held. All of Jiang Chen’s detractors were hoping he would become notorious before thousands of people.
What was more, he would have to fight with Jiang Zhe. The situation seemed very unfavorable for him.
“Will his divine pieces of art be found false? And will he lose to Jiang Zhe at the same time?”
“He will turn into a big joke.”
“People like him, who rise in an unusual way, usually don’t end up well.”
Speeches against Jiang Chen spread all over the ancient city. Needless to say, it was the Spirit contingent who were starting all these rumors and trying to make trouble against Jiang Chen.
Without responding to any of this ridiculousness that was going on in the ancient city, Jiang Chen stayed in his room every day. Three days finally passed. For many people, each day felt like a year. Since private fights were forbidden in the ancient city, life was quite boring these days.
The Title Palace was situated on a mountain outside of the ancient city. People spread out all over the mountain even before the start of the battle. The 100 qualifiers also arrived early in the morning.
“Is this the Title Palace?”
Looking at the giant palace on the mountain, those who saw it for the first time were amazed. The Title Palace was located in a special terrain. It was built on a cliff, below which was a bottomless chasm. Opposite it were mountains. The Title Palace was not the only building on the cliff. Traces of other constructions could also be vaguely observed.
Beside the Title Palace, there was a wooden platform that extended out from the cliff. It was very old and shabby, with humid areas covered with vegetation and openings created by sabotage. The platform was right opposite to the door of the Title Palace. Standing on the platform and looking at the Title Palace from the same height, people found it surprisingly huge, although it did not look so when observed from a great height. The door alone was ten feet high.
Walking through the passage to the Title Palace from the platform, people would feel as if they were getting smaller and smaller. Jiang Chen and other qualifiers were standing on the platform. Various forces were standing on the mountain, and the Spirits were staying in the air. All of them were watching the qualifiers quietly. Many first-timers were wondering how the Title Battle would start. After all, it was not a simple contest that accepted challenges. All those titles alone were already complicated enough. It was unimaginable how these titles would emerge and how to compete for them.
“Let’s start.” The Title Battle started when everything was ready.
“All of you, try your best to manipulate your Holy Sea.” Instructed by Blood Shadow Royal Uncle, the 100 people on the platform all released a strong energy. It was overwhelming that 100 world-leading geniuses were doing this at the same time. Some people worried the old shabby platform would fall apart. However, of course the platform of the Title Palace was solid throughout the whole process. It did not even shake a little bit!
If it had been on the ground, even the earth would have been unable to bear the burden. In this way, everyone soon realized that the Title Palace was not a simple construction.
When the 100 contestants’ strengths had achieved their critical points, the wooden platform suddenly caught fire. However, no one panicked, because they were not real flames. It was a type of energy. The vegetation on the platform all disappeared. The damaged parts were restored. The platform looked new again. Even the wood grains could be observed.
Soon, all of the energy dashed toward the Title Palace along the passage. The Title Palace, which had looked like it was in ruins, was suddenly splendidly illuminated, as if it had just been woken up. Its red walls and golden roof were magnificent, showing an unparalleled prestige, as if this was the residence of some deity. Outside the Title Palace, a giant stele arose with great effort along with booming sounds.
“There it is!” A lot of people could not help but wave their arms. An excitement that they could not hide registered on their faces. The stele’s wide surface was even more smooth than a mirror’s surface. The stone surface emitted lights, which later turned into two lines of text:
“Reputation lasts forever. Bold kings’ blood soars in clouds.
Contemporary heroes are invincible.”
These two lines were known by most people. This meant the Title Battle would start right away. As to those titles, they had a pattern. The titles the Title Palace would endow were based on the 100 people standing on the platform. The length of the titles did not matter. What mattered was the intensity of the light that each word emitted. They would be white, red, purple, and golden. If a title was golden, everyone would compete for it. That was out of the question.
“Only one hour to go. Get ready for the battle.”
Everything had been made ready, but, according to every year’s routine, the first title would not emerge immediately. That was because the Title Palace would organize things according to the 100 contestants’ levels.
During this time, Jiang Chen and the others only had to wait patiently.
“We’ll be able to grab titles suitable for us once they appear. However, in the end, people will only remember the highest title,” Zhou Jianfeng said.
“Master has come,” Xiao Yujian suddenly said.
They saw Venerable Fengyu with the group from Cliff Mountain.
Jiang Chen and Fengyu Duo all went over to salute him.
“Jiang Chen.”
Venerable Fengyu was very happy to see his disciple.
He knew it was thanks to this disciple that Fengyu Duo’s injuries had recovered and they had defeated the Snow Swallow Sisters.
“This is karma,” he exclaimed. It was because he had gone to the Realm of True Force to rescue Jiang Chen that everything afterward happened.
“Jiang Chen, you must gain a title related to fire today.” The Fire Venerable was a straightforward person. He would say whatever came into his head. People who had heard him all looked toward the Fire Spirit. In past battles, the Fire Spirit had made a clean sweep of all titles related to fire.
In fact, as long as the test item was related to the Lore Martial Realm, the eight Spirit clans were all at an advantage.
“The titles are decided based on the people most suitable for them among all of the participants. In some sense the result has already been decided. The titles are destined to belong to some people. Talking big can’t change anything.” A neither too loud nor too low voice came from the Fire Spirit.
Everyone heard it clearly. “That’s Huo Ji, a great Fire Spirit genius!”
It was a man who had spoken. His resolute face had two shocking scars on it, but what was more terrifying was his pair of flame-like eyes.
The grudge between Jiang Chen and the Fire Spirit had started from Cliff Mountain, and then his conflict with Huo Zhengyu followed. Three days ago, ten-odd Fire Spirit disciples died indirectly because of Jiang Chen. The hatred between them had grown enormous.
“As long as it’s related to the lore, he has no right to get it,” a great genius from the Wind Spirit also said.
“I won’t let you get any title related to swordsmen,” Song Hao said.
Jiang Chen suddenly became the center of attention. Although these people did not mention his name, everyone knew who they were talking about.
