At first, the many Heavenly Dragon Palace heaven-class core disciples did not dare to believe their eyes.
Only when the white-bearded old man announced that the Heavenly Dragon Palace’s Xiao Chen obtained the first rank did they startle awake. Their long-suppressed emotions burst out in spontaneous cheering.
“Junior Brother Xiao Chen took the first rank!”
“It really is the first rank! The first rank belongs to our Heavenly Dragon Palace! We are not the last!”
The eyes of many Heavenly Dragon Palace disciples turned somewhat moist. The earlier feeling felt too unbearable.
“Don’t cry. Don’t make a joke of yourselves in front of others,” Bai Yunfeng warned softly. However, his eyes had also turned moist at some point in time.
Although it was just the first rank for the first stage, it was a significant achievement in the Heavenly Dragon Palace’s history.
It had been many years since the Heavenly Dragon Palace broke out of the last place. Many of the Heavenly Dragon Palace Elders did not know how long the Heavenly Dragon Palace had been last.
The Heavenly Dragon Palace had suffered much mockery and disdain.
Today, Xiao Chen managed to snatch the first rank. How could the Heavenly Dragon Palace disciples not feel excited?
The Silver Dragon Palace heaven-class core disciples were stupefied, showing stunned expressions, unwilling to believe.
Although Lord Feng from Ancestor Dragon City already announced the result, the Silver Dragon Palace heaven-class core disciples still found it somewhat unacceptable.
The expression of Yuan Tai, who mocked the Heavenly Dragon Palace disciples earlier, was somewhat unsightly. He sneaked a peek at Bai Yunfeng and the others and discovered that they were paying no attention to him at all, their focus purely on Xiao Chen.
Yuan Tai heaved a sigh of relief. If Bai Yunfeng and the others chose this moment to mock the Silver Dragon Palace disciples, it would be a big slap to their faces.
As for getting slapped with Xiao Chen’s obtaining the first rank, Yuan Tai could only endure, unable to lose his temper.
Yuan Tai consoled himself, saying, “It’s fine. It’s fine. This is just the first stage. The second stage is more important. As long as Senior Brother can enter the top three, it will be fine.”
The Silver Dragon Palace heaven-class core disciples all cast their gazes on the final bronze door.
They hoped that Yuan Xi would push the door open.
The first rank was Xiao Chen; the second rank was Qin Mu. If the third rank was not Yuan Xi, then the Silver Dragon Palace would rank last in this stage.
However, after waiting for a long time, the last bronze door still did not open.
Yuan Tai and the others showed somewhat unsightly expressions.
“Senior Brother Yuan Tai, the door is opening!” someone cried out as he pointed to the huge formation plate in front.
Yuan Tai rejoiced as he looked over quickly. He saw the ancient, bronze door opening slowly.
Then, the White Dragon Palace’s Ling Xiao walked out with a victorious smile on his fatigued face.
The many Silver Dragon Palace disciples felt like they had plunged into an icy cave.
When Bai Yunfeng saw this scene, he was slightly startled. Then, he laughed softly, “What a surprise! The Silver Dragon Palace failed to get into the top three. However, the people of the Silver Dragon Palace probably do not mind. They did support the rules of this first stage earlier.”
Bai Yunfeng’s voice was not loud, but Yuan Tai and the other Silver Dragon Palace disciples found these words incredibly jarring.
This was especially so since they mocked Bai Yunfeng and the others earlier, when they expressed support for Ancestor Dragon City’s rule.
This time, Yuan Tai received a tight slap to his face. He set this trap and fell into it by himself; he could not rebut at all. He looked extremely unsightly.
The other outer palaces discussed this, as well. For a long time, everyone acknowledged Yuan Xi as the strongest person after Qin Mu. Now, the Silver Dragon Palace ended up in the last rank in the first stage.
“Boom!”
The appearance of Ling Xiao marked the end of the first stage.
The various outer palace disciples who had been sent to attack the strongest disciple of the other outer palaces were sent out. The white-bearded man said, “That’s enough. You all go and rest first. I will announce the rules for the second stage two hours later.”
“The Snake-Tailed Tiger could not stop you, and you even managed to get the first rank. You should celebrate that you did not meet me,” Qin Mu said coldly with a sullen expression as he stalked past Xiao Chen. He left without turning his head back.
Qin Mu felt extremely depressed, extremely aggrieved. Anyone would be upset with this. He had pushed the ancient, bronze door open first and had already been enjoying the cheers of the audience, basking in the victor’s glory.
However, the tables flipped, and he turned into the second-ranked in the blink of an eye. Had his mental state been bad, he would have erupted in rage on the spot.
“Brother Xiao, congratulations on obtaining the first rank,” the Blue Dragon Palace’s Feng Wuheng said softly with a smile and a cupped-fist salute as he walked over.
After the two fought in the hall and decided the victor, Feng Wuheng had decisively withdrawn and stopped fighting. This allowed Xiao Chen to preserve most of his Veritable Essence Energy and Great Dao Energy.
Hence, Xiao Chen could shatter the ancient bronze door open in one strike.
Xiao Chen did not end up like Qin Mu, drained of energy and only able to slowly push the ancient, bronze door open.
“You are too polite.”
These two could be considered to have befriended each other through a fight. Xiao Chen could obtain the top rank due in part to the other party’s assistance. It had been a close victory.
“Haha! Goodbye. I’ll see you during the second stage.”
Feng Wuheng showed a carefree smile before turning and leaving.
“Junior Brother Xiao Chen, you obtained the first rank?” Lu Feng said with some shock as he looked at Xiao Chen while walking over with Xiao Jinyu.
Lu Feng and Xiao Jinyu had been inside the formation plate. They only learned the outcome when Feng Wuheng came to congratulate Xiao Chen, completely shocking them.
“I was just fortunate.”
Right after Xiao Chen spoke, his expression changed, having noticed the extremely horrifying injuries of the two. Terrible sword wounds with lingering sword intent covered them. The sword intent still had not scattered, infiltrating the two’s bodies.
“Your wounds…”
When speaking of these wounds, the two revealed smiles. Lu Feng explained excitedly, “We successfully attacked and injured Yuan Xi. Both of us believed that he absolutely would not be able to clear the final trial.
“The First Palace Master told us to do our best to help you a little. Although Yuan Xi did not run into Junior Brother Xiao Chen, it was worth it.”
When the two came to know that Xiao Chen obtained the first rank, they felt overjoyed, completely forgetting their injuries.
However, Xiao Chen felt a heartache. These wounds were quite severe; Yuan Xi had been ruthless in his attacks.
“You two mixed-blood dragons, don’t let me run into you in the second stage. I, Yuan Xi, swear to make you two pay the price!”
Unable to hold back his murderous intent, Yuan Xi brushed by the two, glaring at them as if he wanted to start a fight.
If not for these two, how could Yuan Xi have lost to Ling Xiao?
Just at this moment, Yuan Xi’s expression froze. He suddenly discovered an even more terrifying murderous intent surging towards him,
Then, Xiao Chen declared coldly, “I, Xiao Chen, also swear that if you dare take revenge on the two of them, I will repay it tenfold. This is just a warning. You’d best not run into me during the second stage!”
Xiao Chen did not get angry at Qin Mu’s provocation; he did not even say anything.
However, Yuan Xi truly infuriated Xiao Chen.
Initially, Xiao Chen already felt anger because of the sword wounds on Lu Feng and Xiao Jinyu. Yuan Xi’s attacks were too ruthless.
Based on some of the wounds, had these attacks not been deflected slightly, the consequences would have been dire.
To think that Yuan Xi did not want to let the two of them off, wanting to take revenge on them during the second stage. This touched Xiao Chen’s reverse scale.
Yuan Xi felt startled. Xiao Chen’s murderous intent already affected his mental state.
Yuan Xi forced out a cold smile and retorted, “Do you think I fear you?”
After dropping this line, Yuan Xi immediately left, not daring to clash with Xiao Chen in murderous intent.
“Junior Brother, there is no need to be so serious. Perhaps he was just talking. After all, we are all of the Dragon Race.” Lu Feng felt somewhat surprised at Xiao Chen’s serious expression.
Xiao Chen said softly, “That had better be the case. Let’s go. The First Palace Master is still waiting for us. I’ll get him to treat your injuries.”
“Right.”
Ling Xiao, the last person remaining on the formation plate, watched as the three left. He muttered, “So, my third rank is thanks to those two. That is surprising. To think that Yuan Xi suffered at their hands in a clash of the Sword Dao. It looks like the Heavenly Dragon Palace cannot be underestimated.”
When the three rejoined the Heavenly Dragon Palace’s group, they found the First Palace Master waiting for them.
“We have succeeded in our mission!” Xiao Chen said seriously with a cupped-fist salute and a bow.
“Please don’t, please don’t!”
Elder Tian Yun rushed forward and cut short Xiao Chen’s bow. He said, “Those who can stand at the top of the Heavenly Dragon statue do not need to bow to anyone. Our Heavenly Dragon Palace’s rules are not that strict. Furthermore, you are also our hero. The First Palace Master, the disciples, and I all have to thank you.”
The First Palace Master smiled warmly and said, “Tian Yun is right. I have not been this happy for many years already. It truly has been many, many years…”
The nearby heaven-class core disciples were still young, but the First Palace Master had experienced a lot. Even when he spoke calmly, others could easily hear the age in his voice.
The First Palace Master looked around, and his gaze fell on Lu Feng and Xiao Jinyu. A gratified expression flashed in his eyes. “Very good. Not only did Xiao Chen surprise me this time, but so did the two of you. Come with me. I’ll treat your injuries.”
The First Palace Master probably had more to say, but when he saw the injuries on Lu Feng and Xiao Jinyu, he limited himself to a few short words and personally helped the two eliminate the lingering sword intent.
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On the other side, the Silver Dragon Palace’s outraged Second Palace Master scolded Yuan Xi with a cold expression.
Ranking last meant that the Silver Dragon Palace had only fifteen slots, which was entirely unacceptable.
The Silver Dragon Palace’s accumulations and number of heaven-class core disciples were second only to the Golden Dragon Palace’s. Fifteen slots mean that a large portion of their members could not enter the second stage.