Of course, their hearts were racing!
As hosts and Rotating Pill Realm martial artists of the Spirit Sea Realm Sword Competition, they could not participate, so the rewards set by the Heavenly Sacred Palace themselves were surprising.
But according to the rules of the "Hidden Dragon Ranking Competition," these nine late-stage Rotating Pill warriors could, just like everyone else, participate in the Hidden Dragon Ranking Competition and vie for one of the three spots to enter the Heavenly Sacred Palace, which naturally excited them immensely!
Joining the Heavenly Sacred Palace!
And the rewards of three Sacred Artifacts bestowed by the Vice-Lord of the First Holy Temple!
Such opportunities and rewards were coveted even by these nine late-stage Rotating Pill experts.
Even if they ultimately failed in the competition with countless powerhouses and did not secure one of the three spots nor rank within the top three of the Hidden Dragon Ranking Competition, they would certainly not hesitate to participate!
After all, with the chance to join the most powerful second-rank sect in the entire Central Region, "Heavenly Sacred Palace," they would naturally want to be involved!
The news of the two grand events shocked the nine immensely, and when Snow Jade inquired the Nine Swords Heavenly Saint about the reason behind the Heavenly Sacred Palace's involvement in these two grand events, which turned out to be related to a young man from the Southern Territory named Ye Chen, two of the nine late-stage Rotating Pill experts were completely stunned and speechless.
One of them was, of course, Daoist Wine Sword from the Southern Territory.
Ye Chen was the one whom Daoist Wine Sword invited to the Sword Competition, and upon hearing Ye Chen's name, he immediately thought of the remarkable young man who had caught his attention.
However, when he learned that Ye Chen had gained the attention of the Heavenly Sacred Palace's Envoy and successfully joined the Heavenly Sacred Palace, even though Daoist Wine Sword had a hunch it was the very same incredible young man he was well-acquainted with, he still found it somewhat unbelievable, fearing it might be another person with the same name.
But when the Nine Swords Heavenly Saint specifically mentioned that this Ye Chen came from a sixth-rank sect in the Heavenly Wind Country of the Southern Territory, Daoist Wine Sword instantly became certain, certain it was the Ye Chen he knew!
That was the Ye Chen who had been extraordinarily brilliant even in the Spirit Sea Realm, who had even slain the Heavenly Sacred Palace's split soul in the ancient tombs, holding in high regard by the strongest in the Southern Territory, the Dragon Xuan Heavenly Saint!
"Gara the Fairy and the others were summoned to train in the secret grounds of the Heavenly Sacred Palace, and I came to the Central Region to host the Sword Competition. I thought Ye Chen was still in the Tai'a Sword Sect, striving to cultivate for the upcoming battle between the Southern Territory and the Western Wilderness, planning to come here to the Sword Competition to check things out."
"I never expected Ye Chen to arrive in the Central Region ahead of time and be noticed by the Heavenly Sacred Palace, joining the most powerful second-rank sect in the Central Region. My god, Ye Chen is simply too incredible! Give him a little more time, and our Southern Territory's hope might all rest on him. He is already so powerful in the Spirit Sea Realm.
If he steps into the Rotating Pill and Heavenly Saint realms, the entire Western Wilderness might no longer dare to confront the Southern Territory!"
Although here to host the Sword Competition, the looming battle between the Southern Territory and the Western Wilderness had always been a weight on Daoist Wine Sword's mind. Now that he heard about the Heavenly Sacred Palace's Envoy's great interest in Ye Chen, it was simply fantastic news for him!
Daoist Wine Sword could hardly wait for the Sword Competition to begin soon, eager to meet Ye Chen and see the miraculous youth from the Southern Territory who had also caused a great sensation in the Central Region!
Besides Daoist Wine Sword, the other one who was incredibly astonished was Daoist Kusun, one of the nine late-stage Rotating Pill experts, responsible for selecting the Western Wilderness contestants for the Sword Competition and from one of the ten great demonic sects of the Western Wilderness.
This "Daoist Kusun" was a middle-aged cultivator clad in a black robe, his True Qi robust and boundless, his aura not the least bit weaker than that of Daoist Wine Sword.
Because of the blood feud between the Southern Territory and the Western Wilderness, among the nine great Rotating Pill Realm hosts of the Spirit Sea Realm Sword-fighting Competition, "Daoist Kusun" and Daoist Wine Sword could not get along at all.
Even when he was selecting candidates from the Western Wilderness for the sword-fighting competition, he did so with the intention of having Western Wilderness sword cultivators overwhelm those from the Southern Territory. This time, he specially chose many powerful sword cultivators.
But now, suddenly, tremendous news had come—they said that the Southern Territory had produced a Ye Chen who had caught the full attention of the Heavenly Sacred Palace Envoy. It was even said that because of Ye Chen, the Envoy had specially set up two grand events, granting additional spots to enter the Heavenly Sacred Palace.
Daoist Kusun knew what this implied—it meant that this Ye Chen was not merely a disciple entering the Heavenly Sacred Palace, but a true prodigy, one that could make the Heavenly Sacred Palace take serious notice and regard him with high esteem!
This gave Daoist Kusun a sense of crisis; he was already prepared to relay this news back to the ten great demonic sects of the Western Wilderness.
Now, according to the Phoenix Spirit, Jiang Yao was finally about to complete her bloodline awakening and fully accept the bloodline inheritance of the Divine Phoenix Clan, and would leave the Phoenix Blood Pool to meet Ye Chen again—naturally, Ye Chen was extremely excited!
In these past few days, Ye Chen had become a true personage of influence within the Tai'a Sword Sect, and countless people who wanted to make his acquaintance were streaming endlessly into the small courtyard arranged for him by the Elder Xiao.
But on the day of Jiang Yao's emergence, early in the morning, Ye Chen had closed the doors of the small courtyard tightly, refusing to meet with anyone.
Even to Elder Xiao and Mu Qingqing, Ye Chen had made it clear that he did not want to be disturbed that day.
Seeing how much importance Ye Chen was placing on this matter, Mu Qingqing instantly knew it had to be the extremely important girl who was cultivating in some Sacred Space Artifact, as Ye Chen had mentioned, was coming out of seclusion!
Elder Xiao sent a message instructing everyone not to disturb Ye Chen, while Mu Qingqing stood directly outside Ye Chen's courtyard, wishing to catch a glimpse of the girl whom Ye Chen cared so deeply for and see what she looked like.
Meanwhile, Ye Chen, after closing the courtyard door and setting up a protective barrier, entered directly into Azure Blue Mansion.
"Phoenix Spirit Elder."
Upon entering Azure Blue Mansion, Ye Chen saw Phoenix Spirit who was already waiting for him.
"Ye Chen, you must be anxious. Come on, let's go to the Phoenix Blood Pool and wait for Jiang Yao to come out," said Phoenix Spirit, seeing Ye Chen's expression; she knew exactly how he was feeling and with a gentle smile, she led him towards the Phoenix Blood Pool.
Ye Chen had visited the Phoenix Blood Pool countless times in the past few months.
But this time, with Jiang Yao about to leave seclusion, Ye Chen's heart was the most unsettled when he arrived at the Phoenix Blood Pool.
How did Jiang Yao's cultivation go?
Even though Phoenix Spirit said Jiang Yao had achieved the optimum bloodline awakening state for the Divine Phoenix Clan, love breeds anxiety, and until Ye Chen heard it from Jiang Yao herself, he couldn't be completely at ease.
Standing beside the Phoenix Blood Pool, looking at the beautiful girl sitting in meditation in the pool hundreds of feet wide, her waterfall-like black hair floating on the surface, and her delicate body entirely enshrouded by the icy blue aura of the Phoenix Blood Pool, Ye Chen quietly waited.
One incense stick, two incense sticks, one hour, two hours...
When three hours had passed, within the endlessly surging mysterious icy blue aura of the entire Phoenix Blood Pool, suddenly three clear and resonant phoenix cries were heard!
"Jiang Yao has completed the bloodline awakening; she is about to emerge!"
At the sound of those three phoenix cries, both Phoenix Spirit and Ye Chen were immensely uplifted.
As they watched with a mix of nervousness and excitement, the entire Phoenix Blood Pool began to churn wildly with countless currents and ripples, until finally, "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh," the aura and water enshrouding Jiang Yao seemed repelled by an unknown force, revealing her clear and distinct figure.
And as those currents and ripples dissipated beside Jiang Yao, she slowly opened her eyes as if awakening from a profound dream.
The girl's eyes, as bright as stars, still black and glistening, and her snow-like skin and delicate features, remained staggeringly beautiful!
When the girl opened her eyes and returned to her senses from the peculiar state of bloodline awakening, the first thing she sought was Ye Chen!
The first thing she saw was indeed Ye Chen standing by the edge of the Phoenix Blood Pool, nodding with a gentle smile towards her.
Seeing Ye Chen, joy that could not be concealed shone in the girl's eyes, and the strange months of awakening seemed to vanish in an instant.
"Ye Chen!"
With a soft smile, Jiang Yao's figure lightly moved, and she soared out of the Phoenix Blood Pool, flying towards Ye Chen by the poolside!