“Volunteer to be a seeded participant?” Duan Ling Tian’s eyes lit up upon hearing Lin Dong Lai’s words.
Just like Lin Dong Lai said, seeded participants would have to accept challenges from other participants. If one was not strong enough, it would be useless for one to volunteer to be a seeded participant since one would be knocked off one’s ranking very quickly. Moreover, one also risked injury that would affect one’s performance later on. For example, someone who could rank in the top 50 might not even be able to rank in the top 50 if he or she volunteered to be a seeded participant. Being challenged by other participants would inevitably result in injuries if one did not have sufficient strength.
“The various forces can select up to three people to volunteer as seeded participants. Three days later, I’ll send people to collect the list of names,” Lin Dong Lai said.
Many prodigies who planned to volunteer were disappointed when they heard Lin Dong Lai’s words. As it turned out, they had to be selected by their respective forces. Moreover, each force could only select three people.
“You may take your leave now, and we’ll gather again in ten days. At that time, we’ll announce the names of the 30 seeded participants.”
With that, the crowd began to disperse.
While Duan Ling Tian returned with the people from the Pure Yang Sect, he did not ask any unnecessary questions. After all, he knew he would definitely be selected as a seeded participant from the sect.
The young disciples from the Pure Yang Sect felt the same way as well.
“Duan Ling Tian will definitely be chosen as a seeded participant.”
“That’s right. However, I don’t know who the other two would be.”
Many of them looked at Ye Ying Cai, Yun Ye Wei, and the other three who were on par with the duo. Not counting Duan Ling Tian, these five people were the strongest disciples below the age of 10,000 in the Pure Yang Sect. Their strength was about the same.
After a while, someone said, “Wait! Don’t forget about the Ping Sheng faction’s Yang Qian Ye. Based on his performance previously, he’s no weaker than Ye Ying Cai.”
“You’re right! Yang Qian Ye is a possible candidate as well!”
“I think Yang Qian Ye has a good chance of being selected.”
“I agree. If you ask me, I think Yang Qian Ye might even be slightly stronger than Ye Ying Cai and the others.”
The conversations made Ye Ying Cai and the other four look at Yang Qian Ye with a complicated gaze. After all, Yang Qian Ye, whom they had once overlooked, was now as strong as them or possibly stronger than them.
At this time, Yuan Han Jin said to Yang Qian Ye through Voice Transmission, “Currently, among the younger generation below the age of 10,000 in our sect, Duan Ling Tian is the only one stronger than you. However, as long as you work hard, you’ll surpass him sooner or later. At that time, you’ll be able to kill him and avenge your childhood friends. I have faith in you.”
“Thank you, master,” Yang Qian Ye replied indifferently through Voice Transmission.
Yuan Han Jin frowned slightly when he heard the indifference in Yang Qian Ye’s voice. It might not seem significant to others, but to him, it was as though Yang Qian Ye had turned into a different person. After all, Yang Qian Ye had always been very respectful to him.
Yuan Han Jin wondered inwardly, ‘What happened? Did his personality change due to what he experienced in the Supreme Divine Mansion? Hmm, that’s likely the case…’
After that, Yuan Han Jin no longer dwelled on the matter.
Meanwhile, the young disciples of the Pure Yang Sect were still discussing among themselves.
‘Hey, if Duan Ling Tian and Yang Qian Ye were chosen, do you think Ye Ying Cai will be chosen as well? After all, he’s Elder Ye’s granddisciple.”
Ye Chen Feng was famous in the Pure Yang Sect, after all. In the past, he was slightly stronger than Liu Feng Gu, who was also rather famous. Now that he possessed a prominent divine artifact with a complete artifact soul, he was easily the strongest person in the Pure Yang Sect. Put everything aside, he led the entourage from the Pure Yang Sect to the Seven Mansions Feast and was in charge. If he really wanted Ye Ying Cai to be a seeded participant, it would be even easier than flicking his finger. Liu Feng Gu would definitely not object to it. As for the others, they did not have much say at all.
“I don’t think so. Elder Ye isn’t one to show favoritism.”
“I agree.”
Duan Ling Tian could not help but look at Ye Chen Feng when he heard the others talking about how fair and righteous Ye Chen Feng was. He would have been blinded by these words if he did not learn from Zhen Ping Fan how petty Ye Chen Feng could be. Of course, that did not mean Ye Chen Feng was not a good person. In the end, he thought to himself, ‘Elder Ye isn’t someone who would do something to give people grounds to criticize him…’
…
Ten days later.
Duan Ling Tian and the people from the Pure Yang Sect were making their way to the Seven Mansions Feast’s venue.
While making their way there, Ye Chen Feng said calmly, “Seven days ago, I submitted three names to be seeded participants to the Profound Jade Mansion. I chose Duan Ling Tian, Yang Qian Ye, and Yun Ye Wei.”
As Duan Ling Tian expected, Ye Ying Cai was not chosen.
However, a few people were somewhat surprised.
Yun Ye Wei was stunned as well since he did not expect to be chosen. However, realization dawned on him when he received a Voice Transmission from the old man next to him.
Since Ye Chen Feng and Liu Feng Gu were in charge this time, it was inappropriate for them to choose Ye Ying Cai or the most outstanding prodigy from the Tyrannic Saber faction since others might accuse them of favoritism.
Among the five outstanding prodigies in the Pure Yang Sect, not counting Ye Ying Cai and Yun Ye Wei, one of them was from the Tyrannic Saber faction and the other two were from factions that had very good relationships with the Hidden Sword faction and the Tyrannic Saber faction. This meant that Ye Ying Cai, who was from the Lang Ji faction, did not have any connections to the Hidden Sword faction or the Tyrannic Saber faction.
‘So, they’re using me as a shield?’ Yun Ye Wei thought to himself helplessly. However, he did not take offense. He continued to think to himself, ‘There are only 30 seeded participants. Each force gets to recommend 3 participants. There are 28 forces so there’ll be 84 recommended participants. Out of 84 participants, only 30 will be selected. I don’t think I’ll be selected. Duan Ling Tian will definitely get selected, and Yang Qian Ye has a decent chance of being selected as well…’
At the same time, Duan Ling Tian also learned of the reason why Yun Ye Wei was selected instead of Ye Ying Cai from Zhen Ping Fan. He did not think too much of it, and he was sure Ye Ying Cai and the others who were not selected did not think too much about it as well. After all, whether they were seeded participants or not would not affect the outcome. They would still be able to rank in the top 30 if they were unseeded as long as they were strong enough.
…
When the people from the Pure Yang Sect arrived, most of the forces had already arrived.
Soon after, Lin Dong Lai appeared again in a timely manner. He did not beat around the bush and said straightforwardly, “After several days of consideration, we finally selected 30 seeded participants from the lists we obtained from the various top forces in the Seven Mansions…”
Lin Dong Lai read out thirty names.
The 30 seeded participants were selected from all Seven Mansions, but not every force had the candidates they recommended selected. For example, no one from the Profound Jade Mansion’s Fortune Sect was selected.
Since the Fortune Sect, as one of the hosts of the Seven Mansions Feast this time, did not complain, the other forces, whose disciples were not chosen, did not complain as well. After all, if the host did not complain, what else could they say? Most importantly, being a seeded participant would not affect the final ranking at all.
At this time, someone from the Feudal Lord Mansion said, “I remember that during the previous Seven Mansions Feast, Elder Ye from the Pure Yang Sect wasn’t selected as a seeded participant as well. However, he was still ranked in the top 30 in the end.”
Many people turned to look at Ye Chen Feng upon hearing these words.
Currently, Ye Chen Feng was the founder of the Hidden Sword faction and an Ascension Elder in the Pure Yang Sect. He was also the strongest person in the Pure Yang Sect and the Eastern Ridge Mansion. Most importantly, he was not even 20,000 years old.
During the Seven Mansions Feast 10,000 years ago, Ye Chen Feng was not even 10,000 years old. At that time, he was also selected to represent the Pure Yang Sect in the Seven Mansions Feast. Alas, he did not even rank in the top 20, let alone rank in the top 10.
“10,000 years passed in just a blink of an eye. 10,000 years ago, Elder Ye’s peers were stronger than him, but 10,000 years later, none of his peers are a match for him. One shouldn’t worry about temporary wins and losses; it’s more important to take the bigger picture into consideration. Elder Ye is a good example of this…”
“I agree. Even if I’m not chosen as a seeded participant or I can’t rank in the top 30, it doesn’t mean that I’ll be weaker than all my peers in the future! Who knows? I might even be stronger than the Wanqi clan’s Wanqi Hong and the Pure Yang Sect’s Duan Ling Tian after 10,000 years!”
At the same time, no one was surprised that Duan Ling Tian was selected as one of the 30 seeded participants. In fact, everyone would have been surprised if he was not chosen.
Wanqi Hong from the Wanqi clan was the only one chosen to be a seeded participant from the clan.
Apart from Duan Ling Tian, Yang Qian Ye from the Pure Yang Sect was also chosen to be a seeded participant, surprising everyone.
“The Pure Yang Sect’s Yang Qian Ye kept such a low profile previously. If it weren’t for his explosive performance that one time, the Profound Jade Mansion would not have chosen him to be a seeded participant.”
“I’ve already said that Yang Qian Ye isn’t any weaker than the five top prodigies from the Pure Yang Sect; he might even be stronger. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been chosen by the Profound Jade Mansion.”
“There are only 30 seeded participants, and each force could only recommend three disciples. It’s quite amazing that two participants were chosen from the Pure Yang Sect.”
“It’s not just the Pure Yang Sect. Two participants were selected from the Howling Flames Sect as well. Apart from the dark horse, Lin Yuan, the strongest prodigy under the age of 10,000, Mo Luo Duo, was also chosen!”
“It’s not just that. Mo Luo Duo is widely acknowledged to be the strongest person under the age of 10,000 in the Profound Jade Mansion. He’s not weaker than Wanqi Hong!”
“Do you think he’s able to beat Duan Ling Tian?”
This was the first time Duan Ling Tian heard of Mo Luo Duo.
‘Mo Luo Do? The strongest person below the age of 10,000 in the Howling Flames Sect and the Profound Jade Mansion?’