Chapter 147: Chapter 128 I Am Ye Chen
Chapter 147: Chapter 128 I Am Ye Chen
Dongyang City is the city nearest to the Taixuan Sect.
As the top-ranked sect among the thirty-six sects of the eastern region of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, the Taixuan Sect's fame is significant not only within the eastern region but throughout the entire kingdom; it is a place many powerful individuals frequently visit.
These mighty individuals often make their stops in Dongyang City, making the city exceedingly lively.
And the liveliest place in Dongyang City is none other than the Dongyang Grand Tavern, which only martial cultivators may enter!
Although the Dongyang Grand Tavern has only three floors, it covers an area of several thousand zhang in circumference. The first floor is open only to cultivators of the True Qi Realm, the second floor to those of the Spirit Sea Realm, and the third floor is reserved for big shots of the Rotating Pill Realm!
On this day, the first floor of the Dongyang Grand Tavern was filled with True Qi Realm martial artists. They were chatting idly as they drank.
It should be known that the first floor of the Dongyang Grand Tavern has hundreds of tables. Although it has always been crowded before, it has never been filled to capacity as it is now.
The reason the first floor of the Dongyang Grand Tavern was so crowded was that the once-every-three-years selection competition for true disciples of the Taixuan Sect was about to begin.
This selection for true disciples was not just a significant event for the Taixuan Sect but also for the entire Heavenly Wind Kingdom. Many True Qi Realm disciples from other sects, as well as Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses and even Rotating Pill Realm experts, had come flocking in, drawn by the news and eager to witness this grand event.
Before the competition started, most of the crowd gathered in Dongyang City, which wasn't far from the Taixuan Sect, which is why the Dongyang Grand Tavern was bustling with so many people.
At this moment, Ye Chen was sitting by a window on the first floor of the Dongyang Grand Tavern, eating and drinking while listening to the chatter of the True Qi Realm martial artists at the other tables.
After leaving home, it took Ye Chen just two days to reach Dongyang City.
The selection competition for true disciples of the Taixuan Sect hadn't started yet, so he settled down in Dongyang City and had been wandering around while waiting for the competition to begin.
The Dongyang Grand Tavern was a place Ye Chen frequented.
This was a place only martial artists could enter, and where talked about were the strange and unusual happenings of various sects and schools, which naturally interested Ye Chen.
Moreover, as the day of the selection competition neared, more and more disciples from other sects were coming to the Dongyang Grand Tavern, and Ye Chen heard more and more interesting news.
This day was the last before the start of the Taixuan Sect's selection for true disciples, and the sole topic of conversation in the entire tavern was about the upcoming competition.
"Do you know, after three years, the Taixuan Sect's selection for true disciples has attracted many formidable contenders. I know of at least ten talented powerhouses!" said a group of four cultivators at the ninth level of True Qi at a table not far from Ye Chen, engaged in a spirited discussion.
"Who are they? Tell us!" someone asked eagerly.
"I've heard that there's a girl called 'Yu Luoxuan' who's extremely impressive. Even before the competition has begun, numerous strong members of the Taixuan Sect have already deemed her the inevitable champion of this selection for true disciples!"
"They say her talent is among the very best of the Taixuan Sect's disciples in recent years. Only 'Jiang Yao', the number one prodigy of the Taixuan Sect, may have a slight edge over her!"
"That powerful!" Hearing that "Yu Luoxuan" could almost compare with Jiang Yao, many people gasped.
They all knew of Jiang Yao's great reputation. The idea that this girl named "Yu Luoxuan" could be mentioned in the same breath as Jiang Yao naturally astonished them.
"There's also a youth named Mu Yunlei who is quite outstanding. I heard he has caught the eye of one of the Eight Great Inner Peaks of the Taixuan Sect, 'Jinyang Peak', and they're just waiting until after the competition to select him as a true disciple!"
After discussing the talented contenders of the upcoming selection competition, the conversation took a turn and suddenly shifted to Jiang Yao who we mentioned earlier.
"Have you heard? Our eastern region's top prodigy, 'Jiang Yao', has found someone she likes!" This revelation drew the attention of martial artists from many surrounding tables.
"What?"
"Jiang Yao has someone she likes? Who is it?"
Many people's expressions changed as they promptly pressed for details.
Jiang Yao was a young woman many martial artists admired immensely. The news that she had taken a liking to someone left many with mixed feelings.
Some younger martial artists couldn't believe it: "Sister Jiang Yao wouldn't easily take a fancy to someone. You must be mistaken!"
"Mistaken? I have reliable information, witnessed by many!" the previously speaking young martial artist affirmed confidently.
"Come on, who is it? I want to know who is worthy of Sister Jiang Yao," urged several young men.
The young martial artist continued, "It's said that his name is Ye Chen!"
"Ye Chen? I've never heard of him before!" Many were unwilling to believe it. "I'm from a seventh-rank sect, and I've cultivated to the twelfth layer of the True Qi Realm, yet I couldn't win Sister Jiang Yao's heart. What merits does this Ye Chen have to make her like him?"
"It's said that Ye Chen killed a mid-Spirit Sea Realm elder from the Heavenly Net Sect, incredibly formidable. It seems he must be a senior at the later stages of Spirit Sea Realm, or perhaps even in the Rotating Pill Realm. Isn't it odd for such a senior to win Jiang Yao's affection?" the young martial artist explained.
A senior in the late stages of the Spirit Sea Realm? In the Rotating Pill Realm?
Upon hearing this, many were stunned: "But… but if his realm is that high, wouldn't Ye Chen be much older? Then he's even less suitable for Sister Jiang Yao!"
Hearing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but shake his head and laugh out loud.
He had started listening to those people discussing the formidable figures in the selection competition for true disciples and found it quite entertaining, only for the conversation to end up involving Jiang Yao.
Even more ludicrously, the conversation had turned to him, and they had even described him as an elderly senior!
He was only fifteen years old, for goodness' sake!
It must have been the spread of the incident when he killed the Heavenly Net Sect elder Zhou Yuntian at Qingyun Sect that was getting out of hand, especially since Qingyun Sect had expelled him and it was inappropriate to mention his status as a disciple of Qingyun Sect, leading to increasingly wild rumors.
"Brother, what are you laughing at?" A martial artist at the adjacent table saw Ye Chen shaking his head and couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Do I look like an old senior to you?" Ye Chen asked with a smile.
The warrior shook his head: "No, why?"
Ye Chen stood up: "I am the Ye Chen you're talking about. I'm only fifteen years old, at the eleventh level of the True Qi Realm. I'm certainly no old senior!" -check-original
"What, you're that Ye Chen? The one Jiang Yao has a crush on?" As soon as many people heard Ye Chen's words, they all looked towards him.
"Only fifteen with the eleventh level of the True Qi Realm? How could Jiang Yao possibly like you! Keep dreaming!" After sensing Ye Chen's True Qi aura, many people shook their heads repeatedly.
Ye Chen didn't bother to explain further, he just rose to his feet and left with a smile.
The next day, the grand gates of Taixuan Sect swung open, and the selection for the Taixuan Sect's true disciples officially began.
When Ye Chen arrived at Taixuan Sect's gate square, it was already bustling with people's voices and full of excitement.
At that moment, the gate square was divided into three major areas. The first huge area on the outer side of the square was for the Taixuan Sect disciples who weren't participating in the selection of true disciples and for disciples from various sects who had come to observe the competition; they could only stay in this zone.
The second large area was the section for Taixuan Sect disciples who were participating in the selection event. Only those with a "Selection Token" for true disciples could enter it.
As for the third major area, it was located at a higher position of the gate square; it was an exclusive zone for the big figures of Taixuan Sect and other sect officials who were invited to observe the competition.
At this moment, the first area was already packed with people, the second area had several hundred Taixuan Sect disciples prepared to participate in the selection, and the third area was still empty.
After hearing about the square's division rules, Ye Chen made his way towards the second area.
He intended to participate in the selection for true disciples, so he naturally needed to enter this second zone.
"Stop right there!"
"Who are you, and why are you here? Only disciples participating in the selection for true disciples can enter. You should stay in the first area and not come in!"
The second area was guarded by four Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses of Taixuan Sect. Seeing Ye Chen approaching, one of the Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses scolded him directly.
"I am here to participate in the selection for true disciples. Here is my 'Selection Token,'" Ye Chen said as he pulled out the token that Fairy Jia Luo had given him and handed it to the Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse.
"A Selection Token?" The Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse took the token from Ye Chen's hand and examined it. "It is indeed a Selection Token. But how come you have a Taixuan Sect true disciple's Selection Token?"
Seeing the puzzled expression of the Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse, Ye Chen himself felt somewhat puzzled. Hadn't Fairy Jia Luo informed them that he was going to participate in the selection?
The commotion between Ye Chen and the Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse had already attracted the attention of many.
"Eh, isn't that the young man from yesterday?"
In the crowd, many warriors who had been at Dongyang Grand Tavern the day before immediately recognized Ye Chen.
"That young man claimed yesterday that he was the senior Ye Chen we talked about!"
"And today he's trying to barge into Taixuan Sect's true disciple selection area!"
"Has he gone mad?"
Many people looked at Ye Chen with a hint of contempt in their eyes.
Ye Chen, whose Divine Sense was exceptionally powerful, had heard their words long ago, and he felt quite helpless.
It seemed people wouldn't believe the truth even when it was spoken.
Just as Ye Chen was about to explain his possession of the Selection Token given by Fairy Jia Luo, he heard a surprised voice calling out: "Ye Chen!"
Then, Ye Chen saw a peerlessly beautiful girl flying towards him from inside Taixuan Sect.
The girl's long hair fell straight to her waist like a waterfall, her bright eyes as clear and pure as the stars, and the tiny dimples on her white, stunning cheeks were intoxicating.
This peerless beauty, if not Jiang Yao, who else could it be?
"Jiang Yao!"
"The top talent of the Thirty-Six Sects, and also the most beautiful girl, Jiang Yao!"
Everyone on the gate square saw the flying beauty and opened their eyes wide.
They then saw Jiang Yao land right in front of Ye Chen.
When they saw Jiang Yao's small hand taking hold of Ye Chen's hand, those warriors who had been contemptuously calling Ye Chen senseless were rendered completely speechless.
They looked at Ye Chen with widened eyes. "He... he really is that Ye Chen?! The one Jiang Yao has taken a liking to?!"