NOVPUB"The Seventh Prince, could it possibly be...," someone exclaimed in shock.
Beneath the high platform, there were many people who, although not often in Phoenix Feather City, still knew many of the legendary tales about the Seventh Prince, Ji Jiucheng.
Compared to the other princes, who held legitimate identities, the Seventh Prince Ji Jiucheng was a royal bastard.
While the other princes were born in the Imperial Palace, Ji Jiucheng was merely born in an ordinary mortal village.
It was said that at that time, Ji Yunzhou was not yet the Sovereign of the Imperial Dynasty.
During one mission in the south, he encountered a woman.
The two of them developed mutual affection amidst the misty rain of Jiangnan, the land of fish and rice.
Latter, Ji Yunzhou left Jiangnan to ascend to the position of Sovereign.
To not affect Ji Yunzhou’s reputation, that woman quietly left Jiangnan, carrying her newborn child with her.
From then on, she disappeared without a trace.
...…
More than a decade later, a youth named Yue Jiucheng began to make a name for himself in the Phoenix Perching Empire.
Deep in the sea there was a Jiao Dragon, nine meters and nine in length, which often devoured villagers from fishing villages by the shore.
The youth, Yue Jiucheng, armed with a long spear, slew the Jiao Dragon amongst the Sea of Blood, pulled out its tendons, stripped its bones, and cooked its flesh in front of the fishermen’s village.
On the Nameless Mountain, there was the Yin-Yang Sect, practicing the art of dual cultivation, extracting the essence blood of boys and girls for their rituals, bringing slaughter and looting.
They wreaked havoc around Fengxi City.
The youth Yue Jiucheng ascended the mountain to annihilate the sect, entering the notorious mountain alone, his spear leaving no bodies intact wherever it pointed.
There was a youth who had traveled through the Phoenix Perching Empire, stepping through thirty-six cities, acting chivalrously, and honing his martial path.
Later, there was a rebellion by the Evil God Cult, and the youth joined under King Anding’s command, courageously fighting the enemy.
He had single-handedly infiltrated the Evil God Cult and killed the son of the Evil God Cult Hierarch.
Facing pursuit from three Emperor Pulse Realm martial artists, he eventually turned the tables during his escape and achieved a counter-kill that made him famous throughout the entire Phoenix Perching Empire.
His courage, talent, and temperament were all one in a thousand, and some even ranked him as the foremost of the younger generation in the Phoenix Perching Empire.
Later, when Ji Yunzhou learned of his lineage, father and son recognized each other, and Yue Jiucheng renamed himself Ji Jiucheng.
He also became the Seventh Prince of the Phoenix Perching Empire.
There are many legendary stories about Ji Jiucheng; in fact, within the Phoenix Perching Empire, many young people consider him a role model for their own ambitions.
He is a true example of a grassroots person achieving a complete reversal of fortune.
Even without the recognition from Ji Yunzhou, this young man would have carved out a grand path of his own.
...
As Ji Jiucheng stepped forward, the younger generation of the Wenren Family fell somewhat silent.
They were, of course, well-aware of Ji Jiucheng’s great name.
And deep down, they did not dare to claim they could surely win.
"Are you going to take the stage?" Ji Jiucheng advanced and asked Wenren Tianming.
"I have already been up once," Wenren Tianming said with an indifferent expression.
"Going up again would only make people think that our Wenren Family has no one else to send."
Ji Jiucheng did not insist; his gaze swept over the young people present and with a light chuckle, he asked, "Who might give me the honor of a lesson?"
The Wenren Family’s side clearly became quieter; the current score was one victory to one defeat.
This made the third match seem especially crucial.
The young people present did not have the self-confidence to surely win against Ji Jiucheng and naturally were not willing to shoulder the responsibility.
"If it really comes to it, I’ll go," Wenren Su spoke up somewhat impatiently.
"You want to go, so you can be beaten up by him?" Xu Zimei shook his head.
"It’s better than being a shrinking turtle," Wenren Su retorted, unwilling to back down.
Xu Zimei shook his head with a smile and slowly stepped forward.
"Grandfather, why don’t I give it a try?" Xu Zimei looked at Wenren Jingshi and said with a smile.
Wenren Tianming gave Xu Zimei a deep look but said nothing.
Wenren Jingshi looked somewhat disappointed at the younger generation of the Wenren Family and finally nodded his head.
He said, "Be mindful of your safety, don’t forcibly pursue victory."
"Who is this young man? A descendant of a collateral line?
I don’t seem to recall seeing him among the direct lineage of the Wenren Family," someone whispered in discussion nearby.
Ji Yunzhou, with a profound gaze, cast a glance at Xu Zimei and then watched the scene with great interest.
"Are you also a member of the Wenren Family?" Ji Jiucheng looked at Xu Zimei and asked.
"My mother is Wenren Yun, what do you think!" Xu Zimei replied.
"You come from the True Martial Holy Sect," Ji Jiucheng instantly realized.
The Imperial Dynasty had conducted thorough investigations of the two great families over the years, and the marriage of Wenren Yun to the Deputy Sect Master of the True Martial Holy Sect had caused quite a stir in the Phoenix Perching Empire.
As an entity of four emperors, even if the Phoenix Perching Empire exerted its national strength, it could not compare to the True Martial Holy Sect.
Even in the vast and distant Central Continent’s four major domains, only a few Sect Gates could rival the True Martial Holy Sect.
...
"I would also like to experience the talents from other continents, especially the disciples of the True Martial Holy Sect," Ji Jiucheng said smilingly.
Afterward, his aura surged around him, and he stepped onto the platform with extraordinary composure.
Xu Zimei, however, seemed extremely calm as he ascended the platform step by step.
"Dad, who do you think will win?" Yue Chang looked at his father, King Anding Yue Yunfei, and asked curiously.
Yue Yunfei shook his head slightly and said, "I am unfamiliar with the young man opposite, so I have no comment.
However, Jiucheng is the most outstanding of the younger generation I have seen in recent years."
Ji Jiucheng had once followed King Anding Yue Yunfei in battle during the eradication of the Evil God Cult.
So Yue Yunfei had some understanding of the other’s strength.
"There is more than one Northern Continent in this world, and Dad, you haven’t been to other continents either," Yue Chang retorted with dissatisfaction.
"Perhaps the talents from other continents are even stronger."
Yue Yunfei just smiled without speaking, not continuing to argue about this topic, and still focused his attention on the platform.
...
Atop the platform, Xu Zimei stood in a purple robe, appearing somewhat indolent, seemingly not taking this match too seriously.
Meanwhile, Ji Jiucheng, dressed in a Six-Clawed Python Yellow Robe, had his long hair fluttering without wind and his aura was climbing steadily.
Without even making a move, numerous cracks already appeared beneath his feet on the platform.
"Brother Xu, please," Ji Jiucheng slightly bowed to Xu Zimei and said.
"If I were to make a move, you probably wouldn’t even have the ability to resist," Xu Zimei shook his head and chuckled.
"You go first, use your strongest technique. Don’t say I didn’t give you a chance to make a move.
Otherwise, you might find it hard to accept the defeat."
"Brother Xu sure has confidence," hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Ji Jiucheng wasn’t angered but just chuckled lightly.
As his voice fell, the space around him began to fluctuate.
A long spear broke through the void in front of him.
The spear was two meters in length, completely dark red.
The spear tip shone with a silvery light, with a line of ancient runes inscribed on the shaft.
When Ji Jiucheng held the spear, its essence poured forth like a long river into the East Sea, shooting up into the sky.
The long spear hummed joyfully.
"When I, Ji Jiucheng, tread across the thirty-six cities, it was all thanks to the spear in my hand," Ji Jiucheng said with a light smile.
"Today, I will only use one thrust. If Brother Xu can catch it, I’ll consider it my loss."
