As the hidden undercurrents quietly stirred the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, the world continued advancing towards the single goal of the masses, rife with anticipation and opportunity: the Chosen King Competition!
After years of sub-par showings, unable to produce a Chosen King, this event slowly earned the reputation of having some superficial importance to the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, seen more as a means to gain rare alchemical products, resources, and remembrance of the grand legacy the King of Everlore left behind. It was mostly treated as a farm by which to obtain resources to nurture talent or seize rare products for Ascended beings; now, with the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill's existence and the advent of the new Chosen Standards, the hope of a Chosen King rising amongst the hopefuls was rekindled.
Moreover, due to the indeterminate manner by which the King of Everlore had left behind the rules and requirements of rewards, the gains this time were bound to be more bountiful than ever! Spurred by such promising futures, the Chosen were working harder than ever before to prove themselves, and organizations risked it all to support them.
This period between the Chosen King Competition's beginning date and the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit's end was coined by the common people as the Era of Rising Immortals. It was speculated that due to this period of rampant cultivation, the next generation of elites would far, far surpass their ancestors. While this was merely hopeful speculation, fueled by the desire to be part of the greater change, the common people rallied for it.
The Golden Gate Pavilion was flexible in their approach as well, and they hastily announced the removal of their Immortal Hero and Immortal Saintess Ranking, replacing both rankings with the Immortal Monarch Ranking. Those on this ranking were deemed by the Golden Gate Pavilion as having the greatest chances of becoming future pillars of the next era of cultivation, non-categorized by gender. Essentially, they had the greatest chance of becoming Earthly Saints!
The pot was stirred and stirred! The Chosen aspiring for greatness sought to enter the rankings to validate their genius and talents, letting the world know of their outstanding future! It soon became commonplace to term Chosen that are in the top 100 ranking as Chosen Princess or Chosen Prince, while the #1 ranking was given the title of Young Chosen King or Young Chosen Queen!
When the Golden Gate Pavilion announced the list, the uproar was filled with excitement, and then when they revealed their initial top 100 rankings, the uproar could be described as cataclysmic!
Why?
Because it was none other than…
…Wei Wuyin!
The Neo-Dawn Alchemic Sovereign!!
The announcement caused quite a commotion because the concept of Chosen wasn't based on their skills in alchemy or any of the Creationists' Daos of study, but legitimate combat strength by virtue of cultivation! A vocal few felt that the list was unfairly determined, calling into question the standards that the Golden Gate Pavilion had set. Fortunately, by the established rules of the rankings, Wei Wuyin was soon dethroned after a single day after he declined to enter the Rising Immortal Stadium as a projection that was regulated by the Golden Gate Pavilion to determine the rankings.
The Rising Immortal Stadium was funded and overseen by the Golden Gate Pavilion, creating an artificial Spiritual Incarnation of two Chosen and pitting them against each other. Due to the lopsided nature of the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill and this generation, the older Chosen wasn't able to dominate the stadium, with many not even entering the top five hundred.
To be honest, the Golden Gate Pavilion was unable to reach Wei Wuyin! They didn't publicly announce this, only saying he declined to enter! Still, others fought for the recognition and opportunity to be classified as a Chosen Prince, Chosen Princess, or the Young Chosen King or Queen!
-----
At the edge of the Everlore Domain, there was a lone, tiny-sized Lunar Satellite that exuded a sanguine glowing tint, basking in the distant radiance of the Aeternal Sky Solar Star. It was mostly barren, lacking an atmospheric layer to grow an ecological system.
On this moon, there was a mountain that was twenty thousand feet high, the tallest on the surface, standing out. In fact, there were five mountains in total, and if one saw it from afar, one would feel as if the moon resembled a five-clawed palm. At the peak of the tallest mountain representing the middle claw sat a lone figure, cross-legged, without any shoes. They wore a loose robe of grey with their defined upper-torso half-exposed.
Woosh!
From afar, a Voidship approached. It was a small-sized, well-crafted vehicle with its hull embroidered with various roses. Despite being out in Dark Void, where there was an absence of air particulates, just seeing it felt as if a particular fragrance could be smelled.
It soon arrived at the edge of the gravitational influence of the lunar satellite. At the helm of the Voidship, an auburn-haired swordsman of elegant looks yet command presence observed the lunar satellite with a glint of apprehension. There were few things that Hong Chunhua feared, but if she had to name the cultivators that terrified her, there were three that sent shivers down her spine.
The first was Wei Wuyin; he was her Ascendant Emperor, and her reverence and belief in him were firmly established, further cemented by her current achievements, the feats he'd performed thus far, and those silver eyes that felt as if all truths were grasped. She always felt exposed.
The second was Su Mei; she was Wei Wuyin's right hand, and her strength brought her a sense of inferiority that was impossible to remove. There was just something about her, something dangerous that originated from the depths of her soul.
The third was none other than this person here, sitting alone on his declared territory. She held back her urge to gulp, recalling those scarlet eyes, that innate ferocity within his aura that seemed bound to unleash indescribable levels of carnage.
Zuhei!
Not even Wei Wuyin nor Su Mei brought her this level of unease.
Hong Chunhua skillfully anchored the Voidship. With a heavy breath, she formed a hand-seal and sent out a spiritual ripple toward Zuhei. She knew better than to land on his territory. She lowered the barriers and waited.
"..." A breath later, Hong Chunhua felt a presence behind her. Her eyes constricted slightly—she smelled death. An icy sensation overwhelmed her spine, and she had to circulate her cultivation base to disperse it. She was still the First Commander of the Ascendants, a designation of her greatest pride, and not even discomfort could overwhelm that unwillingness to disappoint her life's title.
She turned around, her eyes steady and calm.
Zuhei was there, no more than five meters away, staring at her with those scarlet eyes that resembled bloody stars! She clasped her hands respectfully using the Ascendants' unique greeting, "Lord Zuhei." While she was the First Commander of the Ascendants, Hong Chunhua knew that there were statuses within the Ascendants that exceeded her authority.
The Ascendants called them titled Ascendants. One of them was Zuhei—the Fangs and Claws. Others called Su Mei by a title as well—the Light of the Ascendants. In the beginning, she was the guiding light of the Ascendants, assisting them and being the greatest driving presence of their growth. While Wei Wuyin was the reason, he was elusive, rarely showing himself except at critical moments, such as orientation or inspections.
Zuhei unblinkingly stared at Hong Chunhua. The latter soon dispersed her hesitation, "Here's the report." She brought out a Spiritual Jade and sent it over.
Zuhei smoothly grabbed it, his senses delving into its contents, and his eyes closed. Suddenly, Hong Chunhua felt that all the death, blood, and sensations of carnage within Zuhei receded like a tide, allowing her to appreciate his long white hair and handsome features. Despite being a beastman, Zuhei was outstanding for his gender.
"Tell me," Zuhei said, his eyes remaining closed.
Hong Chunhua nodded, "I met Lin Ming, the Archaic Chosen of the True Element Sect, at the Golden War Realm three years ago. His cultivation base was at the Realm World Phase, I…" She proceeded to detail her experiences, including their first fight for the Golden Key. This was their 'first' fight because, over the course of the next three years, they had fought a total of four times.
The first fight was her victory. But he escaped with the Golden Key after a Golden Storm sprung up in the area without reason, allowing him to escape. Golden Storms were one of the spontaneous dangers of the Golden War Realm, and she had to resist.
The second time they fought was after she obtained her own Golden Key and they fought at one of the Caches. Unfortunately, she was ganged up upon by Lin Ming and four women. One of which was the Tang Clan's Young Mistress, Tang Xingyun, including Bai Yuxi, the Granddaughter of the Guardian of the Elements, and a body-refiner of the Boundless Martial Sect.
She was bound to be equally as important.
With a few external factors contributing, the fight was inconclusive.
The third time was shortly after. She fought Lin Ming for a brief period, only a few exchanges, but his strength had considerably risen during that period.
"...he used a powerful Spiritual Art that lowered my Spiritual Strength by sixty percent. Due to the restrictions, his Majesty placed when interacting in these training realms, I was unable to gain an advantage and could only retreat…"
The fourth time was at the end of the Golden War Realm's three-year period. At the time, Hong Chunhua used her Dawnbreaker Swordlight Quintessence to resist the Spiritual Art's restriction at the cost of some cultivation, but Lin Ming had…
"He used Elemental Heart Intent."
Zuhei's eyelids quivered slightly. This was a power that only his Master had grasped before.
She compiled the information that Zuhei sought, and as his Majesty instructed. To put it in his Majesty's words: "To remind him." Clearly, this Lin Ming was a whetstone which Zuhei was using to fuel his cultivation, sharpening his fangs and claws. And in truth, seeing the seething air around him, she felt her heart race—it was certainly working.
After a long while, Zuhei opened his eyes to reveal their scarlet-colored allure and then gave a nod. Hong Chunhua nodded in response.
Woosh!
Zuhei vanished with a flicker.
Hong Chunhua wasn't shaken by his speed but felt her heart grow cold as she was unable to sense him. She turned to the lunar satellite and sighed in her heart. Only a single figure sat there. Hong Chunhua thought back and recalled the orders of his Majesty, and how it wasn't just given to her, but the other Ascendants as well.
Hong Chunhua softly whispered, "Good Luck." Then, she flew off. She still had an assignment to complete.
-----
Karmic Luck Value: 41,132.3.
First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.
Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.
Third Calamity: Suppressed - 0 Year.
-
Karmic Luck Value: 41,132.3.
First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.
Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.
Third Calamity: Initiating.