<h4>Chapter 1928 (Raw 2029): Dragons Gathering</h4>


    Dueling za, Heavenly Dragon Pce:


    On this particr day, when the sun just rose, the surroundings already teemed with people.


    Countless inner and outer pce disciples gathered in groups of threes to fives around the dueling za.


    This was the ce where Xiao Chen and the others took the core disciple test that day.


    Today, the heaven-ss core disciple selection would take ce here as well.


    The heaven-ss core disciplepetition was a major matter for the Heavenly Dragon Pce. None of the core disciples in closed-door cultivation in the sect or wandering around outside would let this chance slip away.


    If they missed this chance, the next chance woulde only three yearster.


    Even if the core disciples could not obtain the heaven-ss core disciple slot, an excellent performance would still garner extraordinary rewards.


    More importantly, they had to provide a worthy ount of themselves.


    If the core disciples did not even have the courage to participate and feared death, then there was no need for them to remain core disciples.


    As for the inner and outer pce disciples, they wanted to see if they could learn anything from the core disciples, besides watching the excitement.


    Normally, only about one thousand core disciples would be in the sect.


    However, on this day, all the core disciples in closed-door cultivation, adventuring outside, orpleting missions would do their best toe to the dueling za.


    Describing the heaven-ss core disciple selection as picking one out of ten thousand was no exaggeration.


    Thepetition was extremely intense. One had to bring out one’s full strength and skills. Hence, many rare powerful techniques would be seen.


    “Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”


    Just then, many strong auras arrived. Yi Qianyun walked down the mountain, escorted by many core disciples.


    Hundreds of people followed behind Yi Qianyun, a tide of people looking like a crowd of starsplementing the moon.


    After several years of hard work, Yi Qianyun managed to create a small faction among the core disciples with him as the leader.


    Normally, theseckeys used Yi Qianyun’s name to go about suppressing the other disciples.


    Yi Qianyun received benefits from this. He was also happy to see this happen, relying on these benefits to chain this group of core disciples together as one.


    As long as Yi Qianyun continued growing stronger, his followers would be able to obtain even more benefits. They shared glory and failure.


    There were many such factions among the core disciples.


    The Heavenly Dragon Pce Elders did not object to this. As long as things did not go overboard, they even encouraged the core disciples to do this.


    This further intensified thepetition between the core disciples.


    It also drove home to those core disciples without any factions the cruel reality of this world, spurring them to take part in an even intenserpetition.


    Yi Qianyun was one of the big names. He had be famous many years ago. Before he advanced to Holy Venerate, he could already fight above his cultivation realm.


    Now that he had advanced to Great Perfection middle-stage Holy Venerate, he was the front-runner for the heaven-ss core disciple slot.


    “Yi Qianyun is here!”


    “His following is really as big as ever. He truly is an expert among the veteran core disciples. He has so many supporters.”


    “Strange, why do I not see Zhang Yunxuan beside him?”


    “Hahaha! You are asking about Zhang Yunxuan? I heard that he had a stroke of bad luck and got locked up in the Blood Dragon Guards’ prison. Yi Qianyun tried to spring him several times but failed.”


    “Haha! That fellow is really unlucky.”


    Although the inner pce disciples, as well as the outer pce disciples who heard about him, acknowledged Yi Qianyun’s strength, they did not like him.


    If Yi Qianyun really managed to get the heaven-ss core disciple slot in this selection, many people would probably be unhappy about it.


    Just at this moment, two more groups of people came. The leaders of these groups were Fang Tianyi and Qin Yan.


    These two were disciples of big ns and possessed True Dragon bloodlines. They had excellent talents and had heaven-ss Elders as their masters.


    In less than half a year, these two managed to establish their own factions. The followers they had were not much less than Yi Qianyun’s.


    These two apparently knew that thepetition between core disciples was not just a personalpetition but also depended on the number of supporters they had.


    Otherwise, when one went out during a conflict, one risked getting heavily outnumbered.


    When Yi Qianyun saw these two appear, he frowned slightly, and a murderous intent shed in his eyes.


    It had been just half a year, and these two’s improvements made Yi Qianyun feel threatened.


    “Senior Brother Yi, this is the heaven-ss core disciple selection, not a gang fight. What is the point of bringing over such arge group of people? Could it be that you think that you can be a heaven-ss core disciple by having more people?” Fang Tianyi mocked when he saw therge number of people behind Yi Qianyun.


    Qin Yanughed and said softly, “Perhaps Senior Brother Yi thinks differently from us. After all, he is one of the veteran core disciples. If he still does not advance to heaven-ss core disciple, he won’t have another chance. It’s inevitable that he would take extraordinary measures.”


    “Hahaha! I understand. I understand.”


    Fang Tianyi and Qin Yan echoed each other. This angered the people behind Yi Qianyun.


    However, Yi Qianyun’s expression did not change as he said, “They just have sharp tongues and are feeling cocky. There is no need to bother about them.”


    As time went by, more core disciples showed up at the dueling za.


    However, this dueling za was extremely vast. It was capable of containing more than one hundred thousand people, so it was not that crowded.


    Furthermore, this was before the spatial formations were activated. With the spatial formations activated, the dueling za could easily amodate one million people.


    “Whoosh!”


    Just at this moment, a ck-d youth holding a sword with a cold expression slowly revealed himself.


    This person looked quite skinny. Although he was not old, he had a weathered face.


    He exuded a strange air that prompted the people around him to move back automatically, not willing to stand with him.


    “It’s Zhang Ye, Senior Brother Zhang!” someone among the inner pce disciples eximed in surprise when he recognized this person.


    [TL Note: Based on the information in this chapter, I believe that this Zhang Ye is different from the one that Xiao Chen fought in the third stage of the test to be a Heavenly Dragon Pce core disciple in Chapter 1888 (Raw 1899).]


    “It really is Senior Brother Zhang. Didn’t he meet with an ident when he went to the Snow Region on a mission?”


    “I heard that he already qualified to be a heaven-ss core disciple the previous time. However, there was an ident, and many people thought that he died.”


    “Senior Brother Zhang is actually still alive!”


    After the ck-d person who suddenly appeared was recognized, his identity immediately caused a hugemotion.


    The new disciples felt confused, but the expressions of the many veteran core disciples changed.


    This was especially so for Yi Qianyun, who was shocked. “He is actually still alive...”


    Yi Qianyun managed to rise up among the core disciples back then only because something had happened to Zhang Ye. This was why he could reach his current position.


    Unexpectedly, this person appeared again today.


    Yi Qianyun had many questions, but Zhang Ye’s appearance here meant that Zhang Ye had obtained the sect’s permission and still had the qualifications topete for the heaven-ss core disciple slot.


    “Junior Brother Yi, you have improved during the three years I didn’t see you.” Zhang Ye smiled coldly after turning his head back and looking at Yi Qianyun.


    Yi Qianyun felt a chill and trembled internally. He needed some time before he managed to rid himself of this fear in his heart. Then, he said calmly, “Senior Brother Zhang, it has been a long time.”


    So what if you returned? I am already no longer who I was three years ago. Even if youe back, the heaven-ss core disciple slot will still be mine!


    “Senior Brother Zhang!”


    “Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”


    Just at this moment, several powerful auras appeared in the dueling za. No one expected so many experts to be hiding among the core disciples.


    If not for Zhang Ye showing up, they would not have exposed themselves at all.


    These people were older, and most had only this one chance left. If they still failed, then they would lose their qualifications topete for a heaven-ss core disciple slot for the rest of their lives.


    Hence, they normally took a low-profile approach to the way they did things, unlike Yi Qianyun.


    This turn of events instantly elevated Qin Yan, Fang Tianyi, and the other new core disciples’ opinion of this Zhang Ye.


    Zhang Ye’s sudden appearance not only triggered discussions among the many disciples but even drew many of the strong, low-profile veteran core disciples into the open.


    The situation grew even more confusing.


    “Whoosh! Whoosh!”


    A sh of sword intent and a bolt of lightning descended from the sky at the same time, as though prearranged.


    “ng!” Xiao Jinyunded straight on the za. Then, he looked around coldly, and his gaze settled on the figure that the lightning bolt turned into.


    This person was dressed in white and had long hair draped over his shoulders. No expression could be made out on his delicate face.


    This was the famous White Robes Xiao Chen, the White Robes Xiao Chen of the seven outer pces.


    Although these two appeared at the same time, everyone’s attention focused on Xiao Chen, just like Xiao Jinyu’s did.


    “Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”


    Countless eyes turned to Xiao Chen, wanting to see the rumored White Robed desman, who chopped down Rakshasa Tian’s clone with one saber strike before saving the me Dragon Legion single-handedly.


    In this gathering of dragons, be it Xiao Jinyu, Yi Qianyun, Zhang Ye, or the other low-profile core disciples, the same figure reflected in their eyes.


    The fame of a person was like the long shadow that a tree cast on its surroundings; such great influence dominated everyone else.


    Only Xiao Chen could receive such treatment.