<h4>Chapter 2023 (Raw 2119): Competition Begins</h4>


    Xiao Chen appeared rather calm. Not to mention the Golden Dragon Pce’s Qin Mu, just the Silver Dragon Pce’s Yuan Xi was already tricky to deal with.


    Even if Xiao Chen had the Five Element Divine Lightning, he could not afford to get careless. One could be confident, but not arrogant.


    Xiao Chen asked cautiously, “What is the first stage?”


    The First Pce Master and Elder Tian Yun did not reply to that. They only said, “There are two stages to thepetition between the seven outer pces. The two stages are closely rted to each other. If you cannot get a good rank in the first stage, it will directly impact the second stage.”


    Since the two could not say it, Xiao Chen did not ask again.


    —


    Night quickly fell, but this night was destined not to be peaceful.


    The Golden Dragon Pce heaven-ss core disciples entered the Qin n’s residence. Then, the Golden Dragon Pce’s Third Pce Master, Qin Feng, called Qin Mu over to speak to him alone.


    “Uncle Qin, why did you call for me thiste?” Qin Mu already guessed that it had something to do with thepetition between the seven outer pces.


    The Golden Dragon Pce’s Third Pce Master, Qin Feng, cut to the chase. “I’ll tell you straight. Don’t hold back in the first stage tomorrow. It is different from the past. The first stage will directly impact the results of the entire Golden Dragon Pce.”


    Qin Mu raised an eyebrow and sighed, “That decisive?”


    “Yes. There’s no need to ask about the rest. You have to get first ce.”


    Qin Mu nodded. “I’ll do my best.”


    Although Qin Mu said that, he did not care too much in his heart. Even if he did not use his trump card, he was confident of taking first ce without any pressure in the first stage.


    Simr scenes happened at the various gathering points of all the outer pces.


    The leaders of the various outer pces made simr requests of their strongest disciples: to hold nothing back and obtain the first rank in the first stage.


    Hence, the atmosphere of thepetition between the seven outer pces turned somewhat tense. The disciples had to go all out in the first stage already, to engage in desperate battles.


    This was somewhat different from the pastpetitions between the seven outer pces.


    —


    Early morning, the next day, the heaven-ss core disciples of the various outer pces departed at the same time.


    Thepetition between the seven outer pces took ce in a restricted area of the ancient Divine Dragon City.


    By the time the Heavenly Dragon Pce’s First Pce Master led Xiao Chen and the others over, the people of the other outer pces had long since arrived.


    At the Golden Dragon Pce contingent’s location, Qin Mu opened his eyes slightly, then closed them again after ncing at Xiao Chen.


    Several heaven-ss core disciples immediately looked at Xiao Chen. They pointed and discussed with each other in soft voices.


    This Heavenly Dragon Pce’s white-d desman already caught their attention before thepetition between the seven outer pces began.


    Xiao Chen previously defeated heaven-ss core disciples from the Golden Dragon Pce and the Silver Dragon Pce, fighting one against two.


    Then, Xiao Chen had opposed Qin Mu upon arriving in Divine Dragon City.


    This shocked everyone and made them look at Xiao Chen in a different light.


    However, aside from curiosity, most of these gazes contained some pity.


    No matter who Xiao Chen was, everyone knew that he would not have a good end after offending Qin Mu.


    Xiao Chen remained calm, ignoring these looks. He only sized up the area before him curiously. It held arge, circr formation te.


    The formation te flickered with lights of various colors.


    Boundless Spiritual Energy circted along the formation lines. asionally, talisman scripts leaped out.


    The lights of five colorsyered over each other, forming an energy ball that revolved in ce, glowing beautifully.


    Many people whispered to each other, wondering what this formation was for.


    “Whoosh!”


    Suddenly, dragon roars rang out in the sky. Five beams of lights soared through the sky from south to north.


    These formed many steps of light. Then, some figures appeared above, standing on the light steps.


    “It’s the people from Ancestor Dragon City!”


    Upon seeing the dragon motifs on the clothes of those figures, the people below turned somewhat excited.


    Ancestor Dragon City grasped the core authority of the Divine Dragon Empire. One came in contact with the core of the empire only after entering it.


    Only then would one be qualified to sweep through the northern region, standing on the vast stage of the entire Central Great Realm and iming a ce of their own.


    A white-d old man on the light steps exuded intense pressure as he looked down. Then, he said seriously, “For the first stage of thepetition between the seven outer pces, the various outer pces will send their strongest person into the formation. When they walk out of the formation, the rankings will go by the order they exit. The first one out is the first rank, the second one out is the second rank, and so forth.


    “For whoever obtains the first rank, all of the heaven-ss core disciples of their outer pce will be qualified to enter the second stage. The second rank’s outer pce will have forty slots for the second stage. The third rank’s outer pce will have thirty slots. As for the remaining outer pces, they all will get fifteen slots.”


    The white-d old man’s words caused a hugemotion among the various outer pce disciples.


    To think that this was how the first stage was designed.


    At this moment, Xiao Chen understood the First Pce Master’s words. If he could obtain the first or second rank, all of the Heavenly Dragon Pce’s heaven-ss core disciples could enter the second stage.


    Due to limited resources, the Heavenly Dragon Pce had much fewer disciples than the other outer pces.


    Forty slots were sufficient to let all of its heaven-ss core disciples enter the second stage.


    Even obtaining the third rank waspletely eptable.


    No wonder the First Pce Master felt so excited—unable to hide it—when he learned that Xiao Chen had arrived in time.


    “Outer pces, quickly decide on your representatives.”


    “Golden Dragon Pce, Qin Mu!”


    “Silver Dragon Pce, Yuan Xi!”


    “Red Dragon Pce, Ding Jun!”


    “Blue Dragon Pce, Feng Wuheng!”


    ...


    “Heavenly Dragon Pce, Xiao Chen!”


    The figure of each selected representative turned into a beam of light that entered the five-colored energy ball at the formation te.


    “Good. Now that your representatives have been selected, the various outer pces need to select two people to enter the formation to block the people of the other outer pces,” the white-ss old man continued after ncing around.


    This sudden rule shocked the leaders of all the outer pces.


    The information that the various leaders obtained the previous night did not include this.


    The face of the Heavenly Dragon Pce’s First Pce Master sank. This rule dealt a massive blow to the Heavenly Dragon Pce, which had low umtions.


    If the experts of the other outer pces injured Xiao Chen, the strongest disciples of the other outer pces would pull ahead.


    Then, if the outer pce representatives met each other and fought, the injured Xiao Chen would be disadvantaged. The situation immediately turned unfavorable.


    The other outer pces with better umtions—notably the Golden Dragon Pce and Silver Dragon Pce—startedughing after being stunned momentarily at hearing the second rule. This was great news for them.


    The First Pce Master’s gaze swept around beforending on Lu Feng, Bai Yunfeng, and Xiao Jinyu.


    Finally, the First Pce Master decided on Lu Feng and Xiao Jinyu. Both of them were experts of the Sword Dao. If they worked together, they should be stronger.


    “The two of you, then. Do your best to injure the strongest disciples of the other outer pces when you meet them. That will decrease the pressure on Xiao Chen.”


    The First Pce Master looked earnestly at the two. Now, it was no longer Xiao Chen fighting alone.


    Lu Feng and Xiao Jinyu felt immense pressure. They said seriously, “Disciple will do his best.”


    “I’ll leave it to you two.”


    The Heavenly Dragon Pce disciples turned somewhat anxious.


    Initially, the Heavenly Dragon Pce disciples already felt somewhat nervous at sending Xiao Chen to deal with the strongest disciples of the other outer pces alone. Now, such a rule appeared.


    Their situation had worsened.


    The fate of all the Heavenly Dragon Pce’s heaven-ss core disciples depended on Xiao Chen, Lu Feng, and Xiao Jinyu.


    Everyone watched as Lu Feng’s and Xiao Jinyu’s figures entered the energy ball at the same time.


    After the various outer pces selected their people, the five-colored energy ball at the formation te red with a piercingly bright light.


    Then, the resplendent light suddenly vanished, and threerge, ancient, bronze doors carved with dragon patterns appeared in the center of the formation te.


    Whoever was the first to push a door open and walk out would obtain the first rank.


    Thepetition between the seven outer pces formally began at this moment.


    The First Pce Master sighed, “The nning lies with men, the oue with heaven. I did my best already. Tian Yun,e with me and meet Ancestor Dragon City’s Lord Feng.”


    The two soared up, along with the leaders of the other outer pces. Theynded on the light steps spreading across the sky and greeted Ancestor Dragon City’s Lord Feng.


    At the same time, they watched the situation below together.


    Everyone hoped that the strongest heaven-ss core disciple from their own outer pce would be the first to open a bronze door.


    The many heaven-ss core disciples present also waited anxiously.


    After all, this matter affected whether they could enter Ancestor Dragon City or not.


    Everyone silently cheered on the strongest disciple of their outer pce.