Swish, swish, swish!
For a moment, everyone's gaze turned toward Ye Xuan in unison.
Clearly, with cultivators from two Northern Region sects present at this gathering of heavenly prodigies, a storm was bound to erupt.
Nangong Fei also looked at Ye Xuan with great curiosity.
In truth, she had not spoken up for Ye Xuan just now solely because she wanted to uphold justice.
Rather, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with Ye Xuan, though she could not put it into words.
Now, she wanted to see how this Ye Xuan, who appeared to possess a Mortal Body, would respond.
At the table, Ye Xuan slowly set down the wine cup in his hand.
"Hahahaha!"
Before Ye Xuan could even rise, Qi Chuan raised his hand and said with a laugh, "The Sect Tournament is tomorrow. Today is merely a banquet. It wouldn't be good to harm our harmony!"
He knew about the Violet Firmament Sect's situation. Besides, he and Su Ziyun could be considered old acquaintances. If he caused trouble in the Marquis Manor, others would inevitably accuse him of throwing his weight around to bully people.
"How about this?"
"I obtained an Inquiry Stele in my early years. It can measure the level of one's comprehension!"
"If the heavenly prodigies present are bored, you can come and give it a try. No need for fists or feet, and cultivation level doesn't matter. It can still determine who is stronger. How about it?"
The Inquiry Stele!?
Hearing this, the heavenly prodigies immediately became interested.
Wouldn't that mean all of them could participate as well!?
"Oh!? The Marquis actually has such a treasure? Then we're rather curious!" The Eastern Region City Lord raised his brows.
"Hahaha, naturally!"
Qi Chuan laughed heartily, then raised his hand and summoned a stone stele. With a boom, it landed in the center of the main hall.
Ye Xuan also raised his eyes toward the stone stele. He found that it was nine feet tall, three feet wide, and two feet thick. Its surface was covered in mottled marks, as though it had been tempered by countless martial techniques and divine arts.
Moreover, its material was extraordinary, and complex runic seals were hidden within it. It should have been used by an ancient sect for cultivation.
"This is the Inquiry Stele. All you outstanding talents may come forward and give it a try. You only need to comprehend it, and the runes on its surface will manifest. The more runes that appear, the higher your comprehension of the martial path!"
"Comprehension is also part of a cultivator's talent!"
After Qi Chuan finished speaking, the outstanding disciples of the various sects rose one after another, eager to try.
"I'll go first!"
At that moment, Chen Kun, the Holy Son of Ba Yue Mountain, was the first to move. He went straight to the stone stele.
As the Holy Son of a body-tempering sect in the Barren Continent, Chen Kun was not especially outstanding in comprehension. Thus, he might as well go now and avoid making a fool of himself later.
He raised his hand and pressed it against the stone stele, sending his thoughts into it. Yet more than a dozen breaths passed, and the stele showed no reaction whatsoever.
"Heh, Chen Kun, your brute strength is decent, but when it comes to this, you'd better not go up there and make a fool of yourself!"
Luo Ming, the Holy Son of Cloud-Leaving Monastery, sneered with his hands behind his back.
"Shut up!"
Chen Kun's face flushed red. He activated his Spirit Physique, and a mountain phantom instantly flickered behind him. He punched the stone stele directly.
Buzz!
The stone stele trembled softly with a hum. Half a rune manifested upon it, its radiance dim.
"Chen Kun, you still need to improve your comprehension!" Qi Chuan said with a frown.
"This junior understands!" Chen Kun withdrew his fist and returned to his seat dejectedly.
When it came to comprehension, he had indeed embarrassed himself.
"Let me try!"
Luo Ming, dressed in a white Daoist robe and holding a horsetail whisk, came to the stele. He first carefully examined the mottled marks on its surface, then raised his hand and pressed it against the stele.
Yet just like Chen Kun earlier, several breaths passed without the slightest ripple from the stone stele.
"Tsk, you were mocking me, but aren't you the same!?"
Seeing this, Chen Kun sneered, feeling considerably better.
At that moment, beads of sweat faintly trickled down Luo Ming's forehead.
He had not expected the Inquiry Stele to be so difficult!
The mottled marks on its surface seemed to contain an ocean of profound mysteries. Trying to comprehend them was like sailing across a vast sea.
Buzz!
Thus, even though Luo Ming racked his brains to comprehend it, he ultimately only made a single rune manifest on the stone stele.
"Hehe, a complete rune is already quite impressive. The Holy Son of Cloud-Leaving Monastery truly lives up to his reputation!" Qi Chuan said with a laugh.
"This junior is ashamed!"
Luo Ming cupped his hands and withdrew.
Although he looked somewhat bedraggled, his result was still better than Chen Kun's.
"My senior brother isn't here, so I'll go!"
At that moment, Saintess Wen Yuyan of the Lin Tian Sword Sect rose and walked forward slowly.
Among the various sects, the Holy Sons were generally a level stronger than the Saintesses. However, the Lin Tian Sword Sect was the foremost sect of the Four Regions, so Wen Yuyan's talent was no worse than any Holy Son's.
She wore a long pink dress, her features lovely and her bearing extraordinary. When she reached the stone stele, her delicate hand landed on its surface, and she began to comprehend it.
Everyone in the hall also turned their eyes toward this famed prodigy of the Barren Continent's Four Regions, waiting for her result.
Buzz!
Sure enough, Wen Yuyan only needed nine breaths to make the Inquiry Stele tremble lightly. Two brightly shining runes, shaped like peach blossoms, slowly emerged!
Less time, more runes!
Wen Yuyan's comprehension stunned the entire hall.
"Tsk, tsk, worthy of being the heavenly favorite of the Lin Tian Sword Sect. She truly deserves to be the number-one Saintess among the sects of the Four Regions. Impressive, truly impressive!"
Qi Chuan applauded and praised her without reservation.
"Marquis, you flatter me."
Wen Yuyan withdrew her hand, then turned around and looked toward the Violet Firmament Sect. "It's just a pity that person isn't here today. Otherwise, I would certainly have to compete with her and see who is superior!"
Everyone was momentarily stunned. Only then did they realize that the person Wen Yuyan was referring to was the Violet Firmament Sect's Saintess, Chu Wan'er!
Two years ago, Chu Wan'er had single-handedly challenged the entire Lin Tian Sword Sect, and Wen Yuyan had also been defeated.
Only the Holy Son Ji Fengliu had fought Chu Wan'er to a draw.
This had always been a thorn in Wen Yuyan's heart.
"Hehe, there will be a chance!" Su Ziyun took a light sip of wine and smiled faintly.
Wen Yuyan shook her head and returned to her seat.
The Violet Firmament Sect could not even hold on to its position as a first-rate sect anymore. Naturally, it had no qualifications to cross hands with them.
"Hmph!"
Yet this scene left Liu Yunxi deeply displeased.
Chu Wan'er clearly had not even come, so why was someone still bringing her up!?
Besides, if she had not obtained the Yuan Gang Pill so late, Wen Yuyan might not even be stronger than her. What gave her the right to call herself the number-one Saintess of the Four Regions!?
She refused to accept it!
"Hehe, Brother Chengfeng, you're the true dragon of my Barren Continent. Why not give it a try?"
At that moment, Qi Chuan suddenly looked toward Xiao Chengfeng, automatically ignoring the Violet Firmament Sect.
Xiao Chengfeng was Master Ji's man. Although his talent and cultivation were both inferior to Ji Fengliu's, his comprehension should be extremely high.
This was a perfect opportunity for him to make a name for himself again and build momentum.
If Xiao Chengfeng was pleased, Master Ji would certainly reward him later!
"Me?"
Xiao Chengfeng was stunned. After seeing the results of Wen Yuyan and the others, he had begun to panic.
This Inquiry Stele seemed incredibly difficult!
"Brother Chengfeng, you'll definitely be better than all of them!" Liu Yunxi said with a smile as she linked her arm around Xiao Chengfeng's.
Xiao Chengfeng had broken the record of the Hundred Refinements Tower. Surely a mere Inquiry Stele would be nothing to him.
Facing the gazes directed at him, Xiao Chengfeng found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. In the end, he could only rise.
He came before the stone stele, frowned as he studied it for a moment, then pressed his hand against it.
One breath!
Three breaths!
Six breaths!
After six breaths, the stone stele still showed no reaction at all.
Seeing this, everyone could not help exchanging glances.
Could it be that Xiao Chengfeng's comprehension was not all that impressive either!?
If so, how had he broken the Hundred Refinements Tower record!?
Liu Yunxi was also dumbfounded.
This shouldn't be happening!
Qi Chuan likewise frowned. His talent and cultivation were nothing special, and neither was his comprehension. What exactly had Master Ji seen in him!?
Buzz!
Yet on the eighth breath, the stone stele finally trembled.
Then, two pale-blue sword-shaped runes manifested upon it.
Eight breaths and two runes. That was somewhat better than Wen Yuyan.
Qi Chuan was stunned for a moment before suddenly understanding.
Xiao Chengfeng must be hiding his abilities!
Otherwise, if his comprehension were too heaven-defying, wouldn't tomorrow's Sect Tournament lose all suspense!?
That had to be it!
"Hehe, laughable..."
But at that moment, a derisive laugh suddenly rang out.
In the silent main hall, it was especially grating.
Everyone looked over and discovered that the one sneering was none other than Ye Xuan.
The true dragon!?
Wasn't he more like a true worm?
"Ye Xuan, what qualifications do you have to laugh!?" Xiao Chengfeng shouted in humiliation and fury.
No matter what, he had achieved the best result so far. How dare a good-for-nothing like Ye Xuan laugh at him!?
Liu Yunxi also remembered that she should stand up and speak for Xiao Chengfeng.
But at that moment, another cold sneer rang through the hall from outside.
"He has no qualifications. What about me!?"
Everyone froze. Then they saw a figure in blue robes fly into the hall.
It was Ji Fengliu.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his starry eyes sweeping over Xiao Chengfeng, filled with nothing but disdain!
Xiao Chengfeng's heart instantly jolted.
Ji Fengliu had suppressed a generation across the Four Regions. Even facing him now, Xiao Chengfeng still felt weak-kneed inside.
"You merely broke a record from a year ago, and you think you're worthy of being the Barren Continent's true dragon!?"
Ji Fengliu snorted coldly.
He had only just learned that his record had been broken. He had also heard that Marquis Qi had called Xiao Chengfeng a true dragon.
How could he possibly endure that!?
He immediately came to the stone stele, raised his hand, and pressed it against its surface!
One breath!
Two breaths!
Three breaths!
Buzz!
In an instant, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, the stone stele shook violently. Streams of light faintly emerged, ultimately transforming into three sword-shaped runes. Their watery radiance shimmered brilliantly, dazzling beyond compare!
Three breaths, three runes!?
Compared with him, Xiao Chengfeng was worlds apart!
For a moment, Xiao Chengfeng and Liu Yunxi were dumbstruck.
Neither had expected Ji Fengliu's comprehension to be so monstrous!
"Hmph!"
At that moment, Ji Fengliu withdrew his palm from the stone stele, turned around, and looked coldly at Xiao Chengfeng.
"If there is a true dragon in this Barren Continent, it can only be me!"
After saying this, Ji Fengliu did not even care about Qi Chuan's expression. He flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.
Only his fading voice echoed through the main hall.
Ji Fengliu was far too arrogant!
But his arrogance truly had the capital to back it up!
Three breaths, three runes. Whether in talent, cultivation, or comprehension, he was far stronger than his peers in the Barren Continent.
"Wait."
Just as Ji Fengliu was about to leave the main hall, Ye Xuan, who was seated before the table by the entrance, suddenly spoke.
"True dragon?"
"You're not worthy either!"
Before you continue