The Reason for Participating in the Beauty Contest

At the Chu Clan's encampment, the Demoness naturally had no idea that Hu Liena felt a sense of inferiority when facing her. At this moment, she was busy looking Hu Liena up and down, tilting her head slightly with a strange expression on her face.

"You are very strange. Judging by your appearance, you should be human, so why do you have the aura of the Fox Clan? And it seems to be deep within your soul. Could it be that your ancestor was a member of our Fox Clan?"

If Hu Liena's ancestor were a member of the Heavenly Fox Clan, she would have to take better care of her.

The Heavenly Fox Clan was indeed powerful, but powerful races shared a common trait: their numbers were few...

Before Hu Liena could speak, Tian Yao, who was standing to the side, had already frowned and shielded Hu Liena behind her.

"Demoness, what exactly are you trying to do? Hu Liena is just an ordinary person; she hasn't provoked you, has she?"

The Demoness ignored Tian Yao and continued to look at Hu Liena, her charming eyes holding an unmistakable clarity.

After a moment of hesitation, Hu Liena shook her head.

"I don't think so. I should be purely human."

Although she didn't know what the Demoness was thinking—and if she had taken the opportunity to admit that she had the so-called Fox Clan bloodline, she might have even received the Demoness's protection—she ultimately chose to tell the truth.

Lies would eventually be exposed one day, after all!

Hearing this, the Demoness nodded without saying anything. She took one last deep look at Hu Liena before turning and leaving.

Seeing this, Tian Yao let out a long sigh of relief. She kept patting her ample chest, sighing to Hu Liena.

"She is truly worthy of being the renowned Demoness. Just standing there, she exudes an indescribable sense of oppression that makes one feel ashamed of their own inferiority."

Hu Liena nodded subconsciously, agreeing with Tian Yao's sentiment.

Heaven knows her heart had almost jumped out of her chest just now!

"By the way, Hu Liena, I heard that there will be a Warrior Selection Tournament in the neighboring Lei Province in two days. The Chu Clan will arrange for those who want to go to attend the ceremony. Do you want to go together? I heard many big shots will be showing up."

Big shots?

Hearing Tian Yao say this, Hu Liena instantly recalled some of the dark practices of the high-level figures she had witnessed back in the Douluo Continent, such as the underground slave trade...

Could this so-called beauty contest be a way for the Chu Clan to select those with superior appearances, cultivate them carefully, and then use these meticulously trained beauties as gifts to curry favor with the leaders of other factions?

The more she thought about it, the more Hu Liena felt her guess was correct, and her expression grew increasingly grim...

She had said it herself: in this world of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands where power reigned supreme, how could there be a selection based purely on appearance?

Tian Yao, standing nearby, noticed Hu Liena's changing expression and asked curiously.

"Hu Liena, what's wrong? Why is your face so pale? Is it possible that the effect of the spirit fruit was too strong for your physical body to handle?"

Hearing this, Hu Liena shook her head.

"It's not that, it's just that I was thinking..."

Hu Liena shared her thoughts with Tian Yao. Instantly, Tian Yao's expression grew increasingly strange—not because she was frightened, but because she was holding back laughter.

"Tian Yao, do you think my guess is correct?"

"Hahahaha, hahahahahaha! Hu Liena, what exactly is inside that little girl's head? Do you really think that with the Chu Clan's strength, they would need to curry favor with other factions?"

Tian Yao pointed in the direction the Demoness had left and said with a smile.

"To say nothing else, the Heavenly Fox Clan and the Jietian Sect behind the Demoness are already top-tier forces in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces. The Demoness herself holds the position of Saintess in both the Heavenly Fox Clan and the Heaven Mending Sect. Why do you think a talented beauty like her would choose to participate in the Chu Clan's beauty contest?"

Without giving Hu Liena a chance to answer, Tian Yao continued.

"To put it bluntly, neither the Demoness nor I believe we will be chosen by the Ancient Ancestors of the Chu Clan. To be an Ancient Ancestor of the Chu Clan, one must be a person of extremely profound cultivation. I fear they are comparable to the Supreme-level Ancient Ancestors of those Eternal Life Clans above the Nine Heavens, or perhaps even more likely, the legendary Eternal Life Beings—True Immortals!"

"Do you think a Supreme or even a True Immortal would take a fancy to women like us, who can only be described as ants in their eyes?"

"Not to mention anything else, even if you wanted to unite with one, do you think you could withstand the essence of a Supreme or a True Immortal in the first place?"

"Such a thing, even if you wanted it, is impossible."

Hu Liena fell silent. Although she didn't want to admit it, she felt that what Tian Yao said made sense. She was no longer the little rookie who knew nothing when she first arrived in the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands; she was now a veteran with a preliminary understanding of the world!

If Tian Yao's guess was correct, then no matter how you looked at it, her own hypothesis could not hold water.

How could a faction with a powerhouse in the Supreme Realm sitting at the helm ever need to curry favor with other factions?

"Then, if you all hold the belief that it's impossible to be chosen, why participate in the beauty contest at all?"

Tian Yao smiled slightly.

"The Mo Wen Clan I belong to is just one of the most ordinary races in the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands. For women of ordinary races like us, there are basically two purposes for participating in the beauty contest. The first is to receive the Chu Clan's cultivation. The Chu Clan is prosperous; the resources that leak through their fingers are enough for us to cultivate."

"The second is that there are rumors the Chu Clan comes from the Immortal Domain. If one is outstanding, there might be a chance to enter the Immortal Domain and receive training there."

"That is the Immortal Domain, after all. Compared to the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, whether in terms of resources or powerhouses, they are not even on the same level."

"If one could truly enter the Immortal Domain, our future would be limitless!"

"I estimate that the Demoness chose to participate in the Chu Clan's beauty contest precisely because of this rumor."

Following Tian Yao's explanation, everyone, including Hu Liena, revealed expressions of sudden realization.

In the Douluo Continent, within Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong finally let out a long sigh of relief.

In fact, she had thought the same thing as Hu Liena, believing that the Chu Clan was holding a beauty contest to conduct some shady deals. Now that she had heard Tian Yao's explanation, she finally set her heart at ease.

Hu Liena was her handpicked successor for the Pope; she was an exceptionally outstanding child and must never be treated as a plaything!

Qian Daoliu, standing to the side, revealed a faint smile.

"Judging by Tian Yao's words, she still doesn't know that the Chu Clan hails from the Immortal Domain. To think that we would actually discover the Chu Clan's origins as an Immortal Domain power before the experts of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands; hahahaha, this is truly interesting."

Previously, Qian Daoliu had been consistently overwhelmed by the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, so it was a rare treat to finally find a slight advantage.

By integrating information from various sources, they could grasp intelligence that even the powerhouses of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands might not necessarily know!

At the Agile Clan's residence, Clan Head Bai He instinctively looked toward his daughter. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

"Chenxiang, if you are chosen as a Chosen One next time and travel to the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, you must participate in the Chu Clan's beauty contest no matter what. Only then will you have a better chance of surviving!"

Bai Chenxiang remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"I understand."

On Sea God Island, as one of the only three Peerless Douluo in the world, Bo Saixi possessed her own pride. Yet, after hearing Tian Yao's words, she had to admit that she was tempted.

This kind of opportunity could practically be called a free ride!

However, Tang Chen...