Half-Step Nirvana

Inside the Inner City of Great Qing City, outside Great Qing Hall.

Above both sides of a vast bluestone plaza large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people cultivating and meditating at once, rows upon rows of simple seats formed from Origin Energy were densely arranged. Hundreds of powerful auras at the Form Creation Realm and above moved back and forth through the air, continuously directing those holding crimson invitation cards to their seats.

"Over two hundred. Compared to the many guests attending today's ceremony, this position is fairly near the front."

Holding the invitation Liu Cheng had given him, Lin Chen quickly found his assigned seat.

From this alone, one could see that although the Great Qing Dynasty was merely a mid-level dynasty, its vast population and complex web of forces had already reached a terrifying extent.

"You... broke through to the Qi Creation Realm?"

Less than three days had passed. Sensing the Origin Energy fluctuations around Lin Chen, so different from before, Liu Cheng was quite astonished as he approached him.

"I merely got lucky and broke through."

Lin Chen had just taken his seat when he saw Liu Cheng approaching with a group of people. He promptly rose to his feet, smiled faintly, and humbly replied.

Liu Cheng's rather handsome face remained calm at those words, but the pupils of an elderly man beside him, with crane-white hair and a youthful complexion, suddenly contracted.

"Spiritual Power fluctuations..."

Seeing the strange look in Lin Chen's eyes as he warily watched the man beside him, Liu Cheng smiled and pointed at the old man as he introduced him.

"Brother Lin Chen, let me introduce you. This is Uncle Liu Jiang, the man you wished to meet. Yesterday, I told him about you. Upon learning that you had Liu Mu's recommendation, he insisted on meeting you today."

Lin Chen inwardly relaxed. It was not that he was needlessly nervous and guarded, but because the man before him was the strongest person he had encountered so far, aside from Lin Fan, the Lin Clan Patriarch.

Half-Step Nirvana!

Such strength posed an enormous threat to him. One careless mistake, and he could face annihilation. Fortunately, Little Marten's presence put his mind at ease.

Though Little Marten had yet to recover his strength, he possessed many methods. With Lin Chen's current power, escaping alive from a Half-Step Nirvana Realm expert would not be a problem.

"Greetings, Senior Liu Jiang..."

Lin Chen cupped his fists and said calmly.

"Not bad..."

"Other than Su Kui of the Qing Xuan Sect, this old man has not seen such an outstanding junior as you in many years. My brother Liu Mu's eyes have finally become sharper this time. Rather than doing something foolish again, he has found the Great Qing Imperial Family a genius like you."

Liu Jiang laughed heartily. His slightly clouded eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Lin Chen in satisfaction.

Liu Jiang's appearance and those words of praise immediately caused a stir. In an instant, Lin Chen felt countless gazes turn toward him, while all sorts of concealed sensory powers probed his body.

"Such a young Qi Creation Realm cultivator..."

"I wonder where this genius came from, to be worthy of Liu Jiang of the Great Qing Imperial Family personally trying to recruit him..."

"His strength and talent are both impressive, and that appearance too..."

"..."

Within the Great Qing Dynasty, although Half-Step Nirvana Realm experts were not the strongest, they were still peak figures within any faction. With Liu Jiang appearing, it was only natural that Lin Chen would draw attention and scrutiny.

"I never expected Liu Mu and Liu Jiang to have such a relationship. Yet even with Liu Jiang supporting him, Liu Mu still cannot return to the Great Qing Imperial Family. It seems the people Liu Mu offended years ago are no ordinary figures."

With a slight inward sigh, Origin Energy surged through Lin Chen's body, shattering all the sensory probes surrounding him.

Perhaps at this moment, he had already entered the sights of certain interested parties. While that suited his purpose in coming to Great Qing City, it also came with risks and trouble.

Fortunately, his current strength was no longer as weak as it had been years ago. So long as he did not deliberately seek death and remained cautious, he had more than enough ability to protect himself.

"Senior Liu Jiang, you flatter me..."

Lin Chen smiled faintly. He could not refute Liu Jiang's latter remarks at present, so he could only let them pass selectively.

Joining a top faction within a mid-level dynasty might offer considerable benefits, but it was unnecessary for him. From the beginning, he had never intended to remain in the Great Qing Dynasty for long.

"Uncle Liu Jiang, please take your seat first. The Coming-of-Age Ceremony is about to begin. If we disrupt order at the venue, it may be difficult to answer to the Grand Elder. After today's ceremony concludes, you can have a long talk with Brother Lin Chen. What do you think?"

Seeing Liu Jiang about to continue speaking with Lin Chen, a trace of urgency flashed through Liu Cheng's eyes, and he hurriedly reminded him.

Liu Jiang was briefly stunned, then nodded and walked toward his seat.

As Liu Jiang sat down not far from him, Lin Chen shifted his gaze downward toward the center of the plaza.

At that moment, young men and women dressed in extraordinary attire, with varying temperaments and appearances, stood in orderly columns in the center of the enormous bluestone plaza. A rough glance showed that each line contained more than a hundred people.

Several figures stood side by side before these youths. The leader was a beautiful middle-aged woman in purple robes. Unlike the others, who held gold brushes and jade silk scrolls, what she held in her hand silently indicated her status.

"Begin..."

The middle-aged woman looked up at the sky. Seeing that the people from the various factions had all taken their seats, she immediately shouted coldly.

The Coming-of-Age Ceremony for members of the Great Qing Imperial Family did not involve many complicated procedures. Held once every three years, it merely involved calling out the names of the adult imperial clansmen one by one, recording their ages and strength, evaluating their cultivation talent, and entering it into the records.

"Liu Ming, twenty-one years old, minor success in the Form Creation Realm. High-grade talent!"

"Liu Qi, nineteen years old, peak Core Formation Realm. High-grade talent!"

"..."

"Liu Man, twenty-one years old, minor completion of the Core Formation Realm. Average talent!"

"..."

"Liu Wei, twenty years old, Heavenly Origin Realm. Low-grade talent!"

"Liu Nanhuang, eighteen years old, Lesser Core Formation Realm. Average talent!"

"..."

At the center of the plaza, figures stepped out from the orderly ranks one after another, undergoing inspection by the middle-aged woman and those beside her.

Whenever those flat, emotionless voices rang through the plaza, varying degrees of commotion would erupt both inside and outside it.

"Liu Ya, nineteen years old, major success in the Form Creation Realm. Exceptional talent!"

At some point, as a slightly excited voice rang out, Lin Chen's gaze fell upon a woman dressed in red.

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