[Third place: Wang Ergou, commoner from the Heaven Dou Empire.]
When the third name appeared on the light screen, the Douluo Continent was in an uproar.
" Wang Ergou? Who is that?"
"Judging from his name, he seems like an ordinary commoner!"
"The first two are Titled Douluo and the Far North Heavenly King, but this third one... isn't he just going to his death?"
On the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, in a remote mountain village, a ragged, emaciated young man sat slumped on the ground, staring at his name in the sky. He was terrified, his face more ashen than if he had been crying.
"I... I... how could it be me?"
His name was Wang Ergou. His parents died early, and he made a living by herding cattle for the village landlord. He hadn't even awakened any proper Soul Power and was the lowest-ranking ant in the Douluo Continent.
When he first saw the Heavenly Screen, he thought it was just a battle of gods, something to watch and enjoy. He never imagined that such a "good thing" would happen to him.
Wang Ergou trembled violently.
"It's over... it's over..."
After all, any ordinary person who goes to that world will find nothing good; they'll either end up in the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land or on Burial Heaven Island.
Li Dan, the only one who survived for a few days, is now an old man and is about to die.
For a moment, his smile looked more like a grimace than a cry.
With all three candidates now confirmed...
Above the light screen, three dazzling golden lights suddenly erupted, like three pillars reaching the sky, respectively enveloping the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Far North, and the small mountain village on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire.
A flash of golden light disappeared in an instant, along with the three figures that had been locked onto, vanishing from the Douluo Continent.
Above the Heavenly Screen, the scenery shifted, refocusing on the vast and boundless Shrouding the Heavens World.
Chen Xin felt the space around him distort, and the golden pillar of light from the Heavenly Screen, carrying an irresistible force, enveloped his entire body.
The scene of the Douluo Continent before his eyes receded like the tide, and when he regained his footing, his feet were already on unfamiliar land.
He looked around and found himself standing outside a magnificent city gate.
The Lou Gao, their walls constructed of massive stones that gleamed with a faint blue light, making them far more sturdy and majestic than any other city on the Douluo Continent.
Above the city gate, four powerful and ancient characters are engraved in a flowing, elegant style, exuding an aura of imperial authority.
The city gate was bustling with people and vehicles. The pedestrians were dressed in various styles, but most of them had a calm demeanor and light steps, clearly not ordinary people.
"Is this the Shrouding the Heavens World?"
Chen Xin pondered to himself, and subconsciously gripped the hilt of the Seven Kill Sword at his waist. The Soul Power of a level 96 Titled Douluo within his body slowly circulated, sensing the laws of heaven and earth of this new world.
He keenly sensed that the spiritual energy here was incredibly dense, far surpassing that of the Douluo Continent. With each breath, he could even faintly feel a tendency to refine his own Soul Power.
At the same time, he also felt an invisible pressure, as if the rules of this world were more stringent and heavier.
He composed himself, his gaze calmly fixed on a middle-aged man dressed as an ordinary martial artist who was about to enter the city gate. He stepped forward, gave a slight bow, and spoke in a clear and steady voice:
"Sorry to bother you, sir. I'm new here and don't know where I am."
The middle-aged man stopped at the sound of the voice, sized up Chen Xin, and saw that although he was dressed in exotic attire, he possessed an extraordinary bearing, and the sword at his waist subtly exuded a sharp aura. Not daring to be negligent, he returned the greeting and said with slight surprise:
"Old man, you don't even know this place? This is the imperial city of the Great Xia Dynasty of Central Province!"
"The capital of the Great Xia Dynasty...?" Chen Xin raised a slight eyebrow, a hint of doubt flashing through his mind.
After all, this world has a " Heavenly Court " that rules over the entire universe, so how come a " Great Xia Dynasty " has suddenly appeared here?
However, he remained outwardly calm, simply noting down the four characters " Great Xia Dynasty " without inquiring further about the Heavenly Court.
After all, being new to this place, it's easy to make a mistake if you say too much.
"Indeed." Seeing that Chen Xin seemed genuinely unaware, the man added, " The Great Xia Dynasty is a renowned ancient kingdom in Central Province, with a long history and profound heritage."
"Judging from your demeanor, sir, you must be a cultivator. If you have the chance, you can go into the city and see the sights and culture of our Great Xia."
"Thank you for telling me." Chen Xin nodded in thanks, but his mind was racing with calculations.
On the Douluo Continent, the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire Great Emperor stand side by side. Could it be that the so-called " Heavenly Court unifying the world" in this Shrouding the Heavens World is not truly unified?
Just as he was pondering this, a melodious and resounding bell suddenly rang out from the depths of the imperial city.
"Clang--Clang--Clang--"
The bells rang continuously, nine times in total, their sound waves resounding throughout the city, conveying a sense of solemnity and reverence.
Upon hearing the bell, the middle-aged man beside Chen Xin's face lit up with excitement, and he slapped his thigh hard.
"Hey! Sword Pavilion is about to open its doors to recruit new disciples! I almost missed the appointed time!"
Not only him, but many pedestrians inside and outside the city gates quickened their pace upon hearing the bell, their faces filled with anticipation and eagerness, and surged toward the direction from which the bell sounded.
" Sword Pavilion?" Chen Xin's heart stirred.
He was obsessed with the way of the sword throughout his life, and in the Douluo Continent, the name Sword Douluo was a symbol of the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Upon hearing that a major sect in this unfamiliar world, named after "sword," was openly recruiting disciples, his interest was immediately piqued.
The initial doubts about the relationship between the " Heavenly Court " and the " Great Xia " were instantly replaced by curiosity about the " Sword Pavilion ".
He looked at the middle-aged man and asked, "Brother, what is this Sword Pavilion?"
As the man hurried along with the crowd, he enthusiastically explained, "Old man, you may not know this, but the Sword Pavilion is one of the top powers in our Great Xia Dynasty. They specialize in swordsmanship, and every one of their disciples is a master of swordsmanship!"
"It is said that its lineage can be traced back to His Majesty the Taihuang in ancient times!"
" The Taihuang?" Chen Xin's gaze sharpened, his heart filled with shock.
To be called "Emperor" and to leave behind such a powerful swordsmanship legacy, this " Taihuang " is no ordinary person.
"I wonder what level this Taihuang's swordsmanship has reached?" he asked.
A sense of comparison arose in my mind, along with a hint of excitement, like the thrill of seeing a prey.
In the Douluo Continent, his swordsmanship had been lonely for too long, and he had no worthy opponents. Now that he has come to this vast Shrouding the Heavens World, if he can witness stronger people and more profound swordsmanship, it would be a great fortune for him.
"How could we mortals possibly know the extent of His Taihuang's swordsmanship?"
The man laughed heartily, saying with a hint of reverence, "However, since Sword Pavilion inherited the legacy of the Taihuang, its swordsmanship is recognized as top-tier even in the Great Xia Dynasty and the Central Province."
"Every time the mountain opens for the recruitment of disciples, it is a sensational event, with countless young talents vying to get in."
"If you're interested, sir, why not come with me to see what's going on? You might even catch a glimpse of some geniuses."
Chen Xin nodded slightly, a sharp glint in his eyes. "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Without another word, he moved like a Liuyun, silently blending into the crowd surging towards the city center. His steps seemed slow, yet he remained at the forefront of the crowd, calm and composed.