At noon that day, in the Supreme Void Dao Realm.
The entire [Divine Capital Changluo] had become incredibly lively, with streams of people nearly packing the long streets.
Even "every alley emptied as everyone turned out" could not describe the scene!
For this contest to determine the Chen Clan's strongest prodigy in [Blood Sea Heaven], almost every Blood Sea Realm member of the Chen Clan had stirred at the news.
Whether from the main lineage, collateral lines, or distant branches, they all rushed over. Even quite a few people from other Great Void cities had heard the news from friends and hurried here.
As noon approached:
The area around the [Combat Victory Platform] was a chaotic clamor, with countless people crowding the entrance so tightly that not a drop of water could pass.
Yet a large patch remained empty at the very center.
Still dressed in black, Chen Qinggu stood there with his hands behind his back, his expression as calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.
"Why isn't he here yet?"
"Right? Chen Qinggu arrived early and has already waited half an hour."
"Chen Shaojun isn't still sleeping, is he? Otherwise, he should've arrived by now."
"Hurry up! I started lining up last night and finally managed to grab a good spot, all to watch today's match!"
The crowd buzzed with noisy discussion.
"Younger Cousin Qinggu, you can do it!"
Dressed in a blue-green dress, Chen Qingju shouted excitedly:
"Crush Chen Shaojun! Let him see how formidable our Seven-Person Society is!"
The others beside him joined in the clamor.
Chen Qinggu frowned and glanced at them, not bothering to reply. He simply waited quietly.
A moment later:
"Chen Shaojun is here!"
"He's here, he's here! Here he comes!"
The tightly packed crowd on the outside actually forced itself apart to either side, opening a path.
Tall and slender, dressed in white, Chen Qingyu walked calmly down the path and cupped his hands to Chen Qinggu in greeting.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Elder Cousin Qinggu."
After experiencing the might of [Subduing Dragons and Taming Tigers], he had gone to the [Martial Practice Hall], activated tenfold time acceleration, and spent two hours diligently practicing his martial techniques.
After the Ninth Ancestor's guidance, he no longer underestimated Chen Qinggu in the slightest. Instead, he seized the time before the great battle to improve every bit of strength he could, so he could face this formidable opponent.
That was why he had only hurried to the [Combat Victory Platform] when it was almost noon.
"You're too courteous, Younger Cousin Shaojun. I only just arrived myself."
Chen Qinggu smiled faintly and extended a hand.
"After you, Cousin."
Chen Qingyu smiled and cupped his hands.
"After you, Elder Cousin."
The two exchanged a smile, then walked side by side into the [Combat Victory Platform] beneath the eyes of the multitude.
In an instant:
As their figures disappeared, the crowd could no longer hold back and rushed toward the entrance, each scrambling to get ahead.
In a single instant, over ten thousand people squeezed into the [Combat Victory Platform]. Like a vast ocean released through a breach, the stream of people surged inside.
Meanwhile, inside the [Combat Victory Platform]:
Whoosh!
Chen Qingyu's vision blurred, and he arrived in an unfamiliar space.
Looking around, he saw nothing but empty void. He seemed to be standing on an invisible barrier, with Chen Qinggu just over a hundred feet across from him.
"Younger Cousin Shaojun, this is your first time at the [Combat Victory Platform], isn't it?"
Chen Qinggu spoke with a smile:
"Our Chen Clan places filial piety and brotherly respect first. As your elder cousin, I should yield to you. You choose the battlefield."
"All right."
Chen Qingyu nodded.
Since he was not on the rankings, this was not a ranked challenge, so they could allocate the right to choose themselves.
Generally speaking-
Choosing the setting offered a greater advantage. This was meant to offset the challenged party's disadvantage, since they might have been deliberately chosen because their cultivation method was countered.
Thus, in yielding to him, Chen Qinggu had given him the right to choose the setting.
But I, Chen Qingyu, would disdain taking advantage of someone.
Chen Qingyu smiled faintly and willed it:
In an instant-
The scenery around them changed dramatically, the surrounding void transforming into a brilliant sea of stars.
Chen Qingyu and Chen Qinggu stood on a vast grassland beneath the starry sky.
At this sight, Chen Qinggu first froze, then gave Chen Qingyu a deep look.
According to the information he had obtained, Chen Shaojun possessed a sandstorm-like divine ability. Clearly, somewhere like a desert or the Gobi would give him an enormous advantage.
Yet he had chosen a sea of grass beneath a starry sky.
The Chen Clan's cultivation methods primarily followed the Dao of the stars. Clearly, his opponent did not want to take advantage of him and intended to fight him openly and fairly.
Since you're so open and upright, how could I, Chen Qinggu, be a petty schemer scrambling after scraps?
He chuckled softly and stirred his thoughts:
The world around them expanded in an instant, as though an invisible restriction had been lifted, and starlight spread to the farthest reaches of the grassland.
He had set the battlefield to its maximum size!
What boldness!
Seeing this, even Chen Qingyu could not help being moved.
For all battles in [Blood Sea Heaven], the largest battlefield spanned a hundred li, with a height of ten thousand feet.
Chen Qinggu knew full well that he possessed a flight divine ability, yet had still chosen the largest battlefield. Clearly, he was responding to his uprightness and displaying his own breadth of spirit.
Both combatants have selected the battlefield's setting and size! The combatant with the lower cultivation in this match is Chen Shaojun, whose cultivation is at the First Heavenly Layer of the Blood Sea Realm! Under the combat rules, the combatant with the higher cultivation, Chen Qinggu, will automatically be adjusted to the First Heavenly Layer of the Blood Sea Realm!
As the cold, mechanical voice fell silent:
Chen Qinggu's body trembled slightly. Ninety percent of the vast True Qi within him vanished in an instant, and everything, including his True Qi strength, physical strength, and Blood Sea size, reverted to the First Heavenly Layer of the Blood Sea Realm.
"Mm..."
He shook his head and smiled faintly.
"The First Heavenly Layer of the Blood Sea Realm... It really has been a while."
Across from him, Chen Qingyu's thoughts stirred at the sight:
So this is how the [Combat Victory Platform] keeps both sides' cultivation balanced. Not bad!
If it raised the cultivation of the weaker party, that would put them at a disadvantage. After all, a lower-realm martial artist could not control a higher-realm martial artist's power.
And power beyond one's control was tantamount to disaster.
Once the cultivation adjustment was complete:
The battle is about to begin! The number of spectators for this battle is 270,000, 290,000, 330,000...
The spectator count in the lower-right corner of Chen Qingyu's vision was jumping wildly.
This...
He felt an unbearable itch of temptation.
These are Great Void Points! Who wouldn't like them?
He was just about to speak when, unexpectedly, Chen Qinggu suddenly spoke from across the way:
"One hundred thousand Great Void Points. Split fifty-fifty."
The two exchanged a knowing smile.
Both combatants have chosen to charge for spectator access to this battle! The current spectator count has reached the limit. Both parties have agreed to divide the one hundred thousand Great Void Points equally. Battle begins!