"Where on earth did this brat Ye Xuan come from, and why did he suddenly awaken the Chaos Sacred Body?"
"He was utterly unremarkable, yet he awakened during the sect assessment and made his name known throughout the world. Why does it sound like such a farce?"
"We were the Holy Son candidates to begin with. We had the best chance of becoming Holy Son, yet he suddenly charged out and stuck his oar in. What is this supposed to be?"
"Hmph, I went to visit the Holy Son a few days ago, only to be turned away. I didn't even get to see his face. How hateful."
The ten Holy Son candidates, originally rivals, spoke one after another, their expressions all ugly.
Among them, a sword-bearing young man in blue looked even worse.
His hands were clasped behind his back, his nails already digging into his flesh, but no one saw.
His name was Huo Qingyi. He was the grand elder's true disciple and had once received personal guidance from the Holy Lord, Han Bingning.
Of the ten people present, he was the only one fortunate enough to have received Han Bingning's guidance, and the one with the best chance of becoming Holy Son.
Han Bingning was the goddess in the hearts of every disciple of the Ancient Desolate Holy Land, an exalted existence like a deity.
That Huo Qingyi had received her personal guidance showed just how monstrous his talent was.
Yet now, everything had changed.
He felt as though something of the utmost importance had been snatched away.
Listening to the other nine still chattering away, Huo Qingyi snorted coldly and said:
"Enough talking. Let's each contact our own people. If we're dissatisfied, we can challenge him at the Holy Son investiture ceremony."
"Challenges are inevitable on the day of investiture. As long as the Holy Son is defeated by someone in the same realm, there will be no possibility of his being invested."
"The higher he's held up now, the harder he'll fall when the time comes. Naturally, we must take back what belongs to us!"
The other nine all nodded.
They had fought for the position of Holy Son for so long, prepared for so long, and competed with one another for so long.
Now Ye Xuan had suddenly charged out with his Chaos Sacred Body and simply snatched it away.
There had been no sign, no warning, and they had not even been given the slightest chance to compete.
How could they accept that?
At the Carefree Holy Land's lodgings.
A group had gathered in a great hall.
At their head was an elder of the Carefree Holy Land.
Behind him stood more than twenty people.
Among these twenty-odd people were cultivators of Meridian Opening, Essence Condensation, Wheel Sea, and Golden Core.
In short, every cultivation level was represented.
They were the most monstrous batch of Tianjiao the Carefree Holy Land had produced in recent years, possessing not only outstanding talent but also exceedingly formidable strength.
At one point, the elder turned to look at the twenty-odd Tianjiao and said:
"At the investiture ceremony in three days, if an opportunity arises, hold nothing back. Spare no cost and use all your strength to kill that Holy Son. Have you all remembered that clearly?"
The twenty-odd Tianjiao answered in unison, "We have!"
Determination and fervor welled up in their eyes.
Killing the Holy Son-if they truly accomplished it, their names would surely resound throughout the Eastern Wasteland.
They would step on Ye Xuan's head to make their names and establish their fame!
However famous Ye Xuan was now, however high he was held, their own reputations would ring just as loudly once they killed him.
When that time came, Ye Xuan would fall from his divine pedestal and become a wedding dress sewn for another.
In the Holy Son Hall.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Over those three days, Ye Xuan's cultivation had advanced another step, reaching the sixth level of Essence Condensation.
"Phew-"
As the sky gradually brightened, Ye Xuan opened his eyes and could not help exhaling a breath of turbid air.
"The sixth level of Essence Condensation. With my current cultivation and strength, if I faced that Zhu Pi again, I'd be absolutely certain of killing him within twenty moves."
Ye Xuan murmured to himself.
Back when he had been at peak Meridian Opening, he had still needed to feign weakness and rely on Azure Dragon Roar and Deadly Sword Strike to catch Zhu Pi off guard and kill him.
But now, his cultivation had reached the sixth level of Essence Condensation. Compared to his peak Meridian Opening cultivation back then, he was far more than ten times stronger.
Ye Xuan had absolute confidence that if he fought Zhu Pi again, he could crush him within twenty moves without using Azure Dragon Roar or Deadly Sword Strike.
Meridian Opening and Essence Condensation were separated by a major hurdle to begin with. Not only had Ye Xuan crossed that hurdle, but his cultivation had also reached the sixth level of Essence Condensation.
The improvement was enormous!
"Hmph, things outside must have exploded by now, right? Someone must already be thinking of trampling me to death at the investiture ceremony, or even killing me."
"Very well. In that case, don't blame me, Ye Xuan, for displaying a Holy Son's might before everyone."
Ye Xuan's eyes flashed, and fighting spirit surged through him.
Although he had paid no attention to outside affairs, he could still guess the general situation.
Most likely, countless people wanted to kill him and climb to the top by stepping on his head.
But was that possible?
They wanted to step on his head to rise, and he wanted to step on them to prove himself.
As for who would succeed, they would just have to wait and see.
As Ye Xuan pondered, a fragrance reached his nose, and his beautiful master, Han Bingning, once again appeared soundlessly before him.
Today, she had clearly dressed up with care, making her already peerless looks and bearing seem even nobler and more beautiful.
Looking at her lovely figure, Ye Xuan could not help complaining:
"Master, could you stop appearing without a sound every time? Don't you know how to knock? What if I were doing that sort of thing? Wouldn't you scare me out of my wits?"
At his words, Han Bingning's expression changed. She abruptly turned, her beautiful eyes fixing coldly on Ye Xuan as an icy gleam already shone around her.
"That sort of thing? What sort of thing?" she asked coldly, her gaze exceedingly dangerous.
This rebellious disciple was truly growing more and more insolent.
Simply outrageous!
Sensing trouble, Ye Xuan hurriedly laughed. "Ahem, no, nothing. I was just afraid I'd be too absorbed in cultivation and neglect you, Master. Please, sit down."
As he spoke, Ye Xuan hurriedly rose and offered Han Bingning his seat.
Han Bingning stared at Ye Xuan, somewhat speechless.
How had she taken in such a creature?
How had someone so shameless come to possess the Chaos Sacred Body?
Was the Chaos Sacred Body blind?
"The Holy Son ceremony is about to begin. Come out with me. Remember, do not disgrace your master, or else..."
Han Bingning stared at Ye Xuan, her gaze exceedingly dangerous.
Ye Xuan hurriedly nodded like a chick pecking at grain. "Rest assured, Master. Your disciple absolutely won't disgrace you. Whoever dares challenge me, I'll beat them to death!"
Han Bingning scoffed. "What if Lin Xue challenges you? What if those enchantresses from the Jade Lake Holy Land challenge you? Will you beat them to death too?"
The corner of Ye Xuan's mouth twitched slightly. What was that supposed to mean? The smell of jealousy was strong.
But aloud, he declared with unwavering certainty, "Of course. As long as they dare challenge me, they're all enemies."
"Master has taught this disciple that there is no distinction between men and women on the battle platform. So even if they're women, even if they're beauties, I'll beat them to death all the same, without mercy!"
Hearing this, Han Bingning nodded in satisfaction, some of the danger fading from her gaze.
Just then, Ye Xuan added meekly:
"But Master, could you not carry me out by the neck? It would be so embarrassing."
"I'm the Holy Son, after all-the Holy Son about to be invested."