As the voice faded, countless people began breathing faster, their eyes burning as they looked at Ye Xuan on the martial platform.
At that moment, Ye Xuan truly stood at the center of everyone's attention.
High in the sky, nine women with graceful figures and peerless beauty stepped through the air toward him.
Each held a gleaming golden tray bearing sacred robes and a sacred crown, forming a beautiful sight.
"Is that Ji Shuang, that monstrous fairy from the Ancient Desolate Holy Land?"
"Why does that one look like Chu Lian, the legendary fairy from the Ancient Desolate Holy Land?"
"Aaah! Fairy Qiu Yue, the Holy Maiden of the Ancient Desolate Holy Land! Sh-she... why is she among them too?"
At the sight of those nine stunning beauties, the crowd below erupted again. Cries of astonishment rose one after another as everyone struggled to make sense of it.
These fairies were all legendary monsters of the Ancient Desolate Holy Land, immensely famous throughout the Eastern Wasteland.
The Holy Maiden Qiu Yue in particular stood on par with Shen Yao, the Holy Maiden of the Jade Lake Holy Land. Her talent was monstrous, her strength formidable, and her suitors gathered like clouds.
And now, someone like her was actually acting as a maid, carrying clothes for Ye Xuan?
"Aaah!"
For a moment, many monstrous Tianjiao seemed to hear their own hearts breaking, and their hostility toward Ye Xuan grew even stronger.
That bastard! What made him worthy?
Under everyone's gaze, the nine beautiful fairies soon landed on the martial platform and personally dressed Ye Xuan in his robes and crown.
This made the monstrous Tianjiao below even angrier.
Some even ground their teeth audibly, clenching their fists as their expressions twisted further.
The fairies they had pursued in vain, from whom even groveling like dogs could not earn a smile,
those lofty fairies who would not spare them a glance, were now helping another man get dressed?
Unbearable!
An utter humiliation!
For a time, their hatred of Ye Xuan grew even deeper.
It was worth mentioning that Lin Xue, an outer sect disciple, was actually among the nine fairies.
Her pretty face was flushed, and she felt as though she were dreaming.
Especially when she looked at the stunning senior sisters beside her, her heart raced, and she felt somewhat at a loss.
These were people she could not even hope to admire from afar in her everyday life.
Yet now, she stood alongside them, helping them dress the Holy Son in his robes and crown.
Looking again at the handsome young man before her, Lin Xue felt even more dazed.
The handsome junior brother she had happened to meet on the back mountain was actually that legendary Holy Son?
It really felt somewhat unreal.
Looking at the beautiful senior sisters before him, Ye Xuan initially felt rather awkward and just a tiny bit shy.
But as it went on, he felt he had nothing left to live for.
He was like a wooden dummy, standing there foolishly while nine beauties arranged him however they pleased.
Wasn't that infuriating?
Especially when he felt those murderous gazes from below.
Ye Xuan even began to suspect that his beautiful master and those twelve unscrupulous ancestors had deliberately set him up.
Once all the tedious formalities were over and Lin Xue and the other eight women had left, they finally returned to the matter at hand.
The Ninth Ancestor swept his gaze over the crowd and said calmly, "The rites are complete. I hereby declare this ceremony concluded."
Boom!
As those words fell, an uproar immediately rose from below.
Everyone knew that the end of this ceremony also marked the beginning of the real show.
Sure enough, the Ninth Ancestor had barely finished speaking when an old man with a hooked nose on the raised dais spoke calmly.
"Appointing a Holy Son is a major event. With such glory and honor bestowed upon him, does the Ancient Desolate Holy Land not intend to let everyone witness its Holy Son's brilliance?"
This man was an elder of the Carefree Holy Land, and his purpose went without saying.
His words seemed to set off a chain reaction, and others began speaking up.
"I refuse to accept this! A Holy Son should suppress an entire generation. I want to challenge the Holy Son!"
"The Holy Son leads the Ancient Desolate Holy Land and stands at the head of its disciples. I want to challenge him too!"
"They say the Chaos Sacred Body is unrivaled throughout the ages. I wish to experience the Holy Son's strength. Senior, please grant my request!"
For a time, voices surged and rolled like waves.
Countless monstrous Tianjiao stepped forward, declaring their refusal to accept him and demanding to challenge the Holy Son.
Among them were quite a few fellow disciples of the Ancient Desolate Holy Land.
Today, with all eyes upon them and so many mighty figures and Tianjiao gathered, even showing their faces could send their reputations soaring.
If they could defeat the Holy Son, they would truly make names for themselves.
Having only just left, Lin Xue immediately grew anxious when she heard this.
So many monstrous Tianjiao wanted to challenge Ye Xuan. Could he match them?
She recognized several of those issuing challenges, and their strength was far beyond what Yang Xiong had possessed that day.
The other spectators, meanwhile, began looking forward to it.
What the hell was interesting about tedious investiture rites? As cultivators, the fighting was their favorite part.
The Ninth Ancestor's expression remained unchanged. He looked at Ye Xuan. "Holy Son, what do you think?"
Ye Xuan smiled faintly, looked down at the crowd, and said calmly, "Since your enthusiasm is so hard to refuse, as the Holy Son, I naturally cannot shy away from battle."
"However, I have only been in the Ancient Desolate Holy Land for three months, and my cultivation is still shallow. I hope you will show mercy."
The corners of everyone's mouths below twitched involuntarily.
Ye Xuan was clearly warning them not to be so shameless as to overpower him through their cultivation realms.
After all, even the Tianjiao present who had cultivated for the shortest time had probably been cultivating for several years, hadn't they?
Challenging someone who had only cultivated for three months was one thing, but if they still intended to suppress him through their cultivation realms, wouldn't that mean throwing away all shame?
After a brief silence, those Tianjiao began to counter.
"You jest, Holy Son. You possess the Chaos Sacred Body, unrivaled throughout the ages. Naturally, ordinary mortals like us cannot compare."
"Exactly. Though you have only cultivated for three months, I heard that you were already capable of killing an Essence Condensation seventh layer expert some time ago. You need not be so modest, Holy Son."
"Hmph, excessive modesty is hypocrisy! Besides, in the cultivation world, achievement determines precedence. Cultivation cannot be judged by how long someone has practiced."
Hearing this, Ye Xuan's smile grew even brighter.
He could not be bothered to waste more words and nodded. "In that case, let us begin."
Ye Xuan cupped his fists toward the people below. "Ye Xuan, disciple of the Ancient Desolate Holy Land, Essence Condensation Realm sixth layer. Please instruct me!"
Boom!
As Ye Xuan's words fell, the gathering erupted once more.
"What? Essence Condensation Realm sixth layer?"
"He reached the Essence Condensation Realm sixth layer after cultivating for three months?"
"Wasn't he only at peak Meridian Opening half a month ago? How is he at the sixth level of Essence Condensation already? What a terrifying cultivation speed."
Countless people were stunned.
They truly were stunned.
In less than three months of cultivation, he had passed straight through the Meridian Opening Realm and reached the Essence Condensation Realm sixth layer.
Such a terrifying cultivation speed was utterly unprecedented, even across the entire Eastern Wasteland.
After a brief silence, someone soon recovered.
A young man stepped forward and walked toward the martial platform.
As he walked, he announced his cultivation realm. "Yuan Chong, disciple of the Carefree Holy Land, Essence Condensation Realm sixth layer. Please instruct me."
At the same time, some people below cried out in astonishment again.
Clearly, this man was also an outstanding monstrous Tianjiao of the Carefree Holy Land and enjoyed considerable fame.
Ye Xuan said nothing and simply watched Yuan Chong quietly.
Soon, Yuan Chong stepped onto the martial platform.
(P.S. Today is Lunar New Year's Eve. Happy New Year, everyone! Send some update requests and five-star ratings my way, watch some free short videos, and send some free gifts. Thank you all for your support. Get those fortune-making hands moving! Updates will continue throughout the Spring Festival. May everything go smoothly for you, may you make plenty of money, and may great luck and prosperity be yours.)