"Elder Liu, what are you doing?!" Gu Muyu said coldly.
The one who intervened just now and quelled her anger was none other than Liu Jingce!
Liu Jingce said calmly, "Elder Gu, don't get the place wrong. This is Heaven and Earth Palace, not your Gu Family!"
"It was my rudeness." Gu Muyu was startled and instantly came to her senses. She had actually been angered by Gu Chen and had clearly lost control of her emotions. Only after hearing Elder Liu's voice did she realize her mistake.
Heaven and Earth Palace is not a place where she can run wild.
"I'll deal with them later!" Gu Muyu gave Gu Chen a cold look.
Elder Ge sighed softly and said, "Elder Gu, Gu Chen's strength far surpasses Gu Mingheng Gu Mingheng's, and he's even younger. If Gu Mingheng just accomplished something unprecedented, then Gu Chen's achievement will likely be unparalleled in the future! Such a promising talent, no, such a powerful individual, is going to be let go by your Gu Family?"
Yes!
Everyone realized that in the entire Land of Heaven and Earth, even the Six Great Families only had four experts on the Dragon Ranking each.
The Gu Family, there used to be only one!
Although Gu Mingheng had just entered the Dragon Ranking, he was quickly pushed down, and Gu Chen took his place at number thirty-five, demonstrating superior strength!
Such a young person is destined to become famous and renowned!
Should we miss out on this Gu Family?
Gu Muyu hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Elder Ge, I feel there must be something wrong with the Dragon Ranking. Gu Chen is just an ordinary person. If he were truly that outstanding, we would have noticed! So I absolutely do not believe he could have achieved such success!"
"You wouldn't believe it if I didn't tell you, but we also feel like we're in a dream." Liu Jingce gave a wry smile, glancing in Gu Chen's direction with lingering fear, and sighed, "But since the Land of Heaven and Earth was created, there hasn't been a single mistake in who ascends or dies on the Dragon Ranking. Besides, everyone present just now witnessed the appearance of the Nine Dragons and the extraordinary celestial phenomena covering the entire Land of Heaven and Earth; it wasn't an illusion!"
"Gu Chen." Elder Liu called out to Gu Chen, saying, "From now on, you are ranked thirty-fifth on the Dragon Ranking. At your age, it's only a matter of time before you reach the top of the Dragon Ranking! Such talent, such excellence, is unheard of before. You are worthy of being famous throughout the world and remembered for eternity!"
After a pause, Elder Liu continued, "I am fortunate to have witnessed such a wondrous sight today, one that I fear I will never see again in my lifetime. Therefore, please accept my bow."
As he spoke, Liu Jingce actually bowed and paid his respects in the direction of Gu Chen. Then, Elder Ge and Shi Che also stood on either side of Liu Jingce and bowed to Gu Chen.
These three individuals are the ones who maintain order within the Heaven and Earth Palace, holding extraordinary positions. Liu Jingce, in particular, is equivalent to the patriarch of Six Great Families! Even Gu Mingheng had not received such a grand ceremony, yet Gu Chen has earned their utmost respect!
The "top" that Liu Jingce mentioned refers to being number one on the Dragon Ranking. In his mind, given time, Gu Chen will definitely reach the top!
It's no wonder, given that the entire Land of Heaven and Earth has at least tens of thousands of people, with over ten thousand martial artists! Gu Chen, at such a young age, has achieved so much, becoming one of the top thirty-five out of ten thousand. Their actions are not surprising, as the original duty of the Heaven and Earth Palace was to protect the Land of Heaven and Earth and maintain order.
"Elder Liu, I dare not accept such a great gift." As the saying goes, courtesy should be reciprocated. Since Heaven and Earth Palace greeted him with a smile, Gu Chen also bowed to the three of them.
"Good, good, a promising young man." Elder Liu admired Gu Chen even more for his composure and poise.
"Gu Chen, I challenge you to a duel!"
Just then, Gu Mingheng's voice rang out, his eyes blazing with fury, his face contorted in a grimace!
Gu Chen so easily took away what should have been his ritual and his achievements, and the shock he caused was unimaginable. From today onwards, probably no one in the entire Land of Heaven and Earth will talk about Gu Mingheng anymore; instead, Gu Chen will be the one in the conversation!
Gu Chen, ranked thirty-fifth on the Dragon Ranking!
The thought that he had become someone else's stepping stone, especially a stepping stone for the abandoned son of the Gu Family whom he looked down upon, made Gu Mingheng unable to swallow this humiliation!
"You want to duel me?" Gu Chen pretended to think for a moment, then said, "It seems the Dragon Ranking isn't based on duels, is it?"
"No, that's not true." Elder Liu nodded as well.
"Whether it's true or not, I'm going to duel you!" Gu Mingheng was furious at Gu Chen's nonchalant demeanor and said, "Do you dare to accept the challenge?"
"Do I dare to accept the challenge?" Gu Chen, as if he had heard a joke, casually stroked the Dragon Ranking Stele and said, "Gu Mingheng, is your name on it?"
"Not here."
"And what about mine?"
"You!" Gu Mingheng's face darkened. "Gu Chen, how could you possibly be ranked thirty-fifth? You must have pulled some strings. Are you stronger than the Gu Family patriarch?"
Gu Muyu's expression changed; Gu Mingheng had actually dragged the Gu Family family patriarch into it, and she felt slightly displeased.
Gu Chen scoffed inwardly.
If he hadn't deliberately held back his strength and kept his cultivation at the Peak Middle Revolving Illumination Realm, he would probably be in the top 30, or even the top 25 by now!
He chuckled and said, "A rabbit trying to challenge an elephant? I don't know where you get your courage, but I admire you. I can give you that chance!"
These words caused Gu Mingheng's tightly clenched teeth to break his lip! Blood flowed into his mouth, its metallic taste stimulating his nerves.
He should have been the one saying these things to Gu Chen after the Dragon Ranking ended! He should have been the one looking down on Gu Mingheng Gu Chen, the one belittling and mocking him!
But now, it's Gu Chen who's humiliating him like this!
This humiliation seeped into his ears and then invaded his body and mind, causing his eyes to turn bloodshot and him to tremble uncontrollably!
"Do you dare to accept the challenge or not?!" Gu Mingheng said coldly.
Gu Chen smiled faintly, glanced at Gu Mingheng, and walked directly to the center of the open space in the square, then stood with his hands behind his back!
Although he didn't speak, his actions showed his stance! He accepted the challenge!
Upon seeing this, Gu Mingheng burst into laughter, then pushed off with his back foot and arrived in the center of the square, where he stood face to face with Gu Chen, with only about ten meters between them.
Everyone held their breath again. They wanted to see if Gu Chen really had the strength to be ranked thirty-fifth on the Dragon Ranking. Although it was clearly shown on the Dragon Ranking stone tablet, they still couldn't quite believe it.