Chapter 274: Chapter 170: Visitor from Beyond, the Divine Son Lies Dormant (Part 2)

The smile on the young man’s face grew even more brilliant and radiant.

...

"I will not forget my promise. Chief Judge, just let me know when you are ready to depart."

Everyone had already returned to the Judicial Court. Wu Chenpei was speaking with Chong Jingtian, seemingly having regained his composure.

Chong Jingtian was in high spirits, his smile growing even gentler. "Saint Envoy, you are a man who honors his word. We will be departing in the next couple of days, so please be prepared."

"Understood." Wu Chenpei nodded, then added, "Also, about contacting the other two cities to reopen the ruins—Chief Judge, you must not forget."

"Rest assured, they have been contacted." Chong Jingtian chuckled. The situation was different now. With Su Chen in hand, he was even more eager than Wu Chenpei to open the ruins as soon as possible.

Wu Chenpei realized this as well, and it was as disgusting as swallowing a fly. He had no desire to say more, offering a few brief words before departing.

It wasn’t until he was seated in the hovercar, with a screen of Energy concealing the two of them, that the long-suppressed emotions were released. The Saint Envoy’s expression uncontrollably darkened.

Beside him sat Hongxuan, his face just as grim.

Neither of them spoke at first. The day’s events had thrown all their thoughts and future plans into disarray.

The fact that Wu Chenpei could still force himself to exchange a few words with Chong Jingtian just now was a testament to his years of cultivating self-control.

"Su Chen must die!" Hongxuan suddenly spoke, his voice cold and vicious.

Hearing Hongxuan’s words, Wu Chenpei couldn’t help but frown. "Kill him in the Judicial Court? Do you think we’d make it out alive? Don’t mention this again."

Annihilating the hope of Ying Feng and Chong Jingtian... Do you really think Ying Feng wouldn’t flip the table?

Do you really think Xia Hanshi is too old to fight?

"You... have lost your composure," Wu Chenpei stressed.

Hongxuan’s expression tightened. He sighed and explained, "This isn’t a personal grudge. I have no personal grudge against him. But if he’s in the picture, I have no confidence I can become the chosen one."

He said this with absolute certainty. Wu Chenpei frowned. He had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed from Hongxuan’s own mouth was different. He couldn’t help but ask:

"No confidence at all? Even if you become a Saint?"

They had studied the Saint profession carefully after obtaining it. While its requirements were certainly strict in some regards, they weren’t without a solution.

Yuan Capital had already developed a viable method. During the journey to the ruins, they were seventy percent confident they could get Hongxuan to acquire the profession, and with nearly fifty percent of its full effects.

Hongxuan’s expression shifted. "You don’t understand," he said helplessly.

"That phenomenon was called the ’Spiritual Dragon Cauldron Appearance.’ It’s supposed to happen when the chosen one is born. It’s an omen of selection."

"If the Spirituality hadn’t been incomplete, Su Chen would have already become the chosen one. I’m afraid he must be a perfect match for the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator."

’Su Chen’s Talent is clearly inferior to mine, yet he was still highly acknowledged. The only possibility is that his compatibility with the profession is extremely high.’

’Compatibility with a profession... It’s an innate factor that’s completely beyond one’s control.’ A frustrated gloom rose in Hongxuan’s heart. After lying low for so many years, for a wrench like this to be thrown in the works at the last minute...

"A perfect match." Wu Chenpei was deeply shaken. After a long moment, he spoke in a tone thick with complex emotions, "Ying Feng... How did they find someone like him?"

"I’d like to know too!" Hongxuan couldn’t stop his voice from rising in agitation.

Wu Chenpei paid no mind to his rudeness and said slowly, "We can’t touch him in Ying Feng. We’ll have to wait until we’re on the way to the ruins."

He had made his decision. Yuan Capital had invested too much in this. They had come too far to turn back now.

Hongxuan was not surprised by his decision. He just said in a low voice, "It has to be before the Spirituality is made whole."

Wu Chenpei nodded silently.

...

"Teacher, is it about those ruins?" Su Chen asked Xia Hanshi in a low voice as he watched Wu Chenpei and the other man leave.

"Mhm." Xia Hanshi knew exactly what Su Chen was asking. His expression couldn’t help but grow complicated. "It’s the same ruins I originally wanted you to go to."

"That half of the Stone Slab was discovered in those ruins. Wu Chenpei and his younger brother were there at the time. We killed his brother and severely wounded him to get it."

Xia Hanshi said the last part nonchalantly, but Su Chen couldn’t help his surprise. "You killed his brother?"

He had seen Wu Chenpei a few times—today, and that time in the arena. He always seemed calm and collected, and he was very amicable when speaking with Chong Jingtian and the others.

’I never expected them to have such a deep-seated hatred for each other.’

"A dog that bites doesn’t bark," Xia Hanshi said pointedly. Nearby, Wei Yufan quietly turned and left, while Ming Lin, rather curious, shuffled a few steps closer.

"So how did those ruins end up under the joint control of four cities?" Su Chen asked curiously. He’d heard Old Sang mention it, but he hadn’t pressed for details at the time.

"After we snatched the Stone Slab, Yuan Capital couldn’t accept their defeat. They joined forces with the other two cities to pressure us. We had no choice but to open it up," Chong Jingtian interjected, taking over the explanation.

Yuan Capital is weaker than Ying Feng, but when allied with the other two cities, the situation is reversed.

’In that case,’ Su Chen couldn’t help but wonder, ’if we want to open the ruins, will the other two cities agree?’

’Neither I nor Hongxuan have any connection to Lieyang or Celestial Joy. No matter which of us becomes the chosen one, the other two cities won’t get a single benefit.’

Chong Jingtian spoke nonchalantly, "Yuan Capital and we have already reached an agreement. They can’t refuse even if they want to."

’Oh...’ Su Chen realized. ’Essentially, Lieyang and Celestial Joy were just pawns Yuan Capital used to oppose Ying Feng.’

’Now that Ying Feng and Yuan Capital have come to terms, the remaining two cities have no choice but to cooperate.’

"Besides, we open the ruins periodically to explore and see if there are any unexpected discoveries," Jiang Shu Mo added from the side, explaining to him, "Lieyang and Celestial Joy don’t know about this profession."

Su Chen nodded, but he keenly sensed the change in Judge Jiang’s attitude. Before, while not hostile, his demeanor always felt scrutinizing.

But now, that scrutiny had vanished without a trace, replaced by an unprecedented warmth.

"After we deal with the Faceless Ghost Followers, we’ll head to those ruins to achieve Spiritual Unity. You should prepare yourself." Chong Jingtian clapped him heavily on the shoulder.

’The Royal Court...’ Su Chen thought. If things went according to the original plan, having him replace Hongxuan would solve more than just the thorny problem of the Holy Banquet.

’Higher-tier Body Refining and Meditation Techniques are also very important to us...’ Chong Jingtian couldn’t help but think. ’If it weren’t for the lack of corresponding Tier Seven Meditation and Body Refining Techniques, my own strength could be much greater.’

’If nothing else, Ying Feng will definitely be able to produce a Tier Eight Professional in the future.’

"Yes," Su Chen nodded. Chong Jingtian quickly went off to handle the subsequent arrangements.

"Xia Hanshi..." Pu Zhenghong, who hadn’t left yet, called out with some hesitation, "When Su Chen goes to the ruins later..."

"None of your damn business," Xia Hanshi said rudely, grabbing Su Chen and turning to leave.

Pu Zhenghong’s face turned black as he flicked his sleeves and stormed off.

’What kind of deep-seated hatred do those two have?’

Su Chen grumbled internally. He had wanted to ask Old Pu how he had managed to engrave the symbols from the Stone Slab onto the Defense Spirit Ring.

’That stupid Spirituality... It won’t even let the person it acknowledged see the details. I have to wait until the Spirituality is whole before it reveals the profession’s requirements.’

"Su Chen..." Ming Lin caught up to them. He glanced at Xia Hanshi walking ahead, hesitated for a long while, then finally clenched his teeth and asked, "What are the requirements to be acknowledged?"

Having gone inside and remembered nothing, Ming Lin was feeling rather vexed, scratching his head in frustration.

"I don’t know either." Su Chen shook his head, forced to bluff. "Dual Talents, and neither can be low, I guess."

"Dual Talents?" Ming Lin’s face fell. He cursed inwardly. ’Where do all these freaks come from?’

A moment later, he composed himself and asked curiously, "That Great Venerable, is it a Spiritual Side profession or a Physical Side profession?"

"That, uh..." Su Chen was taken aback. He actually hadn’t considered that question. After mulling it over for a bit, he said, "It should be Physical Side, I think."

A question suddenly occurred to him. If the Great Venerable was a Physical Side profession, does that mean he would still need to find a Spiritual Side, Morning Star Tier profession?