Chapter 441: Southern Elites, Martial Tea Gathering
Translator: Swammped Editor: Hitesh_
"Ye Chen, this is both my and your first time here in the Thunder Region. Why don't we take a look around?" Murong Qingcheng had no desire to return either. As geniuses, they both aspired to travel everywhere and see how many powerful geniuses this world had to offer. If they were to stay in one place all their lives, it would be detrimental to their cultivation. If one were to look at the sky from the bottom of a well, how would they know how high it was?
Ye Chen faintly nodded, "I was about to say the same."
With the same purpose, the two randomly picked a direction and moved forward.
En-route, as the two observed scenes around them, they came to know that this area was one of the four danger zones of Thunder Region- Shrill Thunder Tomb. The degree of its danger was not below that of Star Lake's Blood Demon Battlefield.
Of course, this danger corresponded to strength below the level of extreme Astral Reaching realm. If one had battle strength of extreme Astral Reaching realm, they could basically rampage unhindered here. When Murong Qingcheng met Ye Chen, she had strength of an extreme Astral Reaching expert. Later on, she received the Demonic Evil Stones and condensed her martial soul embryo, improving her battle strength one step further. Then, her martial soul further mutated into a demonic soul and reached the critical limit, being only a step away from a true demonic soul. She was not one bit inferior than ordinary Sea of Soul realm experts. Once she cultivated the Soul Extinguishing Wave, she could rival that time's Ye Chen.
As for Ye Chen's strength, he himself wasn't too clear about it. Sky Thunder Cut, Sword Step, peak sword soul embryo, three attributes of sword intent, and Void Shattering Finger… Any single one of these moves would be world-shaking if exhibited; not to mention the Undying Body Scroll he'd recently obtained.
Without encountering any dangers or wonders, the two left the Shrill Thunder Grave and hastened towards the nearest city. Ten days later, the two arrived into the bustling Thunder Pool City. It was an important city of the only great country, Thunder Empire.
"Thunder Region really is worthy of being the strongest region of southern sector. The average strength of youngsters here far exceeds South Rudra's."
Ye Chen said, "Humans are social animals, always influenced by everything around them. The martial wind of Thunder Region is undoubtedly much richer than Rudra."
On the road, the two met many geniuses that were more or less the same age as them. Thanks to Murong Qingcheng's beautiful looks, many approached them for a chat. Every single one of these young geniuses was an Astral Reaching expert. From their words, they seemed to have some fame in certain districts; but when asked about the whole Thunder Region, none of them could utter a word. They said that there was simply no comparison if one hadn't reached the late Astral Reaching realm, and even late Astral Reaching experts were mere fillers in the grand scheme of things.
This made Ye Chen and Murong Qingcheng somewhat speechless.
It should be known that in South Rudra Region, if one could enter Astral Reaching realm before the age of thirty, they could bear the region's flag. But here, it didn't even seem to matter.
As Thunder Empire's important city, Thunder Pool City had an astonishing number of people. Each day, the geniuses from other nations would treat the place as their gathering point. Hence, the stream of martial artists leaving and entering the city was basically endless.
…
Rainwind Restaurant was one of the three big restaurants of the city. It had five floors, and every floor could hold an astonishing number of guests. It was the favourite place for young elites and kids of prominent characters to hang out.
In the lobby of the fifth floor at this moment, four young elites were chatting.
"Did you hear that something strange occurred in Shrill Thunder Tomb? A several hundred meters wide thunder sphere came out of the ground and shot in the sky."
"Shrill Thunder Tomb, as one of the four dangerous sites, is bound to be somewhat mysterious."
"Sigh! We've arrived in Thunder Empire from thousands of li away not to talk about some wonder story. Let's talk about Thunder Princess organizing the Tea Gathering! This is the biggest event for the young martial artists of the southern sector that happens every two years. Last time, Edict Prince managed the gathering, and this time, it's Thunder Princess."
"That's right! Let's talk about the Tea Gathering."
"In the recent years, the Tea Gathering is becoming increasingly influential. In the past, it was only us from the Thunder Region and the geniuses of the few neighbouring cities taking part. But, since the previous session, it has already spread throughout the entire southern sector, even covering several neighbouring cities of southern sector. The geniuses of southern sector now even consider participating in Tea Gathering as an honor."
"That's a given. You aren't looking at who organized the last tea gathering. Edict Prince and Thunder Princess are like the leading characters of southern sector's young generation. Their strength is unfathomable… Although they haven't reached the Sea of Soul realm, they can easily beat Sea of Soul realm experts."
Seated by the west window, Ye Chen and Murong Qingcheng were listening to the conversation.
Murong Qingcheng said, "I've heard a little about the Martial Tea Gathering. They are right… These years, this tea gathering is getting increasingly famous. Especially after the last time Edict Prince took charge of tea gathering, it has become a palace for gathering of geniuses. Furthermore, the Thunder Princess, who is managing the gathering this time, is equally famous as him… reputed to be one of the top five geniuses of the entire southern sector."
Ye Chen lightly sipped his wine. He had heard about the Thunder Princess from his senior brother at Dragon God Celestial Palace. This woman possessed a thunder soul and could cultivate thunder-attributed Zhen Yuan with half the effort and twice the results. In cultivating thunder mentality and thunder profound, she would be several folds quicker than others. A year of her cultivation was equivalent to several years of cultivation for others.
"In the previous session, the geniuses of Thunder Region were the most brilliant. I wonder which geniuses would shine this year." The four people were talking in loud, excited voices, and as they talked, their voices only got louder; sipping wine and discussing incessantly.
"Considering the quantity and quality, it would be of course our Thunder Regions'... Although, Edict Prince's region can't be looked down upon, and there are two-three other regions chasing closely behind us. There are a few powerful geniuses appearing in Misty Snow Region, Cloud Billow Region, and a few others. South Rudra Region, on the other hand, would still be acting as a cushion. There was Sikong Sheng last year… although his strength was not bad, it was simply not enough to rank in the top of the charts. I really can't believe that he is considered as a top ranked genius of South Rudra Region."
"Hehe… Any one of our peak geniuses could sweep through the entire South Rudra region. Even you and me could proclaim ourselves as tyrants in South Rudra Region."
"It's natural for South Rudra Region to be the last, but that Slashing Mountain Region isn't much better either."
A young hero sitting near the four couldn't bear any longer. His face turned ashen as he coldly spoke, "Cut the crap! You speak like you are the best under the heavens!"
Hearing him, one of the four looked over coldly and said disapprovingly, "Please introduce yourself."
"Traverse Mountain Range's, Zhao Feng."
"Hahaha!" Hearing that the former was from Slashing Mountain Region, the four burst out laughing.
"As far as I'm concerned, Cold Moon Spear and Star Mountain are the two who are a bit powerful. Who are you, Zhao Feng? Why don't you stop embarrassing yourself?"
The four didn't give any face to Zhao Feng at all.
"You can talk all about how powerful you are, but do you dare to have a round with me?"
Zhao Feng sprang up and said loudly.
"Who wouldn't dare? But. keep in mind that blades are ruthless. If I end up injuring you, you can only think of it being well deserved." The youngster in yellow coldly said.
"You can try."
Zhao Feng's weapon was an iron spear. It came sweeping out as he poured Zhen Yuan in it, and a roaring wolf-shaped spear light shot towards the latter.
"Break!"
The yellow robed youngster didn't even take out his weapon and merely clenched his palm in the air. The wolf was clutched by its neck and immediately scattered away along with an explosion.
"Return!"
With a twist of his right hand, the scattered spear light shot back with an even quicker speed, seeming like thousands of star dots.
Clang Clang!
Amidst the flying sparks, Zhao Feng's body shot back, barging through the wall of the fifth floor and landing on the street outside.
"Can't handle a single strike." The yellow robed youngster curled his lips.
Seeing this scene, several youngsters of Slashing Mountain Region lowered their heads. Zhao Feng was not some nameless kid in Slashing Mountain Region. He could easily rank in the top fifteen, or even top ten. If even he had such an outcome, what could they do? Not to mention, the counterpart hadn't seemed to have used even seventy to eighty percent of his strength.
Unfortunately, the more they acted so, the more the yellow-clothed youngster looked down on them, feeling as if his evaluation of Slashing Mountain Region had been a bit higher. He loudly laughed without any restraint.
The person to his left smiled, "Luo Qiu, seeing you after a few months, your strength has again improved. Seems like you'll be able to gather some fame in this Tea Gathering."
The person who acted out had quite a bit of fame. A year ago, he had entered the peak of Late Astral Reaching realm, and after three months, he had condensed a martial soul embryo. It was because of this reason that he and his three companions had the qualifications to be arrogant, and not put South Rudra Region and Slashing Mountain Region in their eyes.
Luo Qiu said indifferently, "Defeating him isn't worth mentioning. Instead, mentioning it will be a disgrace for me. However, I have to say that people from South Rudra Region and Slashing Mountain Region should go back. You'll only end up disgracing yourself and lowering the quality of gathering."
While saying these words, his eyes swept around with his head held high.
The faces of those from the Slashing Mountain Region were extremely sullen. This was their first time coming to the Thunder Region. They had thought that they would be able to experience the level of geniuses of the southern sector in the Tea Gathering, but even before the gathering began, they had to suffer such a blow.
"We're leaving."
Some of the geniuses of Slashing Mountain Region couldn't bear the atmosphere and left with their heads lowered. Only a few were left behind.
Ye Chen put down his wine cup and said to Murong Qingcheng, "Which of us should do it?"
Being insulted by others and keeping quiet about it was not Ye Chen's style. Be it South Rudra Region or geniuses of South Rudra Region, their glory and honor were linked with them.
As Murong Qingcheng was about to open her mouth to speak, she suddenly changed her words, "Seems like we won't have to act."
"I, Gu Youyun, want to have a round with you."
At the stairs of the fifth floor appeared two young individuals. The leading woman as actually the first on South Rudra's Hidden Dragon List, Gu Youyun, a disciple of Floating Mountain and Stone King's descendant.
As soon she arrived at Rainwind Restaurant, she heard Luo Qiu and his companions making fun of South Rudra Region, even asking them to leave. She couldn't endure it at all.
"So, it's a woman. Where are you from, South Rudra Region or Slashing Mountain Region?" Neither Luo Qiu or his companions put her in their eyes.
The youngster beside her answered, "South Rudra."
"Haha… You're all the same. Let me take care each and every one you."
If he could make all geniuses of South Rudra Region and Slashing Mountain Region retreat by himself, his fame would increase greatly. He licked his lips, displaying an unscrupulous expression.