Chapter 70: Chapter 66 Ancestral Land
Fairy Jia Luo's words left Ye Chen slightly taken aback.
Liu Chan'er, who was by his side, was so shocked that she jumped up and exclaimed, "Master, this requirement is far too harsh! Ye Chen has just turned fifteen, and he's only reached the sixth layer of the True Qi Realm. Even if he is very skilled, he can't possibly surpass those disciples who have cultivated to the twelfth layer of True Qi after many years!"
"Top one hundred, can't it just be the top one hundred? Ye Chen can definitely make it into the top one hundred!"
"I didn't even make it to the top one hundred back then, but didn't you, Master, still choose me and accept me into 'Snowdrift Peak'?"
Liu Chan'er pleaded while tugging at Fairy Jia Luo's sleeves coquettishly.
It was no wonder Liu Chan'er was astonished, the requirement set by Fairy Jia Luo was indeed too difficult.
One must know that the Taixuan Sect was the foremost among the thirty-six sects in the eastern region, and its Outer Sect disciples were clearly stronger than those from the other thirty-five sects. There were many disciples with the twelfth layer of True Qi.
Asking Ye Chen to compete for the top three against all the Outer Sect disciples of the entire Taixuan Sect was exceedingly difficult for someone who had just reached the sixth layer of the True Qi Realm.
Even now, although Ye Chen could fight against Tenth Layer Martial Artists without losing, facing Eleventh Layer or even Twelfth Layer powerhouses, and Taixuan Sect disciples with even more techniques, the gap in realm was still too vast.
Moreover, during the True Disciple selection, lethal means like flying swords would not be allowed, which would greatly reduce Ye Chen's true combat power.
Hearing Fairy Jia Luo's demands, Jiang Yao looked at Ye Chen, her concern evident.
She had adventured through the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode with Ye Chen and recognized his abilities more than anyone else, but she too was aware of the harshness of the requirement for Ye Chen.
If Ye Chen had another two years to cultivate, Jiang Yao was absolutely confident that he would take first place in the True Disciple selection of the Taixuan Sect!
Just over four months to improve his strength significantly was still too short a time.
Looking at her two disciples, one pulling her sleeves and begging, the other's delicate little face full of worry, Fairy Jia Luo shook her head helplessly.
She turned to Ye Chen, "Ye Chen, since my two disciples have pleaded on your behalf, I can relax the requirements for you. As long as you can take one of the top thirty spots in the True Disciple selection, you can enter the Taixuan Sect. What do you say?"
Although Fairy Jia Luo had slightly eased her stance, it was clear she was not satisfied with this adjustment.
Ye Chen was not someone accustomed to others making concessions for him. He knew that the initial requirement put forth by Fairy Jia Luo was already her bottom line. If he accepted a relaxed requirement because of Jiang Yao and Liu Chan'er, even if he managed to enter the Taixuan Sect through struggle, he might not gain Fairy Jia Luo's approval.
Although only a little over four months were left for cultivation before competing with Twelfth Layer True Qi powerhouses, the demand was extremely challenging, but for Ye Chen, it was not impossible.
Just over four months ago, he was merely at the first layer of True Qi. During this time, he had promoted himself to the sixth layer and could even defeat Tenth Layer powerhouses.
In four months' time, he might be able to defeat those at the Twelfth Layer of True Qi as well!
Pressure brings motivation, which leads to progress. Ye Chen could bear such pressure!
Armed with the powerful Divine Art "Primordial Star Scripture," the high-grade Xuan-level Cultivation Techniques "Wind Thunder Sword Skills" and "Wind Thunder Movement" technique, as well as his indomitable fighting spirit, Ye Chen had this confidence!
Ye Chen glanced at Jiang Yao, and then at Fairy Jia Luo, drew a deep breath, and said, "Jia Luo, no need to change the condition. Since I am already a special case in the selection, I should abide by additional rules."
"If I do not take one of the top three spots in the True Disciple selection in four months and seven days, then I will admit defeat and not enter the Taixuan Sect!"
Having said that, Ye Chen looked at Jiang Yao seriously and stated, "Jiang Yao, believe in me, in the True Disciple selection, I will definitely seize one of the top three positions!"
Jiang Yao's clear and beautiful eyes met Ye Chen's gaze, and finally, the girl smiled and nodded, her little dimples rippling, "Ye Chen, I believe in you!"
"Good!" Fairy Jia Luo nodded inwardly upon hearing Ye Chen's words.
If Ye Chen lacked the courage to compete even before the selection had begun, she would be deeply disappointed in him.
She certainly didn't want her most beloved disciple to end up with someone lacking ambition and courage.
Fairy Jia Luo had witnessed Ye Chen's fierce battle with Zhou Yuntian's two disciples and his triumphant killing of Zhou Yuntian. She believed that Ye Chen could meet her demands!
"This is the 'Selection Token'; take good care of it. In a little over four months and seven days, remember to be on time at the Taixuan Sect." Fairy Jia Luo flicked her fingers lightly, sending a bronze token flying towards Ye Chen.
Ye Chen examined the token for a moment, then kept it close to his body.
"Alright, Zhou Yuntian has been executed, and all matters here have been settled. Yao'er, Chan'er, let's return to the Sect," Fairy Jia Luo said, not paying any more attention to the others on Mountain Gate Square as she addressed Jiang Yao and Liu Chan'er.
Jiang Yao glanced at Ye Chen, her delicate little face full of reluctance: "Master, I haven't seen Ye Chen's parents yet, they are still imprisoned in the Qingyun Sect."
Fairy Jia Luo smiled, "I had already surveyed this Sect upon arriving at Qingyun Sect. His parents are fine. Yao'er, you will see them in time. If Ye Chen cannot even pass the True Disciple selection, then meeting now is meaningless!"
"Let's go!"
After speaking, Fairy Jia Luo took one more look at Ye Chen, and then with a flourish of her sleeves, she took Jiang Yao and Liu Chan'er up into the air in flight.
The Divine Marvel white eagle that had brought Liu Chan'er also followed and rose into the sky alongside them.
"Ye Chen, I'll be waiting for you at the Taixuan Sect!"
"You must come!"
Jiang Yao turned back, looking down at the increasingly smaller figure of Ye Chen on the ground, and murmured in her heart.
"Four months and seven days later, at the Taixuan Sect!"
On Mountain Gate Square, Ye Chen watched as Jiang Yao flew away, as well as Fairy Jia Luo and Liu Chan'er, clenching his fists.
It wasn't until the figures of the three in the sky disappeared that Luo Kun, the sect master of Qingyun Sect, dared to approach Ye Chen. He looked at Ye Chen with caution and respectfully said, "Ye Chen, let me take you to meet your parents."
"Father, Mother."
Thinking of the imminent reunion with his long-separated parents, the sorrow of his temporary parting from Jiang Yao faded slightly. He turned to look at the young girl Tao'er behind him, "Let's go, Tao'er, we'll go together to meet Father and Mother!"
Tao'er excitedly jumped to Ye Chen's side, "Yes, young master!"
...
Ye Chen and Tao'er headed to the Inner Peak of Qingyun Sect, to receive Ye Chen's parents.
The disciples of the sect on Mountain Gate Square had not left for a long time, still reminiscing about the events that had taken place there earlier.
Ye Chen's battle against two True Qi Realm powerhouses, the Spirit Sea battle between Jiang Yao and Zhou Yuntian, and even the later arrival of two Rotating Pill Realm powerhouses—the events of this short day were a whirlwind of excitement, surpassing all the events they had witnessed in their ten or twenty years of life!
While these sect disciples were reluctant to leave, chatting in small groups, more than a thousand miles away from Qingyun Sect, in Ye Chen's hometown of Qingyang City, an event was unfolding.
Speaking of Qingyang City, one must mention the three great families there, which include the Ye Family, the Bai Family, and the Qian Family.
These three families monopolized the various industries of the entire Qingyang City, and were the undisputed giants of the city.
Moreover, unlike other families in other cities who struggled over interests, the Ye, Bai, and Qian families, despite their frictions, had always been like branches of the same tree, even choosing to live together.
Strangely enough, in the center of the continuous houses of these three families, there lay a piece of empty land approximately ten acres in size.
Any child of these families would know that this piece of land was considered forbidden territory—Ancestral Land by the three families!
This plot of land was surrounded by powerful prohibitions, and no one was allowed to enter. Once someone entered the Ancestral Land, it could even trigger a direct attack from the prohibition. It was rumored that even Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses would perish if they forcefully entered.
For these three families, whose strongest cultivators were only at the twelfth layer of the True Qi, possessing such an Ancestral Land was indeed very strange.
Looking towards the Ancestral Land, one could see three statues standing at the periphery, and in the very center of the Ancestral Land, there stood a fourth statue.
Standing outside this Ancestral Land, one could clearly see the appearances of the three outer statues, but the fourth statue in the center of the Ancestral Land was shrouded in a thin mist, making it impossible to discern its actual form.
Apart from the four statues, there was nothing else within the Ancestral Land.
On this day, the patriarchs of the Ye, Bai, and Qian families were all kneeling before the three outer statues.
Not far behind the three patriarchs, quite a few members of the three families had gathered, watching their patriarchs and whispering among themselves.
"It's been over a month, I didn't expect this ancestral worship to take so long."
"Usually, worshiping the Ancestral Land only takes one day, taking so long could only mean that the ancestral statues have made a connection with the patriarchs."
"Made a connection? Does that mean that there's a possibility of opening the Ancestral Land?"
"Could it be that after three hundred years, there's once again a chance to open the Ancestral Land?!"
"No way, if the Ancestral Land really opens, that would be a huge fortune for our three families! According to our family records, the last time the Ancestral Land was opened, two ancestors from our families successfully obtained several secret treasures and both broke through to the Spirit Sea Realm after ten years!"
"Unfortunately, there's no pattern to the opening of the Ancestral Land. According to the records of our three families spanning over twelve hundred years of inheritance, the Ancestral Land has only opened five times, and in over three hundred years, it's only opened once!"
"This time, that elder Zhou Yuntian from Heavenly Net Sect forcefully abducted members of our families and injured many martial artists among our ranks, making the three patriarchs feel both ashamed and angry. Since when have our three families ever been so humiliated by others?!"
"It's just that we descendants have been unfilial; since the last Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse in our family perished over two hundred years ago, no one else has broken through to the Spirit Sea Realm, weakening our families' strength over time."
"Hopefully, this time the Ancestral Land will truly open again, bringing another great fortune to our three families!"
As these comments buzzed among the crowd, an unusual movement suddenly came from the three statues that the patriarchs were facing.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the midst of the movement, the three originally ordinary-looking pairs of eyes on the statues suddenly emitted a strange light.
And at the same moment that the eyes on these three statues shone with this strange light, the eyes of the fourth statue in the center of the Ancestral Land also burst forth with endless Divine Light.