Chapter 590: The Greatest Genius
The Mysterious City, an ancient and boundless city, a city like a riddle.
It was said that this city's existence was even older than the Snow Domain. Before the name Snow Domain existed on the Nine Heavens Continent, the Mysterious City had already existed within it.
But for many in the Snow Domain, the Mysterious City seemed shrouded in a layer of shadow. It only opened to the entire Snow Domain during the once-a-decade Snow Domain Grand Competition. On ordinary days, no one was allowed to set foot in this city. There were even rumors that this city, located in the center of the Snow Domain, was perpetually covered in mist, completely isolated from the thirteen kingdoms of the Snow Domain, as if it didn't belong to the same place at all. Many had come searching for the Mysterious City, wanting to enter this magical city, only to find it impossible to locate. All that awaited them seemed to be an endless, misty maze.
Now, it was the day of the Snow Domain's once-a-decade Grand Competition. The mist surrounding the Mysterious City had dissipated, and this boundless, majestic city stood clearly in the center of the Snow Domain.
In all directions around the Mysterious City, countless people were coming and going, continuously stepping into the city. Some came for the Snow Domain Grand Competition, while others came for the city itself.
In short, the Mysterious City was now a true convergence of people from all directions. On its vast lands, figures of visitors could be seen everywhere. Of course, this was no problem for the boundless Mysterious City. Its vastness surpassed the imperial cities of any of the four great empires of the Snow Domain. Some even said it was equivalent to the combined size of all four imperial cities, truly boundless.
At this moment, in one corner of the Mysterious City, the sky suddenly darkened.
The people on the ground were slightly startled and looked up. Then they saw a group of demon beasts spreading their wings, blotting out the sky and covering the sun, stirring up fierce winds in the void as they swept across the sky above the crowd.
"It seems one of the four great empires has brought its people to participate in the Snow Domain Grand Competition."
The crowd instantly guessed the purpose of these people. Such a grand formation and that oppressive aura could only belong to an empire coming to compete in the Snow Domain Grand Competition.
Many figures flickered, chasing after the black shadows in the void along the ground. They all wanted to see which empire's geniuses had arrived, and what their strength and cultivation levels were.
As soon as these participants in the Snow Domain Grand Competition arrived, the Mysterious City became lively again, with many people following that group.
At the same time, in another direction of the Mysterious City, a similar scene was unfolding. In the void, demon beasts soared through the air, their wings stirring up cyclones, fierce and violent.
They had arrived. The empire's participants for the Snow Domain Grand Competition had come.
Lin Feng sat on the back of a Black Wind Eagle, his gaze looking down at the ground below. This city, known as the Mysterious City, was now free of mist, clear and bright. The architecture of the Mysterious City couldn't be called magnificent; it even fell far short of Dragon Mountain Empire's imperial city, Heavenly Dragon City. However, the entire city's buildings seemed to be an interconnected whole, with every corner an inseparable part. Moreover, this city was filled with an ancient, age-old aura.
"Snow Domain Mysterious City, finally here."
Lin Feng thought to himself, feeling as if his whole body had relaxed. For seven days, they had been flying through the void. Although the wild winds couldn't shake him, after seven consecutive days of this, he still felt uncomfortable, as if some force had been clinging to him.
Now, having descended into the Mysterious City, this faint sense of oppression finally dissipated completely. The demon beasts slowed down, and everyone felt much more comfortable.
Besides the gradual dissipation of the oppressive feeling, many people's eyes also revealed excitement. They had finally arrived at this dream city. How could they not be excited to participate in the Snow Domain Grand Competition?
Coming to the Mysterious City and standing on the stage of the Snow Domain Grand Competition was already a matter of pride. Here, they hoped to open a new chapter in their martial path.
The demon beasts continued to fly over the Mysterious City without stopping. Ruo Lanshan, riding the leading demon beast, stared at the ground below, guiding the group forward.
They sped through the air above the Mysterious City for several more hours. Below, an enormous square appeared, seemingly a stage—a boundless stage. From above, one could even see that the surroundings of the stage could accommodate countless people watching.
"Is that... the battle platform for the Snow Domain Grand Competition?"
The crowd looked at the vast, boundless square, their hearts trembling. So vast. Would they stand on it, watched by billions of eyes?
"Screech!"
From afar, a faint demon beast cry came. The crowd looked up and gazed into the distance. Then they saw another vast group, similar to theirs, heading toward the same boundless square ahead. This group numbered over a hundred, matching their own count, and each person exuded powerful auras. Clearly, this was another imperial force.
Another empire and its affiliated kingdoms' geniuses, along with some major forces, had arrived, just as Dragon Mountain Empire had brought along forces like Star Dream Pavilion and Ten Thousand Phenomena Sect.
Before long, the demon beasts carrying the two massive forces reached the sky above the vast square. They didn't land immediately but hovered in the void, looking at each other from a distance, each sizing up the other.
"Dragon Mountain Empire!"
The leader of the opposing group looked at the people from Dragon Mountain Empire and spoke a single voice.
Ruo Lanshan also looked at the opposing group, silent for a moment, then said: "Yulan Empire!"
The other side smiled upon hearing Ruo Lanshan's reply: "It seems it is indeed Dragon Mountain Empire. I thought I would be the first to arrive. Your speed isn't slow either."
"Mutual," Ruo Lanshan replied with a smile, but his gaze continuously swept over the young people of Yulan Empire. They were the main characters this time, the ones who would participate in the Snow Domain Grand Competition. These people directly threatened whether the talented youths of Dragon Mountain Empire could achieve good rankings and suppress them.
While Ruo Lanshan's gaze swept over them, the people of Yulan Empire also sized up the Dragon Mountain Empire group. Their eyes lingered especially on Jun Moxi, Tang Youyou, and Qing Mengxin for a moment, then revealed a hint of a smile.
"Dragon Mountain Empire's geniuses, not bad." That person smiled. Although his words seemed like praise, his expression was relaxed, as if he didn't care much.
"I heard Dragon Mountain Empire has two geniuses of peerless talent. I've seen Heavenly Dragon City's Jun Moxi, but Snow Moon Kingdom's Duan Wudao—why isn't he here?"
The other side spoke again lightly, causing the crowd's pupils to contract. The other side was quite familiar with Dragon Mountain Empire's affairs. Moreover, they only mentioned Jun Moxi and Duan Wudao. Clearly, Jun Moxi and Duan Wudao were famous far and wide, known even to people in the distant Yulan Empire.
This simple statement also told everyone that Jun Moxi and Duan Wudao were the people their empire valued most.
"Jun Moxi, Duan Wudao!"
Everyone could understand the former, Dragon Mountain Empire's number one young genius. But Duan Wudao also had such a powerful influence. They didn't mention Tang Youyou or Qing Mengxin, but specifically brought up Duan Wudao. Among the geniuses of Dragon Mountain Empire, there was even a hint of dissatisfaction. Why should a genius from Snow Moon Kingdom, Duan Wudao, be mentioned in the same breath as Jun Moxi?
"Duan Wudao will come on his own." Ruo Lanshan responded, his gaze also falling on two figures from the other side: "Seven Emotions Sword Ling Xiao, Six Desires Qin Yu Xiaoxiao. Seven Emotions and Six Desires, both have arrived, haven't they?"
"Seven Emotions Sword Ling Xiao, Six Desires Qin Yu Xiaoxiao!"
The people of Dragon Mountain Empire's gazes all focused, looking at the two from the other side—a man and a woman. The man was handsome and spirited, the woman elegant and beautiful, both with extraordinary bearing.
"Very formidable two." The crowd's pupils contracted. These two were terrifying. Seven Emotions and Six Desires—such distinctive names.
"Arrived. I've also seen Jun Moxi. Next, I hope Duan Wudao, Black Feather Empire's Heavenly Fiend Sect's Blood Fiend and Withered Demon Eye Ku Mu, and Cang Tian Empire's Cang Tian Blood Imperial Mausoleum and Eight Trigrams Eye Yu Mo won't disappoint me."
"Black Feather Empire's Heavenly Fiend Sect's Blood Fiend and Withered Demon Eye Ku Mu, Cang Tian Empire's Cang Tian Blood Imperial Mausoleum and Eight Trigrams Eye Yu Mo."
The crowd silently memorized these names. These four, plus Seven Emotions Sword Ling Xiao, Six Desires Qin Yu Xiaoxiao, and Dragon Mountain Empire's Jun Moxi and Duan Wudao, should be the eight most favored this time.