Compared to the Holy Son Candidates, the arrival of the Holy Son candidates was even more attention-grabbing.
In an instant, all eyes were drawn to the graceful, elegant figures that descended like heavenly fairies.
“No.1 Holy Son candidate, Luo Ruyan! She’s already broken through to the Cave Heaven Realm! So beautiful!”
“That’s No.2 Holy Son candidate, Lu Hongyi! Her cultivation might not be the highest, but her legs… I’d say even the Saintess can’t compare!”
“Shhh! Watch your mouth—the Saintess might hear you…”
The Holy Son candidates arrived one after another. Most stood alone; none of them were particularly close with one another.
After all, competition among the Holy Son candidates was intense—they couldn’t possibly be friends. Each one aspired to become the one and only Saintess.
“One quarter-hour from now, the Holy Son Candidate ranking battle begins. Any absent Holy Son Candidate will be deemed to have forfeited.”
A booming voice rang out across the arena.
Soon after, an elder in a gray robe appeared in the sky. With a wave of his hand, a massive platform emerged in midair.
“Hehe, the position of Holy Son is mine for the taking!”
Su Yichen looked very pleased with himself. Ever since he took the Withered Wood Spring Revival Pill, not only had he fully recovered, but his cultivation had soared, and he had opened his second Cave Heaven!
Although he hadn’t yet reached the 2nd stage Cave Heaven Realm, he was clearly progressing faster than the others—and he was stronger too.
He was confident he could crush everyone present.
Meanwhile, the No.3, No.4, and other lower-ranked Holy Son Candidates were already rolling up their sleeves, eager to go, clearly well-prepared.
“This time I have to rise at least ten places!”
“Even the No.1 Holy Son Candidate, Chu Ying, is said to be crippled. What else is impossible? I believe in shaping my own destiny!”
Those ranked toward the bottom didn’t have ambitions as lofty as claiming the title, but aiming for a better position wasn’t out of reach.
“I hope Chu Ying shows up. If I challenge him, it’ll be a guaranteed win and I won’t end up dead last,” said Holy Son Candidate No.80.
Just then—
Thud. Thud. Thud!
Heavy footsteps echoed from afar, accompanied by an invisible pressure that weighed down the air.
Everyone turned toward the sound. Many Holy Son Candidates narrowed their eyes.
“The Holy Son title… I, Ye Junfan, will take it!”
The one who arrived was none other than the Archaic Sacred Body himself!
Ye Junfan’s gaze was resolute, brimming with pride that looked down upon all rivals. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Neither the constraints of the world nor the chains around his body had defeated him. Not even his fallen cultivation realm had crushed his will.
Since the night he left the Heavenly Medical Hall, his condition had fully recovered.
He remembered that after consuming the Withered Wood Spring Revival Pill, he had sought out a certain senior to examine whether there were hidden issues with his body.
The senior confirmed there was no problem. Since Ye Junfan had already broken the second seal of the Archaic Sacred Body, there should be no further issues at the Spirit Sea Realm.
The prior injuries were likely the result of lingering damage accumulated over time—but the pill had completely healed him.
That senior was his backer—his mountain of support.
The senior even gave him a few more cultivation resources, allowing him to break through from the 7th stage to the 9th stage Spirit Sea Realm in one go. With this, seizing the Holy Son position was now well within reach.
Ye Junfan came today with full determination not to disappoint that senior.
“Bold words!” No.7 Holy Son Candidate Xiao Yan sneered. “From your aura, you haven’t even stepped into the Cave Heaven Realm. Aren’t you afraid of blowing your horn too hard?”
“The Archaic Sacred Body might be unbeatable among peers, but you’re still only in the Spirit Sea Realm. Thinking you can compete with us who are in the Cave Heaven Realm? Ridiculous,” said another Holy Son Candidate as he shook his head.
Ye Junfan just gave a faint smile, unfazed.
Once he stepped onto the stage, he would make them all see.
“This Archaic Sacred Body sure loves putting on a show.”
“Showy is an understatement. He’s completely full of himself now.”
Among the Holy Son candidates, a few were whispering, their curious gazes lingering on Ye Junfan.
“I heard that lately, Yao Ruoxi has been getting very close to him. Could it be she’s planning to support him to become the new Holy Son?” said Holy Son candidate No.18, Gu Ran’er.
“Speaking of which, where’s No.1 Holy Son Candidate Chu Ying? Wasn’t he Yao Ruoxi’s devoted admirer?”
Someone mentioned Chu Ying’s name, and immediately, several Holy Son candidates scowled.
“Tch! Disgraceful. If Chu Ying hadn’t given all his cultivation resources to Yao Ruoxi, how would she have soared ahead of the rest of us? Without that, who knows who would’ve become Saintess?”
“Yao Ruoxi already dumped Chu Ying. Now that she’s close to the Archaic Sacred Body, isn’t it obvious?”
“Still, that woman Yao Ruoxi sure knows how to play the game. After taking so much from Chu Ying, she just kicked him aside. Serves him right!”
“Shhh! Wasn’t Chu Ying supposed to have crippled himself? But something feels off about the whole thing…”
He was tall, handsome, and had an aloof and solitary aura.
Though alone, it felt as though legions followed behind him.
His entire presence had changed—like he was no longer the same person.
Someone recognized the figure and said, “Chu Ying has arrived.”
At that moment, many Holy Son Candidates lowered their voices. Even their breathing became quieter.
They turned to look.
It was Chu Ying, just arriving from his cultivation peak.
His name alone cast a shadow.
Chu Ying had truly earned his No.1 ranking before. Most of the Holy Son Candidates had suffered crushing defeats at his hands.
Though many now believed he had crippled himself through cultivation and would surely fall to the bottom, maybe even be ruined forever, facing him in person still made them tense up subconsciously.
Those Holy Son candidates who had just been mocking Chu Ying also shut their mouths. They only dared to insult him behind his back, calling him Yao Ruoxi’s simp.
They wouldn’t dare provoke him directly. And deep down, most of their mockery was rooted in jealousy.
After all, how was Yao Ruoxi any better than them? They had beauty, charm, and strength too—yet Chu Ying had fixated solely on Yao Ruoxi, like a fool.
Well now look—Yao Ruoxi kicked him away once she moved up in the world. And he even ended up crippling himself.
Many Holy Son candidates now looked at Chu Ying with sympathy.
“There he is.”
Among the forty-nine Holy Son candidates, Lin Zhixue’s eyes sparkled.
Everyone else thought Chu Ying was crippled—but she knew otherwise.
To Lin Zhixue, Chu Ying was now more unfathomable than ever!
After all, he had really retrieved the Frostjade Ginseng from the Everfrost Ridge! And even the casual technique he revealed that day made chills run down her spine.
“Could it all have been a ruse? Is he about to rise and claim the Holy Son title?” Lin Zhixue wondered.
Her mind began to spin up an entire drama.
Maybe Chu Ying had faked his own collapse and spread rumors of being crippled so that the other Holy Son Candidates would let their guard down. Then he’d crush them all in the tournament with a stunning reversal…
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed!
Chu Ying walked toward the crowd with a calm and detached expression. He radiated a natural authority without a hint of anger—carrying a quiet, invisible force with every step.