Chapter 235 - 223: Prodigious Talent
Not all of these people were participants in the competition, but they were all elites of the Spirit Dragon Sect—the prodigies of this generation.
Each one of them radiated an immense brilliance. They were meticulously dressed, as if by design, looking as though they could outshine the heavens themselves, their image searing itself into the hearts of the Wanxiang Sect disciples.
There were both men and women among them, none of them very old. Their clothes were extraordinarily luxurious, their temperaments transcendent and peerless. All of them were at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The weakest among them had a Sixth-Layer Spirit Platform. They were like a cluster of shining stars, and all who saw them were shaken to the core, unable to help but feel a sense of inadequacy.
They were like true Divine Sons, descending upon the mortal world.
The ones dismounting the Black Wind Spirit Dragon were already prodigies, but after stepping off, they all turned to look ahead.
There stood a young man in golden Court Attire, a matching Golden Spider Pattern Belt cinched at his waist. He wore a Jade-Inlaid Gilded Crown, his black hair neatly bound within it.
The youth’s slender body was ramrod straight, and his calm face exuded an innate nobility. As he walked forward, all the disciples beside him—even his master, Mu Yongxian—took the initiative to step aside, giving him a slight nod.
This was the man Li Minghan had spoken of—the number one prodigy of the Spirit Dragon Sect’s Inner Sect, Yang Chengxu! And he wasn’t just number one in the Beast Taming Lineage. He was number one in the entire Spirit Dragon Sect!
Yang Chengxu noticed disciples from the Beast Taming Peak watching him and couldn’t help but let a smile touch his lips. A moment later, the sound of a whistling wind echoed through the area.
Behind him, the phantom of a Cyan Dragon suddenly materialized. It was entirely cyan with hints of gold, possessing antlers like a deer, a head like an ox, and a body like a serpent, all covered in hard scales. It coiled around Yang Chengxu, unleashing a heaven-shaking might.
The display stunned everyone present, sending monumental waves crashing through the minds of the countless onlookers.
"Is that... his Contract beast? A Cyan Dragon?!"
Someone’s cry of alarm was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples through the crowd. The quiet was broken by a rising and falling chorus of sharp gasps.
"No! The aura is wrong. It can’t be a True Dragon. It’s a Celestial Cyan Sub-Dragon, which contains a trace of Cyan Dragon blood and strongly resembles one!"
All eyes turned to Yang Chengxu, and soon, someone with a keen eye identified the species.
"A Celestial Cyan Sub-Dragon... That’s still incredible! It’s hailed as the Spirit Beast that most closely resembles a Cyan Dragon in appearance, and its bloodline is among the absolute best! With the right opportunity, it might even be able to display some of a Cyan Dragon’s true power!"
"Heavens, to think he had such a fateful encounter!"
A fresh round of gasps was heard as envious and awestruck gazes fell upon Yang Chengxu, and a buzz of discussion erupted.
Yu Changsheng’s eyes narrowed, lost in thought.
"This guy..." Li Minghan murmured from the side. "It seems there’s more to him than just being Mu Yongxian’s disciple. To possess such a rare Spirit Beast, his background must be extraordinary." A trace of surprise and envy flashed in his eyes, but it quickly hardened into resolve. He unconsciously clenched his fist, as if having made a decision.
"Mm," Yu Changsheng nodded slowly. He was surprised but remained composed as he said coolly, "Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, plus the king among Second-stage Guardian Beasts—the Celestial Cyan Sub-Dragon. This Yang Chengxu is certainly dazzling."
"I just wonder what his other tamed beast is like," Yu Changsheng added, a curious glint in his eye.
He could sense that Yang Chengxu hadn’t revealed his full capabilities. The Celestial Cyan Sub-Dragon was just a fraction of his power, put on display for them. ’He has other Spirit Beasts hidden away!’
"Yang Chengxu’s rise to prominence was too recent. I only got this information at the last minute, so I don’t know any other specifics."
"But his other beast is definitely not simple. It won’t be any weaker than this Celestial Cyan Sub-Dragon. The Spirit Dragon Sect has a preference for the Dragon Race bloodline. At his current Realm, he can’t get a beast with a True Dragon Bloodline, but there are certainly Sub-Dragon Bloodlines stronger than the Celestial Cyan Sub-Dragon."
Li Minghan shook his head and let out a heavy breath, his eyes glinting.
Yang Chengxu’s appearance didn’t just cause an uproar among the disciples. It also sent a shockwave through the Inner Sect Elders, whose expressions turned grave as they watched him.
"The Spirit Dragon Sect actually found a prodigy like this?"
"No, the Spirit Dragon Sect doesn’t have the resources to cultivate someone like him. I wonder which prominent family in Wuzhou he hails from."
"Do we, the Wanxiang Sect, have anyone who can stand against him?"
Listening to the discussion among the elders, Yun Hejing pressed her lips together, remaining silent. For some reason, however, her gaze drifted down to Yu Changsheng.
After a moment, she shook her head with a faint, bitter smile and turned to look at Peak Master Mo Pengcheng.
Mo Pengcheng’s expression remained unchanged, but his gaze lingered on Yang Chengxu for a moment before turning to Mu Yongxian. He said coolly,
"Peak Master Mu is truly fortunate to have taken on such a disciple. Impressive."
His tone was level, and though the words were complimentary, they carried an uncomfortable edge.
"Heh heh." Mu Yongxian paid it no mind, a smug look appearing on his face as he stroked his beard. "Yes, this disciple of mine is indeed quite remarkable."
Then, his tone shifting, Mu Yongxian’s eyes darted about as he deliberately raised his voice. "I just wonder, does your Wanxiang Sect have any prodigies you’d care to bring out for us to meet?"
As he spoke, Mu Yongxian put on an exaggerated look of anticipation, staring at Mo Pengcheng.
Mo Pengcheng fell silent for a moment, then a slight smile played on his lips. "The Wanxiang Sect is a grand and sprawling enterprise. As for geniuses and prodigies..."
Mo Pengcheng gestured grandly toward the crowd in the plaza.
"Are not all these disciples before us geniuses of the Wanxiang Sect?"
Mu Yongxian was taken aback. He gave Mo Pengcheng a long, hard look, a smile playing on his lips. It was unclear whether it was contemptuous or held some deeper meaning, but his next words were pointed and drawn out.
"I’ve heard that Peak Master Mo took on a Closed-door Disciple some years ago who has never made a public appearance. I wonder if the rumors are true. Perhaps this time we’ll have the chance to see for ourselves."
Mo Pengcheng’s eyebrow twitched. After a moment, he slowly shook his head, then nodded. "There will be a chance," he said calmly. "Since this is an exchange between our two sects, it’s a rare occasion. A friendly spar would be a fine idea."
Mo Pengcheng did indeed have a Closed-door Disciple. The disciple’s talent was astonishing, but he was a low-key individual. Furthermore, he had been severely injured some years ago for certain reasons and had been recuperating ever since. As a result, he was almost never seen by anyone in the sect.
Ordinary disciples were unaware of this, but Mu Yongxian knew. His purpose in coming this time was, of course, to completely crush the younger generation of the Beast Taming Peak.
And with Yang Chengxu, he was confident that besides Mo Pengcheng’s reclusive Closed-door Disciple, no one else would be a match for him.
That was why he had posed the question so deliberately. After all, if even the Peak Master’s own disciple was defeated, it would be the most thorough suppression imaginable.
Mu Yongxian had absolute confidence in this disciple of his. After all, he came from a place that even Mu Yongxian himself had to look up to...