Chapter 1707: Geniuses from Other Regions
"Young friend, your talent is extraordinary. The Grand Chief of our Fengtian Clan holds you in very high regard. Keep this Fengtian Token well. Anyone who carries it is considered a friend of our clan. If the opportunity arises, you should come visit us someday."
As he spoke, Divine General Cangwu revealed another vaguely suggestive smile and chuckled.
"Don't be fooled by the fact that only a few old men like us showed up for this Sunset Heaven Selection. Our Fengtian Clan has plenty of outstanding young ladies as well!"
The moment those words left his mouth, countless envious gazes fell upon Ling Feng once again.
A Divine General of the Divine Race had personally extended an invitation to him.
From the sound of it, they practically wanted to recruit him as a son-in-law.
"Uh..."
Ling Feng rolled his eyes inwardly.
This old fellow really is up to no good!
"Ahem."
Ling Feng accepted the Fengtian Token and nodded.
"Many thanks, Senior. If the chance presents itself, this junior will certainly pay the Fengtian Clan a visit."
According to Elder Gui, a great calamity was approaching the Dongling Immortal Pool. Building a good relationship with the Fengtian Clan now might prove valuable in the future.
If one of the Fengtian Clan's Divine Generals were willing to assist the Dongling Immortal Pool, there would likely be no force within the Dongling Region capable of threatening it.
"Hiss!"
A sudden sharp pain shot through his waist, causing Ling Feng to suck in a breath.
Turning around, he found Tuoba Yan glaring at him while secretly pinching a tender spot at his side with all her strength.
What did I even do?
Ling Feng cried inwardly.
He had not said a single inappropriate word. How had he managed to offend Tuoba Yan again?
"Haha!"
Divine General Cangwu possessed exceptionally sharp eyes. The moment he witnessed the scene, a look of sudden understanding crossed his face.
"Alright, enough talk. Make your preparations. The Sunset Ancient City will be opening very soon!"
"Understood."
Ling Feng nodded.
According to Tuoba Yan and the others, this year's Sunset Ancient City would open all the way up to the tenth level.
In previous years, the Dongling Immortal Pool had only ever reached the Eighth Sunset Gate.
That meant the tenth-level region almost certainly contained a vast number of treasures that had never been discovered before, waiting for someone to uncover them.
The thought alone made Ling Feng's heart race with anticipation.
Soon, the upper echelons of the three great sacred lands gathered their disciples who had ranked within the top hundred and began explaining the relevant details.
Anyone who entered the top hundred would have the opportunity to enter the Sunset Ancient City.
According to the rules, once they passed through the Sunset Gate, they would be randomly transported to one of the city's levels.
Naturally, the greater one's fortune power, the higher the chance of being sent to an upper-level region.
"Ling Feng, your performance this time was the most remarkable of all. Once we return to the Dongling Immortal Pool, I will personally report your achievements."
Saint Lady Bi Luo looked at Ling Feng with unconcealed delight.
She had never imagined that he would come this far, let alone tie with Shi Haoxuan for first place.
Beside them, the Hall Master of the Blazing Sun Hall patted Shi Haoxuan on the shoulder.
"Not bad. You did well."
Shi Haoxuan remained expressionless as always.
His face seemed permanently frozen in cold indifference. Perhaps only battle could draw any emotion from him besides that icy calm.
The Hall Master of the Blazing Sun Hall shook his head with a smile.
His disciple was excellent in every regard, except that he spoke far too little.
Most likely, there were only two things inside Shi Haoxuan's mind: fighting and becoming stronger.
That was precisely why he had become so formidable.
"Alright. Next, I'll explain the situation inside the Sunset Ancient City."
As the foremost among the eight Hall Masters, the Hall Master of the Blazing Sun Hall naturally knew more about the city's secrets than anyone present.
"Based on the information gathered over the years, we've already mapped the regions within the first five levels in considerable detail. You can study these maps beforehand."
As he spoke, he took out a thick stack of maps and distributed them.
Among the Dongling Immortal Pool disciples who had entered the top hundred, there were roughly forty to fifty people.
Since not everyone would be fortunate enough to reach the higher levels, maps of the lower five levels still held considerable value.
Of course, every Sunset Heaven Selection saw the greatest concentration of disciples in the lower regions.
As a result, the chances of obtaining truly great opportunities there were almost nonexistent.
Still, any opportunity found within the ancient ruins came from antiquity itself. Even a modest gain could be considered a fortunate encounter.
"As for the regions above the fifth level, detailed maps do not exist. The terrain generally isn't too complicated, but there may be various trials and challenges waiting for you. When the time comes, adapt to the situation as best you can."
The Hall Master of the Blazing Sun Hall spoke with a solemn expression.
Everyone listened eagerly, nodding again and again, though their minds had already flown toward the Sunset Gate.
"Following past precedent, you'll be able to remain inside for approximately one month. Those in the lower regions can advance to higher regions, so if your current area doesn't seem to contain any worthwhile opportunities, don't waste time. Head upward as quickly as possible."
He paused before continuing.
"Those who start in higher regions cannot descend to lower ones. Then again, I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to run downward."
"Hahaha!"
The disciples burst into laughter.
They had not expected the normally serious Hall Master of the Blazing Sun Hall to possess a sense of humor.
"There is one more matter you must pay close attention to."
His expression suddenly became grave.
Saint Lady Bi Luo, standing nearby, also furrowed her brows and nodded toward the group.
"The Sunset Ancient City is not open exclusively to geniuses from the Dongling Region. There is a strong possibility that you will encounter geniuses from other regions as well. If that happens, avoid conflicts with them whenever possible."
"Geniuses from other regions?"
A sharp light flashed across Shi Haoxuan's eyes.
"Now that sounds interesting."
"Boy, don't treat my words as idle chatter."
The Hall Master of the Blazing Sun Hall frowned.
"Compared to the other four great regions, the overall strength of our Dongling Region is considerably weaker. With your current strength, if you encounter a genius from the Zhongyuan Region, your best option is to turn around and run immediately."
Shi Haoxuan's face remained indifferent, but inwardly he felt a trace of dissatisfaction.
Run?
The word doesn't exist in my dictionary.
"Haoxuan, you'd do well to take your master's warning seriously."
The Hall Master's voice grew heavier.
"In previous years, even when our disciples encountered geniuses from other regions, they rarely met truly terrifying opponents. This year is different."
"The opening of the Tenth Sunset Gate is certainly a good thing, but it is not entirely good."
"The tenth-level region will likely attract first-rate geniuses from the other regions. Even if they are merely first-rate geniuses, they may still be beyond comparison for either you or Ling Feng."
"Remember that well."
The Hall Master of the Void Heaven Hall also spoke up with unusual seriousness.
"We old fellows aren't trying to boost others while belittling ourselves. Pride and reputation mean very little when compared to your lives."
The three Hall Masters repeated their warnings several times.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Whether those words had truly sunk in, however, was another matter entirely.
At the very least, neither Ling Feng nor Shi Haoxuan intended to take those warnings completely to heart.
Their martial hearts were unshakable.
When faced with a true powerhouse, neither of them would ever surrender so easily.