[For example, there are people named "Qiluoer (Chapter 114)" and "Tieyingkong (Chapter 122)". There is still no news about them. Even if you find them, you might find that they are not the people you are looking for when you get there.]
Yun Shou: "It seems that we have changed the world too much, which means that they were never born in the first place."
[In the same year, you decided to pursue Wu Guiren and arrived at the Wu Dynasty.]
At this time, the Martial Dynasty was holding the "True Martial Tournament."
[All martial artists under the age of one hundred can participate. The weakest participants are Grandmasters, the majority are Great Grandmasters, and those with the Innate Realm are few, accounting for only half.]
Those who can advance to the Innate Realm within the age of one hundred are considered minor geniuses in the Azure Domain.
As for those who become celestial beings within the age of one hundred, that means they will not die young and have a very high probability of becoming hegemons.
However, there were no Celestials among the participants in this year's "True Martial Arts Tournament".
[Wu Guiren was not a contestant; he was the "special guest" who represented the dynasty to present the prize to the champion.]
When you arrived at the Martial Dynasty, the "True Martial Tournament" was already more than halfway through. To pass the time, you spent a day watching the final match.
The victor was broken and injured. Only half an hour had passed from when he defeated the second-place opponent to when he received his prize. Even though he had taken a secret medicine during this time to heal some of his injuries, he still limped onto the stage to receive his award.
"The winner is Zhuge Kong! Zhuge Kong!"
Cheers erupted from the audience, and you joined in the applause. You had just arrived yesterday and watched the semi-finals and finals. The champion, Zhuge Kong, was just an ordinary, innately perfected cultivator without a sacred body, but he was undeniably ruthless.
[They fought their way from the semifinals to the finals, even forcing their opponent, the Holy Body Innate, to concede defeat through sheer ruthlessness.]
"Although he's not very good, he really gave it his all, and he deserved the prize."
When it was time to award the prizes, Wu Guiren arrived.
He wasn't here for the past few days; there was only news that he was going to present an award, and he only arrived at the venue of this "True Martial Arts Competition" this morning.
You might as well just wait for him here; you're too lazy to intercept him halfway.
Wu Guiren wore a warm, gentle smile, concealing his true, cold-hearted nature.
The host of the competition announced loudly, "Next, let's welcome the Seventh Prince, the Prince of Return!"
"The Seventh Prince is the most talented martial artist of his generation in the Martial Dynasty's royal family! He spontaneously awakened his Sacred Body from birth, and his talent and comprehension have been astonishing since childhood. He is a peerless genius with the potential to become a supreme being!"
"Let's give them a warm round of applause!"
"I thought they were going to kowtow to welcome us."
[A series of loud slapping sounds echoed around them, even more intense than when Zhuge Kong had just won the championship. This was because Wu Guiren was a prince, the ruler above them; and Zhuge Kong's chances of becoming a hegemon were slim, far less than Wu Guiren's, who had been rising in prominence in recent years and was hailed as a sure-fire hegemon with the potential to become a supreme ruler.]
Of course, Zhuge Kong was still considered quite good by everyone, but Wu Guiren's level was simply too high.
You crossed your arms, seemingly unconcerned about these things.
[You have a good impression of Zhuge Kong, so let's not disrupt his award ceremony. You can deal with Wu Guiren after he gets his prize.]
Two servants carried a wooden box forward, which Wu Guiren took.
[Inside is the prize for this competition: a piece of "Emerald Steel," a top-grade forging material, and a rare treasure even for many Celestials.]
[The contestant displayed the prizes to the audience to demonstrate the fairness and impartiality of the competition; no fake prizes were presented.]
Many discerning viewers in the audience gasped in surprise.
"A ten-star grade Emerald Steel!"
"My God, this True Martial Arts Tournament is going all out!"
"In the past, having nine stars was already quite good, ten stars? That could be used until the peak of the Celestial Realm!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Guiren frowned, his figure pausing slightly. Although he was the one presenting the award, and he knew the prize was Emerald Steel, he had no idea that its quality was actually ten stars.
His gaze swept across the box, his pupils dilating.
[This isn't ten-star steel, it's not even Emerald Steel!]
This is Emerald Heart Steel!
[However, this substance is extremely similar to Emerald Steel; to be precise, it is a byproduct of Emerald Steel, and also its superior substitute!]
Even ordinary materials experts can't distinguish between Emerald Steel and Emerald Heart Steel, because this isn't information from "General Knowledge Arrays," and there's no related information in most books—it's far too obscure!
However, Wu Guiren recently needed this material for the weapons he was forging, and he had specifically researched and actively collected Emerald Heart Steel.
[This material is so rare that it can't even be found in the imperial treasury. He was even considering using ten-star Emerald Steel as a substitute... but he never expected to find it here!]
[If the Emerald Heart Steel were crafted into a Yuan Power weapon, it would be of considerable benefit to an early-stage Overlord!]
[With a thought racing through his mind, Wu Guiren's eyes revealed a clear greed.]
"Yes, it's a top-grade Emerald Steel with a quality of ten stars!" the host exclaimed. "Next, please welcome—the Seventh Prince to present..."
Wu Guiren's gaze swept indifferently over the host, making him feel like a duck being choked, and his shouting abruptly stopped.
The audience looked somewhat bewildered.
Zhuge Kong, who was holding up his hands, ready to accept the prize, froze with a smile.
Wu Guiren approached Zhuge Kong, his lips moving slightly as he transmitted his voice through his Yuan energy.
"Some things are not meant for you. This piece of Emerald Heart Steel is beyond your means; it should be given to someone worthy of the spear."
"As for your prize... I will bestow upon you a nine-star grade Emerald Steel afterward, in accordance with the rewards from previous years' competitions."
"Prizes should be used to their fullest potential. I hope you can understand and not waste them."
He placed one hand on Zhuge Kong's shoulder, his expression gentle.
Zhuge Kong withdrew his smile and remained silent for a long while, until the hand on his shoulder gripped him tighter and tighter.
Zhuge Kong then nodded.
[Wu Guiren broke into a smile, and seemingly influenced by him, the host also laughed.]
Zhuge Kong was also smiling... but it was a forced smile.
Then, Wu Guiren placed the prize in Zhuge Kong's hands.
Zhuge Kong then pushed the prize away, saying to the crowd below, "This prize is far too precious for me. It would be a waste for me to keep it. I have decided to voluntarily bestow it upon His Highness Wu Guiren."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
