Holy Son Finals

Returning to the Holy Land, you held the Xiaoyao Token and passed through unimpeded all the way.

You first took a trip to Jiugong Island, preparing to pay your respects to your long-unseen masters and the Island Master.

Hearing of your return, the group of old men were overjoyed and gathered at the coast to welcome you.

"Masters! Your disciple has returned!"

Everyone beamed with joy.

"It is good that you are back, just good that you are back! Hahaha!"

"After going out to experience the world, your entire aura has changed!"

"You already possess the bearing of a dragon and phoenix, with a majestic appearance! I believe the next Holy Son of Xiaoyao will definitely be someone from our Jiugong Island!"

The atmosphere was warm and lively.

However, upon looking at the number of people, you noticed something was wrong.

"Island Master Xie, why didn't Master Zhao come? Is he busy?"

The smiles on everyone's faces faded, and they looked around.

Xie Guihong said in a deep voice.

"Elder Zhao Hanzhou has passed away..."

Zhao Hanzhou died of old age, his lifespan exhausted at the age of one hundred and nine.

He had not broken through to the Martial King Realm. With a mortal's lifespan, had he not been a Condensing Spirit Realm martial artist who consumed many precious medicines, living past a hundred would have been no easy feat.

Standing before Zhao Hanzhou's tombstone, you mourned in silence.

"Why was I not notified of my Master's passing?"

Xie Guihong stood behind you.

"Old Zhao wouldn't let me tell you."

"Did Master have any unfulfilled last wishes?"

"Old Zhao only hoped that you would surpass us as soon as possible, become an Immortal-tier Formation Master, and inherit the legacy of Jiugong Island, allowing our lineage to thrive eternally in the Xiaoyao Holy Land!"

You felt that Zhao Hanzhou had already detached from worldly desires; in his heart, there was only a pure and sincere pursuit of the Dao of Formations.

He hoped for you to become an Immortal-tier Formation Master not just for the sake of Jiugong Island's legacy.

What he hoped for even more was to see a Formation Master stronger than himself, to see what a true Immortal-tier formation actually looked like.

This was a pursuit and lifelong wish regarding the Dao.

It was the innate gift of intelligent races—curiosity.

"Chen Dong, in this world, there are Immortal-tier Weapon Forgers and Immortal-tier Alchemists, but there are no Immortal-tier Formation Masters!

Our Dao is the most profound and mysterious, which is why the world struggles to glimpse its full picture.

We are all old and useless now. The wish to reach the Immortal tier can only be entrusted to outstanding juniors like you."

You knelt before Zhao Hanzhou's tombstone and bowed deeply three times.

"Master above! Your disciple will definitely see through the mysteries of Immortal-tier formations, fulfill the great aspiration of all Formation Masters in the world, and step into the ranks of the Immortal tier!"

Xie Guihong was very gratified.

"Alright, hurry up and participate in the battle for the Holy Son, and become a Martial King as soon as possible! Your Master was also a formation genius, but alas, heaven did not grant him enough years. Do not let such a regret happen to you!"

In truth, even if you did not win the position of Holy Son and could not obtain the personal assistance of God Xiaoyao.

The old men of Jiugong Island would still fight to get you an opportunity.

It was just that the latter would require the old men to trade their pride and call in many favors; it was best not to resort to it unless absolutely necessary.

The final competition for the Holy Son and Holy Daughter of the Xiaoyao Holy Land finally began.

Martial forces from the Three Great Holy Lands, the Star Domains, and various overseas regions all sent people to witness this historic moment that occurred only once every sixty years.

Even from the Five Domains, people traveled thousands of miles, not hesitating to cross the Great Wasteland to get here.

This force from the Five Domains was called the Tianji Pavilion, one of the Eight Pillars of the Five Domains.

You had given a speech there before, so you had some understanding of them.

The Tianji Pavilion was in the intelligence business.

As long as anyone provided compensation, they could provide whatever intelligence the other party desired.

You had also tried asking them for intelligence on the Blood Moon.

The Tianji Pavilion indeed provided quite a few details regarding the Blood Moon, but it was mostly about some of their assassination operations. Trying to find the Blood Moon organization through this was still highly unlikely.

This faction usually did not have a strong presence in the Five Domains.

It was not surprising that they appeared here.

They were like a group of journalists, rushing to the scene of breaking news.

The one hosting the finals was still the Holy Land's Grand Chief Priest, Dongfang Shuo.

Today, the Island Masters, elders, and masters of the eighteen lineages of the Xiaoyao Holy Land all arrived. This was both to bear witness together and to ensure fairness.

Which lineage the Holy Son emerged from would have an unimaginably positive impact on that lineage.

The eighteen Island Masters somewhat looked down on each other; outwardly amiable, they secretly each had their own chain of contempt.

Now fifty years old, you had stepped into middle age and appeared somewhat out of place standing among the twenty candidates.

Because you did not equip the Male God trait and did not deliberately maintain your appearance normally.

Therefore, your face matched the characteristics of a fifty-year-old.

Your skin was no longer fair and tender, there were fine lines at the corners of your eyes, and your gaze was full of the vicissitudes of life.

Those who had initially come to the Holy Land to participate in the selection, such as Long Yang, Baili Su, Wang Mingbai, and others, were no longer young either.

However, all these people came from prominent backgrounds. Behind each of them were specialists who used specific methods to maintain their youthful looks, so they appeared to have changed little compared to back then.

A group of young adults in their thirties and forties competing for Holy Son and Holy Daughter sounded a bit comical.

But once they broke through the ranks, they would quickly be arranged to break through to the Martial King Realm.

Possessing a lifespan of two hundred years in the Martial King Realm, being in one's thirties or forties was considered quite young.

What surprised you was this.

Wu Yue seemingly hadn't deliberately maintained her appearance.

She was over fifty, and since she hadn't reached the Martial King Realm either, her face already bore the marks of time.

You had heard Island Master Xie mention it.

Wu Yue had the conditions to break through to the Martial King Realm, but she had never done so, instead remaining fixated on becoming the Holy Daughter.

Because a Martial King had to withdraw from the competition.

You didn't know what kind of attraction the position of Holy Daughter held for her.

"Brother Chen, it's been many years. Is everything well?"

Standing beside you, Wang Mingbai greeted you.

You turned your head to look at this wealthy patron.

"Brother Wang, trust you have been well since we last met. By the way, have you managed to woo your goddess?"

Wang Mingbai lowered his head shyly, his voice hushed.

"Not yet... but I won't give up!"

This guy was quite devoted; it had been so many years.

Dongfang Shuo's voice echoed throughout Yunshu Island.

"The ten Holy Son candidates and the ten Holy Daughter candidates, after more than a decade of precipitation, have all made significant progress in the Martial Dao and their respective areas of expertise!

Today, we will no longer distinguish your cultivation realms. Everyone will compete on the same stage to vie for the next generation's Holy Son and Holy Daughter of our Xiaoyao Holy Land!

The stage for today's competition is no longer an arena that restricts your performance.

Everyone, look to the east!

Eighty miles away from Yunshu Island, there is Chaofeng Island.

Shortly, you will set off from here and head to Chaofeng Island. The ones who are the first to find the Holy Son Token and Holy Daughter Token in the center of the island and insert them into the Sea-Calming Divine Tower on Chaofeng Island will be the victors!"

Accompanied by a burst of brilliant fireworks exploding in the sky above Yunshu Island.

It marked the beginning of the finals.

[The twenty candidates set off simultaneously, each displaying their unique divine abilities as they crossed the sea toward the neighboring Chaofeng Island.]

[Meanwhile, eerie thunderclouds gathered in the sky. The clouds hung oppressively low, creating a suffocating sense of pressure.]

[The "Signal Light" washed your entire field of vision in yellow, showing a strong sign of transitioning into red.]

["Could this be a trial arranged by the Holy Land...?"]