Against the Gods

Chapter 428 – Change of Match Schedule

The starting time of the ranking tournament had already arrived, yet Absolute Monarch Sanctuary’s seat was still empty. Feng Hengkong did not declare the start of the Ranking Tournament here and now, and instead stared at the sky above… If the other three Sacred Grounds came late, he could choose to not wait, but for Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, he had to wait.

Without making Feng Hengkong wait for too long, an aged yet peaceful voice, distantly came from the skies above.

“Sigh… This Gu has come late due to affairs that had to be taken care of, and has made everyone wait for a long time. I’m ashamed, extremely ashamed.”

The voice was illusory and lingering, as if it came from the end of the horizon. At the same time, a gentle yet boundless aura descended from the sky, enveloping the entire arena. This aura that was rich and dense to the extreme, made one instantly think of the ocean, the cosmos, the abyss… Endlessly vast, majestic without limit.

“Monarch!” In Yun Che’s mind, Jasmine’s voice that carried a slight hint of surprise came.

Yun Che’s mind instantly shook.

Monarch!? The person who has come, was a Monarch!?

Sacred Ground letting a Young Hall Master come, was already extremely unusual… But why would they actually send a Monarch!

In the Profound Sky Continent, Divine Profound Realm was a myth-like existence, rumored to be an illusory realm that humans simply could not reach. Sovereign Profound Realm, was then the highest peak of this world; a Monarch, was fully deserving as the greatest sovereign ruler in the entire Profound Sky Continent! And Monarchs, also only exist within the Sacred Grounds and Divine Phoenix Empire. Even in the Sacred Grounds and Divine Phoenix Empire, they were exceedingly rare.

At this Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, Yun Che could be considered as having finally widened his horizon at last. Even though they belonged to the same continent, Divine Phoenix Empire and Blue Wind Empire were like two entirely different worlds. At Blue Wind Nation, Thrones were already the limit that could not be surpassed. But here, Thrones were all over the place, Overlords ran amok, and now even a Monarch had actually appeared!

A silhouette also slowly floated down from above. This was an elderly man in a light yellow robe with a horsetail whisk in hand. With white hair and brows, the air and disposition of a celestial, his face gentle, as though a taoist celestial who was about to ascend to the heavens.

When the other three Sacred Ground’s people came, Feng Hengkong only stood up to greet. But this time, Feng Hengkong directly left his seat, and greeted forward with hurried steps. Behind him, Feng Feiyan and the crowd of elders also left their seats and followed in succession.

Feng Hengkong came before the elderly man with quick steps, and said as he saluted respectfully: “Junior Feng Hengkong of Divine Phoenix Sect, greets Spiritual Master Gu Cang.”

Of the Four Great Sacred Grounds, Absolute Monarch was head. While the elderly man before him, was a being of Grand Elder rank at Absolute Monarch Sanctuary. Even the Saint Emperor would need to pay him some respect. And since always, the interactions and communication between Divine Phoenix Sect and Absolute Monarch Sanctuary had been the closest. Even though it wasn’t apparent, Divine Phoenix Sect indeed always had the intention to huddle close with the Absolute Monarch Sanctuary,

Spiritual Master Gu Cang didn’t have the slightest imposing manner nor arrogance as a Grand Elder of a Sacred Ground. With a swing of his horsetail brush, he returned a salutations and said while laughing: “This Gu has arrived late for reasons, I have truly committed offense, and I hope Phoenix Sect Master is magnanimous in forgiveness.”

Feng Hengkong said: “What are you saying, Spiritual Master Gucang. Your elderly grace coming personally, is already the greatest honor of our Divine Phoenix Sect… Oh? Junior recalls that Spiritual Master Gu Cang ought to have brought a disciple along, why is it that…”

“Haha.” Spiritual Master Gu Cang laughed lightly: “This Gu indeed had come bringing a disciple, only for him to witness the Ranking Tournament and explore within the Primordial Profound Ark to learn through experience. I hadn’t expected, that he had a chance encounter with an acquainted person of olden days in this Divine Phoenix City, so he rushed this old man to come by myself, hahahaha.”

“So that’s how it was. To able to be taken in by Spiritual Master Gu Cang as the last disciple, your honored disciple must possess an extraordinary aptitude. Spiritual Master Gu Cang, please.” Feng Hengkong extended his hand, gesturing at Absolute Monarch Sanctuary’s seat.

As Gu Cang entered his seat, Ling Kun, Ye Xinghan and even Ji Qianrou all stood up, and respectfully conducted a rite for juniors toward seniors in dead seriousness. This action, invoked Yun Che’s thoughts. Spiritual Master Gu Cang’s status at Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, could be somewhat deduced from this.

Everyone of the Four Great Sacred Grounds were also all present now, as the site had also become entirely silent. It was finally time for this Seven Nation Ranking Tournament to begin.

Following a meaningful glance from Feng Hengkong, the Great Phoenix Elder Feng Feiyan took off into the air, and flew until he reached the arena’s center. An awe-inspiring and resonate phoenix cry exuded from his body. Following that, flames that surged to the skies explosively burned up, and shot up to until over one hundred meters in height, making everyone’s gaze fixedly focus onto him without exception.

Feng Feiyan looked in all four directions, as he spoke in a loud and clear voice: “This humble one is Divine Phoenix Sect’s Head Elder, Feng Feiyan, and it is an honor to meet heroes and young geniuses from all over the world. I represent Divine Phoenix Sect, and I thank all of the friends from faraway lands for visiting Phoenix City. This session, is the thirty-ninth session Ranking Tournament of our Profound Sky Seven Nations, and will be hosted in its entirety by I, Feng Feiyan, and witnessed by the honored guests of the Four Sacred Grounds! Held once every twenty five years, the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, is a battle for our Profound Sky Seven Nations’ young prodigies to contest in profound strength, spread their name through Profound Sky, and promote the prestige of their nations…”

“Wah! It’s actually personally hosted by the Great Elder. Hm? That’s odd! Why would it be hosted by Great Elder?” Feng Zhanyun said with a suprised expression. Clearly, he didn’t know that Great Elder would personally host this Ranking Tournament beforehand. Even if someone told him beforehand, he probably wouldn’t have believed it. Because in the past, the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament was at most hosted by a low rank Elder.

“Could it be that there is something special about this Ranking Tournament?” Feng Zhanyun said in a low voice.

Other than the Grand Generations and Princess Snow, Feng Feiyan’s status in Divine Phoenix Sect, was almost second to only Feng Hengkong. Even Crown Prince Feng Ximing, would need to act very respectfully in front of him. Letting him personally be the host of this Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, made even the few from the Sacred Grounds revealed slight surprise. The audiences in the seating area more so held their breaths, and looked at Feng Feiyan in an respectful and admiring manner. The voice resounding beside their ears, every word was thunderous.

The Great Elder personally as host, was an entirely different concept from normal elders or palace masters as host. Everyone had faintly noticed something odd from within. Sure enough, after Feng Feiyan finished reading the formal speech, hs suddenly looked up as his finger pointed toward the sky above: “Everyone please look up. That’s right, this enormous shadow blotting out the sky and sun, is precisely that Primordial Profound Ark which appears every three hundred years which harbors unknown mysteries!”

“The Primordial Profound Ark had always appeared at my Divine Phoenix City’s skies, and throughout history, only us Divine Phoenix Empire possessed the right of exploration as well. But this time, Sect Master’s heart is generous and broad, and is willing to scale the Primordial Profound Ark with friends of the six nations, and share the mysteries of Primordial Profound Ark. In this session’s Ranking Tournament, the top three in rankings may choose three people each to explore the Primordial Profound Ark together.

Even though it was top three in rankings, everyone knew that the first would unquestionably be Divine Phoenix Sect. Therefore, people of the six nations with the fortune to enter the Primordial Profound Ark, would at most be six people from two nations.

“However,” Feng Feiyan’s tone suddenly shifted, as he said: “Just a few days ago, my sect suddenly noticed that the profound seal at Primordial Profound Ark’s main doorway had actually loosened ahead of time, which also means that the Profound Ark’s main doorway would open four days earlier than expected!”

“Hm?” The brows of all of the people from Sacred Grounds shifted.

“Four days in advance? Which is to say, Primordial Profound Ark will open as soon as tomorrow?” Ye Xinghan said in a low voice.

“That should be so… No wonder this Feng Feiyan was made to personally host this Ranking Tournament. There was indeed unforeseen matter.” Ling Kun also spoke in a low voice: “If my guesses are correct, this Ranking Tournament, will be concluded as soon as possible.”

Feng Feiyan continued: “My sect had initially planned to start to explore the Primordial Profound Ark on the second day after Ranking Tournament’s conclusion, yet this time, the Primordial Profound Ark will open tomorrow in advance! The Primordial Profound Ark would only open for twenty four hours every single time. Twenty four hours in an entire three hundred years, naturally, no time can be wasted! But the words spoken by my Divine Phoenix Sect, are of enormous weight, and we will absolutely not go back on them. Therefore, in order to explore the Primordial Profound Ark tomorrow in collaboration, this session of Ranking Tournament’s match schedule, will also undoubtedly be compressed to a great degree… The top three, would need to be decided by today!”

Clamor~~~~

The moment Feng Feiyan’s words were spoken, the entire arena became turbulent. They all understood the words, the Primordial Profound Ark would open ahead of time… And at the same time, this session of Ranking Tournament would be compressed into a single day… Which meant that it was to be concluded today!

The match schedule would at least last for five days for every Ranking Tournament in the past, without any exception. Between the contending seventy tip-top young experts coming from the seven nations, every single round would need to be fought in round robin. Previously, even five days of matches would be scheduled fully, and situations of the tournament’s schedule extension would often happen. In the time as short as a day, it simply could not be done.

The expressions of those participants, as well as each nation’s Emperor and hegemons all changed greatly… Seven Nation Ranking tournament was a great matter of an entire country; the results of the rankings, were connected to the position and prestige of the next twenty five years of a nation. For this Ranking Tournament, every single nation could prepare with all their might several years ahead of time, and rare treasures accumulated for over twenty years would all be used without being stingy in the least… For those young participants, this Ranking Tournament was more so the highest stage for them to perform, the greatest chance to spread their name throughout the world! If the previously five days of match schedule were really to be condensed into a day… The time for them to perform, would unquestionably be compressed by an entire eighty percent!

This kind of discrepancy, how could they be willing and satisfied?

And the spectators numbering more than three million who obtained the qualification to enter the arena through great pain, they originally would have enjoyed an entire five days of the pinnacle’s battle, yet all of a sudden only one day was left, they naturally were extremely unthrilled as well.

“No wonder the Great Elder was needed to personally host.” Yun Che muttered to himself in a low voice: “So it was to suppress the situation that may possibly happen with the awe of the Great Elder. If the match schedule is shrunk down to one day…” As he muttered till here, his brows suddenly twitched as a feeling that was anything but reassuring emerged in his heart.

The clamor suddenly exploding in the arena was entirely within Divine Phoenix Sect’s expectations. Feng Feiyan’s expression did not change, as his voice abruptly became louder by some: “Even though the match schedule is forced to be compressed, there is no need for anyone to worry. This Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, would still be absolutely fair and square! So much that… it would be even more fair and square than the previous few dozen sessions! It will determine the ranking of strength of us Profound Sky Seven Nations in even less bias!”

Feng Feiyan’s words, made everyone reveal a stupefied expression… The match schedule being compressed from five days to one, yet it would be more fair?

Feng Feiyan continued: “The former sessions of Seven Nation Ranking Tournaments, seventy young prodigies battled in turns, contending against one another, and the end rankings were decided by the highest placement of each nation’s contenders. However, this kind of ranking style emphasizes the strength of apex profound practitioners. But in actuality, what could manifest a nation’s strength the most ought to be the overall strength of a nation’s participants. Thus, this session of Ranking Tournament, would cancel the individual matches, and change into team battles! In every single ranking match, every single profound practitioners of the two sides must all enter the stage!”

The arena was instantly filled with the sound of discussions, ceaselessly clamorous. Yun Che’s eyes stared wide, as he fixedly stared at Feng Feiyan whose expression was cold and stiff, and violently cursed:

F*ck!!