Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Xiao Xiao Competes

Everyone under the age of twenty-five who had awakened their Martial Soul was required to participate!

This condition was insane!

You had to understand that many of the youths, especially those who had just awakened their Martial Souls, had extremely low cultivation. If they entered the Qingyun Mountain Range for the trial, the risks would be tremendous—most would face certain death! For every faction, this risked creating a generational gap in their future talent.

One could say that the royal family of the Northern Desolate Country and the Six Major Sects were betting the entire future of the country on finding this one genius with a Ten-Star Holy Soul.

”Isn’t this rule a bit inappropriate? Shouldn’t we limit the participants’ qualifications to some degree?” Huang Dayear suggested.

Du Pengcheng waved his hand dismissively. ”There’s nothing appropriate or inappropriate about it. As long as we can find the unparalleled genius with a Ten-Star Holy Soul, any price is worth paying!”

Li Zhe’s eyes glinted as he offered a suggestion of his own. ”Since the goal is to find this genius, why go to such lengths? I propose we conduct a carpet-style search throughout the Northern Desolate Country, testing the Martial Soul Star Level of the younger generation one by one. I believe we’ll find this prodigy quickly that way.”

Du Pengcheng just laughed and shook his head. ”We already thought of your method. It would be wonderful if it were that easy. The reality is far more difficult than we imagined. Besides, a peerless genius like that might not be willing to stay in the Northern Desolate Country, which is why we must resort to more forceful means.”

Nearby, Huang Dayear mused, ”But what if they deliberately hide this Ten-Star Holy Soul genius and prevent them from participating in the trial?”

”If they are discovered,” Du Pengcheng said coldly, ”their clan’s patriarch will be executed without mercy!”

Upon hearing this, both Huang Dayear and Li Zhe felt a chill run down their spines.

Cui Wei, sitting to one side, glanced at the empty seats on the high platform and frowned. ”What’s wrong with the Ye Family? The trial is about to start, why aren’t they here yet?”

”Could it be? Is the peerless genius with the Ten-Star Holy Soul actually in the Ye Family?”

However, the moment he said it, Cui Wei gave a self-deprecating laugh and shook his head, dismissing his own guess.

The Ye Family is just a minor, unremarkable clan from little Qingyun Town. They have no prestigious lineage or great opportunities. How could they possibly produce a genius with a Ten-Star Holy Soul?

Huang Dayear and the other prominent figures of Qingyun Town also shook their heads with a smile. The Ye Family producing someone like Ye Qingchen was already a once-in-a-century event for Qingyun Town. A genius with a Ten-Star Holy Soul? That was unthinkable.

”Hey, the Ye Family is here!”

As they were talking, they saw Ye Changyun and the Great Elder leading a group of the Ye Family’s younger generation toward them from a distance.

”Ye Qingchen!”

From the VIP seats on the high platform, Li Zhe spotted Ye Qingchen behind Ye Changyun, and a flicker of rage crossed his face. Because of Ye Qingchen, his daughter Li Susu’s Dantian had been crippled, and his second son, Li Mingliang, had died a tragic death in the Qingyun Mountain Range!

He wished he could tear Ye Qingchen limb from limb!

Hmph! Once Ye Qingchen enters the Qingyun Mountain Range, I will personally kill him! Li Zhe resolved.

”Brother Du! Brother Cui!” Ye Changyun greeted Du Pengcheng, Cui Wei, and the other four men with a smile. After a few pleasantries, Ye Changyun took his seat in the VIP section.

Ye Qingchen and the other young members of the Ye Family followed the arrangements and joined the crowd of over a thousand participants.

”Young Master, you can do it!” Xiao Xiao called out from the waiting area, clenching her fists, her beautiful eyes brimming with excitement. She was confident her young master would win first place!

Although she had already reached the fifth level of a Martial Apprentice, the Ye Family had decided not to let her participate in order to protect her.

Not long after the Ye Family arrived, Qin Yue appeared with people from the Rising Sun Pavilion to support this grand event that only occurred once every eight years.

Seeing Xiao Xiao with them, a trace of surprise flashed in Qin Yue’s beautiful eyes. Why is Xiao Xiao here?

With her status, she already knew the trial had been moved up because a powerful expert had sensed the appearance of a peerless genius with a Ten-Star Holy Soul in the Northern Desolate Country. But unlike those experts and the Six Major Sects, Qin Yue knew something more: the genius they were searching for was the inconspicuous maid, Xiao Xiao, standing right here on the sidelines. For other youths, entering one of the Six Major Sects to cultivate was a tremendous opportunity, their best possible choice. But for Xiao Xiao, entering one of the Six Major Sects would be a complete waste of her talent. Qin Yue believed that even her own Qin Family, a clan countless times more powerful than the Six Major Sects, was not worthy of a peerless genius like Xiao Xiao. That was why, after discovering Xiao Xiao’s Ten-Star Vermilion Bird Holy Soul, she hadn’t reported it to her family.

After exchanging greetings, Ye Changyun turned to Du Pengcheng and the other five men. ”Brother Du, Brother Cui, as requested, I have brought all the young members of the Ye Family. The youth trial can begin!”

Du Pengcheng nodded and was about to make the announcement when Cui Wei, beside him, pointed toward Xiao Xiao in the waiting area. ”Family Head Ye, I sense spiritual power fluctuations from that young girl. She must be a Martial Apprentice, so why isn’t she competing?”

Ye Changyun was taken aback for a moment before forcing a smile. ”She is merely a maid in my Ye Family. Her status is low and her strength is negligible. Letting her compete would be a waste of resources.”

Huang Dayear nodded in agreement. ”Indeed! For such a grand competition, there’s no need to waste everyone’s time over a mere maid.”

Du Pengcheng, however, waved his hand dismissively. ”Family Head Huang, you are mistaken! This trial in the Qingyun Mountain Range is all about fairness and treating everyone equally! A maid deserves the same treatment as anyone else!”

”This young lady should also have the right to compete and the chance to enter one of the Six Major Sects!”

Qin Yue’s lips parted, about to urge Du Pengcheng to reconsider. But then it occurred to her that someone of her status speaking up for a mere maid might seem overly deliberate, possibly raising suspicions about Xiao Xiao. She quickly changed her mind and remained silent.

Li Zhe’s eyes, however, lit up. He recognized Xiao Xiao as Ye Qingchen’s maid.

If Ye Qingchen is saddled with this liability, Xiao Xiao, during the trial, it won’t just drag down his results—it will give me more opportunities to kill him!

Ye Changyun frowned and instinctively glanced at the Great Elder. When the latter gave a slight nod, he relented. ”Alright! If that’s the case, let’s give Xiao Xiao a chance to show what she can do!”

Ye Changyun had already made a snap decision. Since the Great Elder would already be entering the Qingyun Mountain Range to protect Ye Qingchen, he could just have Xiao Xiao accompany them to ensure her safety.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xiao Xiao skipped happily over to Ye Qingchen’s side. ”Young Master, I get to compete, just like you!”

For Xiao Xiao, this was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.

Ye Qingchen affectionately patted her head. ”The Qingyun Mountain Range is extremely dangerous. Stick close behind me and don’t wander off, understand?”

”I know!”

Xiao Xiao savored the feeling of being protected. Her beautiful eyes curved into smiling crescents, and her sweet expression made many of the young men nearby stare, their eyes wide with envy for Ye Qingchen, who had such a cute, pretty, and talented maid.

Just then, Ye Qingchen felt the communicator in his pocket vibrate. Qin Yue’s voice came through.

”If you truly care for Xiao Xiao, do not let her reveal her strength in this trial! Remember this!”