"Hmph, the Heavenly Pride Battle, recognized by the Three Books of Heaven, Earth, and Man, opening the Sacred Treasure Platform, I guessed correctly, didn't I?"
Chen Xiao said with a cold snort.
Chen Sihai was not surprised that Chen Xiao knew about this. He smiled and said, "Heh heh, as expected of my good son. Father really didn't misjudge you."
"I'll say it again, you are not my father, and I am not your child!"
Chen Xiao's tone grew colder, and his expression was unusually ferocious.
"Heh heh, indeed, I am not your father. You are merely a puppet, how can you be worthy of being my Chen Sihai's son?"
Chen Sihai finally revealed his true colors, and contempt and disdain appeared in his gaze towards Chen Xiao.
However, Chen Xiao was not angered or annoyed by this. In fact, he became calm.
Puppet, although this word was ironic, it was also true from another perspective.
Chen Xiao had collected the four sacred relics step by step, which was exactly as Chen Sihai had expected.
"To treat me as a puppet, you need to have the ability!"
Chen Xiao said calmly, his gaze filled with provocation.
"Oh?"
Chen Sihai was slightly stunned. "You've adjusted your state so quickly. But have you ever thought that since I dare to come find you today, I have a hundred percent certainty!"
"Speaking of which, I should thank you for helping me collect the five sacred relics. Hahahaha..."
Chen Xiao's lips curled up, and he said nonchalantly, "You are overconfident and too happy too soon. I also thank you for giving me the Yin Yang Jade. Of course, after I collect the sacred relics, if you dare to show up, I don't mind smashing your dog head with one punch!"
"If I dare to appear, I naturally have a way to deal with you. When the day we truly meet comes, it will be the day you kneel down and call me father..."
*Pfft*
Before Chen Sihai could finish speaking, his head exploded into a bloody fireworks.
Chen Xiao knew that the white-robed sorcerer he killed was not Chen Sihai himself. He just felt that there was no need for further nonsense.
"Heh heh, Chen Sihai, I hope the day we meet comes sooner. I'm really looking forward to it!"
...
The next day, the sun was shining brightly, and the weather was clear. It was a rare good day.
And Hou Tu City finally welcomed its grand event once every fifty years: the preliminary selection for the Heavenly Pride Battle!
In the center of the city, there was a super large square, which was the venue for the selection competition.
The surroundings were crowded with people. All the citizens of the city had come to watch the excitement. A large number of rogue cultivators also gathered around the square.
There were too many people. Even with the disciples of the Earth Sect helping to maintain order, it still seemed a bit chaotic.
After Chen Xiao displayed his credentials as the Holy Son of the True Martial Sect, he successfully entered the square.
At this moment, the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters who had entered the square were a dense mass. At a rough glance, there were at least seven to eight thousand people.
Each person here represented a sect. Chen Xiao had a deeper understanding of the saying that 'sects in the Immortal Hidden Realm are as numerous as cow hair'.
Inside the square, all beings were equal, at least it seemed so now. Some Holy Sons and Holy Daughters from larger sects did not receive preferential treatment.
They stood with other Heavenly Prides, enduring the scorching sun.
In the crowd, Chen Xiao saw a familiar figure.
It was Li Shouzheng, the Holy Son of the Earth Sect. His arm had already grown back, presumably with the help of some miraculous elixir.
Li Shouzheng also saw Chen Xiao, and a fierce look immediately appeared in his eyes.
Although his severed arm had grown back, this grudge had to be avenged!
Not only must it be avenged, but it must be greatly avenged. You cut off one of my arms, and I will take your life to repay it!
Li Shouzheng stared at Chen Xiao and made a gesture of touching his nose.
Chen Xiao chuckled, "A defeated opponent dares to provoke me?"
However, his face was hidden by the black robe, so Li Shouzheng could not see his expression. Thus, Chen Xiao raised his middle finger to express his feelings.
Li Shouzheng frowned as he looked at the middle finger, completely bewildered. Having grown up in the Immortal Hidden Realm, he had no idea what raising the middle finger meant.
"Senior Brother, I will avenge you during the free challenge later."
Li Miaozhen, the Holy Daughter of the Earth Sect, said calmly.
Li Shouzheng glared at his junior sister, "I will avenge myself. I don't need you to interfere!"
"But..."
Li Miaozhen frowned slightly, "You are not his opponent!"
"Hmph, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll challenge you first later!"
Li Shouzheng said impatiently.
Although his strength was inferior to Li Miaozhen's, within the Earth Sect, seniority and respect were emphasized. As the senior brother, he could naturally scold his junior sister as he pleased.
Li Miaozhen pouted and said nothing more.
In her heart, she was thinking, even if Senior Brother really challenges me later, he is not my opponent... Anyway, this strange person in the black robe will sooner or later be my prey!
"Entry time is up!"
As a high-pitched and long voice sounded, the entrance to the square closed, and beams of light shot up into the sky, completely separating the square from the audience area outside.
Then, a green light flashed in the sky. A middle-aged Taoist priest, standing on a green greatsword, flew from a distance towards the sky above the square.
The middle-aged Taoist priest had a handsome face, wore a light red Taoist robe with mountain peak patterns on the chest, and exuded an immortal aura from head to toe.
Finally, the middle-aged Taoist priest hovered above the square on his flying sword. When he spoke, his voice was full of vigor, like a great bell.
"I am Xu Weizhou, an elder of the Supreme Pavilion of the Earth Sect, here to preside over the preliminary selection of this Heavenly Pride Battle..."
Xu Weizhou introduced himself expressionlessly and then began to expound on the rules of the Heavenly Pride Battle.
The rules were extremely simple, exactly as Chen Xiao had heard yesterday.
As soon as Xu Weizhou appeared, he received countless admiring glances... He was a cultivator at the Dao Integration stage, the closest existence to an immortal!
Throughout the entire Immortal Hidden Realm, Dao Integration stage cultivators were rare. There were only a few dozen of them.
The vast majority of them were within the three sects of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
Therefore, for many people present today, this was the first time they had personally seen a great cultivator at the Dao Integration stage.
Seeing the looks of people who had never seen the world among the surrounding Heavenly Prides, Li Shouzheng sneered and dismissed them as country bumpkins.
As the Holy Son of the Earth Sect, he had naturally seen great events. Although the Dao Integration stage was powerful, it was not an unattainable existence.
He was confident that with a few more years of cultivation, he could also enter the Dao Integration stage.
Before entering the Dao Integration stage, one thing was crucial: the Dao heart must not have any regrets.
And now, Li Shouzheng's Dao heart had a trace of regret. If this regret was not removed, it could even become his inner demon.
His regret was that black-robed person who claimed to be the Holy Son of the True Martial Sect.
He, must eliminate this person...