Not long after.
Deep within the Heaven Mending Pavilion, in Feng Tian Ce's cave dwelling.
"Master, I was rather presumptuous earlier."
Entering the cave dwelling, Feng Tian Ce bowed his head, his face filled with trepidation. To him, it had been a grave matter.
"It's alright."
Ye Xuan smiled slightly, "Tomorrow should be the Heaven Mending Competition, shouldn't it?"
"Yes, Master!"
Feng Tian Ce said respectfully, patiently explaining, "Among the younger generation of the Heaven Mending Pavilion, those below ten thousand years of age, their strongest should not exceed the Blazing Sun realm."
"Master can appropriately suppress your cultivation level, and then attract the attention of the Pavilion Master with your extraordinary combat prowess."
"Moreover, the Heaven Mending Pavilion has never had a Saint Son. If Master can ascend to the position of Saint Son, you will certainly obtain more Heaven Mending Origin."
"Oh."
Listening to Feng Tian Ce's words, Ye Xuan's lips curved slightly, "Heaven Mending Pavilion's Saint Son..."
It was clear Ye Xuan was somewhat tempted. It wasn't that he wanted to be the Saint Son of the Heaven Mending Pavilion, but rather that this identity would bring him more benefits.
"Good."
"Then tomorrow, I too would like to witness just how astonishingly talented these young prodigies of the Heaven Mending Pavilion are."
Hearing his master's words, Feng Tian Ce's lips twitched. The younger generation's prodigies, currently, his master likely couldn't even defeat himself, let alone any prodigy. Even the most astonishing prodigy would be no match for a single move from his master.
Of course, to gain more leverage and benefits, he still needed to play the role of a pig eating a tiger for now.
...
The next day.
The Heaven Mending Pavilion, the Colosseum.
As the most renowned place in the Heaven Mending Pavilion, today it would host the once-in-a-century Heaven Mending Competition. Due to the sudden invasion by the Ten Thousand Beast Hall a few days prior, this Heaven Mending Competition had become even more crucial.
After all, their Heaven Mending Pavilion urgently needed potential disciples to compensate for their losses!
"Good!"
"Next, I declare, the once-in-a-century Heaven Mending Competition begins!"
Wang Chong Tian, the Grand Elder of the Heaven Mending Pavilion, took a deep breath and looked out at the more than a million powerful individuals from the various factions under the Heaven Mending Pavilion's jurisdiction gathered in the Colosseum. "This competition is open to all disciples of our Heaven Mending Pavilion below ten thousand years of age!"
"Let us begin the drawing of lots!"
With a flip of his right hand, the Grand Elder Wang Chong Tian, who was at the peak of the Divine Tribulation realm, conjured countless numbered tokens in the void. A rough estimate put their number at over a hundred thousand.
Ye Xuan beckoned with his right hand, and a token appeared in his palm, bearing the number 8.
Soon, the drawing of lots concluded. Wang Chong Tian announced loudly, "Now begins the first round of selection, a free-for-all!"
"There will be a total of one hundred and fifty arenas, with ten thousand contestants per arena, and so forth!"
"All means are permissible, only the outcome matters!"
"All contestants, take your designated seats and enter your respective arenas!!"
Ye Xuan glanced at his token and then flashed towards the first arena. The tokens in this arena ranged from number 1 to 10,000, a total of ten thousand contestants.
"The competition begins!!"
As Wang Chong Tian's voice fell, the one hundred and fifty arenas immediately erupted into a frenzy. Feng Tian Ce, observing from the high platform, looked towards the first arena, hoping his master wouldn't be too harsh on those prodigies.
"Fight!!"
The first arena immediately devolved into a chaotic melee. Contestants from the same sect gathered together, making it easier to deal with others.
"Kid, get out of here!"
At this moment, a prodigy at the third level of the Crescent Moon realm threw a fierce punch at Ye Xuan. Ye Xuan, on the other hand, curved his lips. Attracting the Pavilion Master's attention, that was just showing off.
However, at this moment, with Feng Tian Ce's intentional and unintentional actions, the Pavilion Master of the Heaven Mending Pavilion narrowed his eyes and looked towards the first arena. "Elder Protector Tian Ce, the Ye Xuan in the first arena, is he your direct disciple?"
"Yes, Pavilion Master!"
Feng Tian Ce dared not be careless upon hearing this. After all, the Pavilion Master before him was the ruler of the Heaven Mending Pavilion and the strongest among them. Even he didn't know the full extent of his Pavilion Master's power, only that his name was Du Gu Da Pan.
*Boom~*
Before the Crescent Moon third-level prodigy could even get close, he was sent flying by a palm strike from Ye Xuan. Moreover, Ye Xuan hadn't even used any of his cultivation.
What!
Such a scene truly shocked everyone around. At this moment.
"I know him, he's the direct disciple brought by Elder Protector Tian Ce!"
*Whoosh~~*
As this statement was made, all nine thousand-plus people in the first arena were stunned. Their gazes turned towards Ye Xuan, filled with apprehension and seriousness.
Simultaneously, the prodigies all tacitly converged towards Ye Xuan.
Are you kidding me?
Someone that Elder Protector Tian Ce fancied couldn't possibly be an ordinary person, especially considering his reputation for discerning judgment within the Heaven Mending Pavilion.
"Attack!"
"Let's eliminate him together, otherwise, we have no hope at all!!"
Following this, over nine thousand people surged forward. As for Elder Protector Tian Ce's protective nature towards his disciples, they just had to avoid killing him.
"Immortal Spear Domain - Absolution!"
In the next moment, his Crescent Moon eighth-level aura surged, instantly filling the entire first arena with spear light. Then, with an attack that made even Crescent Moon seventh-level cultivators wary, it struck out indiscriminately in all directions.
"No!"
"Quick, dodge! How could this guy be so strong!!"
*Swish, swish~~*
The sound of tearing air arrived. Before the contestants in the first arena could react, streams of spear light had already struck. In an instant, all prodigies below the Crescent Moon seventh-level lost their combat effectiveness. Even those at the seventh level of the Red Moon were severely injured.
With this single move, more than half of the competitors were eliminated, leaving only a few dozen Heaven Mending Pavilion prodigies at or above the Crescent Moon eighth-level to hold on.
"Time is precious, the rest of you, be on your way as well."
Then, Ye Xuan struck out with a palm from a distance. Immediately after, the dozens of powerful Crescent Moon eighth-level prodigies, who hadn't recovered, all vomited blood and were sent flying backward, directly blasted out of the arena.
The scene was devastating, too much to bear!
From the moment people attacked Ye Xuan to their complete annihilation by Ye Xuan's two moves, no more than three seconds had passed.
What!!
The millions of people surrounding the Colosseum looked at the figure in the first arena, all of them standing up from their seats in shock. "So strong!"
"That guy actually took down all the experts in the first arena by himself."
"Just how strong is his combat power? Damn it, no wonder Elder Protector Tian Ce took him as a direct disciple."
The experts from other arenas looked at Ye Xuan with apprehension and solemnity. Such combat power was likely unattainable even for someone at the Crescent Moon ninth-level. Could it be... that this brat was invincible below the Blazing Sun realm despite being under ten thousand years old?
But even more crucially, his cultivation level was clearly only at the Crescent Moon eighth-level!
How could this be?
How could such a heaven-defying person exist in this world? It was simply unbelievable.
Clearly, Ye Xuan's actions had refreshed their understanding of prodigies. Du Gu Da Pan, the Pavilion Master of the Heaven Mending Pavilion, narrowed his eyes. "This kid... is formidable. He has quite the demeanor of when I was young."
Upon hearing this, Feng Tian Ce looked at Du Gu Da Pan, a fleeting coldness flashing in his eyes. His master had successfully attracted the Pavilion Master's attention. Now was the time to reap the benefits. If Du Gu Da Pan knew Feng Tian Ce's thoughts at this moment, would he crush him with a single finger?