True Martial World - Chapter 869: Rules of the Competition

"Everyone, let me introduce him. This is Young Master Luo Mo." Prince Crimson Firmament stood up and toasted Luo Mo from a distance.

This simple action was an indication that Luo Mo was one of his men.

Luo Mo gave Prince Crimson Firmament a slight bow. With a glass in hand, he drank the wine in one gulp. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Luo Mo's behavior had an indescribable free and easy grace. Many of the girls present had a brilliance in their eyes when they saw Luo Mo.

They had also heard of Luo Mo's name when they were in their own states. Although they did not go as far as worshiping him, they would still feel ripples going through their hearts when they encountered such a handsome man who stirred waves in the royal capital.

After drinking the wine, Luo Mo's gaze landed on Yi Yun. He had learned of the situation through a Yuan Qi voice transmission and he was aware of the reason why Prince Crimson Firmament had summoned him.

"Friend, I'm Luo Mo." Luo Mo smiled at Yi Yun.

"Yi Yun." Despite knowing the person opposite him was an enemy, Yi Yun did not lose any form of decorum.

"So it's Young Master Yi. I like to be frank. I heard you that defeated Luo Kui in the Desolate Heaven technique using 'very interesting' means. I am curious as to how Young Master Yi did it, can you teach me?"

Luo Mo was suspicious that Yi Yun had used some unknown technique to rip Luo Kui off.

However, what would Yi Yun tell Luo Mo? He said with a smile, "I wouldn't call it interesting. I used a technique called the '36 Basic Hand Seals'. In the lower realm, this is the most basic technique of the Desolate Heaven technique. Don't think lightly of the 'basic' in its name. It actually contains hundreds of alterations. Why? Is Young Master Luo interested in the Desolate Heaven techniques of the lower realm? I can lend it to you if you would like to peruse it."

Yi Yun said ‘very generously’. When everyone heard this, they rolled their eyes. Who the hell would want to learn your lower realm's '36 Basic Hand Seals'? It was a something used to teach kids. They didn't want it even if it was free. A few hundred alterations? A few hundred my ass? Didn't it still refine a 'poor' quality relic!?

Many family clans would willingly take out their best Desolate Heaven technique heritage to attract Luo Mo's service, yet Luo Mo might not even think highly of them.

"Young Master Yi, you really like to joke."

Even though Luo Mo was cultured, he was rendered speechless to the point that his mouth slightly twitched when he heard Yi Yun's words that bordered on absurdness.

He even suspected that Yi Yun was playing dumb. Hence, he suddenly looked at the third-grade relic that Yi Yun had just refined.

It was a gray-colored relic, like a glass ball dug out of a ditch.

He was hoping that he could see something peculiar about it, but no matter how much he examined it, it was the most standard of standard 'poor' quality relic. Even the impurities were not cleaned away.

Luo Mo was greatly disappointed. Against such a person, he could not be bothered to compete with him. It was like an adult sparring with a child. There was nothing much to talk about it, and even if he won, people would say that he was a bully.

"Young Master Luo, what do you think about this relic?" Someone noticed Luo Mo's expression and asked with a look of interest.

Luo Mo sighed and said, "If it's meant to feed cattle, it's still passable."

When Luo Mo said this, many people could not help but laugh.

Luo Mo glanced at Yi Yun and he felt that Yi Yun probably truly did not know how terrifying the standard of the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique was.

However, since his competition with Yi Yun was ordered by Prince Crimson Firmament, he could not refuse it.

With a snap of his fingers, a golden desolate heaven cauldron jumped out from the middle of his palm. It was a tiny golden cauldron that was the size of a chicken egg and it began to playfully spin on his fingertip.

With the desolate heaven cauldron taken out, it was clear that he was going to showcase his skill.

Everyone was immediately intrigued. Luo Mo had used music and paintings as his foundations into martial arts. His Desolate Heaven technique accomplishments were extraordinary. Few people his age could match him, and compared to Luo Kui, Luo Mo was much better.

If it was a person like Luo Mo, even if Princess Purple Spirit was the one opposite him, it would not be demeaning for her status.

But if it was Yi Yun... Everyone looked at Yi Yun with odd expressions.

Yi Yun was also someone who did not like to continue engaging in meaningless nonsense. Seeing Luo Mo take out his tool, Yi Yun took out his desolate heaven disk array very naturally.

When Luo Mo saw Yi Yun's desolate heaven disk array, he faltered for a moment. He had only heard a brief description of Yi Yun's victory over Luo Kui. He did not know that Yi Yun had been using a tool of such 'supreme-grade'.

Using that?

Luo Mo's impression of the disk array was that even if it was given to him, he would probably give it to his servant and make sure that it was used as a shovel to throw out the trash.

"What shall we compete on?" Yi Yun ignored Luo Mo's strange gaze.

"Anything will do." Luo Mo said without much interest. "Let me warn you on one point. If you are hoping that I will blow my cauldron while refining a relic, that is impossible."

Yi Yun laughed. He was also not planning on causing Luo Mo's cauldron to blow up. He could tell that Luo Mo's Desolate Heaven technique was extremely strong. With him being wary, it would not be easy to nudge the energy structure inside Luo Mo's desolate heaven cauldron. Besides, if he did it time and again, it would be suspicious.

Therefore, Yi Yun planned on competing with Luo Mo fair and square from the beginning. He said, "Then let's compete on the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique!"

Oh!?

When Yi Yun said this, everyone present was astounded. Competing in the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique? Did Yi Yun know it?

Could it be possible that they had made a mistake? Was Yi Yun truly acting the pig to eat a tiger?

Yi Yun said with a smile, "I actually know a thing or two about the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique. Back when I first arrived at the Fire Cloud State, I was assigned to a Heaven Fire Hall disciple's mountain. I met a maidservant named Tao'er, who was practicing the Desolate Heaven technique, and there, I read the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique'. Let us compete using the seventy-two techniques recorded in the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique' and judge it based on the refined quality?"

Yi Yun had never learned any of the advanced methods of the Desolate Heaven technique, so if he were to compete with Luo Mo on those, it was unrealistic.

But back then, he was only a miscellaneous chores disciple at Mt. Fengling. He had been recuperating while guiding Tao'er on the Desolate Heaven technique for half a month. Yi Yun had seen everything about the Desolate Heaven technique that Tao'er had practiced. Hence, Yi Yun understood the seventy-two introductory moves.

He had probed into the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique' with a maidservant?

Upon hearing that Yi Yun wanted to compete on this, many young elites looked like they had just swallowed a fly. To think they they had believed that Yi Yun had unknown skills... What Yi Yun mentioned was the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique'!

Compared to the profound Desolate Heaven techniques of the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven, the seventy-two introductory moves were not even a drop in the bucket. Yi Yun dared to say that he knew a thing or two after reading an introductory book!

Forget it. It could not be forced. With Yi Yun's standard, he was indeed only worthy of the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique'.

However, the methods described in the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique' were extremely easy, but the refinement ability was severely limited. But now, Yi Yun had said that he wanted to use the methods described in the 'Introduction to Luo Clan's Desolate Heaven Technique' to refine a third-grade Fey bone?

How could this be possible!?

True Martial World - Chapter 868: Luo Mo

When Luo Huo'er said those words, everyone present fell silent. The result was obvious. Yi Yun had managed to refine a relic at least. But for Luo Kui, despite his ostentatious razzle-dazzle, he had ended up refining a pile of ash.

Empress Xuan failed to understand what had happened either. She looked at Yi Yun with amazement, unsure if Yi Yun knew that he would win from the beginning. Everything looked like a coincidence, but Yi Yun's calm and leisurely composure from the very beginning made her feel like he had everything in his grasp.

Had he foreseen this outcome from the very beginning?

"Huo'er, what happened?" Empress Xuan sent a voice transmission to Luo Huo'er.

"Hehe, Mother, as to what specifically happened, I do not know either. But Yi Yun is a very interesting person. It's not easy to make him suffer!"

Amongst the people present, Luo Huo'er was the one who understood Yi Yun the best. Although Yi Yun looked harmless, he was extremely nefarious. He was filled with evil ideas!

"Oh? You think so highly of Yi Yun?" Empress Xuan was rather surprised. She knew her daughter the best. Luo Huo'er may appear a bit childish, but she was very arrogant deep down. She despised everyone, but she had given Yi Yun such a good evaluation.

If that was the case, Empress Xuan felt that she had to review the young man once again.

Upon hearing Empress Xuan say that, Luo Huo'er's face blushed. How could her evaluation not be high? She had suffered under the hands of Yi Yun several times in the Tai Ah Divine City. Someone who could make her suffer was obviously powerful, unless she wanted to put herself down?

Of course, the mishaps in the lower realm, especially how her body had been seen by Yi Yun was something that she definitely did not want to tell Empress Xuan. It would be unimaginable what Empress Xuan would think of that.

Just as Luo Huo'er was machinating something, Empress Xuan's follow-up statement made Luo Huo'er's face turn sullen. Empress Xuan had said, "Huo'er, in a while, tell Mother of your experiences in the lower realm."

Ah?

Luo Huo'er's eyes widened and nearly choked. How could she… mention those things?

Worst of all, her mother was the person who understood her the most. If she made up a story, it was easy for her to be exposed. Also back then, when Luo Huo'er was left in the Tai Ah Divine City, there were Luo clan clansmen who were responsible for protecting Luo Huo'er's safety. Although they had never appeared, or even stepped into the divine city once, they more or less knew of certain things. As long as Empress Xuan asked them, and compare the facts with what Luo Huo'er said, it was easy for her to deduce which were real or fake…

Upon thinking about this, Luo Huo'er felt bitter in her heart.

...

"Aren't you going down? Haven't you shamed yourself enough?" Prince Crimson Firmament's voice transmission boomed in Luo Kui's ears.

Luo Kui had suffered a heavy blow and his Ancient Fey bloodline had been damaged. He stood back up unsteadily and staggered back to his seat.

He was unconvinced!

However, he also knew that he had lost!

Luo Kui felt as though he was sitting on pins and needles in the palace. Every second that he stayed in it, he felt as though his face was burning, as though everyone else was mocking him.

However, he would feel indignant if he were to leave. He felt that Yi Yun had obtained a free win, and with Yi Yun's Desolate Heaven technique level, even his Desolate Heaven technique servant was better than Yi Yun, let alone himself!

Therefore, no matter how embarrassing it was, Luo Kui insisted on sitting in his seat and wait for Yi Yun to be trampled on.

Luo Kui wiped the blood flowing out of his nose and ears and said angrily, "Prince Crimson Firmament, your subject is ashamed, but… but that punk is complete crap. You have to rescue the situation."

"There's no need for your incessant talk. I know what to do!" Prince Crimson Firmament said with a Yuan Qi voice transmission.

He was of the mind to ignore Luo Kui, but what Luo Kui said was right. He had to rescue the situation. If not, he would definitely become the laughing stock of the royal capital. If Emperor Luo were to hear about today's matter, it was unknown how he would think of him.

When Prince Crimson Firmament looked at Yi Yun, his eyes gave off a strange flair.

He did not believe that everything had been machinated by Yi Yun, mainly because he doubted that Yi Yun had such an ability.

Taking ten thousand steps back, even if Yi Yun had any inkling of involvement in the matter, his Desolate Heaven technique was definitely extremely limited. Yi Yun's age was obvious for all to see. Prince Crimson Firmament refused to believe that Yi Yun's standard could be even a tenth of Luo Kui's.

Prince Crimson Firmament took a deep breath and looked at Empress Luo.

In contrast, Empress Luo appeared calm. She only nodded her head, indicating that she was leaving everything to Prince Crimson Firmament.

This banquet was prepared for Prince Crimson Firmament, to pave his way to the throne. Now that there was an unexpected incident at the banquet, Prince Crimson Firmament had to take care of it.

Prince Crimson Firmament faltered slightly as his eyes darted to his side and swept across Princess White Fox.

Princess White Fox was sitting quietly in her seat, as though she was a pure Snow Lotus. Even the outcome of the competition had not perturbed her much.

Prince Crimson Firmament knew that Princess White Fox's Desolate Heaven technique was peerless amongst the younger generation. If she were to compete, only Luo Huo'er was worthy of being her opponent.

It was impossible for Princess White Fox to deal with a single Yi Yun as it would be a hit to her reputation.

"Luo Mo!" Prince Crimson Firmament's voice transmission was sent out of the palace.

In about half a minute, a handsome young man walked into the main hall. His long hair was tied to his back, and he wore black and white clothes. There were delicate and beautiful scenic drawings on his clothes. He did not look like a warrior at all, he looked like a scholar who dabbled in the arts.

"Young Master Luo Mo?" The moment that the handsome young man appeared, someone immediately shouted Luo Mo's name.

He was Luo Mo, the one who had the title of the number one genius amongst the younger generation of the royal capital!

Luo Mo was not one of the four great young masters of the royal capital, mainly because his background was not prominent. He was only from an insignificant branch of the Luo clan, but he was still famous in the royal capital, despite not being from an illustrious background.

The label of ’genius’ was because of his talent in various aspects.

It was enough for a typical warrior to have martial talent, but for Luo Mo, not only was his martial talent exceptional, but he was also proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Furthermore, he had very high attainments in the Desolate Heaven technique.

In the warrior's world, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were used as a form of entertainment and they were not considered a main way of life. But Luo Mo had managed to develop his martial path through music, chess, calligraphy and painting, which was an amazing feat. And due to his talent, and his good looks, Luo Mo had won the hearts of many women. In the royal capital, many women from good families were rushing to marry him.

"Luo Mo was also here at the banquet, but why didn't anyone notice him?"

Many young elites were surprised. For a person like Luo Mo, who was well known, he would definitely have stolen the limelight if he had appeared and been the focus of attention.

"He must be in one of the side rooms. There is a small feast in the side rooms, and the level of service there is extremely high. If I'm not wrong, the side room must be filled with important figures. It might be the geniuses under Empress Luo and Prince Crimson Firmament." People discussed with Yuan Qi voice transmissions.

With this said, everyone understood.

So this was the case. Empress Luo was setting up a banquet with malicious purposes. She was worried that if her line-up was revealed, it might appear too strong, frightening Empress Xuan out of her wits.

If that were the case, Empress Xuan might choose to suffer the reputation of being afraid to go to battle by refusing the competition. It was clear that she would suffer an abject failure, so how could she agree to it?

Hence, Empress Luo had deliberately hidden a number of people in a side room that was concealed by array formations. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

If Empress Xuan agreed to the match, Empress Luo could call her people out one by one. With a gorgeous line-up, she could thrash Empress Xuan!

However, Empress Luo never expected that Empress Xuan did not bring anyone from her family, making her unable to display her force. She had finally managed to use the burly Luo Kui to get Empress Xuan to compete, but she ended up encountering a wonder like Yi Yun. Immediately, Empress Luo's plans were in a mess.

And now, Prince Crimson Firmament could no longer remain patient. By calling Luo Mo out, he was planning to get Luo Mo to thrash Yi Yun.

True Martial World - Chapter 867: A Free Win?

Luo Kui began. Although his opponent was trash, Luo Kui planned on doing his best. There was no meaning in thrashing Yi Yun. Now, he was in the pursuit of refining a relic that was nearing the outstanding grade, so he could astound everyone present.

Luo Kui threw the Fey bone into the Eclipse Cauldron and he extracted all the energy in one fell swoop!

Boom!

Luo Kui's body began to burn with blue flames, and behind him, a gigantic, thousand-feet blue centipede shot towards the sky!

This centipede was more than a hundred feet tall as it charged straight for the ceiling.

The Thousand-feet Demon Centipede was Luo Kui's bloodline. After it appeared, it shot towards Luo Kui's Eclipse Cauldron!

This is…

Everyone was alarmed. Luo Kui was planning to refine his Ancient Fey bloodline with the Fey bone?

Although everyone knew that it was impossible for Luo Kui to damage his Ancient Fey bloodline to refine a single relic, it was still a stunning sight for them when they saw him seal the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede in the Eclipse Cauldron.

"That's not the case." At that moment, a Desolate Heaven Master spoke out. "The Thousand-feet Demon Centipede is one of the rare insect-based Ancient Fey. Its body is highly toxic. Ancient mighty figures would have their bodies disintegrate and die if they were bitten once by it. The Thousand-feet Demon Centipede usually likes to eat all sorts of treasured herbs and poisons. Treasured herbs and Fey bones, which have many kinds of medicinal essences and energies of differing types, or even opposite types, can be refined in its body. It will allow the medicinal essences to merge and be made usable by the Demon Centipede."

"Hence, in ancient times, a Thousand-feet Demon Centipede was invaluable. Just the amount of medicinal essence accumulated in its body would allow a supreme-grade pill to be refined if it is used."

With the Desolate Heaven Master's explanation, everyone came to an understanding. The Thousand-feet Demon Centipede could extract the energy from all sorts of herbs and Fey bones that it devoured. So the reason why Luo Kui had sent his Demon Centipede bloodline into the Eclipse Cauldron was to aid him in refining a supreme-grade relic!

By using the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede, it would be half the work with double the results!

“No wonder such a burly man like Luo Kui would choose to be a Desolate Heaven Master, and waste his precious time cultivating. It's all because he has a Thousand-feet Demon Centipede!"

"Indeed, if the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede can help devour the Fey bone and extract its energy, then it would not be a waste for him to be a Desolate Heaven Master."

As the people were engaged in a flurry of discussion, they felt a bit jealous of him. With the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede helping him, Luo Kui's Desolate Heaven technique would definitely attain great success one day.

Furthermore, Desolate Heaven Masters enjoyed a high status in the Luo clan. Many Supremacies from the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven would frequently come to the Luo clan to buy a relic for a high price.

For example, the third Imperial Uncle of the Luo clan, who had retired, was Supremacy-ranked Desolate Heaven Master. He was a person that even if Emperor Luo met him, he would respectfully bow with a junior's greeting.

If it wasn’t for the third Imperial Uncle retiring, to put it bluntly, if he put his foot down, he could decide who the next Emperor of the Luo clan would be. There was no need for any competition for the throne!

At that moment, Luo Kui threw another few pieces of bone fragments and herbs into the Eclipse Cauldron.

Dang!

After the supplemental herbs were added into the Eclipse Cauldron, its lid immediately sealed it tight!

Some of the keen-eyed young elites present could tell at a glance that the bone fragments and herbs that Luo Kui had thrown into the Eclipse Cauldron were extraordinary items. Some of them were worth even more than the third grade Fey bone that he had taken out.

The Fey bone supplements were higher in value than the main Fey bone!

From the looks of it, Luo Kui was determined to refine a supreme-grade relic.

But in fact, using higher valued Fey bones as supplements to forcefully upgrade a low-level relic's grade was somewhat contrived. A truly powerful Desolate Heaven Master would refine a low-level Fey bone into a high-grade relic. Only then was there value in it.

However, that was too difficult. Luo Kui had only been practicing the Desolate Heaven technique for about a decade after all. It was already quite amazing for him to attain what he did.

"Luo Kui using so many supplemental Fey bones makes the competition somewhat unfair. Yi Yun only used a single Fey bone and nothing else."

"So what? This isn't even a competition. It's just an individual performance by Luo Kui! I also know a little bit of the Desolate Heaven technique. The disk array that Yi Yun is using is fully exposed. Regardless of the seals he forms, I can see them clearly. Yi Yun's seals would not be able to refine any relics of a good grade, so it's impossible for him to win. Furthermore, his low-level seals aren't even considered perfect. As such, being able to refine that Fey bone itself should be his limit. He would not be able to handle the adding of any more supplemental Fey bones, so what's so unfair about it?" A Desolate Heaven apprentice spoke.

He did not speak without thinking.

Yi Yun may have talent in the Desolate Heaven technique, but his age was less than half of Luo Kui's. The profession of a Desolate Heaven Master required the accumulation of time. Furthermore, Yi Yun had yet to fully come into contact with the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique, so the outcome was destined.

At that moment, even Luo Huo'er was feeling anxious.

She was certain that Yi Yun would not lose out. Since he dared to step forward, there was something that was backing him. But now, with Yi Yun's relic being almost 70% refined, there was still not a single miracle!

Luo Huo'er was probably the most qualified person present to comment on the competition. She was not only proficient in the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique, she was also proficient in the lower realm's Desolate Heaven technique. She obviously knew that with the techniques being used by Yi Yun, the quality of the relics that he refined would only be a 'poor' grade!

By using the most primitive methods to build a stone hut with a heap of construction materials, there was no way that a top architect could change it into a magnificent palace when the stone hut was nearing completion.

As for Luo Kui, he was using a supreme-grade desolate heaven cauldron, and with so many supplemental materials, as well as the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede bloodline, Luo Huo'er estimated that the quality of the relic Luo Kui would refine would be between 'refined' and 'outstanding'. The difference was like night and day.

Other than that, Luo Kui's refining speed was faster than Yi Yun's. Yi Yun had only refined 70%, while Luo Kui had already refined 90%!

In less than three minutes, Luo Kui's relic would be completed!

However, Luo Huo'er could tell that when the relic was nearing completion, Luo Kui was beginning to have problems holding it together. After all, he had used so many supplemental Fey bones, so it was demanding on his mental strength. Imperfections began to appear in Luo Kui's seals, and these meant that the quality of his relic was going to be at the 'refined' grade.

Seconds changed to minutes. Yi Yun formed one seal after another and he proceeded in a prescribed routine, as though he was not worried at all.

At the same time, Yi Yun had already opened his energy vision. Others could not see the situation inside the Eclipse Cauldron, but he could see it clearly.

In the Eclipse Cauldron, the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede was at its limits. It was not a true Thousand-feet Demon Centipede, after all, it was only a bloodline that Luo Kui had conjured. After eating up too much energy in one fell swoop, it could not digest it fully. As a result, its body swelled up as though it was about to burst.

And at the same time, the energy seals that Luo Kui produced were brought together. He was about to condensed them into a relic.

As Luo Huo'er said, these energy seals had their imperfections. It was not easy for ordinary people to detect them, but Yi Yun could see them very clearly. He could even clearly tell how many imperfections there were.

It was true that Yi Yun did not fully understand the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique, but with the Purple Crystal, Yi Yun knew what the perfect form of energy should be.

The spots where the energies were imperfect accumulated and gradually expanded in size. At the moment the relic took form, all of them would merge instantly and reach their largest size. However, it would not explode as it would be forcefully suppressed by Luo Kui's relic-forming hand seals. Finally, they would be left in the relic, and become the relic's energy ‘holes’, affecting the relic's rating.

In fact, when Luo Kui was using a hand seal to forcefully merge the energy seals together was the moment when the energy was most stable. This was an immense challenge on Luo Kui's mental strength, and it was this reason that the relic formation was a critical stage when Desolate Heaven Masters refined a relic. There could be no mistake.

At that moment, Luo Kui's relic was nearing completion.

Hundreds of energy seals were already condensed by Luo Kui. The final step was combining them together. He was in full concentration as his forehead began sweating.

Although it was only a third-grade relic, by using so many supplemental Fey bones, it was also an extremely big challenge for Luo Kui to produce an outstanding grade relic. He was also reaching his limit. If not, he would not have produced so many flaws on the energy seals towards the end.

Although it might have missed out on the outstanding grade by a hair, for Luo Kui to obtain such results, it was already something that he could be proud of. After all, despite having only cultivated for eighty years, his strength was not only exceptional, he had also been able to divert some attention onto the Desolate Heaven technique!

Combine!

Luo Kui isolated himself from distractions as his remaining mental strength was devoted into the Eclipse Cauldron, so he could control the energy seal's merger.

Hundred of energy seals began to emit beams as bright as the sun in the Eclipse Cauldron. Just as it was about to merge as one…

A summoning force that no one could perceive mixed itself inside the energy seals. This summoning force was without shape or form, as though it was the Origin powers at the beginning of the Universe… Even Empress Luo or Empress Xuan, let alone Luo Kui, couldn’t sense it.

At that moment, nearly everyone's attention was focused on Luo Kui's Eclipse Cauldron. No one paid Yi Yun any mind. Yi Yun was standing by the side, condensing his energy seals while controlling the Purple Crystal. He began to lightly ‘nudge’ the hundreds of energy seals.

Just this light nudge moved the most critical energy combination point. It forcefully repressed many of the imperfects in the energy seals…

Instantly, it was like a spark dropping into an oil well. The delicate balance of energy was broken.

Luo Kui, who was nearing his limits, was late by the time it took to blink as he realized the nearly undetectable energy disturbance! Although the time it took to blink was short, it was fatal for the critical moment of relic formation.

No good!

Luo Kui widened his eyes as his pupils turned bloodshot. He bellowed as all the power from his bloodline burned. The Thousand-feet Demon Centipede in the Eclipse Cauldron opened its mouth wide and it tried to devour the collapsing energy seals. It was trying to maintain the relic at the risk of destroying the relic's quality.

However, the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede was already severely bloated and it was a spent force, so how could it succeed?

Yi Yun did not stand on ceremony as he controlled the Purple Crystal to nudge a second energy combination point.

As such, the collapse of the energy could no longer be stopped!

Boom!

A tumultuous explosion happened as the hovering Eclipse Cauldron violently trembled. The cauldron's lid was blown open and it heavily slammed into the ceiling. It had smashed a brick on the ceiling into smithereens!

Phew—

A blazing blue fireball rose up into the sky. Luo Kui's Thousand-feet Demon Centipede bloodline’s phantom image was enveloped in the blue fireball as it struggled in pain!

The Thousand-feet Demon Centipede bloodline was considered strong, but with it being at its limits and being caught unaware, it had been engulfed by the shock wave at a close distance. Furthermore, it was in a sealed space in the Eclipse Cauldron, so the impact was imaginable!

Luo Kui, who was mentally linked to the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede, grunted as he retreated backward and fell to the ground. His face was as pale as a sheet of paper!

Two streams of black blood began to flow down from Luo Kui's ears. This was the most accurate portrayal of the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede's damage. The shock wave in an enclosed space had blasted through the Thousand-feet Demon Centipede's ears, causing it to be severely injured. It would take him a few months to recover from these injuries.

Dong!

The Eclipse Cauldron heavily slammed onto the ground as black ash spilled out of it...

Luo Kui was battered out of his senses. His face was blank as he dully looked at the rolling Eclipse Cauldron on the ground. He could not believe his eyes.

The cauldron blew up? His refining of a relic had ended up in him blowing up the cauldron...

At such an important occasion, Empress Luo, Empress Xuan, elites from all over the world, and his future master, Prince Crimson Firmament, were all present, but he blew up his cauldron! Luo Kui's heart was palpitating!

"This… "

The young elites present all widened their eyes. Some of them were not even aware of the wine glasses that they had knocked over.

Luo Kui was just about to refine a relic that was a 'refined' grade at the minimum in an ostentatious display of his prowess. But at the final moment, he had blown his cauldron up.

As a result, he did not even have the poorest grade of a relic. It went from a 'refined'-grade relic to a pile of ash. This sudden change was too great!

Seeing Luo Kui look as though he had lost his soul, everyone knew that this failure would deal a terrible blow to his confidence. In the future, Luo Kui might even have a mental demon when he refined relics. He might end up being afraid of all sorts of things, affecting his future achievement in the Desolate Heaven technique.

The elites present, including Empress Luo and Empress Xuan, were stunned by the blowing up of Luo Kui's cauldron. However, there was one person who was unaffected, and that was… Yi Yun!

As everyone recollected their thoughts, they saw that Yi Yun was still controlling his crude disk array as he slowly refined a Fey bone relic.

His motions could only be described as leisurely. The speed at which he formed seals did not seem like he was refining a Fey bone relic. Instead, it could be described as him picking mushrooms in the wild.

On one side, one had blown up a cauldron, while the other looked relaxed. This contrast was way too big…

However slow he was, Yi Yun had managed to finish the final seal as he began to do the final relic formation.

Yi Yun's relic formation technique was also nothing fancy. It was the crudest relic formation technique from the lower realm. He had finished it quickly, but it was simple and crude.

"Dong!"

A gray relic rolled into Yi Yun's hand from the disk array.

Some high-grade relics would be crystalline upon after refinement, but the relic that Yi Yun refined did not look good, as though there were impurities within it. Furthermore, its quality rating did not go beyond its appearance. It was truly consistent in and out.

Quality evaluation — Poor.

When Yi Yun held the relic, he noticed that there was a bit of ash on its surface. Using his sleeve, he nonchalantly wiped it and placed it on the maidservant's tray, and motioned for her to hand it to Empress Luo.

"Your Majesty, your humble servant's relic has been completed. Your humble servant has only been exposed to the Desolate Heaven technique for four to five months after all. It's quite nice to produce such a poor-quality third-grade relic. Now, your humble servant wants to present it to Your Majesty."

Seeing the maidservant hand the gray relic to Empress Luo, everyone present was dumbfounded. Their eyes were fixated on the relic as they could not turn their gazes away.

Holy shit, what was going on? Don't tell me that Yi Yun has won!?

Many people began to come to this realization. On one side, one had blown his cauldron up, while the other side had refined a poor grade relic, but at least he had completed it.

At that moment, Prince Crimson Firmament felt as though his heart was being trampled upon by a million Ancient Fey beasts with mud-stained hoofs.

He felt like he was a super retard. He had played a secondary role with the retard, Luo Kui, in a super humorous silly play. Unexpectedly, he would become the laughing stock of the royal capital in the next few days.

As for Yi Yun, this fellow, who looked like he was low on his intellectual quotient, had become the final victor.

"Only been exposed to the Desolate Heaven technique for four or five months."

"Quite nice to produce such a poor-quality third-grade relic… "

Thinking back to Yi Yun's words, Prince Crimson Firmament wanted to slam his head into a wall. This fellow, who looked like he had a screw loose, had actually won!?

Or was this punk acting the pig? However, Prince Crimson Firmament had a few thousand years of cultivation at least. He had been focused on the competition from beginning to end. He did not feel that Yi Yun had secretly done something — how could he have that ability!?

"Pfft!"

A pearly laughter was suddenly heard. Luo Huo'er had burst out into laughter.

She was a person with a child's temperament and she was never serious, to begin with. She had forcibly put on an elegant look for this banquet. How could she tolerate it when she truly encountered such an interesting matter?

Seeing many people looking at her, especially with Prince Crimson Firmament looking as though his mother had died, Luo Huo'er quickly gave a dry cough and dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief. Again, she put on a serious expression.

However, the more she behaved this way, the more depressed Prince Crimson Firmament felt.

Luo Huo'er holding back her laughter and pretending to be serious was the greatest travesty against him. This was because he felt that Luo Huo'er was mocking him.

"Prince Crimson Firmament, I… I can't accept it!"

At that moment, the dispirited Luo Kui suddenly got up. How could he accept it? From his point of view, an unpredictable problem had happened when he was combining the seals. It had caused him to blow his cauldron and give Yi Yun a free win. "Just one more time. One more time and I will be able to refine a top grade relic!"

After Luo Kui said this, Prince Crimson Firmament's expression turned even uglier. Luo Huo'er laughed and said, "Luo Kui, it was you who said it yourself. You have failed to refine a third-grade relic, so what qualifications do you have to continue competing? This time, you poked a hole through the roof, if you are given another chance, are you going to demolish this place?" noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Luo Huo'er played with her handkerchief and spoke without sparing his feelings. The Luo Lucid Palace was not meant to be an area for the refinement of relics. It was not indestructible. When the cauldron blew up, it had shattered a brick.

True Martial World - Chapter 866: Eclipse Cauldron versus Desolate Heaven Technique Disk Array

At that moment, Luo Kui had already taken out his treasured cauldron. It stood three feet tall and as it spun mid-air, Luo Kui's crossed his arms on his chest. He gave Yi Yun a haughty look and said, "Come on, I'm waiting for whatever you can teach!"

Luo Kui's treasured cauldron was made of an unknown metal. There were all sorts of patterns carved on it, making it look primitively simple.

Yi Yun glanced at Luo Kui's cauldron and he felt that it had to be worth a fortune.

The Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique was not only different to the technique from the lower realms, even the tools used were completely different. In the Tian Yuan world, most Desolate Heaven techniques used disk arrays, not cauldrons.

Without a doubt, Luo Kui's cauldron was more advanced than the Tian Yuan world's disk arrays.

"Why are you looking at my Eclipse Cauldron? Are you scared silly from the ancient aura of the Eclipse Cauldron?" Luo Kui laughed.

The Eclipse Cauldron was an ancient Desolate Heaven Cauldron found in a ruin. It might not be famous in the Luo clan, but if it was placed in an auction, it was definitely an ancient treasure worth vying for.

Despite many of the young elites present not knowing the Desolate Heaven technique, they could tell from its aura that the Eclipse Cauldron was no ordinary item.

Yi Yun ignored Luo Kui. All he did was slowly take out a Desolate Heaven technique disk array.

It was a one-foot square disk array that came from the Tian Yuan world. It looked dusty and simple, and it was completely nondescript.

And in fact, the disk array was consistent in and out. Its quality was indeed nothing to speak of.

Yi Yun was not a professional Desolate Heaven Master after all. Although he brought a disk array used by Desolate Heaven Master with him, the disk array would not have been considered something impressive in the lower realm. In the 12 Empyrean Heavens, it would only appear even worse.

Seeing Yi Yun take out a Desolate Heaven technique disk array, Luo Kui was dumbfounded. This punk actually took such a joke of an item to compete with him?

Just the runic patterns carved on the disk array were not worth mentioning. It was not even enough to describe it as a heaven and earth difference. It was like two warrior sparring. One was using a divine weapon, while the other was using a kitchen knife. What's the point of fighting?

Empress Xuan also began to frown slightly at that moment. She had believed that in such an important occasion, Yi Yun definitely had something to rely on and he would not have pushed his face forward to be slapped.

Hence, Empress Xuan still had the illusion of hope, wishing that Yi Yun was truly a Desolate Heaven technique genius, allowing him to compete with Luo Kui with his lower realm background and his bone age of less than forty. But now, Yi Yun had taken out such a disk array that could enter the annals of wonders. He would only be able to demonstrate 30% of his full prowess.

She could not help but ask, "Yi Yun, don’t you have a desolate heaven cauldron? I can bestow one to you."

Yi Yun was from a lower realm, so it was normal for him to lack a desolate heaven cauldron. However, Empress Xuan never expected that Yi Yun would shake his head and say, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing a reward to me. Unfortunately, your humble servant has never used a desolate heaven cauldron, nor does your humble servant understand the mysteries within them. Your humble servant will probably take a period of time to learn it, so it's handier to use a disk array."

What Yi Yun said was the truth. Regardless of how good his perception was, he did not dare to claim that he could immediately use a desolate heaven cauldron without any practice.

With Yi Yun saying this, all the young elites present were dumbfounded.

Could Yi Yun not have been exposed to the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique? Was he planning on using the lower realm's Desolate Heaven technique to trash Luo Kui?

Luo Kui stared at Yi Yun. Damn it, is this kid here to amuse him?

He felt that Yi Yun must have studied the Desolate Heaven technique in the lower realm and believed that he had matchless talent. Yi Yun must not be aware of how terrifying the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique was. Competing with such a retard was a lowering of his posturing. It was rather meaningless to win.

He planned on trampling a princess, but he only managed to step on dog shit. Luo Kui did not even have the mood for this competition.

"Let's quickly begin. What bad luck!" Luo Kui said impatiently.

With a wave of his hand, a Fey beast bone was thrown into Yi Yun's hand.

"Come, 'advise' me. A third-grade Fey bone, I want to see what you can come up with."

Yi Yun flipped the Fey bone in his hand and said nonchalantly, "Just one Fey bone? Is there no spare?"

This Fey bone's quality obviously surpassed the ones from the lower realm. However, it was not too much an exaggeration. With Yi Yun's Desolate Heaven technique standard and the Purple Crystal's help, refining such a Fey bone was not difficult.

"No!" Luo Kui sneered and said, "You don't even have the confidence to refine a third-grade Fey bone in one shot. If your standard is this good, how can you be worthy to advise me?"

Yi Yun smiled and no longer spoke. He threw the Fey bone into the desolate heaven technique disk array and he began to activate its runic patterns.

Immediately, the runic patterns lit up. Yi Yun began to routinely form hand seals. The seals he formed were all ones that Su Jie taught him back in the lower realm.

The Tian Yuan world's desolate beast and the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Fey beasts were similar. Yi Yun speculated that it might have been possible that the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Fey beasts had somehow gone to the lower realm and began breeding with the wild beasts in the lower realms, eventually forming desolate beasts. Hence, the techniques that Su Jie taught him could similarly be used while refining a Fey bone.

However, in the eyes of a professional, these techniques were downright trash. It was just too simple. It was like a group of scholars attending an imperial examination turning back to see a child who had just begun reading... a child who had been home-schooled to memorize the ‘Three Character Classic’. With this standard, he even had the nerve to say that he knew the Desolate Heaven technique?

Luo Kui was infuriated just looking at Yi Yun's clumsy performance.

This guy was truly an extremely ignorant hick!

He had believed that Yi Yun had something backing him for him to dare jump out, and he was still feeling afraid of failing miserably at an easy task.

But now, Yi Yun was beginning to refine the Fey bone. The hand seals he used were lousy, and the seals he formed didn't make sense. He found his original thoughts laughable considering what Yi Yun was using to back himself.

With Luo Kui's own experience, he could instantly judge that the relics refined by Yi Yun would be in the poor grade at best. This was determined from the hand seals that Yi Yun formed. It was impossible for it to be higher.

And for the same relic, if Luo Kui were to refine it, it would at least reach the ‘refined’ grade, or even approach the ‘outstanding’ grade!

In the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven, relics of the same grade would be ranked based on the outcome of the refinement, and they went from poor, ordinary, refined, outstanding, transcendent, to spiritual emergence!

The outstanding grade was the limit for a low-grade relic. As for 'transcendent' and 'spiritual emergence', that was an evaluation reserved only for high-grade relics.

Luo Kui wanted to be able to produce an outstanding third-grade relic at the banquet and astound everyone. But thinking about it, it was truly too difficult.

As Luo Kui was thinking, Yi Yun suddenly spoke. "Aren't you beginning?"

Yi Yun could speak to him while he was refining a relic?

Luo Kui was taken aback momentarily. However, he brushed it off immediately. The lower realm's techniques might be too simple, so it made it possible for him to speak while refining. He could even produce three cauldrons of relics and refine them at one go with such a lowly technique.

"It looks like you think you aren't dying fast enough. If that's the case, let me show you what the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique is!"

True Martial World - Chapter 865: You are a Cheat

"Luo Xiaodie, Luo Kui… "

Yi Yun looked at the man and woman, whose physiques were highly disparate. According to what Luo Huo'er said, Empress Luo had many geniuses under her. Luo Xiaodie and Luo Kui were only two of many.

In a sense, Empress Luo's banquet had achieved the effect of displaying a show of force. Empress Xuan was inferior to her in every single way.

However, Empress Luo was not satisfied with this. Empress Xuan had deliberately avoided any conflict at the banquet by not bringing the Xuan family geniuses. This made Empress Luo feel like she was punching into cotton, it did not feel effective.

"Without Xuan Junyue here, it sure is boring!" Luo Kui said in an unruly manner, his voice echoing throughout the venue.

The impression that Luo Kui gave others was that he was an uninhibited boor. And he was apparently using this to deliberately say things that were out of line. He had challenged Empress Xuan's bottom line again and again.

As Empress Luo ate some grapes, a smile hung on her face. She did not have any intentions of reprimanding Luo Kui.

Luo Kui felt as though he had been encouraged. Standing up from his seat, he cupped his hands and said to everyone, "Everyone, if it's just eating and drinking, it might be somewhat boring. Let me add some excitement for everyone."

After Luo Kui said this, he swept his gaze across the young elites on Empress Xuan's side. Although there were quite a number of young elites clearly on Empress Xuan's side, for example, Yi Yun, Gu Qing, Ling Wu, etc, Luo Kui could not call them out to thrash them. This was because the result of using them as targets was highly ineffective. Take Yi Yun for example, he was only at the beginning stages of the Heaven Ascension realm. Even if Luo Kui thrashed him, there would not be any sense of accomplishment. Instead, he might be rebuked as being a bully.

However, if he did not thrash these people, there was truly no one on Empress Xuan's side either.

Luo Kui stroked his chin and as his gaze swept across the banquet hall, it ended up on Luo Huo'er. Immediately following that, a smile suffused across his lips.

"Your Highness! It was said that Your Highness' attainments in fire-elemental laws are matchless and Your Highness is well-versed in the Desolate Heaven technique. No peer your own age can match you. Your humble servant has recently been researching fire-elemental laws and the Desolate Heaven technique and he is very interested in these aspects. However, your humble servant isn't very well-versed at its practical effects. Will it be possible for Your Highness to give some advice?"

When Luo Kui said this, everyone in the audience was stunned.

Luo Kui may be asking for advice, but if Luo Huo'er were to accede to his request, he might do something nasty during the ‘advice-giving’. If that was the case, it would no longer be a simple problem of ‘advice-giving’!

What sort of identity did Luo Huo'er enjoy!? It was unexpected that Luo Kui would target Luo Huo'er after failing to find a target to thrash. This was practically him being lawless!

Indeed, Empress Xuan's expression had already sunk.

She came knowing that Empress Luo would flaunt her power, and she had tolerated this repeatedly. However, it was unexpected that Empress Luo had set her sights on Luo Huo'er.

For a princess of the country to compete with a boor like Luo Kui, it would be a sully to Luo Huo'er's reputation regardless of the outcome!

Actually, if it was just the Desolate Heaven technique, Empress Xuan believed that Luo Huo'er would win. However, it was most likely that Luo Kui was just a probe. After beating Luo Kui, it was certain that a better person would replace him. If Luo Huo'er accepted Luo Kui's challenge but did not accept the match after his, it would not prevent others from thinking that Luo Huo'er feared the challenge because she was feeling unconfident of herself.

At that moment, Crimson Firmament said with a smile, "It is good for young people to desire to do better. Princess Purple Spirit is a person of a kindly disposition and it is well known for her love of talents. If you sincerely ask for her advice, she would definitely not hesitate to advise you."

Crimson Firmament's words were equivalent to acknowledging Luo Kui's sudden thought. People had the belief that Empress Luo was only planned on suppressing the young elites on Empress Xuan's side, but they never expected that they were planning on sullying Princess Purple Spirit's good name!

At that moment, Luo Huo'er spoke with a sneer as she looked at Luo Kui. "Luo Kui, have you been conferred nobility?"

Facing Luo Huo'er’s question, Luo Kui failed to answer immediately. Amongst the younger generation of the Fey race, his background was definitely not bad. He was from the Cloud Sun Luo clan, so although it was inferior to Luo Huo'er, it was still one of the top twenty factions in the Luo clan. Compared to Ran Xueyi and Donglin Yu, he was not one bit inferior. However, Luo Huo'er had deliberately avoided Luo Kui's background and she instead pointed out his lack of nobility.

Descendants of a noble family could easily enjoy a life of luxury, but if they wanted to be conferred nobility, they needed to accomplish actual meritorious achievements for the country!

Luo Kui was still young, so how could he have any merits whatsoever? He had not been conferred nobility, but for Luo Huo'er, as an heir to the throne, she had already been conferred the title of royalty!

The difference in their background may be small, but the gap in their nobility ranks was huge!

When Luo Huo'er hit Luo Kui on a soft spot, his expression turned ugly. He said with a muffled and unhappy voice, "Your humble servant is of a lowly status. According to the rules, there is truly no right to receive advice from Your Highness. However, rules are not absolute at times... For example, at this banquet, aren't the seats also not determined according to the rules?"

When Luo Kui said this, everyone's eyes could not help but drift towards Yi Yun.

Luo Huo'er had rebuked Luo Kui for not abiding the rules, but Luo Kui had struck back while keeping his countenance. Indeed, it was out of line for Luo Huo'er to allow Yi Yun to sit beside her.

"This brother, you truly have a good appetite." Luo Kui said with a faint smile as he looked at the spiritual food that had been reduced to a large bone pile in front of Yi Yun.

Yi Yun did not expect that the arrows of conflict to suddenly shift back to him.

"I wonder which family clan does this brother come from and if he has a noble title?" He had knowingly asked the question.

Many people under Empress Luo's camp looked at Yi Yun and they waited for him to make a fool of himself. However, they failed to see any look of distress on Yi Yun's face. Yi Yun pulled out a snow-silk satin napkin from the table and he began slowly wiping his mouth. "Your humble servant comes from a countryside in the lower realm. As for my background… my ancestors are all farmers."

Yi Yun's response made everyone’s eyes nearly pop out. Even Empress Xuan's people, such as Ling Wu and Gu Qing, were impressed at Yi Yun's nerves. If anyone was squeezed in such a way, one would typically hope to hide away. Yet, he had been able to answer in all seriousness.

"Hahaha!" Luo Kui laughed out loud. "Brother, you sure are 'simple'. Brother, you must have gotten to know Princess Purple Spirit in the lower realm. Her Highness is truly considerate and kind to men of talent, considering how she has given such a privilege to a human from the lower realm."

When Luo Kui said this, everyone was enlightened. So this fellow had gotten to know Princess Purple Spirit back in the lower realm. Princess Purple Spirit was surely immature. How could she favor a fellow that she got to know in the lower realm?

Empress Luo glanced at Empress Xuan as a teasing smile suffused across her lips. Although she did not believe that the extremely lofty-minded Luo Huo'er would fall in love with Yi Yun, if she were to embellish the story and report it to Emperor Luo, Emperor Luo would definitely feel furious even if he was fond of Luo Huo'er. This would be shameful for the royal family.

At that moment, Yi Yun had just wiped his mouth and used a snow-silk satin napkin to wipe clean his hands. Then he threw the napkin down and said, "I learned a bit of the Desolate Heaven technique in the lower realm. I had received five or six months worth of education in the Desolate Heaven technique with Princess Purple Spirit, so I can be considered to have a tiny bit of success in it."

"Didn't you wish for Princess Purple Spirit to give you advice on the Desolate Heaven technique? You already said that you just began researching on the Desolate Heaven technique, and I guess that your standard can't be that high. You might not even be up to my level. If you were to directly get Princess Purple Spirit to give you advice, I'm afraid that you wouldn't be able to comprehend it. Why not I give you some advice?"

When Yi Yun said this, everyone present was dumbfounded.

Even Empress Luo was somewhat stunned, let alone Luo Kui.

Yi Yun's words were filled with information. They also knew that Yi Yun had come in first place at the Mt. Azure Billow collective training. With Yi Yun's background, it was already astounding to have such an achievement.

But… Yi Yun also knew the Desolate Heaven technique!?

"Five or six months worth of education in the Desolate Heaven technique"?

"Considered to have a tiny bit of success"?

The Desolate Heaven technique was intricate and profound. Without a few decades of hard work, it was impossible to have any success! Yi Yun was obviously bragging!

But if it was said that Yi Yun had been exposed to the Desolate Heaven technique for decades, it was also impossible. He was a warrior from the lower realm, with a bone age of less than forty. Martial arts would have taken a great deal of his time, so how could he spare the time to study the Desolate Heaven technique?

"Little Yun, what are you saying?" At that moment, Luo Huo'er's Yuan Qi voice transmission reverberated in Yi Yun's ear. "Little Yun, I know that you have some talent in the Desolate Heaven technique, but you do not know that the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven's Desolate Heaven technique is the best in all of the 12 Empyrean Heavens. It's completely different to the Desolate Heaven technique from the lower realm. Be it technique or hand seals, all the methods are different! After coming to the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven, have you learned the Desolate Heaven technique from the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven?"

Yi Yun shook his head. He obviously understood the rationale behind Luo Huo'er's words. Although Yi Yun had the Purple Crystal, the time he spent learning the Desolate Heaven technique was too short. Even in the lower realm, the time he spent learning the Desolate Heaven technique was counted in months, let alone while he was in the Ten Thousand Fey Empyrean Heaven.

"Hahaha!" Luo Kui suddenly burst out into laughter. "What did you say? Did you want to advise me? That's interesting. I had just nonchalantly mentioned that I'm a beginner at the Desolate Heaven technique, and a person like you who has only studied the Desolate Heaven technique for five or six months jumped out to advise me? A godly person like you has actually gained the favor of Her Highness? Are you not a cheat? You have used Her Highness's attention to talent to fool her!" Luo Kui derided relentlessly.

He did not dare to insult Princess Purple Spirit, but he had no scruple when it came to Yi Yun. Regardless if Yi Yun had deceived Princess Purple Spirit or not, mocking Yi Yun would be equivalent to sullying Princess Purple Spirit's reputation.

At that moment, Yi Yun had already stood up.

Luo Kui gave Yi Yun a contemptuous look. He was ambitious and he belittled the geniuses present. He could only make a name for himself by trampling on the high and mighty princess. By aiding Prince Crimson Firmament in ascending to the throne, he would eventually be conferred nobility.

But at this point, he could not even trample on a princess, but a small fry had come courting death.

Luo Kui had been cultivating for eighty years and he had studied the Desolate Heaven technique for more than a decade. He had definitely come prepared! Even if he met Luo Huo'er, he was confident that he could match her.

There were many people present who knew of Luo Kui's background. As they looked at Yi Yun, they shook their heads. This was all a farce. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Seeing how this matter could no longer be prevented, Luo Huo'er's lips quivered. She eventually chose to remain silent. She understood Yi Yun. She knew that Yi Yun would often do unexpected things. Previously in the Tai Ah Divine City, Luo Huo'er had believed that she would definitely triumph over him, but she always ended up suffering.

But this time, Luo Huo'er had no idea how Yi Yun was going to beat Luo Kui.

True Martial World - Chapter 864: Show of Strength

Ran Xueyi and Donglin Yu both felt that if they sat in such a striking location, especially if they were beside Luo Huo'er, they would only sit on a third of their seats, and they would sit with an extremely straight back. They would try their best not to get any food, and if they ate, it would just be a tiny portion. They would not reveal their teeth while eating or make a sound while chewing. If they drank any wine, they would hold the cup with two hands, and drink respectfully. Furthermore, if the Empresses did not hold a wine cup, they would not touch theirs.

But looking at Yi Yun, he was practically invincible. He was gulping food down by the mouthfuls. Whatever dish looked the most exquisite or had the richest Yuan Qi would be eaten. As for wine… it was as though he was afraid of choking on eating too much. He drank as he ate, using the wine to wash the food down.

This was truly… the perfect display of a bumpkin's characteristics.

Thankfully, Empress Luo's self-restraint was good. Despite there being a human punk, who obviously did not know the rules while sitting there, causing a scene, she could turn a blind eye towards it.

"Little Yun, are you the reincarnation of a starving ghost? Why are you eating so fast?"

Luo Huo'er was amused by Yi Yun's actions and she wanted to laugh., But on the surface, she maintained her elegant and luxurious appearance.

Luo Huo'er detested such occasions greatly. It was too boring, and she had to constantly pay attention to etiquette. It was much better to chat with Yi Yun to amuse herself.

"Since Empress Luo is treating us, and she's your arch-enemy and she has put out so much good spiritual food, I might as well eat them. It's not like I'll lose out." Yi Yun sent a voice transmission as though it was for granted.

His tone clearly did not show any fear or respect for Empress Luo.

"Hehe, if you have the ability to eat her broke, that would be great! I'm telling you, don't look at that old witch appearing as though she's some mother of the world, she's actually bad to the bone."

In the royal palace, Luo Huo'er were restrained in various ways, so she did not dare to talk nonsense. Now, she had finally encountered a friend, so Luo Huo'er had no scruples in the way she spoke.

Previously, Luo Huo'er had encountered many people who were extremely respectful to Empress Luo, Empress Xuan and herself. They were so subservient that they wished that their eyes would grow on the ground and their backs were as bent as a shrimp. Luo Huo'er found Yi Yun, a person who did not care about rules just like her, very fun as though she had found a confidant.

As Yi Yun and Luo Huo'er began chatting through Yuan Qi voice transmissions, the banquet was not going very harmoniously on the other side.

Empress Xuan knew Empress Luo's goal of hosting this banquet very well. She wanted to display her strength and make the young elites participating in the Luo Divine Hall trials know who was the true mother of the Luo clan. As such, more and more young elites would choose to join Empress Luo's clan and turn their backs on Empress Xuan.

"I heard that Younger Sister brought quite a number of people from your family to participate in our Luo clan's Luo Divine Hall trials. Especially that Xuan Junyue, I heard that he is the best in the present Xuan family generation. Why don't I see dear nephew Junyue? I remembered sending him an invitation as well." Empress Luo suddenly said to Empress Xuan.

Although her voice was not loud, everyone present could hear her clearly.

Xuan Junyue was an influential figure amongst the younger generation of the Xuan family. Compared to Ran Xueyi and Donglin Yu, his reputation exceeded theirs. He was not ranked as one of the four great young masters of the royal capital because the Xuan family was not located in the royal capital.

Empress Xuan smiled and said, "Junyue is still in reclusive training and he will not take a step out of the door for the next few days. He's making preparations for the Luo Divine Hall trials."

Empress Xuan found an excuse to deflect the question. Xuan Junyue obviously wasn't in reclusive training. Back then, he had gone to Luo Huo'er's palace and passed news to Luo Huo'er.

However, Empress Xuan would not let Xuan Junyue participate in the banquet hosted by Empress Luo. This was because Empress Xuan knew very well that Empress Luo wanted to show a display of strength at the banquet, and she would very likely begin with Xuan Junyue as one of her victims.

Xuan Junyue was the best genius in the Xuan family, and he was considered one of their highlighting banners. If Empress Luo were to target Xuan Junyue at the banquet, Empress Xuan's camp would suffer a massive loss of reputation if Xuan Junyue were to lose.

Before the Luo Divine Hall trials, Empress Xuan could not afford to lose anything.

By appearing weaker than they did, and avoiding battle, it was much better than losing directly.

"Reclusive training? I think that Brother Junyue did not come because he is afraid?" At that moment, a loud voice resounded.

Everyone turned their heads in alarm and they looked at the person who said it. The person was sitting one level lower than Princess White Fox.

That seat was almost equivalent to Ran Xueyi and Donglin Yu, and it was considered a very noble seat.

Two people sat at the table, a man and a woman. The woman had a petite figure that looked like a child’s, while the man was youthful, muscular and stout. He wore red battle armor, and his voice sounded like the beat of a drum, with bold undertones.

The person who had openly mocked Xuan Junyue was this burly youth!

Empress Xuan frowned. With the status she enjoyed, how could she let a junior show her disrespect at this banquet?

However, before Empress Xuan spoke a word, Empress Luo had already opened her mouth and rebuked the person in question, "Luo Kui, I'm speaking with Empress Xuan, there's no reason for you to interject!"

Empress Luo's voice sounded harsh and she was faster than Empress Xuan. Her statement sounded like she was rebuking Luo Kui, but in fact, it was to shut Empress Xuan up.

Being rebuked wasn't the loss of a piece of meat after all. It might even be possible that Luo Kui had said that statement as a mouthpiece of Empress Luo.

As the host, she could not say certain things. There was no fault in letting a rash and reckless junior say such words, but it still managed to achieve the effect of smacking Empress Xuan in the face.

The young elites present immediately felt that the banquet was beginning to be filled with the smell of gunpowder.

Indeed, Empress Luo and Empress Xuan were arch-enemies. How was it possible for them to exist peacefully at a banquet?

However, Empress Xuan had been calculative, and deliberately prevented Xuan Junyue from attending to evade any adverse consequences.

Although this was a smart move, Empress Xuan had already practically lost to Empress Luo by a notch.

Yi Yun wiped his mouth and glanced at Luo Kui. His cultivation level was at the perfected Heaven Ascension realm.

He had a deep Yuan Qi foundation and a tremendous bloodline. His strength was unfathomable.

That was the evaluation Yi Yun gave him.

"The Xuan Junyue that was mentioned can't beat that big guy?" Yi Yun asked Luo Huo'er with a voice transmission.

Luo Huo'er grunted and said, "It's not certain that he can't beat him, but the number of people behind me and Mother are few in number. The best one is Xuan Junyue. However, Empress Luo has many more people on her side. The Luo Kui you see is just one of them. If we were really to go at odds, we will definitely lose out."

"I see." Yi Yun understood that as the saying goes, two fists had difficulty overcoming four hands. Having more people was always advantageous. Empress Xuan and Luo Huo'er's foundations were just too weak after all. "Are you telling me that Empress Xuan will use this banquet to demonstrate a show of strength to us disciples who are joining the Luo Divine Hall trials, so that we will join her camp?"

"That's right. That witch sure did her calculations!"

"How would the competition work? We can't just fight here in the banquet, right?" Yi Yun was somewhat curious. There was not much space in the middle of the banquet hall, so if there was a fight, it would make the banquet hall a mess.

"Not necessarily. It might be a display of tricks in other aspects, showing the best of your skills, or whatever things that can add a bit of interest to the banquet. If it really came to blows, it would just be unbecoming. Why… don't tell me you want to compete with that big guy?" Luo Huo'er asked with a grin.

But Yi Yun shook his head, "I might not be able to beat that big guy."

The opponent was at the perfected Heaven Ascension realm, while Yi Yun had just entered the beginning stages of the Heaven Ascension realm. The Luo clan royal capital was filled with geniuses. Although Yi Yun was confident of himself, he was not certain that he could leapfrog such a vast difference in cultivation level and defeat a young elite from the cream of the crop of the Luo clan.

He did not know what tricks Luo Kui had at all.

The other side had come prepared, and if he did things on a whim, he would likely suffer if things came to blows. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

"Hehehe, you are rather calm. Little Yun, I know you took first place at the Mt. Azure Billow trials. To have such an achievement, you must have encountered some interesting events in the lower realm, right? But compared to the geniuses in the royal capital, the Fire Cloud State and Phoenix Firmiana State don’t compare to much. Many of them are truly formidable! You are so many subrealms weaker than him, and you want to beat him? Difficult! And taking ten thousand steps back, even if you were to beat him, he has partners. Are you going to beat a dozen of them by yourself? Look at that petite girl. Her name is Luo Xiaodie, and she is also one who is not to be trifled with!"

True Martial World - Chapter 863: Unconforming to the rules

The sacred Empress Luo was peerless in beauty, with captivating looks that were unique.

Empress Luo wore a nine phoenix hairpin and her long hair was coiled up, like a gloomy cloud in the sky. She wore a jade garment with an Ancient Fey beast embroidery on it. Her royal elegance truly came from the bone.

And beside her was Empress Xuan, who had a voluptuous figure, with skin no different to a sixteen-year-old girl. Age had forgotten to leave its marks on her face, accentuating her youthful looks and mature woman's charm on her body perfectly.

"Paying our respects to Your Majesty Empress Luo! Paying our respects to Your Majesty Empress Xuan!"

The maidservants and the young elites present bowed respectfully.

The two sacred Empresses walked to the seats of honor with Empress Luo on the right and Empress Xuan on the left. In the Luo clan, the right was associated with the seat of honor, so on this point, Empress Luo's status was slightly higher than Empress Xuan’s.

"Xue’er, you came as well."

Empress Luo looked at Princess White Fox with an amiable and endearing smile. Clearly, she was very satisfied with Princess White Fox from the Lightning Domain. At the beginning of the banquet, she nodded and smiled to Princess White Fox, a treatment probably only reserved for daughter-in-laws.

"It appears as though Her Majesty Empress Luo is eager to have Prince Crimson Firmament marry Princess White Fox. If that's the case, Prince Crimson Firmament's position will be unshakable."

As people discussed it in private, they envied Prince Crimson Firmament for his good fortune in love affairs.

Empress Luo and Empress Xuan sat on the main seats of honor with Prince Crimson Firmament and Luo Huo'er sitting on the right and left respectively. Sitting near Prince Crimson Firmament was naturally Princess White Fox, but she was not sitting at the same table with Prince Crimson Firmament. Instead, she was sitting at a table beside the table of honor, and this was a distance away. From the looks of it, Princess White Fox had not fully accepted Prince Crimson Firmament. Hence, she did not want to appear too close to him at such an event.

This was nothing much, but on the other side…

Be it Empress Luo, Empress Xuan or Prince Crimson Firmament, they were somewhat taken aback when they saw the person sitting on the seat symmetrically across Princess White Fox.

Sitting near Luo Huo'er was an ordinary youth, who looked very young. His cultivation level had just broken through to the early stages of the Heaven Ascension realm. Such a person could not have a long cultivation time that numbered about thirty or forty years.

And most bizarre of all was that he was a human.

Yi Yun?

Empress Xuan immediately thought about Yi Yun. Only this person matched the various features.

But why was Yi Yun sitting beside her daughter?

It was impossible that he had sat without understanding the rules. The waiters responsible at the banquet would not have sat idle if that was the case. Could it be that her daughter had invited him to sit there?

Although Empress Xuan found it surprising, she at least knew about Yi Yun's identity. But for Empress Luo, she did not even know Yi Yun's identity.

For a small figure like Yi Yun, although he had won first place at a collective training, it was insignificant in Empress Luo's eyes. However, she had paid him some attention because he was sitting beside Luo Huo'er.

Empress Luo noticed that Yi Yun's clothes were worthless, as though he did not have any background. Why would Luo Huo'er let such a person sit beside her? Furthermore, this was not any ordinary occasion. Every word and action of Luo Huo'er and Crimson Firmament would be recorded by the hall page and reported to Emperor Luo.

"Dear Firmament, who is this youth?" Empress Luo sent a voice transmission to Prince Crimson Firmament.

"Answering Mother, if this child isn't wrong, that person should be Yi Yun. He had obtained an outstanding performance at the Mt. Azure Billow collective training. He obtained the recognition of three Ancient Fey columns, with two of them at the Hibernation Awakening ranking. At Black Wind Valley, he captured the Intermediary Spirit Blood Snake and he is considered to be a talented human. He is in Sister Purple Spirit's camp, and he was recommended by Prince Pingnan."

Prince Crimson Firmament informed her about Yi Yun's background and results in a few words, pleasing Empress Luo. Her son was meticulous, which made him a person capable of big matters. He knew every piece of information about a person, even if he was a minor character.

"Very good. You did well, but according to what you said, that Yi Yun isn't considered to be some blessed son of the heavens. He is just a young elite, so he's not even qualified to sit at where the two young fellows from the Ran and Donglin family are, let alone beside Purple Spirit. That Purple Spirit is just too wilful."

Empress Luo shook her head secretly as she glanced at Donglin Yu and Ran Xueyi. They were sitting on seats at a lower level to Yi Yun, so when they saw Empress Luo glance at them, they immediately revealed embarrassed expressions. They probably knew what Empress Luo was looking at. They found it extremely embarrassing to sit beneath Yi Yun. However, this was sanctioned by Princess Purple Spirit, so what else could they say?

Empress Luo frowned slightly. For a princess of the Luo clan to be so enamored towards such a lowly human youth to sit beside her, it was not something that did not conform to the rules, but it would incur ridicule. Especially with Princess White Fox here, how would she think about Yi Yun sitting at a spot equivalent to hers?

"Mother, Sister Purple Spirit has always had a personality of lawlessness. Let her be. Even Father indulges her, so even if this small matter were to reach Father, he would not pay too much attention to it." Prince Crimson Firmament said with a tone filled with discontent with Emperor Luo.

Emperor Luo's favoritism was no secret. If not for his favoritism towards Princess Purple Spirit, wouldn't the throne be firmly in Crimson Firmament’s grasps?

"It doesn't matter if she's willful, it's not like we are disgracing ourselves." Empress Luo transmitted her voice to Prince Crimson Firmament and glanced at Empress Xuan, while a faint smile suffused across her lips.

Her son, Prince Crimson Firmament had brought Princess White Fox, and they were sitting along the main seats with her.

Look at your daughter. What sort of person is she sitting with? What a disgrace.

"Alright, all of our esteemed young elites, I held this banquet and invited all of you here as a welcome. I wish that everyone will be able to make a difference at the upcoming Luo Divine Hall trials, and bring a more brilliant future to our Luo clan."

As the host of the banquet, Empress Luo had to give a speech. As for Yi Yun, she quickly ignored him.

Everyone lifted their cups for a toast. Yi Yun did so too, and he drank the fragrant spiritual wine. It was unknown how the wine was brewed, because not only was the taste excellent, it also made his entire body warm up, and he could even feel his lifeblood strengthen.

It was good wine that was probably extremely pricey. And the food placed in front of him was all sorts of treasured materials. Eating them was beneficial for his cultivation level and lifeblood.

Yi Yun estimated that just this small table of dishes would cost a few hundred, if not a few thousand World Stones.

Thinking back of the painful expression that Lie Ya had when he had to produce more than a hundred World Stones, Yi Yun felt that he did not waste time coming to this banquet.

Although he had the Purple Crystal, he was not wealthy. Since he was at this banquet, he had come with the mentality that he would not suffer any losses. He would not miss out on delicious foods and drink. Hence, these spiritual wine and food quickly entered Yi Yun's stomach. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Seeing Yi Yun eat carefreely, Ran Xueyi and Donglin Yu were impressed. How bold are you? Didn't you noticed that Empress Luo had paid you attention a while ago? Don't you feel that sitting at the third highest level in the middle is like sitting on a cushion of needles?