After meditating for some time in the room, Du Shaofu continued to sit cross-legged, practicing his handseal forming skill, a bright glow shrouded him from head to toe in a halo of a faint golden light.
Two days later, in the Du Clan back mountain, Du Shaofu remained in the same position on a big rock. Golden runes snaked around in the faint golden light that enveloped Du Shaofu’s body.
When these fluctuations reached the highest point, Du Shaofu changed his handseal, the xuanqi around him spiraled fiercely akin to an unplugged hole, flooding into his body.
“Almost there, hold it and step into late Xiantian in one go!”
Zhen Qingchun who was observing Du Shaofu cheered in a low voice that might not reach Du Shaofu.
As the form of seals changes in his hands, Du Shaofu felt the strong influx of xuanqi into his Shenque, creating an enormous pressure. Since he became a Spirit Talisman Master, practicing the Great Origin Soul Mantra has helped his spiritual force to increase by leaps and bounds. The benefits of a more powerful spiritual force crossed over to his martial cultivation, increasing his perception and comprehension power; it could be said that practicing both complemented one another.
“Bang!”
Du Shaofu’s Shenque emitted a low explosion sound, after the sound he felt as if an invisible barrier had opened. A powerful momentum bursted out from his body, channeling out like a storm.
After some time, the scene finally calmed down. The purple-robed figure on the huge rock slowly opened his eyes as he observed the changes in his body. A tiny smile appeared on his resolute face, muttering to himself: “Finally, I have stepped into late Xiantian. I wonder what benefits I would reap after entering the Lightning Pool…”
Night entered, the bright moon hung high up in the translucent night sky; a rare night of good weather.
And this night was fated to be a night where nervousness and excitement were felt by many people in Stone City.
Silhouettes were already moving along the streets before dawn arrived, and their number only grew; they were all headed towards the center of the city where the city square was located. Today, is the day of the Five Families’ Junior Competition; if they were late there wouldn’t be any good spots left.
The total population of Stone City wasn’t a small number. The Five Families’ Junior Competition that was held once every few years was one of the liveliest events in Stone City, thus, people crowded the city square to watch.
When the sky turned bright, the square was already crowded.
As the event was held collectively by the five families, each family had dispatched people to maintain the order in the city square.
Of course, this act was to show off their might and power; who in Stone City dared to make trouble under the eyes of the five families, apart from those who are tired of living.
As time wore on, from the corner of a special entrance, the figures of participants appeared, raising a commotion in the waiting crowd.
“Quickly look, the Bai Family is here! The Bai Family Patriarch, Bai Jiru, the eldest Young Master, Bai Tianming and Young Miss, Bai Caiyi.”
“The Qin Family is also here. At the front is the family head, Qin Zongqiong and Qin Family’s Young Miss, Qin Xiaolu. The young man next to her should be that Cao Qitai; rumors say, his background isn’t simple.”
“That Cao Qitai looks like a person of talent; it seems the Qin Family found a good son-in-law.”
“The An Family is here! An Family’s Patriarch, An Qingsong, the brothers An Long and An Hu is with him.”
“…….”
As the crowd continued to whisper, people from the three families, Bai Family, An Family and Qin Family walked out one by one.
Meeting rivals from the other families, everyone maintained a courteous mannerism and greeted each other politely and then took their pre-arranged seats.
The younger generation of men and women stood quietly behind the Patriarchs, each were extraordinary in their own way, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Worshipping eyes came out from the young men and women of the crowd towards these participants.
“Du Clan is here; Patriarch Du Zhenwu and the Second Master, Du Zhixiong.”
“The one behind them in purple robe is Du Shaofu. I heard that this time he is the sole participant from the Du Clan..”
When Du Shaofu saw the vast square and a crowd of less than a hundred thousand people, he was a bit shocked.
“Shaofu, no need to be nervous, relax a little.” Du Zhixiong patted his shoulder and said.
Du Shaofu smiled faintly; he was a bit shocked but was not nervous. He just did not expect that there would be so many people watching.
“Shaofu, the one sitting on the left side is Bai Family’s Bai Jiru. He looks gentle but he isn’t some ‘good bird’, he is cunning like a fox. Behind him is his son, Bai Tianming; I heard that you have ‘taken care’ of him some time ago. The one you need to pay attention to is his daughter, Bai Caiyi; some say that, whether it was talent or intelligence, she is way stronger than her brother.”
Du Zhixiong whispered these information to Du Shaofu, “As for the An Family, you know most of them. Next to them is the Qin Family; the one sitting in the middle, looking a little sullen is the current Qin Family Patriarch, Qin Zongqiong. You have met Qin Xiaolu, and that long robe young man close to her is Cao Qitai, be careful of him.”
Hearing this, Du Shaofu’s gaze fell on the three families unnoticeably. Every family has brought about a hundred people to the city square. In the midst of the Bai Family’s camp was a gentle looking middle-aged man, probably the Bai Family Patriarch, Bai Jiru that Second Uncle mentioned. Next to Bai Tianming stood a young girl in white full of traces of spiritual aura, she should be Bai Caiyi.
As for the An Family, Du Shaofu had met most of them. Lastly, his gaze fell upon the Qin Family’s camp. Second Uncle said the somber-looking man in the middle is Qin Zongqiong, who looks like even death owed him money. Qin Xiaolu was behind him, and Du Shaofu had already met her.
While he was scrutinizing others, he also felt many gazes fell on his body, his eyes traced the sources, and among them were Bai Caiyi, Bai Tianming, Qin Xiaolu, An Long and An Hu.
What Du Shaofu paid attention to was the long robed young man beside Qin Xiaolu, he didn’t know why, but this young man’s gaze made a small ripple in his mind.
So, this is Cao Qitai, he seems to have hidden his strength ah, Du Shaofu muttered in his heart.
“Brother Du, you came late,”
As the Du Clan’s people arrived at the square, Bai Jiru and Qin Zongqiong stood up in superficial greeting.
Whereby An Qingsong glanced at the Du Clan group and looked away, standing in silence. The rest of the An Family was staring daggers at them.
“I’m just in time; you all were too anxious and came early ah.”
Du Zhenwu smiled and said as he greeted the Patriarchs of each family and move on to the Du Clan camp after that, sitting in the middle of Du Clan’s Elders.
Du Shaofu, Du Yu, Du Xue and the younger generation who came to watch could only stand behind the seated elders.
Du Hao, Du Chong, and Du Yan were among those who came too; although they were injured and cannot fight on the stage, however, watching from the side was permitted so as to not lose the Du Clan’s face.
“Mayor Ye is here!”
The crowd once again broke out in an uproar when a group of people emerged from a corner of the square.