Chapter 530: The Day of Opening

Immortal Sovereign Dong Ning and Immortal Sovereign Xiang Li spoke up, giving Dong Jiao a few admonitions.

Yuan Yao and the others raised their hands and performed a bow to the two Immortal Sovereigns, showing respect.

Qian Jue Shan slowly lifted his hand, and above his palm a radiant divine sword suddenly coalesced into form, its blade exuding an ancient and powerful aura—it was his destined divine sword.

His gaze burned like a torch, locking onto the abyssal bottom of Fengshan, and he swung his sword down fiercely!

Boom—

A massive fissure, bottomless and emitting a faint chill, suddenly appeared at the abyss's depth.

Within the fissure, forces surged, gradually converging to form a huge, rapidly rotating vortex, its core pitch black as if it could devour everything.

"Go in," Qian Jue Shan said.

"Master, take care!" The six of Yuan Yao bowed deeply toward Qian Jue Shan.

Qian Jue Shan's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded.

Then, without further hesitation, they leapt down together with the other five, plunging into the mysterious massive vortex at the abyss's bottom.

The moment they entered the vortex, an irresistible massive suction surged from all directions, as if to tear and crush their bodies.

A chill rose in their hearts; they quickly circulated internal spiritual energy, forming protective light shields to fiercely resist the terrifying tearing force.

Immediately—

A sudden, intense sensation of weightlessness swept them, as if they were falling into an endless abyss.

Above the abyss, Qian Jue Shan and the two Immortal Sovereigns Dong Ning and Xiang Li stood silently, watching the massive vortex gradually shrink until it vanished.

Yet deep in the hearts of the three, a lingering, uneasy worry and concern arose, their gazes fixed profoundly on the abyss's depth, lingering without shifting.

They knew very well that these youths, once gone, faced a long, perilous road, fraught with danger; whether they would return safely remained uncertain.

Meanwhile—

Inside Tian Jiaocheng.

After days of observation and testing, the thirteen Elders of Tian Jiaocheng finally selected, from the hundred outstanding Heavenly Proud, one chief of the Heavenly Proud and two vice chiefs.

At this moment, all the Heavenly Proud were gathered onto the central plaza, the thirteen Elders seated high upon the jade platform ahead, their expressions solemn.

Leading the scene, Immortal Sovereign Zong Guang swept his gaze over the crowd, his voice transmitted through spiritual power to the whole area: "Everyone, be quiet."

The plaza fell silent instantly, all eyes focusing on Immortal Sovereign Zong Guang.

Immortal Sovereign Zong Guang slowly began, announcing the final decision: "Everyone, after this period of comprehensive testing and evaluation, we thirteen Elders unanimously decide that Ying Wuhuan will serve as the chief of this Heavenly Proud operation!"

With those words spoken, the Heavenly Proud below displayed varied expressions.

Some of the Heavenly Proud showed displeasure.

"Why Ying Wuhuan?!"

Some of the Heavenly Proud voiced objections.

Ying Wuhuan, standing at the front of the crowd, remained calm and composed, neither arrogant nor restless.

Furthermore, the two vice chiefs announced by Immortal Sovereign Zong Guang provoked discontent among most of the Heavenly Proud.

"The two vice chiefs will be Yu Jing and Lu Xiang."

With those words, most of the Heavenly Proud wore displeased looks.

The murmurs on the plaza rose sharply, and the faces of most Heavenly Proud openly displayed displeasure and doubt.

"Lu Xiang? She can become a vice chief?" a sharp voice sneered, "Her cultivation is only at the late peak of the Nascent Soul Realm! Everyone here has higher cultivation; why her?!"

"Exactly! Just because she's a disciple of Immortal Sovereign Wuxiang, can she get a backdoor like that?!" another voice echoed, full of indignation.

"Another disciple of Immortal Sovereign Wuxiang, senior sister Sikong Banxue, surpasses Lu Xiang in both cultivation and reputation by far! Why isn't it senior sister Sikong?"

"Everyone, calm down." Among the crowd, a few Heavenly Proud who had worked with or observed Lu Xiang spoke up in her defense, "Junior sister Lu Xiang's cultivation may be modest, but in previous missions her deployment and planning were outstanding, meticulous, with almost no mistakes!"

"Heh, no strength means no strength; what use are those empty plans?" someone retorted immediately, scoffing, "In the cultivation world, it still comes down to fists!"

Everyone present was a Heaven's Proud carefully cultivated by major forces, proud and haughty.

They could accept a leader stronger than themselves, but they could never tolerate someone they deemed lower in cultivation stepping over them, let alone possibly commanding them in the future!

That made them feel deeply humiliated.

Lu Xiang's expression remained calm, showing no sign of panic or anger.

She slowly stepped out of the crowd, stood at the plaza's center, her gaze sweeping the indignant Heavenly Proud, and said, "If you don't accept me, that's simple."

She paused, then continued, "Then follow me to the trial ground; we'll spar. If any of you can defeat me even a single move, I, Lu Xiang, will gladly concede and voluntarily hand over the vice chief position. But if you lose—"

Her gaze sharpened, "Then you must apologize to me publicly, and henceforth address me respectfully as 'Vice Chief Lu'!"

With those words, the plaza fell silent at first, then erupted into an even louder uproar.

"Fine! Arrogant! Then let's compare! I want to see what you can do!" a burly Heavenly Proud, unable to hold back, stepped forward first, being one of the loudest dissenters earlier.

"Yes! Let's compare! I don't believe that with so many of us we can't beat a single Lu Xiang!"

The Heavenly Proud, already bristling with resentment, now seeing Lu Xiang's provocation, naturally each flexed their fists, unable to swallow their anger, and responded in chorus.

Soon, everyone moved to the trial ground in Tian Jiaocheng designated for sparring.

But the ensuing results of the contest shocked everyone.

Those Heavenly Proud who boasted higher cultivation than Lu Xiang and swaggered onto the stage to challenge, after facing her, fell one by one, defeated.

Although Lu Xiang's cultivation was indeed only at the late peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, her movements were bizarre and unpredictable, her techniques exquisitely refined, and her combat experience exceptionally rich, often allowing her to defeat stronger opponents by seizing their flaws with a single strike.

One match, two matches, three matches….

As challengers fell one after another, the atmosphere around the trial ground shifted from the initial clamor to growing silence.

The Heavenly Proud's faces turned unusually sullen, as if they'd been slapped hard.

Immortal Sovereign Zong Guang's next words made them feel even more aggrieved: "Are you satisfied?!"

"From today onward, Ying Wuhuan is your chief, and Yu Jing and Lu Xiangxiang are your vice chiefs."

Today is the day the Boundary Abyss opens.

From now on, you must first follow the arrangements and orders of Ying Wuhuan. The number of Breath Flowers you obtain from the Boundary Abyss will determine your ranking on the Heaven's Pride List.