Seeing Frost Peak getting the attention of the emperor.
Elder Jiang of the Heavenly Thunder Sect rose to his feet and introduced his sect's core disciple, Lei, who was talented in thunder arts. He respectfully requested the emperor's permission for Lei to demonstrate his abilities. The emperor, intrigued by the variety of talents on display, nodded and allowed it.
Lei stepped forward and focused his Qi. He created a miniature storm of electricity in the palm of his hand, captivating the audience with crackling sparks that danced around his fingers. As the intensity increased, Lei directed the thunderous energy into a beautifully intricate yet controlled display of lightning bolts that illuminated the hall with an ethereal glow. Though the performance was not overwhelmingly powerful, it was both enthralling and enticing, showcasing Lei's mastery of thunder arts at the Golden Core stage.
Following Lei's performance, Elder Wu of the Divine Wind Sect introduced his sect's core disciple, Feng, who excelled in wind arts. With the emperor's approval, Feng took center stage and began his demonstration. He gathered the Qi in his surroundings, creating a gentle breeze that gradually intensified. The audience watched in awe as Feng manipulated the wind to form intricate patterns and shapes, twirling and swirling through the air like a graceful dance. The performance, while not overwhelmingly powerful, was delicate and mesmerizing, highlighting Feng's mastery of wind arts at the Golden Core stage.
Just as the applause for Feng's performance subsided, the core elder of the Starfall Sect, Elder Qing, stood up. Everyone knew that their sect's most talented disciple was Prince Wei, and Elder Qing respectfully asked the emperor for permission to have the prince showcase his skills. The emperor agreed, and all eyes turned to Prince Wei as he stepped into the center of the banquet hall.
With a deep breath, Prince Wei channeled his Qi and suddenly vanished from where he stood, only to reappear at the other side of the hall. The audience erupted in applause and excited murmurs, for they had just witnessed a rare display of spatial talent. It was the first time many had seen someone use such an ability. Both the emperor and Elder Qing wore proud smiles, as Prince Wei had outdone all the other disciples thus far.
Not wanting to be outshone, the elder of the Li family rose to his feet and asked the emperor for permission to showcase the talents of his family members participating in the tournament. The emperor granted permission, and Li Shuo, the young master of the Li family, stepped forward. The elder of the Li family produced a strength-testing dummy and placed it in front of Li Shuo. The audience gasped as they recognized the dummy as an Earth-grade testing apparatus.
Once the dummy was in place, the elder returned to his table. Li Shuo focused his energy and delivered a powerful punch to the dummy. The display revealed that Li Shuo's strength was an astounding 1400, a level unheard of even among Nascent Soul cultivators. The audience gasped at the incredible feat of strength.
After Li Shuo's display, Li Xin, a young woman from the Li family, entered the center of the banquet hall. The elder asked the emperor for permission to use the assistance of Golden Core royal guards in their demonstration. Intrigued, the emperor allowed it, and soon Li Xin found herself surrounded by the royal guards.
Li Xin, clad in a stunning outfit that accentuated her elegance, confidently asked all of the Golden Core royal guards to attack her simultaneously. Without any hesitation, the guards launched their attacks. However, before their strikes could land, Li Xin dodged each one with incredible speed and precision, counterattacking with swift kicks. It seemed as if she could peer into the future, knowing exactly where each attack would land. She easily defeated all the Golden Core royal guards, leaving the audience in awe.
Seeing Li Xin's talent, the audience gasped once again. To be able to glimpse the future meant she possessed a time-related element, which was even rarer than space. People began murmuring about the extraordinary talents they had witnessed that night--first space, and now time. These were two incredibly rare talents, and they both belonged to the Yin country.
Following Li Xin's performance, other major cultivation families, including the Cui and Wang families, showcased their members' talents. However, none of them could match the level of the Li family or the Starfall Sect. Slowly but surely, representatives from every major sect and clan displayed their talents in an attempt to garner as much attention as possible.
Finally, it seemed that everyone had taken their turn. Han Cai, who had been sitting off to the side, thoroughly enjoyed the talent show while sipping his spirit wine. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this entertained--it reminded him of watching Netflix before he transmigrated to this world.
Lost in his thoughts, Han Cai suddenly realized that the entire banquet had gone quiet. He looked around and noticed that everyone was staring at him. It dawned on him that every major sect and clan had showcased their talents or arts, except for the Sky Soaring Sect. Now, it was his turn.
Han Cai sighed, rose to his feet, and cleared his throat before addressing the emperor. "Your Majesty," he began, "unlike the seniors of various sects and clans, this junior is not exceptionally talented. However, I do possess some knowledge of poetry. If Your Majesty allows, I would like to entertain you with a poem I wrote myself."
Intrigued, the emperor nodded his approval. Han Cai stepped into the center of the banquet hall, his elegant attire shimmering under the light, making him appear as a young immortal about to recite poetry. Many of the girls in attendance felt their hearts flutter at the sight of him. He introduced his poem, explaining that it was about celestial bodies and had been inspired by the grandness of the Dao and the world.
Han Cai began reciting his poem slowly, imbuing each word and syllable with Qi. His melodious voice filled the hall:
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveler in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star."
After reciting the poem, Han Cai returned to his table and resumed sipping his spirit wine. The audience was mesmerized by his poetry and presentation, and whispers of "twinkle, twinkle" echoed throughout the banquet hall.
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As I was getting a lot of pen requests. Instead of releasing one 1500-word chapter, I decided to release two 1000-word chapters. Thank you for all your support and comments. They really keep me motivated to write more.
Gifts are always appreciated, but golden tickets and power stones matter a lot too.
If we reach 1000 power stones, I will release a supplementary chapter.
If we reach 1000 golden tickets, I will release five supplementary chapters.
Thank You
