Chapter Seventy-Three: The Chosen One

“I’ll make myself clear from the start: if you’re asking me to help you deal with the Blood Fiend Gang, I’m afraid I can’t agree to that. That force is on par with your Nangong family, a hereditary clan of city lords. I imagine that even a random member of theirs could easily crush me,” Ye Cheng said, casting Nangong Xue a peculiar glance. He had not expected her condition to involve making an enemy of such a terrifying power. He thus declined, albeit tactfully.

“You’re worried the Blood Fiend Gang will come after you, aren’t you? If that’s truly your concern, you needn’t worry. This time, I’ve successfully acquired the Soul Herb. Once my father takes it, I believe he’ll awaken soon. As long as he’s awake, the Blood Fiend Gang won’t dare make any more underhanded moves.” With that, Nangong Xue lifted the Soul Herb in her hand, then with a twist of her palm, it vanished—no doubt stored away in the spatial ring she wore on her finger.

“Truly wealthy,” Ye Cheng muttered inwardly, his gaze tinged with envy as he caught sight of the exquisite ring on her finger. A spatial ring may look like any ordinary ring, but it contained ample storage space, much like a Sumeru pouch. Yet the price difference between the two was astronomical. To carve out such a vast capacity in a tiny ring required far more skill and effort from its maker than crafting a Sumeru pouch.

Still, Ye Cheng didn’t dwell long on Nangong Xue’s ring. Instead, he asked in puzzlement after hearing her words, “If you’re bringing the Soul Herb back and your father wakes up, won’t that resolve all your problems? Why do you need me at all? My presence seems unnecessary.”

“Have you ever heard of the ‘Heaven’s Chosen’?” Nangong Xue did not answer directly, but instead introduced a foreign term.

“Heaven’s Chosen?” Ye Cheng repeated softly. The phrase was unfamiliar to him, so he simply shook his head.

Seeing his confusion, Nangong Xue realized he likely had no idea what the term represented. She continued, “The ‘Heaven’s Chosen’ is a competition held by Nanyang Prefecture to select individuals with exceptional martial talent. It’s held once every five years, and through this system, true geniuses are chosen. Within our Nanyang Prefecture, which has hundreds of cities, quotas are distributed to each for participation in the competition. Those who win not only receive cultivation from the Prefecture, but their close associates also gain special privileges.”

“This time, the ‘Heaven’s Chosen’ is to be held soon, and my Yongle City has only been allotted four spots. In the past, most of these went to my Nangong family, but with the recent upheaval, the other powers in Yongle City could no longer contain their envy. They’ve coveted these places for a long time, and now their chance has come—they’re all clamoring for them. The Blood Fiend Gang, in particular, is leading the charge, openly challenging my family for the spots. They’ve agreed to settle it with a competition among the younger generation to determine the rightful recipients.”

At this, Nangong Xue’s cold voice carried a chill, making her dislike of the Blood Fiend Gang abundantly clear.

“They want to seize this opportunity to claim the quota, send their disciples to the Prefecture, and elevate their own standing—thus threatening your family’s dominance in Yongle City,” Ye Cheng concluded, grasping the gravity of the situation—one far more precarious than rumor suggested.

“Yes. In the past, my family would never have agreed to such terms, but things are different now. My father remains gravely injured and unconscious. To keep the other factions in check, we must accept their demands and temporarily stabilize the situation.”

“But time is running short before the ‘Heaven’s Chosen’ begins, and I fear my father won’t recover in time. Moreover, we’ve already accepted the challenge. If we back out now, the others will only see my family as untrustworthy.”

A delicate frown appeared on Nangong Xue’s beautiful face, a clear sign of her worry. If the quotas were seized by the Blood Fiend Gang, their power would grow, undermining the Nangong family’s leadership of Yongle City.

“So what would you have me do?” Ye Cheng asked. He had little interest in getting involved in Yongle City’s internal strife, but whether he could leave this cave depended on whether she would guide him out. As long as her request was not outrageous…

“I want you to return to Yongle City with me and fight on behalf of the Nangong family,” Nangong Xue declared, enunciating each word. Observing Ye Cheng’s hesitance, she paused briefly, then continued, “If you agree to fight for us and emerge victorious, I will grant you one of the four quotas. With that, you’ll be noticed by the higher-ups in the Prefecture and no longer need fear the Blood Fiend Gang’s future retaliation. It’s said that some of the most outstanding candidates selected gain the right to use the boundary’s teleportation array and travel to another realm.”

“The boundary realm… teleportation array?” For a moment, Ye Cheng was stunned, then his expression lit with joy. Was that not the very place he had always yearned to reach? Only there could he hope to find his long-lost father. His gaze drifted toward the patch of wildflowers not far away, and in his mind’s eye, a familiar silhouette slowly emerged from memory—a broad figure, as if capable of supporting the heavens themselves.

“You’re truly offering me one of the quotas? Can you speak for your Nangong family in this?” Once that familiar image faded, Ye Cheng composed himself, raised his head slightly, and pressed down his excitement to ask calmly.

“Yes. As long as you can win, I will keep my promise,” Nangong Xue replied. Her beautiful eyes had never left Ye Cheng, and she noticed his emotional turmoil. Still, she made no comment; in her view, anyone given such an opportunity would be stirred.

Ye Cheng nodded at her answer. As the daughter of the Nangong clan, she was unlikely to go back on her word. And now, with the teleportation array involved, Ye Cheng would try at any cost. If he could reach the peak of the Ancient Pill Realm, he could still use the array to travel to that space—but the time required would be long, and he could not afford to wait.

A glint of resolve flashed in his eyes.

Even if it’s only a rumor, I won’t let go of even the faintest hope…