The Genius Mansion was located in the Wanxiang Square.
The square was a market for cultivators outside of the pagoda. Many of its disciples came here to exchange treasures. Of course, the majority cultivators who wanted to enter the pagoda through examination would stop here first.
After many years, the square continued to grow bigger until it was large enough to hold a million people just like a huge metropolitan city.
When the night curtain fell, it became very lively. Little lamps hanging on the streets brightly illuminated the entire scene.
“The son of the demon actually did it! With his heaven-defying talents, he reached the seventh level! He became the Divine King’s heir and now has widespread fame. Many young kings are considering him to be a worthy opponent.”
“Many ferocious guys have voiced their desire to defeat him and step on his bones in order to reach the top.”
“This storm won’t be small at all. Several heaven-defying geniuses on the Pagoda’s Hundreds List that were training had heard of this and come out. They thought that the son of the demon only got lucky and his talents aren’t worth mentioning.”
***
On the gravel-paved path to the Wanxiang Pagoda, discussions could be found everywhere. The majority was about Feng Feiyun and the Little Demoness. Of course, Feng Feiyun had also heard some bad news.
“The stars reversed a few days ago with a strange astronomical phenomenon, ‘the dragons will devour the sky while the Red Planet protects.’ His Excellency, the Grand Chancellor, came at midnight to meet the Jin Emperor in the palace and announced that this was an extremely ominous sign. Not long in the future, an earth-shattering change will happen throughout the entire dynasty.”
Feng Feiyun also knew a bit about astronomical observations and had detected the change in the stars. The fate of the dynasty had become quite strange and unpredictable. Not long from now, there might be an uprising of heroes and wars.
He eventually made his way to the mansion and saw Niu Nu, who had greeted him before, waiting outside. Niu Nu immediately bowed in an even more deferential way compared to last time: “Salutations, Young Noble Feng!”
Feng Feiyun asked: “Has the banquet begun?”
“Of course the banquet wouldn’t start without your presence.” Niu Nu smiled.
Feng Feiyun was aware that the mysterious master was planning something big, and they wanted to use him. This was the reason for his nice treatment. The moment he lost his value, he would be nothing in front of the master.
He followed Niu Nu into the mansion. The thing that surprised Feng Feiyun was that there were some new faces among the geniuses from last time. Some had brilliant auras with dragon and tiger images above their heads, meaning that their cultivation was great.
There were two familiar faces. Back at the Martial Exhibition Tower, they tried to get on Feng Feiyun’s good side by giving him healing elixirs and calami.
“Brother Feng’s five consecutive victories were so stylish and heroic! At that time, I already knew that you would soar to the sky. In just two months, you have become the Divine King’s successor — this is truly worth celebrating.” The elder son of the Heavenly Tiger Marquis came and offered a toast to Feng Feiyun while pulling him to sit beside each other.
The tiger marquis was one of the eighteen marquis. This eldest son was also his heir. Each of his actions and words represented the marquis’ camp, so it was clear that he was trying to get close to Feng Feiyun.
This person had an exceedingly high cultivation. His energy throughout his entire body was focused in his dantian, leaving only a pair of eyes with a faint trace of a frightening yellow glimmer. He was a grand achievement God Base.
Feng Feiyun had seen the Pagoda’s Hundreds List before. This elder son was ranked among the top fifty.
Even Gu Qing, who had eight divine intents, was only ranked 278th on the list. Despite this evaluation, he was still considered the strongest under grand achievement. From this, one could see that the top fifty of the list were the real top characters of the younger generation.
This eldest son had tried to befriend Feng Feiyun several times and even gave him a second-rank spirit pill to help him recover, so Feng Feiyun didn’t reject his goodwill. He accepted the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
“Congratulations, Brother Feng. The Divine King had only taken in two disciples, the Tower Lord Master and you. A hundred years from now, perhaps you will be able to inherit his royal title.” The third prince of Dashi with a crown decorated with a crimson dragon engraving and a purple imperial robe also held a bronze goblet and offered a toast.
This prince had given a calamus root to Feng Feiyun back then in an attempt to befriend him as well.
“Third Prince surely jests. His royal title naturally will be inherited by his descendant and won’t fall onto me no matter what.” Feng Feiyun laughed.
The Divine King’s royal title was not ordinary in the dynasty. It was a great banner with the power to enter the ancestral ground of the imperial family. It also entitled them to correct a flawed emperor or even killing a tyrant.
Among the eighteen marquis, three of them were directly under the Divine King of that generation. He had more than one billion troops that even the Jin Emperor did not have jurisdiction over. This was a force capable of shaking the entire world!
This was why the Grand Chancellor considered the Divine King to be a looming threat and had always tried to weaken his power or even kill him.
The king had his own territories for a total of five counties. The existence of the Divine King was meant to support the Jin Emperor to rule the world as well as to keep an eye on the emperor. If the emperor was a tyrant, then the king had the power to remove him and crown a new emperor.
“The Divine King has no descendants!” The eldest son of the tiger marquis whispered in Feng Feiyun’s ears.
Feng Feiyun turned silent after hearing this, then he smiled: “Even if he doesn’t have a descendant, the heir to his title wouldn’t fall onto someone with a different last name like me.”
The Divine King simply held too much power. He was the protector of the imperial family and its final card. The privilege to mobilize half of the imperial family’s troops was not something that could fall onto someone of a different last name. At least, Feng Feiyun thought this way.
The eldest son shook his head: “The Divine King of each generation has always been picked by the previous then brought to the ancestral ground of the family. As long as they are able to pass the test of the wise sages of the imperial family, then even someone with a different last name can be bestowed the title of Divine King.”
“Historically, there had been two kings that came from families other than the imperial family. This was because the previous king did not have any descendants, so they picked the most excellent among their disciples to become the heir!” The third prince sat down next to Feng Feiyun and explained in a low voice.
“Someone with a different last name can indeed become the Divine King. However, the next generation must be chosen from the imperial family.” The eldest son smilingly added.
Feng Feiyun played with the wine goblet with his finger while lost in thought.
“Since the Divine King has no descendants, and only you and the Tower Lord Master are his disciples, of course you will be the better candidate if a choice must be made.” The eldest son raised his cup again.
“Haha, we heard that Brother Feng was going to be here, so we came as well. Otherwise, the master of this place wouldn’t be able to invite us.” The third prince was also a heaven-defying genius among the top fifty of the pagoda list.
These two weren’t the only ones who considered Feng Feiyun to be the successor to the Divine King title. Many others shared the same thoughts. A few young masters from cultivation sects all came to offer a toast. Feng Feiyun smiled and drank with them while having cheerful conversations.
“Hmph, the guy only got lucky. There are a bunch of people in the pagoda with better aptitudes and talents than him.” An unhappy voice loudly resounded. Although he didn’t mention a name, it was clear who he was referring to.
“He’s only someone abandoned by his own clan. If I was a bit luckier, I could have rushed into the seventh floor too — no big deal.”
Many people felt that the atmosphere was strange and deliberately stepped to the side. The entire mansion became a lot quieter.
Feng Feiyun kept on drinking with a smile on his face. He slightly glanced over and saw two men wearing embroidered robes sitting face to face. One of them was Beiming Tang.
Several old men stood behind them, all with exceedingly high cultivations.
The two men sat and drank together. Beiming Tang acted as if there was no one here and continued on: “I heard the Jin Emperor had decreed for three heavenly marquis to send one hundred million troops of the Godly Army to destroy the Evil Woman and sweep through the Grand Southern Prefecture. I wonder if her servant is also on the list to be destroyed?”
Beiming Tang clearly wanted to cause trouble, and everyone knew who he was targeting.
The eldest son of the tiger marquis suddenly stood up with a glare, but Feng Feiyun pulled his arm and made him sit back down.
“Brother Beiming, who are you talking about?” Feng Feiyun played the fool.
Before the master had arrived, the atmosphere grew intense. A few unfathomable cultivators happily watched the show.
“Oh! Why if it isn’t this the Divine King’s new heir! Brother Feng, excuse me!” Beiming Tang didn’t bother looking at Feng Feiyun. He continued to drink after making his sarcastic remark.
The person sitting opposite of him turned around to stare at Feng Feiyun. His eyes were a bit bizarre with a crimson red glow in his pupils. Just his glance alone made the wine in Feng Feiyun’s hand turn into ice, emitting a chilling air.
Feng Feiyun was a bit startled and gazed back at this man. However, this man already turned away and continued to drink.
Beiming Tang smirked: “Brother Feng reaching the seventh floor at only peak God Base is so admirable, I wonder if you actually did it using your true abilities?”
Beiming Tang tried six times and couldn’t even surpass the fifth floor, so how could he not be jealous of Feng Feiyun’s achievement after just one shot?
Most importantly, it made Feng Feiyun even more valuable to the mysterious master which made him all the more jealous.