25: A gathering of heroes, and the number one heir appears!

Sky City, Central Arena.

This magnificent building, suspended 30,000 meters in the sky, with a dome perfectly simulating the vast Universe and star sea using a single curved LCD screen, is the pinnacle of the integration of technology and Martial Dao after human civilization entered the High Martial Era.

At this moment, the circular auditorium, capable of accommodating tens of millions of people, was packed. Top financial leaders from around the globe, Grandmasters from reclusive Sects, heads of various governments, and lucky spectators who had obtained admission through layers of screening, were all gathered. Their breaths, their heartbeats, their gazes, converged into an invisible, fervent wave of Qi, awaiting the start of a Peak showdown belonging to the younger generation.

As a golden pillar of light, formed by thousands of energy beams and symbolizing a countdown, shot up from the center of the arena and finally reached zero, the opening ceremony officially began amidst widespread anticipation.

A Federal Chief Emcee, dressed in a silver-white Federal highest-grade formal suit, with an elegant demeanor and a cultivation Realm that had reached Martial Emperor, slowly floated in mid-air. His voice, enhanced by powerful Internal Energy, magnetic and penetrating, was clearly transmitted to every corner of the venue through the amplification Formation spread throughout the city, covering thousands of square kilometers, and was simultaneously broadcast to billions of viewers worldwide.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the opening ceremony of the 77th Global Youth Martial Arts Tournament!"

"Ten years of honing a sword, today it tests its edge! Here, let us witness together how the new generation of human Prodigies will display their brilliant radiance on this stage of glory!"

"Now, the first item on the opening ceremony agenda — reading of congratulatory gifts!"

The Emcee's voice was impassioned and full of ceremony. He waved his hand, and a gigantic holographic light screen, covering the entire sky above the arena, suddenly unfolded.

"The North America 'Sacred Mountain' organization, to congratulate the successful conclusion of the tournament, specially presents — one high-precision replica of the S-grade Divine Weapon 'Spear of Longinus'! May humanity's martial fortune flourish!"

On the light screen, an image of a knight's spear, gleaming with holy light as if it could pierce all evil, flashed by, eliciting gasps of surprise from the entire audience.

"The European 'Knights of the Round Table' presents — a sample of the 'King Arthur' gene sequence, personally blessed by the contemporary Archmage 'Merlin', containing a trace of the King's Qi! May human Prodigies emerge in droves, and Kings descend!"

"North Russia's 'Winter Palace' presents — a complete gene map of the 'Mammoth Elephant', fully excavated from beneath ten-thousand-year-old Siberian ice, containing the power of the Earth!"

"Egypt's 'Pharaoh's Council' presents — three torn pages of the 'Solar Gold Sutra', discovered in the deepest part of the pyramids, recording Soul secret techniques!"

...One by one, priceless congratulatory gifts, each capable of sparking a localized war and driving countless Martial Artists to madness, were loudly announced by the Emcee in an impassioned voice. This was no longer just a simple opening ceremony; it was an unspoken, brutal display of muscle and heritage among the world's top powers!

Countless viewers watching the global broadcast were already awestruck by this luxurious scene, which felt like the descent of a myth, their scalps tingling and blood boiling, as if they themselves were part of this feast belonging to humanity's highest echelon.

Just then, the Emcee's voice suddenly rose by eight full octaves, filled with unprecedented reverence and a hint of barely concealed fervor!

"China's 'Shennong Group', to congratulate the successful convening of this tournament, and to wish their grandson — His Excellency Lin Tian, the number zero heir of the Long Family — a victorious and successful outing, specially presents — three S-grade 'Longevity' gene repair agents!"

Boom!!!

If the previous congratulatory gifts were monstrous waves, then this gift was a super tsunami capable of overturning the ocean!

The entire venue, after a brief, deathly silence, was instantly ignited by thunderous, disbelieving exclamations!

"Longevity agent?! Is that the mythical agent rumored to instantly repair all gene damage and extend life by a hundred years without side effects, as long as one still has a breath left?! I thought that was just a legend!"

"My God! Shennong Group actually brought out three at once! This... this is no longer a question of the scale of their generosity; this is them announcing to the world that they already possess the ability to mass-produce 'gods'!"

"Wait a minute! Didn't you hear the main point? Grandson! Shennong Group... is actually the maternal Family of that mysterious number zero heir?! The Long Family and the Jiang Family... these two behemoths that control China's martial and civil domains, are actually in-laws?!"

This news was even more explosive than the three Longevity agents themselves!

Amidst the discussions that almost overturned the dome of the venue, the exclusive passage of the Shennong Group slowly opened in the most central, best-view VIP section of the main stage, and a misty Spiritual Qi permeated from within.

The protagonist's aunt, The Empress Jade Maiden, walked out gracefully, her every step poised, a gentle and proper smile on her face, wearing an elegant and luxurious cyan cloud-patterned qipao that perfectly accentuated her mature and voluptuous curves. Beside her, she held the hand of that lively and adorable Prodigy, Jiang Luoling, who radiated youthful vitality like a fire spirit.

The mother and daughter, like two most brilliant, distinctly styled pearls, instantly captured all eyes upon their entrance, becoming the undisputed absolute focus.

However, under this widespread attention, new conflicts, imbued with the scent of adolescent hormones, had also quietly arrived.

In the exclusive seating area of the "Star Group", Ye Star, who had been waiting for a long time, had a fervent glint in his eyes. He adjusted his expensive silver-white battle armor, crafted from star meteorite iron, and holding a crystal gift box that seemed to contain a brilliant galaxy, suspended by an anti-gravity field, he walked gracefully towards Jiang Luoling, amidst the envious gazes of countless young girls.

"Luo Ling," his voice was gentle and magnetic, full of powerful confidence, "It's our first meeting, please accept this small token of my respect. This 'Heart of the Star', refined over a hundred years from the core of the main-sequence star in the Alpha Pegasus system, I hope can match your unique temperament."

The value of this "Heart of the Star" was almost equivalent to a small resource planet, a truly astronomical price!

The surrounding noble scions let out gasps of suppressed surprise, their eyes filled with envy as they looked at Jiang Luoling.

However, facing this gift that could drive any woman mad, Jiang Luoling didn't even glance at it.

She merely raised her delicate, doll-like pretty face, and playfully blinked her agile big eyes at the extraordinarily handsome and well-born "love rival" before her, saying in a clear, melodious voice that was loud enough for everyone in the venue to hear clearly:

"Thank you for your kind intentions."

"But, you're not... as handsome as my future husband, so I can't accept such a valuable item."

Pfft—!

As these words left her lips, Ye Star's handsome face, previously adorned with a confident smile, instantly turned to stone, his expression reaching the extreme of awkwardness! The "Heart of the Star" in his hand also seemed to lose all its luster.

And the noble scions around him, after a brief moment of stunned silence, could no longer hold back and burst into a chorus of good-natured, yet incredibly grating, laughter!

This "face-slap," delivered personally by the "heroine" and amounting to a decisive blow, was both swift and clean, and filled with a girl's playfulness, instantly nailing this arrogant "love rival" to the pillar of embarrassing shame.

Amidst this amusing farce, the other heirs in line of succession from the Long Family had also arrived.

The number three heir, Long Ao, after a year of cultivation, his aura became even more restrained and profound, but when he saw Jiang Luoling, a complex look flashed in his eyes, which quickly returned to calm.

The Seventh Heir, Dragon Snow Phoenix, who had awakened the S-grade [Ice Phoenix] Bloodline, remained as aloof as a ten-thousand-year-old iceberg, disdainful of everything around her, as if no one could enter her world.

They each took their seats, the atmosphere between them subtle, and undercurrents surged as their gazes met. But everyone's eyes, intentionally or unintentionally, glanced towards the very center of the main stage, at the "Number Zero" seat, representing supreme glory, which still remained empty.

Just then, at the entrance of the venue, the previously somewhat noisy crowd suddenly fell silent.

An invisible, overbearing, terrifying aura, as if an ancient divine mountain had descended, instantly enveloped the entire venue like a tide!

Everyone subconsciously turned to look.

They saw the Long Family's contemporary younger generation's recognized and undisputed strongest member, the "number one heir" — Long Qingtian — who had already broken through to the "Quasi-Martial God" Realm and was hailed as the "Long Family's strongest Genius in a hundred years", slowly walking in, clad in a black Dragon-patterned battle armor symbolizing iron and slaughter!

His face was as chiseled and resolute as a blade, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, his physique as towering as a mountain. With every step he took, it was as if he was stepping on spatial nodes, causing the surrounding air to solidify!

His gaze, merely sweeping casually across the venue, caused Long Ao, Dragon Snow Phoenix, and the other proud heirs to involuntarily feel an immense pressure emanating from the depths of their Souls!

Everyone knew that he was the insurmountable mountain of the Long Family in this generation!

And he would undoubtedly be the greatest, and only, challenger to that mysterious "Number Zero" within the Family!

The atmosphere in the venue, at this moment, was pushed to the extreme of solemnity.

A single thought arose in everyone's mind.

When that legendary "Number Zero" meets this recognized "strongest," what kind of earth-shattering scene will it be...?