229: The geniuses gathered

Luo Jiuchen looked at the massive, bustling crowd behind them and whispered to you, "Senior Brother Qin, you have really incurred the public's wrath!"

"Don't mind them, maintain your state of mind." Yun Yao said calmly.

You nodded and followed behind your Senior Sister, slowly walking toward the "Lan" Restaurant.

"Lan" was the most luxurious restaurant in the Canglan Holy Land, boasting nine hundred detached residences. Those who were not powerful experts couldn't afford to stay here—because they only accepted Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

Behind you, a dense, dark crowd of male Cultivators from various great clans followed.

You took a rough glance and saw that there were actually tens of thousands of people tailing you to the restaurant.

Every single one of these people had eyes burning with fire, staring intently at you as you walked into the restaurant.

Even the restaurant staff stopped what they were doing when they saw you enter, glaring at you fixedly.

Suddenly, a crisp female voice came from outside the door:

"Dad—!"

For some reason, you had a feeling that this "Dad" was calling out to you.

You looked up—

You saw a young woman in a fluttering white dress, bathed in a rosy glow, with bright eyes and white teeth, looking at you with a flower-like smile.

She walked gracefully up to you, staring at you with her round eyes, and called out again, "Dad, you've finally arrived!"

"Who are you?" you asked, looking bewildered.

"Dad, I'm Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi, and my mother is Shen Tongtong, Saintess of Canglan Holy Land." Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi was full of smiles.

You trembled upon hearing this, your mind buzzing.

You never expected that you would have a daughter this old.

And she turned out to be the current Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi.

At the same time, you recalled that during your ninth simulation, Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi had also appeared—but that time you had never met Shen Tongtong, Saintess of Canglan Holy Land, so where exactly did Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi come from?

Looking at Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi, who resembled you by seventy percent and possessed both beauty and temperament, a sense of paternal worry welled up in your heart.

Now you finally understood why so many people hated you to the bone.

Put yourself in their shoes—if Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi were bullied by someone, you would kill the other party even if it cost you your life.

No, just killing them wouldn't be enough; you would have to extract their soul and refine it, slice them into a thousand pieces, and make them wish they were dead.

"Dad, what are you thinking about?" Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi looked at you with a giggle.

"No, nothing. No wonder I felt especially close to you when I saw you; it turns out you are my daughter!" you said with a smile.

Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi affectionately took your arm, her face full of happiness: "Daddy, Mom said you looked like a playboy and it made her angry just looking at you. But I think you are especially domineering and handsome!"

You smiled awkwardly, then immediately introduced Yun Yao and Luo Jiuchen to Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi.

After Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi paid her respects, Yun Yao and Luo Jiuchen left first.

You were just about to take your daughter to her residence when an imposing male Cultivator walked in and bowed to you: "Junior Mo Wentian, greetings, Uncle Qin."

"Mo Wentian? What relation are you to Mo Yangming of Boundless Immortal Sect?" you asked coldly.

Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi answered first: "Dad, Mo Yangming of Boundless Immortal Sect is his father, and he used to pursue Mom."

Mo Wentian smiled awkwardly and hurriedly stated: "Uncle Qin, I will do my utmost to assist in this Grand Competition. Whoever dares to make an enemy of you is making an enemy of me."

Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi looked coldly at Mo Wentian: "Mo Wentian, my dad will naturally be protected by me. Leave immediately, or don't blame me for being impolite."

Mo Wentian continued to keep a smiling face: "Qiqi..."

"Do not call me Qiqi! If you call my name recklessly again, I will kill you." Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi's eyes were cold.

"Did you hear that? Get lost! If you pester my daughter again, don't blame me for bullying the young!" you also scolded coldly.

Mo Wentian smiled awkwardly, barely managing to squeeze out a smile as he took two steps back.

Your words immediately drew raucous laughter from the surrounding Cultivators.

"It is said that Qin Chen is only at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, not even as good as his own daughter, yet he has the audacity to say he will teach Mo Wentian a lesson?"

"Who doesn't know that Mo Wentian is an Immortal Spirit Physique that is rare to see in ten thousand years in the Immortal Domain? In just a few decades, he has cultivated to the Realm of Nascent Soul Peak, Divine Soul Perfection, and Physical Body Perfection. He is only one step away from a Breakthrough to Soul Transformation, and he is only suppressing it to participate in the Grand Competition."

"A frog in a well knows nothing of the vastness of the heavens and earth. After all, Qin Chen has never left the academy and doesn't know how big the outside world is."

"There will be a good show to watch at this Holy Land Grand Competition."

"It is hard to say. Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi's strength cannot be underestimated either. Although her father is incompetent, having a powerful daughter might actually allow him to save his life."

Just at this moment—

A female Cultivator with a cold temperament stepped into the hall.

She had a cold and gorgeous appearance, radiating a sense of detachment from the world—it was Xuanyuan Yao.

These top Geniuses all lived in the "Lan" Restaurant, so those coming and going were all Geniuses from major forces.

Other second and third-rate forces were very sensible; even if they had sufficient financial resources, they dared not easily check in.

When Xuanyuan Yao saw Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi, she nodded slightly to acknowledge her.

Following behind Xuanyuan Yao was another person, a man who looked honest and simple, it was Yan Feng.

Yan Feng silently kept his distance from Xuanyuan Yao, not at all like a Genius of the Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace, but rather like Xuanyuan Yao's attendant.

Suddenly—

A smiling female Cultivator hopped in, and seeing you all, immediately exclaimed: "Oh! Everyone is here!"

The person who arrived was Nangong Xue of the Nangong Immortal Clan.

Behind her followed a short, bald man, who was Sima Yu of the Sima Immortal Clan.

The Nangong Immortal Clan, Sima Immortal Clan, and Liu Clan Immortal Family were all first-rate Immortal Clans, second only to the five top forces.

Looking at these unfamiliar faces, you cast an inquiring glance at Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi.

Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi understood and smiled, whispering to introduce them to you one by one.

Nangong Xue looked at you with a smile: "You are Sister Holy Maiden Shen Mengqi's father? You look so handsome, not at all like what the rumors say... um, how should I describe it?"

"A lecherous playboy!" a male voice came from the door.

The person who arrived was wearing the luxurious robes of the Holy Land; it was the current Sacred Land Saint Son.

When Nangong Xue saw Sacred Land Saint Son walking over, she laughed even more happily: "Oh, everyone is here! Why don't we go to a private room upstairs and sit? By the way, how about we discuss the rankings for this Grand Competition?"

"Rankings can be discussed? Aren't they decided by strength?" you blurted out.

As soon as you finished speaking, many people cast disdainful smiles at you.

Under Nangong Xue's arrangement, your group came to a spacious private room on the second floor.

You specifically used voice transmission to call Luo Jiuchen over to act as a "shield."

I don't know who it was, but they actually invited Liu Ruyan as well.

After Liu Ruyan saw you, her originally cold gaze immediately became gentle.

This detail was noticed by quite a few people.