69: The most outstanding talents gathered, and the imperial power was overwhelming.

The Tianjiao Platform was not so much a structure as it was a modified independent space.

The outer perimeter consisted of a circular white jade stand thirty feet high, rising in tiers and capable of holding hundreds of thousands of spectators. At this moment, the stands were a sea of people, their clamor reaching the clouds. Colorful banners fluttered, representing observers from various domains of the Human Realm, countless Sects, noble families, and imperial dynasties.

The most eye-catching feature was the central area surrounded by the stands.

It was not solid ground, but a circular platform over a thousand feet in diameter suspended in mid-air by a powerful Formation. The platform was pieced together from nine rare metals of different colors, forming complex Formation patterns that emitted a soft, bright light in the night, illuminating the entire area like daylight. The surface of the platform was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the starlight and the lights from the surrounding stands, making it appear even more mysterious and magnificent. This was the main stage of the Prodigy Assembly, the Tianjiao Platform.

At this moment, dozens of floating viewing platforms of varying sizes and ornate decorations hovered around the Tianjiao Platform, slowly orbiting the main stage in specific trajectories. These seats were provided for representatives of top-tier powers, high-ranking officials of the Imperial Dynasty, and guests of special status.

Lin Fan presented his invitation and led Lin Feng and Lin Xue through a dedicated passage to a specific area right below the main stage. This was the waiting area for the participating prodigies, similarly divided by Formations into relatively independent small spaces to avoid premature conflicts.

The waiting area was already crowded with figures, their Auras varied and powerful. A quick scan revealed no fewer than a thousand people, almost all of whom had cultivation at or above the Condensing Spirit Realm, with many in the Divine Power Realm as well. All were under the age of twenty-five, a gathering of the cream of the Human Realm's younger generation.

The arrival of Lin Fan's trio did not cause much of a stir. After all, with over a thousand prodigies, each with their own style, it was difficult to be recognized at a glance unless one was particularly famous.

However, eyes soon focused on them.

"Brother Lin, over here!" Ye Lingyun's voice rang out. He was standing in a slightly larger cubicle not far away. Beside him, in addition to Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, were Blazing Fierce, Bright Wisdom, Blue Tide, and others. Their small group seemed to have already formed.

Lin Fan nodded in acknowledgment and walked over with Lin Feng and Lin Xue.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, we haven't met for two days, and your cultivation seems to have improved even further." Blazing Fierce sized up Lin Fan, Battle Intent flickering in his eyes. His Aura was scorching; clearly, he hadn't been idle these past two days either.

"The same goes for Fellow Daoist Blazing." Lin Fan replied with a smile, greeting everyone.

"Fellow Daoist Lin." Blue Tide smiled gently. "I heard there was another disturbance in the city last night. Fortunately, you are unharmed."

"Thank you for your concern, Miss Blue." Lin Fan understood that these people were well-informed and likely knew about the events in Ancient Stele Alley, though they kept it unspoken.

The monk Bright Wisdom pressed his palms together and said, "Amitabha. With the assembly imminent and undercurrents hidden, you all need to guard your hearts and not be led astray by external demons." His words were pointed, his gaze clear yet seemingly able to see through one's heart.

While everyone conversed, Lin Fan was also secretly observing his surroundings.

He saw the Huangfu brothers surrounded by a group of luxuriously dressed young men and women, clearly children of the Huangfu Family and its allied forces. Heir of the Duke of Zhenguo also saw Lin Fan. His eyes were dark and cold as he gave a distant snort, but he did not step forward. After the previous lesson, he was clearly much more cautious.

On another side, a group of young people dressed in black robes with cold Auras gathered together. Pale skull symbols were embroidered on their sleeves; they were Disciples of the "Nether Sect" from the Northern Region, known for their treacherous Cultivation Techniques and poor reputation.

There were also youths dressed as barbarians from the Southern Border with blood-qi like wolf smoke; Cultivators looking like ascetic monks from the Western Desert with withered Auras; and men and women from the Eastern Sea Island Alliance carrying the scent of the sea. The Human Realm was vast with diverse legacies, all of which were gathered here today.

"Look, those are the gentlemen from the 'Haoran Academy' of the Central Province," Lin Feng said in a low voice, pointing to a group of young men in green robes and scholar's caps with refined temperaments. Their Auras were upright and balanced, yet contained a hidden sharpness; they were representatives of Confucian Cultivators.

"And the fairies from the 'Shennong Valley' of the Eastern Region..." Lin Xue looked toward another spot where a group of beautiful women in green dresses were gathered. They emitted a fresh medicinal fragrance and were skilled in the Dao of Alchemy and spiritual plants.

Suddenly, the entire venue fell slightly silent.

A group of women dressed in rainbow-colored clothes, all of peerless beauty, walked in through the entrance. Their steps were light, as if they did not belong to the mortal world, and their Auras were ethereal and transcendent. They were Disciples of the "Yaochi Immortal Palace," a top-tier Sect in the Central Region closely related to the Imperial Dynasty. The leading woman wore a veil, revealing only a pair of eyes like autumn water. As she looked around, immortal light seemed to flow within them. Her cultivation had remarkably reached the Late Stage Divine Power Realm, making her one of the few present who could give Lin Fan a faint sense of pressure.

"The Jade Pool Saintess, Meng Liuli," Ye Lingyun introduced in a low voice, his tone also carrying a hint of solemnity. "She is one of the favorites to win this assembly. It is said she has cultivated the Yaochi 'Nine Heavens Immortal Spirit Manual' to the sixth stage and possesses the Immortal Palace treasure, the 'Seven-Colored Glazed Heart'."

Lin Fan nodded slightly, keeping this in mind.

As time passed, more and more prodigies entered the venue, many of whom were well-known, drawing bursts of whispers and discussions.

"Clang!!!" Just as the atmosphere in the waiting area was heating up, a grand and melodious bell chime, sounding as if it came from the Nine Heavens, echoed throughout the entire Tianjiao Platform area!

The bell toll was vast and contained an inexplicable majesty, instantly drowning out all clamor. Everyone fell silent in unison, looking up toward the very top of the main stage at the most magnificent floating viewing platform, cast entirely from purple gold and carved with patterns of nine dragons.

The bell chimed nine times, its resonance lingering.

Immediately after, the sound of loud horns rang out continuously. Squads of Imperial City Guards with dazzling golden armor and powerful Auras appeared at various key positions with synchronized steps. Furthermore, nine flood dragons with flying scales and claws, emitting a faint dragon pressure, pulled a magnificent Nine-Dragon Carriage from the direction of the Imperial City, slowly landing in front of the purple-gold viewing platform.

The beaded curtain of the carriage was lifted. The first to step out was not the Great Xia Emperor, but several elderly men and women with heavy Auras, dressed in python robes or palace attire. They were princes and princesses of the imperial family, as well as experts from the Consecrated Elder Pavilion.

Then, a middle-aged man dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, wearing a Pingtianguan crown, with a majestic face and eyes like torches, stepped out slowly, accompanied by two old eunuchs whose Auras were as deep as the abyss and sea.

The moment he appeared, the entire world seemed to sink slightly. It wasn't an intentional application of pressure, but a natural imperial majesty that ruled over the eight directions and Six Realms! A vast, sun-like Imperial Dragon Qi diffused from him, filling the hundreds of thousands of people present with awe, almost making them bow down.

The current emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, Xia Hongtian!

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Long live Your Majesty!"

A wave of sound like a mountain tsunami instantly erupted. Whether it was the spectators in the stands or the prodigies in the waiting area, the vast majority bowed in salute. This was the basic respect for an emperor who had ruled the vast Central Region of the Human Realm for ten thousand years.

Lin Fan also bowed slightly with the crowd, but his back remained straight. He looked calmly at the mortal emperor. Under his Delusion-Breaking Divine Pupils, he could see the man's body burning like a great sun, with a boundless Luck that was faintly connected to the entire Tianyang City and even the land of the Central Region. This was a peerless expert whose cultivation had reached at least the "Saint Realm" and was deeply bound to the Imperial Dynasty's Luck!

Xia Hongtian's gaze swept across the venue. Although far away, everyone felt as if that gaze had landed directly on them.

"Rise." His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears, gentle yet carrying an unquestionable majesty.

The crowd stood up.

"Once every hundred years, the Prodigy Assembly," Xia Hongtian spoke, his voice spreading in all directions. "This time, the wise and talented have gathered from far and wide. It is truly a fortunate event for our Human Realm."

He gave a simple opening, reviewing the history and significance of the Prodigy Assembly, encouraging the younger generation to advance bravely and forge a future for the Human Race. His words were not long, but every word was resonant, making hearts stir.

"The rules for this assembly are slightly different from previous ones." Xia Hongtian changed the subject, drawing everyone's attention. "Besides the usual arena matches, Secret Realm exploration, and talent assessment, I have decided, after consulting with Fellow Daoists, to add a 'Luck Struggle'."

Luck Struggle? Everyone looked at each other, whispering in low voices.

"I presume many of the talents here are already aware that the 'Tongtian Ancient Road' is about to open." As soon as Xia Hongtian said this, many top prodigies showed looks of understanding, while more ordinary prodigies were confused or shocked.

"The Ancient Road connects the Six Realms, where Opportunity and danger coexist. To enter the Ancient Road, one needs Luck to turn danger into safety and seize fortune," Xia Hongtian continued. "Therefore, the top rankers of this assembly will, according to their placement, share a wisp of the 'Human Realm Origin Luck' provided by me and various top-tier powers! This Luck will have its uses within the Ancient Road."

These words immediately stirred up a thousand waves in the waiting area! Human Realm Origin Luck! What an Opportunity! For those prodigies with ambitions for the Tongtian Ancient Road, the attraction even exceeded the rank and rewards of the assembly itself!

Lin Fan's heart also shook. So the Prodigy Assembly had this deeper meaning—it was to screen and empower seed contestants for the Tongtian Ancient Road!

"The specific rules will be announced by a designated official later." Xia Hongtian raised his hand slightly to quiet the discussion. "I am here to wish all you prodigies the best in showing your strengths and climbing to the peak! Now, I declare—" His gaze swept over the thousand-plus young faces below once more, and his voice suddenly rose, sounding like a great bell echoing through the heavens:

"The Myriad Races Heavenly Pride Assembly is officially open!"

"Boom!!!" As his voice fell, the nine floating sun-disks radiated brilliant light, and thousands of dazzling streams of light rose simultaneously from all parts of the Imperial City, weaving into magnificent patterns in the night sky! Furthermore, nine massive golden pillars of light shot up from nine positions on the Tianjiao Platform, converging high in the sky and exploding into a rain of golden light that showered the entire venue!

Grand! Magnificent! Breathtaking!

The opening ceremony reached its climax. However, amidst this sky full of brilliance and the jubilation of the crowd, Lin Fan's Delusion-Breaking Divine Pupils keenly captured several extremely subtle, cold gazes in a dark corner far away, at the intersection of shadows of several floating viewing platforms. These gazes were staring coldly at the boiling crowd below, especially at the Prodigy waiting area, completely out of place with the festive atmosphere.

That gaze was identical to the one from the men in black in Ancient Stele Alley.

"People from the Shadow Hall actually managed to sneak into the viewing platforms?" Lin Fan's heart tightened.

Just then, an imperial master of ceremonies flew above the main stage and began to loudly announce the specific process and preliminary rules of the assembly. But a part of Lin Fan's mind was already drawn to those gazes in the dark.

It seemed that this assembly was destined to be anything but peaceful from the moment it opened.