Chapter 251: Chapter 251: The Grand Assembly Begins

The five great kingdoms each had their own quotas.

Each kingdom received ten spots—five for geniuses and five for experts. These individuals could directly enter the Floating Light Secret Realm without needing to compete.

Ye Xuan was one of them, which was the primary reason the five genius slots were so coveted by the many talented individuals in the Liuyun Kingdom.

Thus, the five great kingdoms claimed fifty spots right from the start.

The remaining one hundred spots would be determined by duels between the geniuses.

The genius Soul Refiners from every kingdom would compete, with the top fifty being decided. These fifty, in addition to securing their own entry into the Floating Light Secret Realm, could also bring one expert from their kingdom. If the genius already had a pre-allocated spot, they could bring two experts.

Typically, the twenty-five geniuses pre-selected by the five great kingdoms would all place within this top fifty. In all the years the assembly had been held, not once had a pre-selected genius from a great kingdom ranked below fiftieth place. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

In other words, this accounted for another one hundred people gaining entry into the Floating Light Secret Realm.

Added to the initial fifty, that made for one hundred fifty people. The last fifty spots were distributed based on the geniuses’ final rankings.

First place in the Floating Light Assembly’s genius division received an additional fifteen spots. Second and third place each received seven, and fourth through tenth place each received three. This accounted for the final fifty spots.

Therefore, placing in the top ten of the Floating Light Assembly was critically important. Each high-ranking genius could bring several more experts into the Floating Light Secret Realm, granting their kingdom a greater advantage in securing more resources and materials.

For this reason, the duels between geniuses were the biggest spectacle of every Floating Light Assembly, and also the most fiercely contested part.

After the representatives from the great kingdoms swore to uphold the fairness of the competition, everyone took a short break. The trials of the Floating Light Assembly would begin in an hour.

"Ye Xuan, I hope you won’t hold anything back during this Floating Light Assembly. Fight hard and bring home a good ranking for our Liuyun Kingdom." Elder Kuchun came to Ye Xuan’s side and spoke with earnest gravity.

Though he didn’t know the true extent of Ye Xuan’s power, among all the contestants, Ye Xuan was the only one he held in such high regard. It was a unique feeling born from their long association. He even had a faint suspicion that if Ye Xuan were to get serious, even he, the vice-president of the Soul Master Tower, might not be his match.

He didn’t know where this feeling came from, but as a Soul Refiner, he firmly trusted his sixth sense.

The only thing Kuchen worried about was that Ye Xuan wouldn’t take it seriously.

"Ye Xuan, while I don’t know the true extent of your abilities, I believe that if you get serious, placing in the top ten will be a simple task. If you can, please try for an even better ranking. You have to understand, although the Liuyun Kingdom is one of the five great kingdoms, we’re ranked at the very bottom. In fact, our kingdom’s strength has been greatly diminished over the years due to our rivalry with the Fire Crow Kingdom. If the rankings were redone today, we would likely fall out of the top five entirely."

"The Floating Light Assembly may just be a competition between Soul Refiners, but it serves as a reflection of each nation’s power. That’s why every genius will give it their all. I hope you will be no exception."

Kuchen’s tone was sincere, with an undercurrent of pleading.

If not for Vice-President Kuchen’s reminder, Ye Xuan truly hadn’t planned on aiming for a high rank. He didn’t want to attract too much attention at an event like this.

’To be blunt, I’m just here for the materials and treasures in the Floating Light Secret Realm.’

"Master Ye Xuan, if you don’t show some of your strength, I’m afraid it will be quite difficult to place in the top ten relying on our other geniuses alone. From what I know, many kingdoms outside the top five are chomping at the bit this time. They’re looking to achieve a better ranking in the Floating Light Assembly and fight their way into the great kingdoms’ ranks. The situation is grim."

President Dongfang Yanyu added via a voice transmission.

Ye Xuan subconsciously glanced at the white-robed youth and his group. ’President Dongfang Yanyu and the others aren’t fools,’ he thought. ’They can see that all the major kingdoms have come prepared.’

Soon, the top experts and Soul Refiners from the various kingdoms of the Thirteen Nations Alliance all took their seats. The judges for this competition were the presidents and vice-presidents of the five great kingdoms’ Soul Master Towers, a panel of fifteen in total.

A vice-president like Elder Kuchun was considered second-tier among the five great kingdoms, but in the smaller kingdoms, he would undoubtedly be the number one figure.

The Celestial Gold Kingdom’s top Soul Refiner, Master Zhu Tianlan, stood up with a broad smile. "Welcome, everyone, to the Water Mist Mountain Range for the decennial Floating Light Assembly! On behalf of all Soul Refiners, I declare the tenth Floating Light Assembly of the Thirteen Nations Alliance... officially open!"

ROAR!

A deafening roar surged through the valley, reverberating for a long time.

"And now, let us welcome the genius contestants from every nation—the very hope of our Thirteen Nations Alliance—to the stage!"

As Zhu Tianlan’s words faded, teams of Soul Refiners from each nation began to emerge slowly from their designated rest areas.

The number of contestants each kingdom could field varied depending on its status.

The first to emerge were the twenty-five, including Ye Xuan, who held pre-qualified spots. They didn’t need to participate in the preliminary rounds and could proceed directly to the main event, representing the most elite Soul Refiner geniuses of the five great kingdoms.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the twenty-five geniuses emerged in formation from their respective kingdom’s sections.

The moment Ye Xuan and his group stepped out, the entire venue erupted. Everyone’s eyes went wide as they straightened up, craning their necks and standing on tiptoe to get a better look. They all knew that these twenty-five were arguably the most outstanding Soul Refiner geniuses in the entire Thirteen Nations Alliance. The future presidents of the various Soul Master Towers would almost certainly be chosen from this very group—a truly dazzling constellation of talent.

"Look, that’s our Celestial Gold Kingdom’s top genius Soul Refiner, Xia Qixi! She broke through to the Third Grade two years ago. Her power now must be absolutely terrifying. Winning first place in this Floating Light Assembly will be a piece of cake for her."

"What? I can’t believe the Celestial Gold Kingdom’s top Soul Refiner is so beautiful."

"She’s gorgeous! And not just gorgeous, but incredibly powerful too. I remember back in the day, Master Zhu Tianlan had only just reached the Third Grade when he was her age."

"A truly peerless beauty, tsk tsk. If only she’d be my wife. I’m only forty-eight this year, practically a young, rich, and dashing bachelor. A hero deserves a beauty—it would be a story for the ages."

"Get lost, you bastard! How dare you disrespect our Celestial Gold Kingdom’s goddess, Xia Qixi! Go to hell!"

"Ow! Not the face! It’s how I make a living!"

For a moment, the entire valley was abuzz with lively discussion.

In the minds of most Soul Refiners, the Celestial Gold Kingdom, as the number one power, naturally had the strongest geniuses. They had claimed the championship in the vast majority of past Floating Light Assemblies. Because of this, nearly half of the Soul Refiners already considered Xia Qixi the champion of this year’s event.

At the same time, many gazes also fell upon Ye Xuan, their owners’ faces filled with astonishment.

"Are you kidding me? That kid is really one of the Liuyun Kingdom’s pre-selected contestants? And he’s the team leader?"

When they saw Ye Xuan walking at the head of the Liuyun Kingdom’s five geniuses, all the Soul Refiners in the audience were stunned, barely able to believe their eyes.

"What is the Liuyun Kingdom playing at? Making a kid this young the team leader? Have they lost their minds?"

"Are they really sure that boy can even make it into the top fifty?"

"Did some big shot from the Liuyun Kingdom pull some strings? You have to remember, the five pre-selected contestants get to enter the Floating Light Secret Realm without competing. Even if you’re using connections to help your kid, this is way too blatant, isn’t it?"

"What’s this kid’s name? Everyone, remember it. It’ll be hilarious if he doesn’t even make the top fifty."

"Heh heh, the Liuyun Kingdom is really making a joke of its own reputation."

The entire valley was in an uproar. Many had already noticed Ye Xuan back outside Meili City. As the youngest member of his team, the sixteen-year-old looked incredibly green compared to the other geniuses in their twenties. They had assumed he was just the child of some Liuyun Kingdom elder, brought along to broaden his horizons.

No one had expected him to actually be one of the Liuyun Kingdom’s five pre-selected geniuses—and the team leader, no less.

The team leader—what did that signify?

Generally, that role was reserved for a kingdom’s top genius, someone who represented the nation’s reputation and image.

Ye Xuan’s appearance immediately made everyone look at the Liuyun Kingdom’s leadership in a new, more critical light.

"President Dongfang Yanyu, what game is the Liuyun Kingdom playing at this time? This boy... seriously, what kind of joke is this?"

"Haha, President Dongfang Yanyu, don’t tell me the Liuyun Kingdom has run out of talent? If you need, my Fire Crow Kingdom can lend you a few geniuses! Hahaha."

It wasn’t just the ordinary Soul Refiners in the audience who were shocked. Even the powerful Soul Refiners from the five great kingdoms on the judges’ platform wore baffled expressions as they looked at Dongfang Yanyu. Xuu Xin Hua of the Fire Crow Kingdom was especially brazen, openly mocking them without any regard for their dignity.

Dongfang Yanyu merely glanced at the laughing crowd, picked up his teacup, and took a slow sip. He didn’t say a word, but a calm, self-assured smile played on his lips.

’I have complete confidence in Ye Xuan. Even if he doesn’t take first place, he’ll definitely be in the top ten. Go ahead and laugh, you ignorant fools. Your time to be shocked will come.’

After Ye Xuan and the other twenty-four pre-qualified contestants took the stage, they took their places in a corner of the arena. Then, the geniuses from the other kingdoms began to file on.

A full thousand contestants ascended the stage. The sheer scale of the assembly was a staggering sight for all to behold.