Chapter 1172, Hai Botian’s Challenge

Translator: Silavin

  

Countless outstanding young prodigies from every Race had journeyed from ten thousand kilometres away from their homeland to the Myriad Beasts Domain, and all of it was for the sake of that single spot as the Supreme Expert’s Disciple.

 

Even if many of them had not nurtured any particular hope in the matter, in the heart of every young genius, there resided to some degree of hopeful aspiration.

 

After all, though each of them was a genius and outstanding talent of their respective Race, who could refuse a Supreme Expert as their Master?

 

Once one became the Supreme Expert’s Disciple, their status would soar, and even the Race standing behind them would receive immeasurable blessings as a result.

 

The first trial, though fraught with danger, had been navigated by many experts who, guided by their maps of the safe routes, had held their true strength in reserve, intending to make a startling display in the later trials instead.

 

And yet, not a single one had anticipated that during the first trial, a situation would arise in which a thousand of them would set upon a single person all at once.

 

In the end, even the Supreme Expert had been moved by the sight, and had settled upon the recipient of his inheritance far sooner than anyone expected.

 

This left countless experts heartbroken beyond measure.

 

“Word is that in his youth, Lord Mo Sheng himself did many things that shook the Myriad Races. Perhaps the young one’s experience earlier stirred some form of sympathy in Lord Mo Sheng’s heart.”

 

“This isn’t fair…”

 

Watching Qin Yichen, a chorus of hushed voices rang out without end, and each gaze was saturated with envy.

 

“Return to Myriad Beasts City. Someone will come to receive you there.”

 

Meanwhile, up in the sky, that indistinct silhouette appeared to hear nothing of the crowd’s dissent. His gaze was fixed on Qin Yichen, and in his detached voice, there was the faintest suggestion that the impending matter of taking on a Disciple had stirred something within him after all.

 

“Wait!”

 

No sooner had that voice fallen than a loud shout suddenly rang out.

 

Upon hearing it, the eyebrows of countless lifted, and a look of considerable surprise spread across their faces.

 

Though many of them were displeased with the outcome, the one who had spoken was Lord Mo Sheng himself, and as the Supreme Expert, who among them had any standing to question him?

 

And yet, someone had apparently dared to raise an objection at this very moment, which naturally drew the astonishment of countless people present.

 

When everyone’s gaze converged on the source, they were startled to discover that the one who had spoken was, of all people, the Young Heir of the Netherworld Sea Race, Hai Botian.

 

Hai Botian possessed the purest Bloodline within the Netherworld Sea Race, and because of this, even though his strength was not yet the most outstanding, he had long since been designated the Young Heir of the Netherworld Sea Race.

 

Though he was still only a Peak Stage Martial Ancestor, his status was something many Saints could not begin to compare to.

 

Even so, the one he was questioning was Mo Sheng, the Supreme Expert himself, and it was likely that the identity Hai Botian was relying upon was precisely the sort that Mo Sheng would not bother being wary of.

 

“Boy, do you have something to say?”

 

Sure enough, a voice carrying not the slightest fluctuation of emotion rang out like a clap of thunder in the sky.

 

Beneath this voice, a vast and overwhelming pressure radiated outward, and the kind of commanding presence that needed no anger to inspire awe seemed to bring even the flow of air to a standstill.

 

To dare interrupt the Supreme Expert’s words, and to be unable to offer a coherent explanation, even someone of Hai Botian’s exalted standing would likely find no good outcome awaiting him.

 

However, somewhat contrary to everyone’s expectations, faced with that terrifying pressure, though a flicker of wariness crossed Hai Botian’s face, he neither retreated nor acknowledged his fault.

 

“Lord Mo Sheng, you cannot take him as your Disciple!”

 

Under the gaze of eyes filled with astonishment, Hai Botian bent slightly at the waist towards that indistinct silhouette in the sky and offered a salute.

 

Mo Sheng made no reply to his words. Yet every person present sensed acutely that the pressure permeating the world seemed to be growing steadily.

 

At this moment, every young prodigy across this expanse fell quiet. Gaze upon gaze turned on Hai Botian with curious expressions, as though all were simply waiting for his explanation.

 

Hai Botian had become the Young Heir of the Netherworld Sea Race was certainly not owing to any recklessness of character. Given that he had dared to speak at this particular moment, it was likely he was privy to some secrets that others were not.

 

“Because… he is of the Human Race!”

 

Beneath gaze upon gaze of peculiar scrutiny, Hai Botian’s arm rose slightly and he pointed at Qin Yichen. The words that rang out shook everyone to their core.

 

After those words fell, the entire expanse plunged into a silence like death itself.

 

Only after quite a prolonged pause did many of them slowly manage to collect themselves from this revelation.

 

Yet many, having looked Qin Yichen up and down, shook their heads and turned pitying looks upon Hai Botian.

 

The first trial had barely ended, and Lord Mo Sheng had already chosen his Successor. For many people, this was more than a little galling, yet that resentment was something they could only bury deep within themselves, not daring to let a trace of it surface before Mo Sheng.

 

And here was Hai Botian, making it perfectly plain that his wounded pride had driven him so far as to resort to baseless slander.

 

Qin Yichen’s aura was, admittedly, utterly indistinguishable from that of the Human Race.

 

But the more that was the case, the more unfathomable it made him appear in others’ estimation.

 

After all, only a Race with a truly terrifying accumulated foundation could achieve such mastery in assuming Human Form, to the point of this level of perfection.

 

And besides, what member of the Human Race would have the audacity to swagger so openly across the continent, and moreover, participate in the grand occasion of the Supreme Expert’s search for a Disciple?

 

And so, in the eyes of nearly everyone present, Hai Botian’s words were nothing more than the delirious mutterings of someone consumed by resentment.

 

Upon hearing Hai Botian’s words, Qin Yichen’s brow furrowed, ever so slightly, in a way that left no trace on his expression.

 

“Ha! Brother Qin, he must be burning with jealousy. To think he’d come out with such nonsense!” Beside Qin Yichen, Qing Luan laughed with immediate disdain.

 

What he failed to notice, however, was that the person standing right beside him, Qin Yichen himself, had gone ever so slightly rigid.

 

If his identity were to be exposed here, there was not the faintest sliver of hope that he could escape.

 

And what troubled Qin Yichen most deeply was this, after Hai Botian’s words had finished ringing out, that indistinct silhouette like a deity’s had not erupted in fury.

 

Though the land remained beneath that terrible pressure, the pressure had not continued to intensify, as though Mo Sheng had, in fact, been stirred by those very words.

 

The Human Race.

 

On the continent, that was an existence regarded with a particularly profound wariness. Every Race was unwilling to entangle itself with the Human Race by even half a thread.

 

Even an existence such as the Nine Heavens Flaming Sea had never once expressed any stance on the Human Race.

 

Though Mo Sheng held the exalted title of Supreme Expert, if he truly took a Human Race Disciple, it was quite likely this would bring him a catastrophe of no small magnitude.

 

“Continue.”

 

After a long pause, Mo Sheng’s voice rang out slowly across the sky.

 

This only caused Qin Yichen’s heart to quietly raise its guard another notch. It seemed that even Mo Sheng had been given cause to doubt his identity by this.