Due to the large number of spectators, the academy had to construct many tall wooden stands to prevent accidents caused by people pushing and shoving. Additionally, buildings in the distance were also packed with people, ensuring that almost everyone could watch the game normally.
Among the stands, five were the tallest and widest, four of which were prepared for the four major academies. The stands for the War God Academy and the Illusion Demon Academy were mostly filled with blond-haired people, while those for the Immortal Martial Academy were mostly black-haired. The stands for the Divine Wind Academy were filled with people of various hair colors, such as black, blond, red, and green. Due to the different regions, the people's bloodlines varied greatly.
The fifth, spacious grandstand was prepared for veteran masters from all over the mainland. Those seated there were all experts, most of whom were renowned figures in their respective regions.
After coaxing Xiao Chenxi to sleep, Chen Nan went to the square. He didn't go up to any of the stands, but instead squeezed into the crowd.
The competition had already begun, and inside the arena, a mage and an Eastern martial artist were locked in fierce combat. Brilliant magic and crisscrossing sword energy raged everywhere, while the crowd outside roared with excitement, many young people watching with utter fascination.
Chen Nan was moved. The two fighters had clearly reached the early stage of the third tier, and their strength was incredibly formidable. He knew that the first person to appear was definitely not the strongest; the most powerful were usually held back. He could imagine how terrifying the strength of the top young talents from the four academies must be.
In previous years, the maximum number of participants allowed per academy was sixteen. This time, after consultation, the four academies decided that each academy would send eight young masters, for a total of thirty-two. The first two to enter the arena were already of such exceptional strength; one can only imagine how formidable the top performers must be.
Chen Nan pondered to himself that if he hadn't made great progress in his skills after the battle in Kaiyuan City, the capital of Jin, he probably wouldn't have had the slightest advantage compared to the thirty-two strongest individuals. Even though he had now reached the Great Perfection of the Third Rank, he didn't dare to arrogantly believe that he was stronger than these top young experts. He vaguely felt that some of these people might have already reached the Fourth Rank.
This speculation is not unfounded. He wasted four years of his life, yet his cultivation has already reached this level. There are countless geniuses in the world, and there must be many exceptionally talented individuals. If he were to encounter a renowned teacher and cultivate diligently for many years, he would surely become a super young powerhouse with astonishing cultivation.
The battle between the two was nearing its end. The Eastern martial artist, having patiently endured for some time, finally unleashed his power as the mage gradually exhausted himself. He lured the mage to a low altitude, and a dazzling sword aura shot into the sky, instantly piercing the mage's left rib. With a scream and a spray of blood, the mage plummeted to the ground. The Eastern martial artist had won a resounding victory, and cheers erupted from the stands of the Immortal Martial Academy.
The grandstand that Shenfeng Academy built for renowned masters from all over the continent was very close to Chen Nan. Those sitting on it were all famous figures, mostly elderly people, and as far as the eye could see, there was a sea of white heads.
Before the second round of battle began, Chen Nan carefully observed the figures. There were about several hundred people on the stands, and the elderly were all full of energy, each exuding the aura of a powerful figure.
On the stands, a row of people stood out from the others. These dozen or so people all seemed to be highly respected figures, surrounded by the others like stars around the moon. One young woman in particular caught Chen Nan's attention. While the others were all over fifty or sixty years old, she was only in her twenties, yet she sat on equal footing with the dozen or so elderly people, which truly surprised Chen Nan.
Upon closer inspection, he was greatly impressed. The woman before him perfectly embodied the phrases "beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky" and "beauty that could shame the moon and flowers." She truly deserved to be called the most beautiful woman in the world, surpassing all others.
This woman wore a white dress, her long, smooth, jet-black hair cascading naturally over her shoulders. Her snow-white skin shimmered like jade, her bright eyes sparkling with intelligence, her delicate nose exquisite, and her red lips gleaming with an alluring sheen. With eyes as clear as autumn water and bones as fine as jade, she was truly an unparalleled beauty.
In this lifetime, Chen Nan has already met several women who can be described as stunningly beautiful, such as Princess Chu Yue of Chu Kingdom, Princess Chu Yu of Chu Kingdom, the magical girl Dongfang Fenghuang, and the androgynous beauty Long Wu. The eldest princess is meticulous, mature, and wise; the youngest princess is clever, lively, and active, like an elf; Dongfang Fenghuang is willful and straightforward; and Long Wu is radiant and confident.
The women in the stands may not be inferior to the woman in front of them in terms of appearance, but they are inferior in terms of temperament. The woman in the stands seems to embody the beauty of heaven and earth, exuding a kind of ethereal charm, like an elf or a fairy.
Even though he had already seen several stunning beauties, Chen Nan's heart still started racing uncontrollably, and he felt his face flush. As if sensing his gaze, the peerless beauty on the stage glanced at him, smiled calmly, and then looked away.
Chen Nan felt as if bathed in a spring breeze, his heart and mind swaying, his eyes unable to leave the woman in white. At this moment, his family's secret martial arts seemed to be stimulated by an unknown force, and began to operate on its own. Chen Nan was jolted awake.
"What an amazing woman, what keen senses, what strange and wonderful techniques..." Chen Nan muttered to himself.
At this moment, he suddenly had a strange feeling. He felt that the beautiful woman on the high platform was unusually familiar, as if he had seen her before. He fell into deep thought.
Suddenly, he was greatly shocked and almost cried out in surprise.
Ten thousand years ago, an enigmatic woman appeared, like a comet streaking across the sky, illuminating the entire Immortal Fantasy Continent. She was a mysterious woman possessing both beauty and wisdom; no one knew her teacher, no one knew her past. She moved among various powerful forces, and her presence was felt in many significant events on the continent. Mystery, beauty, and wisdom drove countless young men mad with desire; she was Tantai Xuan…
It wasn't until ten thousand years later that Chen Nan understood why his cultivation had regressed instead of progressed. It was all thanks to the otherworldly and ethereal fairy, Tantai Xuan, who seemed untouched by worldly concerns. After learning the truth, he secretly vowed that one day, when he broke through the void, he would find Tantai Xuan, who had ascended to immortality, and settle their score.
However, at this very moment, right here, he suddenly noticed that the stunning beauty on the stage looked remarkably like Tantai Xuan. Although their appearances were different, their temperaments were extremely similar.