Ten Thousand Abyss Island?
When Headmaster Xia heard those three words, her reaction was exactly the same as Vice Hall Master Gao and the Unparalleled Great Emperor before her.
Her gaze jolted, her slender frame swaying slightly, and she blurted out, "You... you're talking about that place?"
Jiang Chen nodded calmly. He had already revealed his identity anyway, so if he was going to lie, he had to follow through.
It had to be said that the words "Ten Thousand Abyss Island" seemed to carry a special kind of magic. Anyone who heard them—no matter how high their status or how powerful their strength—reacted in exactly the same way.
Shock. Pure shock.
It took Headmaster Xia quite a while before she recovered, murmuring, "Ten Thousand Abyss Island... Ten Thousand Abyss Island... Could that legendary place truly exist?"
Jiang Chen chuckled. "Why does everyone think Ten Thousand Abyss Island doesn't exist?"
Headmaster Xia sighed softly. "It's not that we think it doesn't exist—it's that Ten Thousand Abyss Island is simply too mysterious. For countless years, powerful figures from across the human territories have poured their hearts and souls into searching for that ethereal, legendary place. Not a single word of news has ever come back."
The ancients spoke of Yingzhou in tales—a misty isle beyond the waves, impossible to find. Yingzhou, too, was a legendary immortal realm. How many seekers chased after it and found nothing.
Jiang Chen waved his hand. "Enough of that. I've finished refining the formation diagram. Take a look."
He produced the completed formation diagram and tossed it directly to Headmaster Xia.
Headmaster Xia hadn't expected Jiang Chen to be so generous—handing over the diagram before even receiving payment. That kind of composure was not something an ordinary person possessed.
After just one glance, the color drained from Headmaster Xia's face. Then her expression grew extremely grave, her eyes blazing with boundless astonishment.
The formation diagram originally provided by the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court had been extremely rough. The refined version, however, was noticeably far more detailed and clear.
Experts see the craft; laymen see the spectacle.
Headmaster Xia had devoted countless hours to studying formation diagrams herself. The moment she saw this one, she knew beyond a doubt that an expert had produced it.
After a long while, Headmaster Xia's eyes were brimming with delight. Reluctantly tearing her gaze away, she looked up at Jiang Chen with eyes full of admiration. But within that admiration lay a hint of doubt.
However, Headmaster Xia ultimately said nothing more. She produced the agreed-upon bounty and handed it to Jiang Chen, then gazed at him deeply. "Champion Shao, I never imagined this task would be solved by someone so young. Ambition is not bound by age—ambition is not bound by age."
Her voice filled with admiration, Headmaster Xia extended an invitation: "Champion Shao, on behalf of the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court, I formally invite you to visit us when you have the time. Our Celestial Cicada Ancient Court is situated in the southeast of the Upper Eight Domains—a vast and resource-rich land, blessed with extraordinary talent and spiritual energy. Most importantly, our Celestial Cicada Ancient Court is renowned for producing beautiful women. If Champion Shao is still unattached, then you absolutely must come visit."
Jiang Chen was rendered speechless with amusement.
He definitely intended to visit the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court someday, but certainly not because of the beautiful women.
Seeing that Jiang Chen neither accepted nor declined, Headmaster Xia urged him again and again: "Champion Shao, do remember—the gates of the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court are always open to you."
Jiang Chen smiled casually and waved his hand.
After completing all three Supreme-rank tasks, Jiang Chen thought he could finally catch his breath. He hadn't expected that the moment he watched Headmaster Xia of the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court leave, Master Wang Xuetong would sidle up to him—with a look of utter astonishment on his face.
"Champion Shao, that was... someone from the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court, wasn't it? They posted a bounty on a formation diagram—could it be... could it be that you've solved it?"
Master Wang Xuetong specialized primarily in formations. He was obsessed with them, and anything related to formations piqued his interest immensely.
The Celestial Cicada Ancient Court's formation diagram bounty was something Master Wang Xuetong had clearly encountered before, though he himself had been utterly stumped by it. Yet even though he couldn't solve it, he knew it was an ancient formation lineage.
So when he saw Headmaster Xia leaving with such a reluctant expression, Master Wang Xuetong sensed something was up. His heart surged with shock, and he couldn't help but come over to find out what had happened.
By his reasoning, this Champion Shao must have solved that bounty. Otherwise, Headmaster Xia of the Celestial Cicada Ancient Court wouldn't have left looking so pleased.
Jiang Chen knew there was no hiding this. He gave a sheepish grin and said, "That formation diagram—I happened to come across it when I was at Ten Thousand Abyss Island. So... I just got lucky."
Master Wang Xuetong's jaw dropped so wide it could have stuffed in several steamed buns.
Such a coincidence?
He found it hard to believe, yet he had no choice but to believe it. If that wasn't the explanation, then what was? Could it be that this young man was a formation grandmaster—even more skilled than Wang Xuetong himself?
Gulping down several mouthfuls of saliva, Master Wang Xuetong sighed softly: "Champion Shao, I truly cannot figure you out. Are all the young prodigies from Ten Thousand Abyss Island this monstrous?"
Jiang Chen had no idea how to answer such a question, so he simply didn't.
Wang Xuetong, to his credit, did have some professional ethics and didn't press further about the details of the formation diagram. He knew that prying into the specifics of another person's task was against the rules.