The fervent atmosphere continued to ferment.
Jiang Chen could feel the frenzy swirling around him, yet his mind grew cooler with each passing moment. The manic energy of the crowd had no effect on him whatsoever.
In all things, he followed only his own heart and moved at his own pace.
He had entered this selection not for the rewards on offer. Two million Heavenly Ling Shi per month, an honorary title as a palace enforcer—none of it mattered to him.
To Jiang Chen, all of it was nothing but passing clouds.
He had a single goal: to get close to the City Lord's Manor and uncover more of its core secrets, so that he could prepare his escape from Dongyan Island.
As for everything else, Jiang Chen had no interest and no intention of entangling himself further.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the day of the selection had finally arrived.
The selection grounds of the City Lord's Manor occupied a vast open expanse.
At this moment, the field was already a sea of people, packed wall to wall with participants who had come to take part in the selection. Even more had come simply to watch the spectacle.
Through every available channel, the City Lord's Manor had amplified its publicity, hyping the event to an extravagant degree and turning this selection into something of overwhelming grandeur. It had ignited the emotions of the entire City of Sin.
Jiang Chen stood in the candidate area, perfectly still, turning a blind eye to the frenzied atmosphere around him as he retreated fully into his own world.
City Lord Xie Wushang appeared at the command platform, flanked by his council of advisors.
On the grounds, countless city guards in gleaming armor maintained order, their ranks and bearing projecting an aura of strict discipline.
The moment Xie Wushang appeared, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted from the crowd. It was clear that Xie Wushang still commanded considerable popularity in the City of Sin.
For most, this would be their first time witnessing the City Lord's dignified presence in person, and the spectators were visibly thrilled.
"City Lord! City Lord!"
Wave after wave of jubilant shouts crashed across the field.
Xie Wushang wore a faint smile as he raised a hand in acknowledgment.
Jiang Chen's eyelids lifted slightly, a sharp gleam piercing through his gaze as he studied the City Lord from across the command platform. Xie Wushang did not appear particularly tall.
Yet that middling frame carried an innate air of distinguished composure—a bearing that only those who had long held supreme authority could project. The instant he appeared, his presence suppressed every soul on the grounds.
"This City Lord's strength is likely no lesser than Patriarch Bitter Bamboo of the Kuman Tribe," Jiang Chen surmised at first glance.
As expected of the Myriad Abyss Island—even in a place of exile like this, the leader of a single powerful faction possessed strength rivaling that of a tribal patriarch on the Divine Abyss Continent.
To a certain degree, this also reflected the enormous gap that currently existed between the Divine Abyss Continent and the Myriad Abyss Island.
Jiang Chen did not linger on the sight. After a brief glance, he closed his eyes again.
"Everyone, quiet down. This City Lord has a few words to say." Xie Wushang pressed both hands downward, and the roar of the crowd froze as though trapped in ice. In an instant, the field fell deathly silent—not even the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. The thousands upon thousands of heads scattered across the grounds seemed to dissolve into the air, as though they had never existed at all.
Jiang Chen's expression sobered. Xie Wushang's control was formidable—one gesture, a single sentence, and he had silenced the entire assembly. This was clearly someone accustomed to absolute authority.
Otherwise, such a feat would have been impossible.
"What makes our City of Sin one of the three great powers of Dongyan Island? Is it the strength of this City Lord alone? Obviously not!"
"The greatest foundation of our City of Sin is you—all of you. It is your united effort and your unwavering support of the City Lord's Manor. All this City Lord does is fulfill his own duty. Our City of Sin has always upheld a tradition of cherishing and nurturing talent. This selection has been elevated to an extraordinary level, and the sensation it has created speaks for itself. It demonstrates that I am, more than ever, hungry for exceptional individuals."
"To all the talented young cultivators appearing here today, I urge you to shed your burdens and unleash your full potential. Show me what you are capable of. Remember—once you are selected, you will become the future pillars of the City Lord's Manor, and this City Lord will not let your dedication go unrewarded!"
Xie Wushang's rhetoric was deeply stirring. It was evident that he possessed a considerable talent for rallying emotions. In just a few sentences, he had whipped the atmosphere into a frenzy.
Below the platform, many of the gifted warriors participating in the selection were rubbing their fists and flexing their fingers, eager to prove themselves.
There was no doubt that the promotional campaign for this selection had been a resounding success. An extraordinary number of talented individuals had signed up.
After all, the population of Dongyan Island was immense. When Jiang Chen had first arrived on the island, he had materialized in an extremely remote location—yet even there, he had encountered people.
That alone spoke volumes about how densely populated the island was. And virtually every inhabitant of Dongyan Island was a cultivator.
This ensured that the overall martial cultivation level of the island remained impressively high.
Countless hidden prodigies had never been given their chance to shine.
Undoubtedly, this selection represented that very opportunity—a chance for these overlooked geniuses to finally rise above the crowd.