The Eternal Sacred Land boasted five great young masters. The original title of foremost genius had belonged to Young Master Sui Chen. Ever since Jiang Chen's arrival, Sui Chen had found him insufferable in every possible way.
During the earlier genius tournament in the Eternal Divine Kingdom, Sui Chen had encountered Xiahou Zong and surrendered without putting up even a shred of resistance. The Sacred Land had tacitly approved this strategy beforehand — anyone who drew Xiahou Zong could choose to forfeit. Sui Chen had made that choice, and it could hardly be called a grave error.
But then Jiang Chen had faced Xiahou Zong. Instead of conceding, he had fought with overwhelming power, crushing Xiahou Zong and ultimately slaying him.
The contrast was devastating. Sui Chen's former claim to the title of number one genius had been irrevocably ceded to Jiang Chen. As a result, Jiang Chen became, by every right, the preeminent figure among the Eternal Sacred Land's younger generation — and its rightful heir.
Now the ten great sacred lands were hosting another genius tournament, which in practice served primarily as a stage for their young prodigies.
The Eternal Sacred Land understood full well that relying solely on talents of the five great young masters' caliber to compete would yield results that were, at best, middling. Only Jiang Chen possessed the overwhelming advantage needed to dominate.
Among the five great young masters, the second-ranked Wu You and the fifth-ranked Gan Ning had both sparred with Jiang Chen and developed a genuine camaraderie. They held him in high esteem, and their relations were quite amicable.
As for the Sacred Land's delegation, the Holy Ancestor himself had not departed with them. Instead, the Great Sacred Lord and Elder Ziche Min led the expedition, accompanied by several additional elders.
The Second and Third Sacred Lords remained behind to guard the stronghold.
When Jiang Chen saw the Great Sacred Lord personally taking charge, he understood just how seriously the Eternal Sacred Land was treating this tournament. Ordinarily, for a younger-generation affair, dispatching a Third Sacred Lord would have been more than sufficient. Had the Holy Ancestor not been occupied with something pressing, he would likely have led the group himself.
Even so, the Holy Ancestor intended to make time to attend once the tournament began. That alone spoke volumes about the importance placed on this competition.
aboard the Sacred Land's flying vessel, Wu You and Gan Ning cherished every opportunity to spend time with Jiang Chen. They would seek him out, whether by plan or by chance, to seek his insights on martial cultivation and alchemy.
Sui Chen and his circle, on the other hand, were notably ill at ease around Jiang Chen. Sui Chen in particular still harbored an inability to accept that Jiang Chen had wrested the mantle of foremost genius from him.
He knew — he could not deny — that Jiang Chen's strength truly exceeded his own. In every conceivable aspect, Jiang Chen was simply better.
And yet, some stubborn part of him refused to come to terms with it.
Watching Wu You and Gan Ning laugh and converse amiably with Jiang Chen, Sui Chen seethed. He thought them spineless, eager to curry favor. They were both defeated opponents of Jiang Chen — so why treat him with such warmth?
Jiang Chen, for his part, couldn't be bothered to decipher Sui Chen's thoughts. As for Wu You and Gan Ning, since they approached him with such genuine goodwill, he saw no reason to put on a cold face.
Wu You and Gan Ning valued these interactions greatly. The questions they raised each time were ones that could truly benefit their cultivation.
Jiang Chen was endlessly patient whenever matters of cultivation were involved. At critical junctures, he would offer a few pointed pointers that proved infinitely valuable to each of them.
This was exactly the sort of scene the Eternal Sacred Land wished to see. They hoped Jiang Chen's presence could catalyze comprehensive advancement among the other geniuses, propelling them all forward.
Perhaps Jiang Chen could become the driving force that spurred the others to ever greater heights.
So when the Great Sacred Lord observed Sui Chen and his ilk treating Jiang Chen with studied indifference, he felt nothing but disapproval. People of such temperament, no matter how extraordinary their talent, were destined to fall short of true greatness. At the very least, they had never honestly confronted the gap between themselves and the best.