The news of the Grand Selection, after spreading and fermenting for a month or two, finally reached its fever pitch within the Sixteen Surrounding Kingdoms.
Almost every martial artist who met the standard was rubbing their fists and palms, eager to spring into action.
On this day, Jiang Chen brought his personal guards to the registration point in the Royal Capital.
The registration period would last half a month.
Moreover, registration points numbered in the hundreds.
Especially for a top-tier kingdom like the Tiangui Kingdom, the baseline requirement for registration was the High Stage of the True Qi Realm, a level many martial artists could achieve.
The number of martial artists at the High Stage of the True Qi Realm was completely incomparable to the pitiful few from a third-rate kingdom like the Eastern Kingdom.
Within the entire Jiang estate, besides Jiang Chen himself, there were three personal guards—Ke Mu, Shen Yifan, and Bi Yun—who would be participating in the Grand Selection.
As for Gouyu, Jiang Chen had privately sounded her out about it. Gouyu, however, was resolute in her attitude, showing no interest in the Grand Selection. She even emphasized that her intuition told her that following Jiang Chen offered a future far brighter than joining any sect.
Though Gouyu didn't openly criticize the choices of Ke Mu, Shen Yifan, and the third person, in her heart she was dismissive. She felt they were picking up sesame seeds but losing out on watermelons.
Leaving aside whether they could even pass the Grand Selection, even if they did, with their talent and level, they wouldn't receive many resources from the sects anyway. It would be better to stay by Jiang Chen's side.
When had Jiang Chen ever mistreated his own people?
Of course, these were just thoughts Gouyu kept to herself. People have different aspirations, and she was currently only Jiang Chen's attendant, so naturally she wouldn't say anything.
The registration process for the Grand Selection wasn't complex: provide identification, test strength, and verify age.
Pass these three aspects, and one could obtain a preliminary qualification token.
Of course, this token was linked to each individual's identity and absolutely could not be transferred. If lost, it meant automatic disqualification from participating.
Jiang Chen was famous throughout the Tiangui Kingdom. As soon as he appeared, he caused a stir at the registration site. Many young martial artists even cleared a path, wanting to let Jiang Chen register first.
Generally speaking, in the world of martial artists, nobody yielded an inch. Especially for something like registration, no one dared try to cut in line.
That the young martial artists actively made way showed Jiang Chen's status in the hearts of secular martial artists.
However, Jiang Chen just waved his hand, smilingly declining everyone's kind gesture. He brought three attendants to register together, and there was no need for any special treatment.
Seeing that Jiang Chen actually didn't cut in line but instead cheerfully queued up with everyone, this only increased these secular geniuses' favorable impression of him.
One by one, they almost forgot they had come to register, instead greeting Jiang Chen and striking up conversations.
Jiang Chen was also very approachable. Even when some young people asked him for guidance on martial arts, he didn't hesitate to offer pointers.
This way, Jiang Chen's popularity soared even higher.
Many young people who received Jiang Chen's guidance were elated, their eyes shining.
Some particularly perceptive young people, however, managed to suppress their inner excitement and actually entered a meditative state on the spot to digest the pointers Jiang Chen had given them.
As a result, the registration point Jiang Chen chose suddenly became incredibly lively.
By the end, even the personnel in charge of accepting registrations at the site wished they could rush out from behind the counter to hear Jiang Chen's teachings.
After all, Jiang Chen's reputation in recent years had become far too great.
Every single thing he had done, through the processing of folklore, had almost become synonymous with legend.
A martial artist from elsewhere, actually repeatedly standing up to powerful forces—and winning repeatedly!
At first, everyone still thought he was relying on the support of Grand Tutor Ye.
But, last time when Ye Chonglou went to the Treasure Tree Sect, Jiang Chen had almost single-handedly subdued the sect's geniuses Tie Dazhi and Zhou Yi!
This kind of news, spreading through various channels and further embellished by local storytellers, undoubtedly became the legend of the youngest hero in the Royal Capital.
Without Grand Tutor Ye's help, Jiang Chen, with his own strength alone, had actually taken down two Earth Spirit Realm geniuses and even captured a batch of law enforcement disciples!
Once this news spread, Jiang Chen's fame skyrocketed, practically unstoppable.
In truth, secular martial artists harbored a special feeling toward the sects. That feeling, besides yearning, also included a degree of resistance or even jealousy toward the sect disciples.
Why should they have to fight tooth and nail in the secular world for a scrap of resources? Why could those sect disciples enjoy abundant resources within the sect and become the chosen ones? Why could these sect disciples, when they came to the secular world, act so tyrannically? Look down on everyone? Trample and humiliate people at will?
Secular martial artists envied sect disciples, but they were also deeply dissatisfied with their arrogant demeanor.
And Jiang Chen satisfied that dissatisfaction. He beat up sect disciples, trampled on them, slapped their faces, pulled them down from their lofty thrones, tore apart their pretensions as geniuses, and left them humiliated and ashamed!
It had to be said, in Jiang Chen, they found a psychological outlet, a channel for release.
It was therefore not hard to understand why secular martial artists came to view Jiang Chen as a hero.
Initially, they weren't fully convinced of Jiang Chen because they thought he was sheltered by Grand Tutor Ye's great tree. Now, Jiang Chen didn't rely on the Grand Tutor, yet he could still step on sect disciples.
What did this prove?
It proved that Jiang Chen was a genius among secular martial artists, their hope, a model they could aspire to emulate.
Jiang Chen hadn't expected that his unexpected appearance would cause such a commotion at the scene.