Chapter 123: Belated Arrival

The coming-of-age ceremony was held on the Royal Platform, a vast, fiery-red dais spanning nearly a mile in diameter. Constructed specifically for grand ceremonies and sacrificial rites, the platform was paved entirely with Fire Cloud Crystals. The density of fire-attribute battle energy there was immense, significantly accelerating the flow of battle energy for any practitioner of that element standing upon it. Consequently, when not in use for ceremonies, the platform served as a training ground for the palace guards, greatly enhancing the strength of the imperial forces.

At the highest point of the platform, Zhu Yan, Emperor of the Skyfire Empire, sat in the center. Beside him, Wang Xu, an envoy from the Heavenly Saint Palace, sat with his eyes closed in meditation, remaining silent. The representatives of the other four great sects—save for the Divine Wood Sect, which had yet to arrive—sat in a row, each wearing a solemn expression, the atmosphere cold and austere.

The experts of the Offering Hall sat in the second row, their eyes burning with fervor. For many, this was their first time seeing a master from the Heavenly Saint Palace, and their excitement was difficult to contain. In particular, the few who had reached the level of Battle King were eager for Wang Xu’s guidance, as it would make their breakthrough to the Battle Emperor realm far easier.

Below them sat the members of the royal family. The princes and princesses were arranged in a line, their demeanor strictly disciplined under the heavy atmosphere; they hardly dared to breathe. The Fire God Army stood at the outermost perimeter of the platform, casting a massive barrier that enclosed the entire area. Beyond this, the members of the five great sects and various civil and military officials watched the proceedings with nervous intensity.

Of all the royal coming-of-age ceremonies in history, this one was the most grand—and, coincidentally, the most significant. With an envoy from the Heavenly Saint Palace personally in attendance, the arrival of the five great sects, and the simultaneous engagement between the Crown Prince of the Divine Wood Empire and the Princess of the Skyfire Empire, this day was destined to shine with a unique brilliance in the annals of the Skyfire Empire.

Zhu Yan’s expression was grim. The ceremony was about to begin, yet there was still no word from the Crown Prince of the Divine Wood Empire or the Divine Wood Sect. If the auspicious time for the engagement were missed, the Skyfire Empire would lose face on a grand scale.

Standing beside Hu Yihu, Hu Mo maintained a grave expression. The display before him was no simple matter; the eyes of the entire Battle Continent were fixed upon this spot. Aware that a single move could trigger a chain reaction, Hu Mo pondered the potential consequences should he decide to intervene.

Music began to play. Along the path leading from the inner palace, Zhu Xinyue approached, surrounded by a group of eunuchs and maids. Dressed in red, her expression was calm. Compared to just a moment ago, her complexion was much more radiant, which caused Zhu Xinluo, standing not far away, to frown; a faint sense of unease rose in her heart. Although she had spoken those words to Zhu Xinyue previously, she hoped from the bottom of her heart that Zhu Xinyue would marry into the Divine Wood Empire. It was a crucial step in her plans, and because of this, she was incredibly nervous, fearing that something might go wrong.

"The auspicious time has arrived. The coming-of-age ceremony officially begins!" the ceremonial official shouted once Zhu Xinyue had taken her place.

Zhu Yan frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "What is going on? Has something gone wrong?"

On the platform, officials were bustling about. The Skyfire Empire placed the utmost importance on coming-of-age ceremonies, especially those of the royal family. In some respects, the level of this ceremony exceeded that of a wedding. Located in the south, the Skyfire Empire was closest to the war-beasts and frequently endured their attacks, which instilled a fierce spirit of resistance in the marrow of its people. Reaching adulthood meant possessing the strength to resist, making this the most important tradition in the empire.

A common coming-of-age ceremony merely involved praying to the heavens and absorbing a wisp of the Holy Fire into one's brow. Hu Mo had performed a hasty version of this at home just a month or two ago; compared to the grandeur before him, it was like comparing the heavens to the earth.

Zhu Yan’s face was solemn as he stood and walked onto the platform. In his hands, he held a red jade box that radiated powerful fluctuations of battle energy. It contained the Essence of the Holy Fire used for the royal ceremony. According to tradition, the Emperor had to personally bestow this essence to complete the first step of the ritual.

Zhu Yan moved forward step by step. When he reached a point less than ten meters from Zhu Xinyue, the clear, azure sky was suddenly flooded with a brilliant green light. In an instant, every plant within Fire City began to thrive; millions of butterflies swarmed from outside the city, and flowers bloomed in a frenzy, as if they had been fed stimulants.

At the highest seat, Wang Xu suddenly opened his eyes. He looked into the distance with a smile and said softly, "That brat is finally here."

Countless black dots soon appeared in the distant sky. Like the other sects, the Divine Wood Sect traveled by means of flying war-beasts. A sky-filling swarm of level-six Green Wood Eagles whistled toward them, bringing a sense of immense comfort to the fire-attribute practitioners present.

The Green Wood Eagles halted outside the barrier and slowly descended to the ground. From the largest eagle, two figures descended—an old man and a young man. Both radiated a gentle aura. Wood-attribute battle energy is inherently affable, and as such, its practitioners are generally well-liked.

As Hu Mo watched the two walk past him, he was genuinely astonished. The old man’s strength could only be described as unfathomable; even Wang Xu of the Heavenly Saint Palace could not compare to him in terms of pressure. What surprised him more, however, was the young man beside the elder. Though young, his cultivation was not far behind his own.

Hu Mo knew his own rapid progress was due to the Three Treasures, which had boosted his cultivation speed three or four-fold, allowing him to become a level-six Battle King in such a short time. However, he was aware that while his battle energy had reached the level of a Battle King, his soul strength had only barely reached that of a level-one Battle King, making further advancement extremely difficult.

The young man was different. Although his battle energy was a few levels weaker than Hu Mo's, his soul strength was actually slightly higher. Hu Mo frowned, feeling a surge of pressure.

"Could he be that so-called Crown Prince? Truly extraordinary!" Hu Mo sighed inwardly, his eyes locked on the young man.

As the youth walked, he smiled and gestured to those around him. Suddenly, his gaze met Hu Mo’s. In an instant, Hu Mo felt a powerful soul shockwave strike him from the youth's direction. Hu Mo’s expression shifted, and with a cold snort, he quickly activated the Lingbo Technique. He condensed his soul energy to meet the incoming strike.

In a split second, a roar echoed in both their minds. Hu Mo turned pale, and the young man’s body shuddered slightly. The youth quickly recovered, offered Hu Mo a smile, and continued toward the platform.

Hu Mo’s face was dark. Under the influence of the Three Treasures, his disrupted soul energy quickly stabilized. It was clear that he had suffered a slight disadvantage in this collision.

"That is Duanmu Hong, the Crown Prince of the Divine Wood Empire. Beside him is his grandfather, the Supreme Emperor of the Divine Wood Empire and Sect Master, Duanmu Shenxu. A level-seven Battle Saint, his strength ranks among the top ten on the entire continent. Mo'er, you must have tested him just now. How confident are you?" Hu Yihu whispered via telepathy, his tone direct.

Hu Mo shook his head slightly and whispered, "He is very strong. His realm is a cut above mine."

"However," a touch of arrogance suddenly appeared on Hu Mo’s face, and a powerful fighting spirit erupted from him, "I will definitely defeat him!"

Hu Yihu smiled and said nothing more. Duanmu Shenxu and Duanmu Hong walked away, their steps light and natural.

"Grandson, what did you think of that boy? Was Ju Chunyang’s report accurate?" Duanmu Shenxu asked via telepathy, a smile on his face as they walked.

"There are some discrepancies, but it is not far off. There is a significant gap between his cultivation and his realm; his mental state has not kept pace with his battle energy. It is quite strange," Duanmu Hong replied with a steady smile.

"Hehe, be careful. Do not be complacent. The fighting spirit emanating from that boy is not simple. I fear this coming-of-age ceremony will not be peaceful. Let us hurry; your master and the others must be waiting." Duanmu Shenxu concluded his telepathy and called out loudly, "Apologies, everyone. I am late and have kept you all waiting."

"Old Man Duanmu, if you hadn't arrived soon, I wouldn't have let my grand-niece marry your grandson, haha..." Zhu Wannian laughed, his voice booming and causing the ground to tremble. Given his seniority, he was of the same generation as Zhu Yan’s uncle, so calling Zhu Xinyue his grand-niece was appropriate.

Duanmu Shenxu smiled faintly, and a vast surge of wood-attribute battle energy erupted from his body, completely suppressing the sound wave.

Duanmu Hong’s eyes fell upon Zhu Xinyue. His eyes lit up, and he nodded at her with a smile. However, he was met with a glare so intense it left him momentarily stunned.

"Haha, Old Man Duanmu’s strength has improved again. I fear the rankings on the God List will change once more. Quickly, take your seats! Little Xinyue’s ceremony must continue!" Zhu Wannian laughed. Duanmu Shenxu said nothing more, and he and Duanmu Hong made their way toward the upper part of the platform.

Seeing Duanmu Hong, Zhu Yan felt as though his heart were blooming with joy. Although there were political motives behind marrying his daughter to him, seeing that his future son-in-law was so exceptional made him genuinely happy.

Duanmu Hong, however, could not feel happy. The moment he saw Zhu Xinyue, his battle heart had wavered. But after that glare, he felt a sense of defeat; he realized clearly that he had been outmatched by Hu Mo.

"Your Majesty, Emperor of the Skyfire Empire, I am late because of some unavoidable matters. Today is the coming-of-age ceremony for Princess Xinyue, as well as the joyous occasion of the alliance between our two empires. To mark this day, I have prepared a grand gift for the Princess," Duanmu Shenxu said. He traced a line in the air, and a spatial rift appeared beside him. He reached in and produced a jade box, from which a rich aura of wood-attribute battle energy emanated.

Everyone’s eyes were riveted to the box. Even Hu Mo, standing outside the barrier, stared intensely, sensing something within the box that stirred his heart.

Zhu Wannian took a deep breath, sensing the marvelous aura. After a moment of contemplation, his expression changed drastically as he shouted, "Such a rich aura of Wood Essence... could it be..."

"Indeed, it is the Essence of Profound Wood!"