Chapter 657 - 356: The Anxious Ancient Kings

But it was impossible to lose sight of the bigger picture and exclude Su Chen. It was the Spirit of Sun, after all. Even the lowest level of acknowledgment could potentially yield benefits.

"What is this thing?" Su Chen walked down the corridor, watching a silvery-white metallic sphere darting and bobbing through the air around him.

"It’s for the public live broadcast."

"Live broadcast?" Su Chen paused, slightly taken aback.

"Yeah," Chu Ran said matter-of-factly. "This is the Peak Star Conference. Who knows how many betting pools are running out there right now? Every faction wants to see how their younger generation performs. By this stage, they usually broadcast it live."

Su Chen shot another glance at the zooming metallic sphere, feeling an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. "All right."

Emerging from the specially constructed corridor, they arrived at the base of the tower. Instantly, several pairs of eyes turned their way.

Han Xingliu, Xiao Linfeng, Sheng Huaixu, Luo Yao... Su Chen spotted a large number of familiar faces at a glance, his gaze sweeping past them.

Han Xingliu let out a slow breath. Seeing Su Chen inevitably stirred his emotions, but he quickly suppressed them. "Focus on becoming the Star Champion," he reminded himself. "With the Ancient Kings watching, being the first to receive acknowledgment might not necessarily be a good thing."

Sheng Huaixu withdrew his gaze, his expression indifferent. "He certainly has good luck," he thought. "With a Dual Divine Dawn Talent and being so young, even if he can’t become the Star Champion, he might still earn the Spirit of Sun’s acknowledgment.

"He could even take the Star Champion position at the next conference. He’s reaping all the benefits for himself.

"It is a pity he’s a Star Seed of the Bronze Sect and not my True Martial Sect..." Sheng Huaixu gave a barely perceptible shake of his head. If the boy had been a Star Seed of the True Martial Sect, whether he would have survived until now remained unknown.

The True Martial Sect was no greenhouse like the Bronze Sect. The latter’s internal rankings didn’t even involve bloody, hand-to-hand combat. While this avoided many conflicts, it also stripped them of their sharp edge and bloodlust. He harbored no real hostility toward Su Chen; however, the longstanding feud between their Sects added an extra layer of scrutiny to his gaze. In an all-out fight, the boy was currently nowhere near his match, nor could he rival the likes of Han Xingliu and Luo Yao.

As for earning the Spirit of Sun’s acknowledgment, it wasn’t an exclusive slot. Moreover, it was entirely out of their control; success or failure depended purely on Spiritual preferences. There was no real competition to speak of.

"He and I likely have the highest chances," Xiao Linfeng thought, his eyes flickering. "He might be young, but I am much stronger. Our odds should be about the same."

With the Peak Star Conference progressing so abnormally, the Long River Family behind him had already learned some of the hidden details. He had been thrilled for days, filled with both anticipation and a trace of anxiety. Naturally, he desired the Spirit of Sun’s acknowledgment, but he wasn’t a member of the Five Great Sects. Being chosen might not actually be a blessing.

"But barring any miracles, I’ll probably be stuck at the Double Ninth Tier. Even with my aptitude, what’s the point if I can only hold my own against weaker Sun-tier experts?

"If I don’t risk it all now... If I can earn the Spirit of Sun’s acknowledgment, I might have a chance to become a Star Seed or even push further."

Su Chen’s arrival prompted those in the know to immediately think of the Spirit of Sun. Everyone had their own calculations, their minds churning restlessly.

Meanwhile, Su Chen walked over to Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi’an, who had arrived earlier. "Old Wei, Brother Shen."

Shen Yi’an smiled faintly, his emotions inevitably complex. The Spirit of Sun, huh...

"Hmph." The corner of Old Wei’s mouth twitched. He threw a dark glare at Chu Ran. "Why didn’t you show up to our gathering the other day?"

"I was busy with other things," Su Chen explained with a chuckle.

Wei Zhenghong had merely asked in passing. He then frowned at Chu Ran, who was hovering nearby, and scolded him. "Why haven’t you left yet? You’re not even qualified to compete, so what are you doing here? Are you proud of sneaking in on your status alone?"

Chu Ran’s face stiffened. He had intended to stick around and watch the spectacle, but beneath Wei Zhenghong’s imposing glare, he didn’t dare talk back. He scampered off with his tail between his legs.

Wei Zhenghong sighed and turned back to Su Chen. "How confident are you about this Spirit of Sun?"

Su Chen shot him a surprised look, answering vaguely, "There’s no such thing as confidence here. Spiritual preferences are unpredictable. It’s not something we can control."

Wei Zhenghong shook his head and smirked. "You say that, but if even you can’t get acknowledged, no one else stands a chance."

Su Chen was secretly speechless. He had already been acknowledged once; how could he possibly be acknowledged a second time?

Just as he was about to say more, his gaze hardened. An intensely oppressive aura descended from the sky, making everyone feel as though a massive boulder had been dropped onto their shoulders. The faint, ambient chatter instantly ceased. Unable to resist, the crowd tilted their heads upward.

Sure enough, six silhouettes had materialized high in the firmament. The Morning Stars present had already risen to their feet in a welcoming posture.

"The Ancient Kings of the other Sects and the Hanhai Emperor..." Su Chen narrowed his eyes. He was just about to study them when he felt his body sink in alarm. Five nearly tangible gazes were already bearing down on him.

Before he could even inspect the Ancient Kings, they had already focused their attention squarely on him.

"Is this boy Su Chen?" Wearing a pale-gold cloak, the Hanhai Emperor cast his gaze downward. Faint rings began to surface in his pupils, only to shatter before they could fully form.

The Bronze Ancient King was utterly blunt. "Hanhai, don’t cross the line."

Unbothered, the Hanhai Emperor casually took a central seat. "It seems he has indeed won your favor."

"He has an imposing bearing. Not bad at all," the Profound Celestial Ancient King chuckled softly.

The Zhenwu Ancient King let out a cold snort and looked away. While the boy had a stellar reputation, he was still a very long way from reaching their level.

The other Ancient Kings merely spared him a glance without delving any deeper.

Su Chen felt the pressure lift as the converging gazes shifted away. "They call my vision blurry, but this is what true arrogance and disregard look like," he grumbled inwardly. His eyes darted sideways, landing on a withered figure standing next to the Ancient Kings. He froze in astonishment.

"Is that Qin Yun? What happened to her?" he thought.

Qin Yun’s face was numb and her eyes were hollow. White hairs had already sprouted at her temples. She was a far cry from the radiant figure he had first met.

"So the price of anchoring Spiritual essence is this steep," Su Chen clicked his tongue silently.

All the Ancient Kings had taken their seats. Only the Bronze Ancient King remained standing in the firmament. As numerous pairs of eyes locked onto him, his majestic voice echoed out.

"Since the inaugural Peak Star Conference, we have held over three hundred and ten sessions. It has continued unbroken, producing brilliant geniuses across the eras. It is a grand event for the Dust Star Sea..."

His voice resounded across the sky, yet it didn’t grate on the ears. Everyone held their breath in rapt attention, listening in total silence.

After reminiscing for a moment, the Bronze Ancient King finally cut to the chase. "However, this session is unlike any before. Therefore, the competition format has been altered."

As he spoke, he reached out and pinched the air. A streak of Flowing Light in a distinct color drifted from each of the other five Ancient Kings. These streaks merged seamlessly with the Bronze Ancient King’s own data stream, condensing into a swirling, iridescent brilliance.

He didn’t bother explaining the reason for the change. All pacifications and negotiations had already been settled in the shadows. Those who were still unaware of the format change simply didn’t have a seat at the table, nor did they warrant an explanation.

"There will be no arena battles. All participants will enter the challenge chambers inside the Competition Tower individually. There is only one opponent: this King’s Shadow."

The Bronze Ancient King pointed a finger. The swirling, iridescent brilliance wove together atop the Peak Star Competition Tower, gradually materializing into a spectral silhouette.

A King’s Shadow? The crowd narrowed their eyes and followed his gesture. They watched as the spectral silhouette solidified until it looked like a flesh-and-blood person. Its expression was solemn, its eyes downcast, as it sank into the tower.

Before they could inspect it closely, the Bronze Ancient King’s impassive voice rang out. "This has been forged from the Power of Six Kings, though its Tier will be restricted to Tier Seven. Furthermore, the danger perception system has been disabled. Even inside the tower, your lives will be at genuine risk.

"Anyone wishing to forfeit may leave now."

A heavy silence blanketed the area. All eyes remained glued to the spot where the solid-looking King’s Shadow had vanished, their gazes trembling as they gulped nervously.

Forged from the Power of Six Kings?