Time passed, and the day for the test arrived. The number of people that had gathered was ridiculously high, making even the capital, which could hold billions of people, feel crowded. The stage for the tournament was one of the main arena structures, and there were thousands of merchants selling viewing crystals.
To say that the entire world was watching was not really an exaggeration. Tatyana looked at everything with a confused expression. Glancing at Yan Huang, she asked. "Hey, is everyone in this world bored to death? Why did it get so out of hand?"
Yan Huang glanced at Tatyana and asked, a smile on his lips. "Isn't this better?"
Tatyana frowned for a second before her eyes flashed. She looked at this annoying man, speechless for a few moments. "Did you really plan it for that?"
"Otherwise?" Yan Huang raised his eyebrows. "Did you think I did it for you or something?"
"...You know that your feelings won't ever be reciprocated, right?" Tatyana's expression was odd as she looked at this man.
Yan Huang chuckled. "Of course I know. Still, why wouldn't I help her? There is no reason to hate now, is there?"
Tatyana looked at him and sighed, looking at the crowd once more. After a few moments, she praised sincerely. "Your wives are lucky ones."
Yan Huang just smiled.
Yasenia looked at them curiously, but since neither of them explained to her, she didn't insist. Of course, the Graveyard Emperor was someone who wanted to see the world burn, so he spilled everything. "Yan Huang gathered everyone to elevate your status."
Tatyana and Yan Huang looked over with a deadpan. The Graveyard Emperor grinned. "To become a Demigoddess, you need influence. So if you manage to charm just one in ten thousand of those who will look at your battles, your path to becoming a Demigoddess will become much easier."
Yasenia blinked and finally understood. "Ah… [Faith], was it? The energy I need to become not a Law Creator, but a Demigoddess."
The Graveyard Emperor nodded. "That's right, little girl. So, when you are out there, show off as much as you can."
Yasenia smirked. "I was planning that."
"Hahaha! That's what I like to hear!"
Tatyana snorted. "Couldn't you have left it for after the tournament? What if this makes her feel pressured?"
The Graveyard Emperor glanced at Tatyana. "Do you think your daughter is that weak mentally?"
"Of course not. It is just unnecessary for her to have that in her mind before the tournament." Tatyana explained. "Knowing about it or not makes absolutely no difference. Therefore, why burden her with that knowledge when it has a minuscule chance to affect her?"
The Graveyard Emperor shrugged. "What about it? If that happens, that would be Yasenia's own fault and weakness. Something that she would need to improve later so that it doesn't repeat itself."
Yan Huang and Tatyana didn't speak after that, not bothering about it. Both perspectives could be considered correct. Yan Huang and Tatyana had just a more protective approach compared with the Graveyard Emperor's.
Yasenia commented. "Anyway, let's go! I want to hear about the tournament!"
They all nodded, and Tatyana used her energy to move Yasenia with her. All three of them appeared near Tian Long, with only Tatyana and Yasenia standing on top of his head. After all, Tian Long would only allow those he deemed worthy to mount on his back.
The people in Flame Sky City suddenly stopped walking. All of them looked up, as if carried by pure instinct. Then, from the clouds far above, a single dragon descended from the sky.
The colossal creature was as large as the Moon, with a wingspan stretching for over a thousand kilometers. His silhouette, ashen body, and infernal red lights made him look like the manifestation of the apocalypse.
All mortal beings felt their souls stop, death tightening around their very souls at the sight of such an overpowering being. Those in the Sixth Realm fared better, but even they felt minuscule. It was as if they were ants that the giant dragon could stomp like mere ants.
After one becomes a Transcendent, that kind of feeling was rare, so it made many flimsy Dao Hearts tremble, testing them not on purpose, but because Tian Long's existence was monstrous.
The dragon flew toward the largest arena, his shadow moving across the city like a giant mantle of pure darkness. Only the strongest being present realized that the dragon was not an independent being. There were people mounted on its head.
This made them guess something they wished was not the truth. 'This abomination of a dragon… it is someone's mount.'
That truth made even those in the Seventh Realm feel tiny. How could a dragon of this caliber ever submit? Who was the existence that could make the apocalypse dragon lower his head?
Everything was revealed shortly.
Tian Long finally arrived at the arena and landed inside. The arena was gargantuan in size, large enough to allow Tian Long to land inside. After all, structures built by Seventh Realm cultivators needed to be large enough to allow those very beings to move around effortlessly.
The Flame Sky City, if one would take all the clan territories attached to it into account, was so large that even some continents paled in comparison. Distances so absurd that, if spoken, it would be difficult to even imagine.
Yasenia, who observed everything, couldn't help but sigh. 'This city is probably larger than the Distancia World in its entirety.'
A city larger than a world was a truly mind-breaking concept. Yet, as a Demigod-governed city, this size was more than adequate.
After Tian Long landed, his weight made the world under him creak, causing significant tremors. Hurricanes picked up as his wings moved during landing. He was truly like a walking natural disaster, each of his gestures forcing the world to change.
Once on the ground, Tian Long lowered his head, and from there, Tatyana and Yasenia jumped down. The recording crystals spread all around the arena, moved and captured them, quickly transferring the images to all the crystals sold by the people or those sitting on the arena's special stands.
Once the crystal focused on them, there was a simultaneous silence all around the city. Only a few people couldn't help themselves from muttering in awe.
"Goddesses…"
"Divine beauty…"
"Heavenly fairies…"
"How can someone so beautiful exist?"
Most women couldn't even feel jealous. Yasenia and Tatyana's appearances were so beyond their imagination that only awe for true beauty reached them.
The women who were confident before and disregarded the rumors were silent as well. They felt as if an invisible hand picked up speed and slapped their cheeks loudly. It was to the point that some of the most arrogant, who declared that they could crush them in appearance, felt their cheeks blush in embarrassment.
Even if they wanted to keep up the act, these two were just too much out of the norm for that.
When they landed on the ground, Tatyana and Yasenia's dresses slowly followed their motions. The two bodices moved like clouds, pushing their already enrapturing looks into the mystical realm.
Tatyana slowly raised her red eyes, glancing at the camera. Everyone was instantly lost in her blood-red eyes, which seemed to swirl with endless strength. Tatyana's enchanting and soft red lips moved, her voice booming for millions of kilometers.
"Denizens of the Blue Pearl World. Today, you've gathered out of curiosity. However, know one thing: if you allow your curiosity to become greed for my daughter, I, the Death Empress, will not stay cross-armed."
BOOM!
The sky turned black, endless ominous clouds covering an area so large that it eclipsed the entire continent and everything around it. In this darkness, only two red suns seem to shine in the sky, representing Tatyana's gaze. It felt as if the world itself had fallen under her authority, with nothing able to escape her all-seeing eyes.
Yasenia kept a neutral face, but inside, she was befuddled. 'Heaven almighty… Was a Demigod able to do something like this?'
The darkened sky disappeared after a few moments, the light of the Sun shining through and clearing the darkness. It was as if everything was an illusion, but everyone knew otherwise. During those few instants, not one person failed to hold their breath in fear of offending this absolute creature.
Yan Huang spoke after Tatyana. "With this, we start the [Star Breaker Tournament]!"
With a wave of his hand, the opposite of what just happened occurred. Auspicious golden clouds covered the world, and a rain of pure energy fell from the skies. Some mortals were on the verge of breaking through, and they were lucky. This energy pushed them over the edge, allowing them to break through.
Tribulation clouds appeared all over the domain, but their color was extremely light. Clearly, they were not threatening at all. Heavenly Lightning fell, rumbling sounds filling the world, yet no one found them fearful.
After all, this was a sign of advancement, the sound of progress!
The people raised their arms, their eyes gaining a fanatic light. "Long Live Flame Sky Emperor! Long Live Emperor Yan Huang!"
Feeling the endless energy of faith, slowly advancing his cultivation, Yan Huang communicated mentally with Tatyana. 'Thank you.'
Tatyana answered with a snort. 'Just a small thing. Take it as compensation for everything you are doing for my Little Treasure.'
After Yan Huang's display, it was Yasenia's turn. They had informed her of what she needed to do. So, without feeling pressured, she took a confident step forward.
Her back was straight, making all attention fall onto her sinful curves. Everyone who was cheering was silent again. It was rare to see this level of… allure and seductiveness with just a woman's walk.
As she walked, an altar appeared before Yasenia. It was golden in color, with intricate black lines all around it. Most people knew what this was. 'A bone-age measuring device. One of the highest-ranked ones. It can measure beings up to 300,000 years old without any problems and down to the last digit.'
With this, it would be impossible to fake Yasenia's age, and every single high-level individual knew it.
Yasenia placed her hand on the altar, and energy entered her body. Then, the altar shone for a few moments and stopped. Yan Huang spoke aloud.
"The age of the [Treasure Guardian] has been recorded. Now, as spoken previously, only those who are ten times her age will be able to participate. The age won't be revealed. There are 1,000 measuring locations. You can go and see if you qualify. No other requirements are needed. As long as you are within the age requirements, you can participate regardless of your cultivation realm. Begin!"