Chapter 22

Swoosh!

The Vermilion Bird rose with its feathers raised upright. The ancient bronze color faded away, gradually revealing a splendid scarlet red color! The redness of the vermilion bird was like fire and blood.

Vermilion Bird!

Vermilion Bird…

This was the ancient divine beast, the Vermilion Bird! It was vivid and lifelike as it stood tall and proud! It was the center of this world, the source of the reverence of a great number of people.

Crash…

All of a sudden, everyone in front of the Vermilion Bird Platform spontaneously prostrated on the ground and worshiped it with utmost sincerity. That pure expression of faith deeply touched Ye Qianli.

Therefore, she also knelt down with the crowd. It was not because she had also begun to hold the same kind of faith as the crowd of people, but it was just out of respect for this devotion.

Swoosh—

At the same time, the Vermilion Bird Platform—which was radiating the true colors of the Vermilion Bird—had already withdrawn its feathers and stood there. In front of it was an ancient circular copper platform that was slowly being raised into everyone’s sight.

This was the Vermilion Bird’s secondary stage.

In a short while, there would be mystic cultivators from all over the dynasty, who would ascend this ancient round platform and determine their rankings through competition. Those with outstanding performances would receive the admission notice of an excellent institution on the spot, or they would be given an exception to enter the court as a government official and start their journey into a lifetime of success.

Therefore, to every cultivator, the Prodigy Convention was definitely the best stage to display their abilities. As long as they had the ability, they would rely on this platform to spread their wings like a bird! With one step, they would soar into the sky.

“Eh? Why didn’t the main platform open? Weren’t there two talent cultivators who awakened a few days ago?” However, the Vermilion Bird Platform only opened the secondary platform—not the main platform, and it greatly disappointed the crowd that had already stood up.

“That’s right, aren’t there two talent cultivators? I heard that that Jade Rabbit talent cultivator is the daughter of the Eldest Son of the Su Residence, whose family belongs to the Western Wilderness King. She is also the niece of the Northern Territory King’s heir, Miss Su Lianhua.”

“That’s right. I heard about it, too. This Third Young Lady Su has always been very talented. However, the limelight on the former Eldest Young Lady Ye’s was stronger. Now, it fits the old saying that the wheel of fortune takes turns. Miss Ye is crippled, and Miss Su is shining now.”

“Let’s not talk so much. I just want to ask, since a talent cultivator has awakened, why aren’t they opening the Vermilion Bird Main Platform?” The crowd was full of doubts and heated debate.

However, even Su Lianhua, who was about to arrive at the scene—after the Holy Emperor, did not understand why.

“Aunt, why isn’t the Vermilion Bird Main Platform open?” Su Lianhua couldn’t help but look miserably at Su Qin, who was in the same carriage as her. The latter was also clearly confused.

“Granny Nan, send someone to ask the prince why the Vermilion Bird Main Platform isn’t open. Is Hua’er not qualified to step on the Vermilion Bird Platform?” Su Qin immediately sent someone to ask.

At the same time, Ye Fengtian—who was similarly puzzled—had already ordered his trusted aide to ask the dynasty’s Senior Grand Secretary, Lord Bai. The latter was precisely that white-haired, silver-browed elder.

“Tell Prince Ye that this is the Crown Prince’s order.” The Grand Secretary, Lord Bai, replied to Ye Fengtian, treating it as doing the latter a favor at little cost to himself. However, he himself couldn’t figure out why the Crown Prince didn’t allow the Vermilion Bird Platform to open.

“Why aren’t you allowing the Vermilion Bird Platform to open? Even if that Nine Mystical Extraordinary Fire talent cultivator cannot be found, isn’t there still the Su family’s daughter with Jade Rabbit Talent?” In reality, Holy Emperor Rong Feng—who was in the carriage at the very front—expressed that he didn’t understand either.

“I’m not happy,” Rong Mo answered willfully when he was asked.

Rong Feng: “…” What else could he say? Although this was his son without mistake, he really couldn’t control this child. As a father in such a position, he felt a little stifled, too.

“Do you not like that daughter of the Su family that much, or are you taking your anger out on her?” Rong Feng thought about the report he had received a while ago. He still wanted to know what this genius son was thinking.

Was it because he was dissatisfied with the Ye family of the Northern Territory that he was taking his anger out on this niece? Or was there something else going on?

However, before Rong Feng could inquire about the actual situation, a confidant came to report, “Your Majesty, the Gifted Academy’s Lord Feng requests the Crown Prince’s presence.”

Rong Feng immediately knew that this invitation was related to the incomplete opening of the Vermilion Bird Platform. He couldn’t help but glance at the instigator, who was still calm and composed, and felt a headache coming on.

“Your Majesty?” The confidant pressed on somewhat anxiously. That person was a teacher from the Gifted Academy, for goodness’ sake.

“I’m not here,” Rong Mo responded without waiting for Rong Feng’s reply.

Uh…

To be the one to state that he wasn’t present… The person who came to make the report didn’t know what to say anymore. However, he still had to return and report to Feng Lihuan. “Crown Prince said that he isn’t around.”

“…” Feng Lihuan’s face darkened completely when he heard that. He almost broke out of the carriage to settle his scores with that brat, Rong Mo. Why did he stand him up?

However, just when he stood up on impulse, his body suddenly stopped moving. In the next moment, he lifted the curtain of the carriage, and his sharp eagle-like eyes stared straight at a person in the crowd far away. A…

Young girl?!

An ordinary… Oh, not at all! She was a very pretty and elegant young lady.

“…” Feng Lihuan’s face turned even darker instantly. So why was his Gifted Academy enrollment token with this girl?

“Rong Mo, this d*mned brat. Don’t tell me, he’s using my enrollment token to please this pretty young lady?” Feng Lihuan felt uncomfortable all over.

He did not want to think that way either. However, no matter how he looked at it, he could not detect a trace of the aura of a talent cultivator from this girl, let alone the aura of the Nine Mystical Extraordinary Fire.

When he thought about how willful and preposterous Rong Mo behaved in the academy, he felt that it was very possible. He might have been fooled, hmm… Not perhaps, but that he had definitely been fooled.

With this in mind, Feng Lihuan had already decided to beat that d*mned kid to death! However, just when he had made his decision, he changed his mind the next moment.

Swish!

Right at this moment, Ye Qianli—who was amidst the crowd—acutely sensed that a probing gaze was focused on her like an eagle. She subconsciously looked over.

“!”

With just a glance—when Ye Qianli’s gaze met with Feng Lihuan’s, the irritable aura from the latter’s entire body faded. It was her! The talent cultivator of the Nine Mystical Extraordinary Fire.

Feng Lihuan immediately smiled, and his gaze also changed from investigative probing to gentle kindness. This made the vigilant Ye Qianli narrow her eyes slightly, not knowing what he meant.

“It’s him.”

The magic box sent a message to Ye Qianli right then.

“You know him?” Ye Qianli’s right eye had good accuracy so, even though they were far away, she could still see the other party’s face clearly. However, she didn’t even recognize that person while the magic box actually knew him? This couldn’t be right.

“When you were about to awaken your talent, his gift of clairvoyance was near the temporary imperial residence you lived in before. I hid you away afterward. I didn’t expect him to be here. It seems like he has recognized you,”

the magic box said.

“He knows that I’m a Nine Heavens Mystical Fire talent cultivator?” Ye Qianli frowned and asked.

“No, that’s not it. After all, you hadn’t awakened at that time. He was unable to determine what kind of talent cultivator you were. However, he should have determined that you were that Nine Mystical Extraordinary Fire’s talent cultivator.”

The magic box flashed words on the screen.

“So that’s how it is,” Ye Qianli nodded her head. Then, she saw that the vast and mighty group of carriages from the Sacred Palace had already arrived in front of the Vermilion Bird Platform. However, the first person to walk out was the one she was extremely familiar with—that beautiful crown prince!