Chapter 2047: I Caught Up!

“The Seventh Heaven? Is it for that mortal?” another elder asked, raising an eyebrow.

“If you’re thinking of recruiting him, we’ve already sent someone,” another replied. “The Young Lady is there as well—there’s no need for you to go personally.”

Tian Yuexing’s father shook his head and sighed.

“Do any of you even understand what sincerity is? We’re talking about a mortal who not only qualifies as a Sword Emperor, but whose talent points to a future without limits.”

“But to send the head of the family so soon… we might come across as desperate,” someone else remarked.

Once a background or individual reached a certain level of influence and power, there was little left to pursue but reputation. At that point, face became everything—an asset so valuable that countless experts would willingly risk their lives just to preserve it.

“So what if we lose a little face? If it helps us surpass that arrogant Celestial Family, then it’s a small price to pay!”

“Even if you say that…” one of the elders began, hesitating. “Wouldn’t it be better to let the Young Lady recruit him instead? That way, not only would a connection be established, but it would deepen far more quickly.”

“I agree,” another elder chimed in. “The Young Lady isn’t just a top beauty, but she’s also exceptionally persuasive. It would be best to let her handle the recruitment.”

Tian Yuexing’s father fell silent, deep in thought. After a brief pause, he returned to his seat.

“Very well,” he said at last. “We’ll let Jinhui handle this—for now.”

He then added, “Also, you’re all moving too fast. Forming a connection with him is one thing—having him join our family is another matter entirely. No matter how talented he is, I won’t simply hand Jinhui over without first testing him thoroughly. He must prove that he’s truly worthy.”

“That’s only natural.” The others nodded their heads in agreement.

After another month, Tian Yuexing finally defeated his tenth opponent, successfully passing the third trial.

Upon returning to the platform, Tian Yuexing immediately looked up at the rankings. He let out a quiet sigh of relief when he saw that Yuan’s score hadn’t changed. He had managed to narrow the gap.

“I can do it… I will catch up to him,” he muttered to himself, determination flashing in his eyes as he turned to face the door to the fourth trial.

He considered resting for a moment since the third trial had taken a serious toll on him, both physically and mentally.

But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to stop. After all the effort it had taken to close the gap, he couldn’t risk falling behind again.

After taking a deep breath, Tian Yuexing entered the fourth door, beginning his fourth trial.

“The Heavenly Son has caught up! They’re both in the fourth trial now!” The spectators exclaimed with excitement.

“No, the Heavenly Son is still behind the mortal.”

“For now, but he’ll definitely catch up. Look at how fast he’s sprinting up the mountain,” said another spectator.

Once Tian Yuexing understood the objective of the fourth trial, he didn’t hesitate, immediately beginning his ascent with unwavering determination.

While Yuan had taken his time, even pausing to enjoy the scenery along the way, Tian Yuexing advanced with immense focus. His eyes never wavered from the path ahead, and he had no interest in anything but reaching the peak as fast as possible.

Within just a few hours, Tian Yuexing reached the section of the mountain that required Supreme Sword Aura.

By the next day, he had climbed far enough to meet the requirement for passing the trial, and a glowing exit portal appeared before him.

Tian Yuexing paused at the threshold, taking a moment to consider his next move. It was the first time he had truly rested since completing the third trial.

Lifting his gaze toward the mountain peak, he could sense the overwhelming Supreme Sword Aura radiating from above—it was far beyond what he could currently withstand. Reaching the summit was, for now, out of the question.

Accepting this, Tian Yuexing turned toward the portal and prepared to exit the trial.

Moments later, Tian Yuexing stepped back onto the platform. Just like before, the first thing he did was lift his head to check the rankings.

“I—I did it! I caught up!” Tian Yuexing exclaimed, eyes wide with satisfaction and triumph.

Clenching his fists, he stood tall with excitement surging through him, as his name now shone at the top of the rankings, just above Yuan’s.

It was the first time Tian Yuexing had ever felt such genuine excitement from being in first place.

Normally, it was something he accepted with calm indifference—an expectation rather than a thrill. But this time was different. This victory felt earned.

Yet, despite Tian Yuexing finally claiming first place, nobody seemed to be paying attention to him. Their eyes were fixed elsewhere, their attention completely consumed by another presence.

A few seconds before Tian Yuexiang completed the fourth trial, Yuan, who had been cultivating in silence this whole time, opened his eyes and slowly stood up.

The instant the spectators saw his aura, a wave of shock swept through the crowd. Their eyes widened, expressions frozen in disbelief.

“H-He didn’t just reach near-perfection…” someone gasped. “This freak actually perfected his Supreme Sword Aura!”

Yuan only needed to reach near perfection to climb to the mountain’s peak, but he went above and beyond by perfecting his Supreme Sword Aura.

Shrouded in perfected Supreme Sword Aura, a level attained only by true Sword Emperors, Yuan took the final few steps that brought him to the summit of the mountain.

As Yuan returned to the platform, his gaze immediately landed on Tian Yuexing, who stood not far away.

Tian Yuexing’s eyes were fixed on the rankings, and a look of satisfaction lingered on his face, completely unaware that Yuan had returned.

A second later, Yuan watched as Tian Yuexing’s blissful expression twisted with shock and horror.

The ranking had updated, and the position had changed again. Now, Tian Yuexing was once again behind Yuan.

“What?!” Tian Yuexing cried out loud, sounding as if a ghost spooked him.