Chapter 2049: Celestial Family

“It’s been a while, Sect Leader Bai,” said one of the two figures—a stunning woman clad in pure white robes, her silver accessories shimmering with grace. Her beauty was ethereal, almost otherworldly, resembling that of a celestial fairy descended from the heavens.

“It has indeed been a while, Madam Jun,” Senior Bai responded with a respectful nod. “Had I known of your arrival in advance, I would have prepared a more fitting welcome.”

“Don’t sweat about it,” Madam Jun replied with a gentle smile. “My daughter and I were simply passing through when I remembered the Sword Emperor Qualifications were underway, so we thought we’d stop by for a quick look. Don’t mind us and act like we’re not even here.”

Senior Bai nodded and returned to the platform.

“Who are they?” Yuan asked Senior Bai, pretending not to know about the Celestial Family.

“You don’t know—oh, right.” Senior Bai almost forgot that Yuan was originally from Earth.

“That is the Celestial Family. They’re the Celestial Emperor’s family,” he gave a brief explanation.

“Are they here to watch the Sword Emperor Qualifications?” Yuan continued to ask.

Senior Bai nodded, “Yes, they showed up on a whim since they were nearby.”

“I see…” Yuan breathed an inward sigh of relief upon realizing that the Celestial Family hadn’t come because of him. For now, their presence was merely a coincidence and not a confrontation, and he hoped it stayed that way.

While Yuan waited for Tian Yuexing to finish resting, the Celestial Family analyzed the situation.

“The Heavenly Son, huh? I’d almost forgotten he was participating,” Madam Jun muttered as her gaze settled on Tian Yuexing.

She spared a brief glance at Yuan, but quickly lost interest—until her eyes shifted to the ranking board.

“Huh?” A soft, dumbfounded sound escaped her lips as she noticed something unexpected: Tian Yuexing’s name was not at the top.

“Yuan?” the young lady beside her echoed softly, a flicker of curiosity lighting up her eyes as she spoke this name, her voice tinged with intrigue.

No one was more familiar with Tian Yuexing and the Tian Family than the Celestial Family, whose rivalry with them stretched back long before they were ever granted the title of Celestial.

Though they were known as the Celestial Family now—thanks to their connection to the current Celestial Emperor—that hadn’t always been their name.

In truth, the Celestial Family was more of a title than a permanent lineage. Whenever a new Celestial Emperor was chosen, their family would inherit the title, becoming the next Celestial Family for the duration of their reign.

“Now this is a real surprise,” Madam Jun chuckled, amusement glinting in her eyes. “Who would’ve thought that arrogant little prick would end up beneath someone? Just witnessing this made the entire trip worthwhile.”

However, what puzzled her was the unfamiliar name. If someone more talented than Tian Yuexing existed, there was no way she wouldn’t have heard of him before now.

Madam Jun turned her gaze to the screen displaying the participants’ trials, intent on finding Yuan, unaware that she had been looking directly at him just moments earlier.

When she saw that all of the participants being displayed were doing the same trial, Madam Jun turned to look at the masked figure again, this time with more attention.

“He’s… a mortal?” Madam Jun almost couldn’t believe her eyes.

What was a mortal doing in the Sword Emperor Qualifications? Was he Yuan? How did he manage to overtake Tian Yuexing?

Madam Jun had many questions in her mind.

Instead of asking Senior Bai—the quickest and most direct way to learn about Yuan—Madam Jun chose another approach. She turned to one of her guards and gave a quiet command to gather information on him.

After receiving her command, the God Ascension realm cultivator swiftly made his way to the spectator area and began questioning those nearby. The spectators, eager to speak, wasted no time in revealing everything they knew about Yuan, from his feats to the remarkable achievements he had displayed throughout the trials.

As the God Ascension realm cultivator listened to the spectators, he couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded.

The details they provided sounded so exaggerated and unbelievable that it felt more like they were reciting a fantasy story.

However, he knew there was no way the spectators would dare lie so blatantly in front of the Celestial Family.

With that in mind, the God Ascension cultivator returned to Madam Jun shortly after and dutifully recited everything he had learned.

Madam Jun and the young lady beside her listened with wide eyes, their faces full of disbelief and shock.

“He’s an actual mortal?” Madam Jun repeated, disbelief flickering in her eyes.

The idea of a mere mortal not only entering the Sword Emperor Qualifications but also outperforming the top genius in the Nine Heavens was something she struggled to comprehend.

Suddenly, Madam Jun retrieved an elegant chair from her spatial ring and placed it behind her, where it hovered effortlessly in midair, as if supported by an invisible platform beneath her.

“You might want to get comfortable,” she said to the young lady at her side, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Looks like we’ll be staying a bit longer than planned.”

The young lady nodded and also retrieved a chair.

A day later, Senior Bai said, “Your time for resting is over. Please head to the next trial immediately.”

Tian Yuexing opened his eyes for the first time in a week, a resolute flame burning within them.

The week of rest had worked wonders. His mind had cleared, and his energy was fully restored. In that moment, he felt unstoppable, as if there was nothing he couldn’t overcome.

Tian Yuexing rose to his feet, his gaze locked onto Yuan.

“About our bet… I’m changing the terms,” he said firmly. “Once I win, I want you to remove that mask.”

Yuan stood as well, saying nothing, only offering a silent nod of acknowledgment.

Without another word, the two of them turned and approached the final door, ready to begin the last trial of the Sword Emperor Qualifications.