Chapter 207: I'll wait for the genius to catch up at the finish line!

Chapter 207: I’ll Be Waiting at the Finish Line for Geniuses to Catch Up!

The Mountain and Sea Holy Land is located along the eastern coastline of the continent.

One by one, grand human cities line the shore.

The Holy Land doesn’t refer to just a single sect; it’s a human settlement centered around a powerful major sect.

There are ordinary people here too, with markets, streets, government offices, and even nations.

At first glance, it feels like being back in the Five Regions.

Traffic flows endlessly, people come and go.

But the nineteen cities of the Mountain and Sea Holy Land—each one far surpasses the most prosperous Great Qian Imperial Capital in the Five Regions in terms of bustle.

The people here are well-dressed, well-fed, and refined in their etiquette.

The cities are orderly, clean, and neat, with buildings packed in rows.

They’re built right on top of Spiritual Veins, with both mortals and martial artists living together without any visible conflict.

You spent over a month gathering the atmosphere in one big city, and you felt a huge difference in the customs of the Holy Land compared to the Five Regions.

Many rituals, clothing styles, and traditions that have been lost in the Five Regions are not only fully preserved here, but every household cares deeply about them.

“It seems the Holy Land preserves human culture more completely,” you thought. “The Five Regions, on the other hand, are somewhat fragmented, just barely getting by.”

You estimate this difference is likely connected to the great war from thirty thousand years ago.

The true Mountain and Sea Holy Land is a majestic sect standing right on the coast.

It stands apart from those affiliated cities, serving as the sacred cultivation ground in the hearts of every martial artist in this domain.

The so-called kingdoms within the Holy Land—their kings can only be called “professional managers”; the real power lies with the Holy Land’s master.

You discovered that the martial artist realms here are generally higher than in the Five Regions.

In the ordinary circles of the Five Regions, the Golden Body Realm is already considered expert-level.

But here in the Holy Land, the Golden Body Realm is extremely common, and judging by their humble demeanor, they clearly don’t think of themselves as anything special.

You also ran into a few Martial Kings, flying around up in the sky.

After asking around a bit, you estimate that the number of Martial Kings in the Holy Land is probably lower than in the Five Regions.

But considering that the Mountain and Sea Holy Land’s baseline population is much smaller than the Five Regions, the proportion of Martial Kings here is quite exaggerated.

“So the Holy Land really does have a stable method for breakthrough, allowing them to promote Martial Kings from among those stuck at the Spirit Condensation Realm!”

You suppressed your aura and kept a low profile, careful not to let anyone discover you were at the Martial King Realm and cause unnecessary trouble.

The Mountain and Sea Holy Land wasn’t your final destination; you were headed to the Free and Unfettered Holy Land, which lies overseas.

In the Five Regions, information about the Holy Lands is outdated and incomplete.

Because of the vast distance and minimal communication between them.

But the Mountain and Sea Holy Land is right next door to the Free and Unfettered Holy Land—they’re not far apart—so you can gather plenty of information here.

“Next year is the Free and Unfettered Holy Land’s once-in-sixty-years Saint Apprentice Recruitment Ceremony?”

“That’s right!”

“What’s the difference between the Saint Apprentice Recruitment Ceremony and regular recruitment?”

You were sitting in a tea house in one of the cities, chatting with a few martial artists at the Spirit Sea Realm.

Since you footed the entire bill, these martial artists were happy to chat with you, seeing your generosity, and answered whatever you asked.

You’re wondering how you paid?

Of course, with a pile of Demon Tribe materials—horns, claws, scales, sinews, and the like...

Don’t ask where they came from.

“Regular recruitment doesn’t care about your talent. As long as you’re willing to share the Holy Land’s honor and face life and death together, you can enter as an outer disciple.

But the Saint recruitment is completely different!

They only take true geniuses!

The initiation trial is incredibly difficult!

If you get selected, the Holy Land will train you heavily, and you’ll have the chance to compete for the next Saint or Saintess candidate.

If you succeed in that competition, reaching the Martial King Realm in the future is practically a sure thing!”

Hearing this, you were actually a bit worried whether your High-Grade Bone Structure would even catch their eye.

Later, as you talked more deeply, you found out that the Saint initiation trial isn’t just a simple test of bone structure or physique.

Instead, it’s a selection through competition.

“So it’s another battle royale. That’s my specialty.”

Eighth year, twenty-seven years old.

Drawing Trait…

Draw Successful!

“Formation Master” (Purple Epic): Your speed in learning Formation Dao far surpasses others. Any formation you personally arrange, as long as resources permit, can reach the pinnacle of perfection.

Adjust Traits?

Yes / No

“This is a good trait!”

In this simulation, Chen Yi planned to break the stalemate using the Seven Luminaries Immortal Array.

It’s obvious how important setting up the formation would be.

Originally, Chen Yi intended to find the most powerful Formation Master in the human world to set it up.

Now, it seemed he could possibly do it himself!

“Since I’m about to enter the Free and Unfettered Holy Land, since I’m going to pretend to take the disciple trial to blend in, ‘Playing the Pig to Eat the Tiger’ is a must.

After all, what kind of Martial King would go and seek a master?

In my spare time from training, I’ll study Formation Dao.

With the complete Formation Dao research notes I got from the Shen Family Founding Ancestor, and with this trait backing me up, even without a teacher, I can teach myself!”

Chen Yi began to adjust his traits.

Choosing what to keep and what to drop was quite the art.

[You replaced “Treasure-Sniffing Nose” with “Formation Master.”]

[You replaced “The Aura of Ten Thousand Races” with “Playing the Pig to Eat the Tiger.”]

Chen Yi figured he’d be staying in the Holy Land for a while.

Since he wouldn’t be going out and had to play the part of an obedient disciple,

“Treasure-Sniffing Nose” and “The Aura of Ten Thousand Races” were temporarily useless.

There was also “My Knowledge Has Become a Jumbled Mess” that he needed to equip.

Only with that trait could he cultivate the Demon Tribe Body Refinement technique he had acquired earlier.

But alas, with limited slots, he could only queue them up.

Besides, the Chen Yi in the simulation wasn’t a perpetual motion machine; he had a lot to learn and could only take it one step at a time.

[You flew across the sea and arrived at a chain of offshore islands.]

[On each of these islands stood a massive tower structure, its golden light blazing, with Array Patterns flowing across its surface.]

[This chain of islands was the Free and Unfettered Holy Land.]

[You had heard in the Mountain and Sea Holy Land that these golden towers were called “Sea-Calming Divine Towers,” used to suppress the sea level below the islands, preventing the waves from crashing into them.]

[As you approached the Free and Unfettered Holy Land, you noticed more and more ships, Exotic Beast mounts, and flying Spirit Artifacts on the sea.]

[These people had all come from the Mountain and Sea Holy Land, the Firmament Holy Land, the Five Regions, the Overseas territories, the Starry Domains, and elsewhere to attend the Free and Unfettered Holy Land’s Saint Apprentice Recruitment Ceremony.]

[Unlike you, who were traveling alone, they all had family elders leading the way.]

[Those Spirit Artifacts and mounts were also being piloted by high-realm martial artists.]

[As a Martial King, you flew directly through the air, passing over their heads.]

[Those spirited, imposing young prodigies, watching your figure soaring across the sky, didn’t show the envy an ordinary person might. Instead, their eyes burned with a confidence that said, “I too will contend with the heavens!”]

[“A real man should be like this!”]

[“One day, I will do the same!”]

[“I shall climb the clouds and overlook the sky, and at a glance, the world below will seem small!”]

[These outstanding individuals would all become your rivals in the competition for the Free and Unfettered Holy Land’s Saint position.]

[Unfortunately, although they were born geniuses, they were just starting out, while you were already standing at the finish line, waiting for them!]