The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

The Eternal Emperor stopped, his gaze sweeping casually over the diverse faces in the square, finally pausing for a moment in the direction of the Eastern Region, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"I'm sure you've all seen the results of the first round of competition."

His voice remained gentle, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"With a score of 48 points, Dongyu is currently ranked first on the leaderboard. This result is extremely rare even in the first round of the entire selection process."

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Wang Long for a moment, without lingering, yet Wang Long sensed a faint, elder-like approval in his eyes.

"Participants from the other four domains should not be discouraged. The all-domain selection has only just begun, and there will be plenty of opportunities for you to catch up in the remaining rounds."

"The second round of competition will officially begin in three days, at which time the competition rules will be announced separately."

After he finished speaking, he looked at everyone and casually added a sentence.

"For the next three days, you are free to move around on the Sendai platform. You may wander around or meditate to regulate your breathing. There is no need to be restrained."

As soon as he finished speaking, the figure of the Longevity Emperor vanished into the air as silently as he had arrived, as if he had never been there at all.

The square was quiet for a moment, then became lively again.

The people from the Eastern Region were still excitedly discussing. Some were already planning how to deal with the second round, some were pulling Wang Long aside to ask him all sorts of questions, and some were patting Ye Niannu on the shoulder and saying, "You'll have to treat us to a meal later, Holy Maiden."

Wang Long was surrounded by the crowd when he felt someone gently poke his waist.

He turned his head and saw Ye Niannu leaning close to his ear, her voice carrying a hint of lazy laughter.

"My lord, we have three days of rest. Shall we go for a stroll? I've heard there's a spirit fruit orchard west of Sendai; the fruits there are incredibly sweet!"

Looking into her bright, sparkling eyes, Wang Long couldn't help but chuckle and gently pinched her cheek.

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

The first round of the nationwide selection has come to an end, but the real challenge has only just begun.

Even after the figure of the Eternal Emperor disappeared, the commotion in the square did not immediately subside.

The people from the Eastern Region surrounded Wang Long and Ye Niannu, chattering about their crushing victory. Someone suggested holding a small banquet at the viewing platform on the east side of Sendai tonight to celebrate.

Ye Niannu was tilting her head as she listened to the people making arrangements in a noisy manner. Her peach blossom eyes were filled with laughter, but she did not rush to agree. Instead, she turned her head to look at Wang Long, as if waiting for his opinion.

Just as Wang Long was about to speak, he suddenly felt an extremely subtle spatial fluctuation pass by his side. The fluctuation was so light that it was like a drop of water falling into a lake, almost impossible to detect. If his mental power had not been tempered to be sharp enough in the spiritual realm, he would hardly have noticed it.

He subconsciously turned his head to the side, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, but he saw nothing.

"My lord?"

Ye Niannu noticed his shoulders tense up slightly for a moment, so she leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

Just as Wang Long was about to say something, he felt a gentle and clear voice resounding deep within his mind, as if someone was speaking to him through a thin layer of water, unhurried and unhurried.

"Young friend, may I speak to you in private?"

It was the voice of the Eternal Emperor, more amiable than when he publicly announced the results in the square, yet still carrying the same undeniable penetrating power.

Wang Long's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged. He glanced at Ye Niannu and whispered something.

"You chat with them for a bit, I'll be right back."

Ye Niannu was slightly taken aback, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, as if trying to read something from his expression, but she didn't ask anything, only nodding gently.

"good."

Wang Long didn't say anything more. He turned around and walked towards the edge of the crowd at a leisurely pace.

The moment he stepped out of the Eastern Region spectator area, he felt the surrounding scenery sway slightly, as if a very subtle ripple had swept past him, gently separating him from the bustling square.

When his vision stabilized again, he found himself standing in a soft and spacious area with no obvious boundaries. The light was even and warm, as if he were wrapped in an invisible film.

The Eternal Emperor stood not far in front of him, hands behind his back, wearing a green robe and white hair, with a gentle face and a casual demeanor as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard.

"Young friend Wang Long, I witnessed the entire competition just now."

He spoke with the gentleness of an elder, and when his gaze fell on Wang Long, it carried the unique satisfaction of examining a junior.

"You are indeed more composed than I imagined."

Wang Long clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

"You flatter me, senior. I was merely doing my best."

The Emperor of Immortality waved his hand, as if he knew he would answer that way. He didn't mince words, but changed the subject, his tone becoming slightly more serious than before.

"As I mentioned at the ceremony, the Eastern Region is currently in first place with 48 points, a truly remarkable achievement. However, the reason I sought you out today is not solely to discuss this."

Wang Long listened quietly without interrupting.

The Eternal Emperor turned around, put his hands behind his back, and looked into the depths of this independent space. The vast and soft light flowed slowly before him, as if silently spreading something.

Do you know what the Eastern Regions looked like 100,000 years ago?

Wang Long was slightly taken aback, then shook his head.

"I have heard that during the great war between the outer regions 100,000 years ago, the Eastern Region was the main battlefield. Many powerful figures perished, and their lineages were severed, which is why the Eastern Region has declined to this day."

The Emperor of Immortality's voice was calm, yet it carried a profound weight that seemed to transcend time.

"That great battle did indeed take place on the territory of the Eastern Region, but the main battlefield in the true sense was not on the ground."

"The seal beneath Tianque City is merely the outermost line of defense; the true battlefield lies deeper within that seal."

He turned around, his gaze falling on Wang Long, his gentle eyes now seemingly reflecting a scene from an extremely distant past.

"The one who guarded that key point of the formation back then was the Azure Emperor Xuanming. He led all his disciples and retainers in a bitter battle deep underground in the Eastern Region for hundreds of years, until their spiritual power was exhausted and their souls withered."

"After his fall, the lineage of his was severed. Nearly 70% of the spiritual veins in the Eastern Region were drained during that great war, turning what was once the most fertile land among the five major regions into the spiritually depleted place it is today."

Wang Long remained silent, recalling the Great Emperor Seed deep within his sea of ​​consciousness, the girl nailed to the wall in Peach Blossom Spring, and the seal crack beneath Tianque City that was constantly leaking black energy.

The Eternal Emperor looked at him, his gaze calm yet carrying an almost candid seriousness.

"I'm telling you this not to burden you with anything, but simply because I believe that since that old fellow Xuanming chose you, you have the right to know these things."

"The decline of the Eastern Region was not because it was inherently weak, but because it once bore the heaviest blow for the entire continent."