Chapter 949: The Most Handsome Man within the World of Sects

"So... so you're saying..."

Yue Yunlan's eyes sparkled with a hint of delight. "Mr. Ling's Mark of Brilliance might not look impressive on the surface, but it is a celestial phenomenon?"

"

Mhm.

" Xiao Yunsu gave a light nod. "To transform clear skies into a vast expanse of stars... that speaks to the grandeur of heaven and earth. That is the will of the world. As for the Nine-Star Alignment, that counts as a rare anomaly."

She paused briefly before continuing in a flat tone, "Still, I've never heard of this kind of phenomenon before."

"Then, Master, do you know how this celestial phenomenon compares in grade?" Yue Yunlan blinked. "Is it stronger than Second Brother's Sea of Clouds and Rising Nine Dragons?"

Xiao Yunsu thought for a moment and gave a small shake of her head. "I can't say for sure."

Yue Yunlan furrowed her brows, visibly disappointed. Ling Feng, on the other hand, only smiled faintly. Since even this egg-shaped Mark of Brilliance qualified as a celestial phenomenon, he supposed it was at least passable. Though the look of it was still...

A bit hard to swallow!

"Right!" Yue Yunlan's eyes lit up. She beamed. "Mr. Ling, tomorrow just happens to be our Cangqiong Sect's annual Dao Discussion Assembly. The top geniuses from across the world of sects will gather at Cangqiong Mountain's Tiansheng Peak to share their insights on cultivating Marks of Brilliance and soul manifestations. We should go. You might learn something useful."

She giggled and added, "Our Cangqiong Sect's senior brother, Mu Qingchen, will be there too!"

"Senior brother Mu is a rare genius. He once came within a hair's breadth of condensing a Mark of Brilliance at the attribute source level. Ever since, he's been obsessed with understanding the art of Mark of Brilliance condensation. He's spent over a decade studying ancient techniques from across the ages. I doubt there's anyone in the Tianbai Empire who knows more about Marks of Brilliance than he does."

Mu Qingchen, the one she spoke of, was the Cangqiong Sect Leader Yue Zhonglian's last disciple. He was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, but had already stepped half a foot into the king-tier realm. Among all the disciples in the sect, he was seen as an idol.

Renowned for both his knowledge and talent, Mu Qingchen loved traveling and meeting heroes from all corners of the land. His reputation stretched far beyond the Tianbai Empire and was well known throughout the Dongling Region.

"Alright. Then I'll stay one more day."

Ling Feng nodded with a faint smile. In his mind, he recalled the monstrous genius Feng Yan from the Tiansheng Empire whom he had encountered on the Battlefield of the Gods and Demons. This Mu Qingchen was probably cut from the same cloth. One of those martial fanatics obsessed with the path of cultivation.

Someone like that... suited his tastes!

...

The Cangqiong Mountain range stretched on for more than three thousand miles, with majestic peaks and rolling mist that curled through the ridges like drifting silk. And among these countless mountains, the highest peak was none other than the Tiansheng Peak.

This peak, which was usually tranquil and elegant like a hidden paradise, bustled with activity today.

For today, atop this summit, the Cangqiong Sect would host a grand assembly for the most promising young talents in the world of sects. And presiding over this assembly was none other than the Cangqiong Sect's senior brother, Mu Qingchen.

The mountain peak was studded with stone platforms, all surrounded by crowds of cultivators. The oldest among them could not have been more than thirty, and each of them hailed as top-tier geniuses within the world of sects. Ling Feng even spotted a few "old friends" in the crowd.

There was Li Yunting, Dugu Lang, and Xuanyuan Pozhen among them. Though each of them was a monster in his own right, none of them were the center of attention today.

The top geniuses within the world of sects gathered on the mountaintop, sipping fine tea in the gentle mountain breeze. The scene felt calm and refined, as if time itself had slowed down.

In the middle of all the stone platforms was a round raised area, where a polite-looking young man sat quietly.

This was the host of today's assembly, Mu Qingchen.

In his hands was a jade flute. He played a flowing, mystical melody that lingered in the air like drifting smoke. The others sipped their tea while listening, occasionally nodding as if gaining insight.

Ling Feng narrowed his eyes slightly. Within the sea of his mind, his Mark of Brilliance stirred faintly in response to the music.

When the song ended, a man dressed in elegant robes rose from the other side of the platform. He was handsome to an extraordinary degree. As he stood, his robes fluttered in the breeze, lending him an ethereal air. Down below, more than a few female cultivators looked up at him with starry eyes, completely lovestruck.

This man was Jiang Qingge, the chief disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect.

Within the world of sects, the Xiaoyao Sect had long held the position of eternal runner-up, ranked just below the Cangqiong Sect.

But as the saying went, a soldier who does not wish to become a general is not a good soldier. A sect that doesn't aim to surpass the first could never be called a great sect.

Though the status of the Divine Guardian Sect was unshakable, the battle between first and second among the remaining sects was always fiercely contested. That much was to be expected.

Jiang Qingge's position within the Xiaoyao Sect mirrored Mu Qingchen's role in the Cangqiong Sect. However, there was one title he carried that eclipsed even his rank as the sect's top disciple.

He was known as the most handsome man in the world of sects!

That said, his beauty leaned toward the feminine. There was a softness to his features, a kind of elegant delicacy. It was the kind of beauty Ling Feng could never appreciate.

A grown man, caked in powder and rouge. What was the point?

"Senior brother Mu's performance was truly sublime. Just one listen was worth more than a month of meditation," Jiang Qingge said with a gentle smile, offering Mu Qingchen a sword salute. "As expected of a master of the Mark of Brilliance. I suspect that, once again, you will be unmatched in today's assembly."

Down below, Yue Yunlan leaned toward Ling Feng and gave him a detailed introduction to Mu Qingchen and Jiang Qingge. In the Tianbai Empire, these two were monsters among monsters. Though neither had officially entered the king-tier realm, both could already defeat most king-tier martial artists with ease.

There was no doubt that the future would see both of them ascend to the Human Emperor realm.

"I've heard that Brother Jiang's mastery of the qin is otherworldly. Would you do us the honor of a performance?" Mu Qingchen looked at him with a smile.

Among the many geniuses gathered here, quite a few had names known far and wide. But the only one Mu Qingchen truly considered worthy of his attention was Jiang Qingge.

After all, Mu Qingchen had traveled the world and seen the heights of genius. His perspective was far beyond the ordinary.

"

Haha...

I've been itching to play ever since hearing your melody, Senior Brother Mu," Jiang Qingge laughed warmly. "Since you've asked, I'll gladly embarrass myself with a tune."

He signaled to the young servant behind him, who promptly brought forth a fine qin.

Soon, Jiang Qingge took the instrument into his arms. With a graceful motion of his sleeve, he sat down lightly before the stone platform and placed the qin in front of him. He slowly closed his eyes. His fingers flowed across the strings like running water.

Notes began to drift into the air, soft and ethereal. The sound carried like a spring breeze, warm and refreshing, soothing the heart and mind.

Even Ling Feng felt his spirit sharpen. Within the sea of his mind, his Mark of Brilliance resonated faintly with the qin's melody.

"This music... it actually nourishes the Mark of Brilliance!"

Ling Feng couldn't help but admire them inwardly. These were the sect world's monster geniuses, their profound mastery speaking for itself.