C222 Hibernation Dragon City(1)

Hibernation Dragon City, the capital of the Eastern Realm, rests against the endless expanse of the Hibernation Dragon Mountains. This place marks the easternmost point of the world. According to ancient legends, this is where the great dragon slumbers, its head forming the city and its body stretching into the vast mountain range. Because of this, the Hibernation Dragon Mountains are shrouded in mystery. It's said that high-level demonic beasts residing in these mountains can absorb the dragon's spirit, making them far stronger than ordinary beasts of the same level. Whether these tales are true or merely crafted by someone remains uncertain.

The design of Hibernation Dragon City is indeed unique. From a distance, it resembles a dragon's head, with the city gates appearing like a slightly open dragon's mouth, poised to roar to the heavens at any moment. After the Heavenly Martial Sect took control of the four nations, they attempted to rename the city to Eastern Realm City. However, the image of Hibernation Dragon City was so deeply ingrained in people's minds that the original name persisted, and the sect did not insist on the change. Thus, Hibernation Dragon City remains the only capital among the four nations under the Heavenly Martial Sect that does not bear the country's name.

Recently, the city has been bustling with activity, drawing practitioners of all levels. The Heavenly Martial Dao Discussing Great Association is about to commence here. This grand event, held simultaneously across the four nations under the Heavenly Martial Sect, invites practitioners under the age of twenty-five who have reached the Reality Condensing Stage to participate. The goal is to determine each nation's Heavenly Martial Seed.

This process can be considered a warm-up for the Heavenly Martial Dao Discussing Great Association. The Heavenly Martial Seeds chosen from four countries will compete once more under the Heavenly Martial Sect, marking the true start of the event. It's said that the top ten winners will receive significant rewards, possibly even a chance to enter the Heavenly Martial Sect.

While anyone meeting the criteria can participate, those who qualify are typically elite disciples from various sects. Thus, the event is essentially an annual showdown among the elite disciples of major powers, with the results reflecting their standing for the coming year.

This year, however, there's an interesting twist. Moh Lunhui, the top disciple from the outer courtyard of the Heavenly Martial Academy, has challenged Woo Zhengyang of the Profound Heaven Sect.

Woo Zhengyang, known as the Madman, is a household name in the country. His exploits are often discussed over meals. After spending a year as a lowly servant disciple at the Profound Heaven Sect, he suddenly rose to prominence by defeating Yue Liqing, a junior from the family of an inner elder, Yue Jiuxiao, and boldly entered the outer sect.

Since then, Woo Zhengyang's audacious nature has been on full display. On his first day, he managed to offend the three tyrants of Six-union Valley, including Yun Shaoqing. By the third day, he accepted a mission to leave the mountain, and those who followed him, like Yun Shaoqing, never returned.

After returning from his mission, Woo Zhengyang challenged Yue Liqing and quickly defeated him, only to be outmaneuvered. He then boldly challenged Liu Tianli, the seventh-ranked disciple of the outer sect. Everyone thought Woo Zhengyang was acting recklessly out of anger. However, this newcomer, who hadn't been in the sect for long, managed to defeat Liu Tianli on the martial practicing platform.

Later, when the Mystic Trace Realm opened, Woo Zhengyang became the first recorded disciple to enter it in his first year. He accomplished an unprecedented feat by not only venturing into the Ice Fire Mystic Realm and returning safely but also dominating within, leaving no other new Heavenly Martial Academy disciples able to emerge. This achievement skyrocketed Woo Zhengyang's reputation for being audacious.

In contrast, Moh Lunhui seemed overshadowed by Woo Zhengyang. Though he was the top-ranked disciple of the outer academy, he was the most controversial in history. There wasn't much notable about him until he challenged Woo Zhengyang, which brought his once-quiet name back into conversations.

Regardless, Woo Zhengyang's reputation as a maverick was at its peak. As a result, Hibernation Dragon City became crowded not only with Reality Condensing Stage martial artists preparing for the Heavenly Martial Dao Discussing Great Association but also with martial disciples eager to witness Woo Zhengyang's prowess. The city felt bustling and alive with anticipation.

In Hibernation Dragon City, the four major factions had already gathered. The day Woo Zhengyang and Moh Lunhui were set to face off was conveniently the day before the grand Heavenly Martial Dao Discussing Association began.

On this day, Heavenly Martial Plaza was packed to the brim, with people crowding every inch of space. The only thing visible was a sea of heads. In the plaza stood five grand platforms, reserved for the Heavenly Martial Academy and the four major sects during the association.

Even though today wasn't the official start of the association, the platforms were filled with spectators eager to witness the duel between Woo Zhengyang and Moh Lunhui. A young man, dressed simply in a blue outfit and exuding a humble demeanor, sat casually on the central stage. This seemingly clueless young man was none other than Moh Lunhui, the top student from the outer division of Heavenly Martial Academy.

As time ticked by, the sun reached its peak, and Woo Zhengyang was still nowhere to be seen. Moh Lunhui, unfazed, lay sprawled out on the stage, snoozing away, much to the crowd's astonishment.

"Is this really the guy challenging the notorious Woo Zhengyang? Or does the Heavenly Martial Academy have something else up their sleeve?"

While Moh Lunhui remained unbothered, the crowd at Heavenly Martial Plaza grew restless. Despite it being late spring, the midday sun was scorching. The spectators were packed tightly together, sweating profusely. Those who couldn't bear it any longer had to channel their energy to withstand the heat.