CHAPTER 1243: CHAPTER 1215: SHANGGUAN QIAN

"This is the place." Leading Li Chen to the foot of a mountain, Huang Tieshan pointed upward and said, "This is the official location for the Martial Arts Conference."

Li Chen looked in the direction that Huang Tieshan was pointing.

In front of him was a somewhat low mountain peak.

The mountain’s base was incredibly large, but for some reason, it wasn’t very high, which Li Chen found quite peculiar.

"This used to be a tall mountain," Huang Tieshan said, as if he immediately understood Li Chen’s confusion, smacking his lips:

"But because this place was designated as the venue for the Martial Arts Conference, the Hongmeng Pavilion and several other major forces dispatched powerful experts to slice off one-third of the mountain!"

There was a note of admiration in Huang Tieshan’s eyes, "A whole mountain, cut down by one-third—how terrifying must that power be? Probably only Earth-level experts could achieve that, right?"

As a Yellow Rank Martial Artist, Huang Tieshan felt he had already stretched his imagination to the limit.

Although he had never seen an Earth-level expert actually take action, he could imagine some of their might.

This mountain is where the Martial Arts Conference is held and is also where every participant registers and receives their number card. Once you go up there, someone will guide you." Huang Tieshan said with a cheerful smile, "Brother, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading off first."

Li Chen cupped his fist towards Huang Tieshan, "Thanks a lot."

"No need to thank me! I’m getting paid for this, after all. I’m a businessman, and isn’t credibility the most important thing for a businessman?" Huang Tieshan quickly waved his hand and said.

Li Chen was speechless.

This Huang Tieshan reminded him somewhat of someone he knew.

Didn’t that person also often claim to be a businessman?

With a soft laugh, Li Chen ignored the departing Huang Tieshan and swiftly headed up the mountain.

The venue for the Martial Arts Conference was indeed vast, much larger than Li Chen had originally imagined. By Li Chen’s estimation, this venue was probably far more gigantic than any sports venue he had ever seen.

After all, it was a venue built with an entire mountain as its foundation.

But despite its size, it was also somewhat overcrowded.

There were evidently quite a few martial artists who came to participate in the Martial Arts Conference, and even in such a huge venue, it was bustling with people.

After a long time, Li Chen finally received his participant number card and promptly left the congested venue.

Around the venue were numerous spectator seats. However, at this time, most people were in the venue lining up to get their number cards, so there were fewer people in the audience.

Li Chen casually found a place to sit and then looked at the crowded martial artists below, starting to ponder.

Of course, he was still contemplating the so-called ’Heaven’s Chosen.’

"A Heavenly Gate Realm ticket? What exactly is it, and why does it depend on luck to get it?" Li Chen was full of questions.

If the ticket was so rare, why wouldn’t the Hongmeng Pavilion and major forces use it themselves, instead of offering it as a reward?

Furthermore, by relying on this ticket to the Heavenly Gate Realm, could one really successfully break through to become a Heaven-level Expert?

Li Chen didn’t know.

But what he wanted to know was whether his father and others truly went to the Heavenly Gate Realm.

What exactly was in the Heavenly Gate Realm, and why hadn’t they returned?

Just as Li Chen was considering these questions, there was a sudden commotion by his side.

Li Chen turned his head to see a man with a somewhat weathered face approaching and sitting directly next to him.

"Young man, you don’t mind, do you?" the man said with a gentle smile, looking at Li Chen.

Li Chen nodded without speaking.

He could tell that this man was also an Earth-Level Warrior and even a Union Level Earth-Level Warrior.

While the venue was crowded, Earth-level experts were still a minority, and there were even fewer above Union Level.

"So young, yet with such cultivation; sometimes, we old folks really feel powerless," the man remarked as he glanced at Li Chen and then suddenly took out a flask, taking a large gulp.

"Want a sip?" the man said, offering the flask to Li Chen.

"Thanks." Li Chen smiled and declined; he drank very little nowadays, except at some essential gatherings, where he pretty much avoided it.

He took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one for himself silently, and then handed one to the man beside him.

"This is good stuff," the man remarked, his eyes lighting up when he saw the cigarette in Li Chen’s hand. He took one, lit it, and took a happy puff.

"I’m Shangguan Qian. What’s your name, young brother?" the man asked with a friendly smile.

He couldn’t perceive Li Chen’s strength, but he could sense an unusual aura emanating from Li Chen. This alone indicated that the young man was definitely a martial artist.

And his inability to gauge Li Chen’s strength could only mean that Li Chen’s cultivation was even superior!

"Li Chen," Li Chen said calmly.

"Li Chen?" Shangguan Qian’s eyebrow raised. "The Li Chen of the Palace of the Nether King?"

"Same name," Li Chen replied softly, neither confirming nor denying it.

Shangguan Qian shook his head with a bitter smile and then said, "Whether or not you’re that Li Chen, I can see that you’re probably not over forty. To have such cultivation at your age, I must admit, I’m impressed."

Li Chen just smiled without speaking.

The two had just met; there was no need to pour his heart out to Shangguan Qian—it was just a casual conversation.

"I used to think I was a genius too; I broke through to Earth Level before I was forty. Yet, over forty years later, I’m merely at Union Level." Shangguan Qian took a drag from his cigarette and another gulp of wine, speaking bitterly.

"Cultivating is sometimes like that; it’s partly effort, partly luck, and partly destiny," Li Chen calmly said, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Didn’t expect someone so young to have such insight," Shangguan Qian shook his head and said.

"I’ve seen many geniuses over the years. Over twenty years ago, it was the same scene, but much bloodier than now," Shangguan Qian’s eyes glinted with remembrance.

"Over twenty years ago?" A gleam flashed in Li Chen’s eyes, and he asked seemingly casually:

"Old Brother Shangguan, you seem to have cultivated for many years. I heard that over twenty years ago was also a generation full of geniuses. Could you tell me what happened?"

"Over twenty years ago..." Shangguan Qian clicked his tongue and said with emotion, "If I really have to say, there’s a lot to tell."

"However, back then, the Martial Artist World was glorious, with many geniuses. But the most dazzling were always just a few people."

Shangguan Qian’s eyes showed a complex expression: "Those who were hailed as the strongest generation in hundreds of years."