The Ancient Emperor Continent was vast and magnificent, even larger than the Ancient God Continent and more expansive than a single great domain among the myriad realms. It was a testament to the heaven-defying methods of the ancient Great Emperors.
Throughout the ages, this continent had given birth to many ancient great cities. Whether it was the humans, the demon race, or the beast race, each had established their own renowned and prosperous main cities.
However, the number one city of the Ancient Emperor Continent was not the human race's main Divine City, nor the demon race's demon city, nor even the beast race's central capital.
The world unanimously acknowledged only one city as the first—the Central Imperial City.
It was located in the very central region of the Ancient Emperor Continent, at the core of the human territories. It had always been a legendary Divine City.
It could be said that this was an ancient Divine City filled with endless secrets. It had appeared since the Heaven and Earth Creation, enduring through endless ages without decay, forever suspended in the ninth heaven, never sinking, impossible to be sunk.
Ancient rumors said the origins of the Central Imperial City were unimaginable. It was an immortal city from that mythical era where Emperors and Sovereigns existed, a Divine City personally established by the ancient Great Emperor who created heaven and earth. Hence, it was also called the Imperial City by the world, carrying extraordinary significance.
Similarly, the Central Imperial City did not belong to any single person, any single power, or any single race.
As long as one was a living being on the Ancient Emperor Continent, they all had the qualification to come to the Central Imperial City. This was a rule established by the ancient Great Emperor, not to be questioned.
Likewise, this was a sacred and inviolable domain. One could not cause trouble or disturbances here, nor disrupt the stability and order of the Imperial City, otherwise they would face severe punishment.
For within the Imperial City existed an extremely ancient power, known as the Guardian Clan. Their origins were mysterious, but their foundation was absurdly powerful, unfathomable and not to be offended.
Throughout many past ages, the strength of the Guardian Clan had been proven, a record earned with blood and bone. Even in the most powerful era of the gods, the Imperial City remained transcendent and inviolable.
It was precisely because of this that throughout the ages, whether it was the Primordial Era, the Era of the Gods, the Ancient Era, or the Middle Ages to the present, the Imperial City remained as prosperous and flourishing as ever.
Of course, due to the Imperial City's various extraordinary aspects, it had also become the main gathering place for the world's powerful experts. Whether human, demon, or beast race, many powerful figures gathered here. It was hailed as the gathering place for the most top-tier experts on the Ancient Emperor Continent, second only to the Divine Realm.
The Central Imperial City, always teeming with powerful figures and bustling with activity, was especially lively on this day. Countless experts gathered from all directions, streaks of cloud rainbows appearing across the ancient land, heading towards this most ancient Imperial City that exuded a sense of vicissitude from endless ages.
For on this day, the three women hailed as the most beautiful throughout the ages on the Ancient Emperor Continent had set up a marriage tournament here, welcoming all the great experts of the world for a martial contest to choose a husband.
One could easily imagine that the three great beauties holding the marriage tournament—Yi Wu, Chen'er, and Zhao Jingruo—each could be hailed as one of the most stunning, world-toppling women throughout the ages, their beauty rivaling celestial immortals, their grace peerless.
For one such woman to appear in the mortal world was enough to stir the world and plunge it into chaos, causing great nations to fall into turmoil and enter an era of strife, let alone three appearing together, as three sisters, possessing charm that could captivate the world.
Moreover, they had once promised that if someone satisfied them, it wouldn't be impossible for them to share a single Dao companion.
Such temptation, who in the world could truly resist? Even Sages who had transcended the mundane could not escape it, emerging from seclusion for this.
Naturally, once the news spread, it thoroughly shook the great world, spreading widely across the Ancient Emperor Continent.
Even Qian's previous feats of seizing the Chaos Supreme Treasure in the Hundred Battles Mountain Range and banishing two Supreme Powers paled in comparison.
It also drove countless men in the world to madness. Whether young talents, rulers of nations who dominated one region, or the lofty Supreme Powers, they all rushed towards the Central Imperial City to participate in the marriage tournament and win the beauties for themselves.
There were even some rumors that even some women could not resist the temptation of the three celestial maidens and also wanted to participate in the marriage tournament. This showed just how high the popularity of the three great beauties was; even as women, they were captivated, unable to extricate themselves.
The heroes of the world gathered at the Central Imperial City!
Starting from the early morning of this day, one could see on the sky leading to the Imperial City, streak after streak of auspicious light constantly appearing, cutting through the air, stirring powerful fluctuations of the Great Dao, dispersing layers of clouds.
Those were all super experts, one after another, coming from all corners of the Ancient Emperor Continent. Some sat cross-legged on cranes, some tread on rare flood dragons, some rode clouds and mists, some arrived in luxurious carriages pulled by immortal beasts.
Which one was not a top-tier, esteemed great figure of the world? Among them were no lack of sect masters of great sects renowned throughout the world, as well as rulers of the human race's thirty-six empires and seventy-two ancient kingdoms. Even super experts from the demon race and beast race were present.
In ordinary times, a single stomp from any of them would cause a vast region to tremble three times. Their sects or nations were revered, with tens of thousands looking up to them, none daring to disobey.
Now, they all hurried over from all directions, their sole purpose being to participate in this marriage tournament of the three great beauties.
The world was shaken!
As the main venue for the marriage tournament, the Imperial City was naturally bustling and lively. Countless powerful figures from the continent flocked here, surpassing any previous occasion.
Within the Imperial City, one could clearly feel that the entire ancient city was filled with the oppressive aura of the Great Dao. One after another, supremely powerful and vigorous Great Dao auras were erupting, and streaks of blood energy great dragons soared into the clouds, extremely eye-catching.
To describe the current Central Imperial City as having experts as numerous as clouds and masters as dense as a forest was not an exaggeration in the slightest.
One could easily foresee how incredibly grand and intense the upcoming marriage tournament would be. It would undoubtedly attract the attention of countless people in the world, an unprecedented spectacle.
Located at the center of the Imperial City was a majestic immortal mountain, supremely lofty, towering into the ninth heaven, piercing straight into the starry domain beyond, rising from the ground with swirling clouds and mist, truly extraordinary.
This was the Imperial City's immortal mountain, naturally of extraordinary origin. Majestically standing were group after group of imposing and luxurious palaces and halls. There were also extraordinary celestial palaces suspended in the air, inlaid with flawless jade, crimson blood jade tiles, shimmering and radiant, with brilliant immortal light, very eye-catching.
Furthermore, three thousand divine halls hung in the sky, eight hundred divine islands descended to the mortal realm, not sinking at the immortal mountain, hailed as never falling, shocking the world.
All of this was unimportant now, because at this moment, on the main hall of the central celestial palace on the immortal mountain, a stunningly beautiful woman appeared.
Three thousand strands of black hair cascaded like a waterfall. Eyebrows like willow leaves, eyes like autumn water, lips like cinnabar pearls, bright eyes and white teeth, red mouth and white teeth, her appearance was world-toppling, her beauty crowned the world.
Her figure was graceful and elegant, wonderfully full and ample, her slender willow waist so fine it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand, her jade legs straight and long. Paired with a face of transcendent, peerless beauty like a banished immortal, she was truly stunning to the nation, the city, and the world, peerless in grace and beauty, matchless in the world.
Such heavenly fragrance and national beauty was enough to make the ruler of a nation willingly become intoxicated under her pomegranate skirt, unable to extricate himself, gladly becoming a foolish ruler who loved beauty more than his kingdom.
The Goddess of a generation, Zhao Jingruo!
Zhao Jingruo stood jade-like on the palace platform, peerless in grace and beauty, stunningly beautiful and matchless.
Her appearance immediately drew the attention of countless experts in the Central Imperial City and numerous fervent, admiring gazes.
She was one of the main protagonists of today's marriage tournament. She possessed a sacred and inviolable aura, her body wreathed in holy light, yet also noble and unapproachable like an empress, cold and aloof.
With another turn, she was again charming and alluring, her eyes flowing with autumn waves like a pool of spring water, enchanting all living beings, stirring the mortal world.
It was hard to imagine that a single woman could possess several completely different auras, yet each was so captivating, irresistible, and perfectly combined, toppling all living beings. Who could resist?
Such a wonderful woman was the best companion for a lifetime. Even if a Divine Spirit descended to the mortal realm, they would fall and prostrate themselves under her pomegranate skirt.
Countless people stared unblinkingly at this Goddess whose beauty eclipsed the mortal world. Her every frown and smile attracted the world's gaze and made hearts race.
Yet the Goddess remained motionless. She stood jade-like on the central celestial palace, her bright eyes like a pool of autumn water somewhat dazed, as if gazing into the endless distance at the horizon, or perhaps waiting for a certain someone, waiting until her heart was broken. This made countless people in the Imperial City burn with jealousy in their eyes, wishing they could kill that person who had stolen the heart of their Goddess.
Yet their hearts were also filled with heroic spirit. For such a beauty, if they could earn a slight smile from the corner of her lips, even if they were to die in battle the next moment, they would die happily.
Not long after, the other two great beauties appeared, drawing even more attention from the people in the Imperial City, a sea of fervent gazes.
One was gentle and serene, a single glance back and a faint smile giving birth to a hundred charms, with the spirit of autumn water and bones of crystal jade.
One had an aura of pure elegance like a lotus beside her, one that could be admired from afar but not played with disrespectfully, a pure and innocent girl in green.
One was as sacred and inviolable as an immortal, also supremely noble, yet enchanting to all living beings.
The three peerless beauties, like plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo, each had their own characteristics, yet all were so stunningly beautiful, toppling nations and cities, stirring the mortal world.
Each one, looking across past, present, and future, was absolutely one of the most beautiful women, with a transcendent aura, as if not of this mortal world, like celestial immortals from the Nine Heavens, indescribably beautiful.
Now, with the three women appearing together, standing side by side, they did not compete for beauty. On the contrary, they complemented each other, harmonizing, making their peerless grace and beauty even more apparent. At this moment, countless people in the Imperial City were stunned, unable to resist.
The three women swept their gazes over the countless experts in the Central Imperial City. Wherever their autumn-wave eyes turned, no one could resist. This immediately made countless men's hearts restless, filled with fervor and endless heroic spirit, desiring to win the beauties for themselves.
At this moment, the Imperial City fell into silence, because everyone's gaze was fixed on the three great beauties, unwilling to disturb their speech.
On the central celestial palace, the one in the center was naturally the Goddess of a generation, Zhao Jingruo. Her body was wreathed in radiant light, setting off her sacred and inviolable aura, transcending the mortal world.
She stood high above, sacred like a Goddess, yet also noble and unapproachable like an empress. Her eyes flowed with shimmering autumn waves as she scanned the endless experts gathered in the Imperial City, slowly opening her mouth. Her voice was like heavenly music, resounding throughout the Imperial City.
Her voice carried a unique charm that could make the world sink into it, unable to extricate themselves—
"Everyone, as early as three months ago, we three sisters told the world here that we would hold a marriage tournament within the Imperial City to choose a husband."
"Three months later, the time has come, which is this very day!"
"We three sisters also fulfill our promise, holding this marriage tournament here, hoping to find a good match, to walk together through life in the future, hand in hand until our hair turns white."
"We three sisters are not blood-related, but the feelings between us surpass those of blood sisters. We have also made a vow to share blessings and hardships together."
"We truly do not wish to be separated. Therefore, we also hope to choose the same Dao companion, the same husband."
Boom—
Her voice was as pleasant as heavenly music, yet the content of her words was like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone's hearts in an instant.
The Imperial City erupted in an uproar. The hearts of the heroes pounded, and numerous fervent gazes appeared.
As early as three months ago, they had said that if possible, they could share a single husband, but it wasn't necessarily confirmed.
Now, speaking it out was equivalent to confirmation.
The three most stunning beauties throughout the ages serving one husband together—what kind of bliss was this? It was enough to drive anyone in the world mad. Who could resist?
Everyone's blood boiled. They secretly clenched their fists, filled with restlessness.
On the celestial palace, the Goddess gently pressed down her jade-like hand, and the Imperial City immediately calmed down. Everyone focused their attention on her.
They saw her give a light smile that made the sun, moon, and stars lose their luster, made time itself sink, stunning the mortal world with her charming, faint smile: "Naturally, I have also said that it must be the final victor of the marriage tournament, and he must satisfy us three sisters. If nothing unexpected happens, we three sisters all like a husband who is heroic and peerless. So, we hope to find the best husband."
These words were like the most terrifying comet crashing into an ocean, stirring up ten thousand layers of shocking, terrifying waves.
All the experts, one after another, felt their blood energy boiling, their gazes filled with blazing heat as they stared at the three great beauties on the central celestial palace, their vital energy surging.
At this moment, everyone possessed immense heroic spirit. For these three peerless beauties throughout the ages, not to mention becoming the final victor, even if they received a single approving glance from them now, probably countless super experts would be willing to die the next moment.
Behind, seeing the entire city boiling, Yi Wu's charming, lovely face showed a hint of worry. She transmitted her voice: "Sister, isn't this a bit inappropriate? I always feel somewhat sorry for Yue-gege."
Chen'er also blinked her bright eyes, clear as a spring of autumn water, and transmitted: "Jingruo sister, I also feel it seems not quite right."
The Goddess responded without a trace of shame: "What are you afraid of? Don't you believe in that little rascal Qian Yue's capabilities? He is a Supreme Heavenly Pride of the Mythical Ten Heavens, you know."
Faced with their beloved's peerless invincibility, they were naturally willing to believe. After all, they had walked through past and present lives together, and rumors about him had never been few.
However, this time they needed to face not just these countless experts of the Ancient Emperor Continent, but also the Imperial Son, Shen Rong.
A son of an ancient Great Emperor, a terrifying figure who had inherited the strongest bloodline, and also a Supreme Heavenly Pride of the Mythical Ten Heavens like Ye Chen. How could they not worry?
Yi Wu remained somewhat concerned: "Sister, it's not that I don't believe in Yue-gege, it's just that Shen Rong is too strong. Even if Yue-gege faces him, I'm afraid it will be a fierce battle."
"You also said it would only be a fierce battle," the Goddess rolled her eyes, yet it carried a world-toppling, enchanting charm that captivated hearts with every frown and smile. "You have to believe in Qian Yue. In the Hundred Battles Mountain Range, he fought to a draw with this world's Imperial Son, Di Wuming. Could Shen Rong be stronger than Di Wuming?"