Chapter 85: Preparations Before the Tournament
Just then, the sky suddenly burst into radiant light as dozens of streaks of multicolored light shot across the horizon.
Only a moment ago they were still at the edge of the heavens, but in the span of a single breath, they had already arrived overhead. With a few graceful spirals, they descended onto the balcony of the suspended pavilion.
As the glow faded, it revealed more than thirty cultivators. At the forefront was a solemn old Daoist with long eyebrows and broad eyes, his face pale and composed, none other than Sect Master of the Wraith Sect, Yan Longzi.
The rest, both men and women, were the peak masters and Core Formation elders.
In a colossal sect like the Wraith Sect, there were at least fifty to sixty Core Formation cultivators, but naturally, not all of them would attend. Present were the sect master presiding over today's affairs, a few elders overseeing the matches, and several others who simply had a personal interest in the tournament.
Once they had taken their positions, Yan Longzi swept his gaze downward. A powerful spiritual pressure surged from the skies, instantly silencing the clamor on the platform below. Even the spirit beasts cowered in fear.
However, this spiritual pressure disappeared just as swiftly as it came.
Seeing the quiet below, Yan Longzi slowly opened his mouth to speak.
"This tournament is held in preparation for next year's secret realm harvest. The competition will be divided between the Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation realms. The significance of this event should have been explained to all disciples by their respective peaks. There will be 200 participants in the Foundation Establishment division, and 430 in the Qi Condensation division.
From the Foundation Establishment group, the top 49 will be selected; from the Qi Condensation group, 108 will be chosen. The Foundation Establishment matches will conclude first, followed by the Qi Condensation matches five days later. If there are no objections, we shall begin."
Yan Longzi's speech was brief and to the point. In just a few sentences, he announced the commencement. Though his tone was calm and steady, every single person heard him loud and clear.
Having said his piece, he was the first to walk to his seat, followed by the other Core Formation elders, leaving only one tall, thin old man still standing.
Though Li Yan was dozens of li away, he could hear every word clearly. Reflecting on the odds, only 108 chosen out of over 400 in the Qi Condensation group, his heart remained uncertain. His actual combat experience was too limited, and his cultivation was only at the late seventh level of Qi Condensation.
Thankfully, many chose not to participate this time; otherwise, his confidence would be even lower.
This time, only disciples who had reached the ninth layer of Qi Condensation were allowed to sign up, which cut the number of participants by more than half. Likewise, many Foundation Establishment cultivators were excluded, especially those focused on support or utility roles, as well as certain cultivators like Li Wuyi...
While Li Yan was still mulling this over, a loud voice suddenly echoed through the sky. He quickly looked up to see the tall, thin old man who had remained on the balcony now floating mid-air with hands behind his back, overlooking the disciples on the platform below.
"I am Peng Buxing, Hall Master of the Sect's Law Enforcement Hall. This tournament will be held across ten battle stages. Opponents will be decided by drawing lots. Each participant will fight five matches, those who win three and lose two will advance to the next round. Otherwise, you're eliminated.
Within the battle stages, you may fight with full force. In life-or-death moments, the elder overseeing that stage will ensure safety. However, if you're injured or crippled, you'll have to recover on your own."
The tall old man had jet-black hair, a purplish face, and an austere demeanor. His speech was completely devoid of emotion.
Li Yan was startled by what he heard. So essentially, on these stages, everything short of killing your opponent was permitted, even crippling injuries were acceptable. All consequences would be borne by the participants themselves. If not for the fact that this was an within-sect contest, life and death might not even be off-limits.
"All Foundation Establishment participants from each peak, step up and draw your lots!"
As Peng Buxing finished, he waved his sleeve, and dozens of small, red-glowing arrows appeared in the sky, hovering silently.
There was a brief moment of stillness before radiant light began flashing from the diamond-shaped area below, and figures began soaring into the air one after another.
Several beams of light also shot up from near Li Yan, heading straight for the glowing arrows in the sky.
These red arrows appeared identical, so no one bothered to be selective; they simply took the closest one.
Once the red arrows were in hand, they dissolved into tiny crimson sparks that flowed into the sleeve of each disciple. On the dark green sect robes, next to each peak's golden emblem, a new line of scarlet text appeared.
Glancing at the returning Lin Daqiao, Li Yan looked toward his sleeve. Beside the golden bamboo symbol was a small red number: "79."
He was intrigued. No wonder it was said that one had to wear the official sect robes for important events, clearly, the garments were also enchanted spirit artifact used for such arrangements.
His second senior brother and the others had already landed silently and fixed their gaze upwards without a word.
Once the red arrows had been fully distributed, Peng Buxing swiftly formed a hand seal in front of his chest. With a sharp shout that echoed in all directions, he raised his hands.
In response to his cry, without any prior sign, ten enormous crystal panels appeared in the sky, forming a massive arc.
As shimmering halos rippled across the crystal panels, they gradually became clear. What appeared on them were ten different landscapes, none other than the ten battle stages.
Li Yan and the others looked up from below, able to see any of the ten panels clearly from any angle.
Though Li Yan had his suspicions, he wasn't entirely sure. Among the group from Little Bamboo Peak, only he and three junior disciples had never participated in any sect events. Lin Daqiao, having competed several times before, understood more. The four of them were still somewhat clueless about these transformations.
"This is the Thousand-Li Flowing Light Mirror. Since each battle stage spans roughly fifty li, and the distance between them covers several hundred li in total, most disciples' divine sense can't monitor them all.
Therefore, Elder Peng uses great power to activate the Thousand-Li Flowing Light Mirror, so that everyone can watch the matches from here. You can simply choose whichever panel you're interested in, just be aware there's no sound.
But for the final three matches, they will be held one after another on the same stage, and you'll be able to watch them directly."
As Li Yan was deep in thought, a gentle voice spoke beside him. Unsurprisingly, it was Li Wuyi. The plump Wei Chongran had left all of Bamboo Peak's affairs in his hands, and even now, he remained attentive to newcomers like Li Yan.
Once Peng Buxing finished activating the Thousand-Li Flowing Light Mirror, he flew back to the suspended pavilion.
Before long, ten more figures slowly rose into the air and headed toward each of the ten battle stages. Li Yan figured these were the elders tasked with overseeing each stage, responsible for safety and officiating.
Sure enough, each of the ten descended onto a stage and formed hand seals of their own.
Li Yan watched as the ten crystal panels each projected a battle platform. To his surprise, a transparent blue light screen began to rise slowly from each one, climbing several dozen zhang high before halting. Then, streams of blue light began to flow atop each screen, gradually forming into two lines of characters.
The crystal panel Li Yan was looking at showed the numbers "Twenty" and "Sixty-Three" in blue light.
At that moment, a loud voice rang out from the sky.
"First round, match-ups confirmed, begin!"
In the hovering pavilion, over a dozen cultivators were drinking tea and chatting. A charming woman in her forties smiled sweetly and teased:
"Senior Brother Sect Master, Junior Brother Wei didn't come again. Is he perhaps attempting a breakthrough to late-stage Core Formation?"
As she spoke, her beautiful eyes sparkled flirtatiously, exuding mature charm. Her curvy figure resembled a ripe peach, and the glowing skin exposed at her chest practically invited one to take a bite.
The others quickly averted their gazes and steadied their minds before turning to look at Yan Longzi.
Yan Longzi gave her a glance and replied slowly:
"Junior Sister Li, I can't see through Junior Brother's cultivation level. He cultivates the Boundless Nine-Horizontal Sutra, which Master personally passed down to him. It's an extremely profound technique that also conceals one's aura.
He's been in the Core Formation stage for over two hundred years. Judging by the time, he's likely attempting a breakthrough to the peak of mid-stage Core Formation."
The woman giggled again.
"But every time I meet him, I sense his aura flowing far beyond mine. And I cultivate the Thousand-Faced True Form, which is extremely sensitive to all illusions and auras.
Master searched for over a thousand years to find a suitable heir for the Boundless Nine-Horizontal Sutra, and finally chose Junior Brother, his wish fulfilled. I wanted to learn it too, but Master didn't even look at me. Hmph!"
As she spoke, her waist swayed lightly, her voluptuous figure nearly spilling over the bamboo chair.
The scholarly Peak Master from Spirit Insect Peak, the dark-skinned brawny cultivator from Four Symbols Peak, and many elders quickly lowered their heads to sip tea. Only the plain-faced woman from Boundless Peak, who had an expression as cold as ancient ice, furrowed her brow slightly but said nothing.
Seeing the same awkward atmosphere unfold as it did in every discussion, Yan Longzi sighed helplessly.
"Junior Sister Li, it's been so many years, and our sect has quite a few Core Formation senior and junior brothers. How come none of them have caught your eye?"
"Oh, Senior Brother Sect Master, are you saying I'm damaging Wraith Sect's reputation by not marrying sooner and settling down to raise a family?
Let me tell you, in this entire sect, aside from Junior Brother, I haven't taken a liking to anyone. But that Junior Brother is a hopeless romantic, his heart belongs only to Junior Sister Zhao. Since I can't meet a suitable match, this is just how it is.
If the Wraith Sect thinks I'm ruining its reputation, then I'll go find our master and ask him to release me from the sect!"
The beautiful woman pouted her full lips and leaned back slightly in her seat, her voluptuous figure accentuated by the movement.
Yan Longzi glanced around at the others. The elders all sat with serene expressions, as if they hadn't heard a thing. A few junior brothers like scholar-like cultivator kept their heads down, sipping tea as though deep in thought.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"Master, this is the good disciple you left us. Every time she joins these meetings, everyone becomes restless. I truly don't understand, these are cultivators with over a thousand years of cultivation, yet when faced with Junior Sister Li, they act like flustered mortals."
He cleared his throat and glanced downward but didn't spot anyone from Little Bamboo Peak.
"Your niece Changting is close with that boy Li Wuyi. Why not betroth her to him? It would be a fine match."
The beautiful woman chuckled.
"Oh, I was just thinking of settling accounts with that Li Wuyi brat!
He always arrives last to meetings and is the first to leave. There's not a decent one on that Little Bamboo Peak. Li Wuyi himself is tangled with one of his junior sisters. If Changting is bullied, I won't let Wei Chongran off easy."
As she straightened her reclined posture, her ample chest jutted out even more, her tone casual but deliberate.
Yan Longzi realized the topic was veering off again. He had only meant to make an offhand comment, but now the conversation had derailed completely.
"Speaking of Little Bamboo Peak, all their Foundation Establishment disciples participated this time except for Li Wuyi. Even that Fractured Poison Body disciple joined the Qi Condensation stage competition."
A flash of seriousness crossed Yan Longzi's expression as he recalled something.
"Oh? That disciple really entered? I heard he's reached mid-stage sixth level Qi Condensation.
Three years ago, he had just reached the second level. That's quite fast. Besides the resource support he received, could it be that the Fractured Poison Body also enhances mixed spiritual roots?"
The scholarly Peak Master from Spirit Insect Peak mused.
"Three layers in three years with mixed roots? That rivals the sect's top talents. I really want to open him up and see what's going on inside."
The plain-faced woman from Boundless Peak narrowed her eyes as she spoke coldly:
"If Junior Brother Wei hears that, you'll be in trouble."
Another elder added:
"Understanding this physique's nature could be of great benefit to our sect!"
The woman remained expressionless.
"You're going off-topic again. Since this child is under Junior Brother Wei's care, such talk must cease. I hope he becomes a strong fighter among the Foundation Establishment disciples. Let's focus on the tournament now."
Yan Longzi sighed once more. These lunatics couldn't go a few sentences without wanting to dissect someone. Did they think he was some kind of beast?
If not for the cultivation world's taboo against human experimentation, which was deemed inhumane, these people would probably have begun human dissections already.
This was why he always hoped to start meetings quickly and end them even faster, most of the elders here were obsessed with poisons and toxic arts, they were already half-mad.
Meanwhile, Li Yan had no idea that after all these years, there were still people in the sect eager to slice him open for research.
(Chapter End)