The fleeting red phantom she had seen in the Secret Realm flashed through Ji Xuerou’s mind once more.
She had consulted ancient texts afterward, but she found no signs or records of anything similar. It was as if that phantom had merely been an illusion born from the play of light and shadow.
Ji Xuerou narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze scanning Wu Yan’s body back and forth. She was trying to find even the slightest hint of discordance from this Eldest Senior Sister of the Piaomiao Sect.
This sensation of being silently dissected was far more uncomfortable than a direct provocation.
‘Yo-ho, this Ji Xuerou really is like a dog that won’t let go of you, little Wu Yan~’
Wu Yan met Ji Xuerou’s gaze and remained calm.
The light in front of her shifted.
Yu Qingyao had stepped forward at some point, turning her body slightly to naturally shield Wu Yan from Ji Xuerou. She did not draw her sword, and her expression did not show excessive anger. She simply stood there quietly, lifting her head to meet Ji Xuerou’s line of sight.
Her eyes were filled with protectiveness and displeasure.
Although she didn’t speak, Yu Qingyao’s straight back and slightly tilted chin told the high-and-mighty Chief Disciple of the Lingxiao Sect that this rude scrutiny ended here.
Ji Xuerou was slightly taken aback.
She looked at the young girl standing in front of her, the inquisitive look in her eyes fading slightly, replaced by a hint of surprise. She wasn’t angry, nor was she annoyed by the offense. Ji Xuerou merely gave Yu Qingyao a thoughtful look, then glanced at Wu Yan, who was being protected behind her. Finally, she withdrew her gaze with a flat expression and looked back toward the center of the Martial Arts Arena.
As her gaze shifted away, that needle-like sensation on Wu Yan’s back finally vanished.
Yu Qingyao let out a soft breath and turned around.
Acting as if nothing had happened, she helped Wu Yan straighten her collar, her voice light and cheerful. “Senior Sister, the wind is strong here. Let’s not stand around and catch a chill; let’s go sit over there.”
‘This little white-eyed wolf actually has this much courage? I suppose I underestimated her.’
It wasn’t just the inner Wu Yan who was surprised; even Wu Yan herself hadn’t expected Yu Qingyao to be willing to stand in front of her. She remembered the period right after their Master was injured, when Yu Qingyao had been so wary and suspicious of her.
Looking at the girl who had protected her, an inexplicable surge of emotion welled up in her heart.
She gently took Yu Qingyao’s hand and said in a tender voice, “Then I’ll listen to you, Qingyao.”
*Clang—!!*
The long, ancient toll of a bell echoed through the heavens and earth.
The nine floating islands trembled simultaneously as auspicious clouds gathered in the sky. At the very center of the high platform, an old man with white hair and a white beard rose on the wind. He was the Sect Master of the Taiqing Sect, the host of this Grand Competition.
His deep, powerful voice, amplified by Spiritual Power, entered everyone’s ears clearly.
“The Five Sects Tournament begins today!”
“In this Grand Competition, we do not ask about your background, only your strength. All who rank within the top ten shall receive great rewards!”
With a wave of the old man’s sleeve, two lines of shimmering golden letters appeared in the sky, causing many cultivators to catch their breath.
“The winners will receive one Middle-grade Artifact. At the same time, they may choose one of the five major sects and enter that sect’s Sutra Library to select one cultivation technique!”
As these words were spoken, the crowd below instantly boiled over. Although it was called the Five Sects Tournament, many small and medium-sized sects had also come to compete. If they had a stroke of luck and actually won, it would truly be a chance to change their destiny.
“The sect of the winner shall receive 100,000 High-grade Spiritual Stones to assist in the sect’s development!”
The amount of 100,000 High-grade Spiritual Stones was calculated perfectly. Even if a second-rate sect obtained it, they wouldn’t be able to threaten the status of the five major sects. However, for sects below the first-rate level, these 100,000 High-grade Spiritual Stones could allow them to surpass sects of the same tier.
Wu Yan remembered that the Piaomiao Sect currently seemed to be quite short on Spirit Stones.
Under the guidance of the staff, all the participants entered the Martial Arts Platform.
Following the Taiqing Sect Master’s vigorous cry of “Open,” ripples suddenly appeared on the bluestone ground in the center of the arena, which spanned nearly 100 acres. Ancient runes lit up between the cracks of the stones like swimming fish. Immediately after, a pillar of light shot into the sky, enveloping all the participating disciples.
Within the pillar of light, the Elder’s heavy and unquestionable voice rang out again, imprinted directly into the depths of each disciple’s mind through Divine Sense.
[The rules are as follows:]
[Every person entering the Taixu Realm will be equipped with a Jade Token on their waist, containing one initial point.]
[The Jade Token is a life-saving item. When you encounter a fatal attack, or if you know you are outmatched and proactively crush the token to surrender, the formation will activate instantly, teleporting you out of the realm to preserve your life. However, for those who are eliminated, their points will be reset to zero.]
[For the victors, their Jade Tokens will automatically absorb the points of the defeated. The higher the points, the higher the ranking. If you wish to advance to the second round, you must collect at least ten points!]
[Remember: though opportunities are good, life is more important!]
As the words fell, a strong sensation of weightlessness suddenly hit them.
Accompanied by the distortion and restructuring of space, hundreds of disciples instantly vanished from the Martial Arts Arena.
—
Whoosh—
A fierce wind carrying dry dust howled past.
When Wu Yan opened her eyes again, the deafening clamor of the crowd had completely vanished, replaced by a dead silence.
Before her eyes was a Stone Forest filled with bizarrely shaped rocks. The sky here was a strange leaden gray, hanging so low it felt as if she could touch it. Giant rocks stood like unpolished sharp swords piercing the clouds. The gray-brown rock bodies were covered in wind-eroded holes, and as the wind passed through them, it let out a wail like ghosts crying or wolves howling.
“The Taixu Realm… is this the trial grounds for the first round?”
Wu Yan quickly steadied herself, circulating the Spiritual Power in her body for one cycle to dispel the slight dizziness from the teleportation. She looked around alertly, her right hand instinctively resting on Wu Nian at her waist.
The terrain here was complex and the line of sight was obstructed, making it a natural place for ambushes.
For cultivators who excelled at assassination or setting formations, this place was paradise; but for those used to head-on confrontations, every corner hid an unexpected killing intent.
“Senior Sister!”
Just then, a voice filled with a hint of pleasant surprise called out from behind a giant rock shaped like a crouching ox to her left.
Wu Yan’s heart eased as she turned her head sharply.
She saw Yu Qingyao holding her slightly messy skirt, jumping down from the rock with light movements. Her usually meticulous bun was a bit disheveled, with a few strands of hair hanging by her ears, but her eyes remained clear and calm. Clearly, she hadn’t lost her composure due to the teleportation.
“Qingyao.” Wu Yan stepped forward to meet her, her gaze quickly scanning her Junior Sister. She only felt relieved after confirming she was unharmed. “We’re in luck.”
In this type of chaotic battle with hundreds of people being randomly teleported, being able to regroup with a teammate immediately doubled their survival rate.
“I didn’t expect to be so close to you, Senior Sister.” Yu Qingyao smoothed the stray hairs at her temples, the corners of her mouth curling up into a reassured smile. “The teleportation formation made me a bit dizzy just now. Luckily, I sensed your aura the moment I landed.”
However, before the two could exchange more than a few words, the warm atmosphere was forcibly torn apart by a sudden surge of violent energy.
Roar—!!
A stench of blood accompanied a beast-like roar, abruptly erupting from the shadows deep within the Stone Forest.
The ground began to tremble, and gravel rattled as it rolled down.
“Watch out!” Wu Yan instinctively drew Wu Nian. As Spiritual Power poured in, the blade of Wu Nian quickly transformed.
Wu Yan swung toward the direction of the falling rocks, kicking up a violent storm that blew the debris toward a clearing hundreds of meters away.