Just as Lu Li finished his investigation of Zhang’s Sweet Water Shop, the downtown area of Yicheng was a different scene entirely—bustling with noise and excitement.
The Jin State Cultivator Martial Arts Assembly was about to begin here.
The venue for the assembly was set in the largest square in Yicheng, Wumen Square, which was currently teeming with people.
A broad, circular stage built from hard Green Gang Stone stood over ten feet high in the center.
Flags fluttered all around the stage, marking out the viewing areas for various sects and scattered cultivators.
Even more eye-catching was the thick, inseparable gray-white mist floating about 1,000 feet above the stage.
The mist rolled incessantly; even with a cultivator’s vision, it was difficult to penetrate.
Attempting to send Divine Sense into it was like a stone sinking into the ocean—it was greatly weakened and interfered with, clearly the result of some special Restriction.
Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu were mingled among the crowd of contestants who were all raring to go.
Both women appeared somewhat distracted, their gazes frequently scanning the outskirts of the crowd, searching for a familiar figure.
“Why hasn’t Master returned yet?”
Gu Qingying stood on her tiptoes, a trace of anxiety in her purple eyes.
“The assembly is about to start. He won’t miss it, will he?”
Gong Shangyu also frowned, her pink eyes looking in every direction.
“He said he was just going for a stroll, but it’s been nearly an hour… Could he have found something and gone to investigate on his own?”
She felt a faint sense of unease.
She was worried about Master’s safety, but also afraid that if Master really did find a key clue, he might have excluded them.
As the two women waited expectantly, a Golden Core Cultivator dressed in the attire of the Jin Royal Family, possessing a powerful aura, leaped onto the center of the stage.
Channeling his spirit energy, his booming voice instantly suppressed the noise below.
“Silence!”
The entire venue gradually grew quiet as all eyes focused on the stage.
The Royal Family cultivator looked around and announced loudly, “Welcome, fellow Daoists, to Yicheng to participate in this Martial Arts Assembly sponsored by our Jin Royal Family! Most of you are likely already aware of the rules, but I shall reiterate them once more!”
He raised his hand and pointed to the gray mist overhead.
“This preliminary test is called ‘Stepping into the Void to Find Items’! All participants must suppress their cultivation to the Qi Refining Period. You are not permitted to exceed it!”
As soon as these words were spoken, many Foundation Establishment and even a few scattered Golden Core Cultivators frowned.
However, those were the rules, and no one spoke up to object.
“Do you see that ‘God-Blurring Mist’?” the Royal Family cultivator continued.
“Hidden within the mist are three specially made stone boxes. Each box contains a rare treasure, which will serve as the prize for this preliminary round!”
A commotion of discussion immediately broke out among the crowd, and many cultivators showed looks of greed and desire in their eyes.
“The rules are simple!”
The Royal Family cultivator raised his voice.
“Using only cultivation at the Qi Refining Period, you must step into the void, enter the God-Blurring Mist, and search for the stone boxes! The first ones to obtain a box and successfully bring it back to the ground will be considered to have passed this preliminary round and will qualify for the next stage! The time limit is one incense stick!”
He paused, his tone turning stern, carrying an unquestionable pressure.
“Remember! During this process, any form of mutual attack is strictly forbidden! You may not use offensive techniques, talismans, or magic weapons! Violators will be disqualified immediately and severely punished depending on the severity of the offense! This competition only tests your ability to fly, your endurance, and your perception of spirit energy fluctuations! Now, those who wish to compete, please come onto the stage!”
As his voice fell, the cultivators who had long been unable to restrain themselves leaped onto the stage.
In an instant, no fewer than 100 people stood on the platform.
Everyone restrained their auras, suppressing their cultivation to the Qi Refining Period as they prepared themselves, looking up at the mysterious mist.
Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu also leaped onto the stage with the flow of people.
Upon hearing the rules, Gu Qingying’s purple eyes lit up, and a strong sense of confidence surged in her heart.
‘Stepping into the Void to Find Items? A competition of flight speed and perception? And we have to suppress our cultivation? This is practically tailor-made for me! The Emotionless Sword Art I practice emphasizes agility and speed, and I’m exceptionally sensitive to spirit energy fluctuations! Besides, with everyone suppressed to the Qi Refining Period, everyone starts from the same point!’
The reward Master had promised flashed through her mind.
As long as she achieved a high rank in the assembly, Master would grant her one reasonable request.
‘Hehehe… Master… Master…’
Recalling her Master’s previous promise, Gu Qingying became more excited the more she thought about it.
Unlike Gu Qingying’s eagerness to try, Gong Shangyu’s pink eyes darted around after hearing the rules, and she began to cook up another plan.
‘Tsk, flying up there using brute force is so tiring… That God-Blurring Mist looks like it covers a large area, and since Divine Sense is suppressed, searching will definitely be a struggle. I need to save my strength for the critical moment…’
Her gaze inadvertently swept over the confident Gu Qingying beside her, and a “brilliant” idea came to mind.
‘This short-legged girl’s movement techniques are actually quite something. She’s fast and effortless when she flies… Why don’t I…’
While Gu Qingying was fully concentrated on observing the mist overhead and adjusting her state, Gong Shangyu silently pulled a transparent thread from her storage pouch.
It was as thin as a hair but exceptionally strong—this was the “Thousand Entwining Silk” she usually used to scheme against people.
With a very slight flick of her wrist, the Thousand Entwining Silk acted as if it had a life of its own, nimbly wrapping around Gu Qingying’s left ankle and tying an extremely hidden dead knot.
The other end was gripped tightly in her palm.
‘Hehe, Junior Sister, you’ll have to work hard to give Senior Sister a ride in a moment. Once we reach a sufficient height deep in the mist, I’ll exert my own strength, waiting at my ease for the exhausted enemy to snatch the stone box! This is called… the rational use of resources!’
Gong Shangyu thought triumphantly, though her face wore a harmless expression of preparing to give her all.
*Clang—!*
The crisp, loud sound of a gong rang out, echoing across the entire square!
“The preliminary round begins!”
the Royal Family referee announced loudly.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
In an instant, 100 figures on the stage shot into the sky like arrows released from a bow.
Various colors of spiritual light flashed as they all used their own methods to race toward the God-Blurring Mist high above! It was a magnificent sight!
Gu Qingying had long been ready.
The moment the gong sounded, she pushed the power at her feet to the limit.
Her entire being turned into a faint purple stream of light, ascending at an extremely high speed.
In an instant, she surpassed seven or eight cultivators around her and broke into the front rank!
However, before she had even flown ten feet, she suddenly felt a significant pull on her left ankle, as if something was dragging her.
Her upward momentum suddenly stalled!
‘Huh?’
Gu Qingying was startled and subconsciously looked down.
One look was almost enough to make her explode with anger!
She saw Gong Shangyu “hanging” leisurely below her, her left hand tightly gripping that transparent thread.
Her right hand even waved at her, her face wearing an extremely punchable, brilliant smile of someone whose scheme had succeeded.
She looked exactly like a pink-haired spider swinging from a silk thread!
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