Central Continent - Minor Gathering of the Three Sects (3)
Central Continent - Minor Gathering of the Three Sects (3)
Before the preliminary matches kicked off.
Notables of Jungju gathered in the VIP seats of the arena.
It was a seating area for authorities where entry wasn't permitted unless one possessed not only fame, but also Core Formation-level strength and mastery of the hundred arts of cultivation, and even if one had the strength, they had to turn away without connections.
Even among them, hierarchies were divided: Core Formation cultivators sat on the 1st floor, and Nascent Soul cultivators sat on the 2nd floor, overlooking the tournament.
VIP seats, 2nd floor.
True Persons managing the grand and minor affairs of Jungju sat in their seats in a quiet atmosphere.
So Yeonsim, the Lotus Heart True Person and master of Hundred Herb Valley, broke the silence.
"Did you say Cheondogung took charge of these preliminary matches?"
As she opened her mouth, a low wave of aura spread out.
A light greeting toward the Donggyeong Region—yet just the fragments of spiritual energy flowing out like that caused a murmur on the lower floor.
"Our disciples put in some effort. How does it look to Lotus Heart True Person-nim? Isn't it perfect for separating the jade from the stones?"
Yi Cheongheo, the Qingxu True Person and palace master of Cheondogung, put down his teacup and brushed aside her keeping-in-check remark.
Looking at his white beard reaching down to his waist, So Yeonsim frowned.
"Isn't the level abnormal to call it a Qi Condensation tournament? A True Person instead of a formation master. It's an unprecedented matter."
"Precedent is something we can start making right now. Rather, hasn't the preliminary match become nominal due to excessively sticking to tradition?"
It was customary for formation master-level figures to oversee the formations of the preliminaries, but Cheondogung boldly deployed a formation True Person.
"I know what you're worried about. However, if they possess sufficient ability, it's to the extent that even Qi Condensation cultivators can pass. Do you really think a formation master of that caliber would make a mistake in the first place?"
"It's quite the opposite. Their ability is so good that there will likely be very few passers. Won't the meaning of the tournament fade if the task of unearthing jade becomes a stage exclusively for us?"
"Nanhuang has perished. And we don't even know the cause. The joint investigation team dispatched to Nanhuang hasn't had any notable results for 10 years."
Yi Cheongheo said, letting brilliant light emit from his blue eyes.
"Ever since the Three Great Sects were established, Jungju has thoroughly rejected demonic beasts. The resources obtained from the land of Nanhuang are completely useless to us, so even if it perished, the blow is minimal. However, the Western Desert, Northern Icy Region, and Eastern Sea will be different. Those seeds of the demonic path will hold great vigilance."
"A turbulent era might break out in this Mangnyeonggye."
So Yeonsim guessed Yi Cheongheo's concern.
The six senses, fully opened upon reaching the Nascent Soul stage, sometimes ignored the process and deduced conclusions.
"That's right. In the first place, who would be the group that gains the most from Nanhuang's destruction? Wouldn't it be us? From their perspective, it wouldn't be strange for them to suspect us as the culprits. No, even if not, the political landscape of forces will change through this."
Yi Cheongheo's gaze turned toward the arena.
"Jungju has stagnated. Even though the size of Jungju is no less than a small boundary. At times like this, high-level cultivators are needed. Since everyone agreed, isn't that why you all put out your cherished disciples into the tournament?"
"......."
"We must have hope that the future will be better. The Half-Immortals are making unusual movements——."
"Oh, it's starting."
The serious conversation was cut off midway.
Namgung Hyeon, the Taiwu True Person and sect master of Taeheogeomjong, yawned and jerked his chin.
"Stop with the difficult talk, and let's watch the chicks clown around. Our baby's going to win anyway."
Perhaps because his frivolous tone, lacking even a shred of dignity, was full of confidence, So Yeonsim scoffed and raised her chin.
"You never know. The children selected by us this time are timber to lead Hundred Herb Valley for ten thousand years. The victory is ours."
"Yeah, our princess will wipe them out in one blow."
So Yeonsim fumed at the snickering Namgung Hyeon.
Yi Cheongheo let out a small sigh.
"I don't know who will win, but the top scorer of the preliminaries will be our child."
"Well, your child would have the advantage."
"Do not worry. We handled it fairly."
They did not doubt.
No matter what the result, the protagonist of the tournament would definitely be their own disciple.
[[Explosion is birth (Explosion is birth).]]
Some Qi Condensation practitioner.
[[The extreme point is annihilation (The extreme point is annihilation).]]
Until using divine abilities to fucking wreck the preliminaries.
[Now, the time limit has just ended! We will conclude the preliminaries of the Samjongsohoe right here. Participants who have been eliminated, please exit according to the guidance.]
The host looked down at the passers huddled together on the stage.
The number was larger than expected. That was because not a few people had escaped taking advantage of the moment when the formation collapsed once.
Even though the formation was quickly restored, with this much, the number of passers was no different from the previous tournament.
It was as if the meaning of raising the difficulty had vanished.
'It must have been chaotic inside, but it can't be helped.'
Act as assigned. The host pushed the sound dharma treasure toward the protagonist of the preliminaries.
[Cultivator Mu Jayeon, who broke through fierce competitors and passed the preliminaries in first place, you must have extraordinary feelings, so please share a word of your thoughts.]
[Uh, I dedicate first place in these preliminaries to my beloved Dao companions.]
Oooh~.
Jeers burst out from the audience seats.
The host asked with sparkling eyes.
[You have Dao companions? Are they perhaps here in this audience?]
[No. Probably not.]
[Ah, that's a pity. Understood. Due to time constraints, we will conclude our thoughts here.]
He wanted to ask what kind of divine ability destroyed the formation, but even if it was a tournament, probing into a cultivator's secrets was out of the question.
The host skillfully moved on to the next.
[There is an old tradition in the Samjongsohoe. It is to award a special reward to the one who passes the preliminaries first. The items differed every time, but this time, a prize that will surprise everyone is prepared.]
At the host's gesture, an attendant handed a precious box to Mu Jayeon.
[Please open it.]
When Mu Jayeon opened the box, three red elixir pills engraved with Dao scripts were emitting a resplendent appearance.
[Cultivator Mu Jayeon, congratulations. You have obtained three Foundation Establishment Pills that will help you breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage. We wish glory upon your future grand path of cultivation.]
As the host led the applause, congratulations mixed with envy and jealousy poured out.
Mu Jayeon calmly put them into his storage pouch and stepped down from the platform.
[The reflections were long. After taking a short break, we will begin the main tournament of the Samjongsohoe!]
As the main tournament contestants moved to the waiting room under the guidance of the attendants, I was still looking at the audience seats from the stadium.
The vision honed through the Body Tempering technique and Sensory technique captured even the minute downy hairs of the audience without missing them.
However, even though I scrutinized the audience meticulously, the person I wanted to see was not there.
'Did she really not come?'
Just in case, I thought she might have come secretly to watch.
It was just wishful thinking.
Drooping my shoulders, I left the empty stadium and tried to return to the waiting room.
"......?"
In the deserted stadium where I thought only I was present, there was one more person.
Beneath long, pale silver-blue hair, sharp golden pupils shone.
The triple combination of skin smooth like white porcelain, slenderly stretched eyes, and slightly parted plump lips made her beauty shine.
A thin and long longsword dangling at her waist indicated that she was a sword cultivator.
However, leaving all that aside, her attire was severely unconventional.
The front lapel wrapping her chest was boldly undone, revealing her bare flesh to the entire world, and her legs showed her white bare flesh plainly except for the cloth covering her main parts.
'Her chest...'
And, the standard for breasts in my head changed at this moment.
Big. Really big. Even bigger than Jeokryeon.
'Does such a thing exist in this world?'
As I blankly looked at her, she glanced over her head.
I flinched for a moment, but didn't particularly avoid her gaze.
Then she looked at her own chest once, her legs once, and chuckled.
'What is this? What does this mean?'
Why didn't she go down in the first place?
Why is her attire like that?
Could it be on purpose?
Just as my imagination was about to run wild.
A short-haired girl in the same attire as her hurried up onto the stadium.
Unlike her, the girl's attire was neat.
"Biha, what are you doing being here!"
"Yeah, it's nice."
"It's not nice at all!"
The short-haired girl whipped her head around, spotted me, grabbed her hand, and strode over.
"Did you see?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked if you saw."
"......."
I remained silent, unable to bring myself to say it.
The short-haired girl bit her lip hard, adjusted Biha's front lapel, and said.
"Our Biha is absolutely, absolutely not walking around like this with strange intentions. The cultivation method she learned is just a bit special, so she has to dress like this. Do you understand?!"
"...... Yes."
"And, you said you have Dao companions, right? If you don't manage your gaze properly, I think things will get tiring for both of us."
"Yes."
"If you know, that's enough. I am Soyeonggyeong of Taeheogeomjong. Biha, you should greet him too."
"Yan Biha of Taeheogeomjong."
"Mu Jayeon."
Leaving behind the greeting reluctantly given, Soyeonggyeong dragged Yan Biha away and disappeared from sight.
Amidst that, Yan Biha emphasizing her upper body while looking at me was a bonus.
"They say there are no normal people among cultivators."
It's not necessarily bad.
Brrr.
"...Is someone watching from somewhere?"
My back is cold. The back of my head is also cold.
I stealthily checked my surroundings, but nothing stood out.
"Hmm."
There probably isn't.
Probably.
Save me.
After a while, the contestants who finished their rest came to stand before a certain stone monument.
[The main tournament consists of a total of two tasks, and the first task is secret realm exploration.]
Oouung! The monument let out a strange cry.
[Reach the end of the secret realm. If you reach the end, you pass immediately.]
The host gestured to Mu Jayeon.
[Cultivator Mu Jayeon, who took 1st place, will enter first. Please touch this stone monument. Then, you will be moved to the secret realm.]
Mu Jayeon placed his hand over the stone monument.
A bizarre flow of spiritual energy swept over him.
[For your reference, the token worn on your chest will guarantee your safety, but it is not absolute. Anything can happen inside the secret realm. If by any chance you are in danger, shatter the token. However, if the token is shattered, you are eliminated.]
Listening to the host's warning, Mu Jayeon disappeared.
There were gazes subtly staring at the spot where he had disappeared.