The Hall Master of Wentiandian was unwilling to inform the other four Grand Tournament Masters, and naturally, Dongbo Xueying had no objections.
Though there might be some rumors, the time was short, and those who believed Dongbo Xueying’s selection of Xinghuo Xunyi was unfair were only a minority!
The genius cultivators participating in the tournament were highly concerned and would gather intelligence. They would learn that Xinghuo Xunyi was the son of ‘Emperor Xinghuo,’ having cultivated for five hundred billion years, yet ranked only around 3,600 in the Star Tower. They might deem it unfair… Some high-ranking members of the Six Great Sacred Lands who were invested in the matter would also come to know these details.
As for the countless ordinary cultivators, they lacked detailed information about Xinghuo Xunyi and might even assume he was a rogue cultivator!
Thus, those who found Dongbo Xueying’s actions questionable were primarily a portion of the 16,000-plus genius cultivators participating in the tournament and some members of the Six Great Sacred Lands.
…
The Star Tower preliminarily selected a hundred, and the Grand Tournament Masters chose another hundred. Once these two hundred were finalized, they would qualify to enter the ‘Time Tower’ within the Blade Emperor City for accelerated cultivation—equivalent to a full million years. Moreover, they could freely peruse vast collections of foundational texts provided by the Six Great Sacred Lands.
Since all two hundred would eventually join the Six Great Sacred Lands, the foundational texts were shared among them.
Additionally, a small number of treasures would be provided.
A million years, countless texts, and the opportunity to seek guidance from the Grand Tournament Masters… For many rogue cultivators, this was a dream come true. Rogue cultivators often had to risk their lives and rely on sheer luck to obtain a single powerful technique. Now, they had countless techniques laid out before them to choose from freely.
Xinghuo Xunyi, too, had to obediently follow the rules and undergo the same accelerated cultivation as the other selected cultivators under the tournament’s arrangements.
…
On this day.
Dongbo Xueying watched the sunrise and mused, “Ten thousand years have passed. Today is the day these young ones will battle.” Ten thousand years was but a fleeting moment to him. Had it not been for the occasional visits from selected genius cultivators seeking guidance, a mere moment of focused cultivation or contemplation would have made those millennia feel like an instant.
Whoosh.
Exiting his cave abode, Dongbo Xueying soared through the sky, soon joined by the Hall Master of Wentiandian in the distance.
“Dongbo,” the Hall Master said as they flew side by side. “Though these ten thousand years were brief, there were indeed some who whispered in the shadows—especially that Palace Master Bayun. I heard he discussed this matter with several Chaos Realm powerhouses, even saying he’d wait to see you humiliated when the rankings were decided.”
“Bayun?” Dongbo Xueying shook his head.
The man was indeed narrow-minded and selfish.
But among cultivators, all types existed—those who were utterly self-centered, those who believed in absolute dominance. It was hardly surprising that Palace Master Bayun would hold a grudge over this.
“See me humiliated?” Dongbo Xueying chuckled. “He won’t get the chance.”
“Indeed,” the Hall Master agreed with a smile.
Whoosh, whoosh.
The two arrived at the Star Tournament arena, where the seating arrangement mirrored that of the tournament’s opening. Dongbo Xueying occupied the outermost seat among the five to the left of the Heart Image Sect Master.
One by one, the Chaos Realm powerhouses arrived, while the participating genius cultivators had long since gathered. Though many hadn’t been selected, they still wished to witness the public battles and gauge the gaps in strength. Countless cultivators from Blade Emperor City, some even children, eagerly awaited the spectacle.
“Among the hundred selected by the five Grand Tournament Masters, the other ninety-nine are one thing, but that Xinghuo Xunyi—there’s no doubt he got in through connections. He’s the least qualified,” whispered many of the observing genius cultivators below, bitter after learning the truth and failing to be chosen.
“I’ve said it before—he shouldn’t have been a Grand Tournament Master. His judgment is clearly inferior to the other four.”
“It’s not about judgment. He’s just more easily bribed.”
Many genius cultivators exchanged resentful murmurs. Had Xinghuo Xunyi not been selected, one of them might have taken his place.
“Just wait.”
“Xinghuo Xunyi was only ranked around 3,600 in the Star Tower preliminaries. Once the battles begin, his weakness will be exposed.”
…
The voice of the Heart Image Sect Master resonated throughout the arena, reaching every cultivator’s ears and mind: “The two hundred cultivators who passed the preliminaries will be divided into five groups. Each group will determine two victors, and the final ten will duel one-on-one… Based on their overall performance, the top five will be selected. These five may freely choose to join any of the Six Great Sacred Lands as core disciples, receiving full support. Now, the first group begins.”
His gentle voice commanded silence from the spectators.
All eyes turned to the distant battle stage, a hundred thousand miles long and wide. Forty figures soared onto it—the first group.
In arranging the battles, the Heart Image Sect Master ensured that the strongest genius cultivators were dispersed across the five groups. Even so, each group would still produce two victors.
Moreover, even if some groups had a higher concentration of talent, all two hundred would later challenge the Star Tower, and the Grand Tournament Masters would select an additional five.
In short, the Star Tournament aimed to identify the ten finest genius cultivators.
Boom!
Crack!
The forty genius cultivators clashed in a chaotic melee. Some were blasted off the stage, while others activated their life-preserving artifacts.
Each had been temporarily granted such an artifact—once activated, it signaled defeat. They had to leave the stage immediately. Being knocked off also meant losing. The last two standing would be the victors.
In barely a breath, only eight remained fighting.
Two breaths later, only three were left.
Boom!
A surge of black clouds struck one cultivator, sending him flying off the stage with a mouthful of blood. As he landed, he glared at the towering youth still on the stage and muttered, “Cangqiong Tianyun, you ruthless bastard.”
This first group included Cangqiong Tianyun—the sole Star Tower fourth-level expert from the preliminaries, whose strength far surpassed the others.
When only three remained, Cangqiong Tianyun was the strongest, while the other two were evenly matched. The one who’d been blasted off had even privately offered Cangqiong Tianyun ten Source World Stones in exchange for assistance.
Yet…
Cangqiong Tianyun had sent him flying without hesitation.
“Cangqiong Tianyun is truly formidable.”
“His advantage is undeniable.”
“Undoubtedly the strongest in the first group.” Though the battle was swift, the spectators could clearly discern Cangqiong Tianyun’s superiority.
…
“Second group.”
…
“Third group.”
The group battles progressed rapidly, soon reaching the third group. Forty cultivators ascended the stage, among them the golden-robed youth Xinghuo Xunyi—conspicuous in both appearance and demeanor.
“Xinghuo Xunyi is up.”
“Let’s see him exposed now.” The eliminated genius cultivators watched eagerly, hoping to see the ‘unfair’ Grand Tournament Master Dongbo Xueying humiliated. If Xinghuo Xunyi performed miserably, it would prove Dongbo Xueying’s poor judgment and bias.
Not only the spectators below but even many of the Chaos Realm powerhouses on the high platform paid close attention. Having heard the rumors, some couldn’t help but glance at Dongbo Xueying, seated at the far end of the five Grand Tournament Masters.
Yet Dongbo Xueying sat calmly, observing the impending battle on the colossal stage below.
Beside him, General Tianguang cast a sidelong glance before returning his focus to the battle.
Boom!
The fight erupted instantly.
The golden-robed Xinghuo Xunyi unleashed a hazy white light—an illusory radiance that enveloped the other thirty-nine cultivators. This was his Ancient Cultivator Illusion! Having reached such heights in the Path of the Void and mastered Dongbo Xueying’s ‘Bubble Phantom Extinction,’ his illusionary techniques had ascended to unprecedented levels.
Under the terrifying illusion, nearly half the cultivators succumbed immediately. A handful struggled to maintain clarity, while only a rare few remained fully lucid.
Simultaneously, Xinghuo Xunyi swept his hand outward.
Boom!
A surge of flame-light blasted against all the cultivators. His Path of the Void granted him Star Tower fourth-level strength, while his bloodline cultivation, though less advanced, still reached third-level. In this group assault, those ensnared by the illusion or barely resisting stood no chance.
The flames sent many flying off the stage, leaving only eight standing—those with both formidable strength and mental resilience. Yet even these eight stared at Xinghuo Xunyi in shock and disbelief.
And not just them.
The eliminated genius cultivators below, who had hoped to see Xinghuo Xunyi exposed and Dongbo Xueying discredited, gaped in astonishment.
This… this… this?
This was the strength of someone ranked 3,600+ in the Star Tower preliminaries? He seemed even more dominant than Cangqiong Tianyun, who ranked first!
…
On the high platform, many Chaos Realm powerhouses perked up, some even turning to glance at the white-robed youth.
“Congratulations, Emperor Xinghuo,” some Chaos Realm powerhouses began conversing with Emperor Xinghuo. They recognized that illusion mastery was an intrinsic ability, impossible to fake.
Among the five Grand Tournament Masters, the Axe Palace Master cast an intrigued look at Dongbo Xueying, the farthest to the left, and smiled faintly. “Fascinating. In just over ten thousand years, Xinghuo Xunyi has improved so drastically—and in illusions, no less. Dongbo Xueying himself is renowned for his illusions.”
“Elder Dongbo.”
The Island Master of Zitudao, her smile breathtakingly alluring, said, “Truly impressive. No wonder you chose Xinghuo Xunyi. In my opinion, his strength might even surpass Cangqiong Tianyun’s.”
Dongbo Xueying replied calmly, “Illusions excel in group combat. Whether Xunyi is stronger than Cangqiong Tianyun will only be clear in their final duel.”
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