Without anyone knowing exactly when it had begun, subtle changes were quietly taking place within the Great Xia Sword Sect.
Some people were shifting things through their own actions.
As the ten of them went through the identity registration earlier, every one had held their heads high and chests out.
Even the registration clerk had looked upon them with newfound respect.
Word of what had just transpired traveled fast. By the time the group returned to their quarters, Qin Xian and the other elders were already waiting outside.
Li Nanting looked Li Guanqi up and down carefully. Only when he saw that Li Guanqi was unharmed did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The worry that had filled his face quickly gave way to a stern scowl.
"Stupid boy, do you even realize what a Core Formation cultivator is compared to you?!"
"Striking out so recklessly—aren't you afraid something might happen to you?!"
Beside him, Tu Kui looked equally grim as he said in a deep voice, "If you ever run into something like this again, contact the sect elders immediately. You must never act rashly."
Ye Feng curled his lip and muttered under his breath, "If Eldest Senior Brother hadn't stepped in, Old Li was about to draw his sword and hack him to pieces anyway."
Seeing that Ye Feng was still talking back, Tu Kui was about to bark a reprimand, but Qin Xian held out a hand to stop him.
"Why scold them? It was the other party who picked the fight."
"Well said! Today, both Wu Bing and Guanqi showed everyone the stance of our Great Xia Sword Sect!"
"We do not attack unless attacked. But if anyone crosses us, we'll dig up their ancestral graves!"
"The Great Xia Sword Sect has bided its time for years. It is time we bared our edge!"
With that, Qin Xian waved his large hand. "All right, rest and recover well today. Once the grand ceremony begins tomorrow, the tournament will follow."
"The same rule holds: the sect does not need you to gamble your lives for glory."
"Above all else, value your own lives!"
Yet the ripples from this incident went far beyond what they had imagined.
That night, images of Li Guanqi taking action spread everywhere, recorded by someone who had captured it with a shadow-casting stone.
Li Guanqi became the number one dark horse of this Hundred Sects Tournament!
***
Inside Ziyang Palace.
A youth gave a derisive scoff, crushing the shadow-casting stone in his hand with a sharp pop.
The youth possessed handsome, refined features, with eyes as clear as a fresh mountain spring, a prominent bridge to his nose, and a distinct black mole beside his thin lips.
He wore dark green robes bound at the waist with a grass-green sash. In his hand rested a long sword whose hilt bore a lifelike carving of an azure dragon.
Zhao Beichen rose calmly and said, "Mere grandstanding to draw a crowd. Nothing to fear."
As the youth spoke, not a single ripple stirred his eyes, as though he had merely watched something utterly inconsequential.
From the high seat, an elder spoke in a soft voice: "His sword remnant mound is of exceptionally high quality, and his strength is formidable."
"He withstood a head-on sword strike from Ding Qing of the Core Formation realm, and the origin power in his dantian is remarkably dense."
"Beichen, do not let your guard down."
Zhao Beichen sneered, his brow steeped in disdain as he replied indifferently, "In this Hundred Sects Tournament, only two people are worth my attention."
"Guan Qingyun of Xuanmen Palace, and Ji Linglan of Lingxiao Pavilion!"
With that, ignoring the elder's earnest counsel from above, the youth flickered and left the room.
A burly man below spoke in a hushed tone: "Old Man Miao, is Zhao Beichen's temperament not far too haughty?"
The elder, whose white eyebrows hung past his jaw, merely cast a tranquil glance at the man who had spoken.
"If you possessed his natural talent, you would be just as haughty—perhaps even wilder than him."
With that, the elder rose and gave a light flick of his sleeve.
"Never mind. He has the capital to be arrogant."
"Besides, it is merely the Great Xia Sword Sect. Even if they have a talented disciple, their ability to instruct is abysmal. They are not worth fretting over."
"We had better focus on the people from Xuanmen Palace and Lingxiao Pavilion."
"If we lose to Lingxiao Pavilion this time, I fear they will make a move against our Ziyang Palace's standing."
The elder's voice was exceptionally solemn, and the elders below nodded one after another.
Every Hundred Sects Tournament signified a massive reshuffling of power across the entire Northern Region!
Though the layout of the Three Sects and Six Palaces had endured for many years, it was by no means carved in stone.
The elder flashed away and left the room. The others conversed for only a short while before dispersing early.
***
Early the next morning, everyone stood fully geared in the center of the courtyard.
Seeing the disciples brimming with vigor, Qin Xian gave Li Guanqi a slight nod, waved his large hand, and said in a deep voice, "Depart!"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The group flew through the air, heading straight for Mount Tianyu!
Mount Tianyu in the early morning was veiled in mist and clouds. Numerous viewing platforms floated in midair, suspended by the power of great experts.
Flocks of immortal cranes circled the peaks, sending forth clear cries.
Screeech!
At the highest central peak of Mount Tianyu, the colossal terrace was already packed to overflowing.
Counting the accompanying elders, the thousand-odd competing disciples swelled to a crowd of well over fifteen hundred.
At that moment, Li Guanqi spotted a figure in a flower-patterned padded jacket waving frantically among the crowd on the raised platforms.
Yu Sui'an was perched right on Gao Qiwen's shoulders.
Seeing this, Li Guanqi smiled and waved back. Catching his wave, the little girl broke into a radiant grin.
Once the disciples found their designated positions, they stood firm. Qin Xian took his place at the very front of the formation, composed and at ease.
The faint, oppressive aura of a middle Nascent Soul cultivator emanated from him.
Yet across the square, a vast variety of powerful auras intermingled. There were nearly a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators alone.
Upon the elevated platforms floating all around the square stood dense, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds!
Most of these spectators were cultivators who had come specifically to watch the Hundred Sects Tournament.
Together with the entourages from each sect, there were at least nearly thirty thousand people!
The roar of the crowd was loud enough to overturn the firmament.
Suddenly!
The heavens and earth shifted color, and a vibrant canopy of seven-colored mist abruptly bloomed across the sky.
A man clad in golden armor materialized high in the firmament.
In an instant, every trace of noise across the realm vanished.
Every eye was involuntarily drawn to him.
The man had short black hair, a high nose bridge, and slightly thick lips.
With sword-like brows and starry eyes, his features were rugged and stern, marked by crisscrossing scars across his cheeks.
The newcomer was none other than the Northern Region Heavenly King of the Great Xia Domain, Long Qu!
A mighty Soul Formation cultivator!
Sharp light glinted in Long Qu's tiger-like eyes as his gaze swept over the crowd below. He spoke in a clear, measured voice: "I am the Northern Heavenly King, Long Qu, and today I preside over this Hundred Sects Tournament."
"The intent is for disciples of the hundred sects to exchange insights, elevate one another, and broaden their horizons."
"As per the old rules, the sect that claims first place in sect points will be rewarded with one mid-grade spirit vein and three low-grade spirit veins."
"Ten Earth-grade cultivation methods, and three blessed-land secret realms."
Whoosh!
The moment these rewards were announced, everyone was shaken to their core!
A great clamor erupted across the three peaks of Mount Tianyu!
Listening to the rewards, Li Guanqi felt an immense jolt in his heart. He had known the prize for the champion sect would be generous, but he had never imagined it would be this lavish!
For a mid-tier sect, such rewards were nothing short of ascending to heaven in a single step!
Li Guanqi murmured under his breath, "No wonder the powerful sects only grow stronger and stronger..."
"I must strive to seize a top placement!"
Long Qu then listed several rewards designated for the individual disciples, which were equally precious.
Whoosh!
With a broad sweep of Long Qu's hand, a hundred-zhang stone stele descended onto Mount Tianyu with a resounding thud!
"This is the stele that records the points. The drawing of lots for each round of matchups will also be determined by this stele."
"Draw your lots!"
Chapter 122