At that instant, Zhang Yuanqing truly felt like the most dazzling person in the entire venue. Like sharks catching the scent of blood, the official shiftees in the vicinity snapped their heads around with astonishing speed, eager to see what Yuanshi Tianzun looked like.
Queen looked left and right, then cast a backward glance behind her. What met her eyes was a sea of stunned, thrilled, and exhilarated faces, accompanied by gaze after gaze fixed intently upon them.
Nearly every official shiftee in this section had heard Jiang Jingwei's booming voice.
"It's Yuanshi Tianzun! A living one! I finally get to see him! He looks just like that 'Please Call Me Queen' said on the forums—super handsome and young."
"Yeah, yeah, I love this kind of cute younger guy. Seeing him in person didn't disappoint at all. But why does he have so many women around him? Could he be a two-timing playboy like Young Master, too?"
"With looks, strength, and youth on his side, it's completely normal for him to be popular. That's another cutie to fan over. He's definitely going to become a Saint in the future."
"I want to go over and get his autograph. Can't wait to see him fight!"
*He's truly in the limelight. So this is what a star contestant is like...* Queen thought, filled with both envy and emotion.
Given her personality, she loved standing at center stage. That was why she surfed the web constantly, making her presence known everywhere—even her screen name reflected her inner desires.
Consequently, alongside her envy, a surge of shared pride welled up within her. She thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of sitting beside Yuanshi Tianzun, bathed in everyone's attention.
*Yuanshi Tianzun is right behind me...* Her footsteps frozen, Annie whipped around. Her gaze darted swiftly through the crowd behind her before finally settling onto Zhang Yuanqing.
At that moment, the dossier on "Yuanshi Tianzun" surfaced in Annie's mind: a newly risen prodigy from the Five Elements Alliance's Songhai branch, barely in his early twenties... Both details matched.
*No way... He's Yuanshi Tianzun?*
Meanwhile, Jiang Jingwei had already scampered cheerfully up to Zhang Yuanqing and Guan Ya, exclaiming excitedly, "I've been looking for you guys forever! I finally found you!"
*It really is him.* Annie's expression grew immensely complicated.
The ordinary young man, the ordinary official shiftee she had assumed him to be all along, was actually the renowned young genius of the Songhai branch.
Clearing two S-rank Spirit Realms in a row, advancing to Level 3 in under three months—the file of such a figure was more than qualified to sit on the desks of leaders across major overseas Spirit Realm organizations.
He would be classified as a high-priority target for observation.
Back then, the Demon Lord had only caught the attention of the Goddess of Beauty Association after reaching the Level 4 Saint stage. But that was because the Demon Lord had been a rogue cultivator without any established channel to build fame.
Major overseas organizations always prioritized members of official organizations. By the time they noticed folk rogue cultivators, those cultivators were usually already quite well known.
Annie took a deep, lingering look at Yuanshi Tianzun before swiftly returning to Bill Tarantino's side.
"If you're coming over, just come over. Why did you have to shout so loudly?" Zhang Yuanqing whispered.
"What's wrong with me shouting?" Jiang Jingwei retorted with utter conviction. She did not feel the slightest bit of fault in her actions. Besides, if she hadn't yelled, he wouldn't have heard her.
*What else can I even say?* Zhang Yuanqing forced a strained smile.
Although Yuanshi Tianzun was a newcomer, he had offended far too many factions. Keeping a low profile in grand settings was an instinctual form of self-preservation.
Still, now that his cover was blown, so be it. He had to enter the ring eventually anyway.
"Scoot over. I want to sit next to Yuanshi Tianzun." Jiang Jingwei squeezed her little rear between Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi.
With Xie Lingxi's physical strength, how could she possibly hold her ground against a Fire Specialist like Jingwei? She was promptly knocked sideways, tumbling onto Queen.
"Hey! What is wrong with you?!" Xie Lingxi snapped angrily.
"What's wrong with me?" Jiang Jingwei asked, bewildered.
"This is my seat!" Xie Lingxi glared, asserting her sovereignty.
"Oh. Well, it's mine now," Jiang Jingwei replied.
Realizing this was an unreasonable, headstrong girl, the little green tea's eyes flickered as she shifted tactics, speaking in a frail, pitiful tone:
"Aren't Fire Specialists supposed to be chivalrous heroes who champion the weak? Little sister Jingwei, a formidable Fire Specialist like you shouldn't steal someone else's seat. Let's switch back. Brother Yuanshi won't like a girl who steals seats, either."
Jiang Jingwei looked puzzled. "What does whether he likes me or not have to do with me? You're so annoying! Make any more fuss and I'll beat you up!"
"..." Xie Lingxi's delicate face flushed red with anger, yet she was utterly powerless against this blunt, boorish girl.
Jiang Jingwei was completely single-minded—she yielded to neither soft persuasion nor hard threats.
Just as Annie sat down, she heard Bill Tarantino sigh beside her.
"We all underestimated him."
Chen Shu's son was actually the legendary figure of the Songhai branch, a genius who had risen like a comet.
When he saw that red-haired little girl greet Chen Shu's son and yell out "Yuanshi Tianzun," even a worldly, well-traveled man like Mr. Bill had been stunned.
At the same time, however, he was delighted. Without even realizing it, he had forged a decent friendship with Yuanshi Tianzun. With Chen Shu as a bridge, that bond was now all the firmer.
The Merchant Guild placed great emphasis on networks and connections.
From now on, he would have to visit Chen Shu more often, increasing business dealings and offering generous discounts.
Drawing closer to Yuanshi Tianzun's mother offered far better value than trying to win him over directly.
"Yeah..." Annie murmured softly. "If I had known he was Yuanshi Tianzun, on the very day we met, I would've taken him to a hotel and conquered him in bed."
The more Annie thought about it, the more regretful she felt. "Of course, it's not too late now."
Bill Tarantino smiled faintly. "Do you plan to invest in him, just like Betty did back then?"
Due to the prophecy of the Compass of Light, major organizations across the world paid immense attention to Night Walkers. Unfortunately, the emergence rate of Night Walkers was terribly low, and most newly awakened Night Walkers were absorbed by the Taiyi Sect.
As a result, organizations both domestic and abroad—including the Five Elements Alliance—struggled to cultivate Night Walkers of their own.
Consequently, any Night Walker not belonging to the Taiyi Sect was extraordinarily precious.
Of course, one could also invest in Night Walkers from the Taiyi Sect, but the cost-effectiveness was far lower than investing in non-sect Night Walkers.
Betty had been one of the Demon Lord's lovers. Precisely because she had hooked up with the Demon Lord and rendered great service, she was now a deacon wielding real power in the Goddess of Beauty Association, deeply valued by high-level leadership.
Annie scoffed coldly. "That woman latched onto the Demon Lord, took endless benefits from him, and received rewards and nurturing from the association, having it both ways. Back then, her strength was far beneath mine..."
"Yuanshi Tianzun draws far too much attention. You might not be able to conquer him—and by that, I mean the Five Elements Alliance won't permit it," Mr. Bill chuckled. "I wish you success, though. I have great confidence in the charms of your Desire profession."
The commotion on their side quickly drew the attention of the spectators seated across the arena.
From the opposing spectators' perspective, their colleagues over there had suddenly snapped their gazes in a single direction in striking unison.
It seemed as though they were watching some "big shot."
Zhu Rong glanced at the male companion beside her and ordered, "Is there an important figure over there? Go find out what's going on."
The handsome, fair-skinned youth rose respectfully and strode away. Before long, he hurried back, his expression none too pleasant.
"Rongrong, it's Yuanshi Tianzun."
*Yuanshi Tianzun...* Hearing the name, Zhu Rong's beautiful eyes narrowed, flashing with frigid murderous intent.
Reaching into the air, she pulled out a monocular telescope and asked, "Where is he sitting?"
As she spoke, Zhu Rong raised the telescope to look across the arena, the corners of her lips pulling into a cold, taut line.
The young boy-toy lowered his voice. "He's sitting right next to the red-haired girl. He's very easy to spot."
Hearing that, Zhu Rong slowly swept the monocular across the stands before pausing, locking onto her target.
Immediately after, the young gigolo saw the icy line of Zhu Rong's mouth suddenly curve upward into a pleased yet dangerous smile.
In the area where the Taiyi Sect gathered, Sun Miaomiao spotted the red-haired Jiang Jingwei from afar, along with a vaguely outlined young man beside her.
"That guy is Yuanshi Tianzun?"
She tilted her head, her gaze fixed forward. "Does anyone have a vision-enhancing item? Lend it to me!"
Sun Miaomiao had a pair of large, dark, shiny eyes. That was a description usually reserved for children—bright, innocent, like gleaming gemstones. That was why such eyes were described as "dark and shiny."
When such eyes appeared on a young maiden, they left an unforgettable impression.
Paired with her round face, rosy lips, and delicate, perky nose, her features came together into a sweet, adorable countenance.
Furthermore, with the bonus of a Night Walker's "noble" bearing, she transformed from a sweet, adorable girl next door into a sweet, adorable little princess.
"What's there to look at?" Zhao Chenghuang remarked indifferently beside her.
Sun Miaomiao shot the aloof Zhao Chenghuang a sidelong glance and puffed her cheeks. "Mind your own business!"
From behind her, a pale, slender youth handed over a lustrous bronze mirror amulet, saying, "Here."
"Maoshan really is the best." Sun Miaomiao took the mirror amulet. After reading its properties, she immediately understood how to use it.
Holding the amulet, she directed her gaze toward Yuanshi Tianzun far across the arena. Before long, a high-definition image surfaced on the mirror's face, displaying the scene captured by her sight.
Sun Miaomiao pulled back her gaze and looked down at the mirror.
"Oh, he's actually pretty handsome," she praised before offering a radiant smile. "I hope I get matched against him. When the time comes, I'll defeat Yuanshi Tianzun right in front of everyone and vindicate Grandpa."
Just then, Yin Ji, seated in the row ahead, turned her head and said in a cool, detached tone:
"According to the records, Yuanshi Tianzun doesn't have a yin corpse. Miaomiao, defeating him won't be difficult for you. Your true opponent is Zhao Chenghuang."
"Yin Ji is right. The matches at the Transcendent stage are just an internal contest within our Taiyi Sect."
Several Saints nearby chimed in with chuckles of agreement.
Sun Miaomiao smiled.
She and Grandpa had made a deal: if she could defeat Yuanshi Tianzun fair and square in the arena tournament, Grandpa would give her one of the children from the locust tree.
Sun Miaomiao had been coveting those children for a very long time. She possessed an extraordinary obsession with little spirit servants, much like how many young girls burst with maternal affection and adoration upon seeing cute, fluffy pets.
Sun Miaomiao didn't like pets; she liked little spirit servants. The smaller they were, the more obsessed she became.
However, the requirements for refining a spirit servant were exceedingly harsh. On the one hand, suitable aptitude was hard to come by; on the other, the authorities strictly prohibited the unauthorized creation of spirit servants unless the subject belonged to an evil profession or was an orderly shiftee who had committed wicked deeds.
Yet what sin could children possibly commit?
The few children Grandpa kept in the tree had only become spirits because of an accident; he hadn't forced children into servitude. They were originally orphans he had adopted, but they had perished in a raging fire during a mishap. In his overwhelming grief, Grandpa broke the organization's regulations and refined them into spirit servants so they could remain by his side.
Even as a revered elder, he had been slapped with a major demerit for it.
Returning to the matter at hand, because of Yuanshi Tianzun, Grandpa had become a running meme among the sect's Night Walkers. At first, he could still suppress those little rascals using Yuan Ting's training video, but over time, Yuan Ting and Grandpa became memes together.
Grandpa, who cared deeply about saving face, grew anxious. With this arena tournament arriving just in time, he had spoken with heartfelt gravity:
*Miaomiao, you must defeat Yuanshi Tianzun so those little brats know your grandfather isn't going senile, but that our Taiyi Sect is simply brimming with talent! Losing a single Yuanshi Tianzun is nothing! If you win, Grandpa will let Xiao Hong stay and play with you.*
Xiao Hong had died at age seven—the youngest child within the locust tree.
In the first row, Elder Hongying caught every word of the disciples' chatter behind her and said with a smile, "Old Sun, are you egging Miaomiao on to go beat Yuanshi Tianzun?"
She appeared as a mature woman with gentle, kindly features. Delicate crow's feet lined the corners of her eyes, but her skin remained fair and tender, showing no signs of decrepitude and exuding the distinct charm of an older woman.
Dressed in a white undershirt and dark bermuda shorts, Elder Sun gently fanned his cattail leaf fan and snorted. "Am I the kind of person to be petty?"
"Aren't you?" the curly-haired toy poodle squatting on the seat countered.
Elder Sun didn't bother engaging with that damned dog.
Elder Hongying turned to look at the curly toy poodle and smiled. "That kid is quite nice. He has a clean temperament and is pleasant to look at."
Elder Gou grunted in agreement. Compared to other Baihui elders, his relationship with Yuanshi Tianzun was somewhat closer. Even though the kid was a member of the White Tiger Guards, he was under his direct command.
Once he advanced to deacon in the future, he would be a soldier under his banner.
The Five Elements Alliance's cross-guild system had, to a certain degree, broken down sectarian biases and deepened the bonds among the five major factions.
"Yuanshi Tianzun, my brother wants to see you. Come with me to meet him later, okay?" Jiang Jingwei said.
"Your brother?" Zhang Yuanqing looked around. "Where is your brother?"
Jiang Jingwei pointed into the distance. "That red-haired idiot over there is my brother. His name is Jiang Ju, Fu Qingyang's archrival."
*Jiang Ju? The Fire Young Master of the Four Young Masters?* Zhang Yuanqing asked in astonishment, "He's your brother?"
Jiang Jingwei gave him a look that said *why make a fuss over nothing*: "Didn't you see that both of us have red hair? If we didn't share a father, could we both have red hair?"
*That logic doesn't hold up. Are all the red-haired Dominators fathered by your dad too?* Zhang Yuanqing asked curiously, "Your dad is an elder of the Scarlet Fire Gang, right?"
"My dad is the Guild Leader of the Scarlet Fire Gang!" Mentioning her old man, Jiang Jingwei assumed a solemn expression, struck an energized fist-pumping pose, and proclaimed, "Long live the Tauren!"
With that, she saw Yuanshi Tianzun on her right and the two older sisters on her left rise simultaneously, shuffle a distance away, and wear identical expressions that screamed, *Are you kidding me?!*
"Y-Y-Your dad is one of the five Alliance Leaders? Why didn't you ever mention that before?" Zhang Yuanqing kept his voice down to an absolute whisper, terrified of being overheard.
He had always assumed Jiang Jingwei was the offspring of some elder. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine she was the little princess of the Scarlet Fire Gang.
"You never asked!" Jiang Jingwei proudly straightened her back and declared once more, "Long live the Tauren!"
"So you are Her Royal Highness!" Zhang Yuanqing's face blossomed into a fawning smile as he attentively massaged her shoulders. "From now on, whatever orders Your Highness has, just say the word! I'm your loyal henchman. Does Her Highness's household have, well, any materials or items that your old man doesn't need? Please make sure to leave their disposal to this humble servant!"
Basking in the flattering praise, Jiang Jingwei was completely swayed and beamed happily. "All right! Next time, I'll go steal a few items and give them to you!"
"Long live Her Royal Highness! Ah, no—long live the Tauren!"
Just then, the Armored Swordsman seated in the front row stood up, walked into the center of the arena, and announced loudly:
"Today's matchup list has been finalized!"
Almost simultaneously, a scenario-exclusive dialog box appeared before the eyes of every Spirit Realm shiftee present:
[Three Rams of Spring vs. Tokyo's a Bit Hot]
[I Am Your Daddy vs. A Night of Spring Breeze]
[Elementary School Detective vs. Toyotomi Hideyoshi]
[Rong Xiaolong vs. Tang Ning]
[Yuan Ting vs. Construction Site Boss]
[...]
[Yuanshi Tianzun vs. Maoshan Daoist]
Forty matches in total, comprising eighty participants.
The Armored Swordsman projected his voice:
"Next, I will announce the rules of the competition. Combatants are strictly forbidden from logging out of the Spirit Realm without authorization; those who log out will be deemed to have forfeited. Combatants may not use items that are two or more levels above their own; violators will be treated as cheaters and disqualified. Combatants may not use items with excessive destructive power; participants are expected to exercise discretion, with judgments subject primarily to the elders' opinions..."
"Spectators who need to use the restroom, please leave your seats and find a spot to resolve your needs on your own."
"In ten minutes, the first pair of combatants will enter the arena!"
The venue instantly dissolved into an uproar as discussions broke out everywhere.
"Yuanshi Tianzun versus Maoshan Daoist? A marquee matchup on the very first day! I'm definitely staying!"
"Is it really going to be this intense? Maoshan Daoist is ranked ninth on the Transcendent roster, while Yuanshi Tianzun is eleventh! One of them is getting eliminated today!"
As was customary, many people had planned to decide whether to stay or leave only after the matchups were announced.
If the opening day's lineup lacked star contestants, crowds of people would leave—especially shiftees at the Saint stage, most of whom would choose to depart.
In their eyes, battles at the Transcendent stage were little more than child's play, lacking any real appeal.
"Maoshan Daoist..." Guan Ya frowned. "This person belongs to the second tier among the Taiyi Sect's Transcendents. The first tier consists of Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang, while the second tier consists of him and Yuan Ting. I don't know much about Maoshan Daoist, but I know Yuan Ting's capabilities. Yuanshi, you must be careful."
Zhang Yuanqing gave a nod of acknowledgment.
Ten minutes later, the first pair entered the arena. Three Rams of Spring was a striking woman, a Wood Demon, while Tokyo's a Bit Hot was a Fire Specialist.
In the Five Elements, wood feeds fire.
A Wood Demon fought at an immense disadvantage against a Fire Specialist. After holding out for a little over ten minutes, Three Rams of Spring predictably suffered defeat.
*Wait, why do I feel like both of their martial arts techniques are so weak? They're both Level 3 shiftees and ought to be captain-level figures. But I remember the captains in Kangyang District were all formidable combatants...*
Zhang Yuanqing watched with a quiet frown. Then he suddenly realized it wasn't that they were weak, but that his own combat skills had progressed too quickly.
Back then, he had thought the captains of Kangyang District were formidable simply because he hadn't yet apprenticed under the veteran driver Guan Ya.
Without realizing it, through the woman's repeated tempering, his martial arts had already reached an accomplished level.
*This woman truly lives up to Fu Qingyang's assessment of being absolute garbage...* Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help sneaking a glance at the veteran driver's profile.
Time flew by swiftly.
By midday, Jiang Jingwei clutched her belly, wailing in agony, "I'm so hungry! So hungry! So hungry..."
She then slumped listlessly against Zhang Yuanqing, looking as though she were on the brink of death.
In the afternoon, having passed the threshold of hunger, she sprang back to life, as she no longer felt hungry.
It was not until dusk that the arena matches finally reached their finale.
The Armored Swordsman stepped out into the arena and projected his voice:
"Maoshan Daoist, Yuanshi Tianzun—enter the arena!"
At that moment, the spectators' gazes split into two directions in unison.
One group looked toward the Taiyi Sect's section, while the other turned toward Zhang Yuanqing.
Cheers and shouts erupted instantly. Even before the match began, the audience had already reached a boiling point.
The deacons and elders present remained as stoic as ever, but the fact that they hadn't left indicated that they, too, held high expectations for this clash between two star contestants.
Zhang Yuanqing stood up, nodded to the four female companions beside him, and said, "I'm going!"
Striding forward, he walked down the stone stairs toward the arena floor.
At the same time, over in the Taiyi Sect's seating area, he saw a pale, slender youth leave his seat. Instead of taking the stairs, the youth leapt directly down from the stands over a dozen meters high.
*Thud, thud, thud...*
Another "spectator" rose from his seat, leapt from the high platform, and crashed heavily to the ground, dropping to one knee behind the youth.
A deafening roar of cheers surged through the stands, roaring approval for their entrance.
Chapter 182