Chapter 200: The Feast of Ziyun
The Feast of Ziyun, put in plain words, was simply a chance for the five major sects of Ziyun to show off their skills and foundation.
The reason they had invited various people of Ziyun here as guests and spectators was also to let everyone in Ziyun know that as long as the five major sects remained in Ziyun for another day, Ziyun would continue to be in its heyday!
"They're here!"
About an hour after the sun rose in the east, the group of people in the sky of the Xuanyan City Center cleared a path, whether they were Primal Core adepts riding flying beasts or riding on the wings of the wind.
As for those who did not have the ability to fly in the sky, they were also gathered around at this moment with their eyes collectively fixed on the sky.
Over there, there was currently a group of people riding towards them on the wings of the wind.
Upon closer look, they also realized that these people were separated into five groups.
"That's the head of the Xuanyin Sect, Liu Yi!"
Someone recognized one of the two people in the sky, leading the group of people at the very front.
The old man dressed in a long green robe with a forehead covered in wrinkles and hair that was grey and white was none other than Liu Yi, head of the Xuanyin Sect.
"The leader of the Xuanyin Sect? Although he's traveling alongside the other person, it's obvious that he's deliberately lagging behind by half a shoulder's distance... if there's anyone who can make the head of the Xuanyin Sect behave this way, it's probably one of the two Golden Essence elders in the Xuanyin Sect!"
Very quickly, many people then turned their gazes to the old man beside Liu Yi, an elder of the Xuanyin Sect, who looked much older than him but whose gaze was still exceptionally sharp. They had vaguely guessed his identity.
"One of the two Golden Essence elders in the Xuanyin Sect is turning 300 years old in a few years. He's currently at the critical juncture of becoming a Dharma. He can't possibly have come... this person is probably Elder Qi Ming of the Xuanyin Sect."
When someone successfully guessed which of the Golden Essence elders in the Xuanyin Sect this man was, the gazes of many people started to become heated.
Golden Essence adepts.
The most powerful existence in the Martial Way of Ziyun.
If not for an occasion like this, most of them would never be able to encounter a person like this.
"Elder Qi Ming of the Xuanyin Sect, a Golden Essence adept. He's like a god. Even though I'm from the far-off Thousand-Year Empire, still, I've heard so much about him!"
"Twenty years ago, three non-affiliated adepts of late Primal Core and five non-affiliated adepts of mid Primal Core joined forces, intending to steal a large volume of spirit stones created by the spirit stone vein from the Xuanyin Sect from... at the time, Qi Ming, who had just entered the ultimate Primal Core stage, took action alone. In the mere span of 10 breaths, he killed and beheaded all eight of them. Because of this, he also rose to fame!"
"Although Senior Qi Ming is a Golden Essence adept, he's still not the strongest in the Xuanyin Sect. The powerful person is still Senior Zhong Ya!"
"Of course. Senior Zhong Ya is the most senior in the Xuanyin Sect at the moment. A hundred years ago, he was already an ultimate Primal Core adept and had become a Golden Essence adept!"
...
The five major sects of Ziyun would also send their Golden Essence adepts to attend the Feast of Ziyun. They could have friendly matches, swap pointers with each other, and inspire awe everywhere with the display of the best martial arts of each of the major sects.
It was clear that Qi Ming, a Golden Essence adept of the Xuanyin Sect, would be taking part in the fights at today's feast.
"Among those people, most of them are monks... they're probably members of the Divine Light Sect!"
In no time, the crowd's gaze landed on another group of people.
Most of the people among them were not just bald, they were also dressed in kasayas. Each one was obviously a monk.
"The foundation of the Divine Light Sect is the most powerful among our five major sects... the Divine Light sect is in possession of the best spirit stone vein in Ziyun."
"In the history of Ziyun, a total of two Dharma adepts have appeared... the first Dharma adept was from the Tianwu Sect. As for the second Dharma adept, the Dharma adept who appeared only recently, he happens to be from the Divine Light Sect!"
"The Dharma adept from the Tianwu Sect left Ziyun when he first entered the Dharma stage. He didn't bring any advantage at all to the Tianwu Sect... unlike the Dharma adept of the Divine Light Sect, who continued to stay in Ziyun. Even though he has almost never made a move, with him overseeing the Divine Light Sect, it was publicly acknowledged to be the top sect of Ziyun. The Divine Light Sect seized the opportunity to lay a great foundation!"
...
After confirming that the people before them were people from the Divine Light Sect, more people began to focus their attention on the two people leading them.
"That middle-aged monk among the two people in front of the Divine Light Sect are probably the current head of the Divine Light Sect...Tuo Jin. Although he just crossed the hundred-year mark, he's already a late Primal Core adept. Furthermore, he's second only to the three Golden Essence elders of the Divine Light Sect in terms of power."
"Lord Tuo Jin entered the late Primal Core stage even earlier than the monks of the Divine Light Sect back then. Even earlier... many people say that he will be the next monk of Ziyun!"
"The old monk beside Lord Tuo Jin, who's dressed in a golden kasaya is probably one of the two Shields of the Divine Light Sect... I wonder if it's the Ci Yun or Ci Xuan."
"It must be Ci Xuan! Ci Yun is quite mysterious about his whereabouts and he's reaching the maximum age of 300 years old. He can't have come here to attend the Feast of Ziyun."
"Forty years ago, Ci Xuan was always the one attending the Feast of Ziyun on behalf of the Divine Light Sect... this time is surely no exception."
"Ci Xuan went up against Elder Qi Ming from the Xuanyin Sect 20 years ago and emerged triumphantly."
"Ci Xuan entered the ultimate Primal Core stage a long time ago. Whereas Elder Qi Ming only entered the ultimate Primal Core stage 20 years ago. It's normal for Ci Xuan to be more skillful."
...
After paying close attention to the group of people from the Divine Light Sect, everyone's gaze shifted uniformly to the three other groups of people.
People from the Thousand-Year Sect.
People from the Tianwu Sect.
People from the Xuesha Sect.
Apart from the Xuanyin Sect, which had more people coming because it was the official host, there were only 20 people from the remaining four major sects who had come. Or at least, there were only 20 people who had shown themselves at the moment.
Of course, there would definitely be elders and disciples from each of the major sects hidden in the spectating crowd. It was just that they had not accompanied the main characters of the major sects attending the Feast of Ziyun today.
Apart from the Xuanyin Sect, among the 20 people from the four major sects who had appeared at the moment, the remaining 19 people, excluding the leaders of the major sects, were all going to participate in the friendly matches today.
Primal Core adepts from the various major sects also brought along with them a group of Connate adepts as they flew in the sky. They landed at the grandstand in Xuanyan City which was surrounded by a high platform, split into a few rows and sat down.
The people from each sect occupied one area of the seats in the grandstand.
In each area, only two people sat in the first row: the leaders of the major sects and the Golden Essence adepts who were accompanying them.
"Everyone's here... the Feast of Ziyun is about to start soon!"
Anticipation shone in the eyes of the spectators from various parts of Ziyun.
These people had traveled over 10 thousand miles to Xuanyan City for the precise purpose of personally bearing witness to the entire process of the Feast of Ziyun this time. This would not only be one of the most unforgettable experiences of their lifetimes, but it would also be something for them to brag about for the rest of their lives!
"The five major sects of Ziyun along with the five Golden Essence adepts at the apex of Ziyun are gathered together in the same place... a scene like this can only be seen at the Feast of Ziyun."
"Because I can see the leaders of the five major sects in Ziyun, and the five Golden Essence adepts in one shot... I have no regrets in this lifetime."
...
Under the anticipating gazes of the people in the crowd, the Xuanyin Sect in its capacity as the official host finally opened the ceremony.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Liu Yi, leader of the Xuanyin Sect."
Lord Liu Yi of the Xuanyi Sect stood up from his seat in the grandstand. In the blink of an eye, he had flown to the platform in the sky. He made a 360-degree spin in midair and swept his eyes over the spectators.
"Now, I announce... the official commencement of the Feast of Ziyun!"
...
At the same time that the Feast of Ziyun started, a huge eagle of massive proportions soared into the sky from the Xuanyan City Inn. A beautiful and fair little girl was sitting on its back, and a young man was standing behind her.
The youth was dressed in a spotless white robe with his arms behind his back. He gazed straight ahead calmly, and the disdain in his eyes was completely obvious.
In that moment, the youth's tall figure seemed to be of indomitable spirit.
Zoom!!
In a split second, the giant eagle turned into lightning and flew into the clouds.
"Stop."
The giant eagle followed the youth's words. As for the little girl on the eagle's back, she turned her head with a dumbfounded expression on her face. "Big Brother, aren't we going to watch the Feast of Ziyun right now?"
"Xiao Lu, wait here for a while with Little Gold. I'll go and settle some trivial matters first."
Zhou Donghuang patted Yun Lu's small head dotingly and smiled faintly. Then with a sway of his body, a white light flashed and all traces of him disappeared in a flash.
Whoosh!
The white figure flashed past the two stealthy figures in the sky that were about to fly through the clouds, causing them to stop in their tracks hastily.
"You guys have been watching me for a full 10 days."
Zhou Donghuang put his arms behind his back. His white robe swayed with the breeze as he looked at the two old men from above.
"You noticed us that long ago?"
At the same time that their expressions changed slightly, the two old men also noticed the silver rings around Zhou Donghuang's body. "You... you've made a breakthrough to late Primal Core?!"
In their eyes, the youth before them was merely a mid Primal Core adept.
But now, it seemed that he was no longer a mid Primal Core adept. He had made a breakthrough over the past 10 days and was now a late Primal Core adept. He had caught up with them in terms of his level of practice.
Meanwhile, in the moment the two old men's faces changed, the silver inner Yuan surrounding Zhou Donghuang's body exploded. In a split second, raging flames were ignited.
The aura of the boundless and majestic inner Yuan hit them squarely in the face, enveloping and suffocating the two old men directly.
"What rich inner Yuan!"
"We're all Silver Essence adepts, but why does it feel as if his inner Yuan is more than twice as rich as mine?!"
Their expressions changed completely when they sensed the inner Yuan emanating from the youth in front of them.
Boom!!
When the silver flames on the surface of Zhou Donghuang's body spread rapidly with a loud rumble, it did so at a speed that the two old men were completely unable to keep up with. The flames closed in on them rapidly.
Swoosh!!
His palm swept past, emitting silver light. The head of one of the old men flew into the air directly. Fresh blood splashed out and rained down on the other old man's face.
By this time, Zhou Donghuang had already moved to the other side. His back was facing the surviving old man, who was so frightened that his face was alternating between green and white, and his entire body was trembling violently.
"Tell Zhong Ya... that I'm at the Feast of Ziyun. I'm waiting for him to settle any enmity between us."