Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 566 Two Unexpected People: Fu Dongcheng and Chang Qingshan!
Two arenas, radiating spiritual energy, slowly descended, revealing two figures upon them.

[It was two men!]

One of them was the first to reveal himself, and the disciples of Guangxuan Peak all stood up upon seeing him, exclaiming in surprise: "It's Senior Brother Fu Dongcheng!"

The man was not tall, wore a long, rolled-up white robe, had an ordinary appearance, looked rather old, and had a somewhat dull expression, though occasionally a glint of light would flash in his eyes.

The disciples from various branches have already guessed that it is a disciple of "Guangxuan Peak".

[A person who surprised not only the disciples of all the other branches, but even those from Guangxuan Peak, unexpectedly stepped forward first.]

[No, it shouldn't be the first one; it was two people walking off the stage at the same time.]

There's one more person. Who is this person?

[Under everyone's watchful eyes, the clear light gradually dissipated, and a figure stepped out, even drawing a sidelong glance from Fu Dongcheng beside him.]

[Attention from all factions: Xiao Qingfeng and the others present also stood up.]

"Could it be someone from Xiao Qingfeng?"

As the light completely dissipated, the young man's face became clearly visible, and the disciples of Little Green Peak immediately erupted in an uproar—"It's Senior Brother Zhou Jing! Senior Brother Zhou!"

The disciples of Xiao Qingfeng were astonished, speechless.

[Senior Brother Zhou, who always kept a low profile on Xiaoqing Peak, this mild-mannered and seemingly unskilled senior brother, is actually the number one debater?]

[Cousen's face froze instantly, her pupils contracted slightly, and she exclaimed in disbelief, "How is this possible?! Impossible!"]

"Anyone will do, but why Zhou Jing?"

[Lu Qingyu was also taken aback, looking at the handsome and refined young man who had already stepped out of the arena, a surge of indescribable emotion welled up in her heart, "Junior Brother Zhou..."]

Xiao Wan'er's face was filled with infatuation.

The Xue sisters were overjoyed, cheering repeatedly, "It's Senior Brother Zhou! It really is Senior Brother Zhou!"

Lin Shuang smiled as she noticed all eyes on the young man in blue robes. "Senior Brother Zhou, your brilliance today is truly breathtaking."

Both Qin Shi of Feilai Peak and Chen Yao of Doushu Peak were surprised to see this.

Yuan Shujian remained calm, as if he had expected this, and reminded the white-crane girl pouring wine beside him, "Don't look anymore, the wine will spill."

The white-haired girl blushed. She had been utterly astonished by Senior Brother Zhou on the arena just moments before, and in her haste, the wine spilled from her cup.

She hurriedly wiped the table, but couldn't help glancing at the young man on the arena, who, under the watchful eyes of thousands, had broken through 1,300 formations, and repeated the name once more.

"Little Qingfeng, Zhou Jing!"

[Above the second-floor viewing platform.]

[Nie Qingzhu suddenly stood up, her gaze fixed on the center of the arena. When she saw the person's face clearly, her beautiful eyes widened, her lips parted slightly, and she was momentarily stunned.]

Qi Ling looked at Zhou Jing in the arena and thought to herself, "It seems that this Senior Brother Zhou is a bit more unpredictable than I imagined."

The old man cleared his throat and chuckled, "Young Jing, you've really got your moment today."

This unexpected situation not only occurred on Xiaoqing Peak, but also on Guangxuan Peak, where the "Fu Dongcheng" caught everyone off guard.

The audience was abuzz with discussion, and the disciples from both peaks wore the same expression on their faces.

However, since both seem to have left the ring at the same time, who is truly number one?

The presiding elder examined the two individuals before him, confirmed the order of the arena, and finally announced in a loud voice:

"Guangxuan Peak, Fu Dongcheng."

"Xiao Qingfeng, Zhou Jing."

"The two broke through 1,300 restrictions simultaneously, taking exactly the same amount of time."

As soon as the presiding elder finished speaking, the audience gasped once again.

The disciples of Guangxuan Peak and Xiaoqing Peak were the first to recover, and cheers swept across the entire arena like a tidal wave, with Xiaoqing Peak's cheers being particularly loud.

Fu Dongcheng looked at you with a mixture of curiosity and surprise in his eyes.

About fifteen minutes later.

Both arenas simultaneously blazed with light, the light curtain spreading like ripples on water, and two more people stepped down.

One of them is "Kongming" from Five-Colored Peak, and the other is "Sima Wanli" from Doushu Peak.

Kongming noticed that Fu Dongcheng and his companion had already taken the lead in the attack, and his expression instantly darkened.

Seeing this, Sima Wanli laughed and said, "Brilliant! This is more interesting!"

Time passed, and four hours finally went by!

Only eight people can break through 1,300 magic arrays.

The remaining four are: Wang Li from Xiaoqi Peak, Lu Zhao from Longya Peak, Yang Chen from Qiyun Peak, and Zi Xiao from Tianyin Pavilion.

The inclusion of the first two is expected—Wang Li and Lu Zhao are both renowned talents in their respective fields. However, the inclusion of the latter two is surprising.

[Especially Zi Xiao of Tianyin Pavilion, standing gracefully in a phoenix feather robe, holding a scorched-tail zither.]

Although Tianyin Pavilion is one of the eighteen branches of Fangcun Mountain, it specializes in the arts of "qin, qi, shu, hua" (musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting), especially musical instruments, whose sounds can cleanse the spirit and dispel inner demons. In addition, the pavilion is mostly inhabited by stunningly beautiful female cultivators, and it has long been jokingly referred to by disciples of other branches as "the most enchanting place of cultivation."

As for Qi Yunfeng Yang Chen, he wasn't well-known among the various sects. However, at this moment, everyone felt it made perfect sense—after all, Fu Dongcheng and Zhou Jing, who were ranked higher, were even more obscure figures.

These four looked more tired than the four who had met Fu Dongcheng before.

Yang Chen smiled at you and said, "Junior Brother Zhou, congratulations."

You simply said, "It was just luck."

All eyes in the room were now focused on you and Fu Dongcheng.

These two previously unknown disciples have now become the most eye-catching figures.

[Compared to women like Lü Qingyu, Zi Xiao of Tianyin Pavilion possesses a more delicate beauty, a natural allure. She enjoys a high reputation on Fangcun Mountain and is considered a fairy by countless disciples.]

Her bright, clear eyes swept over you, their gaze holding a hidden meaning.

Compared to the plain-looking Fu Dongcheng, your refined and otherworldly demeanor is indeed more striking.

[Four hours have passed; the presiding elder has opened the remaining arenas.]

Eighty-two disciples emerged one after another, many with bloodshot eyes and pale faces. Some even collapsed onto the arena, needing the help of their fellow disciples to leave.

The onlookers were then astonished to realize the difficulty of breaking the formation—ordinary disciples could barely break it even after exhausting all their strength, yet you and Fu Dongcheng remained completely composed.

This effortless performance contrasted sharply with the exhausted appearance of the other disciples.

On the high platform, the elders from different factions exchanged meaningful glances.

[At this moment!]

The last remaining Mother Mirror in the sky suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, its surface rippling like water, reflecting countless rays of light, causing all the cultivators present to hold their breath and gaze intently.

The disciples from all branches are looking on with anticipation. Aside from the top eight, who are unlikely to change, there are still eighty-two more to go, and naturally, there will be rankings as well.

Everyone was particularly curious about the disciple who had initially failed to break through the defenses but then caught up with them.

[Hongda's voice rang out, "Today's debate competition has come to an end. The top thirty rankings are now announced."]

[Only the first thirty names will be published.]

This decision brought a sigh of relief to many disciples—after all, if the scores of all ninety people were announced, those who performed poorly would inevitably lose face. However, those disciples who were hoping for a spectacle couldn't hide their disappointment.

Ripples began to appear on the mother mirror, and one by one, gilded characters slowly emerged on its surface:

Part 1: Guangxuan Peak, Fu Dongcheng

Part Two: Xiao Qingfeng, Zhou Jing.

The disciples from each lineage gazed at the rankings displayed on the mirror, most remaining composed and showing no sign of amiss. However, on the second-floor viewing platform, many elders wore satisfied smiles.

Nie Qingzhu frowned, her delicate hands involuntarily gripping the armrest. She clearly remembered that it had been announced that the two would break through the formation simultaneously, but now the rankings had been forcibly separated into first and second place.

The implication is self-evident: it's simply a matter of smaller green peaks crowding each other out in the mountains.

This feeling of frustration made her chest rise and fall slightly, but she couldn't let it show. After all, the two of them had broken through the formation at the same time, so any ranking would make sense.

Thinking of Zhou Jing's thin figure, she couldn't help but feel pity for him.

The top eight rankings were as expected, but starting from ninth place, many unfamiliar names appeared on the list.

Some disciples who usually keep a low profile unexpectedly displayed their talents in this debate.

The disciples on the viewing platform also understood that the way of debating formations was indeed quite different from that of fighting magic. Higher cultivation levels did not necessarily guarantee victory.

Kosen sneered, "Even if you can identify formations, so what? It's just a bit of luck. In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. You've been cultivating for five years and you're only barely at the Dao Embryo stage. What does that kind of talent amount to?"

"Moreover, this competition includes not only debate, but also calligraphy and painting, chess, music, and object identification—four competitions in total."

"You think you'll have the last laugh?"

However, he dared not speak loudly, and could only grit his teeth and say in a low voice.

The presiding elder's voice rang out again, "Today's debate on combat tactics concludes here. The calligraphy and painting competition will be held at Fire Cloud Peak the day after tomorrow at dawn."

"Goodbye, everyone!"

[After the elder's gaze finally landed on you, it vanished along with the majestic Mother Mirror.]

A calligraphy and painting competition will be held the day after tomorrow at Huoyun Peak.

As the competition came to a close, the disciples from each lineage dispersed like a tide, and the elders on the second-floor viewing platform also left one after another.

At this moment, the most spirited group were undoubtedly the disciples of Xiao Qingfeng.

This unexpected joy made them all beam with happiness, and they even walked with a light step.

Although Nie Qingzhu was still bothered by the rankings, seeing his disciples so joyful softened his usually cold and stern expression as he left with the elders and the others.

As soon as you stepped off the stage, your fellow disciples surrounded you. Congratulations filled the air, interspersed with many inquisitive glances.

Suddenly, a delicate fragrance wafted by, and the Fairy Zixiao of Tianyin Pavilion gracefully arrived.

She gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her lips slightly parted: "If Senior Brother Zhou Jing has some free time, why not come to Tianyin Pavilion for a short visit? Zi Xiao would be happy to play music for you." Her eyes sparkled with a thousand emotions.

You smiled and said, "Next time, definitely."

Yuan Shujian, Chen Yao, and others also came to offer their congratulations.

Yang Chen looked at the two of them, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "I told you, you just wanted to see me make a fool of myself."

"Never mind, losing to Junior Brother Zhou isn't shameful."

Yuan Shujian then asked, "Junior Brother Zhou, I wonder if you have made any preparations for the calligraphy and painting competition the day after tomorrow?"

You simply said, "We can only deal with it as it comes."

Yang Chen's expression shifted slightly; he had never seen you possess any skill in calligraphy or painting.

A glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, "In that case, Junior Brother Zhou, don't blame your senior brother for being ruthless during the competition the day after tomorrow."

Qin Shi suddenly remembered: "I almost forgot, Senior Brother Yang comes from a family of calligraphers and painters, and is most skilled in meticulous figure painting and talisman painting."

He turned to you, half-warning and half-teasing, and said, "Junior Brother Zhou, you'd better watch out this time."

You smiled and said, "Then we'll wait and see."

A considerable number of disciples had gathered in the plaza.

However, Xiao Qingfeng is only the last of the eighteen peaks, and is no match for Fu Dongcheng of Guangxuan Peak, who won the debate this time. He has been surrounded by disciples from various peaks, all wanting to get to know him.

As the sun set, Yang Chen and the others escorted you back to Little Green Peak.

[After traversing the winding mountain path, a three-story pavilion nestled among verdant bamboo comes into view.]

This is the courtyard where you live.

The courtyard walls, built of blue bricks, were covered with vines, and the green tiles took on a unique charm in the setting sun. This should have been a tranquil and elegant retreat, but unexpectedly—

【"Zheng—"

Five sword cries suddenly shattered the silence.

[Thereupon, Lü Qingyu, dressed in green, stood before the door, five spirit swords unfurled behind her like a folding screen, the five elements of spiritual energy flowing and surging between the sword blades, stirring up gusts of wind.]

You paused, a look of surprise on your face: "Senior Sister Lü, what does this mean?"

The girl's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she pointed a sword at me: "You, Zhou Jing, you've kept this from me for so long!"

"Take this!"

~

Fangcun Mountain.

Changqingshan, as the place where the eighteen spiritual pillars of "Xieyue Sanxing Dongtian" converge, can be called the first spiritual root of Fangcun Mountain.

Although this mountain is not towering into the clouds, it is the place where the dragon veins of the entire grotto heaven converge, and it is also the place where the sect leader cultivates in seclusion.

The scenery in the mountains is extraordinary; centuries-old Ganoderma lucidum grows in secluded valleys, and millennia-old stone marrow is solidified on cliffs.

Cranes carry lingzhi mushrooms as they pass by, while apes offer fruit as a token of longevity. Every morning at the first light of dawn, one can see purple clouds rising from the east, transforming into a sky full of spiritual rain.

When the moon is full in the sky, starlight falls and condenses into frost covering the ground.

Every blade of grass and every tree contains the essence of Tao; every stone and every drop of water contains profound mysteries.

The spiritual energy of the eighteen meridians converges and flows here. Even outer disciples with shallow cultivation can feel the profound sensation of the almost tangible spiritual energy flowing spontaneously in their meridians.

At the foot of Evergreen Mountain, amidst swirling clouds and mist.

The elder who had just presided over the debate had now withdrawn his escape light and stood respectfully before the blue stone steps outside the mountain gate.

This deputy head of the Punishment Hall—a Golden Core cultivator who had survived the Nine Heavenly Tribulations—didn't even dare to enter the mountain gate without permission, only daring to stop at the foot of the mountain and transmit his voice.

"Reporting to the sect master, the results of the debate competition have been announced."

He held the mother-and-child mirror in his hands, its surface shimmering with a soft, clear light.

Suddenly, the mountain mists surged, and a faint but powerful pressure swept by, startling the cranes in the forest into flapping their wings.

The elder lowered his head even further, his breath unconsciously tightening before this supreme sacred place of Fangcun Mountain.

At the summit of Evergreen Mountain, the clouds are so deep that one cannot see where it lies.

No one answered!

Only the mirror suddenly broke free from the elder's hands, transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the sea of ​​clouds, vanishing in an instant.

Who is number one?

The presiding elder bowed slightly before respectfully saying, "Reporting to the Sect Master, this is Zhou Jing from Xiao Qingfeng."

"Little Qingfeng!"

A single exclamation caused the entire Evergreen Mountain to tremble. Golden light appeared in the sea of ​​clouds, as if a giant dragon was swaying, and all the mountain's mythical beasts bowed their heads.

"interesting!"

The elder remained bowed, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

(End of this chapter)