Fantasy: I, the Great Celestial Venerable of the Dao

Amazement, awe, envy, curiosity...

A variety of emotions surged within the crowd.

Many cultivators from small and medium-sized sects were extremely excited.

Being able to see the legendary Dao Xuan Zhenren and the elites of Qingyun Sect in person is enough to make the trip worthwhile.

The Azure Cloud Imperial Boat slowly descended onto a section of land to the east of the Heavenly Election Platform that had already been marked out.

The most spacious and prestigious private area.

The ship came to a stop, and the light shield dissipated.

Dao Xuan was the first to step down the gangway, followed closely by Wan Jianyi and the other fourteen Taiyi high-ranking officials.

Then came the participating disciples, who lined up neatly and filed down the stairs.

The group, dressed in white as snow, exuded a harmonious aura, though they did not deliberately flaunt their presence.

But it naturally exudes a calm demeanor and subtly radiates a sharp edge.

She instantly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Elders and deacons jointly dispatched by the three major sects were already waiting there.

An elderly man dressed in a Xuan Tian Sect Taoist robe, exuding a profound aura, stepped forward and bowed deeply to Dao Xuan, displaying extreme respect.

"Elder Qingxu of the Xuantian Sect, respectfully welcomes the arrival of Dao Xuan Zhenren!"

Welcome fellow Daoists of Qingyun Sect!

The venue is ready. Please follow me, Master.

Dao Xuan nodded slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, Elder Qingxu."

Led by Elder Qingxu, the Qingyun Sect group passed through a passage that automatically parted in the crowd.

Heading towards the north of the Tianyantai (Heavenly Evolution Platform)

The tallest and best-viewing platform for the Chairman, constructed of white jade and precious sacred wood.

The platform is divided into three levels.

The top floor has only five seats, with the three in the center slightly higher and the two on the sides slightly lower.

At this moment, True Person Lingxiao of Xuantian Sect, Fairy Zixia of Zifu Sect, and Long Zhantian of Fulong Mountain were already present.

Upon seeing Dao Xuan arrive, the three of them stood up to greet him.

"Master Dao Xuan, many years have passed since we last met, and your brilliance surpasses even that of the past! You truly deserve the top spot on the Taiyi Ranking; congratulations!"

Master Lingxiao was the first to cup his hands in greeting, his smile warm and his tone sincere.

Fairy Zixia bowed gracefully: "The presence of a True Immortal adds luster to this grand event."

Please take a seat.

Her gaze swept over the crowd behind Dao Xuan, lingering particularly on Lu Xueqi and a few other young Taiyi.

A barely perceptible hint of surprise and understanding flashed in his eyes.

Long Zhantian was the most direct, and laughed loudly:

"Dao Xuan! You've finally arrived!"

I've long wanted to see just how powerful these little monsters you've trained really are!

Come, come, sit here!

He pointed to the position that was almost level with the three high positions in the center.

Dao Xuan calmly returned the greeting: "You three fellow Daoists are too kind."

He did not refuse and sat down comfortably in the spot indicated by Long Zhantian.

That position, though nominally next to the three sect leaders, was of great height and vision.

Its superior status has already been demonstrated.

Sitting alongside the three sect leaders, and even having the slight advantage of being ranked first on the Taiyi List, he seemed to be half a head above them.

Lingxiao Zhenren and Zixia Xianzi remained calm in the face of this, clearly having already tacitly approved it.

Long Zhantian felt it was only natural.

Wan Jianyi, Tian Buyi, and fourteen other Qingyun Taiyi were led to the second level of seats below the higher-ups.

He was ranked alongside the supreme elders and powerful elders of the three major sects.

The other disciples were seated in a designated area on a lower level.

The view from here is expansive, making it easy to observe the entire arena.

As for the representatives of other small and medium-sized sects and aristocratic families, they could only stand on the east and west sides respectively.

The viewing area unfolds like a fan, with tiers descending in layers.

Their status is obvious at a glance.

This seating arrangement silently proclaimed the current power structure of the top human forces in Central Continent:

Qingyun Sect has already reached a level of equality with the three major traditional powerful sects.

Even due to the personal prestige of its leader, Dao Xuan, it has the potential to become a leader among its peers!

Below the high platform, in the viewing seats on the east and west sides.

Countless gazes were focused on the four figures sitting side by side on the top floor of the platform, each with their own thoughts.

There was admiration, envy, jealousy, and... deep resentment.

On the west side, towards the front, lies an area shrouded in a deliberately created gloomy atmosphere.

The Lord of Youming Valley, Yin Jiuyou, is clad in a black robe, blending seamlessly into the shadows, with eyes that gleam like ghostly flames.

He stared intently at the white-clad figure at the top of the platform.

And behind him stood the dignified, young, and powerful Qingyun Sect members.

Especially when he saw the Qingyun disciples being placed in prominent positions below the top elders.

His withered hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched unconsciously.

"Dao Xuan... Qing Yun..."

Yin Jiuyou's heart was filled with indescribable jealousy and hatred, as if a venomous snake were gnawing at it.

On what grounds? A newly established sect that has only been around for a few thousand years, and a junior who has only been cultivating for a thousand years.

How could he have surpassed others and reached the top of the Taiyi Ranking, sitting on a high platform alongside the three sect leaders and being admired by thousands?

His Netherworld Valley has a far longer history than Qingyun Valley.

They consider themselves to have a deep foundation, yet they can only remain in the background, associating with second- or third-rate forces?

His gaze swept over the disciples he had brought to the competition behind him.

In particular, there were several young men with sinister auras and eyes that flashed with cruelty and bloodlust.

Those were his carefully cultivated core disciples, skilled in various insidious methods and ruthless in actual combat.

He then glanced at the Qingyun disciples' area on the opposite side.

Those figures, though young, all sat upright, exuding a pure yet sharp aura.

"With Dao Xuan holding things up, the Qingyun Sect is nothing more than a bunch of lucky fledglings, or stray dogs."

Yin Jiuyou thought maliciously.

"True cultural heritage cannot be accumulated in just a hundred years."

In the martial arts arena, swords and blades have no eyes, and martial arts techniques are merciless...

This will allow the world to see what these so-called "geniuses" of your Qingyun Sect are really like.

In the face of real life-or-death battles and cunning tactics, is it still so glamorous?

He turned his head slightly and whispered a few words to a withered old man beside him who was like a shadow.

A green glint flashed in the old man's eyes, and he silently retreated.

He conveyed the Valley Master's "meaning" to the core disciples of Youming Valley who were participating in the competition.

Upon hearing this, the disciples all revealed cruel and excited smiles, their eyes like those of venomous snakes.

The location of the Qingyun disciples on the other side has been identified.

He spent particularly much time on several of his female disciples who were outstanding in appearance and temperament and had a good reputation.

Lu Xueqi seemed to sense something, and her cool gaze swept lightly in the direction of the Netherworld Valley.

Like a thousand years of ice passing by, without the slightest emotion.

But those prying eyes instinctively withdrew.

At this moment, a loud and majestic voice, driven by magical power, resounded throughout the entire arena from the center of the Heavenly Evolution Platform:

"The auspicious hour has arrived! The millennium restarts, the 'Central Continent Martial Arts Tournament' begins now!"

In the center of the Heavenly Evolution Platform, a massive arena, ten zhang high and a hundred zhang in circumference, is shrouded in a powerful barrier of light.

Above the arena, several huge water mirrors floated, clearly projecting the scene on the arena.

This ensured that all the cultivators on the surrounding viewing platforms could see it clearly.

The competition process had already been announced: participants would be grouped according to their skill level and opponents would be determined by drawing lots.

Winners advance, losers are eliminated, until the top ten in each realm are determined.

Even the ultimate leader.

The rules are relatively lenient.