novelraw Chapter 475: Sect Discourse, Four Voids Realm
Chapter 475: Sect Discourse, Four Voids Realm
Dong, a long bell peal rolled out and the vast platform fell abruptly silent as every attendee of the sect discourse turned their gaze to the imposing central dais.
Ten cultivators in the robes of different sects ascended one after another, and among them stood the Heng Nan Sect Master of Lingyin Sect.
As they appeared, the hush deepened until one could hear a pin drop. The elder standing at the very center spoke slowly: all of you fellow Daoists, Bifang Realm’s once-in-five-centuries sect discourse is about to begin. This humble one, together with the sect masters of the previous tournament’s top ten sects, will preside over this gathering.
“The speaker is Qingxu Sect’s sect master, Daoist Master Wending, and Qingxu Sect were the champions last time,” Senior Qun Fang’s voice slipped quietly into Yu Zhao’s ear.
Yu Zhao nodded. Over the last few days of inquiry she had learned that Qingxu Sect were strongly favored to take the title again, because they had produced a once-in-a-millennium prodigy who had reached the Void Refinement Stage before the age of two hundred. Some even said he would surely pass the Grand Alliance’s selection and ascend to the Great Thousand World. Because this disciple’s fame weighed on the other sects, Lingyin Sect had, for the first time, broken precedent to seek outside aid.
Thinking this, Yu Zhao glanced toward Qingxu Sect’s area and found many others looking the same way. At the center of attention, Lu Jiu Yuan seemed unaware. His blue eyes rested coolly on the sect master upon the dais as he idly played with a crystal-clear folding fan.
The elder continued, voice calm: this discourse will differ from the last. After discussion among the sect masters, the arena this time is set as the Four Voids Realm. Participants will each claim a Number Token, then project their consciousness into the Four Voids Realm for elimination bouts; the ten who remain at the end will be the winners. Take note: there is no spiritual power within the Four Voids Realm. You may rely only on your comprehension of Dao intent. And only one disciple from each sect may survive to the end; any sect that violates this is disqualified, and the next best performer will fill the slot.
The new rules detonated like a spark in dry grass.
“Not a contest of spiritual power but of Dao intent, how are we supposed to compare that,” someone blurted.
“Why were we not warned? Did the former top ten collude to set a trap so we cannot win,” another shouted.“This is unfair, we do not accept it,” others cried, voices rising.
“Qun Fang, did you know about this beforehand,” Ancestor Sui Bian asked quietly in the swell of indignation.
Senior Qun Fang shook her head: “Heng Nan did not mention it to me.”
Ancestor Sui Bian relaxed. Even Qun Fang did not know; clearly those ten on stage had arranged it privately. If no one else knew either, there was nothing to fear. Besides, a contest of Dao intent might as well have been tailored for Yu Zhao. [It will be hard for her not to win this time.]
Standing in the Burning Heaven Valley contingent, Du Wu Xiang’s expression darkened. He had lost to Yu Zhao on Dao intent the last time. This time seemed already written.
“Once you enter the Four Voids Realm, avoid Yu Zhao if you can. Do not clash with her. Endure to the very end,” Fei Hong Ancestor instructed in a low voice, and he could not help sighing inwardly. The next time he met Sui Bian, the man would likely be looking down his nose at people.
“Our ten sect masters drafted these rules together and shared them with no one else,” the Qingxu Sect master known as the Seeking Dao Lord said, tone iron-hard as he pressed the hall back into silence. “If any sect objects, you may withdraw now. If you do not withdraw, your silence is consent. Any further slander will be handled as a violation.”
He flicked his sleeve. Thousands of Number Tokens whistled forth and hovered above the dais.
“The discourse is about to begin. Participating disciples, claim your Number Tokens.”
No one moved.
Lu Jiu Yuan then tossed his folding fan with studied casualness. It traced a graceful arc through the air, then settled neatly back into his hand with an ancient Number Token caught between the ribs. That seemed to break the spell; disciples from the other sects began taking tokens by their own means.
Yu Zhao wrapped a Number Token in her soul force and drew it toward herself. Midway, a figure leapt up, a large hand snatched the token tight, and its owner flashed her a provocative smile.
Yu Zhao’s expression did not ripple. At the instant the token was about to slip from her control, she willed, and the soul force clinging to the token detonated. With a muffled bang the man’s palm burst into blood. He cried out and his fingers opened of their own accord.
Stained with crimson, the Number Token drifted back through the startled stares and came to a steady halt before Yu Zhao. She flicked a finger and a wisp of spiritual power swept the surface, erasing the blood until it was pristine once more. Only then did she unhurriedly close her hand over it, lifting her eyes to the man glowering at her from afar as she smiled: I will remember you.
He shot her a venomous look, spat a threat, then turned to rob someone else’s token.
Ancestor Sui Bian curled his lip in disdain. [Garbage like that dares yelp before my little Yu Zhao? He is overdue for a beating. Once you are inside that Four Voids Realm, brat, you will cry without tears.]
In a few breaths the tokens above the dais were gone.
“Within the Four Voids Realm, death does not injure the body,” the Seeking Dao Lord went on, an edge of warning in his voice. “But the death of your consciousness will likely leave a crack in your Dao heart, and one day that crack may become your Heart Demon when you break through.”
An uproar burst anew.
“A crack in the Dao heart? That is worse than a wound to the flesh,” someone exclaimed.
“Yes, and it breeds Heart Demons. This is too much,” another shouted.
“In previous contests there were no such rules. Why are things so hard only when it is our turn,” others protested.
Even Ancestor Sui Bian and the other seniors, the gathered worthies, wore sober looks.
Anticipating this, the Seeking Dao Lord raised a hand for quiet. A faint ripple spread at his gesture.
“Those who wish to continue, inject your divine sense into the Number Token. In ten counts, anyone who has not done so will forfeit,” he said, and he began to count: ten, nine, eight…
“Yu Zhao,” came the anxious murmur from Ancestor Sui Bian and Old Black Daoist.
Yu Zhao dipped her head to reassure them, then, without hesitation, sent her divine sense into the Number Token.
When she opened her eyes again, a different heaven and earth lay before her.