Chapter 385 - 288: Attending in Person! Like the Emperor Himself!
Chapter 385: Chapter 288: Attending in Person! Like the Emperor Himself!
Early the next morning, a martial arts training ground in the capital was already bustling.
In the center of the large training ground, a wide arena was tightly surrounded by fences, and countless seats were densely arranged around it.
Despite the early break of dawn, the venue was already packed to capacity.
The crowd sat down in an orderly fashion according to their designated positions.
At this moment, the training ground was a cacophony of voices, with most people dressed in luxurious brocade attire, highlighting their respective identities and statuses.
Almost all the influential forces with noted names from the Great Xia dynasty were gathered here, with quite a few court ministers seated, creating a lively and tense atmosphere.
Voices of discussion arose within the crowd.
"Mr. Huang, have you heard?"
A middle-aged man in a blue robe whispered to the person beside him.
"Heard what?" Mr. Huang frowned slightly; evidently, the man’s words piqued his interest.
"This time, it seems the martial arts tournament is not being overseen by the Director of the Celestial Rites Bureau." The middle-aged man spoke in a lowered voice, with a hint of confusion in his tone.
"Oh?"
"That’s indeed odd."
Mr. Huang stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, "According to past conventions, the martial arts tournament is always hosted by the Director of one of the six bureaus, the Celestial Rites Bureau."
"Why is it that this martial arts tournament has not only been moved forward but has also changed the chief examiner?"
"Yes, yes!"
An elderly man in a purple robe agreed, "However, these matters are not for us to worry about."
"Anyway, our Green Jade Sect is determined to secure a spot among the top hundred for the Spirit Ruins!"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Huang smiled faintly, a confident glint flashing in his eyes.
"Exactly, regardless of who the chief examiner is."
"The spot for the Spirit Ruins is something our Cangshan Sect must secure as well!"
With that, Mr. Huang glanced at the three disciples beside him, all aged 28-29, with exceptionally distinguished demeanors!
Cangshan Sect is located in the Eastern Domain Yuxu State, with Mr. Huang being an existence of Inner Qi Realm Perfection.
Thus, these few disciples were the most outstanding ones in the sect.
Each one of them was under 29 years old and had already broken through to the Blood Refining Realm, fully qualified to compete for those top hundred positions.
Because all participants in the martial arts tournament must have a bone age under twenty-nine.
Anyone found faking their bone age would be severely punished by the Great Xia court.
At the least, their martial arts cultivation would be abolished, and at the worst, they would be executed on the spot, with responsibility traced back to their supporting forces.
"Ah, the Spirit Ruins!"
"It’s truly a memorable place!"
"Unfortunately, back in the day, even I, the Sect Leader, barely squeezed into the eighty-ninth place."
"I could only stay in the Spirit Ruins for five days."
"Had I been given more time, perhaps I could have broken through to the Martial Arts Grandmaster Realm in my lifetime.!"
The Spirit Ruins were filled with various extremely mysterious spiritual objects of heaven and earth.
Of course, danger coexists with opportunity; within the Spirit Ruins, there may also be some very peculiar ghostly entities.
Simply put, it’s akin to randomly entering a certain illusionary realm, defeating monsters to drop various rare treasures!
However, such a magical place surprisingly has time limitations.
The Spirit Ruins open once every ten years, and for only one year at a time.
Thus, this brief one-year period becomes an unparalleled opportunity for people all over the world to vie for.
However, the resources in Spirit Ruins are limited; they can’t just let everyone enter together.
If they did, there wouldn’t be enough to go around.
The first batch to enter, besides the Great Xia royal family, the eight large families, and five major exceptional forces,
includes the top 1-3 ranked candidates in the martial arts tournament.
For a period of ten months!
The second batch to enter are the 4-10 ranked candidates, for a period of 30 days!
The third batch are ranks 11-20, entering the Spirit Ruins for 15 days.
The fourth batch are ranks 21-50, entering the Spirit Ruins for 10 days.
The fifth batch are ranks 51-100, entering the Spirit Ruins for 5 days.
As for the first batch that enters, if they don’t exit according to the designated time, someone will naturally remind you.
The one who rules the heavens of the Great Xia dynasty!
When the Spirit Ruins close, everyone who entered will be expelled from it.
At that time, if you violate the designated exit time, you’d better have the strength to overcome all.
Otherwise, just clean your neck and await death!
As daylight grew clearer, the atmosphere at the training ground became more tense.
Disciples from various major forces sharpened their resolves, ready to show their skills in the upcoming martial arts tournament.
And the results of this tournament would determine who could enter the Spirit Ruins and gain immeasurable opportunities.
A kilometer away from the training ground, a towering staircase stood proudly.
The staircase rose layer by layer, with each layer furnished with exquisite tables covered with luxurious brocade, appearing solemn and dignified.
These seats were arranged from low to high, seemingly reflecting the official ranks within the Great Xia court.
The lowest level of the staircase, where seats were densest, was intended for mid-to-low-ranked court officials.
As the staircase ascended, seats gradually decreased, and the table decorations became increasingly lavish.
At the very top of the staircase stood three of the most prominent chairs, overlooking the entire training ground.
These three chairs were prepared for the chief examiner of the martial arts tournament and two deputy examiners.
The chairs were crafted entirely from precious top-grade sandalwood, intricately carved with complex mystical bird patterns, reflecting a faint sheen.