Chapter 5
Guan Tian Tower is the most prestigious tower in Tai Zhou City, standing seven stories tall. It belongs to the Si Fang Association and is named after the top floor used for divination and observing celestial phenomena. With vermilion beams, painted pillars, green tiles, and flying eaves, its structure is ingenious and majestic, with the Si Fang Association's grounds right behind it.
On the third floor, a viewing platform faces the arena direction. Standing on the platform, one can have an unobstructed view of the scenery below the tower.
Jiang Ming Yue's gaze swept lightly over the surging crowd below. His deep black eyes showed no ripples in response to the dense, eager or greedy gazes falling on him.
"Young Master Ming Yue truly deserves the title of the number one beauty. Your appearance seems to have overshadowed even this competition," said Ye Xi Feng, also dressed in white robes, sitting beside him. With a perfectly curved smile on her lips, she gazed at the man's perfect profile, seemingly teasing him.
"Young Mistress Ye is joking. Everyone is here for the competition. Ming Yue is merely a spectator," the man's voice was like the first melting of an ice river, naturally carrying a hint of coldness.
Ye Xi Feng didn't mind and looked at him with even more interest. "Oh? Does Young Master Ming Yue not plan to participate in this competition today?"
Jiang Ming Yue's cold eyes turned slightly, answering with another question instead: "Ming Yue has a doubt. I heard that Si Fang Association went to great lengths to obtain the Deer Skin Map, losing quite a few talented individuals. Why is it now being used as a prize for the competition?"
Sitting on the other side was an elder of the Si Fang Association. Seeing the conversation turn to this point, his murky eyes looked towards the two, the wrinkles on his already wrinkled forehead deepening. He coughed lightly, wanting to interrupt the two's conversation, but heard Ye Xi Feng laugh naturally: "That was in my mother's generation. Now, this Deer Skin Map is of no use to me if kept in our Si Fang Association. It's better to give it to someone who needs it."
She raised her lips, eyes filled with mirth, half-jokingly said: "If Young Master Ming Yue wants it, I don't mind giving it to you."
Jiang Ming Yue turned his face slightly, his eyes like bottomless deep pools, quietly looking at the woman for a while. He lightly moved his gaze away, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint sneer: "Ming Yue appreciates Young Mistress Ye's kindness."
Ye Xi Feng's smile remained unchanged as she propped her chin, staring at him unabashedly until a middle-aged woman in a gray robe walked up behind her and said in a low voice: "Young Mistress, the time has come. Can we begin?"
Ye Xi Feng waved her hand, finally sitting up straight: "Let's begin."
"Yes."
The weather was already hot, and with the crowd pressing in, some people had already become impatient. Many had started cursing, yet despite this, no one was seen leaving.
A middle-aged woman in a gray robe walked onto the vast arena and used her inner force to transmit the rules of this grand competition to everyone's ears.
"This grand competition will be conducted in two rounds. The first round will be divided into five small arenas. Each arena will have two stages of competition, with only one winner for each stage. Two winners from each small arena will advance to the second round. Weapons are allowed, but hidden weapons are prohibited. Life and death are not taken into account..."
On the outermost tree, Shen Yao Xing was leisurely munching on an apple. When she heard "life and death are not taken into account," she frowned: "Isn't this Si Fang Association supposed to be on the righteous path? How come they don't care about life and death in a mere martial arts competition?"
Meng Xin Yi, leaning against the tree trunk, looked towards her upon hearing this, seeming unable to understand her words: "Blades and swords have no eyes. Isn't this normal? If everyone were to be mindful of life and death and hold back, wouldn't this grand competition become a joke? Moreover, this is not just an ordinary martial arts competition. Participants should be prepared for the consequences of defeat."
Shen Yao Xing felt very uncomfortable hearing this. She felt the apple in her hand was no longer sweet. What she disliked most was how these ancient people treated human life as worthless, as if the weak had no value for existence.
The person on the arena finished explaining the rules and left. Soon after, the ground began to shake slightly. With the arena as the center, five small arenas slowly rose from the ground, at some distance from the main arena. The small arenas were not circular, but oval with pointed ends, looking like blooming lotus flowers when viewed from above.
When they were fully raised, the scene was quite spectacular.
"I didn't expect Si Fang Association to actually use the Lotus Platform!" Even the usually calm Meng Xin Yi was somewhat excited, gripping the tree trunk tightly at this sight.
"Lotus Platform?"
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