The Ascension Platform, the competition long awaited by all sects under Heaven, had arrived!
Although there were some limitations, cultivators below the Dao Integration Realm represented the most crucial foundation of a sect. The significance of this competition could not be underestimated.
Su Bei gazed at the vast and impressive scene before him, clicking his tongue in amazement. Then, with his three disciples, he headed towards the Sword Sect's designated competition area.
The Sword Sect was assigned to the tenth competition area. Due to the immense number of sects attending the Ascension Platform this time, a considerable portion of members from various sects had missed the opening ceremony. However, this time, everyone was present!
The Ascension Platform, though called a single platform, was actually divided into ten arenas. The one constructed in the very center was the Lingyun Platform—the true Ascension Platform—built for the final showdowns between the top ten sects in the world!
Atop the Lingyun Platform, Saintess Yao Yan ascended. Her white robes fluttered, and her long black hair was bound by a few silver hairpins. She gazed serenely at the dense crowd of spectators below.
With Saintess Yao Yan's call for the official start, the entire scene erupted with the force of collapsing mountains and overturning seas, instantly becoming electrifying!
"Elder Su has arrived!"
A group of Sword Sect disciples, all smiles, looked towards Su Bei and greeted him enthusiastically.
"Will Elder Su ascend the platform?"
"Elder Su must display our sect's prowess!"
Su Bei spotted Dan Wuque and her sister, Dan Wulan, watching him from a short distance away and waved.
Dan Wuque's eyes visibly brightened, her errant tuft of hair bobbing twice. Dan Wulan offered a faint smile, her gaze casually sweeping over the three young women accompanying Su Bei.
Finally, high above on the platform, an elder from the Sacred Land took the stage. Su Bei recognized him—it was Yumen Du!
"For this Ascension Platform, due to the large number of attendees and limited participant slots, the eligibility for contestants, originally planned for those below the Dao Integration Realm, has been changed. It will now include those from the Divinity Transformation Realm up to the Dao Integration Realm!"
"Each participant has only one chance; a single loss means elimination. If challenged and defeated, forcing them off the platform, they cannot compete again for the remainder of the tournament!"
"Therefore, each sect must allocate its chosen participants strategically. Ensure that suboptimal results are not achieved due to poor planning or unforeseen circumstances!"
"The condition for a sect's victory is also quite simple: defeat all participating members of the opposing sect! Any remaining members from the victorious sect will advance to the next round of the competition!"
"..."
Su Bei narrowed his eyes. Under these tournament rules, strategic allocation was clearly more crucial than raw strength.
There were also exploitable loopholes within the rules. For instance, if an opponent was an extremely formidable cultivator at the Half-Step into Dao Integration Realm, a sect with sufficient resources could even deploy several Peak Refining Void experts as 'cannon fodder' to deplete the Half-Step Dao Integration cultivator's stamina and Spiritual Energy!
He chuckled inwardly. Peak Refining Void experts were absolute powerhouses in any sect. Outside of the Ten Great Sects, it was already remarkable for any other sect to possess even one such individual.
Currently, the Ten Great Sects were: the Circle Sect, Dao Sect, Star Moon Sect, Wuhua Palace, Buddha Gate, Cang Sect, Tianji Sect, Multi-Bao Pavilion, Blade Sect, and Sword Sect.
These also corresponded to the ten competition areas.
Although the Sword Sect was slightly weaker compared to the other Great Sects, securing the single qualifying spot from their designated competition area among the ten should still be manageable.
Therefore, in this competition, the Sword Sect's greatest adversaries would be the Half-Step into Dao Integration cultivators from the other Great Sects!
As far as Su Bei knew, the Dao Sect, Wuhua Palace, and Buddha Gate each had two elders at the Half-Step into Dao Integration Realm.
Su Bei's gaze swept over the high-level seating areas of the ten competition zones. He spotted Tong Xiu of the Dao Sect, Lin Duo of Wuhua Palace, and Fa Jiang of Buddha Gate. He had met these three before, but there were many other powerful auras present that were entirely new to him!
"That man with the scar on his face is the Blade Demon from the Blade Sect!"
Wenren Pingxin walked over to Su Bei's side. Looking towards the distant man, she began her introduction.
"This man is incredibly powerful. He has been immersed in the Dao Integration Realm for nearly a hundred years. If the Sword Sect were to face the Blade Sect on the Lingyun Platform, he would be our greatest opponent!"
"..."
Just as Su Bei was observing the scar-faced man, the latter seemed to sense his gaze. He turned his head, his eyes meeting Su Bei's, and instantly, a fierce, invisible blade aura surged towards Su Bei.
This terrifying blade aura was not a deliberate attack from the scar-faced man. Instead, it was a natural emanation, a result of him having refined his entire being to the extreme, so that everything about him carried the intent of the blade.
Wenren Pingxin smiled at the man and, with a wave of her hand, dispersed the blade aura.
The Blade Demon's lips curved into an angle he likely considered a smile, but it was utterly chilling!
"You just need to proceed steadily and surely!"
The Blade Demon nodded faintly, retracted his gaze, and closed his eyes, composing himself.
Just then, Xi Qingyi walked over. She nodded to Su Bei, then turned to Wenren Pingxin and said,
"Senior Sister, I have some bad news."
Wenren Pingxin's brow furrowed slightly. She asked calmly,
"What is it?"
Xi Qingyi took a deep breath and said composedly,
"Water Cloud Valley... they've been assigned to the tenth competition area!"
Water Cloud Valley?
Su Bei had a vague recollection of this sect. During the opening ceremony, many sects had been discussing it. Apparently, their Great Elder had recently broken through to the Half-Step into Dao Integration Realm!
This was not good news for the Sword Sect, which had been relatively secure in its position within the tenth competition area.
Although he had confidence in Xi Qingyi, if she had to expend a large amount of her Spiritual Energy fighting Water Cloud Valley before even reaching the true battles on the Lingyun Platform, it was likely to be problematic...
Wenren Pingxin frowned and asked,
"According to standard procedure, shouldn't Water Cloud Valley have been assigned to the fourth competition area?"
"..."
The fourth competition area... that was Wuhua Palace's zone!
Xi Qingyi's expression remained unchanged, but her voice turned chilling as she said,
"That is a question you'll have to ask Elder Wang of the Sacred Land!"
"..."