章 246: Opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm
After his daily cultivation session, Zhao Yunxiao spent the rest of the night making sure that he had remembered every single detail from the briefing, and even those from other sources on top of that.
But as he looked at the list of participants sent from the subordinate sects, he could not help but sigh.
Origin Lake Sect.
Elder – Ming Leishang.
Participants – Chen Pingxi, Zhou Qin.
Zhao Yunxiao could not help but recall how the Origin Lake Sect members had mistaken him for an important character of the Black Tortoise Sect.
Back then, he had taken advantage of the misunderstanding to give some sort of warning to the disciples of the Origin Lake Sect, using it to protect Xia Wei in Jun Chuan's stead.
But looking at the current situation, it would appear that this arrangement could come crumbling down sooner than expected.
After all, they would definitely realise that he was just an ordinary outer disciple the moment they noticed him working as a helper on the observer team!
Still, if that happened, then so be it as well.
Zhao Yunxiao had already tried to do his part, and did not intend to burden himself too much over this matter.
It might be different if this directly impacted Jun Chuan himself. But Zhao Yunxiao definitely was not intending to give up on the rewards from helping at the event, all just so his Senior Martial Brother Jun's girl could look better in front of her friends!
Of course, it was not like he would not try his best to avoid those from the Origin Lake Sect as well.
Thankfully, the observer team did not need to have any direct contact with the participants. So, as long as the members of the Origin Lake Sect were not deliberately searching for him among the numerous helpers at the event, his role should not be exposed too easily.
The night passed quietly.
By the time the warm morning light washed over the beautiful sea of purple plum flowers, Zhao Yunxiao was already waiting at the event venue.
Inner Grounds – Black Guardian Square.
It was a huge open square with a raised column at each corner. Three of the four columns looked plain and simple, but on the last one stood a giant stone statue of a majestic tortoise with its head raised to the sky and jaws opened wide – almost as though it was attempting to devour the heavens.
This was perhaps the most guarded open square of the inner grounds, and with good reason as well.
After all, this was where one of the entrances to the Four Symbols Mystic Realm was located.
Four entrances, four great sects – each of the four entrances to the mystic realm was located in one of the four Great Symbol Sects.
No one knew which came first, the Four Symbols Mystic Realm or the Four Great Symbol Sects.
Some said that the progenitors of the Four Great Symbol Sects came together to create the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, while others argued that the Four Great Symbol Sects came to be only because they had benefitted from being located at the entrances of the mystic realm.
However, one thing was for sure – the two shared a relationship dating all the way back to ancient times.
For the same reason, the Four Great Symbol Sects had forged a close alliance.
All of them knew that should any of the other three fall into decline, that would also lead to the Four Symbols Mystic Realm being compromised.
After all, if an enemy faction managed to get access to the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, they would essentially gain a back door right into the midst of the other members of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm!
That said, all four sects were currently flourishing, and there had been no need for any real aid to be rendered to the others.
Rather than that, the four sects had constantly maintained a balance of competition and cooperation, working together to help one another grow while simultaneously wanting to get ahead of the others.
The opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm was perhaps the best example of this.
To optimise resource expenditure and minimise risks, all four sects would work together to open the Four Symbols Mystic Realm every year, striving to have their disciples expand their horizons and gain valuable experience within.
But at the same time, all of them also wanted their members to get ahead of the others, gaining the most out of this experience.
Or at the very least, they must not be in last place!
"Disciple Zhao Yunxiao, reporting for duty!" Zhao Yunxiao stood up the moment he noticed Fei Weng's arrival.
"Good, Little Zhao, you are as early as always," Fei Weng nodded in satisfaction. "I'll be relying on you later. Do me a favour and help me cover for the others if they make any mistakes."
"Count on me, Senior Fei! I will do my absolute best to make you look good!" Zhao Yunxiao patted his chest in assurance.
"Mm, I'm counting on you then," Fei Weng let out a satisfied smile.
Courtesy of the setup team, there were now numerous tall tents with seats and banners set up all over the original empty open square.
Chefs could be seen cooking away in one, while ushers were starting to exit another to take their positions.
Personal attendants waited patiently in theirs, all of them closely watching the entrance for the arrival of guests and participants.
Zhao Yunxiao was currently seated alone at the observer team's tent – one that was located strategically between both the largest and smallest tents present.
The largest tent in front would be where the participants of the event would be housed, while the smallest tent behind would be where the elders of the sect would be seated.
From there, the elders would be receiving unfiltered reports on the progress of the participants directly from the observer team, so there was absolutely no room for any reporting error.
There was even a seat left specifically for Sect Leader Zhi, though Zhao Yunxiao understood that he usually would not show up for this.
As time passed, Zhao Yunxiao watched as the observer tent became filled with his peers. Following which, inner disciples started streaming into the Black Guardian Square.
Not all inner disciples were allowed to participate in the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, but all participants were definitely inner disciples and above.
There were a thousand participants each year, carefully selected from the cream of the crop.
Yet despite their excellence, most of them bore complex expressions that indicated how this exciting opportunity came with its share of pressure as well.
After all, apart from being an opportunity for the disciples to grow, there were also many underlying intricacies when it came to an event as significant as this.
The most obvious implication was that it was a competition with the other three of the Four Great Symbol Sects.
As representatives of the Black Tortoise Sect, they bore the responsibility of upholding the reputation of the sect in front of their allies.
But even within the Black Tortoise Sect, it was also a competition among the disciples, who saw this as an opportunity to shine and distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack.
Those from the subordinate sects were no different in that regard. In fact, it was not unheard of for disciples of the subordinate sects to be invited into the Black Tortoise Sect after catching the eyes of the elders.
That would truly be a change of fate!
And perhaps more subtly, this was also a competition among factions within the inner sect.
It was no secret that there were clear factions within the inner sect, largely resulting from inner disciples taking sides with respective elders.
During events like this, the better their members performed, the greater the bragging rights for their inner sect faction. And the impact of that was further amplified by how the elders tend to reward their faction members whenever they did well.
For that reason, it soon became clear to anyone that the inner disciples were gathering in distinct groups.
These groups were unspoken demarcations of the individual factions of the inner sect.
And within these groups were individuals considered stars even within the Black Tortoise Sect – the core disciples.
Smiling Swordsman Kang Fuping.
Demon Hunter Han Xing.
Corrupt Judge Duan Lei.
Death Blade Wei Yuandi.
Frost Empress Zhang Xi.
Indomitable Heart Guan Fengshan.
This was a rare moment where all six core disciples were gathered at the same spot, clearly showing just how important the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm was, even to them.
Zhao Yunxiao could not help but sigh in admiration as he cast his gaze upon these outstanding individuals.
How he wished that he could possess just a tenth of their talent. That would already be more than enough to help him soar through the heavens!
At this point, he suddenly matched gazes with another participant.
Chen Pingxi had noticed him the moment she arrived at the Black Guardian Square. While noticeably confused at his role, she dared not question the arrangements of Elder He Luoxuan.
Instead, she chose to watch him closely, waiting patiently for him to notice her while trying to extract whatever hints possible from his actions.
And as expected, Zhao Yunxiao was able to detect her gaze from among a thousand participants present!
Seeing Chen Pingxi's intense gaze and how happily she was nodding towards him, Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. Nevertheless, he quickly suppressed the anxiety in his heart and nodded back in response, making sure to do so with as much confidence as he could possibly muster.
That was the end of their very brief interaction, but Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel a headache coming.
If he were Chen Pingxi, he would definitely come over and find out more once the event came to an end. And he needed to decide on just what kind of answer he wanted to give at that point.
Should he confess to the truth?
Or should he keep trying to string them along for the benefit of Xia Wei?
Regardless, that was a worry that should be left for after the event.
For now, his priority should still be to concentrate on properly dispensing his duties as part of the observer team!
As the time of the opening neared, even the elders of the Black Tortoise Sect started to arrive.
Graced with their presence, the tense chatter in the square quickly turned into a solemn silence, and the participants sat down in their assigned spots within their tent.
The elders could not help but pay slightly more attention to those of their own faction, though that was the limit of what they would do.
In the name of fairness, they would not do anything that could give members of their own faction an obvious edge, or at least not blatantly so.
"The time is ripe," Elder Feng Wanjia stepped forward after some time.
Just from her looks alone, no one would have been able to guess that she was actually a respected elder of the sect.
With her impeccably slim figure that had all the right curves, her soft facial features that screamed femininity, as well as her long black hair that stretched all the way down to her waist, Elder Feng Wanjia looked just like a young beauty who was not a year past her twenties.
Yet contrary to her looks, she was actually one of the most feared elders in the sect, largely in charge of the sect's tests and tribulations.
Seeing her step forward, the inner disciples present instinctively tensed up in response.
"I will be opening the portal now. All participants, get ready," Elder Feng Wanjia announced.
With that, she turned around to face the giant tortoise statue, which was located right next to the elders' tent.
"Everyone, stay alert," Fei Weng whispered to the observer team. "Don't miss a thing once it begins."
Zhao Yunxiao turned away from Elder Feng Wanjia to focus on the rows of jade tablets in front of him, each with the name of a participant written on it.
Upon entering the venue, each participant had formed a temporary spiritual connection with their corresponding jade tablet.
Now, it was up to Zhao Yunxiao and the rest of the observer team to keep track of the participants' statuses through these jade tablets.
And Zhao Yunxiao was determined not to miss a single detail!
"Open!" Elder Feng Wanjia shouted.
Weng-!
A low buzzing sound could be heard within the square, accompanied by a gentle trembling of the ground, as energy started welling up from within the giant tortoise statue.
The giant tortoise's eyes suddenly shot out rays of bright light, piercing into the skies and separating the clouds.
A wave of energy started rising from its open jaws, forming into an energy globe of shimmering dark and golden lights that hovered just above the status.
This energy globe quickly expanded, growing larger and larger before finally stabilising in size when it eventually reached the size of a small mansion.
Suspended above one corner of the Black Guardian Square, it looked mystical and otherworldly, almost like the eye of a deity that was watching everyone present.
"You have one chance. Make the most of it and don't screw up," Elder Feng Wanjia said. "Now, go!"
A thousand rays of dark and golden light shot out from the energy globe simultaneously, instantly connecting with the foreheads of all one thousand participants.
Their bodies turned into a blur, as though they were becoming mere wisps of smoke. The participants calmly closed their eyes, bracing themselves for what was to come.
And in the very next moment, all one thousand participants vanished from the Black Guardian Square.
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