363: Chapter 363 All Parties Gather at the Cloud Arena

Chu Sheng registered under the name "Liu Mang".

When he picked up the brush to write those two characters, the tip paused on the paper for a moment, as if confirming he hadn't made a mistake.

The young deacon from the Guanxing Tower responsible for registration paused as he took the form, his gaze lingering on Chu Sheng's face as if trying to confirm something.

But in the end, he asked nothing, simply filing the form into a thick stack of registers.

"Seven days from now, Xingdou City, the Cloud-Top Arena. Entry requires the Moon Token."

The deacon's voice carried the practiced tone of someone who had repeated the phrase many times; amidst the noisy registration area, it was deliberately clear.

Chu Sheng nodded and turned to leave the makeshift registration tent.

When he walked back to the inn, Jiuer was sitting on the windowsill reading a book.

She did not look up when he entered, but as if sensing something, her tone carried a hint of seriousness: "Be careful."

Chu Sheng did not answer with "Okay" or "I will," nor did he stop walking; he simply walked to the window, leaned against the other side of the frame, and stood there quietly for a while.

He had no extra words to say either.

The two of them just stayed there in silence.

Seven days later, Xingdou City.

This city was built on a flat plain between several mountain peaks, surrounded by mountains on all sides. When the wind swept over the ridges, it carried a dry and refreshing scent, as if all the excess moisture between heaven and earth had been filtered by the mountains.

The city streets were wide, with pavilions and towers lining both sides.

However, the pedestrians' pace was noticeably faster than in Baicao City, as if everyone was being pushed forward by some invisible rhythm.

The Guanxing Tower was at the highest point of the main city, and the Cloud-Top Arena stood high above a vast sea of clouds.

Chu Sheng looked up and could faintly see the outline of a massive stone platform above the clouds, like an island floating in the sky.

Its edges were outlined by sunlight into thin, golden ribbons of light, hanging far above the city as if it were a city that did not belong to the ground.

He was not in a rush to ascend the arena, first taking a walk around the city to feel the atmosphere.

There were sparse lines at the entrance to the arena, and Cultivators in different attires gathered in twos and threes.

Some whispered to one another, some closed their eyes to rest, and others scanned their surroundings, as if observing potential opponents.

Chu Sheng did not join the crowd, simply standing on the periphery. His gaze swept over the contestants entering one after another, silently filling in the gaps on his list, putting the missing pieces of the puzzle into place.

His gaze landed in several directions, pausing for a moment as if quickly piecing things together in his mind, matching information with the individuals.

As for the Qu Family representative, Chu Sheng did not rashly greet him.

Qu Linzhou had arrived earlier than he expected.

He was dressed in a white robe, the fabric looking light and soft, yet it barely fluttered in the mountain wind. A green jade pendant hung at his waist, his long hair was neatly tied, and his features were indeed outstanding and well-defined.

With distinct contours and fair skin that did not look sickly, and a sharp jawline, he carried a sense of comfort that did not feel like he was deliberately showing off.

There were indeed quite a few female Cultivators looking at him nearby.

Some were whispering, others let their gazes linger a bit longer, but their attitudes were not overstepping; it was more like they viewed this sight as something permitted to be admired.

Qu Linzhou seemed accustomed to this kind of attention; his pace was normal, neither deliberately slowed nor quickened. With his gaze leveled forward, he walked steadily into the contestant area.

Chu Sheng withdrew his gaze and did not look further.

The group that entered next was particularly eye-catching.

Xia Yanyan from the Three Sovereigns Hall brought only two attendants, but as he walked into the viewing area, the surrounding chatter noticeably quieted for a few moments, as if an unspoken atmosphere was slowly spreading.

The Three Sovereigns Hall had the fewest members among the Twelve Giants, but their strength was top-tier. Every generation of Disciple was known for being elite, making them one of the forces truly standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid.

A Cultivator whispered: "Xia Yanyan? That person from the Three Sovereigns Hall? Doesn't he rarely go out?"

"I heard he is one of the Disciples in this generation of the Three Sovereigns Hall most likely to inherit their mantle. No one knows exactly how deep his cultivation is."

"He came to participate in the Heavenly Ranking... Who knows which Sovereign's Disciple he is."

"That is a figure truly at the pinnacle of the Five Regions."

Chu Sheng stood on the periphery, not approaching, his gaze lingering on that figure not far away for a moment.

Xia Yanyan had a cold expression and a slender build. His walking pace was steady and even, showing no obvious emotions; he didn't seem like someone determined to win, nor like someone who was just going through the motions.

Chu Sheng did not speculate too much, simply placing this figure and name into the list he had already arranged several times in his heart, then marking it in his mind.

The crowd in the viewing area suddenly went quiet.

A figure walked over from the direction of the Guanxing Tower's main seat. Her pace was not fast, but the rhythm was distinct, like a beat that had been repeatedly measured.

She wore a long robe, her long hair cascading like a waterfall down to her waist. Her face was delicate, and her brows and eyes carried a calm focus.

Her gaze did not look at anyone in particular, yet she naturally attracted the attention of everyone present, as if something was involuntarily drawn to her as she passed by.

Su Muyu, the Master of the Guanxing Tower.

As she walked past the viewing stands, many Elders leading their Sects bowed slightly in greeting.

She nodded in response, the movement slight, but each response was perfectly measured—neither too intimate nor too distant.

Her temperament was not the sharp kind; it was more like a pool of water that could reflect everything around it.

Quiet, yet able to make people see their own position clearly.

When she sat in the main seat, her sleeve brushed against the edge of the table; the movement was light, yet carried a crisp composure.

The Cloud-Top Arena looked spectacular enough from below, but standing on it was a different experience.

The surface of the stone platform was covered with a layer of faint cloud patterns. There were no railings at the edges; below was a surging sea of clouds and the vast Void Realm.

There were no protective arrays and no cushioning measures whatsoever.

A deacon from the Guanxing Tower stood at the side of the platform. His voice was not loud, but it clearly entered everyone's ears: "There are no protective arrays on the arena. If the defeated cannot exit on their own, they bear the consequences themselves."

He repeated: "All consequences on the Cloud-Top Arena are borne by the contestants themselves; it has nothing to do with the Guanxing Tower."

People below the platform whispered, their voices kept very low.

Some looked at the boundary without railings at the edge of the arena, their gazes pausing for a moment as if re-evaluating the true weight of this competition.

Chu Sheng stood below the platform, not looking up at that boundary line. He just stood there quietly, as if waiting for a pre-ordained moment.

Sunlight slanted onto the cloud platform, lengthening everyone's shadows and then slowly shortening them, like a needle being slowly adjusted.

In the distance, wind passed through the gaps between the mountain peaks, emitting a low, resounding hum, as if the city itself were slowly exhaling.

Su Muyu stood up from the main seat, facing the contestants who had already taken their places below.

Her voice was not loud, yet it landed clearly in every corner.

"The rules are simple—the person who stands until the end takes what they deserve."

After saying this, she sat back down, as if she had already finished everything she needed to do.

Chu Sheng's gaze fell onto the Moon Token in his palm. The sunlight happened to shine across the surface of the token, casting a faint glow on the light, crescent moon pattern.

He flipped the token over and tucked it into his sleeve.

The sea of clouds surged slowly beneath the arena, as if heaven and earth themselves were holding their breath, waiting for the arrival of the first collision.