176: Chapter 176 The Cangxuan Tournament Officially Begins

The third day had arrived!

The highly anticipated Cangxuan Assembly had finally begun!

This Peak tournament for the younger generation of the Cangxuan Empire attracted the focused gazes of countless people.

The entire imperial city was practically deserted as both Cultivators and Mortals alike surged toward the same direction—the Imperial Martial Arts Arena!

The fighting venue was located right in the center of the imperial city, at the Imperial Martial Arts Arena.

When the Xuanyang Sect Disciples arrived, the surroundings of the arena were already packed with a sea of people, and every seat was taken!

There were crowds of onlookers everywhere, and cheers, discussions, and hawking rose one after another, converging into a deafening wave of sound.

"Look quickly! The Disciples of the Xuanyang Sect are here!"

"I heard that the Xuanyang Sect has produced a peerless Genius this time? To actually withstand a punch from Ji Zhan with the cultivation of the Ninth Layer of Golden Core?"

"You are bullshitting! There has to be a limit to bragging, right? The Ninth Layer of Golden Core facing the Third Layer of Nascent Soul—a gap of four full minor Realms, how could that be possible?"

"In my view, it is just the Xuanyang Sect trying to draw attention through sensationalism! This Sect is truly getting worse by the day!"

"Eh, did you guys notice! Although the Disciples of the Xuanyang Sect lack strength, their female Disciples are truly alluring and tender!"

"Look at that man in cyan clothes at the Ninth Layer of Golden Core; by what right is he holding two Fairies in his arms? It is simply a waste of heavenly treasures!"

"Have you not heard? He is Baili Yunche, that Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Golden Core who withstood a strike from Ji Zhan without dying!"

"What?! It is actually him?!"

In the spectator stands, many Disciples from other Sects looked toward the direction of the Xuanyang Sect.

Discovering that the highest cultivation among the participating Disciples of the Xuanyang Sect was only Lin Yaodong at the First Layer of Nascent Soul, they instantly revealed sneering expressions, universally feeling that the Xuanyang Sect was destined to hit rock bottom once again.

At the same time, seeing Baili Yunche holding both Fairy Liu Ruyan and Fairy Xu Yuehuan, their hearts burned with raging jealousy, wishing desperately to replace him.

After the Xuanyang Sect Disciples took their seats, the Disciples of the three major Sects—Wanshou Sect, Hehuan Sect, and Tiandao Sect—entered sequentially right behind them.

The cheers for these three major Sects were much louder than those for the Xuanyang Sect, especially the Wanshou Sect, whose members rode various Spirit Beasts as mounts, looking extremely cool and flashy.

As the organizer, the imperial family naturally made their appearance last!

Rumble!

At the end of the horizon, an incomparably massive golden treasure chariot tore through the void and arrived.

The treasure chariot was pulled by nine snow-white dragon horses, its body forged from pure gold and inlaid with countless gems, flashing with dazzling brilliance under the sunlight.

Crown Prince Zhou Changqing, Seventh Prince Zhou Changyu, Fifth Prince Zhou Changfeng, Ninth Princess Zhou Bingyue, and a group of other imperial Disciples stood at the front of the treasure chariot, each dressed in lavish garments with extraordinary bearing.

Their expressions were arrogant and indifferent, looking down upon the common masses below, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention.

It was simply flashy to the extreme!

Behind them were the Disciples of the Four Great Families: Ji Zhan, Wu Lie, Liu Yuze, and others, who respectfully followed behind the imperial Disciples.

"Wow! That is Seventh Prince Zhou Changyu!"

"It is said that he is the youngest Nascent Soul Cultivator in the history of the Cangxuan Empire. He truly has a handsome and dignified appearance!"

"If I could marry him, I would be willing to bear ten monkeys for him! No! One hundred!"

The instant many women saw Seventh Prince Zhou Changyu appear, their hearts fluttered with romantic longing, and screams rose one after another.

Staring at Seventh Prince Zhou Changyu, Baili Yunche revealed a cold expression, his pupils reflecting that golden figure.

Right at this moment, Seventh Prince Zhou Changyu's gaze happened to look over as well.

Their eyes met, and invisible sparks seemed to burst forth in the air!

The corners of Seventh Prince Zhou Changyu's mouth curled into a cruel arc, and he made a throat-slitting gesture.

Baili Yunche returned a cold sneer, refusing to back down in the slightest.

Before long, after all the participating Disciples entered the arena, the Cangxuan Assembly officially began.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Accompanied by three melodious and deep bell chimes, the people on the martial arts arena quieted down one after another.

That bell chime seemed to contain a certain soul-suppressing power, instantly rendering the restless audience utterly silent.

Before long, a figure appeared out of thin air right in the center of the ring.

That was a middle-aged man with a posture as straight as a pine, a resolute face, sword-like eyebrows, and starry eyes, exuding natural majesty without even being angry.

He wore a deep blue cloud-patterned robe embroidered with nine dark golden flood dragons. With each of his breaths, those flood dragons seemed to be swimming.

He did not deliberately release any pressure around his body, but merely standing there caused the air within a radius of a thousand zhang to freeze slightly.

This person was none other than Eighth Prince Zhou Daoyi of the Cangxuan Empire!

"Everyone!" Eighth Prince Zhou Daoyi spoke, his voice as resonant as a bell, clearly spreading across the entire martial arts arena so that every corner could hear it clearly.

"This seat is Eighth Prince Zhou Daoyi of the Cangxuan Empire. Today is the highly anticipated Cangxuan Assembly, and it shall be hosted by this seat!"

His self-introduction was brief and powerful, carrying the majesty of someone who had held a high position for a long time.

It was said that this person's cultivation had already reached the half-step Soul Transformation Stage, just a step away from a Breakthrough to Soul Transformation!

If this person were to break through, the imperial family's prestige would reach its absolute Peak!

Because the imperial family currently already had two Soul Transformation Cultivators, who were the current Cangxuan Emperor and the Cangxuan Old Ancestor!

By then, with three Soul Transformation experts holding down the fort, the Cangxuan Imperial Family's control over the Cangxuan Empire would reach its Peak!

"The matches of this Cangxuan Assembly will last for three days. On the finals of the last day, the Cangxuan Emperor will personally arrive to watch!"

"I hope everyone will display your strongest strength and not disappoint Your Majesty!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd became restless.

The Cangxuan Emperor would actually personally watch the battle?

That was a supreme existence of the Soul Transformation Stage!

To be able to showcase one's skills in front of such a figure, if one caught his eye, would that not be soaring straight to the heavens in a single bound?

Eighth Prince Zhou Daoyi looked at everyone's reactions with satisfaction, nodded slightly, and continued:

"Without further ado! This seat will now explain the rules of this assembly to everyone!"

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping across the entire audience, and his voice steady and clear:

"On the first day, the preliminary battles! All participating Disciples will draw lots for pairwise duels; the winners advance, and the losers are eliminated!"

"Until the top two hundred are decided! These two hundred people will obtain the qualification to enter the Cangxuan Secret Realm!"

"On the second day, the arena ranking battles! The two hundred advanced Disciples will draw lots for duels once again; the winners continue to advance, and the losers fall into the loser bracket."

"After multiple rounds of competition, the top ten will finally be decided! These ten people will be the top ten of this assembly and can obtain generous rewards bestowed by the imperial family!"

He paused for a moment, raising his voice by a few degrees:

"On the third day, the Peak showdown will take place! The top ten Disciples will duel one by one, and the first place will finally be decided!"

"The first place will receive the highest reward of this assembly, and the award will be presented personally by the Cangxuan Emperor!"

His voice rose and fell with cadence, and every sentence he spoke seemed to carry the weight of a thousand jun, making everyone's blood boil with excitement.

After finishing the competition rules, Eighth Prince Zhou Daoyi's gaze was like lightning as he swept across the entire audience and asked in a deep voice: "Do you have any objections?"

What a joke!

Who would dare to have any objections?

This was the rule set by the imperial family, personally announced by a half-step Soul Transformation powerhouse. Whoever opposed it would be making an enemy of the entire Cangxuan Empire!