[Vol. 6] Chapter 192: Dreams of Everything
If the appearance of the Eastern Saint brought waves of thunderous applause and unified cheers, then the descent of the Immortal Envoy from Spirit Veil Island sent the entire venue into a frenzy.
Unlike the respectful, tense, and slightly fearful reception given to the "Iron-Blooded Saint", the arrival of the Immortal Envoy ignited unrestrained excitement among the audience. Over 100,000 spectators in the main venue stands, as well as many trained guards and even staff members, erupted in exuberant cheers as if they had been injected with pure adrenaline.
“It’s the Immortal Envoy! It’s really an Immortal Envoy from Spirit Veil Immortal Island!”
“Long live the Spirit Veil Immortal Island!”
“The Immortal Envoy is so beautiful!”
“Oh my... this is the first time I’ve ever seen a member of the legendary Spirit Veil Tribe in person! Are those the famed 'Celestial Ears' that can hear across vast distances, completely different from ordinary yokai and monsters? They’re so graceful!”
What Celestial Ears? They’re just regular fox ears, honestly. Sure, there might be some differences in hearing ability, but their texture and appearance are pretty much the same.
With plenty of firsthand experience comparing such features, Violet inwardly grumbled while keeping her eyes on the Immortal Envoy. She watched as the figure landed lightly before striding with deliberate elegance, step by step, through the air toward the main stage.
She didn’t miss the brief flicker of a frown on the Saint’s face, which spoke volumes.
As expected, the Eastern Origin Saint was dissatisfied with the overbearing presence of Spirit Veil Island. It wasn’t surprising. Any ambitious ruler would struggle to fully accept their power being overshadowed and interfered with by a higher, more dominant force, even if that interference wasn’t overt.
Violet quietly observed, amused and intrigued, as the drama played out beneath the surface of the event’s grandeur.
Although it was understandable, the Saint's subtle discontent wasn’t exactly a good sign. Violet could only hope that Shangguan Qiuyue would remain rational in his dealings.
As the Immortal Envoy reached the main stage, the dazzling radiance that seemed to highlight her presence gradually faded. The Eastern Origin Saint glanced at the sea of people below, now roaring with excitement due to her arrival. However, his expression betrayed no dissatisfaction. Instead, he inclined his head slightly toward the slender, youthful figure clad in black robes.
This was an extraordinary display of respect for a Saint, a gesture typically reserved for the other three Saints of the realm.
“The Immortal Envoy’s arrival is a great blessing for the people of our nation. Welcome. Please, say a few words to the audience,” Shangguan Qiuyue said, his tone composed.
The noble young woman, her face partially obscured by a white veil, smiled faintly. Their conversation wasn’t hidden but deliberately amplified so all could hear.
“You’re too kind, Saint. Spirit Veil Immortal Island and the Four Nations of the Ancient Spirit Realm have always been partners. There is no hierarchy between us, so why use the term ‘arrival’?”
She then turned to face the crowd, who were visibly thrilled by her presence. Her voice, soft and melodic like the chime of a bell, spread effortlessly through the air.
“Everyone! Today marks the 32nd [Four Saints' Immortal Selection Ceremony], co-hosted by Spirit Veil Immortal Island and Eastern Kingdom. Throughout history, this event has produced countless extraordinary heroes and brilliant minds who have left an indelible mark on the development of the Ancient Spirit Realm.”
“Now, as we celebrate the year 1000 of the Four Saints Calendar, we have chosen to host this event at this significant moment to symbolize bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new. It represents prosperity and renewal. I encourage you all to compete with enthusiasm, aim for the top, and showcase the exceptional strength of the new generation of Eastern Kingdom heroes. Bring glory to your nation and claim the ultimate honor! I will be waiting for you on Spirit Veil Immortal Island!”
“OOOHHHH!!!!!”
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, their excitement soaring to the heavens.
The Immortal Envoy’s speech, though somewhat cliché, even coming across as perfunctory to a certain priestess, had an almost hypnotic effect on the crowd. The people, who had grown up surrounded by tales of Spirit Veil Island, were enraptured.
The contestants, especially the younger ones wearing numbered tags, were practically glowing with excitement and determination. Their eyes sparkled as if they could already see themselves setting foot on Spirit Veil Island, strolling hand in hand with the elegant Immortal Envoy, engaged in deep, personal conversations.
‘Tch… do they not realize that across all four nations, including both the Literary and Martial Competitions, there are only 100 slots for Spirit Veil Island? And once you account for special slots reserved for certain individuals, each nation is left with barely 20 spots. These are spots earned by fighting tooth and nail against millions of competitors. Just thinking about it sounds brutal,’ Violet thought.
After the brief opening remarks, the Immortal Envoy didn’t continue to overshadow proceedings. Instead, she gracefully took her seat in the spot prepared beside the Eastern Saint, signaling the formal start of the ceremony.
The usual procedures of verifications and opening performances went by without much fanfare. However, the real spectacle, as expected, was the first round of competition scheduled for the ceremony’s opening day.
Unlike the nationwide preliminary rounds, the first day’s matches involved far fewer participants. These were carefully selected contestants chosen by the Eastern Kingdom authorities, making the event feel more like a "performance match" than a true competition.
As previously mentioned, each of the four nations held a small number of reserved slots for exceptional contestants. These didn’t guarantee a direct pass to Spirit Veil Island but allowed participants to skip the national preliminaries and advance directly to the Four Nations Grand Finals. Even so, these slots were highly coveted and envied.
As the saying goes, “It's not scarcity but inequality that breeds resentment.” Such preferential treatment inevitably stirred jealousy and criticism, so the Eastern Kingdom officials needed to ensure that those granted these slots demonstrated sufficient skill to justify their selection.
Thus, the performance matches on the first day of the ceremony became the perfect stage to showcase their abilities and silence any dissent.
That being said, when several familiar figures, whom Violet had only parted ways with a few days earlier, were introduced one by one by the host and slowly walked onto the stage, she couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.
She had guessed that these individuals might have significant backgrounds, but she hadn’t expected their influence to be this substantial.
“The reserved slots went to them? Does this mean there’s some kind of connection between the [Shocking God Sect] and the [Holy Sect]?”
Hearing Murong Yun's similarly astonished whisper beside her, Violet nodded slightly.
“Indeed. The [Shocking God Sect]… for them to produce so many geniuses and even [Eternal Life]-level experts, they’re far from being just an ordinary small sect.”
Perhaps due to the limited number of participants in the performance match, only five out of the eight third-generation disciples of the [Shocking God Sect] were present. Notably absent were Yanzi, the girl named Shen Xue, and another male disciple.
The absence of Shen Xue and the other male disciple was understandable. Both specialized in support-oriented techniques, similar to Violet’s healing skills, and were not particularly adept at direct combat. However, Yanzi’s absence was a bit odd.
Violet had had several in-depth conversations with Yanzi, whose real name was Xuan Shu, during their journey. The girl trusted her completely, almost to the point of sharing everything openly. Violet knew very well how powerful Yanzi truly was, despite her outward appearance of not even being at the [Seeker of Immortality] stage.
Not to mention Shangguan Hong, even the [Eternal Life] realm elder Mu Ze might struggle to defeat her in a life-or-death battle. The seemingly harmless mysterious techniques Yanzi practiced were deadly when mastered, capable of killing without leaving a trace, all while requiring minimal reliance on elemental attributes.
‘…Perhaps she has her own reasons for staying out of this. I’ll ask her when I get the chance,’ Violet thought.