Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 557 The Old Man Shows Off: The Star-Picking Gathering at Fangcun Temple Begins!
With Nie Qingzhu's arrival, all the disciples fell silent.

Over the years, Nie Qingzhu has managed all affairs within the peak, practically acting as the peak master. Moreover, most of the peak's disciples were promoted by him, making him extremely prestigious.

The disciples also noticed an elderly man in gray robes standing behind Nie Qingzhu. He had a kind face but possessed a certain air of authority.

Even more surprisingly, Nie Qingzhu deliberately stepped aside, inviting him to stand in the seat of honor.

The disciples exchanged glances, a few of them looking thoughtful, seemingly having some vague recollection of the old man.

[You recognized him immediately—why is Old Man here?]

However, it makes sense. With the Star-Picking Competition approaching, Xiao Qingfeng definitely needs an elder who can keep things under control.

[Ever since you helped him remove the Seven Killing Sword Intent and gave him an ancient elixir, his accumulated strength has finally been unleashed. Within two years, his cultivation has not only fully recovered to the late stage of the Dragon Court realm, but he also has great potential, with the prospect of reaching the Great Dao Golden Core stage.]

Just last month, under your secret guidance, the old man finally mastered the "Sword Swallowing" move from the *Taiyuan Yiyang Sword*. However, the "Sword Repelling" move, ultimately limited by his aptitude, remains unmastered.

The disciples in the hall whispered amongst themselves, all speculating about the identity of the mysterious old man.

The old man stepped forward slowly, his white beard slightly raised, and his voice boomed like a bell: "I, an old man, have no sorrow for the passing years."

[Is there no sorrow in the year?]

Not only were the disciples surprised, but even Haojie, Wenlou, and other disciples' expressions changed.

The earth-shattering battle two years ago is still talked about among the various branches of Fangcun Mountain—on the back mountain of Xiaoqing Peak, an old man in gray robes fought alone against a ten-brain Dragon Court Realm elder, splitting the sea of ​​clouds in two with a single sword strike.

The power of that single sword strike not only terrified the Eighteen Meridians, but also made the name "Nian Wubei" resound throughout the Eighteen Meridians.

Some busybodies have dubbed him the number one person below the Golden Core stage on Fangcun Mountain.

[A moment of silence followed, then erupted in cheers.]

The cultivation world has always revered strength; with such a powerful figure in charge, how could one not feel excited?

[In old age, I find your figure, glance at you, then gently raise my head, my face indifferent, with the air of a superior being, and lightly put my hands behind my back.]

You know, the old man was secretly overjoyed.

[Nie Qingzhu surveyed the main hall. Four hundred disciples were gathered there; apart from a few who had gone down the mountain and hadn't returned, the elite of Little Green Peak were all present.]

"We have specially invited the elder to preside over the Star-Picking Ceremony." Her cool voice quelled the clamor in the hall.

The disciples all shouted in unison, "We obey the Elder's order!"

[With a flick of his sleeve, Nian Wubei silenced the commotion in the arena.]

He stepped forward slowly and took out a jade slip from his sleeve: "The list of disciples from Xiaoqing Peak who will participate in the Eighteen Veins Star-Picking Gathering Competition is as follows."

The voice was soft, yet each word was clear: "Disciples whose names are called, please step forward."

Although rumors had circulated among the disciples, they still held their breath in anticipation. The names that had been so presumed to be confirmed in the rumors now, at this crucial moment of official announcement, stirred a mix of excitement and trepidation within them.

The old man uttered the first name, "Qi Ling!"

The first name was no surprise; having entered the mountain at the same time as everyone else, he had already far surpassed them, and a burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd.

Qi Ling also stepped forward, her graceful figure shimmering in the morning light as she stood before the stage.

[Nie Qingzhu's eyes showed satisfaction. In two months, as expected, Qi Ling's cultivation had broken through, reaching the early stage of the Heavenly Gate Realm.]

Even Lin Shuang had to admit that Qi Ling's brilliance truly overshadowed all the disciples of the peak, making them pale in comparison.

[Three more names have emerged: "You Sanfeng, Lü Qingyu, and Xiao Wan'er"]

[It's only natural that the peak master's three disciples would be there; they are all in the late stage of the Dao Embryo realm, just one step away from the Heavenly Gate realm.]

"Tuhao, Shen Qingxue, Shang Fang, Dou Sen, Wen Lou."

[Aside from the wealthy individual, all five were in their second year of cultivation and were at the mid-stage of the Dao Embryo realm.]

The disciples naturally garnered considerable support and popularity, especially Shen Qingxue, Shang Fang, and Dou Sen, all of whom were handsome men and beautiful women.

[Unsurprisingly, these individuals are among the most outstanding in the peak in terms of both cultivation and combat skills.]

As the nine people took to the stage in turn, Dou Sen's lips curled into a slight smile, his eyes brimming with undisguised arrogance. He knew that after today, his name would not only resound throughout Xiaoqing Peak, but would also spread throughout the eighteen branches of Fangcun Mountain.

The old man paused briefly, then announced loudly, "The last one will also represent Xiao Qingfeng in the Eighteen Veins Star-Picking Gathering."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was puzzled. Was there someone else?

Those in the know whispered among themselves, learning that this year's Star-Picking Gathering, in addition to the traditional magical duels, had added five new arenas: strategy debate, chess observation, calligraphy and painting, music, and object identification.

Furthermore, the winners of these five arenas will automatically receive the honors of tenth and twelfth place without even participating in the actual combat.

"Who could this be?"

Lin Shuang's heart skipped a beat, and her gaze involuntarily turned to her senior brother Zhou beside her.

Just then, the elderly deacon's voice, imbued with a profound magical power, reverberated like a clear spring striking a rock, clearly echoing throughout the entire mountain peak—

"Zhou Jing!"

A moment of silence fell over the audience. The name Zhou Jing was familiar to many disciples. Over the years, he had gone down the mountain for trials and protected the spiritual fields, and many of his fellow disciples had received his care.

"Senior Brother Zhou! Senior Brother Zhou!"

The Xue sisters were the first to cheer, their voices clear and bright like bells. Zhang Tong joined in with a loud laugh, and for a moment, the cheers were so loud that they completely drowned out the applause that had been given to Dou Sen and the others when they took the stage earlier.

You remained calm, offering only a slight bow before stepping onto the stage.

You Sanfeng observed coldly, a fleeting glint of cold light flashing in his eyes.

Seeing this, Lin Shuang couldn't help but smile slightly: "It seems that Senior Brother Zhou is more popular than I thought."

You felt somewhat helpless; it seemed the old man was doing this on purpose, making your name the last one on the list, to bring you fame.

All ten participants in the competition have arrived.

[Then we will proceed to Qiyun Peak to participate in the grand ceremony.]

The old man nodded slightly to Nie Qingzhu, then looked around at the disciples below and said loudly, "Please do not panic. I will use my supernatural powers to send you to Qiyun Peak. You may feel dizzy for a short time; just remain silent for a few breaths."

A black dot appeared in the old man's palm and rapidly expanded, becoming a black hole that hovered above everyone's heads like a black cloth blocking out the light.

Then, Xiao Qingfeng and the others felt dizzy, as if they had fallen into a dark cave.

[You too are deeply involved, but you never expected that old age would "show off" this move—the "Sword Swallowing" technique from the Sun Sword.]

[It can devour spiritual energy and all things... and can even create a space in a short time.]

But... you have a bad feeling.

[Little Green Peak and Qiyun Peak are quite far apart. With his current cultivation level, it wouldn't be difficult for him to create his own space to cross them. But this "Sword Swallowing" actually includes nearly four hundred disciples—that's a bit... overconfident.]

The disciples felt themselves plunged into endless darkness, and the sound of rushing water gradually rose around them, as if they were in an underground river.

[Qi Ling's usually calm face showed a rare hint of surprise—this wasn't the sound of flowing water at all! It was clearly the roar of the Dao principles caused by intense spatial friction!]

[It's unbelievable that Xiao Qingfeng has such a person; this person truly lives up to his reputation.]

Nie Qingzhu was also somewhat shocked. Although Senior Brother Nian had given prior notice, she was still surprised by his current cultivation level, which granted him such supernatural abilities.

[Your eyes gleam with a jade-like luster, piercing through illusion. Spiderweb-like cracks have appeared within the "Sword Devourer," threatening to collapse at any moment.]

[If they fall into the spatial turbulence, these Dao Embryo Realm disciples have absolutely no chance of survival!] [Just as you predicted, the out-of-control space is deviating from its trajectory at an alarming speed. The passage that should have led to Qiyun Peak is now rushing wildly into the depths of the upward sea of ​​clouds—]

Completely out of control!

[When you're old, do you also want to slaughter Xiao Qingfeng once again?]

A frantic voice immediately reached your ear, "Jing, this is bad! We can't control the sword-swallowing technique!"

【"what to do?"】

You replied blankly, "I'm old, I can't hear what you're saying."

The person on the other end of the voice transmission was practically jumping up and down in panic: "Master Jing! It's come to this, please lend a hand!"

You then smiled and said, "Okay."

[A tiny, dark glint, deeper than ink, appeared at your fingertips, instantly expanding to engulf the entire out-of-control black hole.]

The turbulent spatial currents around us subsided as if a raging storm had been calmed.

Immediately afterwards, a white light suddenly burst forth in front of the black hole, spinning and transforming into a dazzling white hole. The two holes, one black and one white, pulled each other together, forming a perfectly formed Tai Chi symbol.

A burst of primordial magnetic force seemed to connect to a certain location, forcefully anchoring the out-of-control passage in a spot in the void.

[The instant the black and white vortex dissipated—]

~

Qi Yunfeng.

At the summit of the sea of ​​clouds, a single peak stands out.

At the summit, a magnificent plaza stands, forged from billions of kilograms of celestial gold.

This is the transformation of the Fangcun Temple, the supreme treasure of Fangcun Mountain, and is the only divine forbidden treasure second only to the sect's supreme treasure - the "Crescent Moon Treasure Mirror".

Since its founding patriarch, Fangcun Temple has been refined and expanded by more than sixty generations of cultivators, with each generation creating a portion of it.

It has taken thousands of years of accumulation to achieve what it is today.

This treasure can contain Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed; when closed, it can be hidden in a sleeve; when unfolded, it can cover 1,300 acres of cloud platform and accommodate nearly 100,000 disciples.

During times of war, Fangcun Temple was used for expeditions, while in times of peace, it was mainly used as the venue for the Star-Picking Gathering.

Everyone seems to take it for granted!

At this moment, this treasure, which carries the glory of Fangcun Mountain for a thousand years, is embracing the clouds and mist atop Qiyun Peak.

Fangcun Temple gleamed in the morning light, with Taoist patterns flowing on its seventy-two dragon-carved pillars, enveloping the entire mountain in a vast Taoist aura.

There are already forty to fifty thousand disciples above, and more than ten branches have arrived.

The disciples of the other branches are not as few as those of Xiaoqing Peak. Major peaks such as Longshou Peak, Qiyun Peak, and Longya Peak all have more than two thousand disciples.

Even the smaller peaks have thousands of people.

The total number of disciples from the eighteen lineages exceeds 20,000. If the elders and deacons of each lineage are included, the number of people present is close to 30,000.

However, today's grand gathering is attended by both the delegation of cultivators from the Fangcun Mountain-affiliated families and special envoys from the Nine Righteous Sects.

A high platform was erected above the square, with the area below divided according to the eighteen mountain gates.

At this moment, cultivators from all branches have arrived one after another, and the entire dojo is radiant with light and color, displaying a magnificent spectacle.

Today, all the sects at the Star Picking Gathering made their appearances with utmost care. For example, Dragon Scale Peak, which is skilled at raising spirit beasts, arrived riding on various rare and exotic beasts, led by a giant Azure Phoenix. Although this spirit beast is not a true spirit, it is still at the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao and can transform into human form. It is also a Supreme Elder of Dragon Scale Peak.

The Fire Cloud Peak, skilled in weapon forging, was even more astonishing. They actually arrived in a crimson copper city, its walls densely covered with weapon-forging Dao patterns, and a hundred furnaces spewing flames from the city walls, turning half the sky crimson. The sounds of forging echoed from within the city, like thunderous booms.

Crane Peak, a mountain range renowned for its alchemy, has taken a unique approach by arriving in flocks of carefully nurtured white cranes. The cranes' cries are clear and melodious, and the air is filled with the fragrance of elixirs, truly resembling the aura of immortals.

At Dragon Head Peak, a group of disciples and sword cultivators rode on flying swords, forming the Dragon Sword Formation in the air. The sword light poured down like a silver river, and the sounds of dragon roars and sword howls resounded through the sky.

Each of the eighteen meridians displays its unique abilities, ensuring they are not inferior to others.

As time goes by!

At this moment, fourteen of the eighteen sects have been established, with only the host Qi Yunfeng and the members of Xiao Qingfeng who have yet to appear.

As the leader of the Eighteen Families, it is only natural that Qi Yunfeng would make a grand finale appearance.

But what right does Xiao Qingfeng have to put on airs?

Whispers could be heard throughout the room.

Many cultivators wore amused smiles, their gazes frequently sweeping towards the sky, eagerly awaiting this spectacle.

"A mere sect of three or four hundred people dares to put on such airs?" a disciple from Yaochi Peak sneered.

"I heard they don't even have a decent magic artifact to suppress the peak," a cultivator from Fire Cloud Peak chimed in. "They have no more than five elders in their sect."

Amid the murmurs, someone deliberately raised their voice: "Let's hope that later we don't end up with three hundred people scattered around riding shabby magical artifacts, and even their escape lights coming in more than a dozen different colors!"

Laughter erupted immediately.

Many people were eagerly anticipating how this weakest peak would become the biggest joke at the Star Picking Conference.

The elders of each lineage did not stop the discussion, allowing it to continue, but all of them looked outwards.

Right now!

The light of day suddenly went out!
A beam of black and white light descended from the heavens, like the rotation of yin and yang, tearing open a chaotic rift in the sea of ​​clouds.

Before anyone could react, four hundred figures stepped out from under the mysterious light—they were dressed in fluttering blue robes and exuded a calm and composed aura; they were none other than the members of Xiaoqing Peak who had been missing for so long!
"This is... space shift?!"

"How can this be!"

Everyone was shocked!

~

The four hundred disciples of Xiaoqing Peak suddenly felt their feet become solid, and when they opened their eyes, the vast plaza of Fangcun Temple was already spread out beneath their feet.

The morning light pierced through the sea of ​​clouds, gilding everyone's faces with a golden hue.

The entire square fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

Everyone in the various factions looked at you with surprise at your arrival.

[Just now, everyone only noticed two vortexes, one black and one white, within the spatial space, and instantly, four hundred people from Xiaoqing Peak appeared here.]

[Now, their entrance is the most unique, surpassing all previous appearances by any other faction.]

At this moment, all the disciples of Xiaoqing Peak looked at the old man in front of them with burning admiration. Crossing the void in ten breaths was a divine feat.

In old age, he gently clasps his hands behind his back, smiling without saying a word.

[And no one noticed that the wisp of magnetic energy remaining on your fingertips, hidden in your sleeve, was quietly dissipating.]

You look at the square, which is already bustling with activity; tens of thousands of people have arrived.

A smile played on your lips. "The Star-Picking Competition is finally about to begin."

(End of this chapter)