Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Chapter 521 The Hall of a Hundred Arts

The group continued its journey through the slightly congested streets, merging into the flow of people returning to their base. The surrounding chatter remained noisy, a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

However, after the initial shock and discussion, the members of Qingyun Sect have calmed down again, and a tempered composure and determination have appeared in the depths of each of their eyes.

The simple lintel of Yunqi Garden can already be faintly seen at the entrance of the alley ahead.

Shen Mo knew that from the moment he stepped through that door, the real, bloodless contest had already begun, quietly unfolding along with those ever-present divine sense markers.

The shadow of the Starfall Gorge, like the Sword of Damocles, hangs high over the heads of all participants. But before that, they must first establish a foothold and accumulate strength on the chessboard of this Sky City, dealing with open and covert attacks from all sides.

After only half a day of rest following the opening ceremony, the next morning, the seemingly eternal light of the sky over Tianyuan City once again enveloped the competition venues, which were already in full preparation.

Shen Mo led the Qingyun Sect members away from Yunqi Garden again, but this time their destination was located on the west side of the Dao Asking Square.

A magnificent building called the "Hall of a Hundred Arts".

This is where registration and preliminary selection for specialized skills competitions take place.

The Hall of a Hundred Arts covers a vast area and is entirely constructed of bluish-white jade, with flying eaves, brackets, carved beams, and painted rafters, creating a magnificent and imposing sight.

In the square in front of the hall, dozens of huge spiritual light signs had already been erected, categorizing and labeling dozens of different skill categories such as "Alchemy", "Array Formation", "Talismans", "Weapon Refining", "Beast Taming", "Spiritual Plants", "Chess", "Stealth", "Perception", and "Mechanical Puppets". Each category had even more detailed sub-branches, making it a dazzling array that was hard to look away from.

At this moment, the square was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. The air was filled with a variety of complex smells: the fragrance of spiritual herbs, the acrid smell of burnt metal, the slightly fishy smell of talisman paper and cinnabar, the body odor of spirit beasts, and the spiritual energy fluctuations of varying strengths emanating from countless cultivators, all mixed together to create a unique, noisy, and vibrant atmosphere belonging to the "Hundred Arts".

"My God, so many people—" Li Xiaocao couldn't help but click her tongue as she looked at the sea of ​​heads in front of her.

Although she knew that the Tianyuan Conference was a grand event, she was still shocked to see such a grand scene at the registration point specifically set up for "miscellaneous studies".

"The Eastern Wilderness is vast, and there are countless talented and extraordinary people. Not everyone is good at direct combat, but in their respective fields of expertise, they may be top figures." Zhao Qingyan explained softly, her gaze sweeping over the signs and finally landing on the "Array Dao" area, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.

"Let's go, let's register first." Shen Mo took the lead, leading everyone through the crowd and following the instructions to their respective registration areas.

The "Alchemy Competition" that Li Xiaocao signed up for was held in a side hall on the east side of the Hundred Arts Hall. The aroma of medicinal herbs was strongest there, and the queue was the longest.

When it was Li Xiaocao's turn, the person in charge of registration was a middle-aged cultivator wearing a pill refiner's robe with a serious expression, whose cultivation level was at the early stage of the Golden Core realm.

"Name, sect, cultivation level, main focus of alchemy cultivation, have you ever obtained alchemist certification?" The middle-aged cultivator asked routinely without even looking up.

"Li Xiaocao, from the Qingyun Sect of the Southern Region, mid-Foundation Establishment stage, specializes in—uh, the improvement and refining of herbal elixirs, without—without a formal rank." Li Xiaocao answered clearly, though a little nervous.

"Qingyun Sect?" The middle-aged cultivator paused, glancing up at Li Xiaocao with a hint of surprise in his eyes, clearly reacting to the name "Qingyun Sect." He quickly regained his composure. "Preliminary Selection Rules: Within one hour, refine a 'Jade Condensation Pill' on-site. Materials must be provided by the participant, or standard materials provided by the hall may be used (corresponding points will be deducted)."

"The quantity, quality, and stability of the refining process of the pills will be comprehensively evaluated by three judges. Only those who pass will be eligible to proceed to the next round. Here is your entry jade token and preliminary selection venue number. Take these and go to area T to wait."

As he spoke, he handed Li Xiaocao a warm, blue jade pendant and a slip of paper with "Ding Seventy-Three" written on it.

"Thank you, senior." Li Xiaocao accepted it and carefully put it away.

On the other side, Zhao Qingyan had registered for "The Profound Mysteries of Array Formation," and the registration point was in the west side hall. The atmosphere there was relatively quiet, but everyone in line had a calm demeanor and sharp eyes, clearly indicating that they were all quite confident in their own array formation skills.

Zhao Qingyan's registration process went smoothly as well. However, when she mentioned "Qingyun Sect," the elderly man in charge of registration, whose aura was profound and who seemed to be an elder of the Array Master Alliance, looked up at her and glanced at her again. His gaze lingered for a moment on her calm demeanor and the obviously extraordinary array plate hanging at her waist. He nodded slightly and handed her a silver jade token and the number "Xuan Zi Jiu".

The "Shadow Stealth" competition that Su Xiao signed up for wasn't a traditional points-based main competition; it was more like a "specialty certification" and "potential assessment." The registration point was set up in an inconspicuous corner. The person in charge was a gray-robed cultivator whose aura was elusive and who almost blended into the environment.

Su Xiao stepped forward and simply stated her name and sect. The gray-robed cultivator gave her a deep look, as if he were evaluating a perfect concealment artifact. Then he silently handed her a strange black wooden plaque without any markings. On it was only a faint, almost invisible "Shadow" mark and a number representing the testing site, "Dark Seven".

Atu's "Earth Spirit Awareness" registration point is located near the "Earth Vein Simulation Area" behind the Hall of Hundred Arts. There are the fewest people queuing here, but each one has a unique temperament, either as steadfast as a mountain or as quick-witted as a spirit.

A-Tu stepped forward somewhat nervously and gave his name. The person in charge was a sturdy, dark-skinned cultivator from the Thick Earth Sect who exuded a strong earth elemental aura.

When he heard "Qingyun Sect," a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions. He simply handed A-Tu a yellowish-brown jade token and the number "Earth Three," and said in a deep voice, "Kid, the test involves sensing changes in the earth's veins, finding hidden spiritual mines and special nodes. Use your heart to 'listen,' not your eyes. Take the token and wait over there."

The four successfully completed their registration and returned to Shen Mo's side, each taking out their jade tokens and numbers.

"Alright," Shen Mo nodded, "Go and prepare yourselves. Head to the preliminary selection venue according to your numbers. Qingyan, Xiaocao, Su Xiao, Atu, remember, keep a calm mind and just perform to your best ability."

"Shi Tie, Wang Hu, Zhao Ming, Sun Hai, come with me to check out the preliminary rounds of the 'Alchemy Showdown'."

"Yes, Sect Leader!" The group responded and went their separate ways.

Shen Mo led Shi Tie and the others to the "T-shaped area" as instructed. This area was divided into hundreds of independent small spaces by an array, each equipped with a standard alchemy furnace, a fire pit (simulated by the array), and basic auxiliary tools.

At this moment, most of the people in front of the alchemy rooms were already standing, making final preparations.

Li Xiaocao's alchemy room, number "Ding Seventy-Three," wasn't in a particularly remote location. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, walked to the door of the alchemy room, and affixed the jade token to the groove on the side of the door.

The stone door slid open silently, and she stepped inside. The door then closed, leaving only a one-way transparent crystal wall through which one could vaguely see the figure inside.