Empress Tantai stared at Luo Changqing, her Dao heart in slight turmoil.

The night of passion she had shared with Luo Changqing ten months ago surfaced in her mind, making her heartbeat race uncontrollably. Beneath the veil, that peerless face was flushed red, her cheeks burning.

That familiar yet unfamiliar face of Luo Changqing carried the most unspeakable memory of her entire life...

"He won't recognize me later... will he?"

"No... probably not. It was dark that night, and I was wearing a veil. There's no way he could recognize me."

Thinking this, Empress Tantai finally let out a breath of relief. "So this boy is actually a Trash-grade disciple, and he was even expelled by sixteen Heavenly Sects."

"Ai... the man who took the virginity of me, Empress Tantai, how could he be such a piece of trash?"

Although she had never intended to acknowledge Luo Changqing, much less admit what had happened between them that night—

after learning that Luo Changqing was a waste, she still could not help feeling a faint trace of disappointment...

At the same time—

amid the vast sea of people kneeling on the ground, Luo Changqing was also sizing up the legendary Empress Tantai.

And all around him, his ears were filled with whispered talk about the Empress.

Those disciples from the Three Hundred Heavenly Sects secretly lifted their heads, every one of them captivated by the Empress's unmatched beauty.

"Wow, so that's Empress Tantai? She's really beautiful! Even with that cold gauze veil over her face, I'd still bet her looks absolutely surpass the Saintess!"

"Ai, if I could marry a woman that beautiful in this lifetime, my ancestors' graves would be smoking green."

"Shut up! If someone hears such treasonous nonsense from you, even nine heads wouldn't be enough for you to lose!"

"That's Empress Tantai! Back then, she was one of the most dazzling figures in the Southern Sea Holy Land!"

"Even though she was demoted from the Southern Sea Holy Land down to the Southern Sea Dao Domain, she's still a mighty Immortal Dao expert. How could lowly ants like us even dream about her?"

Listening to the disciples' whispers, Luo Changqing thought to himself, "So she's Empress Tantai. Back then, I used her token to survive that disaster."

"I just wonder what relation that woman from that night has to the Empress. Is she her disciple, or a blood relative?"

After learning of the Empress's exalted background, Luo Changqing simply could not connect her with the woman who had "taken" his virginity that night.

The mighty Empress Tantai—how could she possibly go to the mere menial disciples' quarters of a Heavenly Sect? Much less appear in such a bedraggled state by crashing through a thatched hut.

A person of such status probably would not even spare a second glance for a menial disciple in daily life, let alone have that kind of relationship with him...

A powerful urge made Luo Changqing desperately want to take the Imperial Token and seek out Empress Tantai to ask about the identity of "the girl from that night."

But reason told him that doing so would undoubtedly bring harm to that girl.

Silently shaking his head, Luo Changqing suppressed the restless thoughts in his heart.

At this moment, the sect masters Luo Changqing had previously denounced were forcibly holding back their anger as they secretly transmitted messages to their own competing disciples:

"Disciples of the Mystic Sword Heavenly Sect, hear my command. I order you to kill Luo Changqing during the Grand Tournament and make sure he dies a miserable death!"

"Whoever takes Luo Changqing's head, in addition to the Saintess's bounty, this Sect Master will personally reward with another five million Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

"Disciples of the Crimson Cloud Heavenly Sect, hear my command..."

"Disciples of the Saber Suppression Heavenly Sect, hear my command..."

The price on Luo Changqing's head rose yet again.

Such an enormous bounty caused every competing disciple to look at Luo Changqing with killing intent, eager to make a move.

At this moment, in the hearts of the disciples from every sect, Luo Changqing was no longer a living person, but—

a mountain of Spirit Stones!

And a stepping stone for currying favor with Saintess Mu Qingxuan!

A head worth fifteen million Low-grade Spirit Stones was enough to drive any competing disciple mad!

For a time, undercurrents surged in secret, and Luo Changqing became the target of all!

"Everyone may rise."

After the Piaomiao Sect Master had everyone stand, he cast an inquiring glance toward Empress Tantai.

Empress Tantai gave a slight nod. "Sect Master, begin."

The Piaomiao Sect Master stepped forward and swept his gaze across all the disciples as his aged voice boomed through the Dao Arena:

"The Grand Tournament is divided into disciple rankings and sect rankings."

"There have been slight changes to this year's rewards. I will give a brief introduction."

"The sect that ranks first this year will be rewarded with two Supreme-grade Spirit Stone Veins."

"The sect that wins second place will be rewarded with five High-grade Spirit Stone Veins."

"Third place will be rewarded with three High-grade Spirit Stone Veins..."

"Thirty-second place will be rewarded with five Mid-grade Spirit Stone Veins."

Hearing this, Sect Master Xuan Zheng clenched both fists tightly, desire blazing in his eyes.

Spirit Stone veins were one of the most important resources in the cultivation world—one of its very foundations!

The more vein resources a sect could obtain, the more capital it would have to attract talented disciples.

Over the years, Xuanqing Heavenly Sect had grown poorer and more destitute, and thus could not attract outstanding disciples. It had nearly become a vicious cycle, causing the sect to decline more and more.

But soon, a wave of helplessness made Xuan Zheng sigh.

For over a hundred years, they had ranked at the bottom of the Grand Tournament, and for nearly ten thousand years they had not even entered the top thirty-two.

For Xuanqing Heavenly Sect, trying to seize a place in the top thirty-two of the sect rankings was no different from a fool's dream.

Then, the Piaomiao Sect Master changed the subject.

"Next are the disciple ranking rewards."

"The specific personal rewards will be announced one by one later as the tournament progresses by Outer Sect Chief Wen Qingyu."

"Here, I will only reveal the most important one."

At those words, countless competing disciples pricked up their ears.

The Piaomiao Sect Master smiled and glanced at Empress Tantai before sweeping his gaze over the entire arena.

"Empress Tantai has already agreed to my request."

"The disciple who wins first place in this Grand Tournament will be accepted by the Empress as a personal disciple and cultivated with special focus!"

The moment those words came out, the entire audience exploded in an uproar!

Every competing disciple's blood surged, their whole bodies trembling!

The Empress was an Immortal Dao mighty figure, someone standing at the very summit of cultivation!

To be able to take her as master was no less than a carp leaping through the dragon gate—a boundless future awaited!

The many sect masters were equally excited beyond restraint.

Empress Tantai was a mighty figure from the Southern Sea Holy Land. If a disciple of their own sect could latch onto someone of that status—

then as sect masters, they too would benefit from their disciple's rise, gaining the Empress's protection and favor. The advantages would be too many to imagine!

Especially the Sect Master of the Mystic Sword Heavenly Sect, last tournament's sect champion, who laughed aloud in delight.

He cupped his fists toward the other sect masters. "Everyone, then this Sect Master won't stand on ceremony."

"Hahaha! In this year's Grand Tournament, it will definitely be a disciple of my Mystic Sword Heavenly Sect who takes first place and enters under the Empress!"

The other sect masters' faces darkened.

"Mystic Sword Sect Master, isn't it a little early to say that?"

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"That's right. Your Mystic Sword Heavenly Sect may have held the sect championship for thirty consecutive tournaments, but that may not be the case this time."

"Heh, our Crimson Cloud Heavenly Sect isn't made of paper either. As for who the final sect champion will be, that's far from certain."

Watching the various sect masters openly and secretly vie with one another, Xuan Zheng revealed a bitter smile, full of envy.

When would his own sect be able to join the upper circle of those Heavenly Sects, and have the confidence to speak such lofty words?

The Piaomiao Sect Master smiled and stepped back. "Next, the Grand Tournament will be presided over by Chief Wen Qingyu."

On the eighth floor of the Jade Tower, the elderly woman Wen Qingyu cupped her fists to the Sect Master in salute, then declared in a clear voice:

"This Chief hereby announces that the Grand Tournament officially begins!"

"The entire tournament is divided into two stages. The first stage is the preliminaries, and the second stage is the Dao Platform Tournament."

"Sect Master, please release the Piaomiao Sword Tomb."

Smiling, the Piaomiao Sect Master casually waved a hand at the sky.

At once, an immeasurable and terrifying power split open the heavens, revealing endless void!

And from the depths of that void, a colossal object so immense it seemed to prop up heaven and earth descended into the mortal world!

Rumble—

Luo Changqing saw a sword tomb nearly shaped like a pyramid, a full thousand zhang tall, slam down onto the ground!

The sword tomb had twelve levels, and above those twelve, there seemed to be another four.

But the uppermost four levels were shrouded in a chaotic mist, their true form hidden from view.

And every single level of the sword tomb was packed with countless flying swords thrust into it!

Spirit weapons, spirit artifacts, quasi-treasure artifacts, treasure artifacts...

The first level of the sword tomb was filled with Low-grade spirit weapons!

The second through fourth levels held Mid-grade, High-grade, and Supreme-grade spirit weapons.

The fifth level held Low-grade spirit artifacts.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth levels held Mid-grade, High-grade, and Supreme-grade spirit artifacts.

The ninth level held Low-grade quasi-treasure artifacts.

The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth levels held Mid-grade, High-grade, and Supreme-grade quasi-treasure artifacts!

Luo Changqing examined the Piaomiao Sword Tomb with a steady gaze. The higher the level, the higher the grade of the flying swords—there had to be some hidden mystery here.

Then, Outer Sect Chief Wen Qingyu cast a cool glance over the competing disciples, her voice bright and clear:

"You must climb to the first level of the sword tomb. Only after successfully pulling out a flying sword will you be qualified to ascend to the second level, and so on."

"If you can successfully pull out a flying sword from the fourth level, you will be considered to have passed."

"Out of three thousand competing disciples, two thousand will be eliminated, and one thousand will advance!"

"A reminder: the Piaomiao Sword Tomb was personally refined by our sect's Founding Patriarch, and the sword tomb contains the powerful Dao intent he infused into it."

"It will not be easy to pull out a flying sword!"

Next, Wen Qingyu announced another reward that drove all the disciples mad!

"Every flying sword on the sword tomb was also forged by the Founding Patriarch himself!"

"You should know that a flying sword personally crafted by the Founding Patriarch is an invaluable treasure, something countless cultivators would fight over!"

"So the reward for this round is..."

"The highest-grade flying sword you are able to pull out shall belong to you!"

The entire Dao Arena boiled over!

Some of the competing disciples were beside themselves with joy.

"My god, I can actually own a flying sword personally crafted by the Piaomiao Ancestor!"

"Hahaha! With an opportunity this rare, it would still be worth it even if I ended up gravely injured!"

Even Luo Changqing could not help being moved as he gazed longingly at the flying swords embedded in the sword tomb.

Those were flying swords!

As someone who had once lived in China, he simply could not resist the temptation of the legendary flying sword.

Then Wen Qingyu threw out yet another piece of explosive news—one that hit Luo Changqing especially hard:

"For nearly a thousand years, the one who set the highest record in our Immortal Sect has been Saintess Mu Qingxuan."

"I hope all of you will do your utmost and give us a miracle."

Luo Changqing's heart tightened!

Mu Qingxuan had set the record?

Luo Changqing asked politely, "Chief, how many levels is the highest record?"

Wen Qingyu had never expected such a question to come from the mouth of a Trash-grade disciple. Her tone carried a trace of contempt.

"Heh. With your aptitude, are you even worthy of asking that?"

"But telling you won't hurt."

"The Saintess pulled out a flying sword from the twelfth level!"

Twelfth level!

The competing disciples' pupils contracted!

"Holy shit, that's insane!"

"You only have to pull out a sword from the fourth level to pass, and the Saintess actually pulled one from the twelfth!"

"As expected of the Saintess of the Immortal Sect. We can only look up at her from afar."

Wen Qingyu looked over the entire crowd and shouted loudly:

"Silence!"

"This Chief now announces: all competing disciples, enter the field!"

"Ascend the Piaomiao Sword Tomb!"