Atop Dragon Head Peak, it was unprecedentedly bustling today.
The heads of the thirty-six branches, Elders, True Disciples, and Inner Gate disciples... even the Outer Gate disciples were present. Tens of thousands in total, all were gathered on the vast cloud platform, looking up at Sect Leader Zhuo Canglang, who stood at the highest point.
For the first time in ages, he had shed his usual tattered Daoist robe. Instead, he had taken out a brocade robe cherished for many years, making him look radiant and spirited. Even the two crows on his shoulders seemed especially lively.
"Children, today is the day the Ancient Sanctuary is about to open!"
"I know you’ve been waiting for this day... for a long time..."
"Some of you have looked forward to this day since you joined the sect, and some for several years..." Zhuo Canglang’s voice paused slightly, his eyes deep and distant. "As for me, I’ve been waiting for this day for a full eight hundred years!"
Eight hundred years ago, the Sanqing Immortal Sect had faced a great disaster, a difficult period when it was in danger of being utterly destroyed. Zhuo Canglang, Luo Binglan, Dugu Qingqian... they were all prodigies from the Sanqing generation of eight hundred years ago who had entered the Ancient Sanctuary. The burden they shouldered was beyond what most could imagine, yet they had carried it. Not only did they stabilize the Sanqing Immortal Sect amid the turmoil, but they also preserved its flickering spark of hope. Over hundreds of years, they developed and recovered, right up to this day.
And now, a new eight hundred years had begun.
As he spoke, his gaze shifted slightly, landing on the hundred or so Sanqing Immortal Sect disciples at the forefront of the crowd. His eyes were filled with satisfaction and expectation.
"This time, you will represent the younger generation of our Sanqing Immortal Sect and compete against all the prodigies from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Caves and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands of Nanzhou!
"I know that this isn’t fair to the Sanqing of today, nor to any of you!
"Therefore, I do not expect you to bring back any particular achievements!
"I have only one request: seize as many opportunities as possible, and then... come back to me alive, every last one of you!
"We disciples of Sanqing have never been inferior to anyone! Latest content publıshed on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⟡𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵
"You can lose once, twice, even three times, but you can never lose for a lifetime!
"Do you understand my meaning?"
The Ancient Sanctuary, located in the Fourth Layer of the Void World, was rich with opportunities but also rife with danger. Although these dangers had been mostly cleared out over countless years by the major Heavenly Caves and Blessed Lands of Nanzhou, accidents were still inevitable. Moreover, though the competition among them was generally friendly, blades and swords have no eyes, let alone spells and Divine Skills. When the battles became fierce, casualties were bound to happen. Almost every time the Ancient Sanctuary opened, there were losses.
For a sect with a profound heritage, those who survived were the elite of the elite. But for the Sanqing Immortal Sect, every disciple present was an invaluable spark of hope with the potential to one day stand on their own. Therefore, Zhuo Canglang spoke with the utmost seriousness.
The Sanqing disciples at the forefront also heard the undertone of his words: fight if you can, but retreat if you cannot. For these ambitious prodigies who aspired to make their mark, this was a difficult pill to swallow. But when they met Zhuo Canglang’s intensely serious gaze, they still responded in unison, "We shall remember the Sect Leader’s teachings!"
Zhuo Canglang nodded in satisfaction. Then, with a grand wave of his hand, he declared, "Depart!"
As mentioned, the Ancient Sanctuary was located in the Fourth Layer of the Void, a realm that towered above the small worlds of the Cave Heavens. Even cultivators in the Saint Manifestation stage rarely dared to approach such a place due to the risk of perishing, let alone these young cultivators. Therefore, to travel to the Ancient Sanctuary, one had to rely on a specific item: the Other Shore Ark.
This object was a Holy Artifact from the Yuheng Cave Heaven. It was incredibly precious and capable of traversing the Void, avoiding most of the chaotic dangers within. It was said to be only a replica, however. The true power of the original Other Shore Ark was a mystery lost to time.
Each time the Ancient Sanctuary opened, the Immortal Alliance would borrow the Other Shore Ark from the Yuheng Cave Heaven. In exchange, the Yuheng Cave Heaven would receive several extra entry slots.
This year was no exception. The Other Shore Ark was docked in the void above Vermilion Bird City.
Following Zhuo Canglang’s command, the Sanqing Immortal Sect’s Transport Array activated. Countless specks of mottled void energy surged from the array, engulfing all one hundred and twenty Sanqing disciples who were to participate in the Ancient Sanctuary.
Wang Xiu watched the bizarre, kaleidoscopic light of the Void, a sight that was becoming familiar. A sense of anticipation welled up in his heart. This journey... I wonder what kind of scenery I’ll witness!
Vermilion Bird City was even more bustling than the last time Wang Xiu had visited. The streets were a sea of people. Cultivators were everywhere, jostling and bumping shoulders. The main thoroughfare leading to the city center, in particular, was so packed it was impassable.
The opening of the Ancient Sanctuary was not just a major event for the great Heavenly Caves and Blessed Lands; it was a grand celebration for the whole of Nanzhou. On this day, it seemed as if every cultivator in Nanzhou had gathered here. Even in the wasteland outside the city, temporary roads had been built, lined on both sides with hawking merchants and peddlers. The city gate towers, the rooftops of nearby buildings, and even the tops of the large red lanterns hanging along the streets were crowded with people.
If it weren’t for Vermilion Bird City’s rule forbidding cultivators from flying at will, the sky would have long been completely blotted out, not allowing a single sliver of daylight to break through.
The hubbub was incessant. The various businesses in Vermilion Bird City naturally wouldn’t miss this grand opportunity that came only once every eight hundred years, and they feverishly peddled their wares. The boasting and wild exaggerations were even more outlandish than what Wang Xiu had heard on his last visit.