On the day of the sect selection, the entire Baiyun City was in a complete frenzy.
As the main venue, the City Lord's estate was even more bustling with noise and excitement, presenting an unprecedented grand occasion.
The long street outside the estate was wide and flat, with crowds flowing like a tide.
Disciples from various aristocratic families, rogue cultivators, and spectating commoners poured in in an endless stream.
Inside and outside the City Lord's estate, security was tight. Guards clad in heavy armor and holding long halberds could be seen standing solemnly on duty everywhere, lined up in neat, imposing formations.
What was even more shocking was that these city guards, who could be seen everywhere, each had a cultivation level firmly at the Houtian Sixth Layer.
One had to know that in the four major families, a Houtian Sixth Layer cultivator was already a backbone force of the family.
Yet in the City Lord's estate, they were merely low-level sentries on duty, visible everywhere and countless in number.
Such a foundation was utterly terrifying.
The family elders and powerful rogue cultivators who came to watch took this in, sighing with emotion in their hearts.
The world knew that the City Lord's estate stood aloof from worldly affairs, firmly suppressing the four major families and being the undisputed number one power in Baiyun City.
Seeing this display of high-level armored soldiers everywhere today, everyone truly understood that the strength of the City Lord's estate was by no means an empty reputation.
This absolute strength, which towered over all the aristocratic families, was simply incomparable to the four major families.
The tournament ground was set up in the large training field usually used by the City Lord's estate. The vast training field had been renovated, and ten bluestone arenas had been built on the flat ground.
Each arena was reinforced with a protective formation, so the inner energy and weapon impacts unleashed during battles would be completely blocked by the formation, preventing any harm to the spectators below.
Around the arenas, tiered spectator seats were arranged in layers, clearly distinguishing social status.
In the very center of the high platform directly in front was the seating area for the City Lord's estate, which had an excellent view and was the most eye-catching spot in the entire venue.
Behind the City Lord's estate seating area, four VIP seats were arranged side by side, specifically reserved for the sect geniuses who had come to supervise the tournament and recruit talents.
Behind the four sect guest seats, a large area was allocated to the four major families, where the family heads and elders took their seats in order.
On both sides of the arena, halls of various sizes were scattered, specifically for the contestants to wait and rest.
Li Wanxi, Wang Lingyue, Jiang Chenxiao, and other aristocratic geniuses entered the contestants' hall one after another to settle in.
Spectators from all over took their seats in turn. The training field was bustling with noise; the vast venue was fully prepared, waiting only for the selection to begin.
On the high platform, the City Lord slowly stood up. His refined voice spread across the entire training field through the voice-transmission formation set up in the venue, and the noisy arena gradually quieted down.
His gaze swept over the ten arenas and the crowd of guests, and he spoke with a smile.
“Today, the elite youth from all sides of the city have gathered at my Baiyun City Lord's estate to participate in the triennial sect selection grand event. This City Lord feels extremely honored.”
As his voice fell, the head of the Wang family, seated in the back, hurriedly stood up and smiled with a respectful cupped-hand bow.
“The City Lord praises us too highly. It is entirely thanks to the City Lord presiding over and coordinating everything that this grand event is so orderly. Everyone in our Wang family is deeply grateful for the City Lord's kindness.”
The City Lord smiled faintly, turned his gaze to the corridor beside the arena, and raised his hand to point at a straight-backed youth with a long sword hanging at his waist.
“That sword-bearing youth by the corridor is your Wang family's champion in this year's family tournament, Wang Lingyue, correct?”
The Wang family head was overjoyed, bowing as he replied, “Indeed, he is our clan's junior, Wang Lingyue.”
“To reach the Houtian Ninth Layer at such a young age, with a solid foundation in swordplay, he is a rare, promising talent,” the City Lord praised casually.
Then, the City Lord's gaze shifted in turn, first looking at a young girl holding a long whip on the other side.
“The one in the purple robe holding the whip is the champion of the Li family, Li Wanxi.” The Li family head immediately stood up to bow and express gratitude.
Then looking at the heavily-built youth with a long saber on his back, “With such sharp hacking saber techniques, that must be the Jiang family's number one, Jiang Chenxiao.” The Jiang family head quickly stood up and cupped his hands to accept the praise.
After the City Lord's gaze swept past the geniuses of the three families, he scanned the quiet corner of the contestant area and instantly spotted Ye Ling standing quietly by herself.
He focused his attention, a hint of surprise quietly flashing in the depths of his eyes. With the vision of a Xiantian Realm expert, he saw through her true cultivation at a single glance—it was actually the Houtian Tenth Layer!
The City Lord was secretly shocked. The rumors from the family tournament only said her revealed cultivation was at the Houtian Seventh Layer, but he hadn't expected her true cultivation to already be at the Houtian Tenth Layer.
This talent was terrifyingly monstrous. It seemed the long-dormant Ye family was about to produce a true dragon.
Though waves of emotion surged in his heart, his face remained normal, showing not a hint of surprise as he spoke calmly.
“To defeat several Ninth Layer experts with only a Seventh Layer cultivation, both her skills and temperament are top-tier. Ye Ling is indeed not simple.”
Just as he finished speaking, Qin Fuyue on the high platform spotted Ye Ling in the corner. Her eyes suddenly lit up, unable to hide her joy.
She quickly raised her small hand and waved briskly at Ye Ling.
Ye Ling noticed her gesture, a faint smile gracing the corners of her lips as she nodded calmly in response.
Ye Ling usually restrained her aura deliberately, but she lacked a specialized cultivation method to conceal her cultivation. In the face of a Xiantian Realm expert like the City Lord, her true realm was naturally impossible to hide.
Among the surrounding seated sect experts, several also quietly took notice, secretly remembering this young girl from the Ye family.
As the City Lord made his comments, the atmosphere in the contestant waiting area grew increasingly tense. All the competing geniuses were secretly sizing each other up, quickly measuring the strength of their opponents in this selection.
Everyone knew in their hearts that the three family tournament champions—Wang Lingyue, Li Wanxi, and Jiang Chenxiao—with their Houtian Ninth Layer cultivation at eighteen or nineteen years old, were already the peak of the younger generation in Baiyun City and extremely formidable rivals.
Yet, not a single person in the entire venue dared to look down on Ye Ling, who stood quietly in the corner.
The entire city knew that in the recent Ye family tournament, the fifteen-year-old Ye Ling, whose revealed cultivation was only at the Seventh Layer, had easily crushed the Houtian Ninth Layer Ye Ling in an absolute landslide.
Defeating opponents of higher realms and crushing them across tiers—this kind of combat power was simply not something an ordinary genius could achieve.
The gazes of the contestants frequently fell upon Ye Ling, their eyes filled with wariness and solemnity. Whispered discussions quietly broke out among the crowd.
“The Wang, Li, and Jiang families are indeed powerful, but the truly terrifying one isn't any of them!”
“Exactly. To crush a Ninth Layer at the Seventh Layer, this combat strength is just too absurd. No one can fathom her trump cards!”
“The greatest opponent in this selection is only Ye Ling. Compared to her, the other geniuses are actually nothing to fear.”
Everyone secretly marked Ye Ling as their number one feared opponent, remaining on guard at all times.
On the other hand, the sharply prominent trio of Wang Lingyue, Li Wanxi, and Jiang Chenxiao became conventional competitors in everyone's eyes.
Naturally, the three also heard the surrounding discussions. They turned their heads to look at Ye Ling in the corner, intense battle intent and solemnity rising in their eyes.
Proud of their own extraordinary talents, they still did not dare to underestimate this Ye family girl who had achieved such a heaven-defying feat. In their hearts, they already regarded her as the only formidable enemy in this selection.
Only Ye Ling herself looked indifferent, completely unbothered by the stares and discussions. She stood calmly, waiting for the arena matches to begin.
After his comments, the City Lord's expression turned a bit more solemn.
“This selection is meant to choose outstanding talents to be sent to the four major sects for cultivation. On the battlefield, all of you may compete freely and contend with your strength.”
“Observe the rules of the tournament. Underhanded plots and lethal strikes are strictly forbidden. The City Lord's estate has set up multiple layers of formations and guards to maintain order and ensure a fair competition.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire venue, his voice steady and powerful.
“Without further ado, I hereby announce that this year's Joint Sect Selection has officially begun!”
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