C43 Ancient Ginkou Formation

Chapter Forty-Three: The Ancient Ginkou Formation

Qingkang Young Prince's eyes narrowed, and his smile slowly receded.

"They say the Master of the Liu Family is the foremost genius of the Great Pine Kingdom. I look forward to a proper challenge in the elimination match!"

After speaking, Qingkang Young Prince closed his folding fan and, along with Tian Daigan and two others, moved to sit at a different table. Qing Yi, indifferent to their departure, chose to remain seated with Liu Xingchang and company.

To Qing Yi, accompanying Qingkang Young Prince was merely a duty, while sitting with Liu Xingchang was a matter of personal connection.

The daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion had never let so-called rules constrain her; she did what she pleased without concern for others' feelings.

With Qingkang Young Prince's group now seated elsewhere, a striking girl in red floating in the air turned her gaze to Liu Xingchang with a piqued curiosity.

Liu Xingchang's recent exchange with Qingkang Young Prince had been assertive and fluid, exuding a confidence that he had everything under control.

She found such individuals particularly intriguing.

She didn't approach Liu Xingchang for conversation but made a mental note of him.

The young man in hemp clothing perched on the stair railing also stole a glance at Liu Xingchang between sips of his drink.

At that moment, Liu Xingchang was the focus of many, but this attention soon vanished into thin air. In Hongxing City, a hub for geniuses that saw fresh excitement each year, attention was fleeting.

Once Liu Xingchang and his group had secured their rooms, they exited the establishment.

Their next step was to present their competition documents at the Hongxing City official registration and inquire about the current year's competition rules, which were known to change annually.

...

Hongxing City, City Lord's Manor.

Since the Hidden Dragon Sect designated Hongxing City as the southern audition zone, the city had ascended to new heights. Over the past century, it had blossomed into a bustling metropolis.

The Hidden Dragon Sect's initiative not only encouraged many talented individuals who didn't make it through the elimination rounds to remain and flourish in Hongxing City, but it also significantly increased the flow of people and merchant caravans, spurring the city's development in all areas.

For this reason, every year when the Hidden Dragon Sect's elimination tournament takes place, the City Lord's Manor of Hongxing City spares no effort to assist.

At the City Lord’s Manor in Hongxing City, officials from the Hidden Dragon Sect who oversee the preliminary Sea Selection are always treated as honored guests. The hosts are careful to provide the finest hospitality, fearing that any slight might lead to a change of venue for next year's southern district Sea Selection to a different city.

Today, the City Lord's Manor of Hongxing City has the pleasure of welcoming two esteemed visitors—a white-robed elder and a young woman in white.

The City Lord of Hongxing City may not have known the identities of these two individuals, but he observed the white-robed elder calling the person responsible for supervising the southern district's Sea Selection "brother," and everyone else eagerly currying favor with the young woman in white. He deduced that the pair were not to be taken lightly and made sure to attend to them with great care.

The supervisor of the southern district's Sea Selection this time is none other than Zhao Youqing, the renowned Iron Palm Overlord and the Third Elder of the Hidden Dragon Sect. His iron palms are said to rival top-tier spiritual weapons, and his power is indeed formidable.

Upon learning of the white-robed elder's arrival, Zhao Youqing greeted him with open arms, exclaiming joyfully, "Third Senior Brother, what brings you here?"

The elder in white offered a gentle smile and replied, "Yan'er and I were dealing with the Explosive Flaming Tiger Beast in the southern territory and got held up on the road, so we couldn't make it back to the Hidden Dragon Sect. Considering the southern district's Sea Selection is starting in a couple of days, we thought it best to come and have a look."

Zhao Youqing laughed heartily, clapping his hands, "If the contestants knew Third Senior Brother was watching, they'd be tripping over themselves to impress. They'd go to great lengths just to showcase their skills to you! Should you take a liking to any one of them, skipping the usual procedures to accept him as your disciple, it would be an incredible stroke of luck for them, like auspicious smoke rising from their ancestors' graves."

The white-robed elder chuckled and waved his hand dismissively, "You're making it sound more grandiose than it is. However, I must admit, there is indeed a young contestant who has caught my interest this time."

Zhao Youqing immediately raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Oh? Which young man is it that has caught your eye?"

The white-clothed elder chuckled, "I don't have much information on the lad, but based on the direction he's coming from, he's surely headed to Hongxing City to join the southern district's selection tournament. That's why I'm here—to catch a glimpse of him and assess his true strength. When we parted ways last time, I sensed he was no ordinary individual; his personality was quite endearing, yet I never got the chance to witness his actual capabilities."

Zhao Youqing burst into laughter, "To think that this youngster has caught the attention of you, my third elder brother, has truly piqued my curiosity. I'm quite eager to meet him now."

The white-clothed elder replied with a smile, "The competition is about to start; you'll see him soon enough."

Zhao Youqing grinned, "Then I shall eagerly await that moment..."

...

At this moment, Liu Xingchang and his party of five had successfully registered for the competition and clarified the rules.

First and foremost, Liu Xingchang was intrigued to find that Qingkang Young Prince's words were indeed true. During their registration, the organizers inquired about their affiliations. Yan Tianni was associated with the City Lord’s Manor of Cloud Ascending City, Hong Tengqing with the Gong Family Merchant Association, Tong San with the Hong Family, Hu Gewan with the Linghu Clan, and Liu Xingchang—representing which family?

Upon declaring that he was from the Liu Family of the Great Pine Kingdom and would represent Cloud Ascending City in the competition, the organizers did not complicate matters. They simply stated that the competition results would be communicated to the officials of Cloud Ascending City and also to those of the Great Pine Kingdom.

Liu Xingchang acknowledged this with understanding.

Regarding the competition rules, Liu Xingchang now grasped why Qingkang Young Prince had mentioned that the elimination round tested both team and individual prowess.

The elimination match would take place in a simulated world created by the Ancient Ginkou Array. Participants would enter this world of formations, each with a spirit light above their heads. If someone were to die, their spirit light would be claimed by their vanquisher, and those who lost their spirit light wouldn't truly perish but would instead be automatically transported out of the array world.

To achieve victory within the Great Ancient Orchid Array, one must acquire a sufficient amount of spirit light.

Victory can be achieved in two ways. The first is for an individual to collect fifteen spirit lights on their own. The second is for a team of five to band together, with the collective goal of securing one hundred and twenty spirit lights.

It's important to recognize that forming a team offers a competitive edge in the elimination rounds. A group of five is stronger than a lone individual. However, when five people team up, it means that each member is tasked with obtaining twenty-four spirit lights. This translates to each person needing to personally eliminate twenty-three others.

If you're looking to secure a swift victory, going solo is the way to go, though this means the safety factor is significantly reduced.

On the other hand, if you prefer a safer approach to the competition, opting to join a team is advisable. But be warned, the challenge of gathering the required spirit lights becomes considerably greater.

This elimination round promises to be a formidable challenge for all participants.

​