Chapter 370 - A Gathering of Talents

The heavenly dragon war drums echoed, stirring the crowd's excitement and passion.

All the inner sect disciples of the Spring Autumn Sect began converging towards the central battlefield.

At the heart of the Spring Autumn Sect lay the central battlefield, inaccessible during ordinary times, only opening for significant events or sect gatherings.

It was vast, majestic, and incredibly sturdy, constructed from mysterious materials. According to some rumors, not even Core Formation realm experts could damage the battlefield if they fought in it.

Despite being an inner sect member for over a year, Chen Fan had only heard tales of the central battlefield and never laid eyes on it. Today, amidst the thunderous drumming, Chen Fan joined the crowd heading toward it.

Amidst the resounding beats of the war drums, a light streak suddenly soared into the sky.

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

It slowly descended into a vast space amidst ancient temples and castles, revealing a colossal oval arena surrounded by densely packed stands accommodating over a hundred thousand spectators.

From all directions, a steady stream of people flowed into the arena, with powerful experts already seated atop the highest stands, exuding formidable auras.

The highest stands remained shrouded to conceal the appearance of their occupants. Only Core Formation realm experts could enjoy the privilege of sitting in the highest stands.

Chen Fan looked at the crowds and found that distinct groups were easily identifiable.

The Floating Cloud Sword Sect’s disciples all had a sword embroidered on their clothing.

The Mountain River Sect’s disciples had patterns of mountains, rivers, and lakes embroidered on their clothing.

The Burning Incense Valley's disciples were distinguishable by the embroidery of incense burners emitting green spirals of smoke on their attire.

Others, dressed differently and unaffiliated with the three major sects, represented various lesser-known factions and rogue cultivators who had gathered to witness the event. After all, the martial arts competition among Qingyang County's four great sects was indeed a grand affair.

While no other top sects were expected to attend, lesser-known sects and independent cultivators with considerable strength had been invited. They could also bring their disciples to come watch and learn a thing or two. Moreover, if there were some geniuses in these less reputable sects, they could join the competition to test their skills.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Chen Fan found the spectacle quite dazzling. He found it difficult to tell people apart in the chaos, feeling disoriented.

Experts with surging auras were everywhere, as dense as the clouds. The primeval qi of heaven and earth was in disarray.

Suddenly, a voice came from a token on him. “Elite disciples of Spring Autumn Sect, come gather over here and wait for instructions. Don’t scatter around.”

Chen Fan hurriedly took out the token; it represented his identity as an elite disciple.

The token was carved out of beautiful jade, with celestial patterns and shimmering with spiritual radiance. Endowed with remarkable abilities, it could also transmit voices.

The voice from the tokens was an order sent by the elders of the Spring Autumn Sect. They worked together to activate the guiding aura for the many participants.

Following the guiding aura, Chen Fan located a spacious area within the central battlefield amidst the bustling crowd, where even the sky seemed crowded with onlookers.

Soon, he spotted many elders of the Spring Autumn Sect.

All the elite disciples of the sect were gathered here and seated upright like a firm mountain, calm and focused. None of them made a noise, seemingly preserving their energy for the battles ahead.

The significance of the upcoming competition couldn't be overstated.

Success promised substantial rewards from the sect, motivating each disciple to strive for victory in every match.

“Everyone, you’re all elite disciples of our Spring Autumn Sect, and you will soon be fighting against the elite disciples of the other sects. This competition is unprecedentedly grand, so the rewards awaiting you are equally exceptional.

“Your first win earns you a hundred contribution points. The second doubles it to two hundred, followed by four hundred for the third, and eight hundred for the fourth, escalating with each victory.

“If you win against the core disciples of the other sects, the amount of contribution points you’ll obtain will exceed your imagination!”

Suddenly, the elite disciples’ eyes shot open, showing incomparable interest and excitement.

Swish!

The substantial rewards on offer undoubtedly stirred deep motivation within each participant.

In the Spring Autumn Sect, contribution points were a form of hard currency. As long as one had enough contribution points, they could obtain everything.

One could even use them to have the sect’s Grand Elders or even the Sect Leader offer them pointers.

However, such privileges demanded an exorbitant amount of contribution points. Even holy disciples likely didn’t have enough contribution points to ask the Sect Leader for advice on their cultivation.

Chen Fan was also excited inside.

Nice! I didn’t expect the sect to invest so heavily in this!

He had been in the Spring Autumn Sect’s inner sect for over a year. Chen Fan had accumulated some contribution points, which he exchanged for the last three styles of the Undefeated King's Fist. However, these points flowed like water through his hands.

Had he not ventured outside the sect to train and gather resources, opting instead to cultivate within the sect, he probably wouldn’t even have reached the fifth level.

He didn’t really need those resources since he practiced the Heaven Seizing Art. Or to put it another way, the resources he needed were too great; a tiny amount of contribution points was simply useless.

Instead of wasting time completing missions to earn a few dozen contribution points, it would be better for him to go out and hunt demon beasts and swallow their demon cores. His cultivation would rise faster that way.

Moreover, he had to maintain a low profile. Accumulating a large number of contribution points would have required him to eliminate powerful evildoers. That would have drawn attention very easily and caused a huge storm.

But now, he no longer needed to conceal his abilities. He could openly display his strength and earn contribution points without fear.

Dang, dang, dang...

As the bell tolled, signaling the start of the event, the war drums faded into silence. Its serene chimes had a calming effect, quieting the bustling crowd.

Chen Fan glanced over to the dense crowd. Many of them had channeled their cultivation to envelope themselves, twisting the space. It was impossible to discern individuals amidst the swirling energies.

He wanted to identify any formidable experts present, but the current circumstances made it impossible.

Moreover, he could not fly into the sky. An absolute power had bound the space, preventing people from flying around.

All he could do right now was wait.

Wait for the battle to begin.

As for the battle itself, Chen Fan was not worried about it at all. Directions would be provided on his elite disciple token, guiding him through the proceedings.

Suddenly, four distinct voices resonated throughout the vast battlefield.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the martial arts competition jointly organized by the four great sects of Qingyang County—Spring Autumn Sect, Floating Cloud Sword Sect, Mountain River Sect, and Burning Incense Valley—will now commence...”