Illusory Heart Scroll

On the morning of the second day, dawn broke as clouds and rosy mists filled the sky. Countless golden rays spilled down, illuminating the enormous suspended white-jade plaza before Heavenly Pride Hall until it shimmered brilliantly, like an immortal kingdom among clouds that had fallen into the mortal world.

Zhang Tie stood silently beside Zhou Xuan Shi, the Black Stone Sect Master. Behind him were four elite disciples from the sect, all holding their breath in solemn silence, though an almost imperceptible tension hung in the air.

He quietly spread out his divine sense. After a brief sweep, his heart tightened slightly.

The plaza was crowded with figures. There were actually four or five hundred people gathered here, dressed differently and possessing varying auras. Clearly, they came from sects and clans across different regions.

Excluding those who were obviously protectors or elders, there were likely three or four hundred disciples truly participating in the upper sect selection.

These young talents were all peerless geniuses selected from among tens of thousands within their respective sects. Gathered here now, the air was filled not only with dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but also with a silent, razor-sharp sense of competition, like countless unsheathed blades lying dormant yet chillingly threatening.

The vast plaza was paved with rare void-condensing white jade. Ancient runes were inscribed across it, spiritual light flowing faintly through them to form a stable floating formation.

Several enormous pillars carved with dragons and phoenixes stood around its edges, piercing straight toward the heavens with majestic grandeur. Clouds drifted beneath their feet, and looking down, they could see rolling mountains, sprawling halls, and endless pavilions below, making this place seem even more detached from the mortal world.

"Silence!"

Just as Zhang Tie was quietly surveying his surroundings and making calculations