The Tournament Underway

Ten days later.

The family tournament officially began.

The competition venue was located atop a massive mountain directly opposite Cloud Sea City.

This mountain stood a million zhang tall, the highest peak on Cloud Sea Planet, even higher than the clouds.

A sea of clouds lay below, and the mountain peak above.

The Cloud Sea Family had used tremendous power to level the summit, building an arena and spectator stands similar to the Giant Axe Arena, with even private boxes.

By the time Li Yilin arrived at the summit, it was already packed. More than half were members of the Cloud Sea Family. Some were wealthy people or battle-hungry individuals who had paid a fortune specifically to watch the spectacle. The remaining designated area was for tournament contestants to watch and rest.

As a contestant, Si Yao naturally had a seat as well.

As for the Fifteen Families and the Four Great Organizations that the Cloud Sea Family valued, they had private boxes that preserved their privacy while giving them a better view.

When Si Yao and Li Yilin appeared, the lively atmosphere fell silent for a moment. Everyone's gaze paused briefly on Si Yao before quickly shifting to Li Yilin.

His long black hair fell loose, lightly bound by a red ribbon. He had a handsome face, bright star-like brows and eyes, and a noble purple robe embroidered at the hem and waist with intricate purple lightning patterns and strange violet flowers. He looked every bit like some aristocratic young master who had come seeking amusement.

An uproar broke out, and everyone began whispering among themselves.

"Is he Si Yao's teacher? A Domain Lord Level powerhouse?"

"A Domain Lord? That's elder-level strength."

"He has no presence at all. He acts frivolous and lazy. How could he compare to our ancestor?"

"Exactly. He looks worse than our elders. That girl really doesn't know what's good for her." The Cloud Sea Family's elders were divided into three categories according to strength and status. Those at the Domain Lord Level were ordinary elders, enjoying resources and treatment comparable to the family head's. Those at the World Lord Level and above were Supreme Elders. The Cloud Sea Family had two Supreme Elders, one of whom was World Lord Xunzhen.

However, because World Lord Xunzhen was the founder of the Cloud Sea Family and most of its bloodline were his descendants, members of the Cloud Sea Family generally addressed him as their ancestor rather than as a Supreme Elder.

The last category was the Cloud Sea Family's Guest Elders. As the name implied, Guest Elders were not members of the Cloud Sea Family. They were powerful individuals without families or factions behind them, whom the Cloud Sea Family had encountered and recruited across the universe.

The minimum strength required was Domain Lord Level. Those at Universe Level and below were not worth recruiting, much less granting elder status.

Although Li Yilin had been on Cloud Sea Planet for quite some time, he had never appeared in public. Everyone's impression of him remained that of merely a Domain Lord Level powerhouse.

Seeing him today, after their surprise at his beauty came disappointment.

He did not have even a fraction of their ancestor's presence.

After Si Yao and Li Yilin separated and she took her seat in the designated area, a youth seated behind her could not help speaking.

"Hey, girl."

Si Yao turned around. Those familiar two antennae made it clear that he was a member of the Cloud Sea Family.

"What?" she asked irritably.

It was no wonder she sounded unpleasant. These past few days, whenever someone from the Cloud Sea Family opened their mouth to speak to her, she knew without thinking what they were going to say.

Nothing more than that she failed to recognize greatness, did not know what was good for her, and was shortsighted—the reason was simply that they were dissatisfied.

Dissatisfied that she had refused to become World Lord Xunzhen's disciple!

So what?

Why should she care what other people thought?

With that thought, she said directly, "I only want my teacher. I don't want any other teacher. Don't ask. The answer is no!"

The youth, choked speechless by her blunt words: ...

The others secretly eavesdropping: ...

Si Yao swept her gaze around. At some point, the lively discussions around her had quieted considerably. People cast deliberate or casual glances her way. She sneered, flicked her hair, spread the wings behind her, and gave them a light shake, scattering a shower of floral light.

"Ah, the troubles of a genius. You wouldn't understand."

Everyone: ...

How shameless!

Meanwhile, in the main spectator stands, after separating from Si Yao, Li Yilin followed a servant's lead and went straight to a seating area facing the arena. Those seated there were all elders of the Cloud Sea Family, with the weakest being Domain Lord Level.

By the time he arrived, someone was already seated to his left: a man with short crimson hair standing on end, three arms, and a mountain-like physique. As soon as Li Yilin sat down, the man looked over. "Brother, I'm Ba Ku, a Guest Elder of the Cloud Sea Family. What's your name?" His voice was deep and powerful, and when he spoke, it seemed as if even the surrounding air trembled.

Li Yilin raised a brow and smiled. "Li Yilin. I came to Cloud Sea Planet as a guest, and happened to join in the excitement."

"Li Yilin?" Ba Ku looked somewhat surprised. "You're Li Yilin?"

Though he devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation, he was not someone who shut himself away from the world. Naturally, he had heard of Li Yilin, who had caused quite a stir on Cloud Sea Planet. He had not expected such a coincidence—that they would end up sitting together.

"Where's your student?"

He wanted to see just how outstanding this student's talent was, for even World Lord Xunzhen to be unable to resist taking her as a disciple.

"She's also a contestant. She went to wait in the competition area." Li Yilin smiled lightly.

"Brother, from what I can see—"

Both were Domain Lords, so they naturally had plenty to discuss. They chatted idly, and the tournament soon began.

Not just anyone was qualified to step onto the arena. After all, being personally watched by so many powerhouses was itself an honor.

If they performed too poorly, they would only disgrace their own family.

Thus, those fighting today had already gone through rigorous preliminary selections in the Virtual Universe. Even then, only Star Level contestants had been selected. As for Planetary Level contestants, their selections had basically concluded in the Virtual Universe, and they would not come to the summit to compete.

The Cloud Sea Family had ultimately selected one hundred Star Level contestants. These hundred were essentially the most talented among the younger generation of the Cloud Sea Family. Regardless of the final outcome, the Cloud Sea Family's resources would be tilted toward them.

The Fifteen Families had each brought fifty contestants. Another fifty were geniuses from small factions or without any backing. If they performed well, they might be noticed and recruited by the major powers watching.

This was also one of the ways many factions recruited newcomers and nurtured fresh blood.

A total of nine hundred people would take the stage today to display their strength.

Among them, including Si Yao, fewer than five were Planetary Level Fighters.

Sitting in the stands and watching the intense battles on the three arenas below, Li Yilin frowned slightly.

They were fighting so fiercely. A-Yao was only Planetary Level—could she win?

She would not get hurt, would she?

It seemed he needed to prepare some treasures for her in advance, so she could use them as soon as she came off the arena. He could not let a few minor injuries leave lasting damage.

In the competition area.

Si Yao's unpretentious, even forthright pride strangely attracted some attention. People gathered around her and chatted excitedly.

"Si Yao, are you really only twenty?" A cute girl who looked as though she were made entirely of transparent blue crystal touched Si Yao's pure white wings, her face full of amazement.

"You're incredible! I heard you even comprehended a domain. How did you do it?"

"My grandfather said that with my talent, I might never comprehend a domain in my whole life. You're amazing!"

"Yeah, yeah. You'll definitely become a super powerhouse someday."

"Your teacher really spoils you. You're only Planetary Level, yet he gave you a second-order Force Weapon and battle armor. Without enough strength, people can't even break through the battle armor's defenses."

"Your sword is so beautiful. It doesn't look like an ordinary standard-issue weapon."

"This is a second-order Force Weapon, of course it's beautiful. A second-order Force Weapon that a Planetary Level user can wield has extremely low usage requirements. It's much more expensive than ordinary second-order Force Weapons." The easier a weapon was to control, the more expensive it was. Everyone understood that.

As soon as those words were spoken, another wave of exclamations rose up. The envy in everyone's eyes as they looked at Si Yao could not be concealed.

Under their envious and even jealous gazes, Si Yao straightened her back and lifted her delicate chin like a proud little cat.

She was just that amazing. Her teacher loved her the most!