Half a month passed.
The spirit vessel of the Xuanming Sect finally arrived at the mountain range of the Sacred Sword Sect in Huangsha Prefecture after a long journey.
Above the skies of Huangsha, murky brown clouds churned. Several massive bronze warships, each over ten zhang tall, hovered in place after tearing through the wind barrier. Every vessel was met by one Golden Core cultivator from the Sacred Sword Sect, accompanied by several Foundation Establishment disciples.
"I didn't expect sword energy to be so dense everywhere in the Holy Sword Sect."
Chen Jinshu only glanced toward the Holy Sword Sect's domain and immediately noticed a colossal golden sword rising from the center. It resembled a mountain, bound tightly by nine massive chains of black iron.
Boom—
Boom—
Suddenly, all the airships lowered their jade stairways. Cultivators in robes bearing the emblems of different sects soared through the air, riding talismans toward the main gate of the Sacred Sword Sect.
"Welcome, cultivators from the Xuanming Sect. Warships are not permitted within sect grounds, as per the rules. Please descend and disembark."
A woman in purple robes arrived in a swift arc of sword light. She was a Golden Core cultivator of the Holy Sword Sect and addressed them in a clear voice.
"Though this woman is only at the Golden Core stage, her strength rivals the best of her realm," Shui Huanmeng said with a serious expression as she looked at the purple-robed cultivator. "If any of you face her, it won't be an easy fight."
This woman, though young, had no less potential than her own disciples—and her combat style was distinct.
"Master, hasn't Senior Brother already been at Golden Core for a long time? Would he still have trouble defeating her?" Chen Jinshu asked in a low voice.
"It's hard to say. I don't know her true depth, but her sword technique has reached the level of a sword domain."
Chen Jinshu frowned slightly. Her whip arts were still a tier below that. She could probably match the opponent in terms of musical cultivation, but zither arts had a natural disadvantage when pitted directly against swordsmanship.
Fortunately, the rules for the Golden Core division of the Five Realms Alliance had changed this year. Instead of one-on-one duels, the first round would now be held within an illusion trial.
All Golden Core cultivators would enter the Thousand Mechanisms Illusion Realm, where they would face their inner demons and battle phantasmal beasts. Only those who survived would advance to the next round—the arena matches. In this kind of trial, it wasn't just brute force that mattered, but also intelligence, mental fortitude, and courage.
She had already cleared the obstacles in her heart before forming her core, and she felt confident that inner demons would no longer affect her. With the aid of the many treasures in her possession, she believed she could achieve a strong result.
"Alright, time to disembark," Shui Huanmeng called out before stepping off the ship.
Chen Jinshu and the others quickly followed.
Moments later, they were led to a palace near the entrance, where a disciple of the Sacred Sword Sect received them.
"You'll be assigned temporary lodgings soon," the woman in purple said before turning to leave.
Chen Jinshu glanced around. Roughly ten sects had arrived, each with around a hundred disciples. The most eye-catching, of course, were the top five sects. The Golden Core cultivators among them all seemed exceptional.
"That must be the newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator of your sect. I've heard a lot about you—an honor to meet you."
A cultivator from the Jade Purity Sect approached. His long black hair was tied up with a gold-and-jade crown, and his gaze carried a sharpness that demanded attention.
Jade Purity Sect was ranked among the top three and was considered one of the favorites in this tournament. Chen Jinshu quietly observed them. It was said that the sect descended from the ancient Shangqing lineage. Though their power had waned over the years, they remained a formidable force.
Ranked second was the Heaven's Mechanism Pavilion, renowned for its mastery of divination, formation arts, and puppet techniques. Each year, they sought out "children of fate" from across the continent, gradually strengthening their foundation. However, because they tampered too much with fate, only three of their cultivators had ascended in the last few centuries.
Third was the Liyan Palace of the Chiyan Sect, known for controlling underground lava veins and fire-based laws. Their forging techniques were unmatched across the Five Realms. There were rumors that the Liyan Palace and Heaven's Mechanism Pavilion both cultivated from the same fire-attribute origin.
Fourth was the Xuanming Sect—Chen Jinshu's own sect. Balanced across all five elements, its comprehensive strength stood firm among the elite.
Fifth was the Medicine King Valley, pioneers of herb cultivation and alchemy. They held secret realms filled with ancient medicinal fields, and many of their disciples commanded plant-formed servants—making manual farming virtually unnecessary.
Chen Jinshu's goal this time was to acquire that very technique. If she could automate her spiritual fields, it would save immense effort.
Unfortunately, the cultivators from Medicine King Valley were notoriously arrogant. Their alchemical knowledge gave them unmatched status in the cultivation world. If they ever stopped selling pills, it would cause chaos among the sects.
"Still, you'll want to keep an eye on Thunder Sound Temple," Shui Huanmeng advised after exchanging a few pleasantries with the Jade Purity cultivator. "That sect cultivates both body and heart through Buddhist methods. Their inner clarity gives them an enormous advantage in the illusion trials. When it comes to facing one's inner demons, no sect can compare."
She didn't stay long—clearly aware that the other sect merely wanted to probe Xuanming's strength.
Jade Purity Sect had seen a recent spike in Golden Core breakthroughs. Their sect housed the "Ten Thousand Tribulation Thunder Pool," which greatly boosted the success rate for tribulation breakthroughs. Along with the Sacred Sword Sect, they were known as the "Sword and Zen Twin Pillars."
Following her master's gaze, Chen Jinshu soon noticed the bald-headed monks from Thunder Sound Temple. Their golden auras were radiant, far more luminous than those of other sect disciples. The sacred energy around them gave off a calming, awe-inspiring presence.
"Greetings, fellow cultivators of Xuanming Sect," a disciple from Medicine King Valley called out to Shui Huanmeng.
Back during Shui Huanmeng's Nascent Soul ascension banquet, several top sects—including Medicine King Valley—had failed to attend. This was likely an attempt to mend relations, given that Xuanming ranked higher than they did. Maintaining cordial ties was in their interest.
Chen Jinshu didn't hold much affection for the Medicine King disciples. The one who had spoken wore soft green robes, her hair tied up with a bamboo pin. Yet her demeanor lacked the refinement to match her attire. Her tone came off as mocking, perhaps from long-standing habits of aloofness. It left a sour impression.
Chen Jinshu didn't let it show. Instead, she turned her attention to the other sects.
Her gaze fell on the Heaven's Mechanism Pavilion.
Their disciples were draped entirely in white, with skin pale as porcelain. It was as though they rarely stepped outside their sect. Their eyes, though, were sharp—like the midnight ocean—deep and unreadable.
"Junior Sister, we're heading to our temporary quarters," Dai Yuzhu tugged at Chen Jinshu's sleeve, pulling her back from her observations.
"Coming," she replied.
The disciples of Xuanming Sect were soon guided to their lodgings. Several more sects arrived at the palace afterward, though none matched the strength of those who had come earlier.
Xuanming Sect was assigned to Hanyuan Peak, rich in wood and water elemental energy, with traces of the other elements as well. It was an ideal environment for their cultivation.
The Five Realms Alliance would officially begin in a few days. Until then, they would remain guests of the Sacred Sword Sect.
Yet judging by the sheer presence of the participating sects, this year's tournament promised to be fiercer than any before.