Within the Floating City, the vast central plaza was paved entirely with ten-zhang-high slabs of black stone. Presiding over the Island Seizing Assembly was Sect Master Yu, one of the five great Sect Masters of the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Several other Nascent Soul cultivators from the Alliance, serving as judges for the contest, had already arrived and were seated upon the towering main dais.
Two to three hundred Core Formation cultivators and several thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators, who were participating in the Assembly, gathered around the edges of the plaza, awaiting the commencement of the Island Seizing ritual.
The area spanning four or five li around the plaza was nearly crammed with Foundation Establishment cultivators there merely to watch the spectacle. Many others had even flown up on their magical artifacts, hovering high in the sky to observe the battles. The air shimmered with the light of countless magical artifacts, making the entire plaza a vibrant, bustling scene.
These onlookers pointed and whispered among themselves as the participating Core Formation cultivators arrived, recognizing some of the established figures, which caused a wave of gasps and exclamations to ripple through the crowd.
“That woman over there—isn’t that Miss Zhou Yao from the Purple Engraving Palace?”
“Indeed. And the woman beside her in yellow robes must be Miss Liao from the Broad Language Palace!”
“And the extremely plump man standing next to them, dressed in that gold-threaded robe, is clearly a cultivator from the Treasure Gathering Palace. That fellow truly flaunts his wealth. The coronet on his head, the garment he wears, even his boots—every piece is crafted from incredibly potent defensive Golden Silkworm thread, effectively equivalent to a high-tier magical artifact set. That single outfit must cost no less than hundreds of thousands of low-grade spirit stones!”
“It’s not just them; there are several Core Formation cultivators from the Ancient Immortal Palaces as well. It seems these Ancient Immortal Palaces have produced quite a few new Core Formation masters this year!”
Amidst the throng of participating Core Formation cultivators, certain individuals clearly stood out as acquaintances, forming distinct groups.
A strikingly beautiful woman in purple silk robes, a gentle and demure woman in yellow, and the corpulent, big-eared man in the gold-threaded robe—clearly parading his fortune—stood together, drawing exceptional attention.
The fat man in the golden robe seemed to hold the other Core Formation cultivators in disdain. He idly toyed with a fire-attribute magical bead in his thick palm, his broad face radiating confident arrogance. “This Island Seizing Assembly—I’m certain to claim a spot in the top five. I’d like to see who dares challenge Jin Zhongshan for a spirit island!”
“Is that so? Sister Liao, which rank do you think Brother Jin will secure this time?”
The purple-robed woman smiled faintly upon hearing this and turned to the younger, yellow-robed woman beside her with an inquiring smile. When this woman’s bright, distinct features turned, her smile instantly captivated the surrounding Foundation Establishment cultivators, leaving many utterly dazed and enchanted.
The yellow-robed woman swept her gaze across the numerous Core Formation cultivators assembled. She replied gently, “This year, the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s major Immortal Palaces have brought many Core Formation cultivators; the competition is fierce, strong practitioners are everywhere. Claiming a top-five spot will likely prove extremely difficult. However, given Brother Jin’s strength, securing a position among the top ten spirit islands seems achievable.”
“Sister Liao, which island are you aiming for?”
The purple-robed woman paid no further attention to the fat man in the gold robe.
“Too many Core Formation cultivators are vying for the top ten spirit islands. My combat prowess isn't exceptional; I’ll aim for one between the eleventh and thirtieth slots—that gives me a better chance. What about you, Sister Zhou? Which island catches your eye?”
The yellow-robed woman paused in thought.
“The Martial Contemplation Number Three Water Spirit Island looks quite appealing, but I suspect the contention will be high. Over ten Core Formation cultivators have already posted their markers near the plaque for Island Number Three. Failing that, perhaps Number Four Wood Spirit Island.”
The purple-robed woman chuckled lightly, displaying evident self-assurance.
“Heh. Given the might of your Great Five Elements Sword Array, Sister Zhou, how many Core Formation cultivators could truly contend with you? In my humble opinion, Island Number Three is practically destined to be yours.”
Many nearby Core Formation cultivators turned their gazes toward them, showing palpable apprehension toward the cultivators from these Ancient Immortal Palaces. These ancient sects possessed lineages stretching back immeasurably far, granting them a prestige far exceeding that of ordinary Immortal Palaces.
The three Core Formation cultivators from the Purple Sword Palace, Broad Language Palace, and Treasure Gathering Palace were situated not far from that group.
Meanwhile, Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er were also examining the designated spirit islands.
“Bing’er, Number Two Fire Spirit Island possesses a medium-grade Fire Spirit Vein and three small veins. Number Seven Ice Spirit Island has one medium-grade Ice Spirit Vein and three small ones. Both islands are suitable for your cultivation path. However, nearly twenty Core Formation cultivators have already set their sights on Island Number Two Fire. Ice-attribute cultivators are less common for Island Number Seven; only five Core Formation cultivators are competing for it, meaning the resistance to seize that island will be far less. Which of these two islands do you prefer?”
Ye Qin’s gaze flickered between the Number Two Fire Spirit Island and the Number Seven Ice Spirit Island.
The competition for Fire Island Number Two was too fierce, too conventional; it made him hesitate slightly. He preferred not to draw excessive attention during this Assembly, thus leaning toward the less crowded Ice Island Number Seven. Of course, he would never stoop to choosing an island numbered below ten just to avoid fanfare—islands below ten were a noticeable tier lower in quality, their spiritual energy insufficient, making them unworthy of consideration. The relatively less popular Ice Island Number Seven seemed a sound choice.
“Choose Fire Island Number Two. Junior Brother, you lack an Ice Spirit Root, so Ice Island Number Seven offers limited benefit to your cultivation. Only Fire Island Number Two is truly suitable for both of us. No matter how great the resistance, we must secure it.”
Huangfu Bing’er’s expression was vibrant. As the foremost disciple of the Azure Pill Sect and a student of Water Cloud Palace, she feared no confrontation. Since they were here to seize a spirit island, naturally, they should aim for the best one; there was no need to compromise their aspirations.
“Very well, Fire Island Number Two it is then,” Ye Qin decided after a moment’s thought, speaking calmly. Number Two was fine; he wasn't particularly opposed to it.
A Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing the Assembly announced that the contest was about to begin, requiring all Core Formation cultivators to post their chosen markers within the time it took for one stick of incense to burn; failure to comply meant forfeiture. The two to three hundred Core Formation cultivators present quickly began affixing their markers over the course of half an hour.
Just as the incense stick was about to burn out, Ye Qin affixed a Golden Crow token, engraved with both their names, onto the marker board designated for the fiercely contested Number Two Fire Spirit Island.
Once all the Core Formation cultivators had posted their markers, the first round of the Island Seizing contest commenced.
The Core Formation cultivators were naturally the first to claim their territory.
Only after they had selected their desired locations would the remaining islands be left for the thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators to scramble over.
This process of combat and claiming territory was expected to be protracted, potentially lasting over ten days. Apart from the few Core Formation cultivators who automatically secured an island without any contest, the rest would have to fight against several other peers for the same plot.
The contention was fiercest, especially for the first ten numbered islands. These islands were visibly superior to those numbered lower, both in the size of their internal spirit veins and the overall area of the landmass.
It was well known that the density of spiritual energy in the location of a cultivator’s immortal abode directly dictated the speed of their progress. While the spiritual energy gained from daily meditation might seem small, over decades or centuries of subtle accumulation, the difference would grow undeniably vast.
A Core Formation cultivator possessing a high-grade spirit island naturally had a much greater assurance of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage than one occupying an ordinary island.
Which Core Formation cultivator would willingly allow themselves to fall behind their peers right at the start of the Core Formation stage?
Surely, no Core Formation cultivator would consent to such a fate! If they reached the end of their lifespan without achieving the Nascent Soul breakthrough simply due to a slight deficit in cultivation, they would undoubtedly regret not fighting harder for a better island today.
Consequently, any Core Formation cultivator confident in their own strength would naturally fix their gaze upon the foremost ten spirit islands. If there was even a sliver of a chance to gain an advantage, they would exert every effort to secure it.
For nearly every island among the top ten, multiple Core Formation cultivators—ranging from a few to over a dozen—had posted their Golden Crow tokens, entering the fray.
And the top five islands—each featuring a medium-grade spirit vein of Gold, Fire, Water, Wood, or Earth—were the absolute center of attention, the hottest commodities. This was because these elemental spirits were the most common, meaning the largest number of Core Formation cultivators possessed these corresponding spirit roots.
Ye Qin placed the token bearing his and Huangfu Bing’er’s names onto the plaque for Number Two Fire Spirit Island.
At that moment, the gazes of many Core Formation cultivators fixed upon Ye Qin.
Upon seeing Ye Qin select Fire Island Number Two, the expressions of dozens of Core Formation cultivators instantly darkened, their faces turning ashen or purple. Their eyes, blazing with fury, were fixed on Ye Qin, some even turning red in the neck from straining.
The reason for the drastic change in countenance among these dozens of Core Formation cultivators was singular: they, too, had affixed their markers to the plaque for Island Number Two Fire.
Ye Qin choosing that island meant their chances of success plummeted; how could they not feel disappointed and enraged?
While these dozens of cultivators cursed their rotten luck, a far greater number of others breathed audible sighs of relief, secretly congratulating themselves for having chosen the other top four islands, thus avoiding a confrontation with this dual-cultivating couple, who were both only in the early stages of Core Formation. Otherwise, they felt, there would be no contest at all.
Ye Qin was certainly aware that poaching a coveted prize from a strong opponent was asking for trouble, but this spirit island concerned the future progress of both his and Bing’er’s cultivation—there was no reason to yield. He simply closed his eyes, deliberately ignoring the hostile stares that promised imminent violence.
“Hurry up and fight! Brother Jiang, don't be afraid of that couple! Go on! Knock them off the platform!”
“Senior Jiang, attack quickly!”
The arena platforms erupted in noise.
The duel for Number Two Fire Spirit Island had successfully drawn the attention of masses of Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators.
This particular ring featured the strongest contenders: a seemingly invincible dual-cultivating couple.
What should have been a fight with a predictable outcome had instead ignited immense excitement among the onlookers. They were eager to see which Core Formation cultivator possessed the divine ability powerful enough to defeat both members of this pair.
Huangfu Bing’er had already deployed her sixteen Ice Soul Cold Light Swords, which revolved around her body in a dazzling halo. To secure Number Two Fire Island, she was prepared at any moment to unleash her devastating Ice Storm Sword Array.
Ye Qin, though standing on the same dueling platform, had only manifested a protective shielding aura for defense. A few low-grade flying swords hovered casually before him. He didn't need to act; Bing’er had already dispatched several opponents in the first layer of Core Formation. To avoid exposing his true strength, he refrained from attacking, using only low-grade artifacts for protection.
Standing before them was a gray-bearded elder whose appearance suggested an age exceeding one hundred and twenty or thirty years. He was at the peak of the first layer of Core Formation, nearing the second.
The gray-bearded elder controlled a crimson, spirit-grade flying sword but did not rush into an assault. He observed the intensely focused and determined Huangfu Bing’er, then glanced at the exceedingly relaxed Ye Qin, and slowly spoke.