Chapter 504: Arriving in Lingzhou

"They have already repaired the teleportation array."

The tide beat mercilessly against the jagged crags of the shore, and as the gale swept through the skeletal, looming stones at the cliff's edge, it sounded as if an unyielding cry was being wrenched from the very soul of the precipice.

Two voices clashed and resonated within the swirling wind.

"Why did you not stop them? Even if it meant triggering a landslide or summoning a bolt of lightning to obliterate that crumbling ruin of an array, it would have cost you no effort at all. That crowd understands nothing; they know only how to idle away their time in that shop, watching animations and playing games..."

"...Born in the morning and dead by dusk, why should one trouble themselves over the fleeting thoughts of mayflies and ants."

The voices abruptly fell into a dead silence, and as the sea breeze blew past, a long moment lapsed, as if the wind had swallowed everything whole, leaving not even a shadow behind.

...

"What is going on?!"

"What is happening outside?"

From just beyond the threshold of the Jiuhua City shop, a clamor like a rising tide suddenly drifted inward.

A few disciples from the Lingyun Academy instinctively removed their virtual headsets and cast their gazes toward the shop entrance.

"They say the people from the Morning Star Sea region..."

"What?!"

"Have they really arrived?!"

Suddenly, throughout the entire Jiuhua City shop, nearly every customer on the first floor bolted to their feet, straining their necks to catch a glimpse of the doorway.

Stepping through the shop entrance, alongside the Royal Guild and other familiar countenances frequently spotted within the establishment, were stranger faces clad in the attire of sects and powers never seen before, or simply possessing no factional garb at all.

Yet, if one had to speak of familiarity, a rare few among them had indeed been glimpsed before upon the internet.

"Quick, look at that one... the one who cosplayed as Kagura Chizuru last time..."

"Good heavens... that one dressed in black, why does he look so much like the boss of the Black Demon Guild..."

"Look over there, aren't those the people from the Qingyun Sect? Master Shuiyue is there too, do you see her."

"What do you mean people from the Qingyun Sect, they are just cosplaying them... I even saw that blockhead who cosplayed as Bai Mei last time among them."

The King of Samsara's face darkened instantly as his gaze snapped toward the source of the words.

"..."

"How in the world could he hear that from all the way over there...?" two figures muttered, instantly vanishing behind the crowd.

The two shops stood facing each other across the street beneath a light, drizzling rain; under the white-washed walls and tiled roofs, the stream of people moved like woven threads, and the willow branches before the shop had sprouted a few tender buds that danced to the rhythm of the passersby, while occasional pedestrians carrying paper umbrellas hurried along, evoking the timeless elegance of a splashed-ink landscape painting.

A few young women lingered in the rear, whispering and murmuring among themselves.

"So this is Jiuhua City..."

"Senior Sister, I have never seen so many mortals in all my life!"

"Every single one of them bears a weapon; there are so many warriors here."

"They say this entire nation was founded by warriors, like that president of the Royal Guild..."

"The headquarters of the Wuwei Daoist Alliance is said to be a bit further west from the direction we came."

Yue Yan spoke up: "So many people are looking at us!"

She hastily threw her shoulders back and held her chin high, relishing the sensation of being the cynosure of all eyes.

A wave of sweet satisfaction washed over her heart.

"Welcome to Jiuhua City of the Great Jin Empire!" Ji Wu was clearly the most magnanimous of the lot, whispering a few brief words before a sharp, reedy voice rang out from beside him, "Today, the house treats everyone to instant noodles and iced black tea, so please, do not hesitate!"

"Is anyone up for a few rounds of driving?"

"A new movie! Is anyone watching Final Fantasy together?"

Meanwhile, Mo Xian and a few others followed from behind, peering left and right: "It does not seem all that miraculous after all..."

"By the way, isn't that Young Master Xiao, the one who appears and vanishes like a phantom dragon, also in this shop?" One had to know that this Young Master Xiao provided an immense number of guides across every major game, existing as an absolute legend in their eyes.

It was only that his technical posts were always uploaded by others, and he himself had never been seen in person.

"Where is that Young Master Xiao?!"

The moment these words were uttered, the packed crowd within the Jiuhua City shop parted like a cloven sea, revealing a young gentleman standing before the counter dressed in white inner robes and a yellow gown, his countenance handsome, holding a folding fan that never left his grip.

"This is Young Master Xiao?!"

Xiao Yulv bore a proud look upon his face: "Precisely so. This young master knows the astronomy above and the geography below; from Resident Evil to Final Fantasy, there is nothing under heaven this young master does not comprehend! If you have any inquiries, feel free to ask this Xiao!"

"Hahaha! Truly a young man of remarkable talent!"

"The youth are to be regarded with awe!"

"Would Young Master Xiao care to join us for a match?"

Xiao Yulv faltered: "Uh..."

...

Fang Qi cast a glance at the system panel; the sales for Final Fantasy were still climbing steadily.

However...

A large portion of the populace remained hesitant; for one, the Haotian Academy was still dominated by cultivators, and they did not necessarily deem it a necessity.

Furthermore, while everyone knew this movie could grant a considerable amount of combat experience, precisely how much it bestowed was a secret known to very few.

Given that the current viewership was still sparse, those who had witnessed its tangible effects were fewer still.

...

By this time, the cultivators of the Morning Star Sea, under the guidance of the Great Jin Empire's cultivators and warriors, were surfing the internet and wandering the vicinity for a few rounds, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

A day later, the teleportation array was activated.

The warriors, predominantly from the three great academies—Lingyun Academy, Xiyi Academy, and Shengjing Academy—alongside a handful of cultivators from the Wuwei Daoist Alliance and various factions, gathered before the teleportation array of Jiuhua City.

"This is the teleportation array...?" Though they had utilized such things countless times within games, let alone the likes of Song Qingfeng and his companions, even a grand cultivator of no small cultivation like Su Tianji was filled with struck wonder at this moment.

This was the crystallization of ancient formations and the arrays of Lingzhou, a marvel that had hitherto existed solely in legends.

...

Meanwhile, within the Haotian Academy.

"Bah!" Gabriel was already growing impatient, "Are the warriors of your Haotian Academy reduced to nothing more than this?"

Boom!

The greatsword in his grip, which stood a full head taller than himself, was slammed violently into the earth with a thunderous roar; not only did the stone floor fracture, but the surrounding ground cracked and splintered in unison.

Spreadeagled on the ground before him lay a dozen or so warriors of the Haotian Academy, and among them was even a man clad in white martial arts robes—the supervisor of the martial arts arena.

"Do not push your lawlessness too far!" the supervisor spat, his face twisted in fury.

"We have already granted you time, and what is the result? If even you are in such a pathetic state, could it be that... warriors crawling out from some godforsaken corner of the world can actually turn the heavens upside down?"

"What a joke! They are nothing but a pack of country bumpkins who do not even know how to write the word 'martial,' mere pests that this lord could crush with a single finger! If you do not produce someone of actual substance soon, do not blame me for showing no mercy!"

"Gabriel!" Luo Piaoling muttered, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Pffft! What on earth is the point? I already said that our West Celestial Region's martial arts don't need to be exchanged with anyone. What meaning is there in this kind of 'exchange'? It's nothing more than us traveling around to bestow our superior martial experience upon others, yet they call it an exchange with such fine words..."

"Enough!"

"News has just arrived that the Haotian Academy will hold the Three Regions Martial Meet tomorrow. When the time comes, I believe the Haotian Academy will give us a satisfactory answer."

Beside Luo Piaoling, the blonde woman stirred, eager for action.

"There is no need for Sister Thea to make a move," Gabriel said, bowing with practiced elegance. "I will properly teach these country bumpkins what it truly means to be a martial artist."

He spread his hands: "I will not even need to use my blade."

"Just make sure you don't head back home crying when the time comes."

A chorus of loud laughter instantly erupted all around.