Yes, the Number One Under Heaven Martial Arts Tournament was truly about to begin.
According to the message transmitted through the token, there were less than three days left before it would start. In fact, it could begin at any time within these three days. Once activated, the passage token would open a portal and instantly teleport the bearer to the tournament location. Of course, one could choose not to go, but the token would then vanish. This current token was for the first-ever Martial Arts Tournament, and after it concluded, the token would become completely obsolete. Even if kept, it would be useless.
Thus, it was a single-use token, representing only one opportunity.If missed, the chance would never come again.
From what the token conveyed, this Number One Under Heaven Tournament was not held anywhere public, but within a mysterious realm, inaccessible without a token. This was undoubtedly a grand gathering of unimaginable scale.Gathered there would be a large number of top talents from across the Eternal Continent—at the very least, all powerful figures.
Anyone who had received a token was either blessed with great fortune, extraordinary talent, or immense strength. Especially during this formative age of the Eternal Continent, those who obtained a token were surely among the first wave of peerless geniuses.
Regardless of victory or defeat, just being able to gather and communicate with these figures from all corners of the continent was a priceless experience.This level of exchange was something ordinary cultivators would never encounter in a lifetime.
It would broaden one's horizons and greatly benefit one's state of mind.
He had to go. There was no other option.
Almost instantly, Yi Tianxing made up his mind. He would not miss this first Martial Arts Tournament under any circumstances. It was the perfect opportunity to meet the top cultivators currently standing at the peak of the Eternal Continent.
Sometimes, being part of the right circle meant everything.In this age of isolation, having a chance to communicate with strong cultivators from leagues away—how rare and precious that was.
Missing it would be plain stupidity.
"I must go. But before that, I have to ensure everything in Xuanhuang Town is in order. The town is growing rapidly, and I can't afford any major incidents while I'm away. I don't even know how long this tournament might last. If it's short, fine. But if it goes on for a long time, I need to be prepared."
Yi Tianxing didn't want to leave Xuanhuang Town at such a critical juncture.Every day, the town was evolving and strengthening. Many matters still required his personal attention. Thankfully, with Huang Chengyan, Master Lu, and others handling affairs, things wouldn't spiral out of control in his absence.
"What a pity I don't have any cloning divine abilities. That would solve this issue perfectly—leave a clone to guard Xuanhuang Town while I attend the tournament. But clearly, that's not possible right now."
Cloning techniques were no ordinary skills. Even coming into contact with them was almost impossible for most cultivators. The life aperture needed to support a clone was among the highest tier, far beyond what Yi Tianxing could currently access.
"At most, I've got three days. I originally planned to continue nurturing my Divine Spring, but now I must break through to the sixth level and complete the first stage of Divine Spring cultivation."
A premonition told him that this tournament could hold an immense opportunity—a once-in-a-lifetime chance. So raising his cultivation level was critical.
Today, he would familiarize himself with the changes at the fifth level.Tomorrow, he would advance to the sixth level.
The Next Day
Yi Tianxing rose early and made a detailed inspection of Xuanhuang Town. Then, he headed to Cai Yan's quarters.
Upon entering, a rich scholarly aroma greeted him. Books were neatly stacked, emitting the fresh scent of ink. Each one was carefully bound, with the titles handwritten on the covers.
"Han Feizi, Spring and Autumn Annals, The Book of Songs, The Analects, Book of Rites, Mencius... Yan'er, you've copied so many classical texts in just a few days?"
Yi Tianxing had originally planned to take Cai Yan out for a stroll around town—maybe even a little romantic excursion outside the walls, to enjoy a rare moment of peace before he departed for the secret realm. But what he saw now genuinely surprised him.
These weren't just any books—these were treasured classics from Chinese history.
"Big Brother Yi, you're here."
Cai Yan looked up with a gentle smile. "Training only takes a portion of my day. The visualization practice drains mental energy, so I can't do it for long periods. But copying these books doesn't affect me, so I wanted to get them transcribed as quickly as possible. I want the townsfolk to have access to them soon."
She was a true lover of books. Faced with pristine white paper, the knowledge in her mind flowed out naturally. Without realizing it, she had already transcribed over a dozen ancient works.
"There's no need to rush copying these texts. Take your time. Still, since you've already done so many, why not place them in the Scripture Pavilion today? I also want to make some adjustments to it."
Cai Yan's eyes sparkled with curiosity and joy. She nodded without hesitation.The Scripture Pavilion was a divine artifact, destined to become a repository for myriad techniques and texts. Having her transcribed books stored inside was an honor—these works would now be preserved alongside the growth of Xuanhuang Town.
Changes to the Scripture Pavilion
Hand in hand, they arrived at the Scripture Pavilion, its glass-like exterior shimmering with mystical lights. The nine-story tower pulsed with ancient Daoist energy, evoking a timeless aura of wisdom.
Inside, many townsfolk were browsing.New residents, upon registering and receiving a Heaven Registration Card, could use it to enter the Pavilion and select techniques. Without the card, access was restricted. Furthermore, once a technique was selected, it would be recorded in the Star Network, which was now connected directly to the Pavilion.There was no way to cheat the system.
"There are so many people. Should we come back tonight?"
"No need. What I'm doing won't affect them."
Yi Tianxing's voice carried authority within the Pavilion—he could alter its internal rules at will.
"By decree: All first-floor martial techniques and scriptures shall be moved to the second floor. All upper-tier materials shall shift accordingly."
As soon as the words left his mouth, brilliant light flashed. All the shelves on the first floor were suddenly emptied, leaving them pristine and silent.
"By decree: The first floor of the Scripture Pavilion will now store worldly classics, books of knowledge, historical records, and miscellaneous texts. No cultivation techniques. Open to all. No merit points required—free to read."
Immediately after, Yi Tianxing placed the books Cai Yan had copied into the air. A beam of white light enveloped them.In the next moment, the books were transformed into white jade tomes, identical in size and appearance to those containing martial techniques. They shimmered with beauty and elegance, immune to damage.
Each book appeared once and once only—only one "master copy" of any given text would exist in the Pavilion. But that single copy could project infinite duplicates for viewing, without wear or limitation.
"From today on, the first floor of the Pavilion will house general literature. The second floor will be for Spirit Sea Realm techniques and combat arts. Anyone looking to cultivate should head to the second level."
Yi Tianxing turned to the stunned crowd and explained with a calm smile.
"Incredible... I've heard the Scripture Pavilion is a divine artifact, but to witness it is another matter entirely."
"Unbelievable. So this is the power of a cultivator—and of a divine artifact. I must become one too. Only cultivators have the power to protect themselves!"
The people murmured with awe as they made their way upstairs to seek out new techniques.
Yi Tianxing, meanwhile, approached a shelf and lightly touched a copy of the Analects.
A soft light shimmered—and a white jade copy of the book instantly appeared in his hand. The characters inside were neatly aligned, written in perfect calligraphy, as if machine-printed: orderly, elegant, and satisfying to read.