Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation-Chapter 298: Opening Ceremony

The following days passed at an accelerated pace of arrivals.

With each dawn, the sky above the Ancient Forest Domain filled with new flying ships, floating platforms, and flocks of spiritual beasts. Flags of all sizes and colors fluttered in the wind, marking the presence of the fifty lesser domains. The city, which was already grand, now seemed on the verge of bursting with energy. The air was so dense with Qi that breathing required a minimum of conscious effort.

Kyrian observed everything from the balcony of his room in the Green Sword Tree. On the eighth day, the Golden Mountain Sect arrived, with heavy ships adorned in gold and disciples of imposing bearing. On the tenth day, it was the Shadow Valley Sect, whose members seemed to merge with the darkness of the bridges. Other smaller domains arrived daily, filling the accommodation trees and crowding the floating squares.

The tension grew. Gazes crossed on the bridges with poorly concealed hostility. Whispered provocations echoed in restaurants. Public training sessions in the squares became more intense, almost challenging.

Kyrian spent most of his time cultivating or mentally reviewing his formations. Mo Tianhai trained obsessively, Mo Xia and Long Xue exchanged guidance with Mei Ran, while Shen Yu and Wu Jian maintained their usual calm. Feng Yuan rarely left his room, meditating in preparation for the event.

Finally, the day of the Opening Ceremony arrived.

The group woke up early. The air was charged with expectation. Everyone wore their best robes of the Verdant Sword Sect, with the emblem of the green leaf sword shining on their chest. Feng Yuan led the way, followed by Mei Ran. Kyrian walked right behind, his expression calm as always.

They descended through the suspended bridges toward the Central Plateau.

The closer they got, the more impressive the sight became. The enormous floating plateau, with kilometers in diameter, was completely packed. The fifty lesser domains had already occupied their designated positions, each with an area marked by flags and Qi barriers. At the center, a gigantic stage of living wood pulsed with energy.

The stands around it, built in floating layers, were absolutely packed. Millions of local cultivators, city residents, merchants, elders, and curious onlookers occupied every available space. Many had camped there since the previous night. This was an event that happened only once every ten years. No one wanted to miss the beginning.

"Just look at this..." Mo Tianhai murmured, looking around with bright eyes.

"All fifty domains are here."

Mo Xia observed carefully, analyzing the strongest auras.

Long Xue walked close to Kyrian, clearly nervous but trying to maintain composure. Shen Yu and Wu Jian kept serious expressions. Even Mei Ran seemed more alert than usual.

They took their places in the area reserved for the Verdant Sword Sect, a platform elevated enough to have a good view but still modest compared to the stronger domains.

When the sun reached its highest point, the ceremony began.

Several elders of the Ancient Forest Sect, all at the peak of the Core Formation realm or higher, jumped to the center of the stage. They raised their hands at the same time. A vast flow of emerald-green Qi burst from their bodies, connecting to the living wood of the plateau.

The wood responded.

With a deep sound, like the roar of an ancient tree awakening, the ground at the center of the plateau opened. Roots as thick as columns emerged, intertwining at high speed. Robust trunks rose, branches extended, and bright green leaves sprouted. In less than a minute, a colossal tree appeared at the exact center of the Central Plateau, a perfect but smaller replica of the city’s Ancestral Tree. Its leaves glowed with golden runes, and a pure aura of life and vitality spread across the entire plateau.

The crowd erupted in applause and exclamations of admiration.

Other presentations followed. Disciples of the Ancient Forest Sect performed dances with living wood swords that blossomed upon touching the air. Giant illusion formations were activated, showing historical scenes of past Gatherings, epic battles, genius youths rising from nowhere, and entire domains changing their fate.

Kyrian watched everything in silence.

Finally, the climax arrived.

The air seemed to compress. All lights and sounds diminished. An overwhelming presence slowly descended from the sky.

A man with long, dark green hair, wearing a robe embroidered with golden leaf patterns, landed atop the great, newly created tree. His aura was as deep as an abyss, clearly in the Advanced Spiritual Awakening Realm, perhaps even close to the limit.

The Leader of the Ancient Forest Sect.

He raised one hand, and absolute silence took hold of millions of people.

"Welcome." His voice resounded clear and powerful, reaching every corner of the plateau effortlessly.

"To the Gathering of Domains, the event that decides the pride, the future, and the fate of the fifty lesser domains of the Northern Territory."

The crowd exploded into deafening applause.

"During the next thirty days, you will compete, fight, surpass limits, and show the world the value of your domains. Here, talent is king. Here, effort is rewarded. Here, the weak will be forgotten and the strong will be remembered."

The leader paused, his gaze slowly sweeping across all the domain areas.

A pillar of green light burst from the great central tree, rising to the sky and exploding into a rain of luminous petals that covered the entire plateau.

The opening ceremony had ended.

The true Gathering of Domains was just beginning.

Kyrian remained seated, the light wind swaying his black robe. His green eyes with sword-shaped pupils shone with a cold and determined light.

He was ready.

The silence that followed the initial speech of the Leader of the Ancient Forest Sect was heavy, almost palpable. Millions of eyes were fixed on the man in the green-golden robe who floated atop the colossal tree. The rain of luminous petals still fell gently over the Central Plateau when he raised his right hand once more. His voice resounded like a controlled thunder, clear and powerful enough to reach every corner of the floating plateau.

"The Gathering of Domains is not a mere spectacle to entertain. It is a test of survival. It is the filter that separates the talented from the mediocre, and the strong from the weak. And the first phase will begin now."