"What? Does Gu Wenqiu’s brother have an extra head compared to me?" Liu Zixuan sneered upon hearing this. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Qiu Lao shook his head, "You should know that besides the so-called Eight Great Powers and Four Great Clans, Star Sea has some powerful hidden sects. We’ve previously received information that Gu Wenqiu’s brother has joined one of these hidden sects, and is no longer just an ordinary disciple, but rather the closed-door disciple of the sect leader!"

"The Gu family has an alliance with one of the Four Great Clans, plus a hidden sect background. Such an existence cannot be underestimated!"

Listening to Qiu Lao’s earnest words, Liu Zixuan pondered for a moment and then smiled, "Thank you for letting me know, Qiu Lao. I’ll be more careful."

"You..." Qiu Lao chuckled, "You’re not someone who can settle down. I watched you step by step reach where you are today, first in Ghost Wood City, then Celestial Capital, and later causing such a huge commotion in Qian Nan!"

"It’s one thing to stir things up domestically with some sects and families. But you even went to Witch Country and caused trouble there. You’ve only been back a few days and you’ve already offended the Gu family. Can’t you be a bit more restrained?"

Liu Zixuan spread his hands helplessly, "I do want to settle down, but someone has to let me. I can’t possibly welcome insults with a smile."

"I won’t say anything more. You understand the reasoning." Qiu Lao switched the topic abruptly, "Zixuan, this Ghost Market should be different from the others, right?"

"I knew you would ask about these things."

Qiu Lao glanced at the entrance, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, and sat down next to Liu Zixuan, "According to convention, the Ghost Market should be held a few days before the end of the year. But some events occurred earlier, bringing the date forward and making it more grandiose."

"What happened?" Liu Zixuan asked curiously.

"The old master of Willow Association appeared, along with the ancestors of several major families and powers, appearing one after another in the mundane world. This can be considered a big event, right?" Qiu Lao smiled meaningfully.

Liu Zixuan was suspicious, "It could be a big event, but does their consecutive appearance imply something?"

"We don’t know exactly what it implies yet. However, based on information gathered by those under the Celestial Secret Pavilion, this simultaneous appearance of these old figures indicates something significant will happen in Star Sea’s Martial Artist Realm!"

"Significant?" Liu Zixuan was slightly puzzled.

Qiu Lao hesitated for a moment, "It’s been many years. The last time something shook the Star Sea Martial Artist Realm was when the old master of Willow Association and others emerged from the ancient ruins, and many martial artists of major realms vanished together. I fear this time won’t be much different!"

Liu Zixuan took a deep breath, "If so, it would be a major earthquake for the Martial Artist Realm!"

"Indeed." Qiu Lao nodded, "It’s likely there’s auction information about such major events in Mandarin Duck Pavilion this time. You can check it out then. Additionally, I know there’s another reason why this Ghost Market is so special this year beyond those old figures appearing!"

"They’re auctioning information; isn’t that encroaching on your Celestial Secret Pavilion’s business?" Liu Zixuan commented playfully.

Qiu Lao gave a wry smile, "There’s nothing to be done. If we knew the information first, we would make that money. But they knew it first. Think about it, even now, our Celestial Secret Pavilion doesn’t know what the information is, which shows how mysterious and terrifying this impending major event is!"

Liu Zixuan nodded and asked further, "What’s the other reason for the early Ghost Market?"

"Have you heard of the Sixty-Year Martial Arts Tournament?" Qiu Lao suddenly asked mysteriously.

The Sixty-Year Martial Arts Tournament?

Liu Zixuan was completely unfamiliar with the term. Shaking his head, he said, "I only know that sixty years make a cycle."

"It’s actually literal, the Sixty-Year Martial Arts Tournament is a martial arts tournament in Star Sea held every sixty years. Naturally, this tournament has its special features."

Qiu Lao paused before continuing, "At that time, some hidden sects and families in Star Sea will appear one after another, selecting outstanding young talents from the tournament to join them for cultivation."

"Isn’t it outdated for these sects to be doing this in modern times?" Liu Zixuan pinched his forehead, "We’re in the 21st century. Can’t these sects come up with something new? Still recruiting disciples and forming sects?"

"Everyone understands that nowadays, the number of martial artists is declining but becoming more elite. Any decent martial artist has a teacher or family. How could they possibly join other sects?"

Qiu Lao smiled mysteriously, "It’s all just for the chance it offers."

"What chance?" Liu Zixuan asked.

"The chance to break through to the Emperor Realm!" Qiu Lao smiled, "The old master of Willow Association should have told you that now, there are fewer and fewer Emperor Realm martial artists in Star Sea. The exact reason isn’t disclosed by those old guys, but the Emperor Realm represents transcendent status in Star Sea and even the entire World Martial Realm."

"Some of these hidden sects and families possess secret techniques or treasures that aid in helping those at the Peak of Imperial Realm to break through to the Emperor Realm. So everyone participates in the Sixty-Year Martial Arts Tournament, hoping to join sects and families to break through to the Emperor Realm!"

Liu Zixuan sneered, "If there was such a method, wouldn’t there be more Emperor Realm experts in Star Sea by now?"

"Isn’t that the truth? But achieving a breakthrough to the Emperor Realm requires having cultivation technique, form, and inner strength all in a perfect state, and also understanding the Heaven and Earth Elements. Such feats are impossible on one’s own, but with some assistance, it becomes relatively easier."

At this point, Qiu Lao suddenly chuckled and asked, "Do you know how many can enter these hidden sects and families from the martial arts tournament?"

"I don’t know." Liu Zixuan shook his head.

"Only ten!"

"So few?" Liu Zixuan exclaimed. It seemed the selection criteria of these hidden sects were indeed extremely stringent.

Although there were few Emperor Realm martial artists, there were still quite a few ordinary realm martial artists in the world today.

"Do you know how many of these ten can actually break through to the Emperor Realm?" Qiu Lao asked again.

"Half?" Liu Zixuan ventured.

"You underestimate the Emperor Realm. Out of the ten, only one can truly break through to the Emperor Realm!" Qiu Lao stood with arms folded and said earnestly, "Think about it, there are thousands of martial artists in Star Sea competing for those ten slots, and those ten have to gamble on whether they can breakthrough to the Emperor Realm!"

"It sounds like a wild tale, but the Emperor Realm is too enticing. Once you break through, you become a dominant figure in your own right! Who wouldn’t covet that?"