The Sect Grand Competition Begins, Six Hundred Sixty-Six Don't Even Pretend Anymore

The next morning, in Tianhai City.

Sunlight spilled across the sea-crossing bridge as a salty breeze brushed past, carrying the faint scent of the ocean.

The square outside the Tianhai Grand Banquet Pavilion was already packed with a bustling crowd.

Banners of various sects fluttered in the wind, their disciples dressed in lavish sect attire, their expressions a mix of tension and excitement as they awaited the start of the Sect Tournament.

Dozens of helicopters and swarms of drones circled overhead, their cameras trained on every corner of the square.

The global live broadcast had already begun, with countless viewers tuning in to witness the grand event.

At the commentators' booth—

"Hey, hey, hey... It makes sense that Qin Luo and I are the commentators."

"But what the heck are you doing here?"

Su Muwan rubbed her temples, shooting an exasperated look at the person seated to her right—

"Husband~~ That’s no way to talk!~~"

"I’m the special female guest invited by the tournament’s sponsors, hehe~"

The long-unseen A-list celebrity Yan Qiuyue—who also happened to be Su Muwan’s best friend—giggled mischievously.

She leaned closer to Su Muwan, glancing between her and Qin Luo, who sat on Su Muwan’s left, whispering, "Haven’t seen you two in ages. Looks like you’ve made some progress, huh?"

The moment those words left her mouth—

Su Muwan’s face flushed red. She huffed, "None of your business!"

Soon, the commercial break ended, and the program officially began.

Before the trio was a massive screen displaying every detail of the tournament in real-time.

The three then launched into their opening remarks.

"Hello everyone, I’m Qin Luo, one of the commentators for this Sect Tournament."

Qin Luo smiled warmly and waved at the camera.

"I’m Su Muwan."

Already in professional mode, Su Muwan maintained her usual aloof demeanor, her tone indifferent, as if none of this interested her in the slightest.

"Hello, everyone! I’m Yan Qiuyue, thrilled to be here as a special guest commentator for the Sect Tournament."

Yan Qiuyue’s sweet smile and crisp voice instantly captivated countless viewers.

The barrage of comments exploded:

[Ahhhh!!! I’m dead!!! Qin-sensei is so handsome! That face—I could stare at it all day!]

[Yan Bao is so gorgeous! As expected of a top-tier star!]

[Ice Queen Su’s ‘villainess’ face is everything! Step on me, sis!]

Hey!

Su Muwan could see the comments too.

What did they mean by "villainess face"?

[What do I do? With these three on screen, my eyes don’t know where to look! And I heard Yan Bao and Ice Queen Su are besties—what’s with this weirdly compelling chemistry between them?]

Shipping everything will be the death of you.

Su Bailian, also watching the livestream, pursed her lips.

Meanwhile, Qin Luo adjusted his earpiece and continued smoothly, "First, let me introduce the participating factions in this Sect Tournament."

"A total of six hundred sixty-six sects are competing, including top-tier factions like the Primordial Holy Land, the Profound Demon Sect, and Buddha Temple."

"The title of ‘Strongest Sect of All Ages’ will be decided among them."

The camera panned across the assembled sects as Qin Luo spoke.

Profound Demon Sect: Xiao Fei stood at the front of his group, looking slightly nervous, the black coffin on his back exuding a chilling aura.

Buddha Temple: Abbot Kuchan stood with hands clasped, his disciples solemn-faced, as if ready to unleash Buddhist techniques at any moment.

Clear Void Sect: The elders appeared transcendent, their disciples holding horsetail whisks, their demeanors ethereal.

Primordial Holy Land: Chu Yu stood at the edge of the group, her gaze icy, while Su Bailian was surrounded like the moon among stars, with Boqi curled obediently on her lap.

When the camera landed on Su Bailian, the comments erupted again:

[Wow! Little Lian is so adorable! Boqi is too cute!!!]

[Is this the rumored reincarnation of Mu Xueyi? Her aura is extraordinary!]

[Why is Chu Yu standing off to the side? She seems so isolated…]

[Doesn’t Chu Yu’s glare feel terrifying? Like she’s got some serious beef with Little Lian!]

??

Chu Yu stared at the screen, her fists clenched so tightly her nails nearly pierced her palms.

She let out a cold snort, cursing inwardly: Bunch of idiots, fooled by that scheming little—

"Next, let me explain the tournament rules."

Qin Luo continued, "This tournament follows a team battle format. Each team sends five fighters for one-on-one duels."

"Matches proceed sequentially until all five members of one team are incapacitated, at which point the opposing team advances."

"The rules are straightforward, but they test both individual strength and team strategy."

Yan Qiuyue added sweetly, "Exactly."

"Of course, some might wonder—how long will it take to finish a tournament with six hundred sixty-six sects?"

"Well, that’s where—"

Qin Luo turned to the haughty Su Muwan beside him. "Miss Su, the stage is yours."

"Hmph."

Su Muwan rose to her feet, her silver-fox cloak billowing without wind, the frost swirling at her fingertips exploding outward.

She raised a hand and slashed it through the air—

BOOM!!!

The entire sky resembled a torn scroll as six hundred and sixty-six icy-blue light pillars descended from the heavens, precisely enveloping every team in the square.

A wave of extreme cold swept across the arena.

The moment the light pillars touched the ground, they froze into crystalline diamond-shaped dueling platforms, each surface shimmering with intricate frost patterns that refracted sunlight into prismatic halos.

"Tsk—"

Gasps echoed from the spectator stands.

The teacup in the hands of the elder from the Primordial Holy Land froze and cracked, while Abbot Kuchan of the Buddha Temple stiffened mid-motion, his prayer beads halting between his fingers. Even Qin Luo instinctively pressed a hand against the restless black coffin strapped to his back.

Hundreds of drones buzzed into the sky, their lenses frantically capturing the breathtaking spectacle.

The live chat exploded:

[Holy shit! Did she just conjure three hundred ice arenas barehanded?!]

[Is Su Muwan a human-shaped nuke or what?!]

[Mom’s asking why I’m watching this stream on my knees!]

[@EnvironmentalProtectionAgency come quick, someone’s terraforming glaciers on a massive scale!!]

[Wait, could it be that Miss Su could’ve steamrolled the entire competition but chose to be a commentator just for entertainment value??]

[Truth bomb: She’s leaving the future to the younger generation! What a queen!]

[“The CP I ship casually rewriting the laws of physics”]

Ugh, our Miss Su is just built different!

"Annoying."

Su Muwan frowned at the barrage of comments and tapped the commentary desk with a fingertip.

Her voice was frosty. "Now, each sect will draw lots to select their arena. Battles commence simultaneously—losers leave, winners hold their ground. By today’s end, I want the top sixteen finalized."

As she flicked her sleeve and settled back into her plush chair, stray ice crystals still glinted in her hair, as if she’d merely tossed a pebble.

Classic Miss Su.

Qin Luo grinned at the camera and shrugged. "Now you all see why the tournament’s schedule got slashed, right?"

"Let the battles begin!"

Beside him, Yan Qiuyue gulped, eyeing Su Muwan’s overwhelming aura.

She whispered, "Muwan... isn’t this a bit... terrifying? Be honest—does Qin Luo get bullied at home by you?"

?

The question instantly flashed Su Muwan back to moments of helpless vulnerability in front of Qin Luo.

Who’s bullying who here?!

You’ve all been fooled by his harmless, puppy-dog facade!

But—

She cleared her throat. "Obviously. A mere Qin Luo could never suppress this lady."

Yan Qiuyue’s eyes sparkled.

A domineering CEO and a gentle pup—wait.

Her gaze slid to Qin Luo’s deceptively mild expression.

...Okay, maybe not a pup. She’d seen firsthand how he could backhand someone into next week.

The melee began.

Hundreds of drones captured every angle of the clashes.

Unsurprisingly, the most-watched feeds featured the elite sects.

The camera cut to the duel between the Profound Demon Sect and the Azure Mist Sect.

Xiao Fei, the Profound Demon Sect’s vanguard, stepped onto the platform.

Nervous tension lined his face, but his eyes burned with resolve.

"Xiao Fei! You’ve got this!"

Mo Li cheered from below, waving fiercely.

Xiao Fei pressed his lips together, focus sharpening.

Senior Sister is watching. The Sect Master said my Dual Path Body can master both righteous and demonic arts.

For the Profound Demon Sect to rise as the strongest—I must win this.

The commentary rolled on.

"Xiao Fei, the Profound Demon Sect’s opener, reportedly cultivates a forbidden demonic technique. His true strength is unfathomable," Qin Luo narrated.

"He does seem a little tense," Yan Qiuyue noted. "Let’s see if he can push through and secure the first victory for his sect."

Xiao Fei inhaled deeply, steadying himself, and faced his opponent.

He clasped his hands in salute. "Well met."

Opponent: "?"

The match began. Xiao Fei’s adversary was a sword-wielding disciple from the Azure Mist Sect, his blade radiating sharp, oppressive energy.

"The Azure Mist Sect’s swordsmanship is exceptional—this fighter clearly specializes in the Dao of the Sword," Qin Luo analyzed.

"Agreed. His techniques are swift and lethal," Yan Qiuyue added.

The Azure Mist disciples smirked. "Our sect’s sword arts are peerless. Naturally—"

"Gaudy nonsense."

Su Muwan decided to contribute exactly one critique.

Azure Mist Sect: ?