Otherworldly Affairs Office-Chapter 762 Competition Day (Please Subscribe)
Upon hearing Gu Shenghui's words, Pei Yan was even more confused and asked in surprise, "If it's not the Divine Artifact from the secret vault, then where did it come from?"
"It was left behind during the first ancient interdimensional invasion. At that time, the Plane Barrier was severely damaged, and all the Divine Artifacts brought to the cornerstone plane contained too much energy. If we forcibly brought them back to the original realm, it could easily trigger a chain reaction, causing the barrier to widen; hence, the various realms had no choice but to leave them in the cornerstone plane. As time passed, people from the major realms did try to send people to retrieve them but couldn't find them, so they had to give up."
Pei Yan's mind echoed with Lin Junzhao's smug laughter, "Hehehe, actually, I was aware of these things when my consciousness first awakened. Bit by bit, I collected them in my collection and used my essence to conceal them; of course, they couldn't find them! Later, when I met Lin Ruxue and talked about this matter, whether out of sentiment or to win her over, she generously gifted me the Divine Artifacts belonging to the Daoist Realm. I officially became the master of these Divine Artifacts, and the prize this time includes two of them."
"Ohhh! Let me take a look before the competition; what are the Divine Artifacts from ancient times like?" Pei Yan, hearing this, put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said excitedly.
"There's nothing much to see, just a 'Landscape and Nation Map.' I've already put a restriction on it; if you want to see it, you'll have to undo the restriction, which is too troublesome."
"Landscape and Nation Map? Is it like the Space Treasure Bai Xuelin released?" Pei Yan asked in confusion.
"Hmph, Bai Xuelin's thing is nothing, merely a later imitation of this Divine Artifact. The one in my hand is the originally crafted true Divine Artifact, the 'Landscape and Nation Map.' Within this map, rivers and mountains are formed and can be changed at the master's will, affecting the terrain, weather, even spawning divine beasts. Once someone enters this map, its master becomes the ruler of heaven and earth unless the intruder's power far exceeds the map's controller, breaking the controller's soul manipulation, or employs methods comparable to the essence to forcefully tear the space. Otherwise, they will be at the mercy of the master trapped inside," Lin Junzhao said dismissively.
"I see!" Pei Yan nodded, feeling deeply regretful for not being able to witness the Divine Artifact himself, and then continued to ask, "So what should we do now?"
"Get a good rest tonight; gather your energy as tomorrow is bound to be a fierce battle!" Gu Shenghui patted Pei Yan's shoulder and instructed solemnly.
The next day, despite being battle-hardened and the initial nervousness and immaturity from years ago having faded from Pei Yan, he still couldn't contain the excitement regarding this competition, which would decide the future direction of several major planes. He woke up early from bed, finding he wasn't the only one nervous, as the living room was already full of contestants and those preparing to witness the grand event, all silently waiting and ready.
"Let's go!" Gu Shenghui's calm voice broke the silence in the hall.
"Roar!"
As a group of agents wearing uniforms from the Superpower Investigation Hall entered the Immortal Palace under the guidance of Daoist Children and appeared at the competition venue, they instantly attracted everyone's attention. The previously quiet arena became noisy at once.
Listening to the ocean-like discussions around him, Pei Yan looked around in shock, initially thinking it was just a small-scale internal competition. He evidently underestimated the importance of this contest, with the circular venue crowded with people from different major plane factions occupying distinct corners, like a medieval Beast Fighting Arena, roaring upon their appearance.
"Why are there so many people?" Pei Yan turned his head to Elder Lin nervously.
"Of course, this major competition held every five hundred years has long been renowned across the four major planes! Every event draws people from far and wide between planes to watch in person, some even using recording tools similar to image spheres to broadcast live through layers of Arrays across the major planes. This time, the six major planes compete on the same stage, and many flocked upon hearing the news; this scene is much grander than before," Elder Lin explained patiently, having learned about prior events in preparation.
"I see, pretty high-end live broadcasts! And even live cheerleaders, quite modern!" Pei Yan remarked, taking off his hat to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
"It's a civilization developed over thousands of years; whatever you can think of, they can too!" Elder Lin said, looking at Pei Yan meaningfully. "If you win this time, you'll not only become famous across the four major planes but also be renowned among the superpowered individuals in our real world. Did you know, even now, almost all Superpower Investigation Hall agents without missions are watching this battle concerning the cornerstone plane and the dignity of superpowered individuals inside the Jiezhi Space, where time flows in sync with the Daoist Realm!"
Seeing Pei Yan's confused eyes fixed on him, Elder Lin laughed heartily, "Feeling the weight now? It's too late, it's called 'driving ducks onto a perch,' you have no way to retreat now. But don't burden yourself too much, go ahead! In this battlefield, show your might without holding back; make yourself the spotlight, the hero in other superpower users' hearts. Today, this is your stage!"
Under Elder Lin's nearly flattering encouragement, Pei Yan was urged by everyone to the center of the arena, where a hovering elder loudly introduced him. The audience cheered in waves with the introduction, but all these sounds became background noise in Pei Yan's ears. After hearing Elder Lin's words, his mind turned blank; initially, when he joined the investigation hall, he only wanted to protect his abilities and use them to ensure a good life for himself and his family. Yet, he was caught in a vortex, facing the crisis concerning the life and death of the world time after time. He only wished his family would safely weather this crisis, yet the tides of the era pushed him to the forefront, making him a hero he never thought he would be.
Will he become a trendsetter of the era or merely a pawn in the struggles of major plane figures? Pei Yan didn't know! Right now, his lips were pale, body trembling, and cold sweat continually seeping from his forehead. Realizing something unusual, Pei Jin, his brother, looked at him with concern, softly calling in his ear, unable to elicit any response from him. Anxiously, Pei Jin signaled to Gu Shenghui outside the arena, indicating that Pei Yan was acting strangely.
Under the anxious gaze of everyone, Pei Yan looked up towards the sky, letting out a long breath. Was he afraid? Or nervous? Feeling the increasingly vigorous heartbeat he touched on his chest, Pei Yan realized himself clearly at this moment: he was not as willing to remain passive and ordinary as he once thought; he was enjoying this moment, savoring the feeling of being the center of attention. He anticipated the bloodthirsty battle to come! He truly had become a fighting monster!
This feeling is wonderful!
