Nan Hai City was populated only by half-immortals. Like demon cities for the demon clan, the city was home to those on the lower rungs of the Three Realms. Many half-immortals without the true fortune of immortality lived here. Apart from minor spells and a longer life span, they were much like mortals. If anything, they were more in awe of true immortals, all aspiring to enter an immortal sect and become true disciples of the immortal path.
Bai Shuo strolled leisurely through the city with Fan Yue, enjoying the relaxed pace.
“Hey, have you heard? There’s something new in the ‘Wu Tong Tournament’ this year,” someone said at a nearby tea stand, causing Bai Shuo to halt.
She calculated that A-Zhao should have arrived at Phoenix Island by now. How was he faring?
“What’s new about it? Isn’t it just a contest between the immortals and demons to see who’s stronger?”
“Ah, you’re so out of date! They say this time the young talents from across the Three Realms are as numerous as fish swimming downstream. There are over a hundred disciples from the immortal and demon clans entering Phoenix Island.”
“A hundred? Good heavens, how long will it take to finish all those matches?”
“Exactly! If every one of those hundred has to compete, who knows how many years it’ll drag on. The bigwigs of the Three Realms can’t just sit there watching endlessly.”
“That’s true. So, how are they handling the tournament this time?”
The person cleared his throat. “The Lord of Tan Yu declared that previous tournaments focused too much on brute strength. Since it’s a contest for the elite of both realms, it would be more fair to assess character, wisdom, and adaptability along with strength.”
“Character? Wisdom? How on earth will they test that? Are they going to make the disciples debate the doctrines of immortality and demonism on Phoenix Island and declare whoever argues the best the winner?”
“Ridiculous. The bigwigs of the Three Realms wouldn’t arrange such a petty contest of words like us ordinary half-immortals would.”
“So, how are they planning to judge? Come on, don’t leave us hanging!”
“That’s right! Spill it already!” The listeners were on edge, urging him to continue.
“Do you know what the prize has been in previous Wu Tong Tournaments?”
“I do! In the past, the Heavenly Palace and Chongzi Hall would each forge a high-tier immortal weapon. If the Immortal Clan won, the victor would be awarded the weapon, and the same for the Demon Clan. I remember a century ago, the Immortal Clan’s Azure-robed Lord from Daze Mountain was the champion…”
“That’s correct. The Azure-robed Lord is only three hundred years old and has already reached mid-tier Immortal Lord. He’s a rare talent among our ranks. Normally, the Heavenly Palace and Chongzi Hall would provide the weapon, but this year, the Phoenix Clan has crafted a unique weapon from the heartwood of the sacred Wu Tong Tree.”
“What? The heartwood of the Wu Tong Tree? Really?” The immortals at the tea house burst into excited chatter.
The Phoenix Clan was descended from ancient deities, and the Wu Tong Tree was the last surviving sacred tree in the lower Three Realms. A weapon forged from its heartwood could be wielded by both immortals and demons. What made it exceptional was its ability to bond with its owner’s soul, protect their spiritual platform, and even evolve in tandem with their cultivation.
Legend had it that with a strong will, a Wu Tong weapon could transform into a semi-divine artifact upon recognizing its master.
The difficulty of cultivating in both the immortal and demon paths was immense. To possess such a weapon would not only provide an extra layer of protection but also open a rare chance to glimpse the path to godhood!
“Of course, it’s true. The Phoenix Clan would never go back on their word!” The informant declared. “But obtaining the Wu Tong weapon won’t be easy. The Golden Sun Lord has split it into three parts and concealed them within an otherworldly city. Whoever can retrieve all three pieces and fuse them, making the weapon acknowledge them as its master, will be crowned champion of the tournament.”
No wonder they would be testing character and wisdom—it all made sense now.
The otherworldly city lay in the northernmost wilderness of the Three Realms, belonging neither to the Demon Clan nor the Immortal Clan. Its residents were known as “outcasts.”
Though called outcasts, they were actually beings who possessed both immortal and demon bloodlines, cast out from the Three Realms.
In the ten thousand years since the creation of the Three Realms, there had been rare cases of unions between immortals and demons. Their offspring, born with both powers, would face chaotic spiritual meridians, leaving them unable to cultivate in either immortal or demon arts. As such, these outcasts were abandoned by the Immortal Clan and shunned by the Demon Clan alike.
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