Chapter 361: The Competition Begins

"Miaoke, I'm not just nagging. You need to know that there are always casualties during the Martial Arts Grand Ceremony—and a great many at that!"

"I remember at the last Martial Arts Grand Ceremony, several hundred people died in the selection trials alone. Even more died in the competitions that followed! And that was just for a single region!"

"If you run into people from the Overseas Immortal Mountains or one of the hidden Sects, it will be even more dangerous. You absolutely must be careful," Bai Han urged.

Bai Han had already warned the ten disciples from the Celestial Sword Sect countless times.

This competition was far, far more dangerous than anyone imagined.

Many of the Martial Arts Families had no idea what this competition truly entailed, so for now, they were still in high spirits. They had no clue what a terrifying ordeal was about to begin.

"Is... Is it really that terrifying?" Su Miaoke froze, just as she was about to leave. The color drained from her face.

"Senior Sister Bai Han, how many people participated in the selection trials last time?" Su Miaoke asked.

"In a single region, there were about two thousand participants. Three to four hundred of them died, and that's not even mentioning the injured. Why else do you think Great Snow Mountain would assign a Martial Arts Venerable and so many staff members from the Foundation Establishment Realm? Even so, casualties are inevitable," Bai Han explained.

This Grand Canyon, for example, is one kilometer wide and ten kilometers long. With such a vast area and so few staff, how much could they possibly oversee?

All they can do is try their best to prevent outright massacres.

Besides, what good is a Martial Arts Venerable? Their main purpose is to prevent experts at the Human Martial Arts Peak Realm from interfering and causing chaos.

They serve as a deterrent. If you expect a Martial Arts Venerable to go around saving people, they'd work themselves to death and still not get to everyone.

"I still need to give them a few more instructions. Let's go, wife." Chu Feng rose, pulling Su Miaoke along to find the Chu Family.

"Chu Feng, hurry and take Miaoke to get her scoreboard!" Chu Tianshan called out to him.

"That can wait. There's no rush. Chu Wushuang, Chu Wuqing!" Chu Feng called out to the pair.

The two of them were looking at the massive crowd, eager and excited to jump into action.

"Venerable Chu Feng!" the two of them exclaimed, bowing respectfully.

"There's no need for that in the future. For now, just listen carefully. Once you're inside, the three of you must stick together. Don't ever separate. If you get the chance, take other people's scoreboards. If not, then forget it. Staying alive is your main goal!"

"Do you understand? Your lives are the priority. You are to stay far away from anything that might endanger you! Got it?"

Chu Feng said, looking at the two of them with a grave expression.

"Yes!" Chu Wushuang nodded quickly.

"Let me remind you one more time: fight if you can win, and run if you can't. Whatever you decide, don't hesitate. Understand?" Chu Feng said.

He was simply worried that the three of them would be ganged up on, hunted down, and bullied once they were inside. That was why he was being so insistent.

"Chu Feng is right. You all must be extremely careful. It's best not to kill. Unless you have absolutely no other choice, do not take a life. However, if you run into danger, get away immediately!"

"Of course, if something does happen, don't be afraid. You have the Chu Family and your Young Master Chu Feng behind you. We will have your backs!"

At this, Chu Tianshan also nodded in agreement, his expression grave.

He had been through many Martial Arts Grand Ceremonies himself, so he was well aware of their brutality.

"Yes! We will heed the warnings of the Old Ancestor and the Young Master," the two replied, nodding gravely.

"Go on. You can get your scoreboards now," Chu Feng said.

The three of them then walked up to the staff members and received their scoreboards. There were no names on them; each scoreboard was worth one point.

To put it bluntly, you just had to snatch other people's scoreboards to score points for yourself.

The three of them then got into the queue, waiting for the time to enter together.

About fifteen minutes later, all the scoreboards had been distributed, and every participant had received one.

At the entrance to the Grand Canyon, a dense, dark mass of several thousand people was packed together.

The moment the entrance opened, the crowd surged forward like a tidal wave.

Fighting was forbidden for the first forty minutes after entering the Grand Canyon. So, once inside, everyone began looking for their teammates and forming groups.

Chu Feng stood on high ground, watching as Su Miaoke's group went inside, not looking away until they disappeared from his sight.

In truth, Chu Feng wasn't too concerned. He had left a Divine Soul Mark on Su Miaoke, so he wasn't worried about her running into danger. If she truly did, he could appear by her side in an instant.

Within about fifteen minutes of the more than four thousand people entering the canyon, not a single person could be seen from the entrance.

Once inside, it was all up to them.

Once the forty minutes had passed, the thunderous sound of a gong rang out, signaling the start of the competition.