MatHaz
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Chapter 299: To The Clouds
🕑 Added 2024-12-23 11:50:00 +0000 UTC~~~
No one else fights Liu Jin for the remainder of the day. In fact, what is left of the first stage ends up being fairly uneventful. Those with the courage to stand before him and plead their case after sensing his terrifying aura can be counted on one hand. When looked at in that light, it can be argued that confronting the Wandering Wind was the most correct choice.
All the same, Liu Jin has never felt comfortable being feared.
“You frown so deeply despite sharing a room with me. An ordinary lady might feel offended.”
Liu Jin looks at Lu Mei. She is already on the bed, having changed into her sleeping clothes. Meanwhile, he sits by the windowsill, staring at the Crimson Cloud. Even in the evening sky, the form of the red stadium floating above the Imperial Palace is impossible to miss.
“I suppose I am fortunate that you are no ordinary lady,” Liu Jin says.
“Was that ever in doubt?”
Liu Jin smiles. “Not at all.”
Unlike him, Lu Mei is quite pleased by the events that transpired. The Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire publicly confronted the Wandering Wind and lived. Those strong enough know better than to be swayed by such tales, but it is yet another addition to his legend.
All the same, Liu Jin hadn’t meant to tap into his Dao so publicly. While it was always going to happen, Su An’s appearance rattled him far more than he’d expected.
“Do you miss her so strongly?” Lu Mei asks him.
“To a degree that surprises me,” Liu Jin says. “Su An was a dear friend to me back in Eastern Port City. However, I would be lying if I said I thought about her much after the city’s fall. She was just… just another person I failed.”
Perhaps that’s why he hadn’t thought about her much. Everything that reminded him of Eastern Port City... it was easier for his mind to ignore it. Anything else hurt a bit too much.
Liu Jin takes a deep breath. His Qi relaxes.
“Everything changed after I found out she was alive,” Liu Jin says. “Every moment that passes without her by my side feels like a personal affront. When the Wandering Wind arrived with her, I couldn’t control myself. Failing to act would have been too much. That is how it felt…”
“Interesting,” Lu Mei says, hugging a pillow to her chest. “Just so we are both clear on this, you do realize a part of this is tied to how possessive you have become about people, right?”
Liu Jin grimaces. He’d hoped it was just a baseless worry, but Lu Mei bringing it up means it is anything but. The number of times Liu Jin has caught himself speaking or thinking about people with anything resembling a sense of ownership is…not insignificant.
“Do not misunderstand. It is very endearing. A lady likes to feel desired, and sudden bursts of possessiveness are appreciated,” Lu Mei says. “However…”
Liu Jin hangs his head. “I am a dragon.”
“That is the most likely explanation,” Lu Mei says, shrugging. “Does it bother you?”
“Not nearly as much as it once would have,” Liu Jin replies. “I have been changing since the day I left Eastern Port City, and I can think of worse things than valuing those who matter most to me. Besides, if you thought it was a problem, you would have spoken to me about this long before today.”
“Oh? You trust me that much?”
“Completely,” Liu Jin says. Lu Mei’s cheeks turn crimson.
“Always so gallant,” Lu Mei says, “But can I really call you gallant if you ignore a beautiful lady all night just too brood?”
Liu Jin smiles and stands up.
“That would be terribly uncouth of me, wouldn’t it?”
~~~
Once the first round of the Crimson Cloud Tournament is over, the remaining competitors are given a few days to rest and prepare for the next stage. Those who made it to the Top One Thousand are now known throughout the city and beyond, while those who failed to carve their names among that number have already faded into obscurity, becoming nothing more than faces in the crowd.
Memory jades of the most memorable battles thus far can be found in nearly every district. They are enjoyed by adults and children alike and studied meticulously by experienced gamblers and second-stage competitors.
Throughout it all, the Crimson Cloud grows. The red stadium floating above the palace already boasted an impressive size, but ever since the first stage finished, it has become larger still. Its crimson color is more vivid, and the clouds it is made of have spread, forming a thick red carpet that covers the Imperial Palace at all times of the day.
Thus, when the first day of the second stage arrives, the remaining competitors gather under the shadow of the Crimson Cloud.
“Just as the wheat is separated from the chaff, you have all risen above your peers by virtue of your own excellence,” Emperor Xiang says to the one thousand competitors still in the tournament. “However, that is not enough. A thousand is far too many.”
The air is heavy with tension. Gathered in front of the Emperor are the brightest talents this generation has to offer. They are standing in the palace courtyard, arranged in twenty lines of fifty people. Those ranked highest stand closest to the front, while the last places stand at the back. Even as the Emperor talks, they look at each other with measuring gazes.
Liu Jin only has eyes with Su An.
He has known about her placement at the top of the Green Group for a few days. Now that she is but a few steps away from him, he wants nothing more than to take her aside so they can talk. However, he has to be patient. There is no telling what has happened to her since he saw her last. Physically, the changes caused by Su Daji are still present. Similarly, her Qi retains traces of demonic energy, but it is not quite the same as it was last time.
Something has changed in her. Liu Jin can only hope it is a positive change.
“Some of you are already familiar with what is to come,” Emperor Xiang continues, his hands folded behind his back, “However, I will speak for the benefit of those who are not. The second stage of the tournament will not take place in Imperial Cloud City. Instead, you will venture into the Realm of the Crimson Cloud!”
As soon as he declares it, the Crimson Cloud above their heads swirls and paths of clouds spiral their way down to the courtyard, joining heaven and earth with crimson thread.
“Have you ever wondered why we participate in the tournament, brother-in-law?” Feng Zhuo asked him one day. “Certainly, the prestige of it all is a big part of it. These days, it is arguably the most important part, but it didn’t start out that way. It is because the Four Great Sects participate that the tournament is valid, and we would have never joined if the Imperial Family hadn’t made a suitable offer.”
“There is no time limit for the second stage,” the Emperor continues. “You will fight until sixty-four of you remain. No more and no less. You are free to use any means necessary to achieve that result, but be warned! For as long as the second stage lasts, the Crimson Cloud will display your matches in the Crimson Arena.”
The warning is a necessary one. While many things are allowed by tournament rules, the possibility of their deeds being known by all ensures the participants will not willingly shame their Sects.
However, there is something far more important that Emperor Xiang is not saying.
“The Realm of the Crimson Cloud is not a space that opens so the tournament can take place. It is the opposite. The tournament takes place because the realm opens. It is the spatial realm of a former divinity. The number of treasures that lay hidden there is incalculable. The Four Great Sects could never resist the opportunity to obtain them. That is how the Imperial Family got us to compete. Even if we have to give a portion of the treasures to the Imperial Family, it is well worth it. You could say that the Crimson Cloud Tournament is what ultimately gave legitimacy to the Imperial Family.”
The signal is given.
Liu Jin steps into the path of crimson clouds.
~~~
Diving into the Crimson Cloud is like jumping into a lake where the water is not wet. Liu Jin knows the analogy doesn’t quite make sense, but is the only thing that comes to mind to describe the odd sensation that takes hold of his body for breath.
When he opens his eyes, Liu Jin is surrounded by tall red trees with leaves of the same color. The Imperial Palace and the city are nowhere to be seen. Liu Jin cannot even sense the Qi of anyone nearby.
With quick and nimble movements, Liu Jin dashes up the tallest tree and sees the red forest extends as far as the eye can see. It is as if the entire realm is trapped in a never-ending autumn. A crystalline blue river running down the middle is the only thing that breaks the color scheme, though even the river has multiple fallen leaves floating on it. They are carried by the current like tiny boats setting off on a journey.
It is precisely as Feng Zhuo described.
“Time flows differently inside the Crimson Cloud. It is very beneficial as it gives you more time to look for treasures, but that is probably not something you are interested in looking for.”
Indeed, it is not.
The participants are meant to enter in groups of ten according to their ranking with twenty second intervals between each group. However, within the Crimson Cloud, those twenty seconds are closer to twenty minutes, meaning it will take over a day for everyone to enter.
As the top-ranking fighter in the Red Group, Liu Jin was among the first to enter. Feng Zhi also entered with him, as did Xiao Shuang, another disciple of the Divine Frozen Place, some disciples from the Infinite Mountain Sect, and of course…
Su Daji.
She is here. He merely needs to find her, but that is easier said than done. Liu Jin cannot detect anyone’s Qi nearby. Perhaps it would be better if Lu Mei had made it to second place, but Feng Zhi would have never agreed to it.
It doesn’t matter. He’ll have to look for Su An the hard way.
[Ground Contraction]
Liu Jin dashes across the treetops at a brisk pace. He does not bother hiding his Qi. There is no point in using [Art of the Roaming Thief] just yet. He wants to be seen. He wants to be found. Of course, considering all the other participants who walked in with him are members of the Four Great Sects, it is unlikely they will try to challenge him just yet.
An hour passes. The sun remains unmoving in the sky. It is all exactly as Feng Zhuo described, which means that if Liu Jin hasn’t yet run into Feng Zhi, it is only because the Young Master of the Eternal Flame does not want his presence.
Liu Jin sighs.
The tree beneath his feet begins to stir. It is a subtle movement, but Liu Jin immediately jumps away. A fist of red clouds closes around the empty space less than a second later. Branches and tree bark shatter into bits of cloud. Round legs and arms are formed, and a maw opens up. The end result is a gigantic humanoid beast made of crimson clouds.
‘We call them Cloud Beasts. Best as I can tell, they are creatures created by hostile feelings within the Crimson Cloud. Interesting, right?’
Lightning strikes.
Brilliant purple slices through the Cloud Beast and tears it asunder.
“No, brother-in-law,” Liu Jin says as more cloud beasts start forming all around him. “I do not think so.”
~~~
Mini-Character List
Liu Jin: Our Protagonist. Gallant.
Lu Mei: Liu Jin’s Fiancée. Can blush.
Emperor Xiang: Emperor of the Crimson Cloud Empire. Has done the speech several times.
Feng Zhuo: Liu Jin’s brother-in-law. Gave all his advice in flashback form.
Comments
Peter Armstrong
I'm really liking "When Immortal Ascension Fails Time Travel to Try Again". The story starts at the point where a transmigrator into a novel they'd only slightly heard of, after 1000 years of cultivation, fails the tribulation to ascend to immortality and regresses back to the time when they first transmigrated into a young child. Being about a world from a novel, it's got a lot of the cliche situations, though with the main character being a transmigrator but not the MC of the novel she transmigrates into, it doesn't take them too seriously and the whole thing is fairly comedic. A lot of that comes from her having the soul of a 1000 year old grandmaster. It's a fairly light and entertaining and well written story. Two thumbs up!
Gardor
Finally, a true fan of literature speaks up!
Soren
You're 100% right about them fucking before he talked to Ice wife. They were doing it before they even went to the storm dragon empire.
Logan Teague
Well, 'as good' and 'similar' are hard requests. I personally like Beastmaster of the Ages (available on wuxiaworld.com, readnovelfull.com, probably others) because the MC actually holds on to his morality and the little people matter, even in the grand scheme of things. It's not as clever and funny as this, but it does have humor.
Luke Charles
Apologies, I didn't see this. Here's the link to The Storm King on Royal Road: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/16476/the-storm-king
RingofBone
Perhaps there is a round robin on the next stage, everyone having to fight everone else 1 v 1 would lead to a lot of built up injuries.
Caleb Alexander
I loved the Jade Phoenix but the author hasn't posted in months :(
Gardor
I didn't think it was exclusively based on their rankings in this one tournament, I thought it was how high leveled their cultivators are and how much political and social impact they have.
Gardor
OK so it's wife sanctioned adultery. Also I don't think "they only started fucking once Shuang talked to Jin through the mirror" bit is even remotely true, that happened like ten chapters ago. Edit: yeah they finally talked through the mirror in 286, so with interludes that's about 30 chapters ago. I'm almost positive there have been mentions of Liu Jin and Lu Mei getting out of bed with each other long before that.
Robert Davidson
Xiao Shuang explicitly gave permission for Jin to take a concubine when they first married (embarassing the boy no end). So it's not adultery. Also, and this is more important IMO, we don't see Jin and Mei being this intimate until after Shuang is back in contact with them. Without his wife's blessing there's no way Jin would have continued the relationship that far.
Robert Davidson
Of course he will. Her name is Su An.
ArmanKazBin
City of Sin. Completed, well-written, tragic, 21+
Noah
At that point he might as well just go for 5 bloodlines, to mirror the Wuxing Cycle! He needs at least one divine bloodline per wife, right????
sapassde .
I recommend A Regressor's Tale of Cultivation, which is another xianxia (written by a Korean writer) that is just an incredible read with a start that is more carried by the bond the protagonist shares with one of his few consistent companions but as the story goes along introduces a lot of schemes and intrigue with great antagonists and villains. For a non-xianxia I recommend The Zombie Knight Saga, it starts of as a pretty good urban fantasy story and has similar charms to the above so I'd just be repeating myself if I tried to recommend without spoiling it. EDIT: Here's a list of additional names (some of which might already be familiar to you): Zenith of Sorcery, Pale Lights, Essence of Cultivation, and Seeking the Flying Sword Path.
sapassde .
They're probably aware of who the last 36 to be eliminated are.
Mr R
Luke Charles, could you share a link to the Storm King novel you mentioned? There are multiple web novels with that name.
Paeng Villarosa
Wait.. How do you determine the “Top 100 sects” when the second stage ends with 64? And of those 64, quite a few will be from the same sects… So top 100 is determined during the second stage… but it’s a no-time-limit free-for-all. How does this work?
Luke Charles
Yea seems like in the last tourney they were counting on the sect making tons of medicines to be transported regularly. Maybe they need specific medicines to deal with specialized earth realm injuries. Bespoke medicines like you said.
Gardor
But wouldn't they know what the competitors would need to recover ahead of time? If someone needed a fancy flower, they wouldn't have an emergency flower on hand? They don't prepare anything before getting to the tournament? What's the travel time from the sect compound to the capital, couldn't a sect member die while they wait?
KDBA
Ze Tian Ji (aka Way of Choices) is probably the most similar, and is really good.
octav
unfortunately, I think there is nothing at the same level as avexiaremy in this subgenre. But I do recommend cradle. Its basically cultivation 101, its big, it does cliches well and its written pretty well. If axry is a 10, cradle is a 9.
burning_the_paper
I would imagine the one getting the powerup now is Lu Mei, with the Eternal Flame becoming whole again and her being one of its chosen.
Martin Toder
If we count Old Jiang's teachings as an Inheritance, he already has 3
Mark
Yes indeed, poor guy, only two major powers (Storm Dragon and Nine-Headed Snake God) have deigned to bestow their bloodline inheritances on him, that's practically nothing😂. MatHaz should at least go for three inheritances, three seems to be a popular number in mythology...😉
Heraclitus
A new chapter of VS just came out a few days ago.
Martin Toder
In terms of quality, Beware of Chicken. In terms of setting, Speedrunning the Multiverse.
Martin Toder
Heavens know he doesn't have enough.
Nicolas Sagrillo
18 iirc
MasterofNova
We honestly don't know the nature of medicine economics. Considering the fact pretty much all of the EFC competitors are in the Earth realm or near it, the medicine they need to recover could be pretty rare all things considered and not just be easily distributed without prep time.
Pope Yoda I
Lu Mei: Yes, the blush does in fact match the drapes.
Haider Ali
I wonder if liu jin finna get some sort of powerup in this arc? Maybe an inheritance or something
Tabac Iberez
Thank you, Feng Zhuo, for making sure to use the secret flashback advice system.
Gardor
Hmm yeah, if they're elimination rounds, it really does seem strange that they didn't bring the...I dunno, hundred pills or whatever they would need to heal the competitors. Just shove em in a dimensional bag and call it it a day, do they really need bespoke medicines for a tournament?
Gardor
Hey how old is Liu Jin? I forget. This question is mostly cuz I always forget that he and Lu Mei are implied to be sexually active. How's that work, is it still adultery even if the culture is sort of OK with it?
MasterofNova
So it's confirmed our boy's been clapping? Truly a Christmas miracle.
MasterofNova
Very hard ask g. Virtuous Sons is solid but seems to be discontinued.
Luke Charles
While not a xuanhuan novel, I’d recommend Storm King. It’s less light hearted than Ave Xia, but has a similar level of character development and use of diction and syntax. And technically, I would consider it to be a cultivation novel - just with a more western based paracosm.
MockingBird
This part only eliminates contestants down to 64. If we have one section after that it'll likely be the standard one on one fights. If it's two sections, it'll probably be a sect/team fight, then a one on one. They could introduce a rule where the fights take place consecutively with no rest given. Adding more rules / stipulations could explain why they previously relied on the medicine.
Al
It's unlikely that any of the members of the delegations of the great 4 sects were in much danger during this second stage. It's the last stage that matters for them.
Wyv
Genuinely think you're out of luck with this request, it's fairly unique as stories go and certainly nothing like this exists with anywhere near the same quality of writing Of course, when I say unique I mean the subtleties involved in the story. It's called cliche for a reason, if you want something similar on the surface a look at the best Xianxia works should suffice, many follow similar structures
Luke Charles
I’m trying to see why a continuous lack of medicine prevented the Eternal Flame Clan from winning the last tournament. So far it seems like they wouldn’t have the chance to use any resupply of medicine.
Haider Ali
Anyone got recommendations as good as this novel? Similar story beats would be cool
Iwritestrangethings
Yay
