Chapter 170: Competition Promotion

Chapter 170: Competition Promotion

The flood season quickly passed, and the rescue efforts came to an end.

Meanwhile, the promotional ad for the inaugural "Dawn Cup" competition in Guixu was launched.

The camera gradually panned in, revealing an ancient arena with a towering tree standing in the center. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the towering tree stretched into the clouds, its thick branches swaying gently in the breeze, the sunlight dazzling.

Under the tree, a young man raised one hand, flames flickering at his fingertips, instantly forming a giant flaming phoenix. The phoenix spread its wings and soared, moving so swiftly it left trails of afterimages, fiercely charging toward the tree!

A Taoist priest stood high on the tree, his robe billowing in the wind. With a solemn expression, he swung his whisk, clasped his hands, and performed a hand seal. Electricity gathered, and a streak of lightning tore through the sky, shaking the heavens and earth, cleaving the fiercely attacking flaming phoenix in two.

A fierce wind blew, and the flaming phoenix disintegrated into countless golden embers scattering into the air. Snowflakes swirled rapidly, surrounding a woman adorned in cold, elegant silver jewelry, her gaze sharp and alert. Amid the tinkling of bells, the layers of silver bracelets on her slender arms shook rapidly, and a powerful gust of wind blew the snowflakes away.

The music abruptly intensified. A green four-leaf clover obscured the lens and quickly retreated, revealing a girl standing amidst a sea of pink star-shaped oxalis flowers, smiling sweetly. She waved her delicate hands repeatedly, and countless grass seeds exploded like gunfire, blasting one shadowy mass after another.

The ground churned as a muscular man, shirtless, revealing his broad chest and chiseled abs, stood in a horse stance, his arms spread wide and raised upward. With a deep roar, a thick, sturdy earthen wall suddenly erupted from the ground!

A strikingly handsome man in knee-high boots stepped into a patch of purple-red flowers, a metallic glow shimmering in his hand, gradually forming a gleaming greatsword. He slung it over his shoulder with a dashing motion, his charming face turning toward the camera with a captivating smile. His peach blossom eyes sparkled as he swung the sword, cutting through the air with a crisp sound.

The thick earthen wall was shattered by the greatsword, and a woman in a billowing white cotton dress stepped out gracefully, accompanied by a majestic dog. Her warm and friendly smile, with eyes curved like stars, resembled the girl next door from a pre-apocalypse neighborhood. A radiant halo of light surrounded her, giving off a serene and gentle vibe.

However, the mutated dog beside her abruptly snapped toward the screen, crouched, bared its sharp teeth, and unleashed a terrifying beastly aura. It leaped toward the camera, opening its mouth to release a searing flame that consumed the entire screen.

Before the flames dissipated, the roar of cheers erupted. The final shot showed the excited crowd in the arena's stands, their eyes locked on the central tree, fervently cheering.

The subtitles burst onto the screen with a forceful impact: "The Dawn Cup Psychic Competition."

Voiceover:

"Join us, witness the legend, feel the power and glory."

The video ended, displaying the competition's time, location, ticket information, and official website.

Countless people were captivated by the cinematic visuals, rushing to the official website to learn more about the psychic competition. They skimmed through the official text about the competition's theme, time, and location, focusing instead on the events and scoring rules.

In no time, the promotional video for the psychic competition soared to the top of the trending charts.

Among the discussions, the post asking, "What’s the name of the handsome metal manipulator with those peach blossom eyes?" quickly rose to the top.

Following that was, "The girl with light abilities really feels like the girl next door. It brings tears to my eyes, wishing we could go back to the days before the apocalypse when there was always a girl like her walking her dog in our neighborhood."

"The Taoist priest’s left-thunder, right-lightning technique was flawless. Can ordinary people use that thunder technique to summon lightning?"

"Am I the only one interested in the psychic control competition? I thought it was just about psychic battles. What does it mean to demonstrate precise control over specific psychic abilities? What criteria will be used?"

"It seems like it's for psychics who aren't good at combat, like those with light abilities or wood abilities. Maybe competitions like healing wounds or controlling beasts?"

"I'm kind of interested. I don't like fighting. I have wood abilities—I can weave vines into braids or stack leaves like blocks. I wonder if that counts as precise control."

"Just sign up. The preliminary rounds don't require a registration fee. Watching the competition, on the other hand, does."

"Probably due to venue limitations."

"The venue can accommodate 100,000 people, which is remarkable. Nowadays, bases with over 100,000 people are considered medium-sized. It's a promotional strategy—no registration fee, so most psychics will probably check it out."

"The arena is indeed beautifully built."

"That tree looks so cool. What kind of tree is it?"

"The Skyward Tree, I've seen their seeds, falling in clusters like propellers in the wind, straight out of a fairy tale. But this one is too big; it feels like a mutated tree. Guixu City has something special."

"Am I the only one who noticed there's no age limit for registration? Those under sixteen are in the youth group and require a guardian to accompany them. Are they really that confident about the competition's safety?"

"The Crystal Core Shield—detailed safety measures are outlined. Both sides have psychic shields, and they use their psychic abilities to attack each other's shields. The first to have their shield destroyed loses. If neither destroys the other's shield within the time limit, the judges will decide the winner based on the strength and accuracy of the attacks. High-level light and wood psychic ability users are on-site for emergency care, and high-level psychics are stationed to intervene in emergencies. The entire venue is shielded by shadow barriers to prevent damage from power leakage. This is basically a promotion for Guixu's Crystal Core Shield technology, right?"

"This Crystal Core Shield is sponsored by the Lingdong Base Crystal Core Armory. So, is it true that General Ye of Lingdong Base was saved by Guixu City?"

"Hard to say, but the rumor I heard is that Guan brought down the entire Ye family this time, escalating the conflict between Guan and Ye. The military stepped in and allocated some profits to placate the Ye family."

"Ye Yuqing is also on the judging panel, along with several city lords."

...

Zhou Yun skimmed through the comments, closed the webpage, and opened another video on his computer, which contained all the behind-the-scenes footage and clips not included in the promotional video.

He deftly clicked on the first video in the list and fired up the projector.

The video played on the white wall opposite the bed. High up in the Skyward Tree, among the green leaves, a tall man stood on a branch, looking down with an imposing presence. His profile, with its cold gaze, radiated a rugged charm that was breathtaking.

He raised his hand, and lightning crackled in his powerful fingers. The contours of his side waist were sleek and powerful. Zhou Yun’s gaze lingered on the faint outline of abdominal muscles under the thin protective suit, his mind wandering.

The well-defined back muscles during daily chores, the sun-kissed body during island beach vacations—all etched in his memory, ready to be summoned.

In the video, a massive bolt of lightning struck, reducing the phoenix to ashes before it could fully form.

Bi Fang’s jaw dropped in awe.

Zhou Yun couldn't help but laugh. Originally, the lightning scene in the promotional video was meant to feature Guan Yuanfeng’s back, unleashing the lightning. But his presence was too dominating, and Bi Fang looked like a bullied child in comparison.

Moreover, among all the psychics in the video, none could rival the magnetism of Guan Yuanfeng’s cold silhouette. It was too prominent, not ideal for showcasing and promotion.

Ultimately, Taoist Master Yunyin was brought in to film the scene, and the result was far better. Bi Fang’s presence matched his, creating a striking contrast between the old and the young.

However, Zhu Zhuan kindly sent all the videos of Guan Yuanfeng and other versions back to Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun adored them, replaying them repeatedly these days.

As he was watching, Guan Yuanfeng walked in, saw the blackout curtains drawn, and Zhou Yun lazily lying on the bed, watching the video of himself unleashing lightning on the wall. He sighed, "I'm right here, is it necessary to watch it so many times?"

Zhou Yun said, "It's shot by the famous Director Liu, the quality is top-notch, the sense of power is overwhelming, no wonder he's a great director. By the way, City Lord Ling said her young girl wants a chance to work and learn under Director Liu, and asked us to help put in a good word."

Guan Yuanfeng said, "Just let Qin Mu put in a word."

He walked over to Zhou Yun, slightly bent down, and the usual oppressive aura suddenly subsided. In the dim light, his vibrant skin radiated warmth. Zhou Yun could see the tension in the muscles of his strong arms, rolled up his sleeves, and the powerful hand grabbed his ankle, placing his dangling leg back on the bed.

Zhou Yun smiled. He had long noticed that, just like his obsession with tidying up messy household items, Guan Yuanfeng was very sensitive to improper postures. He would correct overly lazy or slouched sitting or lying positions, as if afraid he would fall off the bed, or perhaps thinking it was unhealthy. It was a different kind of control.

He never tired of it. Every time he lay or sat, if a sheet was about to fall off the bed, or a leg or hand was hanging off, it would quickly be put back by him.

Taking advantage of Guan Yuanfeng's proximity, Zhou Yun reached out and pressed his hand against the firm, flexible, and well-defined abdomen through the thin shirt. After watching the video for so long, he finally got to touch it.

He murmured, "I came to this world to see the sun." (Note) It's really wonderful. Thank you, Creator.

Guan Yuanfeng didn't quite catch what he said, but he held his wrist, "Trying to start a fire that won't go out?"

Zhou Yun just smiled at him, "I'm checking, General Guan has been on many business trips lately, wondering if he's been firing off on his own outside."

Guan Yuanfeng laughed, leaning down with Zhou Yun's pull, one hand on the side of Zhou Yun's head, his body looming over Zhou Yun, "Please inspect, City Lord Dongjun."

Zhou Yun felt Guan Yuanfeng's breath as he spoke and reached out to touch his chin and neck: "Does the city lord have to undress you, General Guan? You're becoming too spoiled."

Guan Yuanfeng bent one knee to support his body, one hand unbuttoning his shirt, his entire body remaining perfectly still, his core exceptionally stable: "The city lord is too popular. I hear there are many matchmakers trying to set you up. Are you planning to trade in the old for the new?"

Zhou Yun burst into laughter.

Guan Yuanfeng had already taken off his shirt and leaned down to kiss him.

Zhou Yun pressed against the iron-hard abdomen, his fingers lightly tracing the chiseled lines: "General Guan, keep up the good training. You won't have to worry about falling out of favor."

Soon, he could no longer speak, as Guan Yuanfeng, having held back for too long, attacked like a storm, leaving him overwhelmed.

Lately, they had been extremely busy. The city of Guixu was constantly inundated with people, and more and more were choosing to settle there. Military affairs, city defense, and various matters from the alliance and southwestern military districts kept him too busy to return home.

Of course, Zhou Yun was also busy with the opening of Guixu Academy and the issue of the spiritual imprint, which seemed to be progressing quickly. Though they shared the same roof, they barely had a chance to exchange a few words.

The two of them, long deprived of each other, were like dry wood meeting a blazing fire, indulging in passionate intimacy. Meanwhile, the video clip kept playing on the wall, so much so that in his dazed state, Zhou Yun felt as if there were two Guan Yuanfengs watching him intently, as radiant as the sun.