Chapter 347: Brewing Storm
The clouds from a week ago had developed into a ferocious storm that roared in the ears of any who dared to step outside. Freezing winds tore through Ashlock's canopy, and he hadn't relished in the sun's warmth in days. Due to this, he had spent most of his time focusing within himself on his Inner World and helping Douglas with the construction of the floating arena surrounded by a town.
Since many low-level cultivators in the Qi and Soul Fire Realm were going to participate, the usual amenities mortals require, such as housing, food, and water, were needed. The floating island was easy enough to make; Ashlock simply tore a mountain in two by warping space, flipped it upside down, and suspended it above his Inner World with his spatial Qi. Being a god over his Inner World made such feats as easy as breathing. He had then opened a portal to this floating land for the Mudcloaks and Douglas so they could get to work.
Besides floating up more material and opening portals to the outside world now and then so Douglas could weather the worsening storm to purchase materials from Darklight and Ashfallen City with seemingly endless funds, Ashlock didn't have any other ways to contribute, so he left them to it.
After a week of effort, the arena and town seemed nearly finished.
The arena itself was a grandiose structure similar to a coliseum. It was built from polished obsidian decorated with ruby eyes and an ominous decal to give it the vibe of a place owned by the All-Seeing Eye. Seats carved from the same dark stone spiraled upward, providing ample space for thousands of spectators. All of the spirit stones looted from Elder Vortexian of the Azure Clan's spatial ring were infused into every inch of the arena to power a plethora of arrays that Stella had directed construction on using her bloodline's library.
Other than reinforcement arrays that made use of the Inner World's metal and earth dao to keep the arena from taking damage during fights, there was also a spatial bubble that would protect the spectators and an illusion array that made use of Dreamweaver Orchids to allow Ashlock to alter how the arena looked to those under a certain cultivation level. That way, he could theme the place based on the event. Such a structure would have taken much more to construct outside, but in his Inner World, he had absolute control over everything.
Surrounding the coliseum was a currently empty town with a rustic charm due to the rushed job being left to the Mudcloaks' discretion. Yet Ashlock was still quite impressed. Human-sized wooden cottages with tiled roofs lined the uneven cobblestone streets, interspersed with vibrant spaces for marketplaces and serene gardens made from a plethora of Ashlock's flowers and mushrooms.
By tomorrow, a team of maids from White Stone Peak will temporarily move here to staff the taverns, shops, and other places. Then, the tournament can begin to find the first generation of cultivators that will join the Ashfallen Sect ranks.
Satisfied with the progress, Ashlock returned to looking at the outside world. "This storm is getting quite ridiculous." He had experienced many intense weather events brought on by the presence of Qi, but this was something else. "It also seems to only be getting worse. I wonder how the new trees are holding up?"