BXBX NOVEL Chapter 179 - 179: Is Your Flying Boat Race Always This Extravagant?!
The third group to appear was from the Demon Immortal Nation, seemingly belonging to a species of tree spirits.
Their vehicle was a wooden treasure chariot, unremarkable at first glance.
Then came the fourth group in a red jade radish car, representing the Demon Immortal Nation’s vegetable clan.
The fifth group, also from the Demon Immortal Nation, had three drivers, the leader distinguished by a bunch of bananas behind his head.
Even without using his powers, Lu Xuan could tell what kind of spirits had transformed into these forms.
Until this point, the contestants appeared relatively normal.
Then came the sixth group.
Before they even appeared, grand chanting echoed throughout the venue.
After ten breaths, three Buddhist monks, draped in prayer robes and exuding a serene aura, appeared before the crowd.
These monks were wide and chubby, their smiles reminiscent of Maitreya Buddha.
Following them was… A giant wooden fish.
The monks turned to the audience, recited a Buddhist chant, and then awkwardly squeezed themselves into the fish.
Lu Xuan & Cheng Lingzhu: 1′???”
Lu Xuan, after a moment of silence:
“Has your Flying Boat Race always been this abstract?”
“These three are from the Great Impermanent Monastery, kind of our neighbors.” Ye Banzhuang’s voice was a soft whisper as she continued, “… Last year, their flying treasure was a normal-looking lotus platform.”
The wooden fish came with its own background music, and Buddhist chants filled the air.
Bathed in the chanting, Lu Xuan felt his virtue increase.
“Hey, bald thieves! Disturbing the peace with chanting, do you think our Daoist sects are unrepresented?”
A powerful voice rang out.
Three middle-aged Daoist priests in bright yellow robes, composed and dignified, stepped onto the stage.
Unlike the Buddhist monks with their sound systems, these Daoists were lean, exuding an air of immortality.
Their vehicle was a stone ox-cart.
Carved from stone, the ox and cart were integrated, meticulously crafted and perfectly proportioned.
The stone ox was muscular and robust, its head raised skyward, full of character.
However, a mere ox-cart couldn’t overshadow the monks’ sound system.
One Daoist priest, with a confident smile, stepped forward and slapped the ox’s rear.
Immediately, a solemn and grand chanting resonated.
As the music played, colorful lights burst from the ox, turning both the ox and cart vibrantly multicolored in an instant!
It’s worth mentioning that the ox-cart had its own sound effects, and the lights flickered in sync with the music, creating a dynamic atmosphere.
The entire arena seemed to transform into a nightclub under the sweeping divine light and grand Daoist chants.
The three Daoists stood with their hands behind their backs.
Where they stood became a nightclub!
Clearly, these two groups were at odds.
Lu Xuan, watching the dazzling ox nearby, sensed trouble brewing. Today, they were caught in a clash between Buddhism and Daoism!
The local monks and priests were quite flamboyant.
The audience cheered enthusiastically for such antics.
The Flying Boat Race had evolved beyond a mere speed competition to incorporate a scoring system.
Points were awarded in two categories: race points and creativity points.
Race points consisted of basic speed – finishing first – and bonus rewards from special “Spirit Fruits” placed throughout the course.
Creativity points were awarded for technical and innovative vehicle designs.
As the competition progressed, it became clear that flashy designs often meant formidable contenders. Only those who had maximized their racing capabilities could afford to focus on creativity points.
Thus, when these two groups appeared, they garnered much applause.
Watching the array of bizarre treasure chariots and flying boats, Lu Xuan felt conservative in comparison.
Regretfully, he wished he’d used the Gundam design he’d considered earlier.
Standing at the display area with Cheng Lingzhu, they exchanged a glance and walked side by side onto the field, followed by the bouncing Ye Banzhuang, who used an invisibility spell to join the race.
As they entered, the crowd’s noise subsided.
All eyes turned to Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu.
After twelve teams had performed, the audience’s expectations had risen.
But many were curious about the identities of Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu, the thirteenth team approved by the Empress, participating but not for ranking. Speculation arose that they might be emissaries from a great sect, interested in a “flying boat diplomacy.”
Considering they were amateurs, the crowd didn’t have high expectations for them.
The other twelve teams also turned their attention to them.
Standing at the center of the display area, under countless scrutinizing eyes, the stage felt like a nightmare for a social phobic, the focus of everyone’s attention.
Lu Xuan, in the center, took a deep breath.
From his storage treasure, a ray of light blossomed.
A phantom image began to take shape.
First to emerge before everyone’s eyes was a dragon’s head.
Not far away, Ao Yuan’s eyes widened.
She tugged at Ao Sheng’s sleeve, “Brother, the senior’s design is similar to ours..”