Chapter 152 - Arc 11: The Sect's Grand Competition | Chapter 152: The Competition Starts
Translator: Lynn
The day of the Sect’s Sect’s Grand Competition had arrived.
This sect-wide tournament occurs every fifty years, drawing participants from various peaks within the Wuling Immortal Sect. However, there were age restrictions for the Sect’s Grand Competition. Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage could join, regardless of their actual age. But for those in the Golden Core Transformation stage and beyond, there were specific rules.
Cultivators in the Golden Core Transformation stage over the age of 300 couldn’t participate. Those in the Golden Core stage over 400 were ineligible, and those in the Nascent Soul stage over 500 were also excluded. As for those above the Nascent Soul stage, their cultivation journeys were solitary, leaving no room for them in this competition.
For cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, they didn’t have access to the Sect’s Sect’s Grand Competition. They could, however, compete in the inner sect’s small competitions held every three years. All cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage were eligible to participate. Exceptional performers could even secure spots in the Sect’s Grand Competition through various outer sect contests.
Hence, these big and small competitions served as a form of training for the sect’s disciples to assess their progress. They also provided a platform for showcasing the sect’s numerous talents. The sect rewarded the top participants with abundant resources, indirectly encouraging their growth.
Whenever a Sect’s Grand Competition approached, countless disciples eagerly vied for a chance to participate.
On Xiaolu Peak, Xu Ziqing had already learned the competition’s details from Yun Lie and found it captivating. They both then proceeded to Xiaozhufeng to meet their master, Qiuhe Zhenren.
Master Qiu He maintained his ever-friendly and warm demeanor. Upon seeing his two beloved disciples, joy sparkled in his eyes. “Yun’er, Ziqing, you’ve arrived early,” he greeted them.
Yun Lie nodded respectfully, saying, “Greetings, Master.”
Xu Ziqing also smiled and added, “We wouldn’t want to keep Master waiting for long.”
Their different personalities aside, Master Qiu He observed their natural rapport with each other and felt reassured.
Behind this senior disciple, there stood eight young women, each as lovely as a blooming flower. Unfortunately, their delicate faces turned pallid upon seeing Yun Lie, evoking a sense of sympathy.
Despite Master Qiu He’s benevolence, he also upheld respect for hierarchy. He recognized that his eight registered disciples were fearful of Yun Lie but couldn’t tolerate their impoliteness.
These eight female disciples typically served Master Qiu He and were well-acquainted with his temperament. Among them, a demure woman in a yellow robe stepped forward and curtsied gracefully, saying, “Greetings to Senior Brother, and Second Senior Brother.” The other seven gathered their courage and followed suit, offering their salutations in unison.
Yun Lie didn’t pay much attention to their greetings, but it was Xu Ziqing who couldn’t bear their anxiety. He sighed inwardly and spoke with a friendly smile, “You need not be so formal, Junior Sisters.” His gentle smile managed to alleviate their apprehension, slightly improving their expressions.
Observing this, Master Qiu He grew more satisfied with his second direct disciple.
Yun Lie remarked, “It’s time. I’ll make my way there.”
Master Qiu He, accustomed to his senior disciple’s reserved nature, didn’t view it as insubordination but expressed some concern, “Ziqing, this is your first time returning to participate in the Sect’s Grand Competition. Are you prepared?”
Xu Ziqing responded gently, “Senior Brother Yun has already provided guidance. Please rest assured, Master.” This assurance pleased Master Qiu He.
He remarked, “Yun’er is becoming more and more like his senior brother. Well done.” He didn’t necessarily expect these apprentices to form deep bonds with the eight registered junior sisters. However, as long as these two disciples were present, Yun Lie’s formidable combat abilities could be harnessed, a source of great satisfaction for him.
Xu Ziqing smiled and said, “Senior Brother has always treated me well, and I’ve greatly benefited from it. I’m truly grateful to Senior Brother.”
Master Qiu He chuckled, “It’s good that Ziqing looks out for Senior Brother like this.”
As they exited the cave, Master Qiu He emitted a sharp whistle with his fingers. After a rumbling sound from the mountain, a three-foot-long creature emerged from the rear mountains.
This creature had brown fur, a tiger’s head, a deer’s tail, cow-like hooves, and two fish-like whiskers on its cheeks—an unusual combination. It was called a Luhu Beast, a fifth-order spirit beast, and also served as Master Qiu He’s animal companion and mount.
Master Qiu He alighted effortlessly on the back of this deer-tiger hybrid, gripping its long mane with a carefree air.
The eight female disciples remained uncertain about what to do. However, Master Qiu He gently waved his sleeves, gathered them up, and positioned them behind him.
The female cultivators were tightly packed, barely finding seats. Their expressions were a mix of excitement and surprise. Having spent many years on Xiaozhufeng, they had witnessed Master Qiu He riding off on the deer-tiger beast multiple times. It had never occurred to them that they would now have the privilege to sit on it, indicating a considerable elevation in their status, which flattered them immensely.
With everyone at Xiaozhufeng now seated, Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie still remained standing.
Master Qiu He addressed them with a smile, “Yun’er, Ziqing, please join us.”
At that moment, the sound of fluttering wings filled the air, and soon, a black shadow descended, revealing a magnificent eagle with a wingspan of over half a foot. Its feathers gleamed brilliantly.
Chonghua, not one to be outdone, had decided to come and carry its master.
Given Xu Ziqing’s affection for Chonghua, he conceded to the bird’s coquettish calls and jumped onto its back. Chonghua emitted a low, pleased howl and prepared to flap its wings. However, Xu Ziqing gently held its head and said, “Don’t move.” He turned back, beckoning to Yun Lie, “Shixiong, come quickly. Chonghua can now carry people.”
Yun Lie had been about to employ his sword intent to control the skies, but when Xu Ziqing called out, he paused momentarily.
Xu Ziqing tilted his head, questioning, “Yun Shixiong?”
Yun Lie let his sword intent dissipate and moved to stand behind Xu Ziqing. “Let’s go,” he stated.
Xu Ziqing’s smile deepened as he patted Chonghua’s back. “Shixiong is right… Chonghua, let’s move.”
Chonghua raised its head, emitting a resounding howl, before abruptly flapping its wings, generating a gust of wind beneath its armpits as it took flight.
Meanwhile, the deer-tiger beast, incapable of soaring into the sky, pounded its hooves vigorously, racing swiftly along the ground.
Since Chonghua was unfamiliar with the route, it followed closely behind the deer-tiger beast, soaring southeastward in tandem with it.
During their journey, various beasts galloped about, spirit birds zipped through the air ceaselessly, and numerous cultivators radiated brilliance. A diverse array of magic weapons vied for attention, auspicious clouds and paths abounded, creating an atmosphere of immortality.
The pairing of Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie on their mode of transportation initially stemmed from their close sibling-like bond. However, ever since Yun Lie’s recent rise to fame, which had rekindled interest in his previously quiet reputation, their seemingly close relationship had attracted curious glances from others.
Fortunately, Xu Ziqing’s emotions were now considerably more stable, allowing him to shrug off any comments made by people around the Gongde Pavilion without feeling like a thorn in his side.
The vast expanse of the Wuling Immortal Sect encompassed more than half of the inner sect, providing lodging for countless disciples. Consequently, even though they both belonged to the inner sect, reaching the location of the Sect’s Grand Competition required a considerable amount of time.
After a short while, a colossal square came into view. This square appeared as though it had been hewn from a massive bedrock, featuring numerous towering stone platforms that exuded a majestic aura.
With the naked eye, the boundaries of this stony expanse were indiscernible, and the stone platforms extended endlessly. The sheer grandeur of the place made the cultivators feel incredibly insignificant.
This had been the site of the Sect’s Grand Competition for countless years.
As the Sect’s Grand Competition was on the brink of commencement, countless beasts and spirit birds flocked in from all directions, creating a vast, dark mass that was awe-inspiring to behold.
Amid this grand setting, an elderly man suddenly materialized in the middle of the square.
The old man appeared rather lean, and his exterior seemed unremarkable. Yet, his very ordinariness masked his true appearance, eluding the scrutiny of many disciples who couldn’t discern his features even when they employed their spiritual awareness.
In terms of his abilities, they bore testament to his incredibly profound cultivation, which far surpassed that of everyone present.
It was this elderly man, with his exceptionally high cultivation, who, as the disciples arrived, lightly waved his sleeves.
With that gesture, a towering stone wall shot skyward, partitioning several stone platforms. Following this, he extended a finger and lightly tapped it, causing another massive stone wall to rise on the opposite side.
In no time, under the watchful eyes of the assembled crowd, the immense venue was neatly divided into ten martial arenas, lending an air of organization and gravity to the proceedings.
The location of the Sect’s Grand Competition had been reached, prompting many cultivators to dismount from their beasts and spirit birds, gathering together.
Upon landing, Chonghua reunited with the deer-tiger beast.
Master Qiu He had descended a step ahead and addressed the eight female disciples, “Every time there’s a Sect’s Grand Competition, ten martial arenas are set up here. Otherwise, it would be far too time-consuming for all the disciples to compete individually…”
Yun Lie refrained from elaborating on the details he had previously shared with Xu Ziqing regarding the competition, so Xu Ziqing paid close attention, eager to learn.
Within the Sect, it was the foundation-building cultivators who held the highest potential, and the competition began with them. To identify the most promising individuals among these foundation-building cultivators, each one possessed a personal letter talisman. This talisman displayed the number of martial arts performances they were allowed. By entering the martial arts arena the designated number of times, they could draw a battle ticket, enabling them to participate in the competition.
After all the foundation-building cultivators had completed their contests, the top ten from each martial arts arena would be selected. Subsequently, a smaller competition would take place with a hundred participants, and twenty would be chosen from this group. These twenty would receive rewards from the sect.
This selection process was exceptionally rigorous.
Moreover, within these ten martial arenas, there were ten chief adjudicators who oversaw the proceedings. If anyone violated the competition’s rules, these adjudicators were responsible for apprehending them.
After the foundation-building cultivators had concluded their competitions, the Golden Core Transformation cultivators would take the stage in the ten martial arenas, monitored by the elders responsible for discipline. Again, the top ten would be rewarded.
When Golden Core cultivators competed against Nascent Soul cultivators, the martial arenas would be dismantled. The entire square would be transformed to provide an arena for these advanced cultivators to demonstrate their skills. This transformation was overseen by the Master of the Xing Hall, with numerous elders and disciplinary chiefs ensuring the competition adhered to the rules.
Moreover, the audience consisted not only of the sect’s suzerain and many hermit elders who had either come in person or covertly observed but also included various powerful figures from outside the sect. This made it one of the most significant events in the sect.
For many disciples seeking to establish themselves within the sect, this was a crucial opportunity.
Simultaneously, it served as a significant chance for inner disciples who hadn’t yet been apprenticed to masters to showcase their abilities in a legitimate manner, in hopes of garnering the favor of the real people.
After listening to Master Qiu He’s explanation, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but be astounded. He had known that the rules of the Sect’s Grand Competition were strict, but he hadn’t anticipated just how strict they were. As he absorbed this information, he sensed the competitive atmosphere surrounding him, and gradually, his state of mind became as tranquil as still water.
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