Chapter 34: Gathering to Revitalize the Cultivation World (34% complete)
Lin Ming returned to his usual spot and, as he sat down, overheard two fellow cultivators chatting nearby.
"There are still 108 cultivators left. The preliminary selection should end today. When only 27 cultivators remain, all the arenas will be removed, leaving only one stage. Soon, the names of those who enter the finals will spread throughout Lingzhou." The female cultivator pointed in several directions and spoke eloquently. "I think these few are the most likely to make it into the top five. As for the first place, the rewards for the champion of this grand event are so generous, which proves that the sect master of the Xuantian Sword Sect has high hopes for his grandson. I think it will be him without any surprises."
The male cultivator sighed, "This year's Lingzhou Grand Gathering is truly full of hidden talents; it was worth the long journey from Youzhou to watch the competition."
"Thanks to that rumor that circulated widely three years ago," the female cultivator said. "The legend that the Dao Ancestor opened his mountain gate, who wouldn't be tempted? Although it's not very credible, the cultivation world these days is desperate, so it's good to be inspired to work harder."
The male cultivator sighed, "Do you really think those important figures can't see the crisis of the cultivation world's decline?"
“How could they not see it? They should have a clearer understanding than we do.” The female cultivator shook her head and sneered, “But no matter how desolate the cultivation world is, they still stand at the top because of their monopolized cultivation techniques and resources. They can’t let go of the power and benefits passed down from generation to generation. Driven by selfishness, they are unwilling to change the status quo.”
"It's pointless for us independent cultivators to say all this, let's not talk about it anymore."
"Sigh, if only the rumors were true. It's a pity that there has never been a precedent of immortals interfering in the cultivation world. The Dao Ancestor saved the world and ascended to immortality, and he has done enough for the cultivation world. Even if we are morally blackmailing him, we shouldn't be blaming our ancestor." The female cultivator said half-jokingly, her tone revealing an expectation that she herself was unaware of.
They chatted openly, not caring whether others overheard their remarks. Firstly, their ability to sit in the best position in the loose cultivation business was proof of their strength, and they were confident they could protect themselves if anyone tried to cause trouble. Secondly, there was really nothing to hide; what they were saying was obvious to everyone.
Lin Ming's phoenix eyes, hidden behind the light veil of her hat, stared at them for a while.
Unlike his other clones who each had their own affairs, he often mingled among all sorts of people and heard a lot of interesting stories. He had heard the conversation between these two more than once. Among them were rogue cultivators and pillars of certain sects. They all agreed that they were willing but powerless and dared not directly challenge the authority of the top experts in the cultivation world.
Lin Ming lowered his eyes, and unconsciously fiddled with the tassels hanging from the folding fan as he pondered.
"Look at arena number three!" the female cultivator suddenly exclaimed.
Lin Ming and the male cultivator next to him looked over together.
On the third arena, two tall and slender cultivators faced each other from afar. They had just finished a round of fighting and had not yet determined a winner.
"Qi Tian is fighting Wild Guest. Is 'Wild Guest' an alias?" The male cultivator squinted and examined the names of the two combatants.
The female cultivator's eyes suddenly lit up: "This Qi Tian is the only grandson of the Xuan Tian Sword Sect's sect leader. He reached the Foundation Establishment stage at the age of fifteen and even stepped into the Golden Core stage last year. He is known as the number one sword cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage, and his fame is known throughout the four continents. His strength, talent, and family background are all inferior to others. In recent days, there have been very few people who could last three rounds against him. I didn't expect that the rogue cultivator who went by the pseudonym 'Wild Guest' could actually fight him to a draw. He really made us rogue cultivators proud. Even if he loses in the end, it's worth it."
The male cultivator said listlessly, "He's probably another disciple from a major sect in another continent using the guise of a rogue cultivator to hide his true abilities. Look at the Tang sword he's wielding; it's at least a high-grade one."
"So what? Right now, he has the face of one of our rogue cultivators." The female cultivator was quite easygoing.
Lin Ming's gaze lingered on Qi Tian for a moment.
This person was the cultivator who had bet on the gambling table with the dim-witted young man. He had a solid foundation and considerable strength. More importantly, he had suppressed his cultivation to the early stage of the Golden Core realm, but in reality, he already possessed the strength of the late stage.
He had heard of Qi Tian before and greatly admired the young man who steadily improved his skills.
Qi Tian's fighting spirit was provoked by his opponent, and he finally stopped hiding his strength. The sudden release of the late-stage Golden Core spiritual power caused an uproar.
The arrogant young man, full of pride, slightly raised his chin at the person opposite him: "You've been hiding your strength too, haven't you? Don't try to fool me. I've finally met a worthy opponent. Go all out and fight me fair and square!"
In the very first round, he sensed the strength of his opponent.
Lin Ming looked at the Wild Guest on the other side of the arena.
He was in the transitional period between adolescence and youth, and at first glance, his appearance was ordinary. However, his eyes, which exuded a sharp fighting spirit, were extremely beautiful. The corners of his eyes were slightly drooping, giving him a lazy and unrestrained look, which added a lot to his otherwise mediocre appearance.
Abundant spiritual energy flowed over the hem of his robe, outlined by the array, and gently circled around his waist. With a thought, two slewing blades tucked behind his waist shot out into the air.
The boomerang blades stood guard on his left and right sides, and along with them, the vast spiritual energy within him was also drawn.
"Another late-stage Golden Core cultivator!" The female cultivator watching the battle exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Who is this genius who is participating in the competition under an assumed name?!"
The male cultivator stared intently at the two sacred-grade scimitars, tears of envy streaming down his face: "Sacred-grade spiritual weapons, wielded as scimitars? I've never heard of such a thing."
As soon as the boomerang blade appeared, Lin Ming recognized the person.
Adding to this, Shen Suqi, who didn't forget to shout "Brother Yi will win!" towards the third arena before stepping onto the stage, makes his identity self-evident.
Wild Guest, or Helian Yi, the host of System 1818, was caught in a monthly money-grabbing event—a voucher that guaranteed a choice of any Saint-grade spirit weapon from the system shop after 200 draws when the probability of obtaining a specific spirit item was temporarily increased. Among a bunch of deceptive photos, he took a liking to the spinning scimitar described as "999 damage in one hit, two hits need no explanation."
After practicing in the holographic game for two months, this was the first time he had encountered an opponent in real life who made him wield his weapon.
Helian Yi glanced coldly at Qi Tian, whose eyes had lit up, his voice possessing a captivating magnetism: "You should feel honored, as you are Chu Yi and Shiwu's first opponent."
The scimitar spun in mid-air, its clanging sound echoing through the air. The sharp blade gleamed coldly in the sunlight, exuding a chilling aura that hinted at an ominous and murderous intent.
"You're finally willing to go all out," Qi Tian said with a beaming smile.
For a battle maniac, having a worthy opponent acknowledge his strength is one of the greatest pleasures in life.
"They're called the First and Fifteenth of the Month? Nice names. My Crimson Sky has finally met its match." He couldn't quite put his finger on what was so good about them, but as long as there was a fight, everything was fine.
Qi Tian gripped the crimson longsword of the same grade in his hand. This was the weapon he obtained from the end of the Sword Tomb of the Xuan Tian Sword Sect, and it had been with him for nearly ten years after recognizing him as its master.
Helian Yi's indifferent expression finally showed a change.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, his meaning ambiguous, and said, "The name is certainly good." But it's called... You can dodge the first day of the month, but you can't dodge the fifteenth!
Before he finished speaking, he moved.
Qi Tian, who had never truly relaxed, turned to the side and raised his sword to block, laughing heartily: "Well done!"
Helian Yi and Qi Tian fought fiercely, drawing gasps of amazement not only from the audience but also from the cultivators on various arenas, all eager to witness the clash between equally matched masters.
"Is this the power of a Saint-grade spiritual artifact?" Shen Suqi cast an envious glance at the third arena, muttering to herself, "When will I be able to draw something this good?"
Why not save up a little and not spend all your points on the low and mid-level prize pools?
System 12345 answered her in a voice only she could hear.
“I don’t have that kind of willpower.” Shen Suqi said with a bitter face, “I want to draw as soon as I have a lot of points. How can I resist the urge to draw from the high-level prize pool like 1818?”
I envy 996 more than 1818; I heard its owner has incredibly good luck with draws.
"Stop talking, he's been showing off his good luck on the forum all day long, working 996."
She chatted with the system intermittently.
"Go, Xiaoxi!"
The young man, completely shrouded in a robe, cheered loudly from below the arena. His clear and melodious voice was more beautiful than any song, drawing the attention of many spectators.
"Shh!" Shen Suqi quickly moved to the edge of the arena, signaling the people below to shut up.
From the angle above, she could vaguely glimpse the boy's beautiful, almost bewitching face through the breathable blue gauze of his robe. When she met his bright, sparkling blue eyes, she couldn't help but gasp.
After being captivated by the stunning beauty of the merman prince for a long while, she finally spoke: "Shui Fan, what happened to keeping a low profile?"
"Oh, oh, oh!" Shui Fan immediately covered her mouth and responded softly.
Under normal circumstances, merfolk will not leave the deep sea until they have the ability to protect themselves. In particular, the royal family must cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage and enter adulthood before they can travel far. However, with the opening of the Heavenly Evolution Academy imminent, he wanted to find a few companions to enroll with in advance, so he accepted 1818's invitation and persuaded the Merfolk Emperor to come alone to meet him.
When he first arrived at the foot of Kunpeng Mountain, he did not hide his appearance in order to find 1818 and 12345, which caused quite a commotion. He was so troubled that he could not sleep at night for two days. He had to keep one eye open while sleeping in case someone came to put a sack on him in the middle of the night.
Fortunately, Helian Yi kept his promise after they met and gave him a bunch of top-tier defensive weapons that even he, as the crown prince of the Merfolk, found rare. This generous gesture effectively soothed his aggrieved feelings.
After that, they kept a much lower profile. Helian Yi even used a high-grade treasure that made people less noticeable, allowing him to blend into the ranks of inconspicuous rogue cultivators as an audience member. As long as he didn't speak, no one would notice his presence.
He had almost forgotten the power of the mermaids' seductive music in his excitement, and he covered his mouth in annoyance.
The effects of using a top-grade treasure are extraordinary, and the people around quickly looked away.
As the tournament entered its final stage, friends and family were allowed to linger near the arena. After Wu Ji and his two companions were eliminated, they spontaneously came to Xu Lingyou's vicinity to cheer him on.
Wu Ji turned around and said, "I was unlucky and ran into Qi Tian early on. I only lasted three rounds against him before he caught me off guard and knocked me off the stage. That wild man is really powerful."
He accepted his defeat wholeheartedly, and consequently, his desire to become stronger grew even stronger.
“Once we become Brother Lin’s junior brothers and sisters, we’ll catch up with them sooner or later,” Huangfu Mian retorted defiantly.
Later, when they returned to Liuyun Sect, they realized what a great opportunity they had received. For the past three years, to prevent Liuyun Sect from killing them, they had gone wherever there was danger, and it was only after going through countless hardships that they got to where they are today.
Dai Kui understood that the blue-robed monk who had made a fleeting appearance in their lives three years ago was the spiritual pillar that her friend had been striving forward, and she was used to her constantly referring to him as "Brother Lin".
She listened to System 777's analysis of the battle between Qi Tian and Ye Ke, and then relayed the content to her friend.
Huangfu Mian looked at her with admiration: "Xiao Kui, you know so much!"
Dai Kui said somewhat shyly, "It was the analysis given by my treasure. It's not that I'm so great; I'm just a medicine cultivator who doesn't understand these things."
“Your possessions are part of your strength,” Huangfu Mian said matter-of-factly.
Dai Kui felt a warmth in her heart, which slightly boosted her confidence.
Huangfu Mian shifted his attention back to the arena where his friend was, sized up the cultivator opposite him, and then felt a little relieved.
"The opponent is a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator at the Great Perfection level; he should be no match for Senior Brother Xu."
Wu Ji shook his head when he saw Shen Suqi. He said to Xu Lingyou, "I've seen that talisman cultivator fight in the arena. She's very powerful. Senior brother, don't underestimate her."
“Okay.” Xu Lingyou on the stage nodded.
Wu Ji thought to himself, even if he didn't say anything, his senior brother would take every match seriously based on his meticulous personality. He had just been talking too much.
Xu Lingyou and Shen Suqi had both defeated their opponents not long ago, and the designated rest time had not yet passed. They could only stand on the stage, some wiping their swords and others counting spirit talismans.
Just then, a man and a woman passed by under the arena, and their voices reached their ears.
"Old Xiao, you're something else! You even beat down the chief disciple of the Xuanwu Sect."
"Their cultivation method is not as good as mine, otherwise they would be difficult to deal with."
"Don't be modest. In my opinion, you and Xiao Jiang will take first and second place right away. We agreed that if you make it into the top three, you'll cook a big meal. The skills passed down from the God of Cookery can't be wasted."
"I can't forget your feast. By the way, Xiao Yao, why don't you participate in the martial arts competition? If you did, no one here could hurt you in the slightest."
"Fighting back and forth is too tiring. It's enough that you and Xiao Jiang are competing for first place. Besides, I have high HP and defense but low attack power, so I'm not going to take a beating."
"Whatever makes you happy. Let's go find Xiao Jiang. He's in arena number seventeen, and he's probably almost done with his match."
The two men's arrogant tone drew attention. Shen Suqi was wondering who was so arrogant when she turned around and saw an acquaintance.
"Tingyuan?" she called out the other person's name uncertainly.
Xiao Tingyuan, who was walking and chatting with Su Xiaoyao, suddenly heard a familiar voice, and a look of confusion appeared on his handsome face.
He looked up at the sound and saw his nominal "fiancée" whom he hadn't seen for three years.
"Su Xi! It's been a long time!"
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Author's Note: More people, more fun!
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