Chapter Five: Registration for the Small Competition
The morning at Tianyan Sword Sect was awakened by the distant sound of bells and the sudden burst of excited voices.
Clang—clang—clang—
Three clear, resonant chimes echoed through the mountain mists, startling the roosting cranes.
The disciples poured out from their various caves and courtyards, all heading towards the huge, dark jade wall at the foot of the main peak.
"Quick, look! The jade disc has been updated!"
"It's a notification for the sect's minor competition! Held every three years, it's finally here!"
Fang Li had just finished handing over a simple task of collecting dew in the mission hall and was walking out with a few low-grade spirit stones in her pocket when she was swept forward by the crowd.
She frowned slightly and looked up. The jade wall, which was usually used to issue sect decrees and important news, was now crowded with people, three or four deep.
"Excuse me! Excuse me, senior brother in front, I can't see!"
"Don't push! Someone stepped on my foot!"
"Hey, I wonder how generous this reward will be!"
A mix of excited, eager, and expectant chatter filled the air, and the fervent atmosphere dispelled the chill of the mountains.
Fang Li stopped in her tracks, not pushing forward, but finding a slightly distant stone step to stand on. Her gaze passed over the throng of people and landed on the jade wall whose spiritual light was gradually increasing.
As the light stabilized, lines of strong, powerful golden characters emerged.
This is the detailed charter for this year's inter-discipline competition between outer and inner disciples.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even more heated discussion.
"Look! The top disciple of the outer sect gets three hundred low-grade spirit stones, a bottle of Qi-stabilizing pills, and can choose any low-grade magic weapon!"
"The inner sect is even more terrifying: five hundred spirit stones, Qi-cultivating pills, and the opportunity to choose a cultivation technique on the second floor of the library!"
"Damn it, I'll give it my all! I have to get into the top ten this time!"
Spirit stones, elixirs, and magical artifacts.
On the path of cultivation, one needs wealth, companions, methods, and environment. Wealth is paramount; without resources, even talent alone will make progress extremely difficult.
The sect competition is one of the most important ways for lower-level disciples to acquire resources and stand out.
Fang Li's heart skipped a beat.
Three hundred low-grade spirit stones were enough for her to pay several months' rent for the courtyard, and she would still have a considerable surplus to buy talisman materials.
The Qi-stabilizing pill can solidify her foundation and is of great benefit to her current cultivation level.
That low-grade magic weapon, whether for attack or defense, can greatly enhance her combat capabilities.
More importantly, it was also labeled below.
In addition to the fixed rewards, all those who rank highly will receive corresponding contribution points based on their ranking.
It is used to exchange for rare materials in the sect's treasury that are usually obtained by completing a large number of dangerous missions.
Several of these items were precisely the materials she urgently needed for several special talismans she was currently planning to refine.
A pragmatic goal instantly took shape in her mind.
I dare not even dream of being number one; it would be too conspicuous and certainly not easy.
However, getting into the top 30, or even the top 20, is not impossible with proper planning.
The resources and contribution points she obtained were enough to support her stable cultivation and talisman practice for a long time to come.
She watched intently, her slender fingers unconsciously twirling the newly acquired spirit stones within her sleeve.
His mind raced, calculating the pros and cons of participating and devising strategies.
"Oh, I wondered who was watching so intently, it turns out to be Junior Sister Fang."
A soft yet distinctly mocking voice rang out from beside her, interrupting Fang Li's thoughts.
Without turning around, she knew who it was.
Su Wanqing led three or four female disciples who were on good terms with her, and they walked over gracefully.
With a perfectly timed surprised smile on her face, Su Wanqing asked, "What, Junior Sister Fang, are you also interested in the little competition?" She gently covered her lips with a silk handkerchief embroidered with orchids, her eyes sparkling. "Indeed, I've heard that Junior Sister has been very diligent lately, completing quite a few sect missions. But this little competition is no ordinary event. Swords and blades have no eyes; with your delicate skin, what if you get hurt?"
A round-faced female disciple next to her immediately covered her mouth and laughed, "Senior Sister Su, you're so kind-hearted, worrying about others. But wasn't Senior Sister Fang the one who used to be most impatient with this kind of fighting and killing? She used all her energy on..." She didn't finish her sentence, but her ambiguous gaze and drawn-out tone caused the people around her to chuckle knowingly.
Everyone knows that Fang Li's feelings for her senior brother Shen Yunzhou were all in the past.
Another, taller female cultivator sighed, feigning a sigh: "Alas, people always change. Perhaps she has finally realized that some things are not hers to have and cannot be forced. It's better to be more practical and earn a few spirit stones, right, Junior Sister Fang?"
These words were even more cutting, directly pointing out that Fang Li had given up on pursuing Shen Yunzhou and instead focused on mundane things like spirit stones.
Their voices were neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the disciples around them who were listening intently to hear them clearly.
Various gazes, some sympathetic, some disdainful, and some expectant, fell upon Fang Li.
Fang Li slowly turned around, her face calm and expressionless. There wasn't even a trace of anger or resentment in her almond-shaped eyes, as if she were watching a few clumsy performances that had nothing to do with her.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister Su." Her tone was flat, revealing no emotion. "It is only natural for cultivators to acquire resources and improve themselves. The small competition is indeed an opportunity, and I will do my best to try. As for the result, you need not worry about it."
Her words, neither soft nor hard, and completely unresponsive, made Su Wanqing and the others feel as if they had punched cotton. The follow-up taunts they had prepared were immediately stuck in their throats, and their expressions were somewhat subtly uneasy.
The disciples who had been watching the spectacle also found it boring and quickly looked away.
Just then, a mechanical voice suddenly popped out in Fang Li's mind:
[Ding! Host's participation has increased! Side quest triggered: Win first place in the outer sect competition and achieve glory! Quest reward: A high-definition video and psychological analysis of 'Shen Yunzhou was punished by copying the sect rules one hundred times after wetting the bed at age seven'! Attached: 'Who was he most afraid of knowing at the time?' Host, do you accept this tempting challenge?"]
Fang Li's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
This lousy system is not only illogical after rebirth, but the rewards are also becoming increasingly bizarre and useless.
Whether Shen Yunzhou wets the bed or not is none of her business. All she wants right now is to collect spirit stones, cultivate immortality, and stay far away from all trouble.
Without hesitation, she silently repeated in her mind: "Block. Immediately, right now."
The noisy "ding-ding" sound and the unappealing reward description disappeared instantly, and the world returned to silence.
Ignoring the changing expressions of Su Wanqing and the others, she walked straight to the disciple in charge of registration by the jade wall and calmly handed over her identity jade token amidst the curious or scrutinizing gazes of the crowd.
"Senior brother, Fang Li, an outer disciple, has signed up to participate in this minor competition."
The disciple in charge looked up at her, seemingly somewhat surprised, but quickly accepted the jade token in a businesslike manner and engraved her information on a jade slip.
A moment later, the latest registration list was imprinted by the disciple in charge using spiritual power and displayed on one side of the jade wall.
Countless eyes immediately swept over, searching for their own or familiar names.
Soon, someone let out a low gasp.
"Look! Fang Li really signed up!"
Fang Li's name was prominently listed on the list, standing out conspicuously among a host of names eager to win.
Fang Li seemed not to hear anything. She merely glanced at the list, and after confirming that it was correct, she turned and left the noisy crowd. Her pale blue figure quickly disappeared at the end of the path leading down to the market town.
She needs to replenish some materials for making talismans, and while she's at it, see if there are any cheap and durable protective gear options.
With the competition fast approaching and time running out, every spirit stone must be spent wisely.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
