Many in the audience were placing bets, with the biggest bet being on who would win the title of champion in this year's competition.
Ji Mofan overheard his fellow disciples in Chaoming Palace discussing that many people favored Fang Xian because his cultivation was a level higher than Ji Mofan's.
But now that the news of Ji Mo Fan Ye's advancement to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm has spread, the direction of the betting market will definitely change, and more people will be willing to pay higher prices to buy tickets.
Since Ji Mo Fan had eaten their food, he felt obliged to keep quiet and didn't say much.
Instead of taking him back to the players' rest area, Li Jinchu left him in Xiao Ling's guest room.
This area is mainly reserved for the residences of the sect leaders and elders of various sects.
However, Ji Mofan had just survived a lightning tribulation, and Li Jinchu felt that keeping him closer would make it easier for him to take care of him.
Although Ji Mofan felt it was no big deal, it was common for him to go back to work the day after surviving a tribulation.
Although he relied on rare and precious materials to force his cultivation level up in a short period of time, he was not injured during the tribulation. At most, he was a little overweight because he had eaten too much at once, but he was back to his usual energetic self after a good night's sleep.
But Li Jinchu refused to release him, saying he wanted to ensure that Ji Mofan wouldn't lose the money he had invested.
So when Ji Mofan appeared at the Dao Asking Tournament the next day, the way people looked at him changed from the previous days.
It wasn't the first time he didn't return to the players' area to rest overnight, but on the day he was injured because of the Supreme Venerable, apart from those who had been given communication talismans by Ji Mofan himself, no one else paid much attention to his whereabouts.
But last night was different.
Many people witnessed the scene where he broke through to a higher level in the back mountain of Xiaoling Sect, and was then carried away by Li Jinchu.
The gazes directed at him began to turn strange.
Especially since he had just been given a bye yesterday, some people made a fuss about it, saying that it must have been Li Jinchu who used his methods to help him, which allowed him to not only rest for an extra day compared to others, but also have the opportunity to break through to a higher realm.
Although these words did not directly reach Ji Mofan's ears, when he stood with his fellow disciples from Chaoming Palace, his hesitant, gossipy gazes were impossible to hide.
He could only sigh.
Let them spread the rumors if they want. Anyway, the gossip has already connected him with a whole bunch of people, so one more Li Jinchu won't make a difference.
Moreover, in the end, all these troubles were caused by Li Jinchu herself, so she can't blame Ji Mofan for any complaints.
All he can do now is fight well and not let Young Master Li feel that his money was wasted.
Today's match is not one-on-one, but a free-for-all with 100 players.
Yesterday's hundred-plus cultivators fought their way up to today's judges, and exactly one hundred remain on the field. These are the confirmed contenders for the Celebrity Ranking, but their individual rankings will depend on the upcoming melee.
There are no time limits, only venue restrictions. You can score points by knocking someone out of the ring, no matter what method you use.
One point is awarded per person, and those with the same number of points are ranked according to the length of time they have been on the court.
So playing hide-and-seek the whole time without fighting won't work; at best, you'll just end up being the leader among a bunch of zeros.
As soon as Ji Mo Fan entered the room, he saw Fang Xuan staring at him.
Even the blind man couldn't stand his burning gaze. Ji Mofan couldn't help but turn his head to meet his eyes. "Are you in such a hurry to be reborn? Why do you have to fight me in a place with so many people around?"
He didn't want to face Fang Xuan so early. If he waited until the Heavenly Ranking competition, at least the loser wouldn't be too embarrassed. Both of them would be more composed when they fought, and neither of them would be too bothered by the loss.
But if they lose now, it's like the difference between the Ranking of Famous Figures and the Ranking of Heaven. It would be an insult to both of them. They would rather nail their feet to the ring than allow themselves to be knocked off by their opponent.
Doesn't Fang Xian understand this?
"You've also broken through to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm." That was Fang Xuan's first reaction.
Ji Mofan was taken aback. "You feel threatened now that we're on the same level?"
Fang Xian shrugged and smiled. "How could that be? I was actually worried that people would say I was bullying the weak."
Ji Mofan narrowed his eyes. "You're only a year older. Don't try to act superior in front of me."
That being said, at their age, a one-year difference is enough to create an insurmountable gap.
Last time, Ji Mofan relied on Fang Xuan's laxity in cultivation, but this time, if it weren't for Li Jinchu cheating for him behind the scenes, he might not have had the chance to compete with him on the same stage.
Young Master Li's advice was true; if he didn't seize the opportunity this time, he might never have such a good chance again.
Fang Xian wanted to say something more, but time was running out, and the first preparatory bell had already rung.
The noisy arena fell silent instantly, and everyone found their place and gripped their weapons tightly.
The Snow Embracing Sword emitted an excited sword cry in Ji Mofan's hands.
"Thump—"
The second chime signaled the official start of the grand melee of the Celebrity Rankings. Weapons clashed instantly, the clanging and groans mingling with the sounds of people. Within ten seconds of the start, several people had already been thrown off the stage.
Ji Mo Fan saw that some people were not fighting alone, but rather in groups of many against one.
This doesn't violate the rules, but it can easily lead to a situation where "the spoils are not divided equally" and people turn on each other.
After all, who wouldn't want to rank higher on the list of famous figures?
The good news is that Fang Xuan, that unreliable guy, was a bit more careful this time and didn't rush over to fight Ji Mo Fan right away.
The bad news is that Jimo Fanye is now facing a situation where there are many against one, and he is the one.
There are quite a few cultivators who have the ability to challenge for the top spot in the Dao Inquiry Tournament, but who have just broken through to the Nascent Soul stage yesterday and are hoping to snag a bargain.
At least the disciples surrounding Ji Mofan were not from the same sect.
Moreover, many of them were familiar faces; he had met many of them when he went to the secret realm for training in previous years.
The first to launch the attack was a musician from the Listening Wind Music Bureau. He was supposed to be staying in the back playing his zither to cheer on his fellow cultivators, but instead, he carried his zither and smashed it down on Ji Mofan's face.
...Did all the oddballs at this conference end up in one place?
There was just someone who took the pill cauldron, and now a music cultivator is getting involved?
Ji Mofan raised his hand to block, and the sensation of his hand hitting the instrument was indeed not that of a wooden body.
A long sword was suddenly drawn from the hidden compartment of the guqin in Yue Xiu's hand and clashed violently with him. As his right hand attacked, his left hand did not fall either, plucking the strings to play a dizzying melody.
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