Chapter 6 of 10

Chapter 6

17 min read4,339 words

The upgrade assessment was quickly completed, and Lu Ping naturally wasn’t worried about it.

In the last month, three more people in the Seventh Squad broke through to the Sixth Layer of Blood Refinement. The Seventh Squad now had thirty-four disciples who had reached the Sixth Layer of Blood Refinement. However, seeing the indifferent expression on Liu Xianzhang’s face, Lu Ping strongly suspected that among these three, someone might have disregarded the toxicity of the medicine and the limits of their bloodline, and forcibly consumed a large amount of pills and spirit stones to achieve the breakthrough.

Although this wouldn’t result in losing the guidance and cultivation from the sect, such an extreme method would leave hidden injuries in the cultivator. In the future, when trying to break through to the later stages of Blood Refinement, they would face much more difficulty compared to ordinary people.

Those who reached the Seventh Layer of Blood Refinement were still twelve, and they didn’t bring any more surprises to Liu Xianzhang. However, Senior Sixth’s cultivation had broken through to the Eighth Layer, earning him a total of three days of individual guidance from Liu Xianzhang, one hour each day.

Lu Ping recalled that a few days ago, he had seen Senior Sixth in the market, also aiming for that bronze mirror magical tool. It seemed that because of his cultivation breakthrough, he was eager to find a magical tool to prepare for the grand competition. As for whether Senior Sixth already had a magical tool, Lu Ping didn’t know.

Liu Xianzhang still stood solemnly on the cliff stone in front of the platform, looking at the twelve disciples preparing to participate in the grand competition. He said, "In this grand competition, the sect will increase the rewards. All Second-Level disciples who reach the later stages of Blood Refinement will be rewarded with twenty spirit stones; those who enter the top sixty-four will be rewarded with forty spirit stones; the top thirty-two will receive twenty pills to enhance their cultivation; the top sixteen will receive a low-grade magical tool; those who enter the top eight will gain the qualification of an inner sect disciple, and each will receive one Blood Dissolution Pill!"

"Blood Dissolution Pill!"

"It’s actually a Blood Dissolution Pill! It increases the chances of entering the Blood Dissolution stage!"

"In the past, only those who entered the top four had this honor!"

"The rumors are true; the sect’s rewards this time are indeed generous!"

...

Liu Xianzhang was very satisfied with the effect he had created, as if he had personally set these rules. He lightly coughed, and seeing the disciples’ attention return to him, he continued, "This isn’t all. If you can enter the top four, you will receive a mid-grade magical tool; if you enter the final battle, both participants can enter the Scripture Hall to select a secret technique; if you win the top spot, you will be rewarded with a Forging Pill Period True Person’s talisman treasure!"

Talisman treasure, it’s actually a talisman treasure! The disciples looked at each other, and no one spoke, all of them were shocked. However, this might only be possible for Senior First and Senior Second, who had reached the Ninth Layer of Blood Refinement!

At this moment, Senior First Yao Yong and Senior Second Du Feng were already full of excitement, eager to try.

Liu Xianzhang seemed to have known this would happen. Looking at the twelve pairs of wide eyes below, he recalled his own journey from a True Spirit Sect’s branch disciple, and thought about the purpose of this grand competition, feeling a wave of emotion!

Lu Ping looked at the other excited disciples, and although he couldn’t hide his own excitement, he couldn’t help but wonder why the sect had doubled the reward range this time and made the rewards so generous.

Looking at Liu Xianzhang, Lu Ping noticed that he first slightly paused, then a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes, clearly indicating that Liu Xianzhang might know something, but not everything.

Although Lu Ping was excited, he wasn’t blinded by the generous rewards. There were twenty squads of Second-Level disciples. Those who reached the later stages of Blood Refinement, plus those who, although not reaching the later stages, were among the top ten in their squad, probably numbered over two hundred.

With his Seventh Layer later stage cultivation, he could at most ensure a place in the top sixty-four. If he added the Blood Talisman, two magical tools, and the gradually familiar "Art" realm spells, he might have a chance to enter the top sixteen, but this was under the condition of good luck and not encountering Ninth Layer Blood Refinement disciples early on.

The top eight, the Blood Dissolution Pill! This was Lu Ping’s greatest motivation!

Although his assets were decent, compared to Ninth Layer Blood Refinement disciples, he had no confidence. As far as he knew, Yao Yong and Du Feng each had at least two magical tools, and it was not impossible that they had mid-grade magical tools; Senior Fourth Shi Lingling, born into a cultivator family, had two magical tools and a substantial fortune; as for the other seniors, although Lu Ping didn’t know, he didn’t dare to underestimate them.

Moreover, this was just the Seventh Squad!

Unless he entered the Eighth Layer, there might be a chance. But Lu Ping had only entered the Seventh Layer for more than three months, and although he had unexpectedly reached the later stage of the Seventh Layer, he had never thought about smoothly entering the Eighth Layer.

Even the genius Senior First Yao Yong, praised by Liu Xianzhang, took two and a half years to break through to the Eighth Layer. Senior Fourth Shi Lingling broke through to the Seventh Layer at the age of thirteen and took two years to reach the Eighth Layer. Now, at seventeen, she had reached the later stage of the Eighth Layer, but breaking through to the Ninth Layer was still a distant goal.

Can I enter the Eighth Layer? Lu Ping shook his head, deciding not to dwell on this question!

The morning sun, like the disciples of the True Spirit Branch, burst forth from the horizon, exuding a powerful vitality. Joyful faces painted the True Spirit Branch with a unique hue!

The grand competition for the upgrade of Second-Level disciples of the True Spirit Branch was held in the branch square.

In the center of the square, nine platforms rose, with eight smaller platforms forming a circle around a larger central platform.

Below the central platform, over two hundred Second-Level disciples were divided into twenty teams, each with a different number of members, ranging from fourteen or fifteen to a minimum of ten. Each team was led by a Blood Dissolution stage immortal.

Outside the eight smaller platforms, the crowd was already packed. Other disciples of the True Spirit Branch who didn’t have the qualifications to participate, as well as First-Level and Third-Level disciples, came to watch the grand competition for the upgrade of Second-Level disciples. There were also other outer sect disciples, totaling over ten thousand people.

Amidst the noise, a clear voice rang out, "All disciples, be quiet!"

The entire square instantly fell silent. A middle-aged immortal floated to the central platform, causing a murmur among the disciples below.

Lu Ping recognized this as Senior Wang from the First Squad, the leader of the Second-Level disciples. It was rumored that this immortal had already reached the later stage of Blood Dissolution, and this was his last batch of Second-Level disciples. After this, he would focus on leading Third-Level disciples.

Senior Wang had a stern appearance. He walked to the platform, scanned the crowd, and shouted, "Team leaders, to the central platform! All disciples, welcome the Dean True Person with us!"

Liu Xianzhang and the other twenty immortals flew to the platform, bowed to the disciples, and shouted in unison, "Welcome the Dean True Person!"

"Ha ha..." A clear laugh echoed, not loud but heard clearly by everyone, "The grand competition for the upgrade of disciples every five years, each time requiring all of you to wait here, I feel quite apologetic!"

When the laughter began, the Dean was still not in sight. When he started speaking, three beams of green light shot into the branch from outside. By the time he finished speaking, an old man was already standing on the central platform, accompanied by two middle-aged Daoists.

Throughout the process, the voice in everyone’s ears remained unchanged. If it weren’t for seeing the old man fly from a distance, one might have thought he had been standing on the platform all along.

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