Chapter 47: The Grand Competition

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. On the morning of the fourth day, as the first rays of sunlight illuminated the mountains, the grand competition for the disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect, held every five years, began as scheduled at the square in front of the Purple Mist Hall at the foot of Yunlam Peak.

By the time the sky was just beginning to lighten, the place was already crowded with people. Important figures from all the major towns and villages within a hundred miles of the Flowing Cloud Sect had come to attend, and even more villagers from nearby towns had spontaneously gathered, making the scene lively and bustling.

"Hehe, it's been over a year, I really don't know if my little brat has made any progress. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Cut it out, Old Li, stop showing off. Who in our village doesn't know that your second son, Li Feng, reached the Second Stage of Blood Fusion within three months of joining? That's really making our village proud."

"Yes, Li Feng should have entered the inner sect by now. If he can get a position in the sect in the future, that would be a real achievement."

"I hope my second son, Er Gou, can also make some progress and make something of himself..."

The crowd was kept outside the square, but this did not stop the villagers from looking around, searching for their children.

The Flowing Cloud Sect has always selected its disciples from nearby areas, and the sect has a deep connection with the local villagers. The sect has protected the towns and villages within a hundred miles, and the residents see joining the Flowing Cloud Sect as the best path forward.

"Look, that's the leader of the Horse Taming Gang, he's here too." Someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"Yes, the head of Zhao Family Manor is also here."

"And the Feng family from Qingyang Town, they've always been in the silk business, and it's said that all their cargo is escorted by Flowing Cloud Sect experts."

The crowd parted several times to make way for representatives of various local small forces, who came to the front of the Purple Mist Hall one by one.

Clearly, the Flowing Cloud Sect was not the only force within a hundred miles of the Cloudy Mountain Range, but all the small families and small forces were under the Flowing Cloud Sect's protection. On such an important day, they naturally could not fail to send representatives.

These important figures, including village chiefs and local leaders, were all given seats.

Below the stone steps of the Purple Mist Hall, rows of redwood tables and chairs were neatly arranged. The front rows were reserved for the Flowing Cloud Sect's high-ranking officials, while the back rows were for the important guests who had come to observe.

"This year's competition is even more lively than before," the leader of the Horse Taming Gang, a bearded man with a rugged appearance, said as he looked around after taking his seat, his admiration evident.

"It's all thanks to Sect Leader Liao's leadership. The Flowing Cloud Sect has been thriving in recent years, and everyone can see it," the head of the Zhao family, an elderly man with white hair and beard, said. He had lived a long life and had witnessed how the Flowing Cloud Sect, once a minor sect, had gradually grown prosperous.

"Yes, Sect Head Zhao is right. But I believe the five elders have also made great contributions. With them, ordinary bandits dare not enter within a hundred miles," the old woman of the Feng family said, her gratitude for the sect evident. The Feng family had been in the silk business for generations, and in a world where the strong ruled, their relationship with the Flowing Cloud Sect was one of mutual dependence.

These people, who frequently interacted with the Flowing Cloud Sect's high-ranking officials and had business dealings and collaborations, were a common sight in the Tianlong Continent.

Soon, the Flowing Cloud Sect's high-ranking officials, from the sect leader and the five elders to the enforcers and servants, all arrived.

"They're here, they're here, the younger generation is coming out!"

Following this, nearly a thousand disciples, led by an enforcer, arrived at the square, and the crowd erupted in excitement. Many people were shouting, and some women and children were wiping away tears, having seen their sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters.

In front of the temporary arena on the square, many disciples were flushed with excitement. Many had joined the sect for less than five years, and this was the first time they had seen such a scene, making them extremely excited.

"Really lively..." Shen Chen, standing in a corner among the inner sect disciples, couldn't help but marvel.

Such a scene was rare even in his previous life, and the most important thing was that this grand event, simple and direct, could stir the hearts of people.

Shen Chen's gaze swept over every fellow disciple, and he saw the excitement on their faces that they usually didn't show. Suddenly, he understood the significance of such a grand competition. Only in this way could these disciples have a constant goal to strive for.

"Brother, brother, look, that's my grandfather, and my little sister, she's here too," Wang Yue exclaimed excitedly, as if he had found a few bags of body-strengthening pills.

"Ha ha, I see them." Shen Chen smiled and nodded.

In the crowd outside the square, he saw an old man pulling a little girl, both of them straining to see forward, their faces full of hope. They were Wang Hao and Wang Zixin, who had saved him, and they had come all the way from Chen Family Village.

Even before he and Wang Yue became brothers, Shen Chen had a good impression of the old man and the little girl. Besides their life-saving grace, their simplicity had deeply moved him, a former street thug.

Moreover, in Shen Chen's memory, the Wang family was almost destitute. Wang Hao, with his high medical skills, could have opened a clinic in a big city and made a lot of money, but he chose to stay in Chen Family Village and treat people without pay.

Such a pure and kind nature made even Shen Chen admire them wholeheartedly.

"I must get into the top five, I can't let them down!" Shen Chen patted Wang Yue's shoulder and said seriously.

"Okay!" Wang Yue nodded vigorously.

At this moment, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Sect Leader Liao Yan, who was sitting in the center of the first row of seats in front of the Purple Mist Hall, stood up, bowed to everyone, and said with a loud laugh, "Thank you all for coming to participate in our sect's grand competition. I, Liao, am grateful. Now, without further ado, let's begin the competition."

"Yes, Sect Leader!" Sikuang Chuan then bowed slightly to Liao Yan and leaped onto the temporary arena.

As one of the five elders of the Flowing Cloud Sect and the eldest among them, Sikuang Chuan was the most suitable person to preside over the competition.

His sharp gaze swept over the nearly a thousand disciples below, and then his calm voice rang out, "The rules are largely the same as in previous years. On the arena, any means are allowed, but you must remember one thing: stop at the right moment and do not kill. Those who violate this rule will be severely punished. Additionally, due to the large number of participants this year, the sect leader has decided to add an elimination round. Only the last two hundred disciples will be able to challenge the sect's ranking. Of course, those who were in the top ten in previous years can choose whether to participate in this round. Those who do not wish to participate can wait for the final competition."

He paused and then continued, "The elimination round is simple. Do you see that forest over there? I have placed two hundred purple sandalwood tokens inside. You have one incense stick's time to bring out a token. Those who succeed will pass the test!"

As he spoke, the old man pointed to a small forest several hundred meters away, where several enforcers were guarding to prevent anyone from cheating.

As Sikuang Chuan's words fell, the nearly a thousand disciples below the arena began to stir.

"What does he mean by an elimination round?"

"Are you stupid? Elder Sikuang means that to get on the arena, you must first qualify."

"This... This is too harsh. I thought everyone would have a chance to show off..."

Some disciples who lacked confidence in their abilities were now disappointed. In previous years, almost everyone had a chance to step onto the arena, but this year, only two hundred such opportunities were available.

This made many young men and women from the mountains feel disheartened, and their enthusiasm to show off in front of their families and friends was quickly dampened.

In the area where the inner sect disciples gathered, more people watched coldly, and many even showed disdain and sneers.

"It seems the higher-ups are finally considering us this year. We don't have to fight those mediocre guys anymore."

"Yes, no more grueling battles. Fighting those country bumpkins isn't much fun."

"I hope this rule continues in the future..."

For the outstanding inner sect disciples, such a test clearly met their wishes. In previous years, every disciple could challenge anyone they didn't respect, and some mediocre disciples, to stand out, would challenge those stronger than them, even if they knew they would lose.

It was said that five years ago, one unfortunate inner sect disciple was challenged over a hundred times and eventually collapsed from exhaustion.

However, this also inevitably deprived many disciples of the chance to show off, which was somewhat cruel for them.

"Alright, stop dawdling. Move out. Remember, you only have one incense stick's time, and one more thing: no group cooperation in the forest. Enforcers will be monitoring you throughout!"

Just as the nearly a thousand disciples were discussing, Sikuang Chuan suddenly spoke again. His words were like a horn, and in the next moment, all the disciples present rushed toward the small forest a hundred meters away.

There were only two hundred purple sandalwood tokens, and this situation of too many people and too few tokens made many unwilling to fall behind.

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