Chapter 133

“…… So bold.

Her speech had a stimulating effect on others, and several cold, piercing gazes were directed at her. Ye Qinghan’s lips twitched slightly as he gave her a slight nod. “See you at the individual competition.”

“Looking forward to your skills.”

After Ye Qiao finished speaking, she didn’t even glance at the reactions of the direct disciples. She briskly walked down to prepare to grab a few people for a meal. However, before she could leave, an elder from the Sword Seeking Sect snapped back to his senses and called them over.

The direct disciples, who had been making a fuss in the secret realm for several days, now looked wilted like withered vegetables, disheveled and lacking any of the demeanor expected from direct disciples.

The elder’s brow furrowed deeply as he watched this group of seemingly indifferent direct disciples huddled together, and he began a lengthy lecture.

“Stand properly. How do you expect to be perceived by the outside cultivators if you behave like this?”

The Sword Seeking Sect’s group stood the most upright, each one like a young poplar tree. Ye Qiao rolled her eyes and hid behind the Sword Seeking Sect members. She tried to use them as cover but found that the back row was filled with fellow disciples.

The Sword Seeking Sect maintained the best discipline, thanks to their strict sect rules and the elders’ tireless reprimands.

They were evidently accustomed to this.

The elders knew these kids were reluctant to listen, but there were still some things they needed to make clear in advance. “Your future isn’t just about the competition, or the games and skirmishes.”

“When you encounter demonic or evil cultivators, they won’t spare you just because you are direct disciples, nor will there be elders sent to protect you.”

“The status of a direct disciple doesn’t make you superior, nor does it give you the right to look down on other cultivators.”

“Understanding the vastness of the world while still cherishing the small things is a principle you all should grasp.”

“Elder,” Ye Qiao, standing in the back, shifted slightly and asked, “What about the direct disciples before us?”

A grand competition happens once every hundred years; surely, direct disciples aren’t only recruited once every century.

The elder, initially taken aback by the audacity of the question, glanced over and, seeing it was from a talented disciple of the Bright Ming Sect, paused for a moment before explaining, “They have perished in the path.”

Countless talents had fallen in the past century within the cultivation world. With these children lacking crisis awareness, no one could predict their future. Their path forward had to be walked by themselves.

“Next, let’s talk about the individual competition.” The previously listless direct disciples immediately stood up straight; the individual competition was crucial to their personal reputation. Each direct disciple was already well-known among cultivators before the grand competition, and while losing in the team competition could only imply they were outperformed, the individual competition was a matter of personal face!

“The individual competition will be ranked based on points. It’s not just the direct disciples competing; there will be three rounds in total. The first round will mostly have loose cultivators, so if any of you are eliminated in the first round, return to the sect to reflect on yourselves.”

“The ranking list isn’t out yet. The top ten are mostly loose cultivators and disciples from other sects. Once it is released, you can check it out.”

“There are four paths: Talismans, Pills, Swords, and Artifacts.”

“Note.” At this point, he glanced at Ye Qiao and Yun Que. “Direct disciples who practice multiple paths cannot participate in more than one.”

“You can only choose one. Understood?”

Ye Qiao: “Oh.”

Yun Que, with lowered eyes, responded, “Yes.”

“For sword cultivators, those who make it into the top ten can choose a sword from the Sword Cave. The rewards for the top ten from other sects have not been announced yet,” he said sternly. “But rest assured, they won’t be less than what you get for your mountain training. Lastly, I advise you all to try to make it into the top ten. The final rewards will be more useful than your previous training on the mountain.”

The Five Sects have plenty of good things, so it’s best if the top ten are all direct disciples of the Five Sects. Otherwise, they’d have to share with other sects, which would be quite a loss for them.

After getting a general understanding of the competition rules, they each returned to their courtyards and immediately checked the situation on the cultivation world forum.

As expected, the Changming Sect’s ranking at first place became a hot topic of discussion.

“Five days of thunder tribulation, one of the few heavenly roots in the cultivation world, how could it be hidden until now?”

“Maybe Sect Master Qin did it on purpose. Look, the Changming Sect is now in first place.”

“Other sects must be extremely frustrated.”

“Yun Hen must be feeling the worst. The Yueqing Sect probably isn’t doing well. I really can’t understand, if they don’t want a genius like Ye Qiao, what are they looking for?”

“Ye Qiao is quite outrageous. She’s collapsed two secret realms in a row. Looking forward to the next one?”

“Hahaha. Ye Langlang, a direct disciple that makes secret realms tremble in fear.”

“Nobody mentioned what’s going on with Yun Que? She’s a dual cultivation genius too.”

“As for Yun Que, with her top-grade spiritual root and mid-stage Golden Core, we can indeed look forward to her performance in the individual competition.”

When discussions turned to Yun Que, Ming Xuan furrowed his brow and doodled absently with a wolf hair brush, “She should also be focusing on the talisman path, right?”

Xue Yu nodded, “Her swordsmanship is clearly lacking. It must be the talisman path.”

Like Ye Qiao, Yun Que had just begun learning, but Ye Qiao grasped things quickly, whereas Yun Que evidently couldn’t. She had to lean towards the talisman path.

“How is her talisman drawing skill?” Ming Xuan clicked his tongue lightly.

Ye Qiao replied, “Not sure, but when I was at the cliff bottom with Song Hansheng, his evaluation was—trash.”

Though Song Hansheng’s words were harsh, they likely had no artistic embellishment.

“Forget it,” Xue Yu said. “Just be cautious.”

“Be careful in the first round too. If there are capable loose cultivators among them, it would be quite embarrassing to be eliminated in the first round.”

Ye Qiao agreed wholeheartedly with this statement.

They were so absorbed in discussing the individual competition that they didn’t even notice when Qin Fanfan arrived.

“Ye Qiao,” Qin Fanfan cleared his throat and called out from the door, “What path are you actually cultivating?”

Cultivators in the cultivation world follow different paths and have various methods of enlightenment. He needed to understand this to make appropriate adjustments and training for Ye Qiao.

Ye Qiao was momentarily taken aback by the question and looked over, somewhat conflicted, “It’s hard to describe.”

She could only vaguely sense it.

“Perhaps it’s somewhat similar to the Path of Emotions?” Ye Qiao said as she glanced at Xue Yu.

Xue Yu asked, “Hmm?”

“Similar to his path?”

“But not exactly the same,” Ye Qiao added.

This was a novel description. Similar to the Path of Emotions? What could that be?

“The Path of Emotions involves having emotions for all things,” Qin Fanfan murmured. What could be similar to the Path of Emotions? He stroked his beard and fell into contemplation. Ye Qiao really didn’t understand the various chaotic paths in the cultivation world, so she couldn’t describe it clearly.

Qin Fanfan could only ponder deeply about what might be related to the Path of Emotions.

The courtyard was silent when suddenly the door was kicked open.

“Ah, ah, ah. The list is out. Let’s go, Ye Qiao,” Mu Chongxi rushed in urgently, “Let’s check the top hundred sword cultivators.”

He had been waiting outside early to see the rankings as soon as possible.

Ming Xuan hurriedly grabbed Ye Qiao, “No, she’s coming with me to the talisman cultivator side.” Just like going to the restroom, everyone wanted a companion.

“Our pill cultivators are also available,” Xue Yu reminded. “Why don’t you come with me instead?”

Zhou Xingyun silently took a step back to avoid their group but ended up being dragged along.

“Let’s go,” Ye Qiao said. “We’ll go see the rankings together.”

Qin Fanfan, watching them leave in a hurry, thought, “…”

Did no one care about the fact that he was the sect master?

—

Not only they came to join the excitement, but they were the only ones who all showed up. Other direct disciples could send outer disciples to check the list rather than pushing in to watch like Mu Chongxi.

He single-handedly handled several loose cultivators and took Ye Qiao and Zhou Xingyun to the front.

The list was in the form of points.

“The first place is a loose cultivator. But once the individual competition starts and with our participation, the first place will likely change quickly.”

“Once the Sword Seeking Sect releases the rewards, many loose cultivators wanting spiritual swords will definitely sign up.”

The Sword Seeking Sect would not be happy to contract spiritual swords to loose cultivators. Even if they did, it would be to their direct disciples. Some loose cultivators were insignificant, so they wouldn’t allow five direct disciples to contract spiritual swords but would keep five spots for their own sect.

“Unless something unexpected happens, the top five are reserved for the Sword Seeking Sect’s five direct disciples. We need to compete for the remaining five spots.”

“Of course, the most important thing is…” Mu Chongxi said, “To show off.”

The individual competition is the time to showcase oneself. One might not make it into the top ten, but one must stand out.

After reviewing each ranking list, Ye Qiao pondered for a moment and resolutely chose the sword path, regardless of Xue Yu’s persuasion to join the pill competition.

“If you choose the sword path, you’ll be competing with Ye Qinghan, Qin Huai, and that bunch. It will be tough.”

He patted her as if recruiting for a pyramid scheme, “Come to the pill cultivators instead, there are fewer people and less pressure.”

“These are our sword cultivators,” Mu Chongxi retorted without hesitation. “Can you expect any good from your pill cultivators? Competing with them would just exhaust you.”

Ye Qiao agreed. She had realized during her cultural assessment that pill cultivators were like good students. Competing with them, she could only imagine how it would turn out.

Sword cultivators didn’t have much culture, making them a better fit for her.

Xue Yu shrugged and smiled, “Don’t have professional discrimination, okay?”

“Alright, alright, everyone stop talking,” Duan Yu said after listening for a while and seeing that no one was taking things seriously. He simply kicked them all out, saying, “The Eight Great Families are here. Fill out the forms. Send them over when you’re done. Don’t dawdle.”

“The individual competition is hosted by the Eight Great Families?” Ming Xuan asked, turning his head.

“Exactly,” Elder Duan Yu nodded. If someone is willing to pay to be the host, the Five Sects naturally wouldn’t rush to take on the role of a sucker.

“Oh.” Ming Xuan frowned in disgust. “Looks like we’ll have to deal with those annoying people again.”

After filling out the registration forms, the sword cultivators had to provide information about their life-bound sword, their spiritual root talent, their cultivation level, and, most importantly, the name of their life-bound sword.

Zhou Xingyun and Mu Chongxi filled out their forms quickly.

Ye Qiao, however, was stuck.

The name of the life-bound sword?

After waiting for a while and seeing her still not moving, the elders glanced at her name and thought, “Oh, a genius, huh?”

They softened their tone and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you not understand something?”

Mu Chongxi leaned in to take a look and, seeing Ye Qiao hesitating to write, cheerfully said, “Her sword is named ‘Duo Sun!'”

“Just write ‘Bamboo shoot Sword’s Master’ on the form.”

“?” The elders exchanged confused glances. “Are you sure?”

What kind of name is that?

Ye Qiao shivered.

She had originally named the sword on a whim, but if she actually put that name on the form, she could imagine after the competition, once she walked out, other cultivators discussing her with a tone of melodrama: ‘Oh, oh. Is Ye Qiao really the famous Master of the Duo Sun Sword?’

“No, no, no,” Ye Qiao said with a shiver. “Its name is ‘Bu Jian Jun’!”

“Remember, don’t make a mistake.”

*

And now, the storyline moves on to the individual competition ~ time to shine on your own