Three-Year Small Competition

Of course, if there had been any other way, Lei Dong wouldn't have wanted to go that far. After all, if he were forced to kill Zhou Minghua in front of everyone, there'd be some risk in getting past the Ancestor. Lei Dong would rather find a chance to kill him quietly.

As quite a few people watched Lei Dong like tigers eyeing their prey, a Ghost Slave under the Ancestor quietly appeared before the crowd and announced that the Three-Year Small Competition was officially beginning. They would draw lots to choose their first opponents. There was only one rule: no deliberate killing. The Ghost Slave explained that anyone who attacked in any way after their opponent called out the words "I concede" would count as having deliberately killed them, whether or not the attack caused any harm. The punishment for deliberate killing was extremely severe: the offender's soul would be extracted, made into a Soul Lamp, and slowly tortured to death with Ghost Fire.

After hearing the Ghost Slave describe the punishment in such a sinister, chilling voice, even the Myriad Ghost Cave disciples, who regarded ghosts and monsters as commonplace, couldn't help but feel a bone-deep fear. Three years earlier, during the sect's Grand Competition, everyone had seen souls being refined with Ghost Fire. It was an utterly cruel and terrifying process. Being made into a Soul Lamp and slowly tortured to death would be even more unimaginable.

Next, the rewards for the Three-Year Small Competition were announced. The first-place winner would receive five thousand Contribution Value points; second and third place would receive three thousand and one thousand five hundred points, respectively; fourth place would get one thousand points. Each place after that would receive one hundred points less, until tenth place, which would get only three hundred. Those who placed below twentieth would have their cultivation locked and be flogged. The twenty-first-place contestant would get ten lashes, with ten more for each lower rank. Anyone who placed thirty-second would be in for a terrible time: they'd take one hundred and twenty lashes. Even if they didn't die, they'd be left with barely half a life.

At the same time, this ranking would formally determine how the disciples addressed one another as Senior Brothers and Sisters. The titles would not change for three years, until the next Three-Year Small Competition.

At the mention of the rewards, excitement appeared on everyone's faces. But when they heard about the punishments that followed, those with weaker cultivation turned pale.

The Ghost Slave then explained how the rankings would be determined. The Small Competition would last ninety-six days, with one round every three days for a total of thirty-two rounds. At the start of each round, lots would be drawn on the spot to determine each person's opponent. Before the draw, anyone they had already fought would be removed from the pool. Each victory earned one point, while the loser got none. If contestants ended up with the same score, additional matches would be held to determine their rankings.

Lei Dong understood the reasoning behind this format. First, it pushed the disciples to keep striving for the top. Second, it gave them a chance to sharpen their practical combat skills. Someone who only knew how to bury their head in cultivation would be a pushover, no matter how high their cultivation became. Besides, secluded cultivation often led to all sorts of bottlenecks. Intense battles might spark a flash of inspiration, or stimulate the body and draw out its potential.

In other words, the entire Small Competition wouldn't end until everyone had fought every other disciple of their cohort once. Even Lei Dong believed that after thirty-two consecutive bouts, his combat skills might improve considerably.

Then came the draw. Everyone wanted to draw a weak opponent in the first round, so they could get off to a winning start and boost their morale and confidence.

Lei Dong didn't care, though. Even if he drew Senior Sister Ding, he'd still go a few rounds with her. At worst, if he really couldn't beat her, he'd concede.

Under the Ghost Slave's oppressive, sinister presence, the drawing proceeded in good order. Only sixteen people needed to draw lots for the first match. When Lei Dong's turn came, he saw Zhou Minghua watching him from nearby with a gloomy expression. He figured Zhou Minghua hoped he'd draw him, but he couldn't be bothered with him. He picked a lot and glanced at it. It read Wu Qianqiu. The name didn't ring much of a bell; he only vaguely remembered that the man was quite ordinary. After scanning the crowd, he spotted Wu Qianqiu in the distance and waved to him.

The recorder also began writing down the results: Lei Dong had drawn Wu Qianqiu, and they would fight in the second match at Arena C. The results were announced to everyone.

Wu Qianqiu was a sturdy young man who looked about seventeen or eighteen.

He had cultivated diligently ever since joining the sect and had just broken through to the Third Layer. Seeing this, he felt a little relieved. Lei Dong might be well-known among their cohort, but he was still only at the Third Layer. Facing him for the first time was better than going straight up against one of the Ancestor's Personal Disciples.

Lei Dong glanced around. Combining what he saw with what he'd learned earlier, he realized that after three years in the sect, many disciples in his cohort had reached the Third Layer, while a few were at the Second or Fourth Layer. Zuo Chao and Zhou Minghua had reached the Fifth Layer, thanks to their excellent aptitude and resources. As for Senior Sister Ding, Lei Dong couldn't see through her cultivation at all, but rumor had it she'd reached the Sixth Layer a few months ago. She was also the favorite to win this Small Competition.

Five thousand Contribution Value points! Even Lei Dong, who had the Soul Devouring Pagoda, couldn't help feeling tempted. Donating Spirit Stones to get that many Contribution Value points would cost over a thousand Spirit Stones. By now, Lei Dong understood the use of Contribution Value. Using it to exchange for common Magic Tools, pills, and other resources was a terrible deal; he'd be better off hunting around the market. But it was an excellent way to obtain Cultivation Methods, spells, and rare treasures. In particular, the Yin Sha Sect's unique spells and Cultivation Methods were impossible to find on the outside market. Contribution Value was the only way to obtain them.

But Lei Dong was only tempted by those five thousand points. Taking food from Senior Sister Ding's jaws wouldn't be easy. Her cultivation had already reached the Sixth Layer, and she had a whole pile of Mid-grade Magic Tools, along with some high-grade ones. Even if he gave it his all, he'd probably still lose.

Lei Dong had thought he could contend for second or third place, but he really didn't want to stand out too much in terms of strength. It was best not to reveal what he could do.

The drawing was soon over. Chen Ge and Wei Hua squeezed in beside him, one on either side, and demanded fiercely, "Out with it! What kind of evil spell did you cast on Senior Sister Ding? She spoke to you so pleasantly and even accepted your gift!"

"Heh, this is my exclusive secret technique." Lei Dong narrowed his eyes and grinned. "If you two want to learn it, pay me a hundred Spirit Stones each."

"Get out of here." Chen Ge and Wei Hua both burst out laughing and punched him hard.

After joking around for a while, Chen Ge finally turned serious. "But seriously, you're only at the Qi Refining Third Layer. When you run into Zhou Minghua in a later match, just concede. That way, he can't suddenly strike you when you're not paying attention. What I'm most worried about is that he'll provoke you. Don't lose your head."

"Don't worry. I can't be bothered with him." Lei Dong stretched lazily and asked, "How about you two? Who did you draw?"

Chen Ge's face lit up, and his eyes narrowed into slits as he grinned. "My opponent's only at the Qi Refining Second Layer." Wei Hua, on the other hand, looked utterly miserable. He raised a hand and said, "I drew Senior Sister Ding."

"Haha." Even Lei Dong couldn't help bursting out laughing after a moment of stunned silence. He had to admit, Wei Hua's luck was incredible. After laughing so hard his stomach hurt, he put an arm around Wei Hua's shoulders with a sympathetic look. "The only support I can offer, buddy, is to cheer you on from the sidelines."

Wei Hua rolled his eyes in fury. "You just want to watch me embarrass myself, don't you? Don't get too cocky. You'll run into Senior Sister Ding sooner or later. I'll get my revenge then."

"Go ahead and get your revenge. Having some fun today is what matters." Chen Ge wasn't exactly a good person either, and readily accepted the offer to cheer him on.

Their match was the first one at Arena B. The two of them dragged and hauled Wei Hua, whose face was as long as a bitter gourd, toward the arena.

There were five arenas in all, each with a Foundation Establishment Realm second-generation disciple from the Myriad Ghost Cave—their uncles in the sect—serving as referee. Before long, the Black-faced Referee at Arena B called out the names of Wei Hua and Ding Wanyan.

Ding Wanyan's entrance naturally drew a crowd. Wei Hua, however, was already frightened before the fight and dawdled, unwilling to go up. Lei Dong and Chen Ge exchanged a glance, hoisted him up, and tossed him onto the arena.