Leaving the Mountain
To become a true disciple, one must participate in this year's Sect Grand Competition.
Although Chen Mobai had witnessed it once last year, he still felt it was better to ask someone with experience.
"Junior brother, you're finally coming out of the mountains."
In the pavilion atop Little Sun Ridge Mountain, Qi Rui and Xi Jinghuo heard what Chen Mobai said, and the former couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"With your cultivation level, you will surely make a name for yourself this time you leave the mountain."
Xi Jinghuo took a sip of the Spirit Wine and said something that showed her confidence in Chen Mobai.
"Although my cultivation level is not bad, my Spell Duel experience and skills are far inferior to yours. I would be lucky to make it into the top 100 in this Sect Grand Competition."
"Junior brother, you are a good person in every way, except that you are too modest."
Qi Rui's words left Chen Mobai with nothing but a bitter smile.
For some reason, both of them were very confident in him, believing that as long as he was willing to participate, even if he couldn't become a true disciple, he would definitely be in the top 100.
But Chen Mobai himself estimated that, given his Spell Duel skills, it would be quite good if he could make it into the top 100.
Last year, a total of 1,600 Qi Cultivation Disciple participated in the Sect Grand Competition. As he observed the entire event, he took detailed notes on some noteworthy individuals.
Among them, there are 176 at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer.
Of the previous Twenty-Four True Disciples, eight ascetics did not participate again after obtaining the Foundation Establishment.
They were focused on seclusion, honing their energy and spirit, preparing to seize the opportunity for transformation and take the Foundation Establishment to break through the barrier at any time.
Of the remaining sixteen true disciples, E Yun, Zhou Wangshen, Hong He, the three great true disciples, have all successfully Foundation Establishment and, under the sect's arrangement, have led their respective groups to Cloud Dream Marsh to establish markets.
Six others Foundation Establishment Failure and wanted to compete for the position of true disciple in exchange for a second Foundation Establishment. Among them was Liu Guilong from the Spiritual Plant Department.
Unfortunately, without the support of the Spiritual Plant Department, and with his injuries not yet healed, he was defeated by a Rising Star when he entered the top 100.
Besides Liu Guilong, three other people were also stripped of their positions as true disciples.
There are also seven others, including Yuan Chiye and Ding Ying. Although they have obtained the Foundation Establishment, they have not yet perfected their cultivation of the Two Aspects Technique, so they still have no intention of giving up their positions as true disciples.
Even so, in last year's Sect Grand Competition, the Twenty-Four True Disciples of the Divine Wood Sect still underwent a major reshuffle.
Fourteen new disciples rose to prominence, becoming prominent figures in the Divine Wood Sect.
Chen Mobai's acquaintance, Yuan Chiye, went even further, ranking third among the true disciples and succeeding E Yun.
"I hope my luck in the lottery this year will be as good as last year."
Qi Rui drank his wine while hoping for something.
Last year, he didn't encounter any strong opponents along the way and managed to make it to the top 48. Unfortunately, in the final True Disciple Battle down the 48 to 24, he encountered the current Sixth True Disciple and suffered a crushing defeat.
Next, Chen Mobai asked about some things he should pay attention to during the Sect Grand Competition, and Qi Rui and Xi Jinghuo answered him one by one.
Ultimately, however many details matter, it all comes down to ability.
As long as you're strong enough, you're guaranteed the position of the true successor.
The next day, Chen Mobai made another trip to Divine Wood City, first bringing two newly brewed jars of Jade Sprout Spirit Wine to visit Inspector Sun Gaochang.
"Okay, I understand. Go and find Lu Jun."
Upon learning that Chen Mobai was going to participate in the Sect Grand Competition and had the idea of vying for the true successor, Sun Gaochang nodded slightly, accepted the two jars of wine, and then left after saying only one sentence.
Somewhat confused, Chen Mobai went outside and found Lu Jun, who shook his head slightly after hearing what was happening.
"Junior Brother Chen, this means Inspector Sun doesn't think highly of you."
"Oh, why?"
"If I'm not mistaken, you should have broken through to the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, otherwise you wouldn't be thinking about vying for the position of true disciple."
"Senior brother has keen insight."
Chen Mobai did not deny this.
"Then you should also know that there is a huge gap between the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer and the True Inheritance. Even with Senior Brother Li Li's cultivation of the Grain Rain Sword Art and the Second-tier Flying Sword supported by my Spiritual Plant Department, he only barely made it into the top twenty-four."
Lu Jun's words made Chen Mobai understand why Li Li suddenly had a Second Grade Spring Rain Sword last year. It turned out that the Spiritual Plant Department had provided support so that they could have a proper facade.
"When our disciples from the Spiritual Plant Department participate in the Sect Grand Competition, they can usually receive a Magic Artifact from the logistics department. Senior Brother Li Li, who is being promoted to become a true disciple, will be given Second Grade Magic Artifact."
"However, this requires the approval of those three Foundation Establishment cultivators. If I were to make the request, the most I could get is a high-grade first-tier magic Magic Artifact."
"But junior brother, don't be discouraged. Go and experience the atmosphere of the Sect Grand Competition this year. When your ranking improves in a few years and you have a chance to enter the true lineage, Inspector Sun will definitely put in a good word and prepare a suitable Second Tier Magic Tool for you."
As Sun Gaochang's confidant, Lu Jun's act of contacting the logistics department of the Spiritual Plant Department was already considered a favor to Chen Mobai for those two jars of wine.
In response, Chen Mobai chose a first-grade superior-quality Green Wood Sword.
The path to Longevity Sutra is extremely broad; it can be developed into either magic or swordsmanship.
Since Chen Mobai has made up his mind to use the Crimson Flame Sword Art to cover up the Pure Yang Scroll, it is time for him to practice the Sword Control Art since he cannot improve his current cultivation level.
Before leaving, Chen Mobai gave Lu Jun a jar of Jade Sprout Spirit Wine as a thank-you gift, which the latter accepted without hesitation.
I also asked if the Foundation Establishment had begun to be refined.
As before, they instructed their Spiritual Plant Department to leave the Auxiliary Medicine herbs needed to refine a batch of Foundation Establishment unharvested.
This means that although the refining process hasn't started yet, the plan has already been made.
It'll probably be within the next year or two.
Participating in the Sect Grand Competition for the first time reminded Chen Mobai of the scene when he participated in the entrance examination and Spell Duel in Vermilion Cloud City.
However, compared to his composure and confidence back then, he was a little nervous this time.
Fortunately, the people from the Divine Wood Sect who arranged the matchups didn't do it haphazardly; they separated the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer in the first few rounds.
Chen Mobai's opponents in the first two rounds were all cannon fodder below the Qi Cultivation Level 6 of Qi Refining. No matter how bad his Spell Duel skills were, he could still defeat his opponents with a single move by relying on the pure difference in spiritual power.
In the third and fourth rounds, their opponents were at the Late Qi Cultivation.
However, with Chen Mobai at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer and the support of a first-grade high-quality flying sword from the Spiritual Plant Department, none of them could withstand a single move from him.
After these four rounds, Chen Mobai finally experienced the exhilarating feeling of being overwhelmed by a higher realm, as described by Venerable Qingping.
In the fifth round, he finally encountered a worthy opponent, a Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer from the Talisman Department.
However, it seemed that the opponent had not obtained the Magic Artifact resources of the Talisman Department. Relying on the Green Wood Sword, and with his own superb understanding equivalent to Second-tier Talisman Master in the Sky River Realm, Chen Mobai saw through the flaws in the operation of the talisman array built by the opponent and defeated the opponent with difficulty.
After this round, Chen Mobai entered the top 48.