Heroes' Conference

At that moment, the master of the Azure Cloud Sect stepped onto the platform, his voice booming like a great bell through every corner at the foot of Deer-Cry Mountain.

"The Heroes' Conference will last three days. Your training grounds are the Nine Ridges and Eighteen Peaks behind you! There is only one entrance and exit. Once you enter, you will be inside the barrier and cannot leave during the three days of the conference. Demons and monsters infest those grounds, and the dangers are extreme. Prepare yourselves!"

The Azure Cloud Sect master swept out an arm. Moisture gathered in midair behind him, forming a huge, translucent screen that displayed the scenery within the Nine Ridges and Eighteen Peaks.

"Tracking Birds are stationed throughout the barrier. They will capture your every move and display your current results for all to see. I hope you will give this your all and strive for outstanding results!"

Not bad. They've even got a livestream. Pretty advanced!

Xiao Qinghe nodded to himself, then heard the Azure Cloud Sect master continue, "You should all have received your Jade Gourds by now. After slaying demons and monsters, place the Spirit Pills you obtain from them inside your Jade Gourds. The gourds will automatically count them and record your results. In the end, the number of Spirit Pills you collect will determine the top hundred and the top three!"

Everyone picked up the Jade Gourds hanging from their waists, finally realizing that these little things were storage pouches with built-in counting and automatic data transmission functions.

Could whoever developed the Jade Gourd's functions be another transmigrator, perhaps a programmer in their previous life?

Xiao Qinghe was toying with his Jade Gourd in fascination when someone suddenly called out, "Spirit Pills obtained by slaying demons and monsters count, but what about Spirit Pills stolen from other people?"

The moment those words rang out, everything went quiet.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

The Azure Cloud Sect master raised his voice again. "In previous Heroes' Conferences, disciples of different sects were permitted to spar, but stealing another person's Spirit Pills was expressly forbidden. This year, however, we are changing the rules for the first time. Stolen Spirit Pills will also count toward your individual results! One rule must be emphasized: friendship first, competition second. You may steal one another's Spirit Pills, but taking lives is forbidden. Anyone who kills will immediately be disqualified and expelled from the barrier!"

As his words fell, the atmosphere instantly turned hostile.

Everyone quietly gripped their swords, already preparing for battle.

Xiao Qinghe was itching to get started, but several cultivators beside him shook their heads in dismay.

"I never thought this year's rules would be so brutal. Doesn't that put disciples with low cultivation in danger?"

"The slightest mistake could get you killed by Demon Creatures. Even if you defeat them and obtain Spirit Pills, someone might ambush you or steal your pills."

"I'm not taking part. It's not worth risking my life only to hand someone else the fruits of my labor."

"I'm afraid the Four Great Sects will steal the show again this year. Unless something unexpected happens, last year's winner, Wen Changgeng, the Azure Cloud Sect's head disciple, will take the crown."

"Not necessarily. Last year, Wen Changgeng barely defeated Yan Yunhe, Spirit Sword Mountain's head disciple. Yan Yunhe went into seclusion for a year because of it, and now he's back with a vengeance. He might not lose this year."

As they spoke, the two favorites to win exchanged looks from a distance.

Their gazes met, invisible blades clashing between them.

Everyone hurriedly backed away, avoiding being caught in the crossfire.

Xiao Qinghe remained perfectly composed. You've got it all wrong. The real final boss is right here.

He looked at Xie Jun and discovered that quite a few young female disciples were looking at her too.

With her jade-like face and wickedly alluring air, the young disciple stood out sharply among the prim and proper cultivators, like a brilliant rose blooming in a sea of white flowers, drawing countless gazes.

"What a handsome young lad. Is that a disciple of the Demon-Slaying Sect?"

"I heard that disciple studies under Bai Yuqing. Doesn't that mean they're really powerful?"

The girls blushed, while the male disciples sneered.

One male disciple from the Azure Cloud Sect spoke derisively. "Not necessarily. Just look at Bai Yuqing's other disciple. He's studied under him for three years and is still useless. I doubt this one's much better."

At the word "useless," Xie Jun's gaze sharpened, and she shot the speaker an icy look.

"Junior sister, my bad reputation has dragged you down with me." Xiao Qinghe sighed.

Xie Jun lowered her eyes, concealing their chill, and reached out to straighten Xiao Qinghe's clothes. "Senior brother, wait for me once you're inside. I'll make them realize you're not useless!"

With so many participants, everyone drew lots and was split up before entering the Nine Ridges and Eighteen Peaks one after another, preventing disciples from forming sect-based groups to gang up on outsiders and make the competition unfair.

Xiao Qinghe had not quite understood what she meant when his number was called, leaving him no choice but to enter first.

On the platform, the Azure Cloud Sect master wore an arrogant expression. "Everyone, shall we predict who will claim the top three places?"

Calling it a prediction was too delicate. To put it plainly, they were gambling.

This was a longstanding form of entertainment at the Heroes' Conference. While the disciples sparred with one another, their elders quietly competed as well.

The wagers were not necessarily about victory or defeat, but the overall strength of each sect's younger generation.

With their sects' reputations at stake, each elder was more lavish than the last, tossing bag after bag of spirit stones onto the Betting Table as though they cost nothing.

Unsurprisingly, almost everyone from the Four Great Sects bet on their own disciples. Wen Changgeng, the Azure Cloud Sect's head disciple, and Yan Yunhe, Spirit Sword Mountain's head disciple, drew the largest wagers, living up to their standing as the favorites.

Without a word, Bai Yuqing took out a bag of spirit stones and placed his bet on Xiao Qinghe.

This drew quite a few looks.

Everyone knew that the strongest disciple of the Demon-Slaying Sect's younger generation studied under Sect Master Ouyang Chong. Bai Yuqing's youngest disciple, meanwhile, had mediocre talent and could not even master the Sword-Flight Technique. His strength ranked at the very bottom even within his own sect. His chances of reaching the top hundred were slim, let alone the top three.

Ouyang Chong's mouth twitched furiously as he quietly advised, "Junior brother Bai, you know Qinghe's cultivation better than anyone. Betting on him is like throwing meat to a dog. You'll never get it back."

Expressionless, Bai Yuqing tossed out another bag of spirit stones, once again betting on Xiao Qinghe. "It's just a bit of fun. Why take it seriously?"

Other disciples had their masters backing them up. His disciple naturally could not be left behind.

Whatever others had, Qinghe would have too.

Ouyang Chong pressed a hand to his forehead.

Junior brother Bai's excessive indulgence of Xiao Qinghe was such a headache. Had he forgotten that he now had two disciples, one of whom was called Xie Jun?

What did favoritism look like?

Exactly this!

The White-Browed Valley Master of Heartless Valley quietly approached and asked in a low voice, "Is Xiao Qinghe your disciple?"

"Indeed." Bai Yuqing nodded, pride showing in his expression.

"A truly talented young man. The younger generation is formidable. Most admirable." The White-Browed Valley Master looked thoughtful.

The others exchanged puzzled glances.

Heartless Valley was notorious for its aloof arrogance, and the White-Browed Valley Master rarely had a kind word for anyone. What had gotten into him today?

Rumor had it that he was seeking a husband for his most prized disciple, Bai Liuli. Had Xiao Qinghe caught his eye?

That made no sense.

Talented young men were everywhere, and with outstanding prospects like Wen Changgeng and Yan Yunhe available, no matter how he chose, he should never have settled on Xiao Qinghe. This White-Browed Valley Master had terrible judgment.

Just as someone was about to speak, a low cry rang out. "The rankings are up!"