First Battle Won; Please Follow for More

Ultimately, Zhou Chun himself had no intention of finding a dual cultivation partner at present, so after chatting for a while at the beginning, he stopped taking the initiative to speak much, lest he give the young women the wrong idea.

Seeing that Zhou Chun was not saying much, the female cultivators also realized that he had truly only come to make friends and was not looking for a dual cultivation partner.

Therefore, they stopped asking him questions that touched on more private matters.

Instead, Zhou Zhengyong, with Zhou Chun having opened up the conversation, also let go of his inhibitions and began showing off in Zhou Chun's place.

To be serious, Zhou Zhengyong was not ugly either. He could be said to have an average appearance.

With looks like his, combined with the Zhou Family's background and his cultivation strength, he could easily find a partner if that was all he wanted.

After all, among the many Rogue Cultivators, the dream of many female cultivators was to marry a cultivator from a Cultivation Family, gain a stable and safe home in which to cultivate, and never again have to live under someone else's roof.

However, it was obvious that Zhou Zhengyong was unwilling to marry a female Rogue Cultivator. Instead, he wanted to form a marriage alliance with a female cultivator from another Cultivation Family.

Naturally, he had his own considerations.

If he formed a dual cultivation partnership with a female Rogue Cultivator, he would gain nothing besides another dual cultivation partner.

But if he formed a marriage alliance with a female cultivator from another Cultivation Family, he would become a bridge connecting the two Cultivation Families, and neither family would mistreat them.

Moreover, compared with those female Rogue Cultivators who had complicated pasts, female cultivators from Cultivation Families were clearly more trustworthy in terms of character and morality because of the many restrictions placed upon them.

Thus, as Zhou Zhengyong gradually showed off and revealed his "secret weapon," he actually managed to pique the interest of several female cultivators.

Only then did Zhou Chun learn that his so-called "secret weapon" was a low-level demon beast, a Water Moon Rabbit, that had been born less than half a year ago.

This white-furred rabbit weighed less than five pounds and had a pair of enchanting sapphire-like eyes. Its ears were extremely long, making people want to give them a tug as soon as they saw it.

After seeing it, the female cultivators all took turns holding and petting it, unable to bear putting it down.

When Zhou Chun saw this, he immediately knew that there had to be an "expert" advising Zhou Zhengyong behind the scenes.

Otherwise, with his impatient nature, how would he ever have thought of such a trick?

And so, over the next two days, Zhou Chun and the Qi Refining cultivators of the Five Great Cultivation Families gathered every day for various activities, using them to seek out like-minded friends.

During those two days, Zhou Chun also made the acquaintance of cultivators from several other families and carefully memorized their appearances and names.

He knew clearly that, barring any accidents, these people would all become part of the group wielding real power in their families in the future.

If he memorized their appearances and names now, then if they truly needed to work together on something in the future, this gathering could become a topic for drawing closer to one another.

On the third day, the patriarchs of the various families had also finished discussing the relevant matters, and the Daoist martial arts competition officially began.

According to the rules, the Elite Group and the Youth Group would proceed simultaneously on two separate arenas, with lots drawn to determine all opponents.

On an open stretch of ground deep within the Wang Family of Red Medicine Valley, two Daoist martial arts arenas, each one hundred zhang long and wide, had already been marked out.

The patriarchs of the Five Great Cultivation Families and some Foundation Establishment cultivators who had come to observe the ceremony were seated in the viewing stands outside the arenas. Some Wang Family Qi Refining cultivators who had no duties also stood outside.

At this moment, Zhou Chun and the other forty-nine cultivators of the Youth Group formed two rows and sat down cross-legged outside the arenas. Then, a Wang Family cultivator carried over a box containing numbered lots and had them each draw out a wooden lot.

When it was Zhou Chun's turn, he looked at the number on his lot: Jia Wu Yang.

According to the rules, his opponent in the first round should be the person who had drawn Jia Wu Yin.

Once everyone had finished drawing lots, the Wang Family Foundation Establishment Elder serving as referee on the arena immediately called out, "All right, since everyone has drawn their lots, the two fellow Daoists who drew the Jia One lots, please come up and spar!"

Hearing this, the two Youth Group cultivators who had drawn the Jia One lots immediately rose and walked toward the arena.

After the two young men, one dressed in yellow robes and the other in green robes, stepped onto the arena, they stood more than thirty zhang apart. Following the rules, they clasped their hands to each other, bowed, and announced their names.

"Sun Family of Golden Maple Ridge, Sun Xuanhu."

"He Family of Green Bamboo Mountain, He Chenggang."

After exchanging greetings, the referee gave the order, and the two men immediately brought out their magic tools and launched probing attacks at each other.

Both of them were still in the mid Qi Refining Stage, and the man from the He Family was even only at Level Seven Qi Refining.

Therefore, there was not much for Zhou Chun to learn or take reference from in their battle.

After roughly fifteen minutes of fighting, Sun Xuanhu of the Sun Family of Golden Maple Ridge successfully defeated his opponent and obtained the first victory.

The matches proceeded in order from the Jia lots, and soon it was Zhou Chun's turn to take the stage.

His opponent was actually a female cultivator in a white dress who was also at Level Eight Qi Refining.

"Zhou Family of Nine Peaks Ridge, Zhou Chunchun."

"Wang Family of Red Medicine Valley, Wang Zhenzhen."

On the arena, Zhou Chun looked at the seemingly delicate female cultivator opposite him. After steadying himself slightly, he quickly suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and saluted the referee to indicate that he was ready.

"Begin!"

With the referee's order, Zhou Chun immediately brought out the black iron shield to protect himself. Then he plucked the Spirit Beast Pouch from his waist and released the Rock Earth Turtle.

Wang Zhenzhen chose a similar approach. She first brought out a silver-white handkerchief magic tool, which fell above her head and spun endlessly. Only then did she bring out a silver sword magic tool and send it attacking toward him.

With a thought from Zhou Chun, the black iron shield intercepted the silver sword.

He then reached out and slapped his Storage Bag, taking out two more magic tools in succession: the silver short sword magic tool and the bronze gourd magic tool.

With his magic power surging, the silver short sword magic tool shot rapidly toward Wang Zhenzhen.

At the same time, he tossed the bronze gourd magic tool into the air. A series of muffled booms rang out as seven or eight fist-sized fireballs sprayed from the gourd's mouth.

The sight caused Wang Zhenzhen's pretty face to lose color. She hurriedly slapped the Storage Bag at her waist, took out a magic talisman, and pressed it against her body.

Golden light surged, forming a dazzling golden armor over her body. It was actually the first-grade high-tier defensive magic talisman, the "Golden Armor Talisman"!

According to the rules of the Daoist martial arts competition, each contestant could bring only one first-grade high-tier magic talisman onto the stage, but ordinary cultivators might not truly be willing to use it.

Wang Zhenzhen had used her magic talisman the instant she began fighting, and it was even the precious "Golden Armor Talisman." This immediately made Zhou Chun realize that he had run into an immortal second-generation heir.

Wang Zhenzhen's direct elders, even if they were not Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Wang Family, were probably core clansmen—and they doted on her greatly.

Back on the battlefield, the silver short sword magic tool Zhou Chun had brought out had just reached Wang Zhenzhen when it was wrapped up by the silvery radiance released from the silver-white handkerchief above her head. Not only could it not injure her in the slightest, but it was also restrained itself.

It was only because the seven or eight firebolts that flew in afterward detonated one after another, blasting apart the silvery radiance, that the silver short sword magic tool regained control.

However, with the "Golden Armor Talisman" protecting her, Wang Zhenzhen naturally suffered no damage at all from the explosions.

Seeing how effective the "Golden Armor Talisman" was, her confidence was bolstered as well, and the color returned to her face.

She immediately slapped the Storage Bag at her waist again and took out a fiery-red copper ball magic tool.

"Go!"

With a soft shout, she raised her hand and hurled the fiery-red copper ball magic tool toward Zhou Chun.

As soon as the object left Wang Zhenzhen's palm, it rapidly radiated scarlet flames under the urging of her magic power. In no time, flames soared three zhang high, transforming it in the air into a scarlet little sun.

"First-grade High-tier magic tool!"

Zhou Chun's expression changed, and he inwardly groaned without end.

He had originally intended to conceal his strength and reveal the Moon Blade Meteor Wheel only when competing for the top ten later.

But now, it seemed that his plan was going to fall through again.

He could only slap the Storage Bag at his waist and bring out the Moon Blade Meteor Wheel.

Silver light flashed. The silver-black circular magic tool collided head-on with the incoming scarlet little sun, like a silver meteor.

In an instant, silver spiritual light and scarlet flames splashed in all directions. The two magic tools were evenly matched, and neither could do anything to the other. After their strength was exhausted, both were withdrawn by their owners.

Since Zhou Chun had used his trump card, he no longer bothered probing or dragging things out.

With a command, the Rock Earth Turtle slapped its paws, releasing the Chain Earth Spikes Technique to attack Wang Zhenzhen, while it charged toward her.

In an arena match with a restricted battlefield like this, cultivators who brought Spirit Pets were undoubtedly at a great advantage.

At the very least, even the relatively slow Rock Earth Turtle had a chance to take the initiative, close in on its enemy, and engage in close combat.

Wang Zhenzhen was not foolish either. When she saw the Rock Earth Turtle charging toward her, she hurriedly diverted the silver sword magic tool to attack it.

But the Rock Earth Turtle not only possessed powerful defensive strength in its shell, it had also mastered the two close-range defensive spells, "Stone Skin Technique" and "Earth Spirit Shield."

Unless she used a first-grade high-tier magic tool to attack, she could forget about breaking through its defenses.

But with Zhou Chun watching, how could she find such an opportunity?

Thus, after fighting for roughly fifteen minutes, the "Golden Armor Talisman" protecting her finally exhausted its power and shattered, forcing her to admit defeat.

Having won this battle, Zhou Chun showed no joy on his face.

After the referee announced the result, he hurried back to his original spot, sat down, and began circulating his cultivation method to recover his magic power.

He had expended a great deal of magic power in this battle, and he would need to win at least two more matches to securely enter the top ten. He did not dare waste this precious recovery time.

The desert should be updated tomorrow, right? I'm a little stuck, so don't rush me!