At that moment, the clansmen fell silent of their own accord. Tang Xiao took the seat of honor, swept his gaze over the hall, and said, "I have summoned the entire clan today to announce one major matter concerning the sect's resources."
"After several years of planning, and with Yuehua's position as the master of Moonlight Pavilion as our foothold, the sect has opened a secret resource channel. The first shipment of cultivation supplies has now arrived."
At these words, irrepressible cheers immediately erupted throughout the hall.
"Silence!" Tang Xiao raised a hand, quieting the roar. "But resources are limited. There are many mouths and little porridge. The council of elders has resolved that only by competing for qualification and letting strength speak can we ensure fairness. If we obtain more resources in the future, we will gradually expand the scope."
The hall broke into an uproar again. Some rubbed their fists and flexed their palms, while others looked worried.
Second Elder Tang Zhen stepped forward. The pressure of a Titled Douluo instantly enveloped the hall, and everyone fell as silent as cicadas in winter.
"The rules are as follows: starting at age six, participants will be divided into groups spanning three years each. The top three in every group will receive preferential resource allocations. The competition will be held once a year, giving everyone equal opportunities." The second elder's voice was steady and forceful.
"Tomorrow at the hour of the dragon, disciples who wish to compete should register at their respective competition grounds. Each group will draw lots. Matches will be single elimination. Only Martial Souls and Soul Skills are permitted; outside items are forbidden. Once the top three are decided, every other disciple in the group will have one chance to challenge them. But remember!"
The second elder's gaze swept across every face like a blade. "These are only sparring matches. Deliberately inflicting serious injuries is strictly forbidden, and taking a life is even more unacceptable. Violators will not only be disqualified but also severely punished under sect rules!"
As his words fell, the atmosphere in the hall grew still more solemn.
With resources scarce, the sect had no choice but to concentrate its strength on cultivating a spearhead. Everyone else could only wait until more avenues were planned.
Tang Feng stood where he was, already calculating inwardly. Three years per group means I won't be in Tang Jian's group. I should be in the same group as Tang Yong. With my current strength, placing in the top three should be no problem at all.
Seeing that the second elder had finished announcing the rules, Tang Xiao slowly rose. He stood on the platform with his hands behind his back, his voice softening somewhat. "The sect's resources are scarce, and our supply channel has only just been established. We had no choice but to resort to this measure, and I too feel guilty."
At Tang Xiao's words, the expressions of the clansmen below who had looked disappointed immediately eased somewhat.
"But today, I, Tang Xiao, swear here!" His voice suddenly rose, his tiger-like eyes blazing like torches. "Once the sect finds more avenues, we will dig three feet into the ground and exhaust every effort to meet every clansman's basic cultivation needs! We will never allow anyone's talent to be buried for lack of resources!"
Tang Xiao paused, his gaze sweeping over the dejected young disciples, his voice taking on a more encouraging note. "Those who are not selected must not lose heart, much less slack off! There will be resources, and there will be opportunities. You may be weak and your opponent strong today, but tomorrow you may yet turn defeat into victory! Disciples of the Clear Sky Sect may lose for a time, but they must never lose their fighting spirit!"
"All right. Now that the rules are clear, there is no need to say more. Everyone, go back and rest up. Dismissed!"
With that, Tang Xiao turned and headed toward the rear hall. Tang Yuehua gave everyone a gentle nod and followed close behind with light, graceful steps.
The clansmen below remained silent for a moment before streaming out of the hall like a tide.
Watching Tang Xiao's steady figure depart, Tang Feng could not help reflecting that although circumstances had forced this sect master to seal off the sect, he was indeed a responsible man who racked his brains for the sect without losing his human warmth.
He was far better than his younger brother, who could not control his lower half, had brought down a calamity that reached the heavens, and then vanished without taking any responsibility.
"Let's go." Tang Feng patted Tang Jian, who was still standing beside him in a daze over the rules and his own strength. His voice was calm. "Let's go back and prepare. Get yourself into the right condition. Tomorrow's matches won't be easy."
Tang Jian abruptly came to his senses at Tang Feng's pat, a touch of bitterness appearing on his face. "I feel like my chances are shaky. I'm already nine and a half, so I have no advantage in the nine-to-twelve age group. My talent is only middling. Standing out won't be easy. Sigh, I can only do my best."
Upon returning to Stone House Six, Tang Jian immediately ducked into his little stone room, shut the door, and began meditating desperately, like someone sharpening his spear just before battle.
Looking at Tang Jian's tightly shut door, Tang Feng could not help shaking his head slightly.
Tang Feng himself, however, was perfectly calm inside, without much worry.
Tang Feng was seven and a half, putting him toward the older end of the six-to-nine age group. In terms of talent, his innate rank-seven Soul Power also placed him in the first tier among this batch of peers.
More importantly, the six-hundred-year King Kong Baboon Soul Ring Tang Feng had absorbed beyond the limit, along with the formidable Soul Skill he had gained, "King Kong's Wrath," put his actual combat strength far beyond his apparent Soul Power Level.
"Taking first place in the group should be no problem," Tang Feng assessed calmly.
As far as Tang Feng knew, there were currently only seven direct-line disciples under nine who had broken through rank ten and obtained their First Soul Ring, including himself. Among them was Tang Yong, who had gone Soul Hunting with him.
The one with the highest Soul Power was Tang Xiong, who was over a year older than Tang Feng. His Innate Soul Power had been close to rank eight, and his Soul Power had now reached rank fifteen. Most of the others, including Tang Yong, were at rank twelve or thirteen.
As for the disciples who had yet to break through rank ten, their chances of winning were close to zero. There was essentially no point in participating.
The next day, three quarters into the hour of the dragon.
The atmosphere at the ancestral grounds' largest training field was utterly different from usual. The grounds had been temporarily divided into four clearly marked areas, each corresponding to an age group.
By then, the grounds were already packed so tightly with clansmen who had come to watch that not a drop of water could pass through. Cheers, tense discussions, and analyses of the matches intertwined, rising and falling in waves.
The six-to-nine group Tang Feng belonged to had few entrants, only eight, making it seem considerably quieter than the other bustling areas.
The drawing of lots was simple and direct. When the results were revealed, Tang Feng's first opponent was none other than his acquaintance, Tang Yong. The two stood facing each other on the sparring platform.
"Tang Yong, Martial Soul: Clear Sky Hammer, rank-eleven Battle Soul Master. Please instruct me!"
"Tang Feng, Martial Soul: Clear Sky Hammer, rank-thirteen Battle Soul Master. Please instruct me."
This was the customary exchange of courtesy through which Soul Masters showed each other respect.
Tang Yong knew the gap between them well and held nothing back from the outset. The Yellow Soul Ring beneath his feet suddenly blazed with light!
"First Soul Skill, Berserk Bull Charge!"
Tang Yong gave a low roar, his strength increasing by twenty percent! Like a wild bull that had gathered all its power, he gripped his hammer with both hands and charged fiercely at Tang Feng, the wind howling around his hammer with considerable force. Tang Yong knew he had no hope of winning. He only sought to last a few more exchanges and demonstrate his tenacity.
Yet facing this ferocious strike, Tang Feng neither dodged nor evaded, and did not even use a Soul Skill. His feet shifted lightly, and the Clear Sky Hammer seemed to come alive in his hands as he unleashed the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
Hammer shadows wove together as he turned his opponent's force against him, every blow striking precisely at a weak point in the opposing hammer's momentum. On the tenth strike, the webbing of Tang Yong's hands split and bled. The hammer handle flew from his grasp, leaving him no choice but to concede.
Below the platform, Tang Xiong watched with his arms folded, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. He was Tang Feng's only opponent. His First Soul Ring came from a four-hundred-year Iron Armor Dragon Rhinoceros, and his Soul Skill, "Rhinoceros Strength," increased strength by thirty percent and defense by ten percent.
On the finals platform, Tang Xiong activated his Soul Skill first. His body swelled a size, and the wind howled around his hammer.
Tang Feng felt pressure for the first time and was driven back three steps. He held back no longer, activating his First Soul Skill, King Kong's Wrath. His strength surged by fifty percent.
The two began a contest of the purest strength, every hammer blow striking flesh as waves of air rolled and churned. On the twenty-fifth strike, Tang Feng borrowed the force to spin, stacking his hammer's force to nearly six thousand jin. His hammer spiraled around and smashed fiercely into the center of Tang Xiong's hammer handle.
Crack! Tang Xiong's arms went limp, and his Clear Sky Hammer flew backward out of his hands. He staggered back, his face deathly pale.
"I lost!" Tang Xiong conceded readily enough. He gave Tang Feng a long look. "You're even stronger than I imagined!"
With that, the dust settled on the six-to-nine group's competition. Tang Feng took first place without any suspense, Tang Xiong placed second, and another rank-thirteen disciple took third.
When Tang Xiao personally presented the tokens signifying qualification, the clansmen below watched with immensely complicated expressions: envy, jealousy, and unwillingness to accept the result.
That tiny token meant the sect's regard and hope for the future. After finishing their daily training, token holders could go to the sect's administrative office for medicinal baths, strengthening their bodies and improving both their Soul Power recovery rate and cultivation speed.
Competition in Tang Jian's nine-to-twelve group was brutal. Though Tang Jian fought desperately to reach the top eight, he faced the ten-year-old Tang Ba in the match for a place in the top four. With Innate Soul Power of rank eight and overwhelming peak rank-nineteen Soul Power, Tang Ba sent Tang Jian flying with a single hammer blow, leaving him with a regrettable defeat.
From then on, Tang Jian worked even harder at cultivation, almost to the point of forgetting food and sleep. He secretly swore that he would achieve a better result next year.