The Grand Elder raised his hand to signal for silence, putting a stop to the crowd's discussions. Once the scene had calmed down slightly, he continued, "Second place will be rewarded with one high-tier Earth-grade weapon and five Heavenly Spirit Pills!"
"Third place will be rewarded with one mid-tier Earth-grade weapon and five Heavenly Spirit Pills!"
"Fourth to tenth place will be rewarded with one high-tier Profound-grade weapon and three Heavenly Spirit Pills!"
Although the subsequent rewards were not as shocking as those for first place, Earth-grade weapons, Profound-grade weapons, and Heavenly Spirit Pills were all incredibly precious treasures, enough to drive the disciples crazy.
Heavenly Spirit Pills could rapidly cleanse impurities from the physical body, making one's cultivation more condensed, while also having a massive effect on breaking through bottlenecks.
"Too generous! The rewards for this Grand Competition are simply too generous!"
The Sect Master is actually this extravagant this year. Is he throwing caution to the wind?
"For a Heaven-grade weapon, I have to give it my all!"
"It's not just the Heaven-grade weapon; the Heavenly Spirit Pills are equally precious. With them, my cultivation might just take another step forward!"
The participating disciples from the various peaks rubbed their palms together, their battle intent soaring.
The crowd's emotions were thoroughly ignited. As if pumped full of adrenaline, their eyes flickered with a fervent light.
Mu Chenyu of Sword Howl Peak clenched his fists and muttered, "The Heaven-grade weapon, I am determined to get it!"
Lin Xiaowan of Pill Cauldron Peak had a resolute gaze. "Even if I can't get first place, I must charge into the top three and secure an Earth-grade weapon and Heavenly Spirit Pills!"
Sunset Cloud Peak's Su Qingyuan gently stroked her longsword. The blade emitted a faint hum, as if responding to her determination.
...
Gu Changge sat in the spectator stands, looking down at the impassioned disciples, a faint smile curving the corners of his lips.
The Grand Elder looked at the disciples' reactions and nodded in satisfaction. He announced loudly, "Now, I declare that the Azure Profound Sect's Grand Competition officially begins!"
As his voice faded, the array formations on the ten arenas lit up simultaneously. Resplendent spiritual light shot up into the sky, illuminating the entire martial arts field.
The sixty-four participating disciples, according to the results of the drawing of lots, walked sequentially toward their corresponding arenas.
The first round of matches officially raised its curtains.
The moment the gong for the Grand Competition sounded, the ten arenas simultaneously lit up with spiritual light.
When Xiao Ruobai walked onto Arena Three holding his long halberd, a disciple from Flying Cloud Peak was already standing opposite him.
That disciple had a slightly chubby figure and a fleshy face, looking completely harmless.
Holding a short blade, he was none other than Chen Yun, a genius from Flying Cloud Peak who had recently begun to show his talent.
His cultivation at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm could be considered outstanding among the disciples who had entered the sect at the same time.
He smiled at Xiao Ruobai. Seeing that his opponent was Xiao Ruobai, who had just joined the sect this year, a broader smile immediately spread across his lips.
"Tsk tsk, this match is in the bag. The heavens truly treat me well."
Chen Yun rolled his wrists, twirling the short blade around his fingertips.
"Junior Brother Xiao, I won't bully you. Why don't you just forfeit? It'll save you from being beaten too miserably by me later and losing face."
"Brother Yun, hit him lightly, don't make him cry!"
The disciples of Flying Cloud Peak in the surrounding stands "kindly" reminded him.
Xiao Ruobai ignored the voices from the stands. Expressionless, he simply tapped his long halberd against the ground.
The moment the tip of the halberd touched the arena, fine cracks actually appeared on the bluestone slabs. The smile on Chen Yun's face instantly froze by half.
"Enough nonsense. Make your move."
Xiao Ruobai's voice was flat, yet it carried an intense sense of oppression.
Looking at Xiao Ruobai, whose aura had drastically changed, Chen Yun couldn't help but get serious.
"Junior Brother Xiao, watch out!"
His figure blurred. Despite his slightly chubby physique, he was exceptionally agile, darting forward like a civet cat.
The short blade carried a cold gleam as it thrust straight toward Xiao Ruobai's heart. This was precisely Flying Cloud Peak's "Cloud Piercing Thrust," a technique focused entirely on speed.
Up in the stands, the Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak was just about to nod in praise when he saw Xiao Ruobai's feet shift slightly. The moment the Shadow Treading Steps were deployed, his figure shifted half a foot to the side like a phantom, perfectly dodging the blade's edge.
At the same time, the long halberd swept horizontally. The shaft of the halberd carried a sharp, air-piercing whistle as it accurately struck Chen Yun's wrist.
With a crisp crack, Chen Yun felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and the short blade clattered to the ground.
Without giving him a chance to react again, Xiao Ruobai had already closed the distance. The crescent blade of the long halberd pressed against his throat, the icy touch making his entire body go stiff.
"You..."
Chen Yun's eyes were filled with disbelief. No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't understand how the speed he was so proud of was as slow as a snail in his opponent's eyes.
Xiao Ruobai withdrew his long halberd and said calmly, "Thank you for the match."
The entire venue fell silent for a moment before erupting into exclamations.
"What? Xiao Ruobai actually defeated Chen Yun? Chen Yun is in the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm!"
"If I remember correctly, he only joined the sect three months ago, and his aptitude is only low-tier Mortal-grade."
"Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or is my memory messed up? Could it be that he joined the sect many years ago, and I just woke up to find I've transmigrated ten years into the future?"
Some disciples muttered to themselves in disbelief.
"Could I have transmigrated too? I also remember him just joining the sect this year."
Another disciple chimed in.
The smiles of the Flying Cloud Peak disciples froze on their faces. Looking at Xiao Ruobai calmly putting away his halberd on the arena, it was as if they were truly recognizing this Purple Bamboo Peak disciple for the first time.
High up on the platform, Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master Ji Yanqiu stroked his beard and said to Gu Changge beside him, "Junior Brother Gu, this disciple of yours has hidden himself quite deeply."
"Senior Brother Ji must be joking. It was merely a fluke."
Gu Changge replied modestly, a trace of approval flashing deep in his eyes.
The formidable power of the War God Physique went far beyond just this.
As Xiao Ruobai walked down from the arena, the gazes of several Peak Masters in the spectator stands uniformly landed on him, their expressions varying.
Qingyue Peak's Master, Shi Wanshan, patted his round belly and smacked his lips, saying, "This kid tested as having a low-tier Mortal-grade aptitude when he first joined the sect. At that time, I even discussed with Xuanyangzi whether we should look for a few more good disciples to send to Purple Bamboo Peak..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was nudged by the elbow of Pill Cauldron Peak's Master, Li Muran, who then pursed his lips in Gu Changge's direction.
Shi Wanshan immediately understood and chuckled.
"But looking at it now, Junior Brother Changge truly has a knack for training disciples. Thinking about his endless stream of treasures, it's not surprising that he could forcefully revitalize a Mortal-grade aptitude."
The several Peak Masters exchanged glances, all seeing a bit of understanding in each other's eyes.
Over these years, which of the treasures Gu Changge casually brought out wasn't a divine artifact capable of driving the entire Profound State crazy?
Right at this moment, a burst of cheers erupted from Arena Seven.
Fang Hanyu held the Taichu Sword, its tip pointing diagonally toward the ground. The late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple opposite him had already slumped to the floor, staring at his severed longsword with a face full of bewilderment.
From start to finish, Fang Hanyu had only executed two sword strikes, cleanly and decisively ending the battle before his opponent could even react.
The first strike blocked the opponent's attack and smoothly broke through their defense, while the second strike cleanly severed their weapon, the longsword pointing straight at the opponent's throat.
It seemed effortless, yet it revealed the unique precision and sharpness of Chaos Sword Qi.
"I've lost. Thank you for showing mercy. I will seek your guidance again in the future."
This disciple was rather straightforward. Inferior in skill, he frankly admitted defeat and walked off the arena.
"Is that... the newly joined Fang Hanyu? He's this fierce?"
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
