CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: THE CONTEST OF THE NEW STARS_1

It was rare to see disciples with Spiritual Bodies, even in the New Talent Contest among the Inner Door disciples of the Riverside Sect. With just a little cultivation, there was a chance to nurture a Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse. No wonder Zhou Shili was so composed; it turned out he had a target in mind all along.

"It seems our perspective was too narrow," Yuan Jing said with a self-deprecating laugh and a sigh.

As Peak Masters, Yuan Jing and the others had reviewed information on the more popular figures among this batch of new disciples. They knew a little about Liu Qing and Lv Xu. These newcomers, renowned among the outer disciples, could indeed be called young geniuses. However, compared to disciples with Spiritual Bodies, they paled in comparison.

"This time, Stars Peak has truly acquired an excellent prospect."

"Later, I must also ask the disciples within my peak if any genius has emerged from their families, so I can bring them to my mountain gate for cultivation."

Although the two Peak Masters coveted Proud Disciples with Spiritual Bodies, they knew this prospect was recommended by an inner disciple of Stars Peak and wouldn’t be easily poached. Even if they wanted to contend for this disciple, their chances were slim.

"Peak Master, rest assured. My younger brother will surely win first place in this New Talent Contest. When he officially joins Stars Peak, it will greatly enhance our peak’s reputation." The top disciples in the past few New Talent Contests had all been snatched by Rising Sun Peak and Bright Moon Peak. It had been many years since Stars Peak had a top-ranking disciple from the New Talent Contest join them.

Seeing his younger cousin making a show before two prominent figures, Lu Yao, as the older cousin, felt a sense of pride and immediately made a bold declaration.

"Don’t speak too soon. Be careful you don’t bite off more than you can chew."

"If you make such claims now, and your cousin fails to win the New Talent Contest, won’t you be terribly embarrassed?"

Just then, a lazy voice interjected. The speaker was Guo Zhao. He happened to have some free time and had come specifically to see Shen Mo’s performance. Seeing Lu Yao’s arrogant demeanor, he couldn’t resist a sarcastic remark.

Recognizing him, Lu Yao’s eyes turned cold. "My younger cousin may not possess heaven-defying Talent, but in this year’s New Talent Contest, he at least stands out from the crowd. Brother Guo, do you perhaps know a new disciple who can contend with him?"

"Naturally, I do." Guo Zhao shrugged and pointed towards Shen Mo. "There, that’s the one I have high hopes for."

"This person looks quite ordinary. Could he also be a dark horse?" Guo Zhao’s casual gesture immediately drew the Peak Masters’ attention to Shen Mo. His earlier taunt towards Lu Yao was secondary; his primary goal was to introduce Shen Mo to the Peak Masters. With all three Dantian opened, his potential wasn’t bad, though still somewhat inferior to an extreme Talent like a Thunder Body. He just couldn’t stand Lu Yao’s smug expression.

"In that case, let’s wait and see." Lu Yao, seeing that Guo Zhao had stolen the limelight with his words about Shen Mo, couldn’t help but look at Shen Mo with a hint of resentment.

「...」

Standing in the crowd, waiting for Elder Chu Chen to announce the start of the competition, Shen Mo was oblivious to the attention he had garnered. At this moment, his thoughts were not on the New Talent Contest, but on the Mountain River Realm.

I heard that only the top fifty finishers get to cultivate in the Mountain River Realm. I should be able to achieve that easily. But I’ve also heard that the Mountain River Realm was formed from a fragment of a spatial ruin obtained by the Riverside Sect, and it was once a battlefield of Foreign Realm Demons. Although it contains numerous Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, they are scattered everywhere, and many areas are sealed by Prohibitions, making them difficult to obtain. The Spirit Storage Rat possesses a bloodline Skill that allows it to ignore Prohibitions. If I bring it along, it might be very helpful.

Thinking this, Shen Mo felt he had a considerable advantage over the other disciples. If he entered the Mountain River Realm, he believed he could reap a great harvest.

"All the new inner disciples have arrived." At the front of the Lingxu Stage, Elder Chu Chen waved his sleeve and began to announce the rules of the New Talent Contest.

"The rules of the New Talent Contest are simple. Opponents will be determined by drawing lots, and you will compete on the arenas. Winners advance, losers are eliminated."

"This time, a total of two hundred disciples are participating in the New Talent Contest. If there’s an odd number, one lot will be a ’bye.’ The disciple who draws this lot will advance to the next round without competing."

"All disciples who rank in the top fifty will have the opportunity to earn the privilege of cultivating for ten days in the Mountain River Realm."

"Those who reach the top ten will receive a Foundation Pill."

"Those who make it to the top five will be rewarded with a chance to select a magic from the third floor of the Magic Tower."

"If you have the prowess to claim the top spot in the New Talent Contest, you will be awarded a New Talent Immortal Suit, specially crafted by our Riverside Sect. This suit is a profound-level, middle-grade magic artifact, and its value is self-explanatory."

His voice echoed, stirring excitement among countless disciples, eager to prove themselves.

"You were all outer disciples before. Perhaps you only knew that the Inner Door allows for better training and resources, but you are unaware of the harsh realities within it."

"Today, let me tell you: all sect resources within the Inner Door must be earned through your own efforts. If you can outperform everyone else, you will naturally be regarded as a key disciple and nurtured by the sect. If your performance is mediocre, no one will care whether you live or die."

The cultivation world was never a place where resources were shared equally. The sect’s resources were limited; winner-takes-all was the norm.

"This New Talent Contest is the first hurdle in your struggle for resources. If you have real abilities, demonstrate them on the Yuxu Altar. It’s a fierce competition where a thousand sails compete and a hundred boats race. You must seize this opportunity!"

"Lastly, I must remind you: on the Yuxu Altar, battles are unpredictable, and injuries are unavoidable." Chu Chen’s expression turned solemn as he continued, "However, it is ultimately a contest among fellow disciples, not a battle against mortal enemies. Therefore, deliberately killing an opponent is forbidden. Violators will be punished according to sect regulations."

"Have you all understood?"

"Disciples understand," everyone responded in unison.

"Very well. I declare this session of the New Talent Contest officially open!" Elder Chu Chen held a jade lot container and waved it slightly.

SWOOSH!

From the container, two hundred long lots, each inscribed with a different name, transformed into streaks of light and flew, eventually landing in the hand of a disciple.

The drawing of lots began!

Instantly, the atmosphere ignited. Disciples held their breath, silently praying not to encounter a strong opponent in the first round.

"Xu... Longxiang..." An inner disciple activated his long lot and, upon seeing Xu Longxiang’s name, his face immediately turned deathly pale.

It’s over... He was well aware of his opponent’s ferocity, and he knew his own strength was merely mediocre among the new disciples. Encountering such a prominent figure, it was clear he was already eliminated from the contest.

Some were joyful, others despondent. While some faces were etched with worry, others were beaming with delight.

"Liu Chong! HAHA! This fellow is notoriously a good-for-nothing who only broke through to the Qi Gathering Realm by stuffing himself with spiritual medicines."

Such an opponent! It seems the heavens are smiling upon me, Gu Shun! Holding the jade lot, the disciple laughed boisterously.

His chosen opponent, Liu Chong, however, wore an ugly expression, clearly finding the remark deeply humiliating.

Who is my opponent? Shen Mo surveyed the reactions of the surrounding disciples before finally focusing on the jade lot in his own hand.

HUM!

He channeled a surge of Mana from his palm. The moment it touched the jade lot, the name of his opponent materialized:

Li Chang’an

The name on the jade lot flickered and soon resonated with another jade lot in the distance. Shen Mo looked in that direction and saw a young disciple with shoulder-length hair.

It seemed his luck was decent; he hadn’t drawn a strong opponent in the first round.

This thought occurred not only to Shen Mo but also to Li Chang’an. However, Li Chang’an was unaware that the opponent he had just drawn was likely one of the most formidable combatants among all the disciples.