Chapter 033

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‘ ‘ for thoughts.

“ “ for speech.

<> for non-verbal communication like telepathy

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Warning: May contain mature content (18+) of an adult nature. Read at your own risk.

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Note:

Although the full name mentioned here are Chinese style, (example: Fang Hao, surname Fang first then given name Hao), the names clubbed with descriptions are description and then given name instead of description and surname (example Fatty Hao and not Fatty Fang).

Btw, I read all your comments, but may not reply to each and every one separately.

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The annual tournament for outer disciples was a round the corner. Almost a week had passed since he formed his first seal, but the “Alchemical Toxicity (Mild)” status effect had not dispersed from him. Since he was abstaining from any spirit wine, his practice of the Divine Vajra Body Scripture had slowed down to a crawl. He could barely manage one repetition of the step before 2/3rd of his Qi was depleted. And the sublime Qi Manual’s Qi Recovery rate was quite slow due to the increased Qi he had now. Still, he was hopeful to get back on track after the Alchemical Toxicity left his system. He had decided to use the spirit wine he would save to first breakthrough to the Qi Condensation stage before seriously investing in practicing his body reining scripture. It would be more efficient to build up his Qi reserves and obtain a better Qi Manual before he practiced the Qi intensive steps of the Body Refining Scripture.

Fang Hao was in all his armored glory waiting near the fighting ring on their outer disciple hill waiting for the annual competition to commence. The senior managing the outer disciple assignment hall arrived with a circular stone disk magic tool, which Fang Hao recognized as a recording device. The senior chanted for a bit and made a few hand seals as the recording disk floated above the fighting ring. He then coughed audibly and the general murmur of the outer disciples became silent. The senior, was without scruples, and was the one who had regularly embezzled Fang Hao’s wine looked like a middle aged man with sickly pale yellow skin and a short messy crop of hair streaked with gray. He announced loudly;

“This is the annual competition for outer disciples. The usual rules apply; no killing no permanent crippling; none of your own weapons. However there is a new rule this year. You are not allowed to wear any form of armor while competing in the non-lethal fights. Those who are armored un-equip all your armor there. If I find later that the winner is armored, I will impose severe penalties on your chores!” He said pointedly as he glared at Fang Hao’s armored figure and pointed at a series of bathrooms in the distance.

There was a series of audible grumbling as Fang Hao and a dozen or so outer disciples went towards the indicated area, removed their armor and returned to the fighting ring carrying their armor. Most had chainmail or a leather jacket of some sort, but Fang Hao had a small pile of armor in his arms. He reached his clique and dumped the armor near the fatties and said “Brothers, please lok after the armor when it is my turn to fight.” “Of course Fatty Hao.” “You can count on it fellow apprentice brother.” A couple of fatties reassured him.

All the now unarmored disciples had returned and the senior once again said. “Now this year things are a bit different. The elders have decided to stimulate the young generation and the outer disciple match rewards are very significant. In the main competition, the top 10 will receive 5 Qi Condensing Pills each.” There was a pause as he allowed it to sink in. A Qi Condensing Pill would increase the chances of a peak Qi Gathering cultivator to breakthrough into the Qi Condensation stage by a third! 5 Qi Gathering Pills meant that a breakthrough into Qi Condensation was guaranteed!

“The top 3 will also get a chance to select a Qi Condensation level Manual of their choice without any contribution point cost!” There was more silence as he waited for the impact of the reward to sink in. Most outer disciples used the stable, but not outstanding, Sublime Qi Manual to breakthrough into the Qi Condensation stage to become an inner disciple and receive a steady stream of contribution points per month.

Then they would save up the contribution points till they could afford a Qi Condensation grade Manual and some spells until they could actually perform missions for the sect or ask seniors for guidance. Of course if one already had a master, things were a lot easier. But most outer disciples couldn’t hope to have one until they became Core Disciples with Foundation Establishment realm Cultivation by the age of 50. Of course, the sooner they managed to breakthrough, the more attention and resources would they receive. There was a distinct background murmur as the news of choice of a Manual without contribution points undoubtedly excited everyone.

“And the one, who secures the 1st place in the main competition, will be given 10 spirit stones and some personal guidance on their cultivation by an Elder!” Instantly there was an uproar in the assembled outer disciples. Outer Disciples had to struggle with their life on the line, depending on all sort of underhanded tactics for a chance to gain even a single spirit stone in the lethal fights of the arena. However, being 1st in this non-lethal competition would allow them to not only get 5 Qi Condensing Pills, a Qi Condensation manual of their choice, and TEN of these spirit stones…but also some cultivation guidance from an Elder.

Elders had an unfathomable cultivation base far beyond the Foundation Establishment realm. Receiving even an offhand piece of advice about their practice at the Qi Gathering layer easily save years , maybe even a decade, for reaching the Foundation Establishment realm. And with the advice of an Elder along with the resources of the tournament, reaching the Qi Condensation Stage was not even worth a fart. In fact coming 1st in this tournament guaranteed around a 30% chance of reaching the foundation establishment realm within a couple of decades!

‘Hmm. I think the no armor rule is targeted at me so I am probably noticed by the higher-ups. No one else was as sincere as me to use their armor in a righteous and open manner. And what is up with the increased rewards. It almost seems like the elders are getting impatient or something. Whatever, this lord here has decided to go all out for the rewards.’ thought a determined Fang Hao with determination sparkling in his beady little eyes.