Cultivating Immortality: I Have a High-Martial World

Chapter 87 The First Round of the Competition: Lin Chen Enters the Arena

These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion among the disciples in the square.

"Wow~ This year's rewards seem even more generous than before!"

"This is a mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pill; you couldn't even buy it for two thousand spirit stones in the market!"

"Unfortunately, I'm only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, so I have absolutely no hope of winning first place in the competition..."

Lin Chen looked at the excited disciples around him, all of whom had a look of eagerness on their faces.

"First place in the Changchun Gate Grand Competition, this reward is quite generous..."

Lin Chen thought to himself.

The winner of the grand competition, with all the rewards combined, would probably be worth three to five thousand spirit stones.

Moreover, to ensure fairness, the sect set up four arenas.

There were a total of four first-place finishers in the competition.

Aside from the intense competition among outer disciples, the competition among inner disciples is actually not that fierce.

Just like the arena competition that Lin Chen participated in, which was for those with less than five years of experience.

Representatives from each peak, totaling 32 disciples, were sent.

Their strength is mostly between the sixth and ninth levels of Qi Refining.

The winner of the competition will receive a generous reward if they stand out among the thirty-two disciples.

"However, compared to the previous generation of disciples, they still have a considerable advantage..."

Lin Chen looked at a group of teenagers dressed in disciple robes not far away.

Most of them were around eighteen or nineteen years old, and their cultivation levels were all in the late stage of Qi Refining.

There are even one or two exceptionally talented individuals who have nearly reached the pinnacle of their cultivation.

Compared to the new generation of disciples like Lin Chen, the previous generation of disciples had cultivated for three more years.

Whether it's the abundance of true essence in cultivation or the mastery of techniques, they undoubtedly have many advantages.

Just as Lin Chen was pondering, a voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Lin Chen, in this sect competition... I will defeat you head-on!"

Lin Chen turned around and saw that the person speaking was none other than Li Zhenqian.

"Fellow Daoist Li..."

Lin Chen was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly froze, realizing what Li Zhenqian looked like.

She had a thin figure and messy hair hanging down her back.

His face was unusually pale, except for the dark circles around his eyes, which looked like he had applied smoky makeup.

"Uh, Fellow Daoist Li, have you suffered a qi deviation during your cultivation?"

Lin Chen asked tentatively.

It's no wonder he's suspicious; Li Zhenqian's appearance is exactly like that of a demonic cultivator practicing demonic arts.

Upon hearing Lin Chen's words, Li Zhenqian opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words.

He only gave a cold snort and said:

"Lin Chen, I will definitely defeat you! See you in the finals!"

Having said that, he turned his back to Lin Chen, thinking himself profound, leaving him with only the back of his head.

A moment later, when he turned around, Lin Chen was nowhere to be seen.

A look of resentment flashed in Li Zhenqian's eyes.

"Damn it, you still look down on me... After this, I'll show you who the sect's number one genius really is!"

A hint of confidence lingered in Li Zhenqian's eyes.

After being repeatedly defeated by Lin Chen, he rallied his spirits, lost sleep, and cultivated day and night.

During this time, he devoted himself to refining weapons, making pills, and setting up formations, wishing he could stretch a day into forty-eight hours.

And he finally reached the eighth level of Qi Refining a few days ago.

Such a speed of cultivation is terrifying among the new generation of disciples.

Even those disciples who entered the sect three years earlier might not have a higher cultivation level than him.

Therefore, it must be said that human potential is truly limitless.

Especially for a cultivator with a true spiritual root like him, when he puts his mind to cultivation, his cultivation will naturally progress by leaps and bounds.

……

On the other side, Lin Chen paid no attention to Li Zhenqian.

For him, whether or not he wins first place in the competition depends entirely on his mood.

"Hello, I am representing Danfeng in this sect competition."

Lin Chen handed over the disciple token and registered with the elder.

"Danfeng disciples, it's been over ten years since you've participated in the Grand Competition... Sending you this year is quite a novelty!"

After the elder in charge of the competition registered Lin Chen, he was asked to draw a number.

His number was thirty-two, and according to the rules, he was to fight against the disciple who drew number thirty-one.

After drawing a number, there is a long waiting period.

Number thirty-two, ranked last, Lin Chen was the disciple in the last group to compete.

"This competition officially begins!"

With the sect leader's order, the grand competition proceeded in full swing.

Lin Chen stood below the arena, observing the matches between the disciples.

Ignition spell, water elemental spell, wood elemental entanglement...

Various fancy spells emerged one after another, bursting with five-colored light on the arena.

After watching for a while, Lin Chen commented:

"For cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, the most practical skill is still the art of weapon manipulation!"

"The Five Elements techniques consume even more true energy and have limited power. Their effects are far less immediate than those of weapon-based attacks during the Qi Refining stage..."

Currently, Lin Chen does not possess many magical techniques.

He believed in the saying "don't bite off more than you can chew," and only sought to achieve the best.

Lin Chen has mastered the Wood Concealment Technique to perfection.

Under the cover of concealment, as long as Lin Chen does not unleash his full cultivation power, even a Core Formation stage cultivator would not be able to see through him.

The art of spirit control was second nature to Lin Chen; it was his most proficient technique.

In addition, Lin Chen has also mastered the Yin Wood Strength and the Rejuvenation Technique, and can unleash considerable power.

While Lin Chen was pondering, the results of more than ten consecutive matches had already been determined.

Unsurprisingly, the winners were all from the previous generation of disciples.

The few new disciples at the sixth level of Qi Refining were all defeated.

"The next match will be between disciple number 23 and disciple number 24..."

After the elder made the announcement, Li Zhenqian leaped onto the arena.

His opponent was a senior brother at the eighth level of Qi Refining, whose cultivation level was close to the ninth level.

Lin Chen originally thought that Li Zhenqian would be easily defeated, but he didn't expect that this kid was really something.

With his mastery of earth spikes, he turned the tide at a crucial moment and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

"Tsk tsk, after all, he's a cultivator with a true spiritual root... it's understandable that his spells are more powerful!"

Lin Chen thought to himself.

"The winner is number 24, Li Zhenqian!" came the elder's voice from the stage.

After his victory, Lee Jin-kyung did not rush to step down.

His gaze was fixed on Lin Chen under the tree, his eyes filled with intense fighting spirit.

"Lin Chen, I will defeat you! I will be the one to win first place in the competition!"

Li Zhenqian's voice was loud and clear, drawing frequent glances from the disciples and elders in the square.

Several pairs of eyes also fell on Lin Chen, who was in the distance.

"So Li Zhengqian is the only cultivator with a true spiritual root this year? And what's Lin Chen's background?"

"He is a disciple of Danfeng, and the first in this cohort to enter the Qi Refining stage."

"Tsk tsk, it seems there's quite a grudge between these two junior brothers!"

"However, to claim first place in the grand competition is perhaps overestimating oneself! In decades, no disciple has ever achieved first place in their very first year of training!"

Hearing the whispers around him, Lin Chen looked at Li Zhenqian on the arena with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

"On my very first day at the school, my master told me that the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind..."

"Damn it, I just wanted to honestly get first place in the competition... Now look what's happened, the whole sect has noticed."

Lin Chen thought to himself with a hint of helplessness.

For disciples in the Qi Refining stage, combat is not a long-lasting affair.

Soon, the elder on the platform announced.

"The final match of the first round will be between disciple number 32 and disciple number 31..."

(End of this chapter)