Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Fang Yue arrived fourth. He was more silent than a few years ago, but his aura was much stronger, and he was also at the peak of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

Xu Chuan put down his teacup and lowered his voice: "Do you know now? Something big has happened in the sect recently."

Yan Chiheng said directly, "How could I not know? All the Foundation Establishment cultivators outside have been summoned back. What's going on so mysteriously?"

Xu Chuan didn't answer immediately, but instead raised his hand and set up a soundproof barrier around the edge of the pavilion.

"Don't tell anyone," he said. "I heard it from the bottom of my head—the sect is going to hold a grand competition every century."

The pavilion fell silent for a moment.

Fang Yue frowned: "Impossible. Judging by the timeline, the sect competition is at least forty years away."

The sect's centennial competition is only open to disciples who have been in the sect for less than a hundred years. According to the timeline, it will be at least another forty years. The Yunhai Cangming Sect has been around for seventy thousand years, and the rules of the centennial competition have basically remained unchanged.

Lin Zhao remained silent.

The Centennial Grand Competition naturally offers generous rewards, but he had never placed his hopes for Core Formation resources on it.

By the time of the Grand Competition, he would be over a hundred years old. Even if he achieved a high-grade Golden Core by then, he would be temporarily out of luck when it came to the sect's true inheritance.

The conditions for becoming a true disciple of a sect are very strict. One must achieve a high-grade Golden Core within the age of one hundred. Those who achieve a high-grade Golden Core within the age of one hundred but not within the sect can only obtain the qualification to become a true disciple through sect missions.

Therefore, Lin Zhao never considered the path of spending more than a hundred years on it, and now he has completed the accumulation of Core Formation resources ahead of schedule.

The centennial competition wasn't that important to him.

But it's different for Yan Chiheng, Xu Chuan, and Fang Yue; their chances of achieving a high-grade Golden Elixir before the age of one hundred are slim.

Their future path is basically to achieve the highest grade of Golden Core and then rely on sect missions to earn the true inheritance, but this path is equally difficult.

The Centennial Grand Competition is their last guaranteed chance to obtain Core Formation resources. Forty years later, their cultivation level will be at least at the peak of Foundation Establishment, just enough to compete for rankings and rewards.

However, they are all at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage now. Although their combat strength is comparable to the peak of Foundation Establishment, they have no advantage against the peak Foundation Establishment cultivators who are also the sect's prodigies.

This timing is making everyone uncomfortable.

Lin Zhao has the ability to compete for a top spot, but he doesn't really need the rewards. Those who do need them don't have the ability to compete for them.

"It's true," Xu Chuan said. "Qiankun Palace specially took three thousand third-tier spiritual items and five hundred third-tier magic treasures from the sect's inventory."

The top 3,000 will receive spiritual items, the top 500 will receive both spiritual items and magic treasures, and sect rewards will be stacked. The top 100 will receive ten Cloud Sea Jade Talismans, the top 10 will receive thirty, the top 10 will receive fifty, and the top 10 will also receive special opportunities.

No one spoke. Third-tier spiritual objects were essential for Core Formation, and third-tier magic treasures greatly enhanced a cultivator's strength.

The Cloud Sea Jade Talisman is a special certificate awarded to Core Formation cultivators after they complete their sect's mission.

Ten Cloud Sea Jade Talismans are equivalent to the reward for a Core Formation cultivator completing one sect mission; fifty talismans are equivalent to five missions. An ordinary Core Formation cultivator might need to accumulate them for a hundred years.

"The sect is really generous with its rewards. They're giving away spirit items and magic treasures like crazy. It seems the grand competition is really coming," Yan Chiheng exclaimed.

After discussing for most of the day, the four of them came up with a plan to use their reserve contribution points ahead of time and quickly advance to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

With their talent and late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, it's hard to say if they'll make it into the top 500, but they're guaranteed to be in the top 3,000, at least one spiritual item, and hopefully one magic weapon.

Lin Zhao, who possessed several magic treasures, knew best how much magic treasures could enhance a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Then the topic shifted to something else.

"Why did the sect hold the grand competition earlier? What are the special opportunities for the top ten?" Yan Chiheng asked.

The Yunhai Cangming Sect has a history of 70,000 years, and the rules of the century-old grand competition have remained basically unchanged.

In the past, when the Heavenly Fire Dynasty was destroyed, only Master Qianqiu, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, intervened.

Xu Chuan was more familiar with the sect's rules.

"At least a Nascent Soul cultivator needs to intervene, and not just any ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, but a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator of high rank and authority, to push this forward."

Everyone looked at Fang Yue. Among the four masters, Fang Yue's master, Kongming Zhenren, had the highest cultivation level and status.

Fang Yue shook his head and said, "Master left the sect to travel seven years ago, and we can't contact him."

Everyone looked at Lin Zhao.

Yan Chiheng asked, "Does Master Qianqiu know about this?"

"I just got out of customs, I haven't been there yet."

"Go there," Xu Chuan said, "and ask if there's any news."

Lin Zhao nodded in understanding, "I'll go ask about it tomorrow."

Qianqiu Peak remains unchanged.

There was nothing superfluous on the entire peak. At the summit was the cave dwelling of True Person Qianqiu. Lin Zhao passed through several layers of restrictions. Inside the cave dwelling, True Person Qianqiu, dressed in a black feather robe, sat cross-legged on a cloud bed.

Lin Zhao bowed respectfully and recounted the information he had heard, the sect competition, and the arrangements for the group.

Master Qianqiu listened quietly without making a sound.

Lin Zhao felt more confident.

This is most likely true, and Master Qianqiu may know something about it.

After a long while, Qianqiu Zhenren finally spoke, "A few days ago, your grandmaster summoned two Nascent Soul cultivators from our lineage, as well as the Core Formation cultivators under his command, and mentioned this matter."

Lin Zhao's heart stirred. His grandmaster, Wuya Zhenjun, was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in the sect. The matter he personally raised carried special weight.

"The one who pushed this forward was a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from the sect."

Master Qianqiu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm. "He personally presided over the competition. The reason is a secret realm."

"A secret realm?"

"That secret realm has restrictions; those at the Core Formation or Nascent Soul stages can't enter easily, so we can only send Foundation Establishment disciples." Master Qianqiu looked at him. "The top ten disciples will represent the sect. We're not the only ones participating; other dominant forces are also involved."

Lin Zhao frowned slightly.

Master Qianqiu paused for a moment: "With your current strength, making it into the top ten shouldn't be difficult. But you need to think carefully—to go, or not to go?"

Lin Zhao remained silent.

To be honest, he didn't really want to go.

Holding a major competition within the sect would at most delay his cultivation time by a few months.

Entering the secret realm is a different story—dangerous, unknown, and time unpredictable.

He has now gathered all the spiritual materials needed for Core Formation and acquired the necessary pills. With decades of steady cultivation, a high-grade Golden Core is within his grasp.

Once you obtain the true disciple status and your strength increases dramatically, you can then undertake missions to accumulate resources and proceed steadily.

Why bother getting involved in this mess now? It's a secret realm watched by a Nascent Soul cultivator; if you're not careful, you could die inside and lose everything.

Master Qianqiu seemed to see through his thoughts and did not urge him. He simply said, "If you don't want to go, just don't make it into the top ten during the competition. This time, the sect needs disciples who can compete with other forces. Ordinary rankings are not worth their attention."

But there are some things I need to tell you in advance.

Lin Zhao composed himself and listened attentively.

"This time, many treasures at the fourth-tier Nascent Soul level will appear in the secret realm."

Master Qianqiu's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a stone hitting water. "This opportunity is so great that even a Nascent Soul cultivator like your grandmaster would be envious, let alone someone who has just formed a Core. However, due to the rules agreed upon by the sect's Nascent Soul cultivators, they cannot enter."

The combat level is limited to Foundation Establishment, and with the sect's protection, safety is guaranteed. If you can obtain a fourth-tier opportunity inside…