Cultivating immortality begins with discerning the secrets of heaven.

Chapter 77 On the Eve of the Minor Competition (Seeking First Subscription)

Taiyuan Immortal City, Sect Enforcement Hall.

Lin Hongye held the letter Lin Yun had sent between her fingers, and her expression immediately turned rather unpleasant.

"Lin Xuan, look what you've done! My cousin Lin Yun has resigned from his job at the insect garden. Who am I supposed to find to take care of the spirit insects now?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xuan's face turned pale, and she said uneasily, "If the elders need me, I am willing to take on this job in the Insect Garden."

Lin Hongye's displeasure deepened, and she said, "Heh, you know how to raise spirit insects? How come I didn't know you had this skill before?"

"Do you know that I was able to build an insect garden in the sect thanks to the help of my cousin Lin Yun?"

"Next, I'll be raising golden silkworms and black-winged mantises in the insect garden. Are you familiar with the habits and care details of these two auspicious insects?"

Lin Xuan opened her mouth, but was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.

"Foolish! We're all from the same family; we should be united when we're out together. What are you thinking?"

"You think I'm being biased? That I'm being too lenient with my cousin Lin Yun?"

"Let me tell you, everything that my cousin Lin Yun has today is something he earned through his own efforts."

"He provided the tradition of raising spirit insects, and the insect garden was built thanks to him. I give him 30% of the profits as a way of thanking him for his efforts."

At this point, Lin Hongye sighed and said in a deep voice, "Before the sect competition begins, you should go back and apologize to Lin Yun. The Insect Garden will probably not be able to function well without his care, and we will need his help to take care of the Black Knife Black-Winged Mantis afterward."

Now that Lin Hongye has the cultivation level of Foundation Establishment, her words naturally carry great authority.

Lin Xuan could only silently endure it, not daring to utter a single word of rebuttal.

"Yes, sir!"

"You can go down now. I'll write a letter to my cousin Lin Yun before you set off with the Black-Blade Xuan-Winged Mantis," Lin Hongye waved her hand, somewhat helplessly.

Taiyuan Sect, Lingxu Peak.

Since missing out on the Foundation Establishment Pill, Wu Tong has been like a demon, spending his days in seclusion and cultivating, and has not stepped out of the courtyard for a long time.

"The peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining is the next level to the tenth level of Qi Refining."

"But he's only at the Qi Refining stage after all. Lin Hongye has already become an Elder of Punishments. That position should have been mine..."

During his seclusion, Wu Tong's eyes flashed with intense hatred.

Although he will definitely be able to exchange for one Foundation Establishment Pill when the sect distributes them next time, it will be too late to catch up with Lin Hongye.

Lin Hongye, who has become an elder of punishment, receives an extra 100 sect contribution points every month, in addition to various mission rewards.

The gap between him and Lin Hongye will only widen further, and he may never catch up.

"Fortunately, the winner of this sect competition will receive a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"I am determined to win the championship!"

Wu Tong took a deep breath, and hope returned to his face.

With that thought in mind, he quickly walked out of the courtyard and headed to his ancestor's cave on the peak.

"Ancestor Tie Luo! This junior, Wu Tong, has come to pay my respects!"

Outside a cave dwelling with flowing water, Wu Tong respectfully clasped his hands in greeting.

Soon, the restrictions in front of the cave were lifted, and an old voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Upon entering the cave, Wu Tong looked at his ancestor's much older face and felt a slight pang in his heart.

"You're here for the sect's minor competition, right?"

Wu Tong nodded and lowered his head, saying, "This junior is unworthy and missed the chance to exchange for the Foundation Establishment Pill last time. Now I want to compete for this Foundation Establishment Pill in the sect's minor competition."

Elder Tie Luo sat cross-legged in the shadows, his two cloudy eyes gazing at this junior member of his family for a while.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, "What are the chances of success?"

Wu Tong thought for a moment, then said, "I have a 50% chance of winning. Zhao Jingshan from Qingyuan Peak, Zhang Miaoran from Cuiwei Peak, and Du Jin from Shouzhuo Peak are all at the peak of the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage. I dare not say that I am absolutely certain of victory."

The three people he mentioned were arguably the most famous among the Qi Refining stage disciples.

Like Wu Tong, they are disciples who will definitely be able to exchange for one Foundation Establishment Pill next time, and they are both very strong and experienced.

As for the disciples who have just joined the sect, their foundation is still too shallow to compete with the more senior disciples.

Elder Tielu coughed a few times. His health had been deteriorating over the years, a sign that his lifespan was running out.

Having protected the family for so many years, it's almost time for it to come to an end.

Once he passes away, the Wu family will lose much of its influence within the sect.

Cultivating a second Foundation Establishment Elder within the sect has been something the family has strived for over the years.

Fortunately, the younger generation of this family has good aptitude, although their temperament is a bit lacking. But with the help of the Foundation Establishment Pill, successfully establishing a foundation should not be too difficult.

"You've come to ask for the talisman?"

Wu Tong, whose thoughts had been exposed, felt no shame, but instead readily nodded and admitted to it.

"The Ancestor is absolutely right. If I had a talisman as a trump card, I would be 90% confident of winning the sect's minor competition."

Upon hearing this, Elder Tie Luo flipped his wrist, revealing a talisman imprinted with a golden broadsword. The talisman's quality far surpassed that of ordinary talismans, but its spiritual light was very dim.

"This golden talisman can still be activated twice. With a full-force attack, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would have to retreat."

"Using this item in a sect competition is going a bit too far."

Wu Tong couldn't take his eyes off the talisman emitting a faint golden light, and a surge of excitement welled up inside him.

"Ancestor, the competition in this sect competition is far more intense than in previous years. For the sake of a Foundation Establishment Pill, others may prepare some dishonest methods."

Elder Tielu sighed softly and finally handed the golden talisman to Wu Tong.

"Take it, but I only allow you to use it in the final championship match to achieve a surprise effect."

After receiving the talisman, Wu Tong could no longer contain his excitement.

"Thank you so much for the treasure, Ancestor!"

Elder Tie Luo waved his hand and said, "Go back and prepare well for the sect's minor competition. Don't be arrogant. Others may also have their own trump cards."

"This junior takes his leave!"

Time passed leisurely, and the atmosphere of the Seven Peaks Competition of Taiyuan Sect grew stronger and stronger. Some disciples even set up betting odds in private, wagering on who would win the competition.

As for those disciples who were determined to compete for the Foundation Establishment Pill, they were all eager to try and add as many fighting techniques as possible to their skills.

Lin Yun, on the other hand, focused on cultivating in the courtyard, using the resources brought by Song Cheng to improve his cultivation and physique.

"This Marrow Refining Pill is truly effective; just one pill has made my blood and qi so much stronger."

"It's a pity, it's just too expensive."

With that, Lin Yun swallowed the second Marrow Refining Pill and continued cultivating the Blood Moving Technique.

Following the qi and blood circulation route in this body-refining technique, he focused on circulating every bit of qi and blood in his body, trying to integrate the qi and blood internal stakes he had built into his body.

boom!

For a moment, a faint rumbling sound of blood and qi could be heard from his body.

His blood and energy are too vigorous now; every time they surge, a huge amount of blood rushes through his meridians.

However, there is still a long way to go before this body-strengthening technique is perfected.

"Again!"

A resolute look flashed in Lin Yun's eyes as he swallowed a drop of the Mad Ape's essence blood.

Instantly, his skin turned bright red, like a boiled shrimp.