Second Time

Chapter 6 - Inner Competition

The next six months flew by.

In terms of Shao Yue's connection with the Sect, they were uneventful. Nobody caused trouble for them. Ren Meili even noticed many people acting more respectful towards her. A rumour about Shao Yue and Feng Junjie's confrontation had spread.

In terms of cultivation, the two received great boons during the half year.

Shao Yue broke through two more stages without issue, but again, told nobody. Ren Meili didn't receive a breakthrough, but it would only be a few more months. Instead, she focused on learning techniques.

The most important was the Storm's Eye Step. It could be used both for offense and defense. She cultivated it until she was comfortably within the initial mastery stage, with Shao Yue's help.

Next, she focused on the attacking technique, the Thundercloud Palm. It came easily to her, so it also reached the initial mastery stage.

The Wind Splitting Seal received the least attention. Overwhelming offense could make up for a lack of defense and not many opponents near her level would use projectiles. She only brought it to usability.

As for the Steel Body Transmutation Technique, six months wasn't nearly enough time to make any notable progress on a grade four technique at her level. For the time being, she could only ignore it.

The two sparred weekly, both to help Ren Meili get experience with her techniques and to get Shao Yue used to her growing body.

Finally, the day of the competition arrived.

Core disciples wouldn't participate. Some inner disciples had injuries or other reasons for withdrawing, so the number of participants totalled eighty-two. Six rounds, seeded by strength.

While most inner disciples didn't bother watching the outer competition, almost all outer disciples would come to watch the inner competition. Even people from the neighbouring towns would come gather. It was the only day when outsiders were freely welcomed within the walls.

In the outer competition, the top ten became inner disciples. In the inner competition, the top ten were not guaranteed to become core disciples, but if anyone made a great impression on an Elder, they could be promoted. First place also received 1000 contribution points. Second received 500, third 250, and the rest of the top eight would earn 100 each.

Shao Yue still didn't really understand the worth of contribution points in the sect. She extrapolated based on what she'd acquired with her first 250 points and started planning what to buy with the first place prize.

For most disciples, more important than the contribution points were the rankings. They would take pride in being in the top sixteen, top thirty-two, etcetera. The clans the children came from had similar interests. Having highly ranked clansmen in the sect would give their families more weight in the towns.

"This year's competition is a bit special," the Head Elder announced. "The top four disciples will join our core disciples in exploring a Cave Heaven four months from now."

"A Cave Heaven?"

Whispers spread throughout the crowd. Cave Heavens were special areas left behind by powerful cultivators that contained untold riches. Money, treasures, manuals, spiritual herbs, precious ores, there could be any number of things inside. The cultivator would have at least been in the Heavenly Realm, so they would definitely be good things.

Shao Yue grinned at Ren Meili. "Make sure to get top four!"

"I can only promise to do my best."

With that hype builder, the tournament could begin.