"First, anyone who registers to compete must have mastered their five-element basic technique to at least the seventh layer. This is also the minimum requirement for consuming a Foundation Establishment Pill. Second, contestants must be under forty years old. Anyone over that age shouldn't even think about trying to pass, because the assembly's registration officials will use the Bone-Viewing Art to determine each applicant's true age."
"As long as you meet these two conditions, anyone can register—there are no other restrictions! But precisely because of this, the arena competition becomes even more brutal!"
"Do you think it's normal for Tailan Valley to have so many people right now? Most of them are actually here for the Ascension Assembly. You should know that our Tailan Assembly was originally just a trading fair for young cultivators from Lan Prefecture. In previous years, only a few hundred people attended! But look now—at least over a thousand people have gathered in this valley already, and in the final days, people from even farther away will arrive. That's when the Tailan Assembly's trading will reach its peak."
"The reason these people come to our Tailan Valley for the Tailan Assembly first is partly to find items they need, but also to take this opportunity to observe their future opponents at the Ascension Assembly, so they know what they're up against!"
Hu Pinggu said these words with a bitter smile.
Wu Jiuzhi's face changed dramatically upon hearing this. "According to Madam Hu, the experts I saw in the valley who have reached the tenth layer of cultivation are also here for the Ascension Assembly? Then what's the point of competing? Wouldn't it be suicide for people at lower levels to enter the arena?"
"That's not necessarily true," Heijin, who had remained silent since entering the room, suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone. "Who says someone at a higher level always wins against someone at a lower level? If someone with less magic power uses some powerful talismans or carries certain formidable magical artifacts, they can still beat someone with greater magic power until they're crawling on the ground."
"Exactly! Brother Heijin makes a very valid point. In battles between cultivators like us, the depth of one's magic power isn't the most important factor. What matters most is the power of the spells one masters, how flexibly one can use them, and the power of the magical artifacts one can harness!" Daoist Qingwen agreed enthusiastically.
"Brother Heijin and Master Qingwen have hit the nail on the head. Otherwise, there would be no need to hold the Ascension Assembly at all. Everyone could just stand there and compare whose magic power is deeper," Hu Pinggu said, laughing.
After hearing Heijin and the others speak, Wu Jiuzhi didn't look any happier. Instead, he muttered constantly with a worried expression.
"Powerful magical artifacts... High-power talismans..."
Hu Pinggu ignored Wu Jiuzhi this time and continued: "Because there are so many people participating in the arena competition, the Ascension Assembly sets up seven arenas simultaneously, representing the Seven Great Sects of the State of Yue. Whoever wants to become a disciple of a particular sect can compete on that sect's arena. The arena selection uses a single-elimination format: two people compete, the winner advances to the next round, the loser is immediately eliminated, then two new competitors face off. This continues until a public announcement is made that no one else is competing, then the next round of winners competes. This cycle repeats until the final ten victors become the new disciples of that sect, gaining the right to consume a Foundation Establishment Pill without having to participate in the fierce internal competition within the sect itself. It's truly a leap to heaven! That's how the Ascension Assembly's arena competition works. But don't let my simple explanation fool you—the actual scene on the arena is indescribably brutal!"
As Hu Pinggu spoke, she grew emotional.
"I remember in the last arena competition, over a dozen cultivators at the tenth layer died alone. There was even a pair of powerful eleventh-layer experts who ended up facing each other, resulting in mutual destruction! As for cultivators at the ninth and eighth layers, even more died in the arena—I heard the number wasn't less than a hundred. After all, by the final rounds, no one would easily give up the path to dragon transformation they had nearly achieved, so the casualties were even worse!"
At this point, Hu Pinggu's face showed a look of lament.
"People who have cultivated their basic technique to the eleventh layer still need to compete in the arena? I've heard that cultivation sects automatically recruit such exceptional talents. Why would those two need to fight desperately on the arena?"
A female voice suddenly spoke—it was the taciturn Honglian, the Red Lotus Cultivator, who had finally opened her mouth.
Hu Pinggu smiled at these words.
"Sister Honglian, I had the same question years ago and couldn't figure it out. Later, I met an elder among our rogue cultivators who gave me some guidance, and only then did I understand!"
"Brother Wu and Brother Han probably have the same question too!"
"Not only do they not understand, even my brother and I were puzzled. Why would an eleventh-layer genius choose this narrow path instead of the broad road ahead? One misstep and you're dead!" Heimu said, frowning with confusion.
"I see that Master Qingwen appears calm and composed, as if he already has a plan. Perhaps the Master should explain it to them!" Hu Pinggu laughed lightly and deftly passed the question to the Daoist.
Daoist Qingwen was somewhat surprised but quickly accepted the challenge. After pondering for a moment, he said: "Actually, those two were both from cultivation clans. Their eleventh-layer realm was probably forced up using quite a few pills." He shook his head, seeming disapproving of their approach.
"Isn't it normal to use pills to advance one's realm? They could still join a cultivation sect!" Wu Jiuzhi said, eyes wide with confusion.
"Brother Wu, you've forgotten something. For us, someone who can cultivate their basic technique to the eleventh layer before forty might be a genius, but in the eyes of those ancient great sects, such people are only of ordinary talent—barely meeting their requirements as reserve disciples. Otherwise, these people would have been recruited as formal disciples of the great sects when they were young. Their own families felt that even if such people forced their way into a cultivation sect, they wouldn't have much future, with no hope of winning the right to consume a Foundation Establishment Pill against disciples with better aptitude. So they decided to keep them and provide specialized training instead. They hid for decades, all to make a stunning debut at this Ascension Assembly and directly win the right to consume a Foundation Establishment Pill—another shortcut, so to speak. But their families never expected that two people with the same plan would coincidentally meet each other, resulting in mutual destruction. Otherwise, they would have surely achieved their goal!"
As Daoist Qingwen spoke, he kept sighing, while Wu Jiuzhi and the others listened with wide eyes.
"No wonder the Ascension Assembly has been getting more intense lately—experts at the tenth and eleventh layers, whom we'd never even heard of before, keep appearing one after another," Heimu muttered to himself.
The young woman and Wu Jiuzhi remained silent, clearly shocked by this information.
"Think about it. On one side, you have experts carefully trained and fully equipped by cultivation clans. On the other, we rogue cultivators who lack money and resources. How many of us do you think can succeed in the arena?" Hu Pinggu said, her expression cold with a hint of self-mockery.
"If that's the case, then those stories about cultivation sects gaining their ideal disciples through the Ascension Assembly and being overjoyed were also false—just putting on a brave face?" Han Li rubbed his nose, looking thoughtful.
"Brother Han is right. When has the world ever offered a perfect solution? Being able to satisfy two out of three concerns is good enough!" Hu Pinggu glanced sideways at Heimu, making him blush slightly.
"Are we rogue cultivators really inferior to cultivation clan disciples? Even those who were rejected by the sects are that much stronger than ordinary rogue cultivators like us?" Honglian asked defiantly.
"Though I hate to admit it, the chance of a rogue cultivator becoming an expert is indeed much lower than for clan disciples. Moreover, as individuals, we simply cannot compete with an entire clan in terms of manpower and resources. Our external conditions are far inferior!" Daoist Qingwen's voice carried a bitter edge.
"I've also heard from friends that even if rogue cultivators are lucky enough to become sect disciples, very few of them succeed in establishing their foundation after consuming the Foundation Establishment Pill—barely any!" Heimu said dejectedly.
"Alright, everyone, don't lose heart! We're still young. If we fail this time, there's always the next Ascension Assembly in ten years! Perhaps the identity of a sect disciple awaits you all in the future! Now, let's talk about traveling together after the assembly!"
After encouraging everyone in the room, Daoist Qingwen steered the conversation away. "There's nothing much to discuss. I'll just travel with everyone when the time comes. After hearing about all these powerful figures in the cultivation world, I really don't dare travel alone anymore!" Wu Jiuzhi said, still looking listless.
Daoist Qingwen shook his head helplessly and turned to Honglian.