My Master Knows It All-Chapter 223 - 132 Slaughter Pig Plate_5

Cao Zhen listened to the tolling bells and raised his hand, declaring, "Good, next time, we’ll aim for first. This time, let’s keep a low profile and make money. Come on, let’s head down the mountain."

The grand competition of the Hundred Peaks Sect had finally arrived!

Immortal Gathering Peak, a mountain that did not belong to any of the Hundred Peaks, was usually uninhabited.

However, whenever the Hundred Peaks Sect had a major event and the disciples gathered, the Immortal Gathering Peak was the designated meeting place, and the grand competition was no exception.

At a point near the summit of the Immortal Gathering Peak, the terrain was high all around with a low middle.

The Peak Masters and disciples of each peak were situated on the higher ground around the perimeter, while the competition space was in the low-lying center.

Yet the higher areas around also varied in elevation and were not uniformly elevated; befitting its last-place ranking, Four Treasures Peak naturally occupied the lowest spot, right beside the people of Seven Star Peak led by Deng Qixing.

Deng Qixing glanced at Cao Zhen not far away, observed the people from several other peaks farther away, then lifted his head to gaze into the distance, looking at the highest peaks, he sighed and said, "All of us from these last few peaks combined don’t even amount to half the population of a single peak among those top ones.

However, after this grand competition, Four Treasures Peak will slowly change, and the number of disciples will gradually increase. Zi Zai, from now on, Seven Star Peak will be relying on you."

"Master, you..." Chao Zi had just begun to say something when the hundredth bell sound fell, and the tolling came to a stop.

He immediately ceased his intended words and looked towards the highest place.

Standing proudly at the highest point of Immortal Gathering Peak, Bai Fengzi’s cloak billowed in the wind, the gusts of the mountain making a snapping sound against the fabric.

After scanning her gaze around the crowd, she spoke out, "Hundred Peaks Sect, the re-ranking of the Hundred Peaks begins now." The Minor Era of Inversion of Heaven and Earth was approaching, and she was not one to dally or make idle talk.

Having said her piece, she stepped back.

A white-haired, stern-faced elder then stepped forward.

"Elder Qin of the Mana Restoration Palace," someone beside Cao Zhen whispered.

Elder Qin spoke loudly, "For the re-ranking of the Hundred Peaks, the Six Arts examination begins with the first category, ’Talisman.’ Disciples of each peak, proceed to the Gathering Immortals Platform."

As his voice faded, disciples from all over the Hundred Peaks Sect swiftly made their way toward the Gathering Immortals Platform, which was the massive platform in the center.

Cao Zhen turned to Ling Xi and said, "Go ahead, and there’s no need to concede defeat right from the start. After all, you’ve prepared for so long, you need to show your skills. Once you’ve demonstrated them, it doesn’t matter if you take the bamboo or not."

"Yes, disciple understands," Ling Xi replied and headed straight for the Gathering Immortals Platform.

To the side, at Seven Star Peak’s location, Cao Zhen noticed that Five disciples from Seven Star Peak were descending toward the Gathering Immortals Platform.

Cao Zhen looked at Deng Qixing with surprise; in the grand competition of the Hundred Peaks Sect, during the Six Arts examination, it did not matter how many disciples each peak sent, since sending all your disciples was not an issue if you wished to do so.

The exam for each art would comprise three rounds.

The first round was a qualification test.

For instance, in the Talisman test, everyone would craft the same type of talisman. Those who managed to craft it, reaching a certain level, would qualify for the second round.

In the second round, again everyone would craft the same talisman. The higher the level of the crafted talisman, the more likely an entrant could proceed to the next round. If two individuals crafted talismans of equal level, then the tie-breaker would be the crafting speed; whoever was faster would advance to the next round.

From this, five hundred would be selected to enter the third round.

In the third round, the type of talisman to be crafted would no longer be specified; each person could craft a talisman that they were proficient at. Ultimately, based on the function, level, and speed of crafting the talisman, the top three hundred would be determined.

Each of the three hundred would receive corresponding bamboo, which is essentially points, added to their respective peaks. In the end, among the hundred peaks, whichever had the most bamboo would naturally rank first, and so forth. If there was a tie in bamboo count, it would come down to individual combat prowess.

Initially, the selection was for the top hundred, not three hundred.

But later, some Peak Masters of the lower fifty peaks suggested that in the Six Arts examination of the Hundred Peaks Sect’s grand competition, each peak should only be allowed to send a maximum of ten disciples.

Those suggesting this were mostly Peak Masters from the lower fifty peaks. Without restrictions on participant numbers, disciples from the leading peaks mostly came from the upper fifty, leaving the lower fifty without a chance to stand out.

However, Bai Fengzi, the current Sect Leader, directly rejected this proposal.

In the words of the Sect Leader, disciples who diligently cultivate deserve an opportunity to showcase their skills, and she would not limit the number of disciples each peak could send. Nevertheless, she did increase the number who could win bamboo rewards, expanding it from the top hundred to the top three hundred.

As a result, even the disciples from the lower fifty peaks could now gain some bamboo for their peak, and the lower fifty began to pay more attention to the Six Arts.

When there were only a hundred slots, many lower fifty peaks couldn’t earn any bamboo in the Six Arts competitions, having to rely solely on combat prowess.

Therefore, sending multiple disciples into the Six Arts competition was not a problem, but the catch was ensuring that they advanced to the second and third rounds; otherwise, it was pointless.

Seven Star Peak...

Deng Qixing seemed to notice Cao Zhen’s gaze and looked back with a hint of surprise in his eyes, "Peak Master Cao, why did you send only one disciple? Shouldn’t all your disciples be capable of crafting the Gathering Spirit Talisman?

If the first round of the competition is crafting the Gathering Spirit Talisman, then your disciples should be able to advance to the next round. Why didn’t you send more disciples?"

"Well, it wouldn’t be such a coincidence," Cao Zhen casually laughed it off, for how could he reveal that he was planning to lose deliberately, which is why he had only sent Ling Xi by herself?

"It might very well be. The reason I sent so many disciples is that I hope the first round involves crafting Gathering Spirit Talismans. If the second round is about crafting Mana Restoration Talismans, that would be even better."

The Mana Restoration Talisman was a talisman for replenishing mana, which Cao Zhen had not taught to other Taoist Institutions but had managed to teach Seven Star Peak when he found an opportunity.

Atop the highest peak, Bai Fengzi was not paying attention to either Flying Immortal Peak, which was ranked first, or Five Elements Peak, ranked second. Instead, her gaze was directed toward Four Treasures Peak.

Watching the solitary figure descend, her eyes suddenly narrowed. Was Four Treasures Peak really sending just one person?

At that moment, the voice of the presiding elder resounded again.

"In the first category of the Six Arts, ’Talisman’, the first round will involve crafting the Gathering Spirit Talisman."