Ren Yuanhao felt a touch of apprehension when he thought of that ultrasonic device. Moreover, this was only in Xiling City; if it were in Guyao City, such devices would likely be everywhere.
Raising the safety level was equivalent to solving Ren Yuanhao's urgent problem, as the true qi required for his abilities was far less than that needed for cultivation techniques and swordsmanship.
“Missy, your sudden appearance now is probably not just to inform me about the safety level upgrade, right?”
The system's voice became playful again.
“Of course not entirely. I just sensed that this place is a bit strange, so I wanted to use your eyes to take a look.”
“And then?”
“Apologies, the system cannot sense.”
– Damn it, isn't that stating the obvious?
Ren Yuanhao’s expression was dark. He thought, *Missy system, you finally came out for a stroll, only to tell me you ‘cannot sense.’ How awkward. It’s like when you’re playing the hardest, most annoying mini-game in history, and a seemingly divine figure stops in front of you. You expect him to offer some pointers, but all he says is, in a detached tone, ‘Oh, so exciting. Keep it up.’*
Ren Yuanhao drooped his head but finally heard the system speak.
“Actually, I wanted to say that the spiritual energy here is abundant. If I were the Grey Wolf organization, I would do everything possible to break through the restrictions here and steal the treasures within.”
“How is that possible? Even satellites can’t detect this place. Technology can’t gain any advantage against such ancient restrictions. I think you’re overthinking it.”
“I hope so.”
…
Ren Yuanhao ended his conversation with the system and, following the Sect Master of Cang Long Sect, arrived at their designated positions representing the four major sects.
After taking his seat, he stood in the center as the magnate of the occasion and addressed everyone: “This triennial grand competition is particularly important. Firstly, as you all know, the menace of Mandala Genes has spread throughout Guyao City. Forget three years; it might trigger a massive disaster within months. At that time, as cultivators who eliminate demons and uphold righteousness, we have a non-negotiable duty to be at the forefront.”
His voice was deep and full of vigor, captivating the audience.
“Therefore, in this competition, I hope to foster new combat power. The more people capable of fighting, the greater our chances of victory.”
Upon hearing this, thunderous applause erupted. Even though the four major sects had some disagreements, these words at least indicated their unified stance and a common enemy.
“Alright, without further ado, the judges will be myself, the Saintess of Yue Han Sect, Wu Liti, and the Saintess of Mu Yun Sect, Yao Yuesheng. As the Chaoyang Sect lacks a sufficiently authoritative figure, their position is temporarily vacant. If there are no objections, the one-on-one duels can begin.”
The Chaoyang Sect had no standing to argue. With a wave of his hand, Mo Xinghe returned to the arbitration seat.
“According to tradition, each sect can send a maximum of seven people. For the one-on-one battles, the old rule applies: accumulate points through a continuous challenge system. The person who stands the longest earns the most points for their sect. Additionally, if the person standing the longest loses, their accumulated points will be inherited by the victor, and so on. The sect with the most accumulated points from the one-on-one battles can select one person to enter the ‘Dragon Pool.’ The winner of the second round, the team battle, can also select one person to enter the Dragon Pool. The third person will be decided by the three of us arbitrators.”
Mo Xinghe finished reciting the rules, and the entire venue, except for the Chaoyang Sect, fell silent.
Tang Feng bowed, neither subservient nor arrogant, and said, “These rules seem to be different from the last time, don’t they?”
The first two provisions were generally consistent with the past, but the third was different. Furthermore, the Chaoyang Sect was directly stripped of its arbitration rights. The Yue Han Sect and Cang Long Sect were already in cahoots; as long as they agreed, they could send anyone from their sects to the Dragon Pool!
This arrangement not only left the Chaoyang Sect without a voice but also significantly reduced the actual influence of the Mu Yun Sect.
Such regulations were practically dictatorial.
There was another change that was particularly infuriating.
This was the change in the rules for the standing arena. In the past, it was based on which sect defeated the most opponents to accumulate points. Now, an additional clause was added: “Regardless of how many people one defeats in the standing arena, if anyone can defeat the person who has stood the longest, they can seize the points that person painstakingly accumulated.” This was a clear case of exploiting someone’s misfortune and creating gossip.
At this moment, Mo Xinghe stood up from his seat. “Nephew, there’s no need to panic. I think you’ve misunderstood something. What I mean is, even if you defeat the person who has stood the longest, it’s not over. If there are still people in the sect who can take their place to fight, the contest can continue.”
As soon as he said this, everyone preparing to compete began to whisper among themselves. Yuan Che, the head disciple of the Cang Long Sect, suddenly spoke up, “To put it simply, whoever is the last person standing on the ice bed arena will get the final points. It’s that simple. Brutal.”
Han Ling Frost mumbled, “In this case, who would be willing to step onto the arena first? It’s obvious that all sects will put their elites in last to seize all the points. This approach greatly benefits those who have previously entered the ‘Dragon Pool’ for refinement, as their strength surpasses those who haven’t.”
“In short, this competition simply comes down to which side’s disciples are the strongest,” Li Chi analyzed.
At this, Zhou Zihuan cupped his hands and said, “Uncle-Master Mo, in that case, your head disciple is almost certain to stand until the end.”
Yuan Che stood tall and aloof, with an unyielding demeanor, as if he had already secured the final victory.
“This competition inherently respects strength. In worldly affairs, there is no such thing as fairness,” Mo Xinghe said, flicking his sleeves as he sat down, completely oblivious to Yao Yuesheng’s cold gaze.
Tang Feng bowed in acknowledgment. Although the Mu Yun Sect and Chaoyang Sect had reservations, he already had an idea in mind.
He retreated to stand before his junior disciples and slowly said, “How about this, for the first round, we directly forfeit.”
“What?”
The five disciples looked bewildered, only Ren Yuanhao nodded repeatedly.
“Impressive, Brother Feng. This move of yours is quite shrewd.”
Han Ling Frost furrowed her delicate brows and asked softly, “Brother Bao, could you explain how it’s good?”
Ren Yuanhao snapped his fingers and scanned the crowd. “May I ask, among the three sects, which side has such balanced and monstrous strength as you all?”
As soon as he said this, Tang Feng nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Indeed, among the seven members of other sects, having two or three reach the Foundation Establishment realm would be considered good. However, the Chaoyang Sect had as many as five!