Everyone wants to squeeze into the inner sect.
However, this intensity is relative.
For Ling Fan, there was no pressure.
But for Guo Gui and the others, the pressure was immense.
Ling Fan was resting with his eyes closed in a corner of the plaza.
Suddenly, Guo Fatty's voice came, "Brother Fan, I finally found you!"
Guo Gui's honest, fleshy face with its large folds appeared in Ling Fan's line of sight.
"I'm just one elimination match away from entering the top three hundred and becoming an inner disciple!" Guo Gui appeared very excited.
"Brother Fan, with your strength, you should have already qualified, right?"
Ling Fan nodded and said, "I just won a match, and I've already entered the top three hundred."
Amazing, I knew my intuition was never wrong!
Guo Gui said with some envy.
"Then Brother Fan, are you still participating in the selection matches for the true disciples? Chen Tao and Lu Wei want to participate, but I don't. My goal is just to become an inner disciple, and it's not worth getting injured if I encounter a strong enemy later."
"They are not fifth-tier Profound Emperors, so even if they continue to participate, they won't be able to become true disciples, right?"
Ling Fan asked.
"That's true, but the higher the ranking, the more generous the rewards, and the higher the starting line for entering the inner sect in the future. The competition among inner disciples is very fierce. As Chen Tao puts it, from now on, every inch of ground must be fought for."
Guo Gui said.
Ling Fan nodded noncommittally.
"Then Brother Fan, you rest first. After I finish my last elimination match, I'll come to cheer you on!"
With that, Guo Gui left like a rolling ball of fat.
Soon.
The top three hundred were also decided.
Guo Gui's last elimination match was a narrow victory, and he sweated profusely, looking like he had lost a lot of weight.
Of course.
Even after losing a lot of weight, Guo Gui was still at least three times as fat as Ling Fan.
"Brother Fan!"
Guo Gui appeared very excited.
He waved to Ling Fan from afar.
Chen Tao, Lu Wei, and the other geniuses in their small circle stood to the side.
"Tch, you actually managed to qualify as an inner disciple. You must have had a stroke of luck. Fatty Guo said you still want to compete for the true disciple position?"
Chen Tao said arrogantly.
Ling Fan glanced at him.
But he ignored him.
Instead, he said to Guo Gui, "Fatty, congratulations! Here's a High-grade Emperor Pill. Take it to replenish your body. Look how thin you've become."
A High-grade Emperor Pill!
Guo Gui's outstretched hand trembled.
Chen Tao and the others also widened their eyes in astonishment, almost sticking to the High-grade Emperor Pill.
Lu Wei pinched her palm in disbelief.
At first, they suspected the High-grade Emperor Pill was fake.
But when they saw it clearly.
All doubt vanished.
Within the semi-transparent pill, a lifelike miniature figure wearing an emperor's crown sat cross-legged, and an aura of supreme Heavenly Emperor origin emanated out...
In an instant.
Everyone seemed to be getting to know Ling Fan anew.
Their gazes towards him changed.
At first, they thought Ling Fan was just a poor rogue cultivator.
They completely looked down on him.
Especially Chen Tao.
Confident in his background from a prominent clan, he was arrogant and constantly mocked and belittled Ling Fan.
But now.
The gift Ling Fan casually gave them slapped them hard in the face.
That was a High-grade Emperor Pill that only Heavenly Emperor experts could refine!
Even if Chen Tao's family and forces could afford it, it would still be a significant strain.
Although they were clan geniuses, they had no access to treasures of the caliber of High-grade Emperor Pills.
"Thank, thank, thank you, Brother Fan. How dare I accept such a generous gift!"
Guo Gui stammered.
"You consider me a friend, so of course, I have to show my appreciation. I'm never stingy with my friends. It's just a High-grade Emperor Pill, I have plenty, I eat them like food."
Ling Fan said lightly.
"Then I'll really accept it?"
Guo Gui's excited heart.
Trembling hands.
As if he had received a treasure.
In reality.
For him, it was indeed a treasure. If Ling Fan hadn't given him one, he probably wouldn't have had the chance to come into contact with treasures of this level in his lifetime.
Chen Tao suddenly regretted it deeply.
Extremely, extremely regretful!
If he had treated Ling Fan better back then.
If he hadn't been so arrogant and looked down on people with contemptuous eyes...
Perhaps Ling Fan would have casually bestowed a High-grade Emperor Pill upon him today.
A High-grade Emperor Pill!
If he obtained it, he might have a chance to break through to the fifth-tier Profound Emperor realm. Once successful, he would truly have the qualifications to become a true disciple.
"Brother Fan, look at me..."
Chen Tao licked his face and sidled over.
Ling Fan didn't let him finish, saying, "Are we that familiar?"
He then left him hanging.
Chen Tao's face immediately turned as red as a pig's liver.
Ling Fan looked at Lu Wei.
Her beautiful eyes also looked towards him.
"I generally give back to those who show me goodwill. Miss Lu is beautiful, kind-hearted, and not pretentious. I find her pleasing to the eye. This Emperor Pill, although not High-grade, can be considered Half-High-grade. Take it for your cultivation."
Ling Fan took out another pill.
Lu Wei's delicate body trembled slightly.
A Half-High-grade Emperor Pill!
Even she craved treasures of this caliber immensely.
The High-grade Emperor Pill and Half-High-grade Emperor Pill that Ling Fan casually took out had too great an impact.
Chen Tao, Lu Wei, and Guo Gui were so shocked that they were somewhat dazed, not even realizing when Ling Fan had left.
"Damn, Brother Fan is actually a hidden wealthy man, a true tycoon! The gifts he casually gives away are ten or even a hundred times more generous than the rewards from the Azure Profound Sect this time! It's worth my entire life to befriend such a friend,"
Guo Gui was extremely excited.
"Hmph! Holding two worthless pills picked up from who knows where and showing off here, he's just puffing himself up. He's still a good-for-nothing! If I had a High-grade Emperor Pill, I would have already cultivated to the fifth or even sixth-tier Profound Emperor realm! Just you wait, in the upcoming ranking battles, I'll show him who's boss."
Chen Tao gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his temples.
"Chen Tao, don't let hatred blind you."
Lu Wei frowned slightly and said to Chen Tao.
"Hmph, you took benefits from that trash, so of course, you're speaking up for him. Are you still part of my circle? Just you wait, I'll show you that in the face of absolute strength, his little tricks to win people over are nothing!"
Chen Tao flicked his sleeves and left.
...
Over two hundred geniuses chose to continue competing in the rankings.
It was still a draw for opponents, with them fighting in pairs.
Ling Fan's opponent in the first match was a veteran fourth-tier Profound Emperor genius who had been in this realm for over ten years and had a deep foundation. However, in front of Ling Fan, he couldn't even last one move before being knocked down.
Several more matches were held afterward.
Ling Fan won all of them with ease.
He didn't even break a sweat.
This gave Lu Wei, Guo Gui, and the others a new understanding of Ling Fan's strength.
"See, I wasn't bragging, right? Isn't Brother Fan's strength amazing!"
Lu Wei nodded slightly.
From beginning to end, she never saw Ling Fan exert himself.
This person probably truly hid unexpected strength.
Only Chen Tao was very disdainful: "Hmph, that's because he's lucky and hasn't encountered any decent opponents along the way. If he meets me in the next round, I'll definitely let him know what a true genius is."