264Chapter 263 Safety Rules for a Mini-Competition Authentic Cultivation Battle

Since it was a minor competition within the alchemy sect, Hong Shao, as the sect leader, naturally had to come and watch, and also act as the referee.

Chen Manman, having nothing to do, also came to take a look.

The two women sat high on the throne, exuding an imposing aura.

Chen Manman’s aura was also becoming increasingly powerful, showing signs of entering the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. In terms of aptitude, Chen Manman was definitely excellent, even better than Hong Shao. After all, although Hong Shao was at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core realm, she was nearly five hundred years old, while Chen Manman was only a little over one hundred.

Upon seeing the arrival of the sect leader and the third elder, everyone immediately sat up straight.

Hong Shao glanced at everyone and said slowly, “The Haotian Sect’s Foundation Establishment Competition selects ten people to cultivate their Golden Core. Although this is a grand event, it is also a case of forcing growth.”

Everyone looked up at Hong Shao, who said calmly, “This move has too much of an incentive for Foundation Establishment disciples to become stronger, causing them to forget the principle of steady progress and gradual accumulation. Moreover, there are only ten spots available. What will happen to the other disciples who will stop at nothing to become stronger, even at the cost of damaging their future foundations, if they are not selected? Therefore, I do not approve of this matter. However, this is the intention of many Supreme Elders, and I can do nothing about it. I can only hold a small competition within our sect in advance. Those who lose should not think about participating in the grand competition. Focusing on cultivation and steadily advancing is the right path.”

Upon hearing Hong Shao’s words, everyone had their own thoughts, but regardless of what they thought, they all bowed and said, “What the sect leader says is absolutely right.”

Hong Shao nodded and said, “In that case, I won’t waste any more words. There are a total of sixteen people participating in this small competition. Manman and I have come up with a battle strategy. Manman, you can tell me.”

Chen chuckled softly, “The method is very simple. Everyone draws lots to form two groups of eight to compete. The winners advance to the next round, and the eight losers draw lots again to eliminate four, leaving four. Then the eight winners draw lots to compete, and the four losers draw lots with the four remaining to select four. Finally, the four losers draw lots with the four winners to select four to participate in the sect competition. Do you understand?”

The crowd fell silent for a moment, digesting the meaning of Chen Manman’s words.

However, none of them were fools. Although Chen spoke slowly, he expressed himself very clearly. The sixteen people quickly understood the rules and nodded, feeling that the method was relatively fair.

As for absolute fairness, that simply doesn’t exist.

It’s just a round of 16 to 4; the final four only need to fight three matches.

Didn’t they initially say they would only select three people? How did it become four?

Yu Xian thought about it for a moment and understood. It seemed that because of the number of participants, it was really difficult to allocate three people for the competition. Therefore, Hong Shao was too lazy to bother. Sixteen to four was enough. Sending one more person would not make a difference.

Seeing that everyone understood, Hong Shao raised her hand and waved, and an array was launched and landed in the main hall.

Hong Shao said calmly, “Since it is a competition, there are naturally rules. Unlike a life-or-death battle in the wild where anything goes, the most important thing in a competition is the safety of both sides. Therefore, the rules for this competition are that magic weapons, talismans, and insidious treasures are not allowed. Both sides should try to determine the winner by the power of their spells. Perhaps some of you will disagree and feel that this suppresses your strength. However, a competition within a sect is not a battle in the wild. Without rules, life and death will be unpredictable, resulting in the needless loss of sect disciples, the destruction of their foundation, and the growth of mutual hatred, which will eventually lead to great chaos.”

The sixteen people listened with varying expressions: some understood, some secretly scoffed, and some disagreed.

Hong Shao said calmly, “These rules were not set by this sect leader on his own. The same rules will apply to the competition after the New Year.”

Everyone looked puzzled. They hadn’t expected that this rule wasn’t set by Hong Shao herself, but rather by the sect as well?

How can we see the true strength without a life-or-death battle?

“Sect Master, with such a ‘fair’ selection process, the ten strongest individuals chosen might not necessarily be the strongest, right?”

Sure enough, someone couldn’t help but speak up. Zhang Quancheng, who was at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, asked with a puzzled look, “Then what’s the point of this competition?”

“The strongest?”

Hong Shao glanced at him indifferently and said, “If you can’t even win in a battle of magical power or spells, and you rely entirely on underhanded means, magic weapons, or other methods to win, then even the strongest person won’t be wanted by the sect. They haven’t even mastered the most basic cultivation and magical power. How can they step into the Golden Core stage? Can they step into it with underhanded means? Wouldn’t that be a waste of resources?”

Chen Manman also smiled and said, “The sect’s Foundation Establishment Competition selects disciples based on their cultivation level and the highest level of their magical power. Only those disciples who have reached the peak of Foundation Establishment have a high probability of breaking through to the Golden Core stage and are worth cultivating. If someone in the early or middle stages of Foundation Establishment wins by using underhanded means, it’s useless for them to take the resources. What’s the point of breaking through one more small realm?”

Zhang Quancheng paused for a moment, then nodded and said, “I see, I understand now.”

The others naturally understood as well.

The sect competition selects the disciple who is most likely to break through to the Golden Core stage, not the disciple who is most skilled at killing.

Therefore, the majority of the late-stage Foundation Establishment disciples all had solemn expressions.

If they are not allowed to use various methods, how can they compare to a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivator by relying solely on their magical cultivation?

This sect competition… is truly laughable. It would be better to just have a few dozen Foundation Establishment Grand Perfection cultivators compete directly. Why bother having others participate?

Hong Shao ignored everyone’s thoughts and simply said, “Alright, let’s draw lots.”

Chen Manman smiled and waved his hand, and sixteen white rays flew out and landed in the center.

“There are sixteen lots, eight of which are divided into eight. The one who draws the correct number is the opponent.”

Chen smiled faintly and said, “Take what you need.”

Everyone hesitated for a moment, but Yu Xian raised his hand and used his spiritual energy to draw a jade slip over. He picked it up and saw that the character “three” was written on it.

Seeing Yu Xian make his move, the other fifteen people did not hesitate any longer.

In short, we should compare them. So what if we’ve reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment?

The Qi Sea of ​​those in the late Foundation Establishment stage might be slightly smaller than theirs, but given their different talents and aptitudes, the purity of their spiritual energy can vary drastically! Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any geniuses in the early or mid-Foundation Establishment stages who could easily defeat those at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

Fifteen tickets were collected in the blink of an eye.

Hong Shao said calmly, “Whoever draws a lot shall enter the formation to fight.”

The great formation showed no power or unusual behavior, and everyone could see inside. However, if any danger occurred, the great formation would immediately suppress it under Hong Shao’s thought, which was much faster than using magic to stop it, making it foolproof.

As Hong Shao spoke, the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who had drawn the first character in the lottery stood up at the same time and flew into the formation.

Everyone looked into the formation, watching intently, wondering who would ultimately emerge victorious.

Seeing that the two were standing still, Hong Shao said slowly, “Begin.”

“rise!”

“Condense!”

As soon as the red peony sound rang out, the two cultivators shouted at the same time and began to make hand seals!

In other words, in a contest of magic and cultivation, one cannot use underhanded methods…

Then naturally it can only be a contest of magic and cultivation!

Let’s go for it!

The two spells were unleashed almost simultaneously, colliding violently and transforming into countless rays of light.

The simple, unadorned clash of spells began.

The two stood still, casting spells and using protective shields. The contest was about casting speed, spell power, and the density of their Qi Sea and the strength of their spiritual power!

This is a proper comparison of cultivation level and strength.