Immortality and Cultivation: I Have Too Many Talents

Chapter 341 Under the Spotlight (Please Subscribe)

Ten days later.

A notice was posted in the main hall of the Enforcement Hall.

The sect held its first-ever competition for Foundation Establishment stage disciples to demonstrate their skills.

The cultivation progress of Foundation Establishment disciples is assessed, and those with outstanding performance are rewarded.

The direct disciples, who had received the news long ago, had been secretly preparing for a long time and remained calm and composed.

The ordinary Foundation Establishment disciples were greatly encouraged when they saw the reward coverage rate of up to 50% and the list of high-grade reward items.

People were in high spirits, their emotions were running high, and they were discussing it heatedly.

The four major gambling dens in Qingyun Immortal City opened for business on the same day.

One type is the top ten bettors.

Another option is to bet on who will win.

The five direct disciples of the Golden Core cultivators have all become popular candidates.

The only exception is Shen Xuan, who is a direct descendant of two lineages, whose odds are surprisingly not low.

If you make it into the top ten, the odds are 3 to 1.

The odds to win are 48 to 1.

However, the betting game had only been going on for half an hour.

Shen Xuan's odds of winning the championship and advancing to the top ten were closed for betting early on.

Gu Jinqin, along with the Wu sisters and led by Xu Shaopeng's trusted henchmen, immediately placed a heavy bet on Shen Xuan to win the championship.

Each person invested 50,000 spirit stones!

This is the maximum limit for the three major casinos.

Originally, Gu Jinqin and the other two had invested 100,000 spirit stones.

Only after repeated persuasion from the gambling den's manager did they reluctantly withdraw half of their money.

The remaining 50,000 spirit stones were invested in the odds of Shen Xuan entering the top ten.

This even sparked a wave of shrewd veteran gamblers to follow suit.

The three major casinos immediately suspended operations.

They waited for their informants to report back.

Silver Hook Casino closed its betting pool on Shen Xuan even faster than they did.

As soon as the market opened, a mysterious person drove the price up to the limit, and the market was quickly closed.

Anyone who can open a gambling den in Qingyun Immortal City is a shrewd and calculating individual!

Everyone has a few spies planted in the other side.

Unfortunately, Gu Jinqin and the Wu sisters acted too quickly.

When they learned that the mysterious person placing bets at the Silver Hook Gambling House was actually Xu Shaopeng's trusted third brother.

He then knew that something terrible was about to happen.

Shen Xuan's strength is undoubtedly far beyond the assessments of the various gambling houses.

Making it into the top ten is fine.

It's only a 1 to 3 payout.

There are gains and losses, but it won't damage the gambling den's vitality.

The odds of winning are quite high.

If Shen Xuan really wins the championship, each of these three gambling dens will have to pay out more than two million spirit stones.

Even if you win the bet against other people's choices.

It's still all for someone else's benefit, only losing money and not making any profit.

Now that things have come to this, the three major gambling dens have nothing to say.

They had no choice but to significantly increase the odds of the other candidates winning.

For some direct disciples of the Golden Core realm, the odds of winning have risen to 48 to 1.

Similar to Shen Xuan.

This was intended to attract gamblers to increase their bets and hedge against the payout risk of Shen Xuan winning the championship.

……

Another ten days passed.

The day arrived for the sect's minor competition to begin.

Nine white jade platforms for performing the Dharma have been erected in the square of the Dharma Transmission Pavilion.

In front of each ritual platform, there is a real person who serves as the judge.

All the disciples who came to participate in and watch the sect's minor competition were at the Foundation Establishment stage.

No one in the Qi Refining Realm, not even those from sects or aristocratic families, is allowed to enter.

The nine Dharma performance platforms simultaneously drew lots to determine who would compete against each other.

The preliminary group competition started first.

Soon, streaks of light flew in rapidly.

The real people entered and took their seats.

All five Golden Core cultivators of the sect were present.

Under the command of Lingxiao Zhenren, nine outer peak Zhenren were arranged to judge the results of the Foundation Establishment disciples' competition.

Master Hanyu and Master Gufeng are honored to be spectators on the stage.

They do not need to serve as referees.

Master Gufeng deliberately skipped the round.

Master Hanyu, on the other hand, took the initiative to avoid suspicion.

"In this sect competition, my personally taught disciple Shen Xuan will surely be the champion, so I should avoid any appearance of impropriety."

As soon as these words came out.

The other real people all laughed it off.

Anyway, these disciples of the outer peak masters can't win the sect's minor competition.

Both the seed group and the reserve group, the top contenders for the championship, were all personally taught by Jin Dan.

They were more than happy that Shen Xuan would perform exceptionally well and dampen the arrogance of those Golden Core disciples.

To prove the worth of ordinary people who are personally taught by others.

……

"It's about to begin! Do you think Shen Xuan, a direct descendant of two lineages, can win the championship?"

"Probably. I heard that the junior sisters of Little Lone Peak placed a huge bet, and all four major gambling houses in Qingyun Immortal City have closed their betting pools."

"Shen Xuan is indeed capable. But to say he can win the championship is a bit of an exaggeration!"

"That's right, the five Golden Core disciples are all exceptionally talented geniuses of their respective sects!"

At this moment, the more than three hundred Foundation Establishment stage disciples below the Dharma performance platform were all extremely excited.

Most of them are ordinary disciples of sects.

Although I signed up for the competition, I knew the truth in my heart.

They were just supporting characters.

Receiving a prize is enough to achieve the desired result.

Therefore, people love to watch the excitement.

"Hey, don't underestimate Shen Xuan! The junior sisters of Little Lone Peak know him well; they won't just give away spirit stones to the gambling den for nothing!"

"Exactly! All four major gambling dens have suspended betting! This is going to be a good show!"

"Very well, let Shen Xuan be the one to verify the quality of the Golden Core direct transmission!"

There was an undeniable hint of schadenfreude in his words.

Those who receive direct instruction from Jin Dan are treated far better than those who do.

It's impossible not to feel a trace of jealousy.

And at this time.

A yellow-robed steward standing beside the Sect Master, the Lost One, waved a flag.

"The first Foundation Establishment Realm disciple demonstration competition of the Qingyun Sect is about to begin!"

"All registered disciples, please assemble in front of the Dharma Transmission Pavilion Square!"

"Those who fail to arrive by the deadline will be considered to have forfeited the competition!"

A loud Daoist voice suddenly rang out, spreading outwards from the center of the Dharma Transmission Pavilion Square.

……

"Senior brother, are you sure you can do it?"

Beneath a certain stage for performing magic, Gu Jinqin, along with the Wu sisters, surrounded Shen Xuan.

Liu Bingyu, who was standing to the side, was pushed aside by the three of them.

"Senior Sister Gu, Senior Brother can definitely do it!"

"The leader belongs to my senior brother!"

The Wu sisters, working in perfect harmony, were far more eloquent than Gu Jinqin. Shen Xuan didn't bother to respond to his three junior sisters.

Since the sect competition began.

The three of them chattered away in his ear, giving him a headache.

Especially Gu Jinqin.

He was clearly nervous about her bet!
"Senior Sister Gu, Junior Sisters Wu, please be quiet and let your senior brother have some peace and quiet."

Liu Bingyu said understandingly.

"Senior Sister Liu, we sisters are here to encourage our senior brother!"

The Wu sisters said in unison.

After obtaining the secret recipe for the Thunder Spirit Orb, Xiao Gufeng's wealth increased significantly.

The Wu sisters seemed to have become different people.

No more cheating and deception.

On days with thunderstorms, the Wu sisters would arrive at the mountaintop on time to draw lightning and focus on making Thunder Spirit Orbs.

She was more proactive than any of the senior sisters in Xiaogufeng.

Normally, he would stay by Gu Jinqin's side and help her manage the affairs of Xiaogufeng.

She had become a refined and elegant lady from a prominent family.

"Alright, junior sisters, the competition is about to begin, you should get ready too."

Shen Xuan said softly.

The four junior female students beside me all signed up for the preliminary group competition.

"Hey, my sisters and I are just here to make up the numbers."

"Senior brother, do your best. Our happiness for the rest of our lives depends entirely on you!"

That's an exaggeration!

Those unaware of the inside story might think that Shen Xuan had done something shameful to the Wu sisters.

"rest assured!"

Shen Xuan said with a smile.

The leader of the preparatory group, he had promised Han Yu Zhenren.

Before the competition even started, Master Hanyu had already spread the word.

I'm not bragging.

Master Hanyu was aware of his strength.

It was immediately apparent that Shen Xuan stood out from the crowd among the disciples in the preparatory group.

In this sect competition, he is destined to win the championship in the preparatory group.

Even if it means revealing some of our cards.

Gu Jinqin and the Wu sisters were unaware of the extent of his true combat strength.

It's quite rare for someone to make such a big fuss and place such a heavy bet based solely on Shen Xuan's statement that "there's a 60-70% chance of winning."

This also proves that Shen Xuan still holds considerable weight in the eyes of his fellow disciples.

The Foundation Establishment disciples below the Dharma performance platform spontaneously divided into three small circles, each clearly distinct from the others.

The Golden Elixir is passed down within a small circle of only about thirty people.

The person personally taught a circle of about sixty or seventy people.

The remaining Foundation Establishment disciples formed a circle, the largest in number, with over two hundred people.

Discussions arose one after another.

Many people turned their attention to Shen Xuan.

The same applies to those who personally pass on their Golden Elixir skills.

However, the way they looked at Shen Xuan carried a hint of resentment and provocation.

"That person is Shen Xuan? In my opinion, there's nothing special about him."

"Exactly! Hiding among a group of female disciples, he's obviously a smooth talker!"

"They have no choice. Xiao Gu Feng and Han Yu Feng are both female disciples, and he is the only male disciple."

"Oh, he's so lucky!"

The disciples of the Golden Core cultivators joked around, but dared not say anything too harsh.

After all, there are many eyes and ears here.

"Senior Brother Jin, it seems someone wants to compete with you for the top spot in the preparatory group!"

Someone spoke to a young man in fine clothes with bright eyes and a noble air.

This person is Jin Jincheng, the prized disciple of the Master of Lost Tracks.

Having reached the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, the technique of creating an avatar outside the body has reached a minor level of mastery.

It can simultaneously manifest two avatars, whose cultivation levels are almost identical to its original form.

This is equivalent to three mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Under the competition rules that prohibit talismans, spirit beasts, thunder spirit orbs, and other external objects, Jin Jincheng's strength is outstanding, making him the top favorite to win the preliminary group championship.

"Not at all. Senior Brother Wang and Senior Brother Li are both incredibly strong. It's still uncertain who will win the championship!"

Jin Jincheng said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Wang Ziwei, a direct disciple of Master Yinxiang, and Li Chengfeng, a direct disciple of Master Tianfeng, both responded with smiles.

"With Senior Brother Jin here, I, Wang, am completely humbled."

"Li dares not compare himself to Senior Brother Jin."

As for Lei Yaoyang, the personal disciple of Master Tianlei, he was intentionally or unintentionally ignored.

In addition, a white-robed sword cultivator stood beside him, his eyes as deep as the sea, his face full of arrogance, and his lips tightly pursed.

Yan Haoran, a disciple personally taught by Master Lingjian.

He was introverted and didn't like to talk, so he didn't say a word.

These five people are the most outstanding disciples in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment from the five inner peaks.

They are also a favorite to win the preliminary group of this sect competition.

Soon, the majestic Taoist chants resounded once again in the square.

"Silence! The magic demonstration competition is about to begin."

"Disciples in the preparatory group who win four out of no more than seven matches will advance to the semi-finals."

"Now, the nine Dharma-expounding platforms will begin simultaneously."

"Those whose names are called, come up on stage to perform the ritual."

The square fell silent.

Then, on the nine Dharma performance platforms, the yellow-robed deacons began calling out names.

The disciples of the sects whose names were called went up on stage one after another.

Under the witness of the true people, each person used their abilities.

In an instant, magical artifacts flew everywhere, spells danced in a flurry, and spiritual waves surged, as they fought fiercely.

Not long after.

Shen Xuan's name was called.

"The third Dharma platform, Shen Xuan of Hanyu Peak, and Zhang Baidao of Yuyang Peak."

Those who had just come up on stage to perform the ritual were all ordinary disciples of the sect.

Although the fight was intense, it didn't attract much attention.

Shen Xuan's early appearance on stage surprised many and attracted a lot of attention.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the square became lively.

With a smile, Shen Xuan walked gracefully toward the third Dharma-teaching platform under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

"I am Zhang Baidao from Yuyang Peak. I greet Senior Brother Shen Xuan from Hanyu Peak."

Across from him, Zhang Baidao bowed respectfully.

He is a direct disciple of the real person, and his identity is the same as Shen Xuan's.

Their attitude was so respectful.

This startled Shen Xuan slightly.

The junior sisters of Xiaogu Peak have a strained relationship with the disciples of Yuyang Peak.

Previously, the Wu sisters had also toyed with the feelings of a disciple of Yuyang Peak.

Gu Jinqin even got into a fight with the disciples of Yuyang Peak.

This Zhang Baidao's attitude towards Shen Xuan was a bit too good.

"I dare not. Shen Xuan of Hanyu Peak greets Senior Brother Zhang of Yuyang Peak."

Shen Xuan quickly returned the greeting.

But in his heart, he was wondering what Zhang Baidao was up to.

(End of this chapter)