He fell off a cliff but unexpectedly gained a cultivation inheritance.

Ren Xiaoyao stood atop the protective shield of the grand arena. The faint purple aura surrounding him intertwined with his Nascent Soul peak cultivation divine sense, transforming into a grand and clear voice that pierced through the spiritual mist of the Kunlun Secret Realm, reaching the minds of thousands of cultivators in the plaza. The penetrating power and clarity of that voice far surpassed any high-end sound in the mortal world; every word was distinct and without the slightest noise: "The rules of this competition are different from previous years. Instead of the individual competition, it has been changed to a team competition based on sects."

These words caused a slight commotion in the plaza, with most cultivators showing surprise on their faces. In previous Kunlun Sect Grand Competitions, the focus was always on individual contests, where disciples competed single-handedly, with rankings and rewards going to the individual. It was an excellent stage for peers to showcase their talents and a window for each sect to demonstrate its top-tier combat power. Now, with the rules suddenly changed, although everyone had doubts, no one raised any objections on the spot—as the controller of the Pangu First Secret Realm, the Wanfa Sect held the dominant position in the sect gatherings, and any rule changes must have been carefully considered and had underlying reasons. All the sects chose to patiently listen to the subsequent details.

Ren Xiaoyao's gaze swept across the entire arena. Seeing that everyone's expressions were calm, he continued, explaining the rules one by one: "The competition will still be divided into the Foundation Establishment group and the Qi Refining group. Each sect must send three disciples to form a team to fight. No more or fewer disciples can be sent. The sects will be matched with their first-round opponents and order of appearance by drawing lots. The competition will be a single-round contest. The winner will advance to the next round, and the loser will be eliminated. The top three teams in each group will receive corresponding rewards."

He paused, then spoke earnestly, slowly explaining the original intention behind the rule change: "This rule change is a decision made after careful consideration by the higher-ups of myriad laws sect. The core purpose is to give disciples of many third-rate secret realm sects more opportunities to obtain opportunities and grow, to balance the gap between sects as much as possible, and to prolong the prosperity of the Pangu cultivation world."

As soon as the words were spoken, the reactions of the cultivators in the audience instantly diverged, with drastically different emotions spreading through the crowd. The surprise on the faces of many disciples from second- and third-rate sects vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised excitement. Many even clenched their fists, their eyes burning with a fiery light, as if they had been injected with adrenaline. In previous individual competitions, the winning spots were almost entirely swept by the eighteen first-rate sects, without any suspense—in previous years, each sect could register a maximum of five disciples per group, but to stand out on the stage and win awards, one needed to reach at least the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage or even the Perfected stage to have even a slight chance.

Major sects are teeming with talent, often filling all five competition slots, and their disciples are equipped with top-tier cultivation techniques and magical artifacts. In contrast, third-rate sects, constrained by scarce resources, sometimes cannot even muster five disciples above the late Foundation Establishment stage, often sending only two or three. In some cases, the entire sect can only select one disciple to participate. Furthermore, the cultivation techniques and magical artifacts of first-rate sect disciples far surpass those of third-rate sect disciples, resulting in a vast disparity in strength. The probability of victory for third-rate sect disciples is extremely low, and in previous competitions, they have mostly been mere participants, never even having the chance to claim any rewards.

The change to three-person team battles is undoubtedly a significant improvement in fairness for second- and third-tier sects. While disciples from first-tier sects may possess strong individual abilities, in matches between disciples of the same level, those from second- and third-tier sects can compensate for individual differences and gain a fighting chance through years of honed teamwork and sophisticated tactics. This sudden rule change has given them hope of competing for rewards and bringing glory to their sects.

On the other side, the patriarchs and disciples of the top-tier sects remained relatively calm. For them, the rule change wasn't a bad thing. The overwhelming advantage of individual strength remained a core competitive advantage even in team battles—if one-on-one combat was viable, then three-on-one cooperation was even more certain. Although reducing the number of participating disciples from five to three meant fewer disciples could participate in the competition, this rule ensured fairness and aligned with the general interests of all sects. Even if they had some reservations, they couldn't openly object, lest they be criticized for being petty.

Ren Xiaoyao took in the expressions of the various first-rate sects, and seeing that no one raised any objections, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The most important factor in this rule change was the attitude of the first-rate sects; now that everyone had tacitly agreed, the competition could proceed smoothly. He cleared his throat and continued, announcing the prize list that everyone was most concerned about, his voice carrying just the right amount of allure: "The group rewards for the Foundation Establishment group are as follows: First place group: the sect will receive a Core Formation Pill recipe, and each participating member will receive one Core Formation Pill; Second place group: the sect will receive a Core Formation Pill recipe, and each member will receive ten mid-grade spirit stones; Third place group: the sect will receive a Core Formation Pill recipe, and each member will receive five mid-grade spirit stones. The rewards for the Weapon Forging group are as follows: First place: each member will receive one Foundation Establishment Pill; Second place: each member will receive ten low-grade spirit stones; Third place: each member will receive five low-grade spirit stones."

"Core Formation Pill!" These three words were like a thunderclap, instantly causing a huge uproar in the square. Even the Nascent Soul elders of various sects were moved, and the lower-level disciples were in an uproar, with discussions rising and falling. The rarity of the Core Formation Pill was beyond doubt, even in first-rate sects. It was a treasure that helped Foundation Establishment cultivators break through to the Core Formation stage. Many disciples stuck at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage often had to wait for decades, accumulating enough contribution points, before they could obtain one from the sect's treasury. This pill could increase the probability of a Foundation Establishment cultivator breaking through to the Core Formation stage to about 30%. Such a heaven-defying effect was enough to drive all Foundation Establishment cultivators crazy.

More importantly, the top-ranked group in the Foundation Establishment stage will receive three Core Formation Pills. If all three are from the same sect, it means the sect will inevitably gain at least one new Core Formation expert—even if the first two pills don't help a disciple break through, the third is enough to cover any shortcomings. Currently, the spiritual energy in the Pangu World is depleted, and Nascent Soul cultivators rarely participate. Core Formation cultivators are the top fighting force of each sect. Each additional Core Formation expert strengthens the sect, giving it a more advantageous position in resource competition and the protection of secret realms. This reward goes beyond the scope of a disciple's personal fortune; it directly relates to the sect's long-term development.

In the Immortal Sword Sect's ranks, Zhang Bufan remained calm. He knew that the crucial formula for the Core Formation Pill was undoubtedly in the collection of Daoist Xuanqing, and the Xuanqing Secret Realm was rich in spiritual herbs. He could attempt to refine it once he reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. Liu Yan'er and Xie Ding, however, couldn't hide their excitement. Liu Yan'er had been stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for many years and desperately needed a Core Formation Pill to break through; her fighting spirit was surging. Xie Ding, also at the peak of Foundation Establishment, considered the Core Formation Pill a guarantee for future breakthroughs and valued the team competition even more than before. Yue Ling'er, on the other hand, remained calm. With his talent and status, he didn't need to worry about the Core Formation Pill; Yue Buwei would sell everything he owned to get him one. Ye Qingxue also longed for it, but she knew her own strength; her participation was largely due to luck, and she couldn't represent the sect, so she abandoned the idea. Yue Buwei's expression was solemn, but his eyes revealed his determination to win. Three Core Formation Pills, along with the formula for Core Formation Pills, would be enough to elevate the strength of the Immortal Sword Sect to another level. The Immortal Sword Sect did not have the formula for Core Formation Pills and could not refine them. In the past, the sect had to exchange Core Formation Pills for them at high prices from other alchemy sects. In this team competition, they had to win first place in the Foundation Establishment group no matter what.

After the commotion subsided slightly, Ren Xiaoyao raised his hand to quell it, and his voice resounded across the square once more: "Since everyone has no objections to the rules and rewards, please have each sect send a representative to the registration area in the center of the square to draw their first-round opponents and order of appearance. At the same time, confirm the list of three disciples participating in each group; once registered, this list cannot be changed. The Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining group team competitions will begin simultaneously in half an hour!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the various sects immediately sprang into action. The disciples of the third-rate sects gathered around their patriarchs, excitedly discussing the selection of participants and finalizing their cooperative tactics; the second-rate sects, on the other hand, calmly laid out their plans, selecting three-person combinations with balanced strength and high tacit understanding; the first-rate sects, though unhurried, also quickly identified their core combat forces to avoid any oversights.

Yue Buwei immediately turned to Elder Ma Changsi beside him and instructed, "Elder Ma, as the representative of the sect, go to the registration office to draw lots immediately."

"Yes, Ancestor!" Ma Changsi accepted the order and strode towards the registration desk in the center of the square.

People bustled about the square, each sect busily preparing, the air thick with tension and excitement. A new chapter in the Kunlun Secret Realm Sect Competition was about to begin, taking the form of team battles. A contest concerning sect honor and core resources was about to unfold.