The following days passed quickly as Liu Jiang Fusheng remained in secluded cultivation to recuperate from his injuries, and Dan Ya also went into seclusion. The other disciples of the Dayanyuan sect also followed suit, focusing on increasing their cultivation. One month felt like a fleeting moment, and the "minor competition" of the Newcomer Ranking was approaching.
The venue was set at the top of the Celestial Dome, and the Void Gate sect had already completed the arrangements.
The "Newcomer Ranking" had two major events: the "minor competition" for preliminary selection and advancement, and the "grand competition" which served as the finals and ultimate conclusion.
The "minor competition" was essentially a series of duels, employing a challenge mode where one participant was randomly selected to occupy the arena, and others could challenge them.
One person would defend the arena while another challenged. The loser was eliminated, and the winner gained one point.
As rounds of challenges continued, anyone who accumulated ten points would advance. Of course, to reduce competition and earn more points, participants could continue challenging, aiming for as many points as possible. This was because scores in the "minor competition" determined whether a participant would enter the finals or advance directly to the ultimate finals in the "grand competition."
Those who reached the finals would then have to compete further to select who would advance to the ultimate finals.
The "minor competition" also relied on a degree of luck and perception. As the saying goes, one picks the soft persimmons to crush. Those lacking confidence could first challenge individuals ranked lower than themselves.
The goal was to quickly accumulate ten points from others to successfully advance. While ten points sounded easy, requiring only the defeat of ten individuals weaker than oneself, the actual execution was far from simple. Some, upon nearing the ten-point mark, would be directly challenged by a stronger opponent before they could seize their final "soft persimmon." After defeat, they would lose all previously accumulated points. Instead, their challenger would snatch that "fat fish" and advance directly.
This situation was infuriating, yet unavoidable. However, the "minor competition" had always been a bit of a trap. Therefore, smaller sects had long devised strategies to cope, which was to pool their collective efforts.
Disciples within a sect would combine their points to climb higher, or cooperate with other sects to seize points from others.
For instance, if one disciple had three points, another had three, and a third had two, they would not wait until their scores became too high and they were targeted by stronger opponents. Instead, they would forgo their own chances of advancing, pooling all their points and giving them to the fourth disciple, who had the highest chance of success, thus allowing that disciple to advance smoothly.
Alternatively, two sects might cooperate, ganging up on a high-scoring, isolated disciple. They would then collectively contribute points to whoever was a few points short, sending as many as possible to advance.
Of course, if one was unlucky and got wiped out by others, that was also a matter of fate and destiny.
This was the approach taken by disciples with less combat strength, seeking common ground and minimizing individual risk. However, those with genuine ability would not engage in such demeaning point-gathering activities.
"Tomorrow is the minor competition. You should first look for those ranked lower on the initial test list," Elder Jiu Li said with deep concern, having gathered them to discuss the matters of the Newcomer Ranking's "minor competition."
Fang Rui replied somewhat awkwardly, "Elder, how are we supposed to find them? We don't even know them!"
Moreover, with over a hundred disciples, apart from the top ten on the ranking list who were recognizable by their sect affiliation, the rest could only be assessed through observation. It wasn't as if they would stand still, waiting to be slowly evaluated based on their ranking.
Elder Jiu Li also understood the unfeasibility of this idea and sighed, "It is also our fault that the Dayanyuan sect is weak. Most other sects in the minor competition generally help each other. It is a pity we have no allies. The four of you can only rely on yourselves to slowly accumulate points."
Zi Ying, however, felt that this was better, at least they wouldn't have to sacrifice some members to fulfill the needs of others like other sects did.
Wasn't it better to compete based on individual ability?
She asked, "Elder, should we go first or second?"
Going first meant challenging disciples whose cultivation levels were visibly lower to accumulate points. Going second meant waiting for others to challenge a batch of disciples first, and then seizing high scores from them.
Elder Jiu Li pondered for a moment and said, "Fang Rui and Zi Ying, you two will go first. As for Fusheng and Dan Ya, you will go second."
Zi Ying and Fang Rui had no objections, and Liu Jiang Fusheng and Dan Ya felt that going first or second made no difference.
After a period of discussion, they all dispersed to prepare for the "minor competition" the next day.
Liu Jiang Fusheng returned to his room and saw Gu Junshi leaning by the window, her expression serene, as if lost in thought. He walked over and asked, "A Yi, are you going to watch the minor competition tomorrow?"
Gu Junshi replied, "If I have time, I will."
He reached out and placed his hand on her forehead, "A Yi, are you feeling unwell?"
He withdrew his hand and then pressed his forehead against hers. "It feels a bit warm."
Gu Junshi didn't feel that anything was wrong with her body, but recalling recent events, she frowned slightly. "It's nothing major, perhaps I was just tired last night."
Last night… he had been too rash.
Liu Jiang Fusheng's ears turned red. He couldn't help himself and gave her a light peck on the lips. "Then you should rest well in your room."
Gu Junshi stared at him with her dark eyes. She was gradually getting used to his increasing affection towards her lately.
"A Yi, why did you marry me back then?" It seemed he was asking out of sudden interest to discuss the past, but in reality, he was simply restless, wanting to find something to confirm that she cared about him.
She had no idea that during his seclusion, his mind had been constantly occupied by her. The moment she was away from his side, he became uneasy, and thus he had followed her without making a sound.
He had witnessed the things Dan Ya had done to her, and he had also heard her decisively refuse Dan Ya's fawning. However, that shameless third party had attempted to force himself upon her. If not for the sudden appearance of that Buddhist cultivator, he couldn't imagine what he might have done in his madness.
Why did she marry him?
Gu Junshi hadn't really pondered this question. She asked, "And you, why did you agree to the village chief's request to marry Gu Yi, someone with such a notorious reputation?"
Liu Jiang Fusheng didn't notice the phrasing she used and simply thought about the question.
There were many reasons, to be honest.
At that time, he was alone and helpless, having even lost his memories. She was the only lifeline he could grasp.
However… if it had been someone else, would he have agreed?
—No.
Liu Jiang Fusheng hugged her. Although he was taller than her, he liked to curl up into her embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder, rubbing against her affectionately. "A Yi, don't abandon me, and don't go to anyone else's side…"
Gu Junshi smoothed his silky hair and after a long moment, sighed softly, "Okay."
—
The next day, Elder Jiu Li gathered all the disciples of the Dayanyuan sect and led them to the "minor competition" venue.
Based on the information on the initial test rankings, the highest cultivation level among those participating in the Newcomer Ranking was Golden Core peak stage, with at least forty-something individuals. The lowest was Foundation Establishment.
However, cultivation level alone did not represent everything. All these were future stars of the entire cultivation world and disciples upon whom each sect placed great hope. They all possessed various trump cards given by their respective sects. If one were to underestimate others based on their slightly higher cultivation, they might ultimately suffer a setback due to carelessness.