Seeing Qin Xiao's indifferent expression, Lin Tiancheng could only slowly shake his head.
"If it were previous years, two mid-stage Nascent Souls should be able to compete for the top three, but this year is different. Not to mention the Pure Yang Sect and Mysterious Yin Sect plus the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, even Tianyi City and Pure Yang City are not easy to deal with."
Lin Tiancheng was also helpless. Although the Tianyuan Sect had been established for over a thousand years, compared to those major sects, it was still considered a rookie.
"Sect Leader, during the last Abyss Secret Realm, didn't the three forces stronger than us suffer heavy losses? The forces from other cities are even weaker. Why does your tone make it sound like we're struggling even to reach the top three?"
Qin Xiao was confused by Lin Tiancheng's words. Last time, those three forces only had a sole survivor escape.
Moreover, last time the leaders from the other three forces were only mid-stage Nascent Souls. The Immortal Dao Merchant Association's Ling Wushuang was late-stage Nascent Soul, but his age definitely exceeded thirty-five.
"Do you think the Pure Yang Sect is a second-level sect for no reason? Why does the third-level sect Mysterious Yin Sect dare to oppose the Pure Yang Sect? Their heritage is not something our Tianyuan Sect can compare to. The Abyss Secret Realm has been developed for countless years, and the danger level is within controllable range. We send out all our elites, while they merely select a batch of disciples for training. Even if they suffer heavy losses, it hasn't reached the point of damaging their foundations."
Lin Tiancheng said helplessly.
In previous years, other cities participated symbolically, as their strength was indeed somewhat weaker. The Spirit Medicine Valley was not like the Abyss Secret Realm that could accommodate so many people to enter; spots could naturally be allocated to resolve the issue. The Spirit Medicine Valley can only allow one hundred people to enter each time, and spots must be fought for. Those who consciously couldn't get a spot would just symbolically go through the motions.
This year, not to mention the two sects above us, the strength of the Immortal Dao Merchant Association goes without saying. Now there's also Tianyi City after Chen Shunyi intervened, and the originally strong Pure Yang City. Adding the Tianyuan Sect makes six forces competing.
The main competitors are still the three sects, one city, and the Immortal Dao Merchant Association. That one city is the super-large city Pure Yang City. Moreover, the Spirit Medicine Valley only has five spots. This time with an additional Tianyi City, the Tianyuan Sect, which was either fourth or fifth in previous years, might even lose its spot this time.
"So in previous years' spot competitions, what strength did other forces have? Did they all have mid-to-late-stage Nascent Soul disciples?"
Qin Xiao indeed didn't understand other forces' heritage, so he asked curiously.
"Last competition, Pure Yang Sect: three participating disciples, one late-stage Nascent Soul, two mid-stage Nascent Souls. Mysterious Yin Sect: three mid-stage Nascent Souls. Immortal Dao Merchant Association: three mid-stage Nascent Souls. These three were the top three. Pure Yang City also had two mid-stage Nascent Souls, one early-stage Nascent Soul. We had one early-stage Nascent Soul, two Golden Core peak stages."
Lin Tiancheng lacked confidence even as he said this. Last competition, the Tianyuan Sect only had one early-stage Nascent Soul and two Golden Core peak stages, barely managing to get fifth place.
"Then that early-stage Nascent Soul from last competition, after ten years, should now have mid-stage Nascent Soul strength, right? Why did you choose us?"
Qin Xiao said somewhat speechlessly.
"I know why. Senior Brother Mu was already nearly thirty-five in the last competition and has now passed the age limit. The other two Golden Core peak-stage Senior Brothers were also similar in age and are now in Secluded Cultivation."
Upon hearing Qin Xiao ask this, Lin Shimeng quickly explained.
"So our sect's strongest disciples under thirty-five are Yun Man and Shimeng? Plus me as filler?"
Qin Xiao asked somewhat incredulously. He thought the sect had considerable heritage, but they were all in Secluded Cultivation. Now it seems there isn't much heritage after all.
"Correct. This is the gap in sect heritage. In Qingzhou, anyone with monstrous talent naturally wouldn't choose our Tianyuan Sect first. Either they join the Merchant Association, or they go to the Pure Yang Sect or Mysterious Yin Sect. The lucky ones get personally taken as disciples by those heavenly dynasty great powers. That's why when Yun Man joined the sect, it caused a scramble among the Elders."
Lin Tiancheng also spoke truthfully. It was precisely because he had a Heavenly Spirit Root that he became Sect Leader. His daughter was also made the sect's Holy Maiden precisely because of her Heavenly Spirit Root. In the cultivation world, talent isn't the only factor, but it determines a person's upper limit.
In the cultivation world, the weak are prey to the strong. The strong grow stronger, the weak grow weaker. The Tianyuan Sect has gone to great pains to maintain this third-level sect title. This is also why the Grand Elder knew that the one who killed his son was Yun Man, but could only settle the account on Qin Xiao alone-because he couldn't touch Yun Man. Yun Man's importance was even greater than his, the Grand Elder.
"So Sect Leader, do you know what cultivation levels the disciples from other forces in this competition will be?"
Only now did Qin Xiao understand-the Tianyuan Sect was actually this weak. No wonder even the Mysterious Yin Sect, also a third-level sect, somewhat looked down on the Tianyuan Sect. This was the gap in sect heritage.
"Based on the information I've collected, this time the Pure Yang Sect still has one late-stage Nascent Soul, two mid-stage Nascent Souls. The late-stage Nascent Soul is also a Heavenly Spirit Root, thirty-four years old this year, didn't appear in the last competition, and has been personally taught by the Pure Yang Sect's Grand Elder all along. The two mid-stage Nascent Souls-you know one of them, it's Cang Xing, thirty-two years old. The other is his younger brother Cang Chen, twenty-four years old, also a Heavenly Spirit Root."
"The Mysterious Yin Sect is similar-still three mid-stage Nascent Souls. Su Lin you all know, thirty-three years old. The other two are also the Mysterious Yin Sect's core disciples, also a pair of Heavenly Spirit Root twin sisters, Luo Yunbing and Luo Yunshuang, twenty-five years old."
"The Immortal Dao Merchant Association still only sent three mid-stage Nascent Souls, but the Merchant Association's heritage is far more than this. Perhaps they're doing it intentionally. Pure Yang City has really gone all out this time, somehow finding a late-stage Nascent Soul who holds a deputy City Lord position. Tianyi City is the same; the person holding the position is also a late-stage Nascent Soul. Chen Shunyi is bringing out his most talented disciple."
Lin Tiancheng investigated the disciples from other forces participating this time, and the information he obtained made him feel terrified.
This was also why, even though he knew his daughter and Yun Man had both broken through to mid-stage Nascent Soul, he still wasn't optimistic.
The Tianyuan Sect might not even get the qualification to enter the Spirit Medicine Valley this time, let alone enter the top three.
"Didn't you say Heavenly Spirit Roots are extremely rare? Why do I feel like they're everywhere?"
Qin Xiao was also a bit confused. Anyone who can reach the Nascent Soul stage before thirty-five at worst needs a Heavenly Spirit Root, right? Other sects have plenty of such people, while the Tianyuan Sect only has two-one produced by the Sect Leader himself, and another who joined for special reasons. This is too pathetic.
"Heavenly Spirit Roots are naturally extremely scarce, but Qingzhou is vast with a large population. No matter how few, with such a large base, quite a few can appear. It's just that none have joined our Tianyuan Sect."
Hearing Qin Xiao's complaint, Lin Shimeng explained.
Heavenly Spirit Roots, placed below third-level sects, are encounters one can only hope for but not seek. No matter what, they wouldn't join a fourth-level force unless, like Lin Tiancheng, they produce one themselves. Even if they produce one themselves, if there's a better place to go, they wouldn't keep them by their side.
Lin Tiancheng had no choice-he was the Sect Leader, he couldn't send his daughter away, could he? Would he still be Sect Leader then? It was precisely because he had sufficient authority to guarantee his daughter could get enough cultivation resources that she stayed in the sect as Holy Maiden.
The Li Family only produced an Earthly Spirit Root, yet could be accepted as a Personal Disciple by the Immortal Sword Peak, with additional protection for the Li Family. The Li Family's eldest daughter also had an Earthly Spirit Root and good looks, which was why Tan Wang accepted her as his dao companion.
This shows that even an ordinary Earthly Spirit Root is already scarce. It's just that Qin Xiao's current level is too high, creating the illusion that Earthly Spirit Roots are ordinary and Heavenly Spirit Roots are common.
"So, this time our Tianyuan Sect might not even get a spot, let alone ranking."
Lin Tiancheng was also worried. If Tianyi City hadn't intervened, at least they could guarantee fifth place. Now it's somewhat uncertain.
"If it's only this level of strength, Sect Leader can rest assured. I guarantee we can compete for a spot. As for how many, I don't dare guarantee."
Qin Xiao also saw Lin Tiancheng's helplessness and quickly assured him.
"Really? You have a way?"
"Of course. If the disciples can't win, I, as their master, will cover for them."
"With your words, I feel much more at ease."
Lin Tiancheng also couldn't figure out Qin Xiao's details, but since Qin Xiao said this, he could only choose to believe him.
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