Chapter 144 - Preliminary

Lu Mingshu entered the Heavenly Wheel.

After the past few days at the arenas, the debt had decreased from a thousand to seven hundred points.

“Xiao Sang.”

“Yes?”

“The Qilin Festival is tomorrow. Can I exchange for something?”

“You still owe points, so the functions are temporarily out of service,” Xiao Sang replied.

“I’m aware, but there should be some exclusions for special circumstances, right? You let me borrow points during the Heavenly Door competition, which is why I’m in debt in the first place.”

Xiao Sang remained unmoved, “You were at a disadvantage back then.”

“I’m at a disadvantage right now too,” Lu Mingshu tried to convince her. “There are many powerful people at the Qilin Festival. Moreover, I’ve only just entered the Harmonization Realm. Even if I’m skilled, my basics aren’t as strong as everyone else’s. How will I be able to pay my debt if I’m eliminated early? And if I am unable to pay, I will be banned – in other words, all my benefits will go down the drain.”

After a moment of silence, Xiao Sang’s voice rang again; “We have analyzed your situation, and you will be given a strengthening seal twice a day until you pay back your debts.”

“For free?” Lu Mingshu was pleasantly surprised.

“No, on credit.”

Lu Mingshu sighed. “Stingy.”

Xiao Sang replied in monotone, “If you’re unhappy, we can cancel this benefit.”

“Of course not! I’m very satisfied!”

A strengthening seal cost two points per seal. Competing at the arenas already earned her around two hundred points, and there will definitely be more during the festival.

Lu Mingshu had gotten the hang of the Heavenly Wheel’s point allocation during the past few days; the more impact she had on the real world, the more points she would gain.

For example, during the Heavenly Door competition, she changed the structure of two clans of the Nine Jade Palace, which got a hundred points. She also led the rune-carving industry to a brighter future, which also earned her a hundred points. However, the arena at the pharmacy only gave her five points, which was relatively fewer compared to the martial arts arenas – it seemed that the more spectators an arena had, the more points she would gain.

If that was indeed how it allocated points, then she would earn quite a lot if she managed to get into the New Generation Ranking. The Qilin Festival was the largest martial arts festival in China. Getting into the New Generation Ranking would make her famous world-wide. For this, being in debt was nothing.

During the Heavenly Door competition, she exchanged for a sturdy strengthening seal. Lu Mingshu initially thought it was useless, but it also increased her accuracy, which was one of the main reasons she was better than all the others.

After the Heavenly Door competition, there was a rumor going around in the sect – “Don’t ever compete with Lu Mingshu if you want to keep your sword intact.”

However, it was a pity that the strengthening seal only lasted for twelve hours, and it was a one-time-use item.

The wooden wheel swiveled slowly. When the Miscellaneous Goods Section opened up, all the other items were gray expect for the strengthening seal.

Lu Mingshu closed her eyes for a moment, and the strengthening seal was soon in her hand.

Strengthening seal: increase one’s defense.

Strengthening seal: increase one’s attack by 2%.

Before she could ask, Xiao Sang started, “The first strengthening seal can be used on tools to increase their defense, such as your combat gear. The second one can be used on your weapon, and your own ability will rise too.”

Lu Mingshu’s eyes shone. The second strengthening seal’s effects may seem negligible, but in reality, to achieve such a small increase otherwise would require blood, sweat, and tears. However, for the first seal, she didn’t quite understand it.

“Xiao Sang, how much defense does it add? It can only be used on defensive tools?”

“The amount can’t be quantified. You can also use it without a defensive tool, but the result won’t be as good.”

Lu Mingshu pouted and felt pity for herself. I’m so poor, how could I afford a defensive tool? She had earned some money by going to the arenas for the past few weeks, and if she could get into the New Generation Ranking, not only would she get the prize from the officials, she would also get some money from State Master Jia Yan as well.

“These can be saved for the future, right?” she asked a last question.

“Yes. As long as they are unused, they won’t expire.”

Lu Mingshu exited the Heavenly Wheel, and she was on cloud nine.

The next day, the various sects’ tents were crowded.

A spell had been casted on the roof; rings of mystic lights enclosed the rooftop.

At seven in the morning, a middle-aged man in a red cloak jumped onto the roof. He turned to the audience and bowed, “I’m Lin Zixin, the palace’s adjutant. I’m honored to be selected as the host of this magnificent event.”

Lin Zixin was someone who the Nine Jade Palace disciples knew. He was the one who stopped the fight between themselves and the barbarians when they first arrived.

After the opening ceremony, Lin Zixin started the briefing, “Today, we’ll have the Harmonization Realm disciples compete with each other. The top ten will enter the New Generation Ranking – the best disciples in the world!”

He then proceeded with the rules.

The Qilin Festival was different from normal arenas; there were more rules, and it was much more complicated.

The first few days were the preliminaries. One could only proceed if he or she won at least one fight.

A clerk was assigned to every tent. Disciples who were interested in taking part had to sign up with the clerk. The names would then be sent to the host and randomly chosen.

Disciples who managed to get onto the New Generation Ranking during the previous festival didn’t need to go through this procedure.

The actual competition duration was unlimited. One could choose their opponents freely, and the final result was determined by points. When the competition starts, each competitor would be given ten points each. The winner would get 20% of the opponent’s points. The ten people who accumulated the most points would be the New Generation Ranking.

If someone just finished a fight, one couldn’t issue a challenge. An hour of resting time was given after a fight.

The preliminary wasn’t the main deal. The actual competition afterward was difficult and challenging, and the most difficult part of the competition was its freestyle nature. It challenged not only one’s ability, it also tested resilience and intelligence. In order to make the top ten, one must figure out the proper amount of fights and who to choose. One couldn’t fight too little or they wouldn’t get enough points, and one couldn’t fight too much or they would be too fatigued and risk losing. You also couldn’t fight only weak opponents or you wouldn’t get enough points, so even if Lady Luck was on your side, you had to have true power to reach the top ten.

In conclusion, it could be said that first place may not be the most powerful, but anyone who could reach the top ten would be truly capable. The New Generation Ranking was very prestigious, and it was recognized all around the world.

As soon as Lin Zixin finished explaining the rules, almost every disciple in the Nine Jade Palace signed up for it.

Generally, everyone would have two chances to prevent any talents from being eliminated if they were just unlucky.

If someone drew a strong opponent twice, then they would just be incredibly unlucky.

After signing up, the clerk sent the name-list to the roof.

“The barbarians are participating too!” Tan Yubing whispered.

A clerk was also sent to the barbarians’ side, and the clerk came back with a name-list for them as well.

Tan Yubing was filled with worries. After the fight between the harpy and Yu Kuang, she could see how strong they were. Even though Yu Kuang won, it was because he was crafty. Furthermore, what he did was something that only he could do because others didn’t have such precision and control.

“Don’t worry,” Shao Zhengyang reassured Tan Yubing. “They do not have many people, while we have around two hundred. The probability of meeting one is small.”

After half an hour, Shao Zhengyang wanted to slap himself.

Shao Zhengyang had jinxed himself – he met a harpy!