Chapter 54 - The Scum Is All-rounder

Xinfaxian Sect, days later.

"Intersect Competition?" Cheng Sheng said as he, Li Tian and Feng Mo sat beneath the tree. Li Tian was holding a book while Feng Mo was polishing his sword. Their sword spirit has finally woken up. Feng Mo became more agile and his attacks are stronger and sharper. Li Tian's movements became more fluid and more precise.

"Yes." Li Tian said as he closed his book. "It is the competition between each sect." he said. "It happens every ten years. It also happened the year our sect was made. We were just starting so we hadn't participated." He explained. "This year, and we can participate." He said.

Cheng Sheng's brows raised. "What's in the competition?" he asked.

"It is a showcase of the cultivators' talents." Feng Mo answered. "Only the cultivators below the Nascent Soul Stage can compete." He said.

"Why?"

"Because after the competition, and one will break through the Nascent Soul Stage!" Feng Mo answered.

"Oh?" Cheng Sheng said. "How can that be?" he asked.

"Only the winners can enter the Cave of Retribution." Li Tian answered.

"Cave of Retribution?" Cheng Sheng said.

Li Tian nodded. "This cave has a spring inside." He said. "The spring produces abundant qi and cleanses one's body."

"'cleanses'?"

Li Tian smiled. "It's as you think." He said. "Like your Cleansing Talisman, the spring has a Cleansing Stone at the bottom of it. It takes away the negative qi – and if there is, the demonic qi, in your body, making your body filled with only positive qi. It will speed up your cultivation, then, make you break through to the Nascent Soul Stage." He explained.

Cheng Sheng frowned. "This sounds really good to the point it is shady." He muttered.

Feng Mo laughed. "Well, you're always right, Cheng-shidi!" he said, grinning. "There really are conditions to enter this cave." He said. "Even if you are the winner, but if the cave won't let you in, then you can't enter!" he said.

"Oh?" Cheng Sheng smiled like a cat. "Why is that?" he asked.

"It depends on your luck." Li Tian answered. "This is the final stage of the Intersect Competition." He said. "There is a maze inside the cave. You are lucky if you can find the spring." He explained. "However, even if you found it, there's one more condition." He said.

"The spring is so amazing." Cheng Sheng said. "What's the last condition?" he asked.

Li Tian looked at him. "You shouldn't have a heart demon." He answered.

"Why?"

"The spring will take away all the qi that will harm and hinder your cultivation." Feng Mo said. "If you have a heart demon, you will die." He answered as he looked at Cheng Sheng. "The heard demon roots in our heart. If it will be taken out by the spring, you can die." He explained.

"Eh…" Cheng Sheng said. "This is really interesting." He put his fingers on his chin. "Having a heart demon and entering the spring, you're just seeking death!" he laughed.

"This is why it's called Cave of Retribution." Li Tian said. "Since the cave is a maze, it has many traps and illusions inside." He said. "People who come out alive are a few. They are the successful ones who entered the spring, increased the level of their cultivation, and was teleported out of the cave." He explained. "There is a teleportation array surrounding the spring that once you enter, you can never come back again and will be teleported outside the cave." He said.

"What is the maze contained of?" Cheng Sheng asked.

"Well, illusions and traps, as what Li-shixiong said." Feng Mo said, thinking. "The maze can bring out your fear, too. Your enemies, illusion or not." He said.

"What do you mean?" Cheng Sheng asked, reacting to Feng Mo's last sentence.

"Since the people who will enter the cave with you might also be your enemy. So, the cave can make an illusion of them, while the enemy also appeared." Feng Mo explained. "This can make you develop a heart demon. That is why, only a few can enter the spring even if they entered the cave." He said.

Cheng Sheng frowned. "This is really a scam to those participants." He said.

"We are also among those participants." Li Tian reminded him as he hit Cheng Sheng's forehead with his book.

Cheng Sheng removed the book from his forehead. "What are the qualifications for the competition?" he asked.

"I only heard that anyone can enter the test as long as they are below the Nascent Soul Stage." Li Tian answered, thinking. "Of course. This competition's aim is to recruit elders for their sect." he said and looked at Cheng Sheng. "The level for the sect elder starts from the Nascent Soul Stage." He added.

"Eh… then what about the stages?" Cheng Sheng asked.

"I guess shifu and founder will announce it later." Feng Mo said. "We'll be leaving to compete with our shidis." He said, referring to their other fellow disciples.

They nodded. They chatted for a while before they went to the class.

"The Intersect Competition is a decennial competition." Fan Wen started as Xie Lan sat on the side, listening to Fan Wen. Even though Xie Lan hid his aura, but the Xinfaxian sect disciples can still feel his power. And so, when Cheng Sheng made the Qi Absorbing talisman, he created an array in the entirety of the Xinfaxian, placing each jade talisman in eight directions of the Xinfaxian as its cores.

The Xinfaxian residents are just ordinary people. Thus, the array was created for them not to feel the pressure of the cultivators' auras. The reason why they were wary of the cultivators before is because they feel threatened of their aura. After the array was created, the residents felt safe. Of course, Cheng Sheng suffered a backlash. He was comatose for a week. He used up his cultivation making him went back at the beginning again. Luckily, Xie Lan already went to a close-door cultivation. Or else, he'll be scolded double as Fan Wen scolded him. Cheng Sheng's reason was, so that he can travel in the Xinfaxian freely and not feel the aura of the other cultivators. If he was just not recovering, Fan Wen would have already beaten him up. Cheng Sheng's purpose was to sneak out. Since the array was made, the probability to sense the other cultivators is close to none. And if the cultivator hides his aura, his presence will become like an ordinary person.

But, since the array benefits the Xinfaxian residents, too, then Fan Wen let Cheng Sheng off. Cheng Sheng has another reason why he did that, though. He wants to see if he will die after he'd exhausted his power in cultivation. He already reached the last level – twelfth level of Qi Refining Stage and is at the peak, about to cross the Foundation Establishment Stage. He wanted to use the qi that his body will absorb during the breakthrough, along with the qi already in his body. That is why he succeeded in creating the large array. It also should be credited to his luck.

"There're only two qualifications for the Intersect Competition – " Fan Wen said. " – one, anyone below the Nascent Soul Stage is qualified." He said. "Two, they should be willing."

"Why is that, shifu?" Lei Ling asked. He is at the low-level Golden Core Stage, same level as Cheng Sheng now that he has a golden core.

Fan Wen turned to him. "Because the later stages of the competition are dangerous." He answered. "There are four stages." He said. "The first stage is the preliminary stage, and is divided into two parts – the magic-based test and fists-based." He looked at them all. "The magic-based, needless to say, are qi-related skills. In short – alchemy." He said.

Unanimously, they looked at Cheng Sheng. The hidden prodigy! They thought. "I'm not good with spells. Li-shixiong is." He said and turned to Li Tian.

Fan Wen nodded. "The alchemy test consists of five parts - " He said. "Pill Refining, Potion Brewing, Talisman Making, Spell Casting, and Array Drawing." He said.

Unsurprisingly, Cheng Sheng is good – if not, master, at these five tests.

"The use of any devices is permitted, since in alchemy, we also refine treasures." Fan Wen continued.

Refining treasures? They all thought and looked at Cheng Sheng. Then, their gaze fell on the Qi Absorbing Jade Talisman of Cheng Sheng.

"There are 50 places for the winners." Fan Wen said. "The second test of the preliminary stage is fists-based – the martial arts." He said.

Again, their eyes fell on Cheng Sheng. You dare say you are average? They thought. After Cheng Sheng's cultivation dropped, one of the areas he spent his efforts most to is the martial arts.

Cheng Sheng innocently blinked. "Feng-shixiong and da shixiong are also good." He said and looked at Feng Mo and Fei Yin.

They all nodded. Da shixiong is the best and Feng Mo has explosive power. Meanwhile, Cheng Sheng is sinister – cough. Flexible.

Fan Wen nodded. "Since this test is fists-based, the use of qi isn't allowed, of course. Once qi is detected, you are disqualified." He said. "Weapons, nor any magic devices and tools, aren't allowed." He added.

They all nodded, clearly paying attention to every word Fan Wen said.

"Like the alchemy test, there is also 50 places given." Fan Wen said.

At this juncture, Xie Lan spoke. "You can choose between the first and second test on the preliminary stage. If you fail, then that's your end in this competition." He looked at them. "Every one of you should take this seriously." He told them.

"Yes, founder!" they answered.

"The second stage is the combination of the first stage – " Fan Wen said. " – the Solo Stage." He said.

"The Solo Stage is the battle between two participants." Xie Lan spoke. "In this stage, you can use alchemy and weapons to fight." He smiled.

Wouldn't this be a piece of cake for Cheng Sheng? They thought and looked at Cheng Sheng who was secretly nibbling snacks from Fei Yin. Since Fei Yin is sitting on the first seat, the snacks were passed to Li Tian – who was sitting on the second seat, and Feng Mo – who was sitting on the third seat, until it reached Cheng Sheng – who was sitting on the fourth seat.

"From 100 participants on the first stage combined, the second stage will have only 50 places." Xie Lan spoke.

Fan Wen nodded and continued. "The third stage is a group battle stage." He said. "And it is more dangerous than the second stage." He took a deep breath and looked at them, his expression serious. "You have to kill corpses." He told them.