Su Xiaoyu watched the bustling scene within the Qixi Festival Sect and couldn’t help but smile.
It seemed that for this Grand Competition, everyone was going to fight tooth and nail.
At the same time, she felt a sense of wonder. A single grain of ordinary rice, a bit of facial cleanser… inside the Diorama Box, they all produced surprising effects and uses. What about other things?
For example, the bottle cap she had already placed in the Diorama Box. To the people of the Cultivation World, that probably wouldn’t seem like an ordinary material, right?
No one had studied it yet, but if someone paid attention, they might make a discovery.
Even the numerous cameras she had placed in the Diorama Box should possess miraculous effects.
Su Xiaoyu knew she could haul massive amounts of things from the outside world into the Diorama Box and cause a commotion in a short time. But doing so would introduce many problems.
The situation would spiral out of control.
She couldn’t let it spiral. She needed to keep every development firmly within her grasp. Otherwise, who knew what trouble those unforeseen consequences would bring?
Moreover, even if causing a huge ruckus in a short time brought her Faith Value, the effect would be fleeting. Because people would already have been shocked, her future “Divine Manifestations” might not seem as impressive, and the Faith Value she gained might even decrease.
Rather than that, it was better to manifest her divinity slowly, accumulating Faith Value through a steady, continuous stream.
…
Within the Qixi Festival Sect, the Spiritual Plant Masters Liu Jinzhi and Zhu Qian were walking together.
Earlier, upon learning about the Heavenly Maiden’s rewards, they had been as exhilarated as everyone else. But after the excitement wore off, they realized a problem.
Could they actually perform outstandingly in this Grand Competition?
Other disciples’ secondary professions provided them with combat advantages, but that wasn’t the case for them. Even if they focused on studying spells, wouldn’t others be doing the same? Besides, there wasn’t much time left before the competition began. Even if they diverted all their attention to improving their spells, how much could they really improve?
Cultivation was not a process that could be achieved overnight.
Liu Jinzhi wore a troubled expression. “Junior Sister, tell me, what can we do to boost our combat power in the short term? We need to win more rewards in the Grand Competition.”
As a Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator, she was by no means at the bottom of the Qixi Festival Sect—in fact, she was near the top. But she still didn’t know the Heavenly Maiden’s specific definition of “outstanding performance” and was afraid she wouldn’t obtain the Immortal Rice.
As for the facial cleanser, since they could use it once per victory, the more they won, the better.
Zhu Qian replied helplessly, “Even if you ask me, I wouldn’t know what to say. Normally, the only way to quickly boost one’s combat power is by relying on external resources.”
Liu Jinzhi sighed. “I know external resources are the best option, but how do we get any? I went to Gongye Jing’s place earlier, and she said she needs all her Magical Artifacts for herself, none to trade. I went to Hua Shulin, Weng Yuhan, and Luo Cuiyu too, and it was the same everywhere. Not enough talismans, all puppets pre-ordered, Spirit Beasts with upset stomachs… They just refused to trade.”
Zhu Qian smiled bitterly. “Actually, aside from what they need for themselves, the others definitely have surplus items to give away. But giving to others means strengthening their opponents. Naturally, they aren’t willing to do anything that bolsters their competition.”
Liu Jinzhi gritted her teeth. “Do you think it’s too late for us to go to the Market and buy some Magical Artifacts and talismans now?”
Zhu Qian shook her head. “I’m afraid it is. The competition grounds are almost finished being set up. I think the Grand Competition will start soon.”
Hearing this, Liu Jinzhi sighed again.
…
Unlike the helpless Spiritual Plant Masters, those whose secondary professions aided in combat faced a completely different situation.
Weng Yuhan was the Qixi Festival Sect’s Puppet Master, and its only one.
The Puppet Master profession, due to its difficulty to get started in, had always had very few members. Its numbers were practically at rock bottom among all secondary professions for Cultivators, but Puppet Masters were not weak.
A Puppet Master could create puppets that moved according to their commands, effectively giving them extra fighters. Of course, puppet creation wasn’t easy. Weng Yuhan was at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer herself, and the strongest puppet she had created was also equivalent to the Seventh Layer. The rest hadn’t reached that level.
Puppets needed to be controlled by the user, so she couldn’t control too many at once. But if she couldn’t use them all herself, she could trade them to others.
Normally, at a critical moment like this, she shouldn’t trade her puppets away and thus strengthen others. But what if she could also be strengthened in return?
Based on this idea, Weng Yuhan sought out Luo Cuiyu, the most powerful Beast Tamer in the Qixi Festival Sect. The two met in the forest behind the back mountain.
“Senior Sister Luo, I’m here.”
Weng Yuhan called out as she walked into the forest.
She was tall and had an appealing figure with attractive curves, but her face looked somewhat plain. As a result, she was rather low-key within the sect. People only remembered Weng Yuhan when matters concerning puppets were brought up.
This trade with Luo Cuiyu had been initiated by Weng Yuhan; otherwise, the other woman might never have thought of her.
“Sssss…”
The sound of something slithering came from the forest. Then, from a tree, an emerald-green scaled python emerged, flicking its tongue as it stared at Weng Yuhan.
The sight was highly impactful, but Weng Yuhan wasn’t afraid. The python before her was one of Luo Cuiyu’s Spirit Beasts, and its strongest one at that, possessing a cultivation equal to Luo Cuiyu’s own: the Qi Refining 8th Layer!
Since this Profound Azure Python had appeared, Luo Cuiyu must be nearby.
“Junior Sister, are you truly willing to make this trade?”
Accompanied by the voice, Luo Cuiyu walked out from behind the Profound Azure Python.
She was petite, dressed in a long, azure dress, giving her the air of a delicate, pretty girl from a humble home. Her lively eyes looked at Weng Yuhan with interest.
Weng Yuhan spoke with certainty. “Since I’m here, I naturally want to trade. Senior Sister, you give me a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Spirit Beast, and I can give you five Qi Refining Sixth Layer puppets.”
Luo Cuiyu stared at her. “Five Qi Refining Sixth Layer puppets? Even with five, they wouldn’t be much help to me. But a single Qi Refining Seventh Layer Spirit Beast for you would be a tremendous boost. Do you think I’d accept this?”
Weng Yuhan’s expression remained unchanged. “You will accept, Senior Sister. You’ve always taken great care of the other Beast Tamers in this sect. In this Grand Competition, I imagine you’ll want to help them. A Qi Refining Sixth Layer puppet isn’t useful to you, but it is to them, isn’t it? Besides, even if I obtain a Seventh Layer Spirit Beast, how could I possibly threaten you, Senior Sister, who is already at the Qi Refining 8th Layer? I just want to win a few more matches against the others.”
Luo Cuiyu smiled upon hearing this. “Very well. You’ve convinced me. I never imagined you, usually so quiet, were this clever. I accept this trade.”
