Chapter 101: I... I want to stay in Central Province!

As for the current state of Immortal Qiu Xiao, the little uncle, one only had to observe his peak Nascent Soul cultivation and the way even Bai Tianxiang, who was already in the middle stage of the Golden Core, treated those of their Foundation Establishment stage with utmost respect to understand his standing.

At this moment, Liu Yu clenched his fist and declared, “I’ve made up my mind. I want to make it into the top hundred and stay in Central Province!”

He spoke his thoughts without hesitation.

Jin Tiehua’s eyes flickered; he clearly shared the same ambition, though he didn’t voice it aloud. Inwardly, he scoffed. Even the little ancestral uncle had said that this Azurecloud Gathering would be fiercely competitive. Whether they could make it into the top hundred was another matter entirely. By stating his intentions so early, if he failed to qualify and couldn’t remain in Central Province, he would have to return to Cloud Province with his tail between his legs—a humiliation beyond measure.

Still, Jin Tiehua’s heart burned with desire. Having passed the tests, he felt that if he returned to Cloud Province, he might never reach the Golden Core stage in this lifetime. Was he destined, like Master Wang Tiefeng, to spend his entire life forging weapons atop a modest mountain? Frankly, it wasn’t just Jin Tiehua; even Ye Caixuan, Xing Mengfan, and Li Yao all wished fervently to stay in Central Province.

They left the main hall and headed toward the venue of the Azurecloud Gathering. Along the way, the floating pavilions and towers suspended in mid-air, as well as the powerful cultivators occasionally flying past, overwhelmed them. If they hadn’t known that Central Province’s Azurecloud Sect was merely a second-tier sect, they might have believed they had arrived in a sacred land.

Compared to this, Azurecloud Sect in Cloud Province was like a small Taoist temple occupying a few mountain peaks—a country squire with some ancient architecture, nothing more.

The three female disciples each had their own personalities: one combative, one calm, one lively—but they shared a yearning for the Great Dao. If there were gold-digging women in the previous world, then in this life, these were “Dao-digging women.” Central Province’s Azurecloud Sect was akin to the great metropolis of a past life, always capable of stirring one’s inner desires and making them long to stay.

Li Yao glanced at Cao Xuan. Usually so talkative, she was now unusually silent. In her eyes, her little junior brother was destined to remain in Central Province. Thus, she had yet another reason to stay.

Xing Mengfan’s eyes gleamed with fighting spirit. “Suppressing Prison Formula” was only the inherited technique from Cloud Province’s Demon Expelling Peak—a fragment, allowing cultivation only to the Golden Core stage. Here in Central Province’s Azurecloud Sect, there was a complete inheritance of the “Suppressing Prison Formula,” and she was determined to obtain it.

As for Ye Caixuan, she simply wanted to learn more pill recipes and refine stronger elixirs; Central Province would undoubtedly satisfy that wish.

They had received identity tokens for Central Province, but they were merely “guest elders” of the Azurecloud Sect. After the Azurecloud Gathering, they would have to return the way they came. Unless, like Sect Master Yu Qingsong, they one day broke through to the Golden Core stage and could occasionally visit Central Province with their token.

Truth be told, Cao Xuan felt little nostalgia for Azurecloud Sect in Cloud Province.

In Central Province’s Azurecloud Sect, the number of female cultivators was at least ten times greater. With his “Devoted Admirer System,” he could truly unleash its greatest potential here. As for Lin Miaoxuan and Chen Qianru, once Cao Xuan established himself in Central Province, he could bring them over. After all, he had already made real progress with these two women; they were not like Li Yao and Yu Wan, the mountain dwellers. The moment they entrusted themselves to Cao Xuan, they had chosen him, and he would not let them down.

“I hope the Purification Pills and other elixirs I left for them will help them break through to Foundation Establishment soon,” Cao Xuan mused. He understood that in Central Province, anyone below Foundation Establishment was no different from a mortal ant.

Walking among the pavilions and towers, Liu Yu and the others may not have noticed, but Cao Xuan, with the experience of two lifetimes, was adept at reading people. The enhanced senses of a Foundation Establishment cultivator allowed him to easily discern the difference between Foundation Establishment disciples in Central Province and those from Cloud Province.

These outer sect disciples walking among the pavilions did not carry the subtle arrogance that Liu Yu and his companions possessed. On the contrary, they were extremely cautious and reserved, showing not a trace of ostentation. Even when looking at newcomers, though only at the initial Foundation Establishment stage, they exhibited a faint sense of disdain.

Of course, Cao Xuan only noticed this through careful observation; Liu Yu and the others were oblivious, striding boldly and drawing contempt from those around them.

“All Foundation Establishment cultivators here are cautious and humble, which means in Central Province, Foundation Establishment counts for little—no different from Qi Condensation cultivators in Cloud Province.”

One could easily tell whether a cultivator held an exalted status by observing closely. Liu Yu and the others were not usually ostentatious, but in Cloud Province, the strength of Foundation Establishment cultivators made them subconsciously feel superior. Even here in Central Province, though not unruly, their confident strides were viewed as arrogance by others.

Fortunately, during the Azurecloud Gathering, the locals did not cause trouble, and everyone proceeded peacefully to the event site.

Boom!

Awooo!

Ding ding ding!

As they passed through floating towers, they suddenly stepped into emptiness. The world spun, and they found themselves transported to a vast arena.

In the sky, floating islands served as arenas, where disciples occasionally exchanged spells in fierce combat. Great spiritual beasts—no less impressive than whale-dragon ships—such as dragons and roc birds, roared in the air, clearly immortal mounts observing the proceedings.

The faces of Cao Xuan and his companions showed their shock, their waist tokens glowing with a faint green light.

“Ding! Xuan 7980!”

A voice sounded in Cao Xuan’s mind—his token was now activated, assigning him a number in the arena.

“This is only the Foundation Establishment arena, yet already at least eight thousand ‘genius’ disciples are competing!”

“Most must be disciples of Central Province’s Azurecloud Sect!”

Cao Xuan was deeply shaken. The Cloud Province’s Azurecloud Sect had just over ten thousand disciples, most at the Qi Condensation stage, with many not even reaching the fourth layer—mere quasi-outer sect disciples. If you couldn’t be called a ‘genius,’ you could hardly hope to qualify for the Azurecloud Gathering.

Cao Xuan finally understood what true disparity meant.

Li Yao was nervous, tugging at Cao Xuan’s sleeve. “Junior brother, I’m Huang 6411. There are so many competitors this time!”

Cao Xuan’s mind thundered with shock.

“Right, why did I assume Xuan meant Foundation Establishment? Heaven, earth, black, and yellow—how many are competing?”

He had thought ‘heaven’ signified Nascent Soul, ‘earth’ meant Golden Core, and ‘black’ was Foundation Establishment. Now it seemed heaven, earth, black, and yellow were all Foundation Establishment arenas.

Cao Xuan looked up, gazing at the boundless arena.

“No wonder it takes half a month to select the top hundred!”

Foundation Establishment cultivators are strong, and even if evenly matched, most duels resolve within an hour. If not for the sheer number of participants, half a month wouldn’t be necessary.

“Hey, you’re Huang 6411? I’m Di 9300!” Ye Caixuan exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Li Yao. She then realized something, and turned to see the Cloud Province Azurecloud Sect’s direct disciples exchanging uncertain glances.

“I… I want to stay in Central Province!” Liu Yu swallowed, repeating his earlier bold declaration.