Luo Shu defeated the final disciple from Great Mahayana Island, then turned to look at the Formation Screen. Her na now ranked second, with the first place naturally belonging to Lu Hanmo.
She curled her lips into a smile and stepped down from the Competition Stage. If nothing unexpected happened, this should be the final result.
The disciples of Liangyi Sect saw Luo Shu stepping off the stage and happily gathered around her.
"Junior Sister Luo, you and Junior Brother Lu were amazing! Watching you fight really lifted our spirits."
"This ti, Great Mahayana Island and Sky Water Sect’s disciples were completely wiped out. The elders of those two sects must be fuming!"
"Serves them right for bullying us from Liangyi Sect!"
"In the past, the disciples of Sky Water Sect and Great Mahayana Island were unbearably arrogant. Watching them fall flat on their faces now is just too satisfying!"
Lu Hanmo, after finishing off the last disciple from Sky Water Sect, walked over to them.
"Junior Brother Lu, with you and Junior Sister Luo taking first and second place, our sect has gained eight additional allocation slots." The third-place contestant’s score was several tis lower than theirs. To catch up, the only option was to challenge them. But did anyone truly have the courage to challenge them?
"In the past, we couldn’t even dream that Liangyi Sect would one day reach this level."
"We also never imagined witnessing a day when Sky Water Sect and Great Mahayana Island would be brought down by us. It feels like a dream, haha!" The disciples of Liangyi Sect laughed joyfully.
In contrast to the jubilant atmosphere at Liangyi Sect, Great Mahayana Island and Sky Water Sect were somber and downcast.
All the disciples stood in silence. They had worked tirelessly for this selection tournant, struggling to stand out among their peers in their respective sects. Yet in the end, all their efforts only paved the way for others to succeed.
The points they had accumulated through countless hard-fought matches had been painstakingly earned. They had been so sure of entering the top thousand, believing it was a certainty—only to be dealt a brutal defeat at the finish line. What frustrated them the most was that they didn’t even have the chance for revenge.
The competition ended with the sound of a drumroll. Predictably, Lu Hanmo claid first place, Luo Shu took second, and a disciple from Sacred Heavenly Gate placed third. The once-favored Great Mahayana Island and Sky Water Sect, however, suffered a complete loss.
Elder Li, leading his dispirited disciples back to Great Mahayana Island, imdiately went to Sect Master Jun Wuheng’s study.
"Sect Master!" Elder Li’s expression was visibly haggard. In recent tis, Liangyi Sect had dealt their sect blow after blow. This ti, the two disciples from Liangyi Sect were even more ruthless, not leaving them a single allocation slot.
Jun Wuheng nodded faintly. "I already know about the situation. I’ve sent Elder Shin and Elder Qi to negotiate with Liangyi Sect’s Sect Master. No matter the cost, we must secure a few slots. If not even one of our disciples enters the Heaven Realm, Great Mahayana Island in the Heaven Realm will beco the laughingstock of all the sects. At that point, my position as Sect Master would also co to an end. So regardless of the price, I must obtain those slots from Liangyi Sect. The thought of this is bitter indeed. What should have been ours easily is now sothing we must pay dearly to retrieve—and whether they’re even willing to negotiate is uncertain."
"But will they agree?" Elder Li had no confidence at all.
"Whether they agree or not, we must beg. Otherwise, not just , but all of you elders will face punishnt as well." Jun Wuheng’s voice was grim. He wasn’t bluffing; the Heaven Realm’s Great Mahayana Island had appointed him as Sect Master of the Earth Realm’s branch precisely because of his competence. If he allowed the sect to be humiliated among other sects in the Heaven Realm, the consequences for him—and the elders—would be dire.
Upon hearing this, Elder Li’s face turned even more ghastly. He had been stationed at Great Mahayana Island in the Earth Realm for thousands of years and had no desire to leave. Now, all he could hope for was that Elder Shin and Elder Qi would successfully secure the slots.
The Liangyi Sect mbers had only just returned to their sect when a disciple ca running to report that four elders from Great Mahayana Island and Sky Water Sect had arrived to seek an audience.
"As expected, they’ve co. Sect Master really has foresight," Elder Mu said with a smile. There was no need to guess; the purpose of their visit was clear.
"The one with real foresight isn’t , but Luo Shu and Lu Hanmo," Lin Jue replied with a grin. Prior to the tournant, Luo Shu and Lu Hanmo had already shared their ticulously planned strategy with him.
During Liangyi Sect’s year-plus of seclusion, the resources consud were more than ten tis the usual amount. Nearly everything had been depleted, save for the Immortal Spirit Energy of the Yin Yang Stone. If not for Luo Shu and Lu Hanmo discovering additional resources at the top level of the Cultivation Tower, the sect wouldn’t have lasted even a year.
Luo Shu and Lu Hanmo’s strategy was simple: defeat all the disciples from Great Mahayana Island and Sky Water Sect, cutting them off from any allocation slots. With no slots, panic would naturally set in.
By securing first and second place, Luo Shu and Lu Hanmo now held the precious slots, which had beco leverage to exchange for cultivation resources. Sky Water Sect and Great Mahayana Island would never accept being entirely shut out from the Heaven Realm. Even securing a single slot would be better than none, so they would undoubtedly send representatives to negotiate for slots.
And this was the perfect opportunity to exploit them—to extract as much as possible without worry of holding back. With prior animosities between the sects, there was no need for restraint. If their opponents wanted slots, they would have to et Liangyi Sect’s terms. And if they refused? No problem—having more disciples enter the Heaven Realm would bring additional rewards from the realm’s sect council anyway.
Once Lin Jue finished explaining the plan, the elders’ admiration for Luo Shu and Lu Hanmo only deepened. Their current achievents were no coincidence but the result of deliberate foresight. Only by thinking long-term could they go further.
The four elders from Sky Water Sect and Great Mahayana Island, escorted by Liangyi Sect disciples, were led to the reception hall.
"Greetings, Sect Master Lin!" The four elders clasped their hands and bowed. In the past, they would never have shown Lin Jue such respect. But now, his sect’s strength surpassed theirs, and they had co with a request, forcing them to adopt a more humble posture.
"Please, take a seat!" Lin Jue gestured to the chairs with a smile. Once the four were seated, he feigned ignorance and asked, "What brings you esteed elders here today?"
"We wish to ask Sect Master Lin to grant us a few allocation slots," the elders from both sects said in unison.
Lin Jue imdiately put on a troubled expression. "This... I’m afraid I can’t agree. The slots have already been distributed among our disciples."
"Sect Master Lin, please, grant us just a few slots. As long as you agree, you can state any conditions for the exchange." The elder from Sky Water Sect spoke anxiously. Their sect had plenty of cultivation resources, and their sect master had made it clear: no matter the cost, they must secure slots.
"We feel the sa. We hope you can grant us just a few slots," the elder from Great Mahayana Island chid in. Even one or two slots would be better than none.
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