Chapter 625 623: Chuyang Grand Competition

Inside the Wuji Saint Institute were three grand arenas.

The Chuyang Grand Competition was held in the Chuyang Arena.

Mentors and students from the ten great branch institutes arrived one after another.

"This Chuyang Arena is comparable to the Celestial Ring Arena back in Dongchen."

Luo Tian remarked in awe as he entered and surveyed his surroundings.

One had to remember that the Chuyang Arena was just one of the Wuji Saint Institute's three arenas. It primarily served the institute, so there wouldn't be too many spectators from the outside.

The Celestial Ring Arena, on the other hand, was an arena that served the entire Continent.

Yet, the two were surprisingly similar in scale, which just went to show the Wuji Saint Institute's extravagance.

The arrival of Luo Tian and his students drew the attention of many mentors and students.

Luo Tian had taken first place in four of the Celestial Spirit Valley trials. This was an honor that no other mentor could match.

Luo Tian's students had enjoyed a superb cultivation environment and made enormous progress.

Because of this, many were green with envy, and they harbored resentment toward Luo Tian and his students.

"Now, it's time for you to display the results of your cultivation. Every one of you, fight to get into the top two hundred!"

Luo Tian said to all his students.

There were a total of two hundred spots for the Ancient Secret Realm, which would be awarded to the top two hundred participants in the Chuyang Grand Competition.

Some mentors had once suggested that the top ten or top three should be awarded more spots, but the Saint Institute had rejected the idea.

The Saint Institute's reply was that they did not want mentors to focus on teaching just one or two students. Instead, they wanted them to be broad-minded and magnanimous, teaching and producing a greater number of outstanding students.

"Luo Xiaoting, your task is heavier than everyone else's."

Luo Tian instructed.

Luo Xiaoting's current cultivation was at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm. The goal Luo Tian set for her was to break into the top three of the Chuyang Grand Competition!

This was no easy feat.

The participants of the Chuyang Grand Competition were all students from the Chuyang Tower.

Normally, students who reached the Peak of the Ninth Layer or the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm had a high chance of being promoted to the Zhengyang Palace.

But with the Chuyang Grand Competition approaching, mentors would often have their students stay behind to strive for a good result in the competition before heading to the Zhengyang Palace.

The students were more than happy to do so.

It wasn't too late to go to the Zhengyang Palace after securing a good result in the grand competition and plundering some treasures from the Ancient Secret Realm.

Therefore, there was no shortage of students at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm in the Chuyang Grand Competition.

"The Chuyang Grand Competition will now begin."

A deafening voice suddenly rang out!

Everyone's gaze fixed on a high platform to the east of the arena. Several figures stood there, exuding a terrifying aura as vast as an abyss and as deep as the sea!

"True Martial Realm!"

The True Essence within Luo Tian's body trembled slightly.

To see several Martial Kings at once was unimaginable in the Broken Ring.

These Martial Kings were all Deans of the Branch or vice-deans of the ten great branch institutes. They were powerful and influential figures who were usually as elusive as divine dragons. They would only make an appearance for major events like this.

"Master, we're heading out!"

Guan Hongfei, Luo Xiaoting, and the others said their goodbyes and left the spectator area for the arena.

Three Martial Arts Arenas had already been set up on the stage.

"First round of the Chuyang Grand Competition: elimination match! The top six hundred will advance!"

the referee announced.

The Wuji Saint Institute had a large number of students, especially the Chuyang Tower, which recruited several hundred students once every two years.

Not all students necessarily participated. For example, less than half of the students from the Grass and Wood Institute took part each time.

Even so, two to three thousand people participated in each Chuyang Grand Competition, making the competition incredibly fierce.

Next was the drawing of lots. All participating students were randomly assigned to one of the three arenas to begin their matches.

The first elimination round lasted for two days.

The students' relative strengths had more or less been revealed.

"The War Martial Institute truly is the best of the ten branch institutes! They have a full four students at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm!"

"Du Hongfei and Liu Meihong are both popular contenders for first place!"

"Qian Tu from the Lingxi Institute is really strong too! He'll definitely make it into the top three!"

It was only the elimination round, yet the audience was already discussing the final rankings.

The popular candidates for the top ten, top three, and first place were being discussed at every moment.

Among them, Luo Xiaoting was also mentioned, but only as a popular candidate for the top ten.

Most spectators believed that Luo Xiaoting was a leopard who couldn't change her spots. Even if her cultivation had improved, her personality was surely still hot-tempered and lazy, making it impossible for her to achieve much.

「Two days passed.」

The elimination round was over.

Of Luo Tian's eleven students, nine had advanced.

One of those eliminated was Mu Qingqing.

Her current cultivation was at the Earth Element Realm Fifth Layer, placing her at the bottom among the contestants. She had purely participated to gain experience.

Mu Qingqing wasn't the least bit unhappy about being eliminated. She ran cheerfully to Luo Tian's side.

"Master Luo, you have nine students who advanced to the second round?"

Hu Chao asked, somewhat surprised.

Nine out of eleven students advancing—such a ratio was comparable to that of some of the more famous elite mentors.

Elite mentors were strict in their student selection, so their students were of high quality, leading to a high success rate.

Luo Tian was clearly a new mentor and hadn't been overly strict in his recruitment, yet his results in the first round had reached the standard of an elite mentor.

This was all due to the mentor's influence, but also because of the Celestial Spirit Valley.

Hu Chao was extremely envious that Luo Tian had the ability to let all his students go to the Celestial Spirit Valley for cultivation.

"Tutor Hu Chao, you're not bad either. You have five students who advanced!" Luo Tian said with a smile.

Hu Chao forced a smile.

Advancing past the first round was nothing. The key was to get through the second round and break into the top two hundred to earn a spot in the Ancient Secret Realm.

Hu Chao didn't have high hopes for this.

His students were almost all new recruits. It would be too difficult for them to defeat the older students and enter the top two hundred.

Luo Tian had two senior students, Luo Xiaoting and Zi Qing, so securing two spots should be no problem.

「On the third day of the Chuyang Grand Competition.」

"Second round! From six hundred down to two hundred!"

the referee announced.

Only two Martial Arts Arenas remained. The six hundred students were split into two groups to compete on them.

The top one hundred from each Martial Arts Arena would advance.

Luo Tian hadn't paid much attention to the first round. Any of his own students who couldn't even pass the elimination match weren't worth his close attention.

In the second round, however, Luo Tian watched intently.

Martial Arts Arena Number Two.

Luo Xiaoting took the stage. Her opponent was a student at the Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer.

WHOOSH! BOOM!

After stepping onto the stage, Luo Xiaoting simply threw a punch, unleashing a fist-light woven from red and blue that directly crushed her opponent's attack.

The Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer student stumbled back several steps, the blood and qi in his body churning.

The difference in their cultivation was immense. Luo Xiaoting's victory was certain.

Most of the time, Luo Xiaoting only needed a single move—or sometimes no move at all—before her opponent would concede.

But this time...

The Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer student was clearly no match for her, yet he launched another attack.

"Hmph? You're asking for a beating!"

Luo Xiaoting snorted.

She had already held back just now. She didn't expect her opponent to be so tactless.

Luo Xiaoting threw another punch, this one even more powerful than the last.

Her opponent was naturally no match for it. His attack was easily shattered, and he hurriedly shouted, "I surrender! Referee, save me! Luo Xiaoting is trying to kill me!"

The referee intervened in time to save the student and said coolly, "That didn't count as a killing blow."

The referee was quite impartial.

But Luo Xiaoting felt a sense of unease. 'This opponent is so shameless.'

A short while later.

Another one of Luo Tian's students took the stage.

In this match, Luo Tian's student had the upper hand, but their opponent clung on stubbornly, causing them to expend a great deal of energy and even sustain some injuries.

"Hm?"

Luo Tian frowned, a bad feeling rising within him.

It wasn't until later, while watching halfway through Deng Xiaoqian's match, that Luo Tian understood.

'My students are being deliberately targeted!'

His gaze swept over the surroundings, and he noticed many mentors wearing faint smiles. Some even shot him gloating and disdainful looks.

"Master Luo, I heard that many mentors have secretly made a pact to target your students during the Chuyang Grand Competition."

Hu Chao said via voice transmission.

Hu Chao hadn't believed it before, but now he did.

"It seems to be because of the Celestial Spirit Valley incident. A lot of mentors are displeased with you..."

Hu Chao continued.

If he and Luo Tian weren't both Junior Tutors from the Celestial Blade Institute, he might have been envious enough to join in as well.

"Heh heh, Master Luo, I'm very curious to see just how many of your students can make it into the top two hundred!"

Liu Lu, not far away, chuckled.

He had joined in as well.

As long as his students encountered Luo Tian's, they were to do their best to wear them down.

This was especially true for those who weren't confident about making it into the top two hundred themselves. They were even willing to pay a price to exhaust Luo Tian's students.

After they succeeded, they would receive certain rewards.

"A new mentor shouldn't be so eager to stand out. Otherwise, you'll have to bear the consequences."

"Your students enjoyed the benefits of cultivating in the Celestial Spirit Valley. Now it's their turn to pay the price."

A few other senior mentors, with an air of superiority, openly revealed that they had also participated, not caring in the slightest what Luo Tian thought.

Luo Tian's expression darkened!

He had considered this possibility before and had already held back in the subsequent competitions for the Celestial Spirit Valley.

But he never expected that he would still make so many mentors jealous and envious—so much so that they would make a pact to stop his students from reaching the top two hundred!

'If I'd known this would happen, I shouldn't have kept such a low profile.'

Luo Tian took a deep breath!

Time slowly ticked by.

During the second round of the competition, Luo Tian watched every single one of his students' battles.

If the opponent was weak, they would just cling on stubbornly to wear down his students.

But if the opponent was strong, they were even more excessive, trying every means possible to severely injure his students.

"Ah! I surrender!"

On the Martial Arts Arena, a wound so deep the bone was visible was left on Chen Yuan's shoulder, blood flowing ceaselessly.

The referee intervened in time to stop the opponent.

SWOOSH!

Luo Tian quickly rushed to the side of the stage to check on Chen Yuan's injuries.

"Master, they're too vicious! This is just a student spar, yet they were so ruthless... My arm was nearly chopped off. It's a good thing I got away quickly."

Chen Yuan's strength didn't give him much hope of entering the top two hundred, but he was still targeted by his opponent and almost had his arm crippled!

"Don't worry, I will get revenge for you."

Luo Tian offered a word of comfort, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.