(TL Note: Trying out advanced chapters. The website currently has no ads and it takes a lot of time to trante and it’s not worth it financially for me to trante right now. I’m not going to quit tranting, I’m really passionate about this novel but passion doesn’t pay the bills. I have a full time job and so I don’t have a lot of free time. It would be nice to make some money off this hobby but don’t feel obligated to pay for advanced chapters.)


    The Qingzhou Festival officially began, with the most eye-catching event being thepetition for the younger generation.


    Every year, thispetition brings forth highly talented young cultivators, making those who have toiled in obscurity for a lifetime feel inadequate and sigh in despair.


    These young cultivators’ potential has been proven over time; most of them, except for those who fall to unforeseen idents, go on to achieve great sess, either bing seeding their sect leaders or founding their own sects.


    It’s not just the Qingzhou government that values these young cultivators; many sects and factions also attend, hoping to recruit some of the talents.


    Perhaps due to the impending era of great contention, the young cultivators participating in recent years have been increasingly extraordinary, continuously breaking records from previouspetitions.


    “Look at that one—isn’t that Li Shaoyang from the Dingfeng Sect? I heard he’s already at the peak of the Qi Training Stage. When he went down the mountain to travel, he was blocked by robbers. With a single spear, he pierced through three robbers at the ninth level of Qi Training!”


    “What? He’s already at the peak of the Qi Training Stage at such a young age? That’s a level that ranks within the top eight!”


    Cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Training can attempt Foundation Building. To increase their sess rate, they meticulously hone this stage, which outsiders refer to as the peak of Qi Training.Most of the spectators here were at the Qi Training Stage, and reaching the peak of Qi Training was their highest aspiration.


    The Five Great Immortal Sects, however, didn’t even bother with this notion—they weren’t interested in subdividing the Qi Training Stage. Whether one was at the first level or the peak, it made no difference to them.


    “And that especially beautiful female cultivator next to him, her name is Qiao Hongye, from the top-tier sect Sleeveless Sect. She’s also at the peak of Qi Training, with dual Wood and Fire Spirit Roots. There was an internal sectpetition in the Sleeveless Sect with several peak Qi Training participants, and Qiao Hongye took first ce!”


    “The peak of Qi Training would have ranked in the top eight in previous years, but this year it’s hard to say. Rumor has it that several Foundation Building Stage cultivators are participating this year!”


    “Foundation Building Stage before eighteen? And there are several of them?”


    Onepanion whispered mysteriously, “Have you heard of Gu Qisheng from Rainbow Pce? Born at the yin hour of a yin month in a yin year, he has the Profound Yin Constitution. He faced a great cmity at birth and would have died young if not for the intervention of the Rainbow Pce’s leader.”


    “The Profound Yin Constitution suffers from heavenly jealousy; those born with it face great cmity. If they survive, their cultivation will be smooth. If not, they die young.”


    “Someone spotted Gu Qisheng arriving yesterday—he’s already at the early stage of Foundation Building.”


    …


    “Hello, we’re here to register for thepetition.”


    At a nearby registration point, an officer was recording names. The area was rtively quiet.


    Mostpetitors registered in advance, but a few made spontaneous decisions topete.


    The officer nced at the two young men with friendly smiles. He couldn’t determine their cultivation level but wasn’t too concerned; it wasmon to travel with artifacts that concealed one’s true strength.


    Pointing to a nearby stone, he said, “This is a low-grade ck iron stone. Only cultivators in thete stage of Qi Training can shatter it. Break the stone.”


    To the two men, the ck iron stone was no different from tofu. With a light p, the stone shattered into pieces.


    “Looks like we have Foundation Building Stage cultivators this year. Truly a year of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.”


    “This is the Year Wheel Stone. ce your hand on it and infuse it with spiritual energy.”


    On the other side, the officer had a stone simr in appearance to a tree stump, marked with concentric rings. It was a toolmonly used in the cultivation world to test a person’s age.


    Both men ced their hands on the stone and channeled their spiritual energy. The rings lit up one by one, finally stopping at the seventeenth ring.


    “Under eighteen years old, you’re eligible topete.”


    “Name?”


    “Lu Yang.”


    “Sect?”


    “Dao Seeking Sect.”


    “Hm?” The officer suddenly looked up, scrutinizing Lu Yang as if he had seen a ghost.


    Lu Yang asked curiously, “Is there a problem?”


    The officer recalled the governor’s words: encourage participation in thepetition; the more participants, the better. Don’t be afraid if those with significant backgrounds join; the real worry is if they don’t.


    Two disciples from Dao Seeking Sect participating? The governor would be pleased.


    “No, nothing at all. You’re eligible topete. And you? What’s your name?”


    “Meng Jingzhou, also from Dao Seeking Sect.”


    “Here are your numbers. In a quarter of an hour, the drawing will begin to arrange the matchups. Be prepared.”


    “No problem!”


    …


    “This is strange; the first round of thepetition is about to start, but Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou are nowhere to be seen,” Lan Ting said, sitting in the judges’ seats with a puzzled expression.


    “Maybe something happened on the way that caused a dy,” Bai Ming guessed. It was amon urrence, as unexpected situations often arose during his training trips down the mountain.


    “Wait,” Yan Tianzhi said, asconic as ever.


    Lan Ting had only recently met Yan Tianzhi and wasn’t familiar with him yet. Bai Ming had told her that Yan Tianzhi rarely spoke, so relying on him formentary was unlikely.


    Lan Ting sighed helplessly, realizing that the responsibility of providingmentary would likely fall on her shoulders.


    People below began to notice the three judges and whispered among themselves.


    “Who are those three? They look so young—are they qualified to be judges?”


    “Especially that young girl. She’s beautiful, sure, but I’ve never seen someone so pretty. Still, she doesn’t look like she has much battle experience.”


    “That’s where you’re wrong. These three are immortal sect disciples, prodigies of the highest order. I heard they’re the most outstanding among their peers!”


    “It’s more than that. I have a rtive working at the governor’s office who says all three are at the Golden Core Stage!”


    “Golden Core Stage?!”


    “Now you see the difference in talent, don’t you?”


    The highest cultivation level among thepetitors was Foundation Building Stage, so having Golden Core Stage judges was more than enough.


    Lan Ting nced at the profiles of the contestants for the first match and spoke gently, “The firstpetitor is Feng He, a true disciple of the top-tier Seven Emotions Sect. Not long ago, Feng He broke through to Foundation Building Stage without using a Foundation Building Pill, relying solely on the solid foundation he built during the Qi Training Stage. He is now at the early stage of Foundation Building.”


    “The Seven Emotions Sect expresses insights into the seven emotions and six desires through music. Feng He has mastered the true teachings of his sect and excels in musical arts. His piece ‘Parting Joy’ is said to make birds pause and flowers bloom!”


    “Feng He is also a seeded contestant in thispetition. Let’s look forward to his performance!”n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Feng He wore a confident smile. With his early Foundation Building cultivation, he was sure to shine brightly in thispetition.


    In the world of cultivation, one relied on both strength and reputation.


    Thispetition would be the starting point of his fame!


    “Feng He’s opponent is a cultivator who registered at thest minute. His opponent is… Lu Yang from Dao Seeking Sect?!”


    Lan Ting almost lost herposure halfway through her announcement.


    She put down the information sheet, looked at the stage, and saw a familiar figure. Her expression turned quite peculiar.


    She turned to Bai Ming beside her, whose expression mirrored hers.


    Lu Yang spotted Lan Ting and Bai Ming in the judges’ seats. He raised his hand to greet them, then scratched the back of his head in confusion.


    What was going on?


    Weren’t you guys here topete? Why are you sitting in the judges’ seats?