After the competition, the arena was quickly restored. The damaged stone floor was repaired, the shattered sections replaced, and a temporary platform for the closing ceremony was erected in the center.

  As far as efficiency went, the sect was second to none.

  But considering the level of destruction even a Qi Condensation cultivator could unleash, such construction speed was hardly surprising.

  Soon, the presiding elder, Shu Jin, stepped onto the elevated platform once again. He cleared his throat as his sleeves fluttered lightly in the wind. Gradually, the noise of the crowd settled.

  “This concludes the Outer Sect Competition.”

  His voice, amplified by a sound-transmitting technique, carried clearly across the entire arena.

  “Many of you have displayed considerable strength today. Some have shown talent, some perseverance, and some… creativity.”

  A few disciples laughed quietly.

  “Some of you have ranked highly. Others have not. But do not lose hope.”

  He paused slightly.

  “Another Outer Sect competition will be held in two years. That one will be the regular tournament, allowing veteran disciples to participate as well.”

  This announcement drew visible relief from many people.

  After all, this competition had been a special selection for newcomers, though the real reason, the upcoming secret realm expedition, had not been widely publicized. Some veteran outer sect disciples had therefore felt unfairly excluded.

  Elder Shu’s statement effectively calmed those grievances.

  “Now,” Elder Shu continued, “I will announce the rewards.”

  “All top ten participants of this competition will be granted direct admission into the Inner Sect ahead of the normal cycle, even if they have not yet reached the late stage of Qi Condensation.”

  A ripple of murmurs passed through the disciples. Although many had guessed this already, hearing it confirmed by the supervising elder still felt different.

  “However,” the elder continued calmly, “admission into the Inner Sect does not guarantee personal guidance.”

  He raised one hand slightly.

  “For this reason, the top three participants of this competition will receive an additional privilege.”

  The crowd quieted again.

  “They may formally request mentorship from an elder whose field aligns with their choice."

  Several disciples inhaled sharply. This was no small opportunity.

  Ordinary Inner Sect disciples often spent years proving themselves before an elder would accept them as a personal disciple, or even offer occasional guidance. But the top three now had the right to apply directly.

  “Of course,” the elder added mildly, “whether the elder accepts you is another matter entirely.”

  A few chuckles spread through the audience.

  “In addition,” he continued, “the top three will also receive spirit stone rewards.”

  “Third place: one thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

  “Second place: one thousand five hundred spirit stones.”

  “First place: two thousand spirit stones.”

  Even many of the older outer sect disciples showed faint envy. For cultivators in the early and middle stages of Qi Condensation, that amount of resources was enough to purchase a considerable number of cultivation pills.

  The elder folded his sleeves again.

  “Now, we will confirm the final standings.”

  He produced a jade slip and began calling names.

  The arena gradually quieted as the remaining disciples gathered near the platform, waiting for their results.

  Ning stood slightly to the side, stretching his still-aching arms wrapped in bandages. The Jade Skin technique had prevented serious injuries, but Wei Zhusang’s hammer still felt like it had passed through his entire body.

  In fact, Ning found the scene rather amusing. Most of the disciples looked like dumplings wrapped in layers of bandages, yet they were all still required to attend the ceremony.

  Then again, considering how long the competition had dragged on, it made sense.

  Eventually, Ning simply sat down on the ground. At first, several people gathered around him, curious about his fight, but he casually mentioned his injuries, and they quickly dispersed.

  Meanwhile, the crowd’s attention shifted back to the platform as Elder Shu continued reading the rankings.

  Many familiar names appeared.

  “Tenth place, Lang Rulang.”

  Ning felt a quiet sense of relief. At least she had made the cut, especially considering he had been the one to give her that first loss.

  “Ninth place, Su Fan.”

  During the competition, Su Fan had seemed unusually busy, appearing only for his matches before quickly disappearing afterward. Ning couldn’t help but feel curious about what had been occupying him.

  “Eighth place, Zhou Sheng.”

  After losing to Xiao Fan, Zhou Sheng’s mentality had clearly taken a hit. He had then lost to Wei Zhusang as well, becoming the second high-grade spiritual root to be eliminated early.

  “Seventh place, Zhang Feng.”

  Ning wasn’t surprised by this at all. Zhang Feng had always been strong; his only real limitations were his cultivation level and his occasional carelessness caused by his hot-headed temperament.

  “Fifth place, Wei Zhusang.”

  Wei stepped forward calmly, his hammer resting across his shoulder.

  While Ning was forming his opinions internally, Elder Shu was doing the same aloud.

  “A weapon refiner who understands combat is rare. Your preparation was excellent. Continue refining both your craft and your martial techniques.”

  Wei bowed once before stepping aside.

  “Fourth place, Jin Su.”

  Jin Su approached with her wolf walking beside her.

  “You fight with courage,” Elder Shu said. “But remember: recklessness and bravery are not the same.”

  She nodded and returned quietly.

  The elder paused slightly before announcing the final three for the dramatic flair.

  The entire arena grew silent.

  “Third place, Ji Ning.”

  Ning stood and walked toward the platform. Elder Shu handed him the sack of spirit stones.

  “You combine preparation and adaptability well,” the elder said. “Continue refining your path, and you will achieve success.”

  Ning felt that Elder Shu seemed to look at him a moment longer than others, but there was no real reason for an elder to pay special attention to him, right? After all, compared to the others, his battles had been quite ordinary.

  With that thought, he bowed lightly and stepped aside.

  “Second place, Qiu Han.”

  Qiu Han stepped forward calmly, his expression blank.

  Elder Shu regarded him for a moment before speaking. “Your foundation is solid, and your control over strength is impressive. But remember, power without flexibility becomes rigidity."

  Qiu Han nodded slightly. “I understand.”

  He accepted the pouch of spirit stones and stepped aside.

  Finally, the elder spoke the last name. “First place, Xiao Fan.”

  The arena erupted in cheers or jeers.

  Elder Shu looked at Xiao Fan thoughtfully.

  “Your talent is unusual, and your will is commendable,” he said slowly. “But raw determination alone will not carry you forever. Continue tempering both your body and your mind.”

  Xiao Fan nodded. “I will, Elder!”

  Once the ceremony concluded, Elder Shu gestured toward the three of them.

  “Ji Ning, Qiu Han, and Xiao Fan. You three, follow me."

  The three exchanged brief glances before stepping forward.

  Elder Shu led them away from the arena and toward the General Affairs Hall, where they would receive their additional rewards and complete the formal procedures for entering the Inner Sect.

  Along the way, Xiao Fan couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you just put the spirit stones in a storage pouch?”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  In fact, Qiu Han had been wondering the same thing.

  Ning was lugging around a heavy sack filled with thousands of spirit stones. Combined with the presence of an elder and the three of them walking together, they made quite the spectacle, evident by the looks of the passersby.

  “You think I don’t want to?” Ning replied flatly. “I just don’t have one.”

  He looked at Xiao Fan as if the question itself were ridiculous. After all, it was ridiculous.

  Obviously, if he owned a storage pouch, he wouldn’t be walking around like a mobile treasury. And honestly, this guy had zero tact for asking so bluntly.

  “You don’t have one?” Xiao Fan looked genuinely surprised.

  “You do know most outer sect disciples don’t have one, right?” Ning said. “They cost anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 spirit stones.”

  At this point, Ning had already given up expecting Xiao Fan to possess normal common sense.

  Xiao Fan blinked.

  Storage pouches cost that much?

  “Aren’t storage pouches something you pick up after going out a few times?” he asked, puzzled.

  Beside them, Qiu Han, who had been pretending not to listen, also blinked in surprise.

  Wasn’t a storage pouch something elders usually gifted their disciples once they reached the first stage of Qi Condensation?

  Ning glanced at the two of them and felt speechless.

  One was clearly the son of luck.

  The other was practically a young master.

  Of course, these two had no idea what life was like for ordinary disciples.

  “Well… if that’s the case,” Xiao Fan said, scratching his head, “how about I sell you one? I’ve got a few extras. I’ll give you a low price.”

  Even Xiao Fan couldn’t help but feel a little pity when he looked at Ning dragging around that sack.

  Ning noticed the fleeting sympathy in Xiao Fan’s eyes and was speechless, especially after hearing his words.

  Was he someone with no pride? Someone who would accept charity after being pitied?

  Yes.

  He absolutely was.

  “Alright,” Ning said immediately. “I don’t mind second-hand ones. Show me what you’ve got.”

  No hesitation. No shame. Ning was quite clear about his poverty compared to these guys.

  Xiao Fan pulled out three storage pouches. “Here. These are the ones I have on me right now.”

  Ning carefully inspected them before choosing the plainest-looking one.

  “Alright,” he said calmly as he took it. “How much?”

  “How about… 700 spirit stones?” Xiao Fan offered. He wanted to give Ning a good deal, not just because they were friends, but also because when Xiao Fan had been injured by Qiu Han, Fatty Li had delivered medicine that Ning had given him.

  “Deal.”

  Ning knew he was getting an excellent price. Even second-hand storage pouches rarely dropped to half their value. The one he had chosen looked almost new, with only minor signs of use.

  Amid the bustle of disciples moving around the sect grounds, the three of them soon arrived at the hall.

  Once inside, Elder Shu gestured for them to sit as he placed three sheets of paper in front of them, along with brushes and ink.

  “These are registration forms for the Inner Sect,” the elder explained. “You will record your cultivation method, specialties, and the field you wish to pursue.”

  He paused slightly. "Then the sect will assign you a mentor related to that field. If you are confused regarding which field to go into, you can write the expectation for the elder, and the sect will choose one for you."

  Saying that, he turned to leave.

  “Take your time. I will return in a while.”

  The hall quieted after he left.

  For a moment, the three glanced at each other, then at the form.

  Name.

  Cultivation stage.

  Primary techniques.

  Specialties.

  Preferred field.

  Pretty straightforward.

  Ning opened his panel and began copying everything down.

  Aside from his ocular technique, most of his abilities had visible traces and structures that could be recorded in full. Ning knew that just as disciples could choose their mentors, mentors could also choose their disciples. There was no point hiding his achievements now.

  Within a minute or two, the sheet of paper was filled.

  Ning glanced sideways.

  None of them seemed to be writing anything. Instead, they stood quietly, each occupied with their own thoughts.

  Xiao Fan seems to be debating what he could write without giving himself away, while Qiu Han seems to be struggling with something. After a while, seemingly having made a choice, he walked towards Xiao Fan.

  “…I understand now,” Qiu Han said.

  Xiao Fan raised an eyebrow.

  “Understand what?”

  Qiu Han exhaled slowly.

  “I once believed strength was innate.”

  His voice remained calm, but the absolute certainty he had displayed earlier was gone.

  “That iron remains iron. And gold remains gold. But you proved that I was wrong.”

  Qiu Han looked directly at Xiao Fan.

  “Anyone can become strong. Perseverance, will, determination… these things matter as well.”

  Hearing this, both Ning and Xiao Fan were surprised.

  Xiao Fan was surprised because he hadn’t expected Qiu Han to change so much after the match.

  Ning was surprised because, frankly, he was starting to get a little scared of Xiao Fan.

  Ning glanced at Xiao Fan’s fists.

  Those hands clearly possessed some sort of personality-correction ability.

  Qiu Han’s entire philosophy had changed after getting punched hard enough.

  At this point, Qiu Han looked suspiciously like Neji from a certain ninja show, first talking a lot of nonsense, then admitting he was wrong after losing.

  Ning could only hope Qiu Han didn’t follow the rest of that character’s fate.

  He rubbed his forehead.

  As expected of a protagonist. Ning could practically hear the dramatic background music swelling as character development unfolded right before his eyes.

  Xiao Fan grinned slightly. “I told you before. Nothing is impossible. Anyone can become strong."

  Qiu Han nodded once.

  “Your conviction defeated me.”

  Then he turned toward Ning.

  “I should apologize to you as well. I defeated you earlier while saying things that were… unnecessary. I will be careful about it the next time I defeat you."

  Ning blinked.

  He wasn’t entirely sure whether that was an apology or him picking fights.

  “It’s fine,” Ning replied.

  To be honest, Ning hadn’t been offended by Qiu Han’s earlier speech at all. The guy had simply been going through what Ning privately classified as a chuunibyou phase.

  However, there was one thing about that speech that bothered him.

  Qiu Han had been wrong about something important.

  Ning hadn’t brought it up during the fight; he didn’t possess the protagonist’s plot armor to casually debate philosophy in the middle of combat.

  But now seemed like a perfectly good time.

  “Brother Qiu,” Ning said thoughtfully, “I do want to point out something about what you said earlier.”

  Qiu Han looked at him.

  “You mentioned that iron remains iron and gold remains gold.”

  “Yes.”

  Ning cleared his throat.

  “Well… scientifically speaking, that comparison doesn’t really work.”

  Both Qiu Han and Xiao Fan stared at him.

  “You see, iron is actually a metal that can be tempered and strengthened through heat treatment. Its entire value comes from the fact that it can change under pressure and become stronger.”

  Ning raised a finger like a lecturer.

  “Gold, on the other hand, is extremely soft. That’s why it’s rarely used to make weapons. It bends easily and doesn’t hold an edge well.”

  Silence fell.

  “So technically,” Ning concluded calmly, “if we’re talking about combat potential… iron is actually the better material, not counting those rare gold materials like profound heaven gold."

  Xiao Fan stared at him.

  Qiu Han stared at him harder.

  Ning folded his arms, completely satisfied with his explanation.

  After all, if people were going to use metaphors, they should at least use accurate metaphors.

  For a moment, both of them were speechless, staring at Ning’s self-satisfied expression.

  “…Well, I originally read that quote in a book,” Qiu Han said awkwardly, while Xiao Fan struggled to suppress his laughter. “I’ll… pay more attention next time.”

  With that, Qiu Han quickly rushed back to his spot and began frantically writing down his information.

  Actually, Ning had wanted to point out that Qiu Han’s supernatural ability would be far more effective if he used a weapon instead of relying only on his fists. Since his quick allowed him to double his movement speed, pairing that speed with a weapon would make him extremely dangerous against opponents of the same realm.

  But oh well, Ning had the feeling that Qiu Han had already shut himself off from the world.

  Just then, Elder Shu arrived, noticing the unusually lively atmosphere.

  “Have you written everything down?” Elder Shu asked.

  Qiu Han and Xiao Fan immediately stiffened, while Ning calmly handed over his paper.

  Elder Shu glanced at the tense first- and second-place finishers before turning his attention to Ning’s sheet.

  “Well, let’s see.”

  The longer Elder Shu read, the more surprised he became.

  Leaving aside the absurd number of techniques Ning had listed, the fact that he had reached mastery in both the Small Cloud Rain Technique and the Turtle Breathing Technique was already remarkable.

  Though these were only mortal-grade techniques, Elder Shu could clearly see that the limitation lay in Ning’s background, not his talent.

  And then he noticed something else.

  “You’ve already reached the highest level of the Pure Qi Sutra as well?” Elder Shu said, genuinely surprised.

  Ning’s current attainments were comparable to those of inner sect disciples who had spent years cultivating in the sect.

  Xiao Fan and Qiu Han also leaned closer, curiosity written across their faces when they saw the elder’s reaction. Both of them were similarly shocked, glancing at the paper filled to the brim.

  How did this guy even have time to learn so many techniques?

  “Yes,” Ning replied humbly. “I was fortunate enough to comprehend some things."

  “Hm…” Elder Shu stroked his beard thoughtfully. “You want to study alchemy?”

  “Yes.” Ning nodded.

  That was the next step in his plan: to create a virtuous cycle by using his farming abilities to supply materials for alchemy which then gave him condition to buy better plants.

  “I should warn you,” Elder Shu continued, “alchemy masters are quite picky. If you don’t have at least some background in alchemy, they might not accept you.”

  What Elder Shu actually meant was that Ning’s background might not support the extremely expensive learning process of alchemy. But considering Ning’s impressive attainments so far, perhaps he still had a chance.

  “I’ve already purchased and studied the theoretical foundations of first-grade alchemy,” Ning replied calmly.

  “I see. You have made thorough preparation as well." Elder Shu nodded slightly. “Someone will contact you after the evaluation process is finished. You may go.”

  “Okay.” Ning nodded. At last, his main goal for the competition was fulfilled.

  ....

  “Alas, this competition was so different from the previous ones,” the young man at the counter said to his partner.

  “Yes,” the bookie replied with a shake of his head. “Who would have thought that the top three this time would all have different spiritual roots? Especially Xiao Fan winning with a low-grade root, that’s practically sect history.”

  He sighed.

  “And it caused quite a few problems for us.”

  After all, the overwhelming majority of bettors had wagered against Xiao Fan.

  “Excuse me,” Ning said politely. “I’m here to collect my winnings.”

  The bookie looked up and immediately straightened.

  “Ah! Brother Ning, you’re finally here.” His tone grew noticeably more respectful. “Please wait a moment while we calculate your winnings.”

  Ning waited leisurely, leaning against the counter.

  After a short while, the bookie returned with a storage pouch.

  “You’ve won 24,234 spirit stones after the 8% tax deduction. Please take them.”

  “Twenty-four thousand… two hundred and thirty-four spirit stones?” Ning repeated.

  He couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face.

  Yes, he had really made it big this time.

  “Ah, Senior Brother, your judgment is truly remarkable,” the bookie said with a helpless laugh. “You won more than anyone else in this entire tournament.”

  He sighed again.

  “I’ve never even handled five thousand spirit stones at once in my life. Yet you earned four times that in a single competition.”

  As expected of someone who had reached the top three despite having the worst background among them. If nothing else, his insight was extraordinary.

  And the courage he showed while betting was even more impressive.

  After each victory, Ning had simply taken all the spirit stones he had won and placed them on the next bet, again and again.

  “As they say,” Ning replied modestly, trying to suppress the giddy grin on his face, “in gambling you can only lose 100%, but you can win up to 1000%. I was just lucky.”

  Spirit stones good. Spirit stones make monkey brain happy.

  Truly, betting on the protagonist had been the right move.

  From this moment onward, Ning decided he would continue this practice.

  After all, the odds were almost always stacked against the protagonist, which meant the payouts were enormous. At the same time, Ning could show his “support” in a very practical way.

  It was basically a limited-edition infinite money glitch he could abuse with almost no risk.

  As for whether there would be more tournaments in the future?

  Ning never worried about that for even a second.

  This was a cultivation world. And in the cultivation world, tournaments were practically a natural law.

  ...

  Inside his hut, Ning used a clean needle to extract some blood. For this, he not only sterilized the needle but also used his Pure Qi to make sure it was safe. After all, he never got the whole "bite the flesh of your fingers to bleed" trope from the novels and anime.

  Ning was not going to take chances and die from infection after coming to this mystical world, okay?

  Ning dropped his blood on the space pouch and felt a kind of mental connection with it. It was somewhat weird but not uncomfortable. Opening and closing the pouch was as simple as flicking a switch.

  The space inside the pouch was around 30 cubic feet. It was not big by any means, but it was enough for him.

  Ning brought out the sack filled with spirit stones and inserted Qi into the space pouch. Suddenly, the sack disappeared into thin air.

  Again, with a thought, it reappeared. Disappear, appear. Disappear, appear. Disappear, reappear.

  It's magic... Your lizard 'arry... wait.

  Let's not go there.

  Personally, Ning was quite fascinated by this. Well, anyone who has ever read a cultivation novel would be curious about the legendary spatial ring, or in this case, the space pouch.

  The space pouch was just a downgraded version of the spatial ring. The space pouch didn't create a separate, independent space for the object; rather, it was engraved with various formations related to storage and weight reduction.

  Because of this, Ning needed to use 20 low-grade spirit stones each month to keep the formation running when it was in use. After all, the formation requires energy or spiritual Qi to run.

  "It suddenly seems a lot less mystical now..." Ning sighed.

  ...

  Thanks for reading~