Tian Ning has recently been enthusiastically teaching her senior brothers and sisters. Her fifteen years of devilish training weren't in vain; Fu Hongming and Shi Qinxin are now practicing sword and blade techniques until they vomit.
Shi Qinxin was initially excited to be wielding a sword again, but now she's numb from all the sword practice… causing her to recall her previous days of alchemy.
"Junior Martial Sister, may I borrow your cooking stove to refine some pills?"
Shi Qinxin brought a plate of spirit fruit, eagerly looking at Tian Ning. It's an ancient artifact! Just touching it makes her happy for hours.
Hearing her request, Tian Ning looked at her with a complicated expression: "Third Senior Sister, are you sure you want to use it?"
Shi Qinxin thought she was referring to the stove being a treasure, quickly saying: "Junior Martial Sister, don't worry, I just want to try it once, just once, I absolutely won't break it!"
Tian Ning wasn't worried about that; even if the Sect Leader attacked it with full force, it wouldn't break.
"Alright."
Tian Ning took out the cooking stove and went to read a storybook, letting Shi Qinxin do whatever she wanted.
Shi Qinxin looked at the so-called ancient artifact, specifically choosing her most proficient mid-grade pills. Her best previous result was three pills per batch. She believed that with the ancient artifact's enhancement, even if not as many as her Junior Martial Sister's full batch, she could at least get five or more.
She took out the materials, carefully and meticulously performing each step, eagerly anticipating the pills' completion.
Then, upon opening the lid, she saw one low-grade pill.
Shi Qinxin: "???"
Confused, clutching the pill, Shi Qinxin looked at Tian Ning, who was reading her storybook: "Junior Martial Sister, may I…"
"Refine," Tian Ning nonchalantly waved her hand.
This time, Shi Qinxin refined the simplest low-grade pills, but she didn't even succeed in creating a single pill.
Shi Qinxin: "…"
Looking at the cooking stove, she fell into self-doubt.
Suddenly, a terrifying thought crossed her mind: Could this cooking stove not be an ancient artifact that helps Pill Cultivators enhance their alchemy? Judging by her two attempts… is it meant to restrict Pill Cultivators' alchemy?
She recalled her Junior Martial Sister's consecutive full batches of top-grade pills.
If this is the level of restriction, just how terrifying is her Junior Martial Sister's alchemy skill…
Her guess was indeed correct. As for Tian Ning's true alchemy skill, she would witness it firsthand at the upcoming Six Sects Grand Competition.
At this time, Fu Hongming entered from outside to find Tian Ning.
"Junior Martial Sister, a disciple from the Discipline Hall just came to tell me that the sect will be holding a competition in two days. All of you new disciples will have to participate in the individual competition."
Tian Ning lazily put down her storybook; she wasn't very keen on going.
After spending so much time together, Fu Hongming understood her nature and enthusiastically encouraged her: "The top ten in each individual competition receive abundant rewards! Junior Martial Sister, add oil! Senior Brother believes you can definitely do it!"
Tian Ning responded with an affirmative, thinking that she might as well go.
Shi Qinxin, who overheard the entire conversation, mysteriously pulled Fu Hongming to Senior Martial Brother Jiang Xi's courtyard and, using a mid-grade spirit stone as enticement through voice transmission, called back Long Aotien, who was picking up trash outside.
"What's going on? Don't you know my trash-picking time is precious?" Long Aotien saw three people besides Tian Ning as soon as he entered.
"What secret meeting are you having behind Junior Martial Sister's back?"
Shi Qinxin stated succinctly: "Fourth Junior Martial Brother, the individual competition for this batch of new disciples is starting in a few days."
"So what?" Long Aotien didn't see anything wrong: "Isn't that competition easy-peasy?"
Everyone present: who wasn't the first place winner in their respective individual competition?
Shi Qinxin knew that a straightforward man wouldn't grasp the main point: "On the day of each competition, the direct disciples' Masters, or senior brothers and sisters, will personally attend to cheer on the new disciples!"
"But look at our sect's situation. The reason Junior Martial Sister is unenthusiastic is certainly because she thinks we won't be there to cheer her on that day."
Shi Qinxin's analysis was reasonable and well-founded.
Fu Hongming suddenly understood: "As expected of Third Junior Martial Sister, girls are indeed meticulous!"
Shi Qinxin slammed her hand on the table: "So on that day, we all have to go cheer for Junior Martial Sister!"
Jiang Xi was the first to cheer: "No problem, I can draw another talisman for a dimensional pouch for Junior Martial Sister!"
Everyone: "…"
The enviable tentacle monster, so generous with his first move!
Long Aotien immediately prostrated himself before Jiang Xi, clinging to his leg: "Second Senior Brother! Please, give me some too! I have a weak stomach; I need to eat soft rice!"
Jiang Xi sighed: "Fourth Junior Martial Brother, a man must rely on himself."
Fu Hongming looked troubled: "I'm not very convenient; Master needs someone to attend to him."
Long Aotien also whined after being rejected: "I still have to pick up trash!"
—
However, on the day of the competition, to the surprise of all the Elders, including the Sect Leader, everyone from Sword Protecting Mountain arrived!
Yes, everyone…
Fu Hongming, the filial disciple, somehow found a coffin, put his Master inside, and carried the coffin over.
He shyly said to Sect Leader Xiao: "I'm sorry, Sect Leader, I really wanted to cheer for Junior Martial Sister, but I was afraid that if I left, Master would suddenly wake up and something would happen, so I brought Master along to cheer for Junior Martial Sister."
Sect Leader Xiao: "…"
What could he say?
He waved his hand, dismissing him.
The new disciples of Wanjian Sect in the past five years had never seen the people of Sword Protecting Mountain, only hearing that they were a bunch of good-for-nothings. Now that they've seen them in person, they're all quite abnormal.
Senior Brother Fu Hongming, carrying a coffin; Senior Brother Jiang Xi, blind, yelling 'Junior Martial Sister, add oil!' at a wooden stake; Third Senior Sister Shi Qinxin, frantically feeding Tian Ning poison; and Fourth Senior Brother Long Aotien, wearing beggar's clothing and wandering among the crowd, diligently picking up trash.
"…"
Not a single normal person.
Is this truly the price of backdoor access?
Actually, looking at it this way, that Tian Ning Junior Martial Sister is quite pitiful.
On the other side, everyone from Tian Liang Mountain also arrived. In comparison, the disciples under Xu Yu Zhenren were all dignified, instantly surpassing those from Sword Protecting Mountain!
Feeling the gazes of the Wanjian Sect disciples, Wenren Xue was pleased. She deliberately took out a mid-grade spirit sword in front of everyone and handed it to Xie Xingzhi: "Junior Martial Brother, this is the sword I used when I won first place in the competition. I'm giving it to you now. I wish you good luck in winning!"
Xie Xingzhi happily accepted it.
Wenren Xue heard the disciples praising her generosity. Compared to the trashy poison given by Tian Ning's fellow disciples, what she gave her Junior Martial Brother was the best among everyone!
The Elder in charge of the competition was already calling the new disciples' names for assembly.
As soon as Tian Ning walked over, Xie Xingzhi blocked her path, proudly showing off his sword: "Senior Sister Xue'er gave this to me!"
"