Hearing Lin Feng's question, Yu Ping sensed his potential interest and smiled. "At the conclusion of the competition, the top ten ranked participants all receive rewards. The champion's prizes are: three top-grade Nascent Soul Formation Pills, two of each of the seven types of supreme auxiliary pills used during Nascent Soul formation, five million mid-grade spirit stones, and one peak-grade spirit artifact!"
He only mentioned the first-place reward, seemingly aware that Lin Feng was solely concerned with that outcome—or perhaps he was utterly confident that if Lin Feng participated, he would undoubtedly claim the top prize.
Even Lin Feng, who possessed a substantial fortune and had seen many fine treasures, couldn't help but have his eyes light up upon hearing Yu Ping list the rewards. His heart beat faster with sudden interest.
The five million mid-grade spirit stones and the peak-grade spirit artifact held little significant allure for him. However, the Nascent Soul Formation Pills were precisely what he desperately needed right now. Although he had gathered all the materials necessary to refine—or rather, repair—Nascent Soul Formation Pills, obtaining the actual finished pills had proven impossible. His inquiries over recent weeks confirmed that such pills were virtually priceless and impossible to find on the market; any that surfaced were instantly snatched up in frenzied bidding. The difficulty of acquisition was immense. He had contemplated using the spiritual herbs he collected to commission a master alchemist. However, the quantity he had gathered was barely sufficient for a single refining attempt. Alchemy carried inherent risks; a failure would mean losing everything. Worse still, if the resulting pills were of low quality, he would lack the materials to even attempt repairing them.
Now, the top prize of this Five Cities Competition offered three Nascent Soul Formation Pills outright. It was like someone delivering a pillow the moment you feel drowsy. How could Lin Feng not be tempted?
Furthermore, the reward included two pills each of the seven supreme auxiliary pills for Nascent Soul formation—rare and potent medicines indeed. These referred to pills like the Fire Soul Pill, Water Soul Pill, Wood Soul Pill, and the other four elemental variants. Lin Feng had even already gathered the materials for the Fire Soul Pill (the Vermilion Sun Fruit obtained earlier in the volcano). For other cultivators, even if they acquired all seven types, they might only find use for two or three during their own Nascent Soul breakthrough, depending on their elemental affinity. Lin Feng, however, was different. Possessing the [Seven-Colored Stellar Art], he could utilize all seven types. This reward seemed tailor-made for him. With three Nascent Soul Formation Pills and this array of supreme auxiliary pills, he was confident his chances of a successful breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage would soar to over eighty percent.
"Well? Might Fellow Daoist Lin be interested in participating in this competition?"
Yu Ping's question beside him pulled Lin Feng from his deep contemplation. After a brief pause, Lin Feng asked one more thing, "Are there any other requirements for participating? What exactly would I be expected to do?"
Yu Ping replied promptly, "You only need to represent our Zhenhai Alliance in the competition. There are no other obligations. Once the competition concludes, there are no further commitments or ties. Once it's over, you are free to act as you please."
Lin Feng felt mostly reassured. A slight smile touched his lips as he nodded. "In that case, Junior thanks Senior Yu for this opportunity. I will participate in the Five Cities Competition."
A satisfied expression crossed Yu Ping's face. He flipped his hand, retrieving a pristine white jade slip from his spatial ring, and handed it to Lin Feng. "This contains detailed information about the competition. Please review it carefully. The event commences one month from now on Wu Song Island. Use this time to prepare thoroughly. I will send someone to fetch you when the time comes."
It seemed there were no cumbersome formalities; he simply needed to wait and then go. This suited Lin Feng perfectly. He nodded again. "Understood. Then I shall trouble Senior Yu to handle the arrangements."
...
After seeing Yu Ping out, Lin Feng returned to his cultivation chamber. Holding the jade slip detailing the competition, he immersed his consciousness into it, carefully absorbing the information.
The competition spanned five days. During this period, all fifty participating Golden Core cultivators were confined to the designated island. This year's venue was Wu Song Island, a vast landmass spanning hundreds of miles in every direction. It was a relatively well-known location in this stretch of sea. While not quite as perilous as Demon Loong Island, it wasn't far off. The island teemed with countless Grade 3 demon beasts, and even Grade 4 demon beasts were not uncommon. Before the competition began, each participant would receive a specially crafted jade token. Their objective was simple: seize tokens from other participants. Rankings at the end would be determined solely by the number of tokens held. The top ten would receive rewards. In case of ties, a direct duel would determine the final ranking. The five cities themselves would then be ranked based on the total number of tokens held by all their participating cultivators. The alliance whose cultivators held the most tokens would naturally be the ultimate victor, securing the greatest share of resources and territories.
Having grasped the basic framework of the Five Cities Competition, Lin Feng noted a critical point: the rules mentioned no restrictions on how tokens could be seized from others. Crucially, there was no explicit prohibition against killing. This stark omission indicated the competition was likely an extremely dangerous affair.
Furthermore, those qualifying to participate would undoubtedly be exceptional cultivators. He could easily imagine the ferocity of the battles that would ensue. However, ultimately, it remained a contest among Golden Core cultivators. Given his current strength, Lin Feng didn't anticipate significant problems, provided he remained vigilant and avoided underestimating opponents. His goal was firmly set on the first-place reward.
Despite his confidence, preparation was still essential. With a month remaining, Lin Feng aimed to advance to the eighth layer of the Golden Core stage before the competition began. To achieve this, he decided to reduce the number of artifact repair commissions he accepted starting the next day, freeing up more time for dedicated cultivation and striving for an early breakthrough.
...
The next day coincided with his scheduled feast of Soaring Shadow Fish. After receiving a few cultivators seeking his repair services during the morning session, Lin Feng headed out towards the Sea Treasures Pavilion.
Arriving at the familiar establishment, Lin Feng made his way to a private room on the second floor. He had barely settled into his seat when the door burst open, and Wang Chen strode in, laughing heartily.
"Hahaha!! Lin Feng! You're early today! I was just about to send someone to fetch you! The spirit cuisine is ready; it'll be served shortly!" Wang Chen chuckled, taking a seat beside Lin Feng and giving him an appraising look. "Only a few days have passed, and your cultivation has advanced again! Are you about to reach the eighth layer? How on earth do you cultivate so fast?"
With a friend, Lin Feng saw no need to conceal his cultivation level. He glanced at Wang Chen and retorted with a grin, "You're no slouch either, are you? Golden Core Perfection! When are you attempting the Nascent Soul breakthrough?"
Wang Chen laughed wryly. "Heh, who knows when that'll be? I reckon you'll probably reach Golden Core Perfection before I even get close to forming my Nascent Soul! I haven't even brushed against the threshold of a breakthrough yet!"
Lin Feng offered encouragement, "Don't be so modest. A moment of enlightenment could strike at any time..."
"You think enlightenment is as easy as eating or sleeping?" Wang Chen waved dismissively, changing the subject. "Enough about that. I have a serious question for you, Lin Feng. I heard you're participating in the Five Cities Competition next month too? Is it true?"
"Hmm? Ah... yes," Lin Feng confirmed, realizing the news must have spread from the Zhenhai Alliance. Then, he caught Wang Chen's phrasing. "Wait... 'too'?! Does that mean... you're also competing?"
Wang Chen grinned. "Naturally! My master is an honorary elder of the Zhenhai Alliance! Besides, my strength isn't exactly lacking, is it? Is it really so strange that I secured a spot?"
That made sense. Wang Chen, having reached Golden Core Perfection at such a young age, was undoubtedly one of Zhenhai City's most outstanding rising talents, fully qualified to participate. Lin Feng smiled. "That works out perfectly. We can look out for each other during the event."
"Me looking out for you? More like I'll be begging you to look after me! I don't possess your heaven-defying ability to slay Nascent Soul powerhouses like Wu Luosen..." Wang Chen feigned dejection with an exaggerated sigh. "Aiya!! Well, first place is clearly out of my reach. I suppose I'll just have to aim for second place..."
"..." Lin Feng felt a vein throb faintly on his temple. He considered pointing out the slightly vulgar implication of 'aiming for second place' but decided against it. Just then, the door opened, and servers began bringing in an array of exquisite spirit cuisine dishes. Lin Feng smiled, gesturing towards the food. "Let's leave that discussion for now. Time to eat."
...
To better prepare for the Five Cities Competition, Lin Feng temporarily suspended his studies in alchemy and array formation, dedicating significantly more time to cultivation. Twenty days later, his efforts bore fruit: he smoothly advanced another layer, reaching the eighth layer of the Golden Core stage.
After spending several more days consolidating his newly acquired strength, the day of the great competition finally arrived...