Chapter Seventeen: The Guild's Little Trial

Page (1/3)

Su Yu also knew that the Golden-Winged Flying Centipede couldn't be mass-refined anytime soon. This creature was crafted from level-20 Golden Centipedes combined with the Flying Gu, each costing about one tael of silver. At least a hundred were needed to refine a single initial elite template Golden-Winged Flying Centipede at level 40.

Adding other blood food and spirit herbs, the total cost was around 100 taels of silver.

Right now, everyone was broke, with hardly any spare money on them, so they couldn’t refine many at the start.

However, Su Yu didn’t understand Gu refining and didn’t worry about it. The next day, he continued hunting monsters to accumulate combat experience.

Unconsciously, half a month passed. While hunting underwater, Su Yu received a message from Fu Ping:

“Tomorrow is the guild headquarters’ minor exam. Do you want to participate?”

“Of course.”

“Then prepare well. This minor exam has rich rewards. If you rank in the top twenty, you’ll get the guild’s special attention and be listed as a candidate for the reserve cadre.”

“Thanks for the reminder, Supervisor Fu.”

“No need to be polite. I’ve always had high hopes for you.”

After closing the communication, Su Yu went back to hunting monsters.

A few hours later, night fell. Returning to the base, he discussed with Zhuang Zhuo and others and then went back to the guild headquarters with Gu Zhiqiu.

Zhuang Zhuo, Shi Ning, and Meng Chen felt their strength was insufficient and decided not to participate. They planned to join the second minor exam three months later, by which time each would have over a dozen Golden-Winged Flying Centipedes to attempt a ranking breakthrough.

Gu Zhiqiu, having switched to cultivating the exquisite-level Ten-Thousand Gu Spirit Gathering Scripture, felt much stronger and wanted to see if he could break into the second tier.

Returning to Qianyu City, the guild headquarters remained bustling.

The two parted ways. Su Yu first went to the flea market to sell some miscellaneous items accumulated over the past half month, earning 11 taels and 852 coins of silver, bringing his total assets to 74 taels and 619 coins—still less than one gold.

“I hope this minor exam will reward some money; otherwise, I won’t have enough to raise my heart method limits.”

After a quick meal, Su Yu returned to his guild-assigned residence. Just after washing up and about to sleep, he received another message from Fu Ping:

“These are the rules and ranking rewards for tomorrow’s minor exam. Take a look so you have a clear idea.”

“Thanks, Supervisor Fu.”

“No need to be polite. You’re my newcomer in charge. The better you perform, the bigger my year-end bonus.”

“I’ll work hard to get you a big year-end bonus.”

“Ha ha, I appreciate your kind words.”

He closed the communication and opened the attached documents.

The materials showed the minor exam would start at 9 a.m. on the guild arena, with many top guild members watching.

The competition was divided into two rounds: the first round was a triple knockout preliminary. All newcomers were split into three tiers. The first tier would advance directly to the second round. The other two tiers would each have three matches per player, with two or three wins guaranteeing advancement.

The second round was a standard one-on-one knockout, with winners deciding who advances.

Rewards were as follows:

- Top 64: 1 tael of gold.

- Top 32: 2 taels of gold.

- Top 16: 3 taels of gold and 100 guild contribution points.

- Top 8: 5 taels of gold, 200 contribution points, and one opportunity to attend a guild tribute lecture.

- Top 4: 10 taels of gold, 300 contribution points, and two tribute lecture opportunities.

- Third place: 20 taels of gold, 400 contribution points, and three tribute lecture opportunities.

- Second place: 30 taels of gold, 500 contribution points, and four tribute lecture opportunities.

- First place: 50 taels of gold, 1000 contribution points, and five tribute lecture opportunities.

“These rewards…”

“The guild really has money.”

It was just a minor exam, held three times a year plus one major exam with even higher rewards. The investment was truly hefty.

But such expenditure was necessary. Not only Qianyu Guild, but all large guilds must invest heavily in training newcomers, or they would soon weaken from the lack of fresh blood.

Though theoretical lifespan under the scatter-immortal rank was 150 years, many died from various accidents on their path, and very few lived that long.

Moreover, late-stage resource demands were tremendous. Many spent decades stuck at heart method levels 70 to 80, with only a tiny fraction reaching level 100 and crossing tribulation.

Among those few, few dared to face tribulation, and success rates were pitifully low.

Those daring enough were elite top guild members, so let that go for now.

The mainstream senior cultivators usually ranged from level 60 to 90, aged around 60 to 80 years. If they suffered heavy casualties early on, retirement considerations could come as early as their 40s or 50s. At that point, they would avoid further risk, focusing on earning money for retirement.

There were many such semi-retired members in the guild, with a batch retiring every year.

Therefore, any faction wanting to grow must constantly nurture newcomers.

They must actively invest resources in training; otherwise, relying on ordinary cultivators to develop slowly was a massive waste of time.

“I’ll aim for the top eight.”

Reviewing his current methods, Su Yu felt the chance was quite good.

The night passed quietly. Before six the next morning, he received another message from Fu Ping, asking him to arrive punctually at the guild arena for assembly.

After a simple wash, he set off, riding his paper crane slowly over the city. From afar, he saw the massive dome building occupying four or five square kilometers in the city center—that was the arena. But it was still early, and no one had arrived yet.

The minor exam was public; both guild members and non-members could watch.

Additionally, many were running bets on the minor exam rankings in the local channel.

Page (2/3)

Su Yu checked and found people from the first and second tiers all listed. He was on the list too.

The odds were as follows:

- Top 16: 1 to 5

- Top 8: 1 to 10

- Fourth place: 1 to 20

- Third place: 1 to 30

- Second place: 1 to 50

- First place: 1 to 100

“Damn, these odds…”

The odds were based on recent performances. He had been ranked in the second tier and had stayed at the base without guild activities lately, so the bookmaker still rated him as second tier.

Given that the first tier had forty people, it was very difficult for a second-tier player to break into the top 16, so such odds weren’t surprising.

Most second-tier newcomers had similarly high odds.

Looking at these extraordinarily high odds, Su Yu scratched his head, feeling an urge to bet on himself.

If he could enter the top 16, with odds 1:5, betting three to five taels of gold could net twenty-plus taels—a better return than reaching the top four.

“Maybe I should try.”

He grew more convinced. He desperately needed money.

But he couldn’t bet on himself, as bookmakers wouldn’t accept bets from participants on their own matches—only bets on others.

He immediately contacted Gu Zhiqiu:

“Brother Gu, can you do me a favor?”

“Speak.”

“There are people running bets on the minor exam in the city channel. I can’t bet on myself. Can you place a bet for me?”

“You want to bet on yourself winning? What placement?”

“Top eight. Three taels of gold.”

“Top eight? You confident?”

“Fairly confident.”

Joking aside, with his accomplished Sword Qi and Thunder Sound Sword Technique, placing in the top eight wasn’t a big problem.

He hesitated to aim for the top four mainly because his flying sword treasure wasn’t great, and his Daoism level was low.

No matter how exquisite his sword techniques, he couldn’t withstand opponents wielding several powerful treasures bombarding him without reason.

Such people were everywhere in the first tier.

Also, he recalled several first-tier players with average backgrounds but extremely high innate attributes, some with special physiques and bloodlines. Even if their quality wasn’t outstanding, that was an extra advantage—especially bloodlines, which were quite potent early on when cultivation and treasures were weak.

Gu Zhiqiu seemed to consider for a moment and then asked:

“Brother Su, how confident are you?”

“What, you want to bet too?”

“Heh, I’m broke as well. Want to make some money.”

“I have some confidence but can’t guarantee it. Opponents are random, and if you get seeded first-tier players, you’re doomed. You decide.”

“Alright, I’ll risk one gold.”

“No guarantees, though.”

“Who guarantees these things? But since you’re betting, you must have some confidence. I trust you.”

“Okay.”

Su Yu closed the communication, went to the commercial district, and sold his Mountain River Seal to a merchant guild for three gold.

Such a bulky treasure was useless in the arena, so selling it wouldn’t affect his combat strength.

Then he met Gu Zhiqiu and handed over the three taels of gold.

Gu Zhiqiu took the money to the Qianyu Merchant Guild to place the bet.

Indeed, only Qianyu Guild could run such large-scale betting operations.

“Whether I feast or starve depends on this one.”

Su Yu rubbed his hands nervously, though his tension gradually eased as the minor exam approached.

Together, they arrived at the guild arena, glanced at the crowd outside, and circled to enter from the back door.

At the backstage entrance stood a dozen or so newcomer supervisors. Fu Ping was among them and waved him over upon seeing him.

“Register first, then get a number.”

Gu Zhiqiu and Su Yu were managed by different supervisors and were now separated.

After registration, Su Yu received number 68. Fu Ping whispered:

“Perform well and aim for the top 32. There are benefits.”

“Prize money?”

“No.”

Fu Ping lowered his voice and said:

Page (3/3)

“The guild pays close attention to newcomers. Every year, during minor and major exams, high-level guild members watch closely. If you impress a big shot, they may recruit you with generous benefits.”

“I see. I’ll try my best.”

“Good luck!”

Fu Ping patted his shoulder and signaled him to enter.

They followed the crowd into the arena, passing through an arched gate with a thin light barrier, arriving in a vast space.

In the center was a battle arena enclosed by a transparent spherical barrier, shaped like an inverted mountain peak. Surrounding it were tiered spectator seats suspended in the air, packed densely like keyboard keys stretching far back.

The tiers stacked more than a dozen layers high, each with tens of thousands of seats, allowing over a hundred thousand spectators simultaneously.

From a glance, Su Yu realized the transparent spherical barrier enclosed an independent space carved by a great formation. To outsiders, the arena seemed only about a hundred meters in diameter, but inside, it was a separate space nearly ten kilometers wide—enough for scatter-immortal-level masters to fight within.

Looking around, he saw no guild executives yet; they must not have arrived.

As time passed, people gradually filled the seats.

“So many people,” Gu Zhiqiu said, smacking his lips.

“From what I know, tickets cost one tael of silver each. With ten thousand spectators, that’s 100 gold income. But already over twenty thousand have entered. By the time it starts, thirty to forty thousand is possible. Just ticket sales bring in three to four hundred gold, and there will still be leftovers after all rewards.”

“They sure know how to make money.”

Chatting and waiting, at exactly 9 a.m., two hosts—a man and a woman—stepped on stage to announce the start of the minor exam.

Su Yu glanced at the waiting area around the hall. Over two hundred, nearly three hundred newcomers from the same cohort were participating, all with varying expressions but full of confidence.

Obviously, three months of training had greatly improved everyone’s strength.

His magical eyes glowed as he scanned the crowd, his mouth slightly open:

“Wow.”

All newcomers’ basic Qi refining heart methods reached above level 30, more than half exceeding level 40, over a dozen above 50, and two even reached 60.

“Ridiculous!”

Below level 40 was one thing, but levels 50 and 60 for Qi refining? How much resource investment was that?

No fear of stunting growth.

Su Yu felt a pang of envy.

Truly envious.

At that moment, the hosts finished explaining the rules and opening speech and loudly announced:

“This year’s Qianyu Guild first minor exam officially begins!”

Immediately, the central formation shifted, the massive arena dividing into many smaller arena spaces. Then, Su Yu heard the teleport countdown in his ear.

When the ten-second countdown ended, an invisible force wrapped him in light and thrust him into one of the small arena grids.

Though it looked like a small grid, it was actually an arena space over a thousand meters in diameter.

On the other side of the arena, a figure stood about a thousand meters away. After a three-second countdown, the figure soared into the sky and rushed over.

Su Yu focused his mind to erect a protective energy shield. As the figure approached, he pointed his sword and launched the Ice Soul skyward, instantly striking and circling his opponent’s protective light shield.

-504

-504

...

Six consecutive damage hits appeared, and the treasure’s defensive light twisted violently, nearly collapsing.

“Damn!”

Suddenly, a 3,000-damage burst startled Li Tong. He immediately pulled out a mirror etched with spirit runes and shone it on Su Yu, an invisible force freezing him in place.

Then he summoned a small mountain and hurled it, quickly swelling to over ten meters before slamming down hard.

Next, he brandished a red banner, unleashing boiling flames that surged forth, forming fireballs like meteors raining down.

“Boom!”

Su Yu was crushed by the small mountain, followed by dozens of blazing fireballs raining down, his protective shield twisting violently.

Before the barrage ended, Su Yu broke free from the immobilization, soared into the air, and pressed down with his left hand. Blue light gathered swiftly into a vortex over ten meters wide, blocking the fireballs.

His right hand’s two fingers flicked forward, and the previously out-of-control flying sword Ice Soul shot up again.

Left hand pressed:

“Purple Prime Energy Strike!”

His magical power condensed into a giant hand sweeping across.

“Bang!”

-5280

Li Tong’s protective light shattered instantly. The Ice Soul sword light circled him, an invisible force field suddenly appearing to shield him as he teleported away.

“Su Yu wins!”