Chapter 211.1: The Treasure Contest Begins! Lu Changsheng Calmly Withstands the Lightning, Stunning All! (I)
Within the manor, a great many figures of noble standing were gathered together. The yearly Treasure Contest had begun once more.
In the beginning, there had been no Treasure Contest at all, only a few people of noble standing exchanging words among themselves in private. Later, on a whim, they began to spar and contend over treasures.
As time went on, the popularity of the Treasure Contest grew greater and greater, until even figures of noble standing came to take it seriously. After all, this was the kind of contest where one might really obtain something special, perhaps the one treasure they desperately needed.
Li Guang led Lu Changsheng to his seat, only to find a single chair.
"Someone, bring another chair for Brother Lu," Li Guang ordered a servant.
"Oh? Li Guang, you're so courteous. Who have you brought with you?" asked a man dressed in splendid robes.
"Qi Tianyi, Brother Lu is a good friend I've invited to take part in the Treasure Contest." Li Guang glanced at Qi Tianyi, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.
Clearly, there was bad blood between them. Qi Tianyi was from the Heavenly Light City, and it was his guard who had defeated Li Guang's at in the last Treasure Contest, humiliating him.
Qi Tianyi looked at Li Guang with a peculiar gaze, then laughed. "Li Guang, you really are going downhill. Letting a mere guard sit with us as an equal? How shameful!"
He did not show any restraint in mocking Li Guang. The two had never gotten along to begin with.
Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes. Qi Tianyi's remark had offended him as well, not just Li Guang. Still, he chose not to act. After all, he had come here as Li Guang's guard, so if anyone was to step forward, it ought to be Li Guang himself.
Moreover, insults were just that, unpleasant yet ultimately meaningless. If anything, once the Treasure Contest began, Lu Changsheng would simply beat Qi Tianyi's guard to death.
"Hmph, Qi Tianyi, show Brother Lu some courtesy. He's my good friend! You think I'm like you? You barely managed to forge your Dao Foundation, and you can't even bring one Principle to Perfection. A waste among wastes, that's what you are!" Li Guang sneered back.
Although these people were all of noble standing, most of them were quite limited in terms of talent. Only a few of them had actually managed to push a Principle to Perfection.
Liu Guang, for instance, had comprehended four Principles, two of which he had brought to Perfection. In theory, he still had a sliver of hope of reaching the Divine Ability Realm—only in theory, of course.
Qi Tianyi, on the other hand, had yet to bring a single Principle to Perfection. In fact, he had only comprehended two. Some people were speculating that Qi Tianyi had been afraid that he might fail to comprehend any Principles at all, so he had only imprinted two Principle Seeds. If that was true, then he was indeed a waste among wastes.
"Li Guang, you..." Qi Tianyi flushed, his anger welling over.
Talent was Qi Tianyi's sore spot, the one thing he would not tolerate mockery over. Of course, since he and Li Guang loathed each other, Li Guang was always going to strike where it hurt him the most.
As the atmosphere tensed up, Wu Shun intervened. "Enough, hold your tongues. Whatever grievances you have, settle them at the Treasure Contest later."
Wu Shun's standing in the Heavenly Light City was considerable, and once he spoke, Qi Tianyi, for all his discontent, found it improper to make a scene just then. Still, he glared fixedly at Li Guang. This time, he had brought several experts with him, and in the Treasure Contest, he would make Li Guang suffer.
As for Li Guang, he could not be bothered to trade any more words with Qi Tianyi.
Very soon, many more people arrived at the manor, all of noble standing, forming little clusters of twos and threes and beginning to exchange pleasantries.
Lu Changsheng simply waited with his eyes closed.
At last, after about two hours, a man in white robes spoke up. "May I have your attention? There will be plenty of time for reminiscing later. The Treasure Contest begins now. Bring out whatever treasures you have. The usual rule applies: a treasure must be appraised at over a hundred thousand spirit stones to qualify."
Wu Shun appeared to be presiding over this Treasure Contest. The moment he spoke, everyone fell silent and listened.
"Hehe, I've brought an enchanted treasure this time, the Heavenly Lightning Pagoda. It can unleash the power of lightning, and its attack force is utterly terrifying. Worth well over a hundred thousand spirit stones, without question."
"I've brought an ancient jade. Sit upon it, and the mind becomes wonderfully clear, even comprehending Principles grows a little easier. It's a treasure that aids cultivation."
"I have a Domain-Breaking Pearl, made specifically to target a Dao Foundation martial artist's Mind Space. It can absolutely burst the Mind Space open. And once the Mind Space is gone, a Dao Foundation martial artist's Principles are all but useless. It might have some drawbacks, sure, but it's certainly worth a hundred thousand spirit stones."
"I have..."
One after another, people began introducing their treasures. Each was marvelous, none to be underestimated. Even Lu Changsheng found them quite interesting, opening his eyes as he listened to all the detailed presentations.
He was especially intrigued by the Domain-Breaking Pearl. Anything that was capable of bursting open the Mind Space would be the bane of Dao Foundation martial artists. It was a perfect counter to them. The strength of a Dao Foundation martial artist lay in their divine techniques and Principles, and both were founded upon the Mind Space.
However, as previously mentioned by the owner, there were some limitations to the Domain-Breaking Pearl. Activating the treasure was rather difficult and it was slow to take effect. In a face-to-face fight, by the time one had triggered it, the opponent would long since have noticed. However, the treasure was incredibly dangerous if used in a sneak attack or prepared in advance.
Even so, Lu Changsheng was not particularly afraid of it. Even if an opponent had a Domain-Breaking Pearl, it could do nothing to him, for Lu Changsheng was no mere Dao Foundation martial artist. He was already one step into the Divine Ability Realm.
The Principles within him had already absorbed a sliver of Principle from the outer world between heaven and earth and could now exist apart from the Mind Space, no longer wholly dependent upon it. If his Mind Space was shattered, Lu Changsheng could no longer employ divine techniques, but he could still use his Principles.
Marvelous as these treasures were, they offered Lu Changsheng no real help. All he needed now was Heavenly Spirit Water; everything else was hardly important. None of the treasures presented at the gathering could help anyone reach the Divine Ability Realm. Were there truly such a treasure, these figures of noble standing would have used it themselves to make that breakthrough long ago. No one would bring such a valuable treasure to some contest.
In any case, everyone pressed vied to present their own treasure, Li Guang among them. He, too, had brought out a treasure worth over a hundred thousand spirit stones.
In total, there were eighteen treasures introduced in the contest. That meant eighteen forces had come to this gathering, and the treasures those eighteen forces provided came to over 1.8 million spirit stones combined.
The prize pool of the Treasure Contest was astonishing, and the winner would take everything. No wonder this contest had grown from something obscure to a contest between influential individuals, with everyone taking it so seriously. Indeed, with 1.8 million spirit stones on the line, who would not take this contest seriously?
In the arena, Lu Changsheng's challenge for the crown had drawn a wager of only a little over two million spirit stones. Now, at this Treasure Contest, whoever won could seize treasures worth 1.8 million stones in one stroke.
Even these figures of noble standing were greatly moved, each scheming and contriving to bring along a few experts. Of course, being tempted was one thing, and taking first place was another.
Not anyone could simply take part in the Treasure Contest. One's background and standing would be thoroughly vetted, and without enough influence, one would not be allowed entry. In Lu Changsheng's case, he could only participate as Li Guang's helper. Entering on his own was out of the question.
Without those requirements, countless Dao Foundation martial artists would be swarming to join the Treasure Contest. Naturally, anyone would be tempted by the prospect of investing only a hundred thousand spirit stones and winning 1.8 million.
"The Dao Foundation martial artists and Dao Lords taking part in the Treasure Contest may now step forward," Wu Shun announced.
At that, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
Li Guang whispered, "Brother Lu, when you make your move later, hold nothing back. Kill when you must! Especially the man Qi Tianyi brought, you must cut him down no matter what!"
Following Li Guang's gaze, Lu Changsheng saw the martial artist beside Qi Tianyi. He too was a Dao Foundation martial artist, but he was an old man, plain in appearance, short and wiry. There was nothing remarkable about him.
Still, there was no way Qi Tianyi would bring a random nobody to the Treasure Contest.
"Understood," Lu Changsheng replied evenly.
And so, the experts of the eighteen forces slowly stepped forward. Eight of them were Dao Lords, and the rest were Dao Foundation martial artists.
They studied each other with grave expressions. After all, they were the ones putting their lives on the line. The nobles hiring them would just watch, each hoping to get treasures and a champion to bring them glory.
This contest would become a battle to the death, though one was free to surrender. Of course, what became of those who surrendered was hard to say.
With all the preparations completed, Wu Shun rose and announced with a smile, "Let us begin with the first trial of the Treasure Contest. You have to last fifteen minutes in the Yin-Yang Annihilation Pagoda!"
Then, Wu Shun turned to an elderly man dressed in Daoist robes. "Now, I invite Elder Qing."
Elder Qing was a fearsome Golden Core True One. The fact that Wu Shun could keep a Golden Core True One in his retinue showed just how outstanding his influence was. After all, Golden Core True Ones were generally so wealthy that they would never attach themselves to a family or a great power.
In that sense, Elder Qing was an outlier. However, even though he was the one following Wu Shun, Wu Shun treated him with great respect.
Elder Qing nodded, then swept his gaze across the participants. "The Yin-Yang Annihilation Pagoda draws on the power of annihilation produced by the interaction between yin and yang. Anyone whose body is pierced by that power is bound to die, whether in the Dao Foundation or Foundation Establishment Realm. If you feel like you can't withstand it, you may surrender, and I shall remove you from the pagoda. Otherwise, you must last fifteen minutes in there."
The eighteen participants all felt a chill in their hearts.
As there were no questions or objections, Elder Qing swept out his hand. With that, a small pagoda emerged in the air, and in the next moment, it expanded in size and towered into the clouds.
"In you go."
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