The competition format of the Tianshan Tournament might seem simple, but the intricacies involved were numerous. The ten disciples from the immortal sects had to withstand the pressure of the sword Qi at the mountain's peak while simultaneously competing and battling amongst themselves. The sword Qi pressure was self-explanatory: those with higher cultivation, greater strength, and sufficient resilience could ascend the steps against it. However, the competition among the disciples was far more complex.

For instance, if I want to secure a good ranking in this Tianshan Tournament, then the disciples from other immortal sects are all stumbling blocks I need to overcome one by one. Depending on how the situation unfolds, some can be cooperated with, while others need to be targeted. Cooperation will require vigilance, and targeting others must not attract too much attention.

Theoretically, Lu Ming, as a fellow disciple from the Riverside Sect, should be my most reliable ally. However, based on the rule that "the distribution of the sect's benefits is determined by the one with a higher ranking," our interests are not completely aligned.

No one can predict what kind of situation will unfold once we ascend Tianshan Mountain! It is precisely for this reason that this trial can test the true mettle of each immortal sect's newly-ascended prodigies, including but not limited to their strength, potential, resilience, mental fortitude, and even personal charisma.

If someone tries to block others from ascending the steps by their own strength alone, they will inevitably be attacked by the group! Moreover, regarding a fellow disciple from the same sect, should one let them pass or obstruct them? With such ambition and strength, how could they be willing to pave the way for others? If they obstruct even their fellow sect members, they will immediately face a one-versus-nine situation.

As Shen Mo was happily chatting with Zhao Lingyin using Divine Sense, the group arrived at the foot of Tianshan Mountain.

Much like the Riverside Sect, the other four great immortal sects—the Profound Moon School, Ghost Corpse School, Seven Stars Altar, and Heaven Sword Sect—had also brought many Elite Disciples. Many of them were newly-ascended prodigies who had participated in previous Tianshan Tournaments. Having traveled throughout the Red Flame Country over the years, they had become somewhat familiar with each other.

At this moment, they were all gathered on the flat ground at the foot of the mountain. Some were chatting and reminiscing, while others, due to old grudges, regarded each other coldly. It was remarkably lively, yet not clamorous!

The Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses from each immortal sect, naturally, did not mingle with the disciples. In mid-air, a jade viewing stand floated, serving as a place for them to rest, discuss matters, and arrange the ceremony's proceedings.

After giving their disciples some final instructions, Peak Master Zhou Shili and the other elders, leading Shen Mo and Lu Ming, flew up and landed on the floating stone platform. Once he had steadied himself, Shen Mo retracted his Demon Slaying Sword with a wave of his sleeve. His gaze slowly swept across the eight opponents who were also on the floating stone platform.

Ghost Corpse School: Xun Tian, Li Chen.

Profound Moon School: Xiao Ling'er.

Seven Stars Altar: Yang Chi.

Heaven Sword Sect: Meng Sanchi of the Sword Spirit Body.

Shen Mo was no stranger to Xun Tian, Li Chen, and Xiao Ling'er. He had encountered them before within the Mountain River Realm. He had even been pursued by Xun Tian and Li Chen for a long time, ultimately heavily wounding Xun Tian with a single sword strike.

Later, Shen Mo and Lu Ming had temporarily teamed up with Li Chen and Xiao Ling'er to break through the Prohibition and enter the tomb of the Spirit Talisman Master. With Shen Mo staying out of it, Lu Ming, Li Chen, and Xiao Ling'er had then competed for the final treasure. Without using their trump cards, among those three, Li Chen was likely the strongest, Lu Ming next, and Xiao Ling'er the weakest.

Now, half a year has passed. Including Xun Tian, whose strength was once comparable to Li Chen's, who knows what changes have occurred in the strength of these four? However, I have higher hopes for Li Chen and Lu Ming! Li Chen possesses a Dark-type Spiritual Body, and Lu Ming has a Thunder Body. Whether in terms of cultivation progress or cultivating cultivation methods and magic of their respective attributes, they both hold significant advantages!

As for Xun Tian, from the moment I knocked him out of the Dungeon in the Mountain River Realm, he had already fallen behind Li Chen. In the cultivation world, falling behind one step means falling behind every step. Moreover, he is also slightly inferior in terms of cultivation Talent! Unless Xun Tian has had a great fortuitous encounter in these past six months, he is inevitably no longer as formidable as Li Chen.

Shen Mo was not familiar with the other five immortal sect disciples. He had only heard Lu Ming relay the Peak Master's comments, so he roughly knew their names, appearances, and the characteristics of their cultivation methods.

But as soon as he stepped onto the floating stone platform, he immediately noticed Meng Sanchi from the Heaven Sword Sect and Yang Chi from the Seven Stars Altar.

Neither of them is weak! Especially Meng Sanchi; his entire being is like a peerless, treasured sword, its blade unstained by dust. His sword intent is imposing, his sharpness fully revealed! Yang Chi of the Seven Stars Altar doesn't possess such a fiercely sharp aura. He appears ordinary, but his spiritual core is profound; he is by no means an opponent to be taken lightly. The remaining three, though not as dazzling as Li Chen, Lu Ming, Meng Sanchi, and the others, are still the top talents among the new disciples of their respective immortal sects. None of them are pushovers!

"Shen Mo!"

Xun Tian of the Ghost Corpse School took a few steps forward, his expression dark and hostile. "I still remember the enmity from your sword strike half a year ago! Once we get onto Tianshan Mountain, I'll make sure you can't even ascend a single stone step."

"Then we'll see if you have the ability!" Shen Mo replied calmly.

Hearing this, Xun Tian snorted coldly and said no more. However, their brief exchange did attract the attention of Meng Sanchi and others, their eyes holding a hint of inquiry. In response, Shen Mo's expression remained unchanged, as if it concerned him not in the slightest.

"Junior Brother Shen, if Xun Tian targets you from the very beginning, even if you defeat him, your condition will suffer! It will be extremely detrimental to your subsequent climb," Lu Ming transmitted via Divine Sense, a hint of worry in his words. He and Shen Mo were both disciples of the Riverside Sect and would inevitably rely on each other during the ascent. If Shen Mo engaged in a bloody battle with Xun Tian early in the climb and his strength was diminished, it was likely that neither of them would be able to achieve a good result.

"Senior Brother Lu, rest assured. I know what I'm doing," Shen Mo replied via Divine Sense transmission.

At this moment, Zhao Lingyin's pleasant voice also reached Shen Mo's ears. "Junior Brother, is someone causing you trouble?"

The floating stone platform was not far above the flat ground, so the words and actions of those on it were clearly visible to the disciples from other immortal sects. Because Zhao Lingyin was not a Three Peaks disciple and spent most of her time secluded in the Alchemy Zone, she rarely interacted with cultivators from other immortal sects; thus, she seemed somewhat aloof from the crowd on the flat ground. Many disciples from other sects, stunned by her beauty, had recklessly tried to strike up conversations with her. As a result, the Elite Disciples of the Riverside Sect, having been instructed beforehand by their Peak Master, had turned away all these persistent suitors. Therefore, Zhao Lingyin had the leisure to constantly observe the activity on the stone platform.

"It's nothing serious, just a meaningless provocation," Shen Mo replied. "His name is Xun Tian, a newly-ascended prodigy of the Ghost Corpse School. Half a year ago..."

While Shen Mo was casually chatting with Zhao Lingyin, Zhou Shili and the other powerhouses from the various sects had begun exchanging and verifying the disciple rosters. These lists recorded the identities of participating disciples like Shen Mo, the time they entered the Inner Door, a brief summary of their past experiences, and so on. This was naturally to prevent anyone from tampering with the disciples' identities—for instance, a senior disciple who had advanced to the Qi Gathering Realm years ago being placed in this year's quota for ascending the mountain, or someone impersonating another, replacing a previously designated disciple with someone else, and so forth.

These matters didn't much concern Shen Mo; he just needed to wait patiently for the grand ceremony to begin. Whenever he had a free moment, he would chat animatedly with Zhao Lingyin, leaving Lu Ming, who was standing nearby wanting to discuss tactics with him, feeling incredibly frustrated.

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