Chapter 126: The Inner Sect Tournament

Li Sibai did not possess metal-attribute true qi, so while the Red Gold Spirit Pill was precious, it was of no use to him.

Though he could not fathom why Kang Wei had gifted him this refined pill, he sensed that the other party wished to establish a rapport. This was part of why he had chosen to come here; having one more friend and one less enemy in the Inner Sect was always preferable.

It would be inappropriate to accept it outright, as the refinement had surely cost a considerable sum. Since Xiahou Lu needed the pill and had proven himself to be a person worth befriending, passing on Kang Wei's gift as a favor was the perfect solution.

The fatty, Taicheng, stood by with his mouth agape. Thinking he had misheard, a look of suspicion immediately returned to his face. Expecting this guy to give something away for free was a fantasy; he must have some ulterior motive. He had to remind the young master to be vigilant.

Just as he made up his mind, he heard his young master shaking his head repeatedly: "That won't do, Young Hero Li. If I were the one who needed it, I would gladly accept your gift. But I am buying this for a friend, and the funds are not my own, so you must accept payment." Xiahou Lu’s expression was sincere, making it clear that his intentions were genuine.

Taicheng, listening from the side, gave a silent thumbs-up. As expected of his young master—his judgment was as sharp as his own. At a time like this, it was better to pay for the item than to owe this fellow a favor, as there was no telling what kind of mischief the lad might be plotting.

Li Sibai nodded at Xiahou Lu’s words and said, "Very well, we shall do as you suggest. However, since you are in need of this Red Gold Spirit Pill, take it first so as not to delay your affairs. You can give me the Origin Spirit Pearl when it arrives." Li Sibai knew that when someone was in need, the sooner they consumed the pill, the better. Cultivation was a race against time; falling behind by a single step could mean falling behind permanently. That was why he urged Xiahou Lu to take the pill immediately.

Realizing that Li Sibai had agreed and was acting with such thoughtful consideration, Xiahou Lu could not say more. Feeling immensely grateful, he accepted the Red Gold Spirit Pill on the spot and placed it inside a medicine box.

Seeing that the matters at hand were settled, Li Sibai prepared to bid everyone farewell, but Kang Wei stopped him.

Having just taken the man’s Red Gold Spirit Pill to give away—even if the primary materials were obtained through a ruse—Li Sibai felt a sense of goodwill toward Kang Wei, as the man had inadvertently helped him upgrade the pill and sell it for a good price.

"Senior Brother Kang, is there anything else you wish to advise?" Li Sibai asked.

Kang Wei waved his hand. "Junior Brother Li, you flatter me. I wouldn't presume to offer advice. I was merely wondering what your plans are. I have heard a little about the matter between you and Guo Jian—do you need me to mediate?"

Upon hearing this, Li Sibai realized that Kang Wei was trying to help him. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Senior Brother Kang, but please do not involve yourself in our affairs. Even if he promised never to trouble me again, I would not reconcile with him. For what he has done, I will settle the score with him sooner or later. I will make him pay the price." Li Sibai’s expression was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

The conflict between him and Guo Jian had not started as a major issue. He did not care why Guo Jian was determined to target him; if they were to fight openly, Li Sibai would have no complaints even if he lost, as that would simply mean his strength was insufficient.

But Guo Jian had crossed a line by targeting Uncle Cai Da when he couldn't find Li Sibai. This had touched Li Sibai’s reverse scale. Though he had told no one since returning, he had already made up his mind: he would fight Guo Jian to the very end!

Hearing Li Sibai’s words, Kang Wei swallowed the words he had intended to say, knowing that further persuasion would be futile.

He shook his head in resignation, then suddenly remembered something and quickly added, "In that case, Junior Brother Li, you must be careful during the upcoming Inner Sect Grand Competition. I suspect he will use that opportunity to deal with you."

"The Inner Sect Grand Competition?" Although Li Sibai had heard bits and pieces, his understanding was not comprehensive, as he had previously been only an Outer Sect disciple. He looked at Kang Wei with a puzzled expression.

Observing his reaction, Kang Wei asked, "You have never heard of the Inner Sect Grand Competition?"

Li Sibai nodded. "I have heard the name, but I am not clear on the details. Is the Inner Sect Grand Competition open to everyone?"

Kang Wei shook his head. "Certainly not. With over a thousand disciples in the Inner Sect of the Xuantian Sword Sect, it is impossible for everyone to participate.

"The Inner Sect Grand Competition is, in essence, a contest between masters. Each master may nominate ten of their disciples to register, but these disciples must be at the Qinxin Realm; those who have reached the Tengyun Realm are ineligible.

"Every year, the top twenty disciples of the Qinxin Realm are selected. These twenty gain the qualification to enter Chonghai Island, where they may cultivate for one month.

"Those who make it into the top twenty are the elite of our Inner Sect and have a chance to bring glory to their masters. Consequently, the competition every year is cutthroat. Some even linger at the sixth level of the Qinxin Realm for a long time without breaking through, just so they can participate more often.

"Therefore, the Inner Sect has established a new rule: no disciple may visit Chonghai Island more than three times in total. If you have already gone three times, then even if you place in the top twenty a fourth time, you will not be permitted to enter the island; instead, the position will be passed down to the next eligible person."

Kang Wei stopped after saying all this in one breath, fearing that Li Sibai might struggle to process so much information at once. He paused to see if Li Sibai had any questions, and indeed, he saw a look of confusion on Li Sibai's face.

"Chonghai Island?" Li Sibai had just begun to understand the rules of the competition when this new location was mentioned—and it was the very thing he cared about.

Seeing that Li Sibai seemed to understand the previous points, Kang Wei continued, "Chonghai Island is the location of another cultivation sect, though it is quite secluded and few people know of it. Our Xuantian Sword Sect has a historical connection with them, which is why we are granted twenty spots each year to cultivate there. It is said that due to its unique geographical environment, their methods of cultivation differ greatly from ours. Those who have been there claim that one can achieve significant improvement in a short period, which is why the competition for the Inner Sect Grand Competition is so intense every year."

Li Sibai nodded thoughtfully. While he had heard of the competition, he had only known the basics and was entirely unaware of such a reward.

It seemed this was a golden opportunity. Excited, Li Sibai quickly asked, "When does this Inner Sect Grand Competition begin?"