Cultivator's Slice of Life: Spiritual Farming System

Chapter 35: Golden Boy Tian Li

The other Elders and Foundation cultivators glared at me with displeasure. It was evident they were upset about what had transpired. Ma Chen took it upon himself to explain the situation to me.

"You're the first person ever to become an Elder without taking a test. You're already a legend in our sect!" he exclaimed.

Did Sun Liang truly believe in me to bestow such an important position within the sect without a test? My progress must have astounded him, but was it really that remarkable? Without other cultivators to compare myself to, I couldn't gauge the magnitude of my achievement. However, judging by the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, leaping from the third layer to the Foundation realm in just three years seemed nearly impossible.

I made my way to the bench and took a seat. There was no way I would miss witnessing the competition, unless it became unbearably dull, although I couldn't tell at that point.

The cultivators gradually shifted their attention from me back to Sun Liang and the crystal positioned in the middle of the arena. They knew their focus should be on passing the test, not on me.

Furthermore, Sun Liang's decision to still grant them two spots meant that the Flying Sword Lotus Sect would gain three new Elders in total! It was a significant influx of fresh Elders all at once.

The strength of a sect was determined by the number of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators it possessed. Those in the Qi Condensation stage were essential for the sect's future development, but their individual power held little significance.

A sect boasting a high number of Foundation Establishment cultivators indicated that its disciples were diligently striving and reaching greater heights!

Anyway, the first "test" focused on assessing one's talent. Sun Liang called one person at a time to place their hands on the crystal.

I had no prior knowledge of how the crystal would react, but I made a couple of guesses. It would likely shine in different colors or emit sounds akin to Morse code, and the more sounds it produced, the greater the talent.

As it turned out, both of my guesses were correct! Each individual would channel their Qi into the crystal, causing it to emit a different color corresponding to the element of their Qi.

I observed two types of Qi during the process, which didn't come as a surprise. The Flying Sword Lotus sect emphasized two key aspects: alchemy and swordsmanship. To thrive in the sect, one needed either Sword Qi or Fire Qi. Fire Qi was crucial for alchemy, giving those cultivators an advantage in its practice.

Ma Chen sat beside me, providing additional insights about the sect. We stood there, attentively observing the newcomers as they tested their talent. Nearly all of them exhibited decent talent and successfully passed the test.

As Ma Chen had mentioned, to attain Foundation Establishment, one's talent couldn't be low; otherwise, they would never reach such a level of power in the first place.

The first part of the test proved to be quick and uninteresting. It didn't captivate my attention, and thoughts of leaving to tend to my cultivation cave crossed my mind. However, I decided to stay and see if the next part would be more engaging, perhaps something that aligned with my expertise—tournaments.

Ah, tournaments! I had extensively read about them, so I was quite knowledgeable on the subject. While the concept of tournaments was great, they often involved numerous participants, causing them to drag on for too long. Some tournament organizers even stretched them over multiple days to encourage participants and spectators to spend more money in their city.

Fortunately, Sun Liang wasted no time and swiftly initiated the tournament. Given the small number of participants, it wouldn't take an eternity to complete.

"First fight, you versus you!" Sun Liang declared, pointing to two individuals—one man and one woman. Since he didn't know their names, he simply referred to them as "you" and motioned toward them. The chosen pair proceeded to make their way to the arena, where an Elder stood nearby, closely observing the fight to determine the victor.

Sun Liang removed the crystal from the arena and set up a protective formation around it, safeguarding the onlookers from the impact of spells.

"Please wait five minutes," Sun Liang requested. "The Qi Condensation cultivators will join us to watch the fights. I believe it can serve as a beneficial training method for them."

The man and the woman who approached the arena were armed with swords strapped to their backs. It promised to be an exhilarating clash of Sword Qi, igniting anticipation among the spectators, myself included. Almost the entire sect had gathered to witness the fight, with the exception of those engrossed in secluded meditation.

Sun Liang, of all the available seats, chose to sit beside me. He leaned in and asked, "What are your thoughts on the sect? Are you enjoying your time here?"

Though I still needed more time to form a concrete opinion, there was no denying that the place seemed promising. I replied, "For now, I am loving it. And I'll enjoy it even more after dealing with a few cultivators who mistreated me!"

Sun Liang chuckled and patted my back. "Go all out! You can punish them as you see fit. It's the best way for them to improve. Oh, and don't forget to lend a hand to my grandson. He may not possess your level of talent, but he's in the twelfth layer."

Not as talented? That boy was exceptional! When we first met, he was just a young child, likely one of the youngest cultivators in the sect, yet his cultivation level was remarkably high.

While Sun Liang and I discussed disciples, awaiting the start of the fight, I inquired, "I have someone I'd like to bring as a disciple. Can I retrieve him tomorrow?"

Ma Chen, who stood nearby, interjected, "There are certain limitations. The recruitment period for new disciples is scheduled for a few years from now, so you may have to wait."

Confident in his response, Ma Chen turned to face Sun Liang, only to hear a contrasting answer.

"Of course! Bring them along. You can bring as many disciples as you want, as long as they aren't lazy or lacking talent," Sun Liang declared.

I was transforming into someone despised by many within the sect but adored by the Patriarch. Did that not make me impervious to punishment and grant me the power to make disciples work for me?

I could already envision a group of disciples tending to the farms while I enjoyed some relaxation.

Nevertheless, the two cultivators within the arena sprang into action as the Elder commenced the countdown, marking the beginning of the fight.