Who Was Beaten? . . .
Feng Wuying and Yun Piaoliu dismissed the comments with disdain, remarking, "You're speaking nonsense! Do you believe we have any interest in hearing that?"
With that, they departed, leaving Lei Dadi fuming in anger. He charged after them, and an intense brawl unfolded between the three grandmasters.
[When Xuan Bing competed for control of the sect, I couldn't confront her head-on since I still harbored an unfulfilled wish. This unresolved matter has been gnawing at me ever since. Now, with decades more of life ahead of me, it's time to teach those two old rascals a lesson...]
And so, the three of them engaged in a fierce skirmish.
...
Xiao Mufei found himself grappling with an unexpected situation – he now had a disciple's disciple in the form of Cha Chongxiao. As Cha Chongxiao stood before him, Xiao Mufei couldn't help but feel a peculiar mix of emotions.
[This is my master's disciple brother, truly... And he just bowed to me and entered the competition as my disciple's disciple?]
Xiao Mufei struggled to adapt to this new dynamic.
"Very well, Chongxiao, at what level do you currently stand?" Xiao Mufei inquired.
Although he had referred to Cha Chongxiao as 'Chongxiao' during their journey back to the sect, it still felt strange to him.
"Spirit Origin Stage, level six," Cha Chongxiao replied.
"Hmm. Head to the Spirit Origin Stage group and join your fellow disciples in the competition," Xiao Mufei decided swiftly. "If you find yourself with free time, focus on your cultivation and only disturb me when it is truly necessary. Your primary goal should be to climb the ranks. It will serve you well."
With that, he vanished from the scene.
Xiao Mufei had to leave promptly, feeling more and more awkward the longer he remained in the company of Cha Chongxiao.
After his master's departure, Cha Chongxiao was left with the other disciples, who had begun to develop a rapport with him during their return to the sect.
"Chongxiao, welcome back! It's been a while. Where have you been? Why did you return just as the competition began? You should have returned earlier to prepare," one of them noted.
Another chimed in, "But don't fret. This is how the ground competition works. It's a contest of strength. Those who are weaker will simply face defeat. It's nothing to be concerned about."
"That's right... Come on, fight me. Let's see what you're made of!"
Cha Chongxiao eyed the individual who challenged him and replied, "Seriously? You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You're only at the fourth level of the Dream Origin Stage, and you're shamelessly challenging me..."
Laughter rippled through the group.
After engaging in conversation for some time, Cha Chongxiao gained a better understanding of the nature of the ground competition.
In essence, it was a combat competition with straightforward rules.
Spirit Origin Stage disciples would assemble, and those guided by the same master would compete until a victor emerged. The victorious disciples would then engage in combat to determine the top Spirit Origin Stage disciple in the sect.
Dream Origin Stage cultivators had a somewhat more intricate set of rules due to the substantial disparities in their strength.
Dream Origin Stage disciples were categorized into five tiers.
Levels one and two constituted the first tier, while levels three and four formed the second. The third tier included levels five and six, with the fourth comprising levels seven and eight. Those at level nine and beyond constituted the fifth and final tier.
The ground competition was open to all Dao Origin Stage disciples below level four. Those beyond level four held prominent positions within the sect and were thus exempt from participating.
Ultimately, the winner of the Spirit Origin Stage group would have the opportunity to challenge Dream Origin Stage cultivators. The victor of the first grade in the Dream Origin Stage group could then challenge disciples in the second grade, and so forth. Whoever possessed the strength and courage to continually win their battles could ascend to the pinnacle.
In reality, although the rules permitted lower-level disciples to challenge stronger disciples in combat, few individuals actually took advantage of these rules. Occasionally, a Spirit Origin Stage winner would enter the ground competition against some Dream Origin Stage disciples only to be defeated, as there was a substantial gap between the two cultivation stages. None of the Dream Origin Stage winners ever dared to challenge Dao Origin Stage disciples. The Dao Origin Stage cultivators were the most formidable group within the entire Qing-Yun Realm, and their pride and dignity prevented them from accepting challenges from Dream Origin Stage cultivators. If someone used the rules to forcibly challenge a Dao Origin Stage disciple, they might find themselves risking their life, and no one would accept responsibility for their demise. Hence, disciples below the Dao Origin Stage rarely dared to challenge their Dao Origin Stage counterparts in the ground competition.
Cha Chongxiao contemplated, **"How much time do I have for cultivation? How much time do I need before I challenge a Dream Origin Stage disciple in the competition?"**
As he pondered this, he sensed an unfriendly gaze directed at him. The entire Cold Moon Palace had treated him with care, as if he were the most precious treasure in the sect. Thus, Cha Chongxiao was quick to notice the hostile stare.
Turning around, he spotted a young man dressed in cyan garments with a fierce and wary gaze. It was Cheng Feiyu, the most outstanding Spirit Origin Stage disciple, and the likely winner of Xiao Mufei's group had Cha Chongxiao not joined. Cheng Feiyu felt envious and hostile due to the attention that Cha Chongxiao's arrival had garnered.
He assessed Cha Chongxiao's cultivation level and concluded, **"A level six individual – how dare you wear that arrogant expression here? You're nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well, ignorant of the vast sky above!"** Cha Chongxiao responded with a nonchalant smile before turning away. He simply had no time to bother with someone of such insignificance.
In the afternoon, the ground competition commenced.
...
That night, Xiao Mufei sat in his room and inquired, "How is Cha Chongxiao doing? How many battles has he fought? Has he been thoroughly beaten?"
A Dream Origin Stage disciple replied with a wry smile, "Beaten? Multiple times? No... not even once."
"Not even once?" Xiao Mufei furrowed his brow. "Are you telling me he quit the competition? He abandoned the ground competition?"
"Perhaps you should consider it from a different perspective," the disciple responded, looking perturbed. "Cha Chongxiao is a madman! In just one day, over seventy disciples below the sixth level of the Spirit Origin Stage have been soundly defeated by him..."