"Yes, for the top ten, there's a reward of fifty Tao Merits per month, distributed every month for a year," Ji Bochang confirmed assuredly.
Zhang Jing's expression grew serious.
Fifty Tao Merits per month as a reward.
At first, it didn't seem like much. But that's if Zhang Jing hadn't asked Senior Brother Liu about the matter of middle-grade legacy exchange.
The point was, he had.
So, Zhang Jing understood very well the value of this reward.
Receiving fifty per month amass to six hundred Tao Merits in a year.
One could almost take half of a middle-grade legacy with that.
If we go by what Senior Brother Liu had said, it's equivalent to a regular Outer Academy disciple's savings for twenty to thirty years.
But how many Outer Academy disciples could last that long?
"When you put it that way, passing the trial and ranking in the top ten is like getting all-term cultivation resources sponsored by Dao Institute. They just need to focus on cultivation, without the need to worry about Tao Merits."
Zhang Jing exhaled heavily.
He could imagine just how crazy the 'Grade-B Talents' would be upon hearing this news. Especially when the first and second places were nearly booked by two Grade-A Monsters, and there existed a scarcity of slots.
At that moment, Zhang Jing remembered Senior Brother Liu's advice: strive to attract Qi into the body officially before the end of the thirty-day trial period, and step into the Qi Refinement Realm.
His eyes glowed with determination.
The six hundred Tao Merits were extremely important to him, who was eager to exchange for the "Sea Dragon Devours the Void True Method".
He had to fight for it.
"Brother Ji," Zhang Jing said, his eyes sparkling, "did your respected senior sister tell you the basis for the rankings?"
On hearing this.
Ji Bochang's face fell as he complained, "I have no idea which foo--"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Bochang sensed that he was wrong and hurriedly covered his mouth. He then stuttered, "I don't know which kind-hearted, benevolent, and wise Immortal from Dao Institute designed the rules. The way to determine the trial rankings is different each time. My senior sister personally told me that there had been Spirit Chess Contests, arm wrestling rankings, cultivation rankings, Spiritual Sense rankings, and so on. It varies."
"Our previous batch, that is, three years ago, finalized the rankings through magic fights."
Zhang Jing, standing beside him, was undoubtedly shocked.
"Magic fights? Arm wrestling? Cultivation?" He said in disbelief: "Isn't this disadvantageous to those who only master the Visualization Method in the later stages and pass the trials?"
"Disadvantageous?"
On hearing this, Ji Bochang shook his head and said straightforwardly, "Brother Zhang, you're quite the talker. This isn't disadvantageous. It would be fairer to say that...it doesn't involve them at all."
At this point, Zhang Jing began to understand.
Clearly, regardless of the way in which the trial rankings are determined, the cultivation level of the participants will play a decisive role.
Furthermore, only the top thirty in the trial rankings get rewarded.
In such a case, those rated as Grade-D really won't matter much. Maybe there's still a glimmer of hope for those rated as Grade-C.
Typical of Dao Institute's style indeed.
There's no such thing as 'fair'. How many resources you can get depends solely on talent and luck movement, entirely on cultivation and ability.
Having thought about this.
Zhang Jing looked at the translucent Jade Talisman before him.
[Five Organ Solution to Draw Water - Not entered (0/50)]
[Pure Yuan Inhalation Visualization Method - Level 1 (19/100)]
Skill Characteristic: Gather Spirit Light (Low Level)
[Low-grade Dharma Seed: Mind's Eye (Cannot be upgraded)]
[Partial Sea Dragon Rhyme (Cannot be upgraded)]
"With Mind's Eye to boost comprehension and thinking, the Partial Sea Dragon Rhyme to assist in the absorption of Spiritual Energy, and Gather Spirit Light to increase the speed of Spiritual Energy refinement and improve the purity of Dantian's Spiritual Power, there should be a chance of being in the top ten," he thought reassuringly.
Unknowingly.
"Brother Zhang, we're here," Ji Bochang shouted from ahead.
Zhang Jing instinctively raised his head.
In his line of sight, two small courtyards were sitting about a hundred and fifty paces apart, one behind the other, by a small pond stretching about ten square feet.
Each small courtyard covered half an acre and seemed to be made of some tough soil and stone, forming a single entity.
His eyes took in the surrounding scenery.
It was just dusk.
The setting sun was returning to its forest home, the birds singing, the shimmering pond looked golden, and the gentle flowing water was making a pleasant sound.
"The spiritual energy is strong, the environment is quiet, what a great place!" Zhang Jing's eyes lit up as he took a deep breath and exclaimed in admiration.
"Who do you think is responsible for this? I, Ji Bochang, am naturally not short-sighted!" Ji Bochang's face revealed a moment of satisfaction, and then he pointed to the back courtyard and said, "That one there, that's yours, Brother Zhang. You can move in now."
"Thanks a lot, Brother Ji."
Zhang Jing picked up his luggage and went straight to the vacant courtyard, pushing open the door.
...
Creaaak--
The door was slowly pushed ajar.
A head suddenly popped in from the outside, looking at Zhang Jing, who was cleaning the house, and asked timidly, "Brother Zhang, may I come in?"
"Uh," Zhang Jing was taken aback for a moment, then pointed to Ji Bochang's head and said helplessly, "Brother Ji, you're already in..."
"Hehe, that's because you didn't lock the door, Brother Zhang."
Ji Bochang chuckled and then pointed a finger at the sky, swearing solemnly, "I was presumptuous this time. I swear to the Dao Heart that this won't happen again."
You're just starting on the path of cultivation! What Dao Heart do you possibly have!
Have you been binge-reading too much about gods and demons?
Zhang Jing's eyes twitched, and he couldn't help but complain in his heart. "I must remember to lock the door next time!"
Turing his head around.
He happened to meet Ji Bochang's eager gaze.
Zhang Jing instinctively stepped back, swallowing, he asked nervously, "Brother Ji, do you need something?"