Chapter Ten I Want to Participate

  "It's really true that a good student must have a good teacher, and they all came from outside." Ling Xing.

  "Yes, it's already a miracle that he can enter the inner door with this kind of talent. Finding such a master, I'm afraid he won't be able to achieve Golden Elixir in this lifetime." Ling Yu.

  "Master, they're being too arrogant, not putting me in their eyes is one thing, but you're a generation higher than them, this is also too unreasonable." Sun Ming transmitted his voice to Xuan Kong.

  "Hey, what's the big deal, apprentice? Before you can take care of yourself, don't get into conflicts with them. If you do, I won't be able to protect you. These two are direct disciples of Tian Huo, and their talents are extremely high. Although they're arrogant, few people in the sect dare to cause trouble for them. And Tian Huo is very protective of his own, so for now, we can only swallow our pride. I didn't expect that on your first day as a disciple, you'd already be humiliated." Xuan Kong transmitted his voice.

  "Master, don't blame yourself. It's actually the disciple who has dragged you down, making you humble and embarrassed here. If I achieve my cultivation in the future, I will definitely make them kneel down and apologize." Sun Ming said.

  "You have this heart, and I am content." said Xuan Kong.

  "This year's first question for the Refining Equipment Grand Competition is defense. Each of you has a set of materials in front of you, and within one day, refine a purely physical defensive shield. Then, a disciple from the Yuan Ying period will use a flying sword to attack it. Whoever's shield can withstand the greatest force wins. This round takes only 100 people, so cherish your time. Remember, only take the top 100 places, no additional formations are allowed. This question tests your understanding of material combinations and spiritual fire." Tian Yi Dao said.

  "Lingming, Lingyue, Lingbao, which one of you three wants to participate?" Tianyi asked.

  "The elder actually asked them, can they? The fledglings of the foundation period still participating in the grand comparison, losing face." Lingzi's junior disciple A sneered.

  "Not to mention, our people's cultivation is the worst, even if it's just after the opening period, let them compare with us, I really don't understand what the elder is thinking." said Lingzi's younger brother disciple Yi.

  "Sun Ming, agree with him to participate in the first round of trial." Yun Zhongzi said.

  "Why, Master? Isn't it self-deprecating for me to participate in the Grand Competition with my current cultivation?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "If he didn't say that no arrays can be added, I wouldn't have let you go. Since no arrays are being added, with your Hongmeng Purple Fire, this topic will definitely be easily obtained first place, and it's just right to strike down the arrogance of those two little people." Yun Zhongzi said.

  "Then I'll sign up for sure. Master, you're not trying to test my endurance after I've been humiliated in front of everyone, are you?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "What a bearing capacity after losing face in front of everyone, just to let you hit those two juniors, my disciple Yun Zhongzi can't tolerate such insults and swallow his breath." Cloud Zhongzi said.

  "Master, you've always taught me to learn to endure, take a step back and the sea will be wide and the sky will be vast..." Sun Mingdao said.

  "The apprentice should remember that when enduring is necessary, then endure, but in this situation, with absolute certainty as a prerequisite, don't endure anymore." Yun Zhongzi said.

  "Is there anyone among you three who wants to participate?" Tianyi asked again.

  "I'm going to participate." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Boss, this isn't a joke, so many people are watching. If the stuff you refine is too poor, all of Lingzi's disciples will look down on you." Lingbao whispered to Sunming.

  "Don't worry, I have my own measure." Sun Mingdao said.

  "I and Lingyue have decided not to participate in the Grand Comparison, we'll just watch from the side." Lingbao said to the sky, Lingyue still nodded slightly as before.

  Sun Ming took over the materials he needed from a master who was in charge of the competition. Xuan Tie, Green Jade, Copper Essence... Looking at this pile of materials, Sun Ming felt a sense of nostalgia. When had he ever used so many different types of materials? The only material he had ever used besides ordinary iron was Han Tie, and Han Tie wasn't even on the same level as these materials.

  "Hillbilly, look at his expression, he probably hasn't even seen these materials before." Ling Xing said.

  "Outer sect disciples wouldn't have possibly seen these materials before, this kid participating in the grand competition isn't thinking of high-level techniques or he's gone mad, it's just that he can't wait to lose face here." Ling Yu had barely finished speaking when the surrounding disciples burst into a fit of laughter.

  With the arrival of Tianyi's elder gaze, this farce finally came to an end.

  "The big comparison is about to begin, irrelevant personnel stand aside." Tian said.

  "Master, how can I cultivate? I've just entered the initial stage of enlightenment and they say that even the worst disciples here are stronger than me. How can I surpass them?" Sun Ming asked.

  "What are you worried about, silly apprentice? Have you forgotten that I am a great master of alchemy? If I can't even help you with this small matter, where would I put my old face?" Cloud Middle Child laughed.

  "Disciple, do you know what the Jade Void Apricot Yellow Flag is?" Yun Zhongzi asked.

  "Of course I know, Master, your world is almost a defensive treasure, right?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "It's true, back then Yu Xukong's Yellow Flag was invincible in the hands of his master, even the Exterminating Immortal Formation could be executed once, unfortunately later on the matter of sealing the gods, it was bestowed upon Jiang Shang." Yun Zhongzi said.

  "But Master, what does this Jade Vacant Apricot Yellow Flag have to do with our match today?" Sun Ming asked in puzzlement.

  "Foolish child, think about it, this Jade Void Apricot Yellow Flag is a defensive treasure. If you had just borrowed from it to forge this shield today, that would have been enough to win this match." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "Master, when can I refine a genuine Yu Xu Huang Qi?" Sun Ming asked.

  "Disciple, don't be too greedy. You should know that the Jade Void Apricot Yellow Flag, the Green Lotus Treasure Color Flag, the Departing Earth Flame Light Flag, the White Cloud Boundary Flag, and the Mysterious Origin Water Control Flag are all pre-heavenly five directional flags of the highest treasure level. It's not easy to replicate them. When your cultivation reaches the stage of refining equipment and spiritualization, I will naturally pass on the method of refinement to you. If you want to truly refine the authentic versions of these five flags, wait until you ascend to immortality later." Cloud Middle Child said.

  "Got it, Master," Sun Ming said.

  "Let's start by releasing the spiritual fire to melt this piece of copper essence, and then melt the green turquoise into it as well." Yun Zhongzi said.

  Sun Ming remained silent and began his refining process.

  A piece of copper spirit hovered in front of Sun Ming. Since he was refining it in front of everyone, Sun Ming used the Hongmeng Purple Fire to simulate ordinary spiritual fire. During the refinement process, his true yuan was depleted several times, and he had to stop and recover his true yuan, which caused a burst of laughter from the surrounding disciples. Fortunately, the spiritual energy here was abundant, and Sun Ming successfully completed the refining process.

  "Master, what's next?" Sun Ming looked at the two lumps of spiritual fire in front of him and asked Xiang Yunzi.

  "Put the malachite solution slowly into the copper essence, remember that the malachite can only account for one-third of the copper essence, and then hand it over to me." Yun Zhongzi said.

  Sun Ming once again looked at his body practicing the Cloud Hand technique in his mind.

  "Watch closely, young one." Yun Zhongzi said.

  Only two kinds of materials merged into a solution, at this moment constantly changing, malachite and copper essence are entangled at this time, after a while a yellow-green solution appeared in front of Sun Ming.

  "I didn't know that the fusion of materials would be so complicated." Sun Ming thought to himself as he mentally simulated Yun Zhongzi's steps at the same time.

  At this time, the material in front of him had changed again, and a shield in the shape of an eggshell appeared before Sun Ming.

  "Master, isn't this too ridiculous? You asked me to refine a shield, why are you refining half an eggshell?" Sun Ming asked in confusion.

  "Foolish child, all things in this world have their own reason for existence. As the saying goes, 'Man follows the Earth, the Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows Nature.' All things are manifestations of the Great Tao, whether it's birth from eggs, womb, moisture, or transformation. They are all expressions of the simplicity of the Great Tao. You can't understand this much yet." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "Master, didn't you say that we were going to learn from this Jade Void Apricot Yellow Flag's refining method?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "The refinement of the Master is already complete, of course, it has been borrowed from, but you just haven't noticed yet. Look at the eggshell-shaped small shield, isn't it guiding the earth's spiritual energy into your body right now?" Yun Zhongzi smiled and said.

  Sun Ming carefully observed for a moment, and discovered a thread of yellow spiritual energy constantly surging into the small shield.

  "Master, how did you do this?" Sun Ming asked.

  "The Jade Void Apricot Yellow Flag is considered the first in defense, mainly because this treasure can communicate with the mysterious and yellow earth spirit. When this treasure is used to fight against others, it's like attacking the great earth itself. As for me, I just added a little invisible formation inside, don't worry, no one should be able to discover this small move in this realm." Cloud Middle Child said.

  "Master, if I win later, how should I explain it? As a foundation-building period disciple, I defeated those golden elixir period cultivators. How can they not be suspicious?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "Now, I'll test you a bit. Pay attention to the shape of this shield and that's all the hint you get. I'm tired and need to rest for a while. Later, we'll properly deal with those two arrogant clowns." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "What shape? How can I explain it, isn't it just an eggshell? Never mind, there must be a road before the mountain, don't think about it anymore." Sun Ming said quietly.

  Raising his eyes to look around, Sun Ming discovered that most people's shields were still unfinished. The shields these people had refined mostly looked like ordinary rectangular shields. Looking at his own "eggshell", Sun Ming couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in his heart.

  Sun Ming raised his hand and handed over the refined eggshell, which led to another burst of laughter. It wasn't that Sun Ming wanted to hand it over, but he was really too hungry. Before the fusion period, he wouldn't be able to fast, and having not eaten for almost a day, Sun Ming was really starving.

  Just as they had eaten half of their meal, Lingyuan rushed in.

  "Ling Ming Shidi, Tianyi Zhenren wants you to hurry back to the Performance Hall (where the big comparison is taking place)." said Lingyuan Dao.

  "Why? I haven't finished eating yet." Sun Ming asked in puzzlement.

  "Don't ask why, it's what the elder has ordered." said Lingyuan.

  As soon as Sun Ming stepped into the performance hall, he was enveloped by a different atmosphere.