Chapter Forty-Seven: Before the Competition

Li Mu arrived at a familiar herb shop, and the shopkeeper immediately came forward to greet him.

“Shopkeeper Li, come in quickly.” The shopkeeper, Ye Mu, was a clever man, though not particularly cunning, and he and Li Mu could converse freely.

Li Mu nodded. “Shopkeeper Ye, how is the matter I entrusted to you progressing?”

Ye Mu chuckled and produced a jade slip. “How could I neglect what you asked of me, Shopkeeper Li? Here, this contains all the basic information on your first opponent, Gu Rong. But be careful—he is also a mid-stage Spiritual Foundation cultivator.”

Ye Mu not only ran an herb shop, but also a small clinic on the side, and was very well-informed.

“Thank you, Shopkeeper Ye.” Li Mu smiled and handed over a few spirit crystals. “This is the rest of your reward. I’ll trouble you again for the next matter.”

“Certainly.” Ye Mu accepted the spirit crystals, giving them a light squeeze, a sudden smile blooming on his face. “Then let me wish you success in the coming tournament, Shopkeeper Li. Ha ha!”

Li Mu accepted the jade slip with a reserved smile and took his leave.

The upcoming Jade Iron Assembly drew more participants than ever before, which was the main reason for the current momentum of the Jade Iron Sect. With Deyang City as its center, nearly half the Spiritual Foundation cultivators of the Cloud Mountain Realm were expected to join.

The competition was structured in five rounds, the first four being head-to-head duels.

Li Mu’s first opponent, Gu Rong, was a core disciple of the Polar Gate, widely renowned near Deyang City. Gu Rong possessed four-ring talent and was cherished by the Polar Gate, cultivated as a future sect master—a matter of pride for Gu Rong as well.

Nor did Gu Rong disappoint his sect: at only fourteen years old, he broke through to the mid-stage Spiritual Foundation and achieved several difficult feats, earning ever greater fame. In the Cloud Mountain Realm, he was among the most outstanding talents.

With the list of opponents announced, Gu Rong’s name drew much attention, but the ever low-key Li Mu was virtually unknown outside the Jade Iron Sect; few other cultivators had even heard of him.

“Who is this Li Mu? Just an early-stage Spiritual Foundation cultivator—who knows where he came from? No sect affiliation at all. Gu Rong’s first opponent is practically a gift.”

“Pretty much. He’s a total nobody. Why couldn’t I get so lucky? My opponent is that Wood Four from the Woodwind clan.”

“Heh, running into a bloodthirsty fighter like that, you’re doomed.”

As soon as Li Mu arrived at Moonleaf Pavilion, he overheard such boisterous talk drifting down from the upper floors, and could only shake his head and smile.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Brother Li would never lose so easily!”

Hearing Li Mie’s voice, Li Mu felt a flicker of warmth in his heart. He looked up to see Li Mie standing at the entrance of an elegant private room, shouting inside.

From within came the clink of wine cups, and Li Mie’s words were mostly ignored.

“Where did this brat come from? Do you have no manners? Need I teach you a lesson?”

“Get lost, don’t ruin my good mood. The Brother Li you mention—could he be Gu Rong’s opponent? I don’t even remember the name. He won’t make it past the first round anyway.”

The cultivators inside didn’t even bother to glance at Li Mie, continuing to eat and drink. But soon, one of them turned around, caught sight of Li Mie, and his expression changed involuntarily.

“Shh, keep it down. Look, he’s wearing the Jade Iron Sect robes.”

“Oh, a Jade Iron Sect cultivator. Lower your voices. Young man, care for a drink?”

Li Mie’s face turned crimson. He looked into the room, tongue-tied.

“Come here, Li Mie.” Li Mu took a few steps forward, clapped him on the shoulder, and the two of them entered a nearby private room.

Li Mie still seemed upset, venting his frustration. “Brother Li, they called you useless—how could you not be angry?”

Li Mu shook his head, his expression calm. “Let them talk. In time, they’ll see for themselves.”

“Oh, I hope they get what’s coming to them.” Li Mie snorted toward the door.

“So, what did you need me for?” Li Mu asked.

Li Mie looked embarrassed, clearly a bit lost. “Brother Li, my master made me sign up for a spot in the tournament and told me that unless I win at least once, he won’t consider me his disciple anymore. I have no confidence at all, so I came to consult you.”

After months of cultivation within a third-grade spirit gathering array, Li Mie had managed to reach the Spiritual Foundation stage. He hadn’t even used the Foundation Pill, relying instead on the green-yellow gourd. While not ideal, it had still improved his four-ring talent somewhat, making him stronger than many other cultivators.

“Why didn’t you come find me at the Wood Jade Hall?” Li Mu asked, puzzled.

Li Mie scratched his head, looking a bit flustered. “Oh no, if Ying’er sees me, she’ll probably laugh. Last time, I boasted right in front of her.”

Li Mu smiled; he understood well—he’d experienced such things himself at that age.

“But this is no simple matter.” Li Mu shook his head. “Jade Iron Sect disciples skip the first round and go straight into the second. Your opponent won’t be weak. Why would your master send you into this?”

“I think my master is trying to help me. When I reached the Spiritual Foundation, he gave me a defensive magical artifact—top grade.” Li Mie pulled out a brass token with a look of anticipation. “The Water Warding Token. It uses water spiritual power to shield against many spells. Plus, with your Greenwater Sword, Brother Li, I might actually stand a chance.”

As he spoke, he gazed hopefully at Li Mu.

Li Mu understood what he was waiting for. At this age, one craves the approval of others. Li Mie had come to him simply for a bit of encouragement.

“You’ll be fine, you’ll definitely win. I’ll give you some pills later, and you’ll be even better prepared.” Li Mu’s gaze was firm as he nodded at Li Mie.

“Really?” Li Mie asked eagerly.

Li Mu nodded seriously once more. “Of course. Look, how many Spiritual Foundation cultivators have two top-grade magical artifacts? How many could afford even one?”

Li Mu spoke truthfully. Magical artifacts were expensive, often costing hundreds of mid-grade spirit crystals. But his situation was different: with the Wood Jade Hall, his wealth far exceeded that of most Spiritual Foundation cultivators.

“Most of them only have one artifact. And yours are both water-type, perfectly matched with your water-based techniques. Together, they’re seamless—there’s no weakness. You’ll definitely make it to the next round.”

Li Mie nodded enthusiastically, joy flashing in his eyes.

“Don’t worry, believing in yourself is never a mistake.” Li Mu frowned slightly. “You’ve survived death matches before—this tournament is nothing compared to that.”

“I understand,” Li Mie replied earnestly. “Brother Li, let’s meet again in the third round.”

Li Mu smiled. “That’s the spirit. Have faith. Now, let’s eat.”

“I’m starving. Tonight, I’ll eat my fill!” Li Mie’s mood brightened considerably, and he shouted, “Waiter, bring food and wine!”

Fine delicacies and spirit wine soon arrived. Watching Li Mie, now free of his burdens, Li Mu felt genuinely happy.

Yet he knew that this Jade Iron Assembly would be anything but easy.

Many of the participants were mid- or late-stage Spiritual Foundation cultivators; early-stage ones were rare. The gap in cultivation was hard to bridge, and the higher-level contestants had faced many sect challenges and hardships, so their combat experience was formidable.

Though Li Mu and Li Mie enjoyed the advantage of superior artifacts, the outcome was far from certain.

Moreover, Li Mu’s opponent, Gu Rong, was sure to possess many treasures.

He took out the jade slip and began to peruse it.

As he read, a faint, cool smile gradually appeared on his face.