### Chapter 37: Preparations for the Tournament
News of Lin Yi's breakthrough to the Fourth Level of Qi Refinement spread like wildfire through the outer sect—and even reached the inner sect. In days, he became the most talked-about disciple. How could a Five Spiritual Roots cultivator, once mocked as useless, leap from the First Level to the Fourth in just two months?
It was unheard of. Even Yun Fei, the sect's prodigy with a Single Spiritual Root, hadn't advanced that fast. Outer disciples lived in harsh conditions, with meager resources; most toiled for years to climb a single level. Lin Yi's leap defied logic.
Rumors swirled. Some whispered of hidden treasures, others of forbidden techniques. Inner disciples flocked to visit, hoping to pry secrets from him, but Lin Yi brushed them off with a tale of "heavenly elixirs" and retreated into seclusion to focus on cultivation.
The outer disciples, still reeling from Zhang Mu's punishment, dared not disturb him—but their awe was palpable. Pan Yu, too, became a sought-after figure, with many trying to curry favor, hoping he'd share Lin Yi's "secret." But Pan Yu remained steadfast, devoting himself to cultivation, earning only frustration from those who sought shortcuts.
Mu Rongfeng, long the outer sect's unchallenged leader, stayed silent. Rumors said he'd retreated to train relentlessly, his sights set on challenging core disciples—not just settling for inner sect status. His absence from the fray only amplified Lin Yi's fame, though few believed Lin Yi could truly surpass him. After all, Mu Rongfeng had stagnated at the Fourth Level for five years, his foundation far more solid. No one guessed Lin Yi's true ambition: to target the core disciples themselves.
…
Thirteen days slipped by, and the tournament dawned.
The sect's grand tournament split into inner and outer divisions, held simultaneously. The top ten outer disciples would advance directly to the inner sect; the boldest could even challenge core disciples, with victory earning them core status. Those ranked lower than tenth could still challenge inner disciples for a spot, but core disciples remained off-limits until they proved themselves against inner sect members first. Core disciples, for their part, needed only to defend their titles against all challengers.
Lin Yi spent those thirteen days in a frenzy of preparation. He divided his time three ways: studying sword techniques, cultivating the *Eternal Life Art*, and practicing the *Five Spirits Body Tempering Technique*. For the first three days, he prioritized the *Eternal Life Art*—he aimed to rely on pure spiritual energy and swordplay in the tournament, hiding the tempering technique's power to avoid suspicion.
He consumed over four hundred Great Replenishing Pills in three days, yet still hovered just below the Fourth Level's peak. Restless, he descended to the market district to find Xiao Bei, the apple-cheeked alchemist.
"A waste is a shame," he thought. With over three thousand low-grade spirit stones, he could afford materials for more pills.
He met Xiao Bei, and together they combed the market, buying heaps of alchemy ingredients. They rented a room with a earth-fire furnace—critical for Xiao Bei, a Sixth Level Qi Refinement cultivator who relied on external flames to炼丹. The room cost fifty spirit stones a month, and materials another three hundred; Lin Yi winced at the total of nearly four hundred, but gritted his teeth. Strength was worth every stone.
Back at the sect, Lin Yi shifted focus to mastering his sword arts: *Nine Strikes of the Sky-Shattering*, *Guicang*, and *Life and Death*. He could now wield the first strike of *Nine Strikes*, all three stances of *Guicang*, and both forms of *Life and Death*. *Guicang*, with its endless variations, teased him with glimpses of deeper power—something he resolved to explore later.
Time narrowed to a razor's edge. The tournament waited, and with it, Lin Yi's chance to upend the sect's order.