27: Advancing to the finals

As night deepened, the Taiyi Merchant Alliance headquarters was brightly lit, like a city that never slept.

The banquet was held in the main hall named "Gathering Immortal Pavilion," a building exclusively used to entertain distinguished guests from all sides, its luxury far surpassing that of the branch offices.

Chen Xu and Shen Wuyi followed behind Xu Zhengyue, and as soon as they stepped through the hall entrance, they were captivated by the sight before them.

Inside the grand hall, jade bricks paved the floor, spiritual wood formed the beams, and dozens of massive white jade pillars were carved with Dragons and Phoenixes.

Night-pearls were embedded in the dome, their brilliant light illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.

The air was filled with the faint aroma of spiritual wine and the fragrance of rare delicacies.

Dozens of graceful maidservants moved through the hall, serving fine wine to the guests.

Over a hundred people had already gathered in the hall, including the more than twenty promoted Talisman Masters, as well as dozens of Presidents and Elders from various branch offices of the Great Feng Dynasty.

They were dressed in luxurious clothes and exuded profound Qi, clearly all influential figures.

As soon as Shen Wuyi entered, he straightened his back, a look of proud self-satisfaction on his face.

His performance today had been astonishing, and he naturally had the right to enjoy everyone's attention.

Chen Xu, however, maintained his usual calm and composed demeanor, his gaze casually sweeping across the entire hall, taking in the layout and people within.

Xu Zhengyue's arrival immediately drew many eyes.

She had a graceful figure, exquisite beauty, and a cool, aloof temperament. Among the predominantly male Presidents, she stood out like a plum blossom defying the snow, particularly eye-catching.

"President Xu, congratulations! I heard that both Talisman Masters you brought this time successfully Advanced!"

A familiar President stepped forward to greet her.

"Especially that young friend Shen Wuyi, he passed three rounds consecutively, and in the second round, he was able to refine a High Grade Fireball Talisman. He is truly a young Genius with limitless potential!"

"Indeed, young friend Shen's performance is enough to rank him among the top five of all participants. I think he has a good chance of breaking into the top ten this time!"

Everyone echoed, their praises endless.

Shen Wuyi's heart bloomed with joy upon hearing this, though he tried his best to maintain a reserved expression.

However, his proudly raised chin betrayed his inner delight.

Amidst these discussions, Chen Xu seemed to become invisible, unnoticed by anyone.

Occasionally, a glance would sweep over him, carrying only a hint of doubt and confusion.

"Is that the other one who Advanced? Chen Xu, right?"

"I heard he barely scraped by in all three rounds. His luck is just too good."

"Luck is also a part of one's strength, haha. But he won't be so lucky in the fourth round."

These hushed discussions clearly reached Chen Xu's ears.

His Heart-Nature remained unperturbed, and he even found it somewhat amusing.

To him, the opinions of these people were irrelevant.

However, he could sense that Xu Zhengyue, who was beside him, had an already aloof expression that had grown even colder.

Xu Zhengyue led the two to a forward-facing seat. This was the area reserved for the Presidents of the various branch offices.

As soon as they sat down, an unpleasant voice rang out.

"Oh my, isn't this our great beauty Xu from Shangya Prefecture? What a rare guest, a rare guest indeed!"

Qian Li came over with a fawning smile.

Behind him followed an arrogant young man, none other than Zhou Yuan, the Talisman Master Qian Li had poached earlier.

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered away when he saw Xu Zhengyue.

But then they were replaced by a look of self-satisfaction.

"President Qian."

Xu Zhengyue merely nodded faintly, not even bothering to stand up.

"President Xu, congratulations, congratulations!"

Qian Li seemed not to notice her coldness and sat down uninvited in the seat opposite her, his gaze sweeping back and forth over Shen Wuyi and Chen Xu, making tutting sounds.

"This young friend Shen you brought is indeed a good talent. His Talisman drawing technique is sharp, possessing some of the demeanor of our Yunzhou Geniuses. Not bad, not bad."

While he praised Shen Wuyi, he also subtly elevated himself.

Shen Wuyi frowned upon hearing this, particularly annoyed by Qian Li's condescending evaluation.

However, the other party was a President, so he couldn't act out.

Qian Li's tone shifted, his gaze falling on Chen Xu, and the smile on his face became playful: "As for this one... Chen Xu, right? Oh dear, I heard that he barely made it through all three rounds. President Xu, where did you find such a lucky star? This luck truly makes others envious!"

Zhou Yuan, who was behind him, also spoke at the opportune moment, his tone carrying a hint of disdain: "President Xu, the Talisman Dao ultimately relies on true talent and skill. Luck cannot be relied upon repeatedly. Tomorrow's fourth round will test Intermediate Spiritual Talismans, which cannot be passed by luck alone."

At these words, Xu Zhengyue's face completely turned cold.

Zhou Yuan was someone she had personally promoted.

She had invested a lot of resources in him back then, but she never expected him to be bought off by Qian Li with a large sum of money at the most crucial moment, betraying her.

Now, this traitor actually dared to lecture the person she brought, right in front of her.

"Zhou Yuan, you are now President Qian's person. My Shangya Prefecture's affairs are not for you to comment on."

Xu Zhengyue's voice was like ice.

"Oh, President Xu, why get angry?"

Qian Li fanned himself, laughing as he smoothed things over: "Zhou Yuan also meant well. After all, he once worked under you, so he's half your Disciple. It's only natural for him to care about his Junior Brother."

He deliberately emphasized "half your Disciple," his words dripping with undisguised sarcasm.

The Presidents at the surrounding tables all looked over, with expressions of watching a good show.

Everyone knew that Yunzhou and Shangya Prefecture were at odds, and Qian Li and Xu Zhengyue had long-standing grievances.

"President Qian."

Xu Zhengyue slowly put down her teacup, raising her eyes.

She stared directly into Qian Li's eyes, which were squeezed into slits by his fat!

"I remember a few years ago, when you snatched the spiritual mine contract from me, you left a rather unsightly scar on the reputation of my Shangya Prefecture branch."

Qian Li's smile froze on his face.

This incident was his proudest achievement and Xu Zhengyue's greatest humiliation.

Xu Zhengyue slowly stood up, looking down at him: "I'm warning you, next time you dare to provoke me, that scar will appear on your neck."

At these words, the entire hall was stunned!

A chilling killing intent emanated from Xu Zhengyue.

Although she was a woman, as a Cultivator in the Late Foundation Establishment Stage and a President in charge of a branch office, she had held a high position for many years. Now, truly angered, her imposing aura caused the surrounding air to stagnate.

The fat on Qian Li's face trembled violently.

His smile completely froze!

"Xu Zhengyue! You dare to threaten me!"

He slammed his hand on the table, abruptly standing up, and his spiritual Qi instantly surged within him.

"Alright, alright! President Qian, President Xu, calm down!"

"Today is a banquet hosted by the Merchant Alliance. Everyone, let's value harmony, value harmony!"

Seeing this, several Presidents nearby quickly stood up and restrained the enraged Qian Li.

Fearing that the two might actually start fighting here.

"Xu Zhengyue, you just wait for me!"

Qian Li, being held back by the others, still roared unwillingly.

He hadn't expected the usually forbearing Xu Zhengyue to openly break ties in front of so many people today, even showing killing intent towards him.

Xu Zhengyue gave him a cold glance, then sat back down.

She picked up her teacup, as if nothing had just happened.

This incident made the atmosphere of the banquet somewhat strange.

Everyone looked at Xu Zhengyue with a hint of awe.

And their gazes towards Chen Xu became even more complex.

In their opinion, Xu Zhengyue's loss of composure was entirely due to this mediocre Chen Xu, who only relied on luck.

Chen Xu saw all of this, and sighed softly in his heart.

He hadn't wanted to expose his strength too early. He wanted to first ascertain the details of all his opponents, then make a splash and secure the greatest benefits for himself and his Family.

But now it seemed that his hidden talent had caused Xu Zhengyue to endure undeserved humiliation.

The banquet ended hastily, the atmosphere unpleasant.

On the way back, Xu Zhengyue remained silent, the pressure around her terrifyingly low.

Shen Wuyi, on the other hand, was full of anger. He felt that Chen Xu's mediocrity had disgraced the entire Shangya Prefecture branch.

Back in the guest courtyard, Chen Xu closed his door, isolating himself from the outside world.

He sat at the table, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the tabletop.

Reputation, sometimes, was also a form of strength.

He recalled Bu Yifan's words: the Chen Family, to truly stand firm, could not rely solely on the prestige of others.

By the same token, for him, Chen Xu, to go further in this Immortal Realm, he couldn't always remain unknown.

Appropriately displaying his sharp edge.

Only then could he earn the respect and resources he and his Family deserved.

"So be it."

Chen Xu muttered to himself, "Since that's the case, tomorrow, I'll be a little more serious."

He wasn't acting impulsively but had made a calm judgment.

After a day of observation, he had a general understanding of the overall level of the participating Talisman Masters.

Except for a handful of people like Shen Wuyi and Zhou Yuan.

Who could stably refine Elementary High Grade Talismans, most people hovered between Elementary Medium Grade and Low Grade.

And the Intermediate Spiritual Talismans to be tested tomorrow would undoubtedly become a huge dividing line.

By then, it would be clear who was truly capable.

For a moment, he thought of his Family far away in Ninghai Town, of Bu Yifan and their tenderness, and of the innocent smiles of the children. His heart softened.

Everything he did was to give them a stable future.

This concern quickly calmed his restless mind.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and meditated. The night passed without a word... The next day, Heavenly Talisman Hall.

When Chen Xu stepped into the grand hall again, he found that the atmosphere was completely different from yesterday.

Only just over twenty Talisman Masters remained in the hall, and the expression on each person's face was incredibly solemn.

Yesterday's ease and probing had long since vanished.

Shen Wuyi and Zhou Yuan each occupied a corner, meditating with their eyes closed, exuding an aura that warned others to keep their distance.

They both regarded each other as their greatest opponent.

Soon, the Elder on the high platform appeared, and his deep voice resonated throughout the hall.

"Everyone, welcome to the second day of the Heavenly Talisman Assembly. Today, the fourth and fifth rounds of assessment will be conducted, to determine the top ten of this Assembly!"

"Now, I announce that the fourth round of assessment officially begins!"

As his voice fell, glowing characters once again appeared on the stone tables in front of everyone.

"Topic: Within two hours, refine one Intermediate Low Grade Earth Travel Talisman. Those whose quality does not meet the standard will be directly eliminated."

Intermediate Talisman!

The moment the topic became clear, a collective gasp echoed through the hall.

More than half of the Talisman Masters' faces instantly turned pale.

From High Grade Elementary to Low Grade Intermediate, it seemed like only a small step.

However, the difficulty involved was a world apart.

This was not merely an increase in the complexity of Talisman characters, but a comprehensive test of Divine Sense strength and the precision of spiritual power control.

Many Talisman Masters spent their entire lives unable to cross this threshold.

The Earth Evasion Talisman, moreover, was a spatial auxiliary Talisman, whose effect was to teleport over short distances. Its Talisman character structure was far more intricate than that of offensive and defensive Talismans of the same rank.

"This... how is this possible! The fourth round is testing Intermediate Talismans!"

"Earth Evasion Talisman? I've barely even seen its Talisman chart a few times, how am I supposed to draw this?"

Several Talisman Masters already looked despairing.

Shen Wuyi's expression also became incredibly solemn. Although he was confident, he knew the difficulty of an Intermediate Talisman.

He took a deep breath, calming himself down.

He began to recall every detail of the Earth Evasion Talisman in his mind.

Chen Xu, however, had a slight smile on his face as he looked at the topic.

Intermediate Talisman, Earth Evasion Talisman.

For him, a genuine Advanced Talisman Master, this question came at just the right time.

From Elementary to Intermediate, it was a chasm.

The complexity of the Talisman characters increased exponentially, and the demands on Divine Sense consumption and the precision of spiritual power control reached a stringent level.

The Elder on the high platform remained expressionless, ignoring the commotion below.

It wasn't until the complaints grew louder that he let out a cold snort.

His voice was like a grand bell, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

"Silence! The Heavenly Talisman Assembly is selecting the Great Feng Dynasty's most top-tier Talisman Dao Geniuses!"

"It's not for you to make up the numbers."

"If you can't even touch the threshold of an Intermediate Talisman, it's better to be eliminated early, so as not to waste everyone's time."

As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling voice came from a corner: "A bunch of good-for-nothings who haven't even drawn an Intermediate Talisman, do you deserve to be making noise here?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, only to see a young man with a sinister face.

The black-clad young man was coldly scanning the entire hall.

He was Yue Guanshan from Dense Forest Prefecture, a Genius equally famous for his Talisman Dao talent and his eccentric Heart-Nature.

Those whose eyes he swept over felt a prickling sensation on their backs.

They unconsciously lowered their heads.

Shen Wuyi and Zhou Yuan's faces also showed solemnity.

Although they were confident, they clearly understood the difficulty of the Earth Evasion Talisman and dared not be careless in the slightest.

As the bell rang, the fourth round of assessment officially began.

The great hall instantly fell silent, with only heavy breathing and the faint scratching sound of brush tips against Talisman paper remaining.

Everyone held their breath.

They poured all their attention into the small piece of Talisman paper before them.

Chen Xu spread out the Talisman paper, his expression calm.

The Earth Evasion Talisman, a rather practical spatial Talisman. With his current perspective as an Advanced Talisman Master, the structure of this Talisman was crystal clear in his eyes, with no secrets whatsoever.

He decided not to hide anymore.

This time, he had no pretense or hesitation.

He picked up his Talisman brush, dipped it full of Talisman ink, and his wrist steadily descended.

The brush tip glided across the Talisman paper, its movements flowing like water, without any hint of artifice, yet containing an indescribable rhythm and precision.

The weight of each stroke, the turn of each line, and the infusion of spiritual power were all just right.

A bit more would overflow, a bit less would be insufficient.

He didn't draw quickly, but every movement was efficient, without a single wasted motion.

In stark contrast to him were the Talisman Masters around him who were struggling to hold on.

Some had veins bulging on their foreheads, their wrists trembling like sieves.

Some were fully concentrated, sweat dripping onto the Talisman paper, instantly smudging the wet Talisman ink and rendering their efforts futile.

Only half an hour had passed.

With a soft 'puff,' the Talisman paper in front of a Talisman Master spontaneously combusted, turning into a handful of ashes.

His face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Clearly, he had suffered a spiritual power backlash.

This was the first failure.

As if the first domino had fallen, a series of failures played out across the hall.

Spiritual light flashed, Talisman paper charred.

Accompanied by sighs of unwillingness.

Just then, in the corner where Yue Guanshan was, a dull yellow spiritual light suddenly flared up, then quickly receded.

With a cold face, he pushed a Talisman of shimmering spiritual light, an Earth Evasion Talisman, forward onto the table.

The first to finish!

The shortest time taken in the entire arena!

Without glancing around, he immediately closed his eyes to rest.

A moment later, Zhou Yuan and Shen Wuyi also finished almost simultaneously.

Both looked exhausted, but their eyes were filled with pride.

They had successfully crossed this chasm.

The success of the three put even greater pressure on the remaining people.

And at this moment, Chen Xu also drew his last stroke... In the elegant room on the high building, the atmosphere was heavy.

Qian Li fanned himself, a schadenfreude smile on his face. His gaze swept across the water mirror, finally resting on Xu Zhengyue's cold face.

"President Xu, how about it? I told you, luck is just luck. An Earth Evasion Talisman can't be drawn by guessing. Your Fellow Daoist Chen hasn't even finished half of it yet, I think he..."

His words were cut short before he could finish.

In the water mirror, in the frame belonging to Chen Xu.

That hand, which he had initially thought to be slow and clumsy.

At this moment, with an impeccable posture, drew the final stroke.

Buzz—

A dull yellow light, far more profound than those of Yue Guanshan, Shen Wuyi, and others, suddenly lit up on the Talisman paper.

The light condensed and did not disperse, like a true piece of beautiful jade.

It exuded a gentle yet majestic aura.

A flawless Earth Evasion Talisman, whose quality even subtly surpassed the Low Grade Intermediate category, lay quietly on the table.

In the entire elegant room, the eyes of all the branch presidents were instantly drawn to this light.

"This... this is..."

"What pure spiritual power fluctuations! The quality of this Earth Evasion Talisman is probably close to Medium Grade!"

"Look at his technique! Returning to simplicity, without a single superfluous movement, this is the result of honing his fundamental skills to an terrifying extent!"

Exclamations of admiration rose and fell.

Qian Li's face instantly turned a purplish-red.

He stared at the water mirror, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.

His eyes were filled with disbelief.

Cheating! He must have cheated!

This thought surged wildly in his mind.

A good-for-nothing who relied on luck for the first three rounds.

How could he suddenly draw such a high-quality Intermediate Talisman?

"He definitely has a problem!"

Qian Li pointed at the water mirror and shouted, "He must have some auxiliary Magical Artifact hidden on him, or he used some underhanded method!"

However, the several presidents beside him looked at him as if he were an idiot.

"President Qian, calm down. The Heavenly Talisman Hall is covered by a Formation, and the Spiritual Shadow Wall can even perceive the smallest details. Any spiritual power anomaly cannot escape the Elders' eyes. This Fellow Daoist Chen, from beginning to end, used the Materials uniformly distributed by the Merchant Alliance, his spiritual power output was stable, and his Divine Sense was even more refined, with no trace of trickery."

A square-faced president said in a deep voice.

Qian Li's shouting seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the facts.

Everyone's gaze converged on Xu Zhengyue.

Shock, curiosity, and a mixture of other emotions.

"President Xu, you really... hid it deep enough!"

"Such a talent, yet you disguised him as a lucky mediocrity, deceiving all of us!"

"Such a remote place as Shangya Prefecture can actually produce such a character, it truly is a place where hidden Dragons and crouching Phoenixes reside!"

Xu Zhengyue ignored everyone's discussions.

She simply stared blankly at the calm figure in the water mirror, her brows relaxing.

At this moment, her conjecture was confirmed!

What luck, what coincidence, it was all a disguise!

"President Qian, you just said that my judgment, it seems, isn't very good?"

Qian Li's body trembled violently, the fat on his face jiggling.

He couldn't utter a single word.

The fourth round of assessment ended.

The original nearly thirty Talisman Masters were cruelly eliminated in this round, with more than half failing.

Ultimately, only nine successfully refined the Earth Evasion Talisman.

Chen Xu, Shen Wuyi, Zhou Yuan, Yue Guanshan, Xu Guangyu, and a few others were prominently among them.

After a brief rest, the fifth round of assessment immediately followed.

[Topic: Within two hours, refine an Intermediate Medium Grade Concealment Talisman.]

The difficulty increased again!

The Concealment Talisman could maximize the concealment of a Cultivator's own Qi, making it an essential item for killing, plundering, exploring, and seeking treasures.

Its value was far above that of the Earth Evasion Talisman, and the difficulty of refining it was naturally higher.

This time, even Yue Guanshan's face showed a trace of solemnity.

Chen Xu's heart stirred when he saw the topic.

He had only seen descriptions of the Concealment Talisman in ancient texts but had never obtained its Talisman chart.

This kind of Talisman held considerable practical value for him.

He hadn't expected that this assembly would directly present the Talisman chart as the topic, making it public.

It was an unexpected pleasant surprise.

With his Realm as an Advanced Talisman Master, almost the moment he saw the Talisman character structure.

He had already analyzed and simulated it dozens of times in his mind.

He had even found several flaws that could be improved.

The competition began.

This time, no one dared to underestimate the 'Xuan Seventy-Three' from Shangya Prefecture anymore.

Everyone's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, would glance towards Chen Xu.

Chen Xu still maintained his unhurried demeanor.

But this time, no one felt he was putting on an act.

That composure stemmed from absolute confidence.

Two hours of time was an agony for the remaining nine, every second of it.

Finally, when the bell rang, two more people failed and left the arena.

The fifth round ended, and only seven successful participants remained.

Chen Xu, Shen Wuyi, Zhou Yuan, Yue Guanshan, Chen Jing, and two other Geniuses from other major prefectures.

These seven will enter tomorrow's final competition.

They will contend for the top three ranks of this Heavenly Talisman Assembly and that supreme glory.