161: Banquet and Rules

Gu Yuchuan didn't particularly enjoy these kinds of social situations. However, even if these many Prodigies were individually inferior to him, they could not be underestimated when gathered together. He still had to remain friendly; after all, they were the primary demographic for purchasing Spiritual Artifacts. Offending them would certainly be detrimental to the development of Bright Stream and Linlang Pavilion.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before Ink Scale Demon General arrived. By this time, Ink Scale Demon General had promoted to the Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer. Both sides were extremely shocked by the other's cultivation progress; it was simply too fast. For a Cultivator without a cheat, such a cultivation speed was unheard of. Gu Yuchuan even felt that if no major problems occurred, Ink Scale Demon General might even become a Mutated Beast within the dragon gate. If that happened, his status would truly be different.

Even in the Cloud Sea Marsh, which was filled with monsters, the number of Mutated Beasts was very small, and they were usually only found among Venerables and Demon Emperors. The two began to speak familiarly. Others, seeing they couldn't cut into the conversation, understood their meaning and dispersed. Everyone there was a Prodigy; no one was truly going to fawn over anyone else.

Finally, the appointed time arrived. A golden cloud of smoke erupted from within the Cloud Sea Heavenly Palace, dreamlike and ethereal. The Fox Immortal stepped out from within. Her beauty was as if carved by heaven itself, every feature so precise that it made one feel inferior with just a single glance.

"Everyone here is a Genius of my Cloud Sea Marsh's Yao Race. You all know why you are here, so I won't say much more. It's time for dinner. Before the selection begins, we will first hold a banquet for everyone to enjoy. I will then explain the rules to you once more. Attendants, come and lead them to their seats."

Maids emerged one by one to lead them above the sea of clouds, where many banquet tables had already been prepared, two people per table. Gu Yuchuan and Ink Scale Demon General sat together. He looked at the feast before him; many items were things he had never seen before, but they were exactly as described in the simulator. These were all Third-rank spiritual items, things they rarely saw in their daily lives.

The type of spiritual items one uses depends on their cultivation level. They were all Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage, so in their daily lives, what they used and ate were naturally Second-rank spiritual items. They couldn't afford the price of Third-rank ones.

Gu Yuchuan discreetly scanned the surroundings. Most Cultivators were just as shocked as they were, but there were a few exceptions. Their eyes showed not a single ripple of emotion. Either their Heart-Nature was truly excellent, or they had powerful backgrounds and ate such things at home; having seen much, they naturally didn't find them precious.

After confirming everyone was seated, the Fox Immortal appeared again, holding a golden wine cup in her hand.

"Everyone, you are all the Prodigies of my Cloud Sea Marsh and its future mainstays. Today, I toast you all. I hope you can cultivate well in the future and secure a place for yourselves in this Golden Age. I can say with full responsibility that within the next ten years, the Opportunities within my Cloud Sea Marsh will be countless. For those who can grasp them, let alone becoming a Demon King, even becoming a Demon Emperor or a Venerable is not impossible. You must cultivate diligently."

Everyone was extremely excited, standing up to raise their cups and drain them in one gulp. It was unknown what spirit fruit this spiritual wine was brewed from, but it was incredibly sweet and fragrant. With just one sip, boundless Spiritual Qi merged into their Dao Foundations, and the sea of Spiritual Qi expanded significantly in an instant.

The banquet finally began, and the atmosphere was excellent. There were even beautiful songstresses playing moving tunes. After three rounds of wine, the Fox Immortal spoke again.

"I presume you have all been eager to know how this selection will be conducted? I will tell you now."

She stood up and cleared her throat: "The place for this selection is a small Secret Realm established by the Lord Demon Venerable. Your Divine Souls will enter it. Inside, you can use your Physical Body, Spells, Divine Abilities, and Talents, but any weapons, Magic Treasures, or Talismanic Incantations will be unusable. This returns us to the essence of our selection; we are looking for those with innate potential, not those whose strength relies entirely on treasures."

This was clearly not advantageous for Gu Yuchuan, as his Long Spear was also very powerful. Without the Long Spear, he couldn't use his Martial Skills, and his strength would be somewhat weakened. However, it wasn't a major issue; it was fine as long as the Golden Light Incantation could be used.

"There will be some supplies within the Secret Realm, such as Magical Artifacts and one-time Talismanic Incantations. Although they aren't very powerful, they can always be of some use. After all, Luck is also a very important ability for a Cultivator. Those with profound Luck are often more useful than those with mere Aptitude. By the way, within the Secret Realm, you may take action as you please. Even if you encounter acquaintances, you don't need to hold back, because death only means being eliminated. Your consciousness will return to your Physical Body, and you won't truly die. So, just give it your all."

Everyone was stunned by the Demon Venerable's methods. Such powerful means were not something ordinary people could achieve. From this, it appeared that the Demon Venerable was very dedicated to the selection of talent. Indeed, with the cooperation between the Human Race and Yao Race, as well as the future invasion of the Canglan Realm, both required a large number of Cultivators. Currently, the biggest problem for the Yao Race was the insufficient number of Golden Core Demon Kings and Nascent Soul Demon Emperors.

If Gu Yuchuan guessed correctly, a program to cultivate Golden Core Demon Kings was likely also underway at the same time. The resources the Demon Venerable was bringing out this time were definitely an astronomical figure, a number they couldn't even imagine.

At this moment, everyone was discussing this matter. Even Ink Scale Demon General spoke up: "Third Brother, I feel this isn't very friendly to you. As an Artifact Refiner, you have so many Spiritual Artifacts on you, and suddenly being unable to use them, I don't know what you'll do."

Gu Yuchuan smiled: "Isn't there still Second Brother? When we're inside, won't you protect your younger brother?"

Ink Scale Demon General shot him a look: "Listen to yourself. No matter how poorly you're doing, you're still a Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment. I'm only at the Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer. If we really meet, I'll be the one waiting for you to protect me."

Gu Yuchuan stopped teasing him: "Second Brother, there's no need to belittle yourself. Although your cultivation level is a weak point, your Bloodline and Dao Foundation are the strongest. You can certainly hold your own against a Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment Cultivator. I have high hopes for you, Second Brother."

While they were talking, the Fox Immortal above spoke again: "Everyone, you will learn more about the remaining rules once you enter. I won't say more here. Remember, this selection is linked to the subsequent dragon gate, which is absolutely a massive Opportunity. Those of the Dragon Kin can upgrade their Bloodline, and even those who aren't can make their Bloodline even stronger. You must know that Bloodline is the core essence of our Yao Race. Do your best."

After she finished speaking, she departed. The banquet continued, and the next day would be the day they entered the Secret Realm.