The preliminary rounds concluded quickly, with only the scoring and ranking process causing a slight delay.
However, for the audience mbers who had been sitting all morning—watching the concubine dance troupe perform, witnessing the spirit horse racing, listening to musical recitals, and observing displays of divine abilities—they also welcod the break.
The sheer variety of entertainnt at the Clear Stream Market Talisman Master Competition was dizzying, leaving everyone thoroughly enthralled. In terms of pure excitent, this was far more captivating than conventional theater or simple song and dance.
Good heavens, every single one of Gao Jian's dozen or so concubines at the Qi Induction and Qi Refining stages was as beautiful as a flower, radiantly dressed, blooming so exquisitely that their smiles could dissolve old grudges and end deep animosities.
Following them was the horse racing exhibition. The grand promises painted by Yang Qi held far too much allure for those Miscellaneous Demon Realm steeds, and they practically exerted the greatest effort of their lives to secure a better result.
Next ca the Seven-String Zither recital by the Town Guardian Cultivator's daughter. Although quite a few traditional, old-fashioned fellows believed that Zhou Yingxi's public appearance was unbecoming of a young lady from a great clan, the rogue cultivators all declared it beautiful, loved watching it, and wanted to see more.
The most explosive mont undoubtedly belonged to Wang Xianmao's grand entrance. Under Yulou's precise planning, the old patriarch's visual and audio special effects were turned up to the absolute maximum.
Utilizing deeply aesthetic azure lotuses and a magnificent, luxurious dharma robe, he showed those green rogue cultivators what a true divine ability looked like, and what it ant to be a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator.
Of course, Senior Mu Chunze's transformation into a white stag was also incredibly impressive, but to the country bumpkins present, the divine ability of this Purple Mansion disciple was simply too detached from their reality.
Mu Chunze thought, 'Detached? Fellow Daoist, co, stand right in front of and say that again. I promise I won't strike you. Right, Little Gao?'
Naturally, when it ca to bad luck and legendary status, the most prominent figure of the morning session of the Talisman Master Competition was Gao Jian.
Things like 'Gao Jian's Tyrannical Oppression of Clear Stream Market' found absolutely no market today; no one wanted to think about such things. Compared to harsh realities, people preferred to pretend that nothing cruel existed and instead discuss topics that brought them amusent and joy.
Indeed, if one wished to pursue cultivation, one had to walk through a hellish cage. So many things could not be changed, so why not find so happiness?
Thus, everyone harmoniously discussed topics like 'Which of Gao Jian's Concubines is the Most ___', 'Gao Jian Violently Beats Senior Wu, Turns Around and Delivers Fifty Thousand Spirit Stones as Emotional Compensation', 'Gao Jian's Concubines Actually Live in the Town Guardian Cultivator's Manor', and 'Standing Outside the Door Listening to the Town Guardian Cultivator Teaching His Concubine Dao Techniques on Gao Jian's Wedding Day'.
Of course, those who discussed the relationship between Gao Jian's concubines and the Town Guardian Cultivator were swiftly detained by the cultivators of the Clear Stream Market Security Patrol.
Gao Jian thought, 'You can make up stories about , but you absolutely cannot make up stories about my master—Loyalty!'
In the afternoon, the elimination stage of the Talisman Master Competition comnced.
The eighty-seven talisman masters were divided into five lines according to their spirit root attributes.
The first step—blindly drawing topics!
The topics were all blind choices corresponding to their spirit roots. The talisman masters could select one from various types of talismans listed on the prompt, using their most proficient talisman for the competition to perform the creation.
The Wang Clan had invested heavily in this phase, spending upwards of two thousand spirit stones.
Each talisman master would receive two sets of materials. After creating two talismans, they would submit the one of superior quality for evaluation.
During this elimination round, the three Foundation Establishnt seniors serving as judges would assess which talisman masters would remain and which would be eliminated.
Yu'an's mother, Chen Luwan, possessed water, tal, and earth spirit roots, but she was most proficient in water techniques.
This was hardly surprising—being born under the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, if a rogue cultivator did not practice water techniques, would they practice fire techniques?
If you practiced water techniques and encountered soone from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, you could still trade a few blows.
If you practiced fire techniques and encountered soone from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, they would utilize their secret sect arts where fire techniques reigned supre, roasting you as easily as a duck!
Yu'an's maternal grandfather had been an old Qi Refining cultivator with deep mastery over water techniques.
Chen Luwan had inherited her father's accomplishnts in water techniques, and her skill with water-attributed talismans was considered top-tier even among the Wang Clan's talisman masters.
Standing before the drawing platform, Chen Luwan suppressed the urge to look at the patriarch and extended her hand into the box containing the blind topics.
Logically speaking, if one were daring enough, they could use their divine sense to inspect the contents and choose a topic containing a talisman they were most familiar with.
However, with three Foundation Establishnt cultivators sitting directly ahead, generally no one possessed that kind of audacity.
The talisman masters present clearly had not lived long enough and still wished to survive for a few more years.
Drawing a piece of yellow hemp paper, Chen Luwan looked at it and discovered that out of the four listed talismans, two were ones she excelled at creating!
This was 'The Art of Reasonably Giving a Slight Advantage to Wang Clan Talisman Masters'.
The three participating Wang Clan talisman masters each focused on different spirit roots. Within the topics corresponding to those spirit roots, every single prompt included at least one talisman they were highly proficient in.
In this manner, they could ensure their steady advancent into the finals without entirely compromising fairness.
After all, among the three judges, only one was their own person.
Even if Wang Xianmao truly wished to manipulate the results, it would be difficult to do so overtly without losing face.
Seeing that all the talisman masters had finished drawing their topics, Zhong Ningyao spoke up.
"Please proceed to your respective talisman creation tables and prepare. This elimination round will not provide corresponding spiritual energy for the creation process, so please take note during your crafting.
Once the respective materials are fully distributed, you will have fifteen minutes of preparation ti. Please keep your hands behind your backs.
During the preparation ti, you may utilize your divine sense to examine the materials. If you discover any defects, please report them imdiately!"
Professional.
Unquestionably professional. This was the strongest impression felt by all the participants at this mont.
Many among them knew the talisman masters of the Wang Clan and had originally assud that since the Wang Clan's people were participating, certain rankings would already be predetermined.
They did not consider this to be underhanded manipulation either. In the minds of most people, since the Wang Clan organized the competition, even if they reserved the top three positions for their own people, it was perfectly natural and nothing out of the ordinary.
This era was simply like this; even cultivators like Zhou Liangzhuo could beco disciples of a Purple Mansion master.
Great sects and grand clans would always suppress outsiders and favor their own at any given ti. It had always been so.
Yet at the Wang Clan's Clear Stream Market Talisman Master Competition, many cultivators and participating talisman masters saw a distinct and unfamiliar concept for the very first ti.
This concept was called fairness.
Perhaps you do not hail from a grand clan, but we do not look at your lineage.
Perhaps the types of talismans you know are few, but we grant you multiple options to choose from.
Perhaps you lack confidence in yourself, but we will at least provide you with a platform to participate.
Fellow Daoist, strive with all your might. You might not beco the proudest, victorious lobster. But here, you stand a chance.
You have a chance to achieve an excellent score and attain the honor of being a victor in the Clear Stream Market Talisman Master Competition held by the Wang Clan.
This achievent is very small.
It cannot help you achieve Foundation Establishnt, it cannot raise your cultivation base, and it cannot guarantee your absolute safety. The Wang Clan cannot provide those things.
But this achievent is also very grand.
If, just if, you manage to beco that victor.
Fellow Daoist, you can establish your livelihood, gain far more possibilities, and possess the opportunity to walk toward the place you yearn for.
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