Translator: AnubisTL
After saying this, seeing the stunned expressions of the two, Gu Feng crossed his arms and sat on his throne, looking smug.
In a flash, both of them stood up simultaneously and turned to leave, their movements swift and decisive.
"Huh??? What are you doing? Isn't my plan astonishing?" Gu Feng was taken aback and asked in confusion.
Hearing this, Chu Youhuan stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Gu Feng as if he were a madman. "Do you think everyone is a fool? Has no one ever thought of this method before?"
"Has anyone thought of it? Did they succeed?" Before Chu Youhuan could answer, Gu Feng already knew the answer. Clearly, no one had succeeded, otherwise, the Grand Harmony Academy's admission notice wouldn't be like this.
"The exam site you're about to enter will release 60,000 Demon Beasts ranging from the first to the third level of the Spirit Nurturing Realm, totaling 200,000 points.
Based on previous years, the number of candidates in this exam site won't be less than 50,000!" At this point, Liu Wuxiang also turned around and spoke in a serious tone. Seeing that Gu Feng seemed intimidated by the sheer number of candidates, he continued:
"With your physique, defeating a third-level Spirit Nurturing cultivator wouldn't be difficult after breaking through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm, but it's nearly impossible to become invincible in the exam site and win the top spot. Leading 500 people to simultaneously win the top spot? What are you thinking?"
Although Liu Wuxiang was Gu Feng's subordinate and would follow his orders, on critical matters, he preferred to speak his mind.
Gu Feng's lips curled slightly, disagreeing with Liu Wuxiang's assessment of his strength. If he broke through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm, within the entire Great Chu Dynasty, no third-level Spirit Nurturing cultivator, not even those at the peak of the third level, would be his match. This was beyond doubt.
However, there was one point Liu Wuxiang was right about. With such strength, winning the top spot would indeed be challenging. After all, hunting Demon Beasts involved an element of luck. Even with formidable strength, if you didn't encounter any Demon Beasts, it would be futile. Leading 500 people to simultaneously win the top spot was nothing short of a fantasy.
"Even if you advance to the second level of the Spirit Nurturing Realm before the exam in three months, or even more exaggeratedly, the third level, and become the strongest in the entire first-level Spirit Nurturing exam site, you could only win the top spot for yourself.
Have you thought about what it means to lead 500 people to win the top spot? It means you'd have to secure all 200,000 points in the exam site and then distribute them equally among 500 cultivators, because the minimum requirement to win the top spot is 400 points.
Do you think that's possible?" Chu Youhuan also questioned mercilessly.
"I know, and that's exactly what I plan to do!" Gu Feng nodded. This wasn't a joke; he truly believed it.
"Giggle, are you out of your mind?" Chu Youhuan couldn't help but laugh. She quickly walked over, reached out, and placed the back of her hand on Gu Feng's forehead, murmuring, "No fever, but you're seriously ill!"
"I'm telling you very seriously now, this is what I'm thinking, and I'm going to do it!" Gu Feng brushed off Chu Youhuan's hand and spoke with a grave expression.
Seeing that Gu Feng wasn't joking, Liu Wuxiang also returned to his side and said in a serious tone, "Tell us your plan."
"During the one-month exam period, I won't hunt Demon Beasts. Instead, I'll rob other candidates of their points. As long as I take all the points from every candidate, I'll succeed!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Chu Youhuan and Liu Wuxiang simultaneously rolled their eyes, thinking Gu Feng had some astonishing plan, only to find it was as good as nothing.
Anyone could boast like that, but no one had ever truly been able to pull it off.
"This plan is just too good!" Liu Wuxiang sighed dramatically. "Alright, let's take a step back. Even if your strength is formidable enough to defeat a peak Spirit Nurturing Realm third-level cultivator in one move, there are so many people in the examination hall, and many of them know each other. They wouldn't be foolish enough to stand there and let you steal their points.
Even if they stood still, all gathered together, not going anywhere or resisting, you still probably wouldn't succeed, because points can be transferred between people. You don't have the Immortal Eye to know who has the points, do you?
What if, after expending immense effort to defeat an opponent, you end up with zero points? What then?" Liu Wuxiang shook his head with a bitter smile.
Chu Youhuan, standing beside him, nodded in agreement. "Besides, you don't even have that kind of strength yet? Young man, don't indulge in wild fantasies!"
"I know all of this, but it's hard to explain to you right now!" Gu Feng couldn't very well say that after breaking through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm, he would use his identities as the Sunset Glow Sect Master and the Swamp Fortress Sect Leader to borrow 50 billion low-grade Spirit Stones from the bank, rapidly boosting his strength to the terrifying Spirit Nurturing Realm fifth level, allowing him to dominate the entire examination hall with absolute power...
He wisely kept this to himself, as even if he said it, the two of them wouldn't believe him.
As for the points, with his Immortal Eye, he should be able to see through everyone's Points Tokens. Barring any surprises, he could already do this now.
Thinking this, Gu Feng's mind stirred, and he turned to Chu Youhuan. "Take out your Disciple Token and let me see it!"
"What for?" Chu Youhuan looked suspicious but still removed her identity token.
Gu Feng silently activated his Immortal Eye, a dark green light flashing in his right eye. The numbers on the token were clearly visible. "How many Sect Contribution Points do you have in there?"
"Over ten thousand!"
"Exact number!"
"Thirteen thousand five hundred and sixty-six!"
"Then there's no problem!"
Gu Feng felt a surge of joy. The number Chu Youhuan reported matched what he saw. With so many examination halls and so many candidates, the tokens distributed during the exam didn't cost anything. Even if the Grand Harmony Academy was extravagant, they wouldn't use precious materials to craft the tokens. At most, they'd be similar to the Sunset Glow Sect's Disciple Tokens.
If he could see through the Disciple Tokens, then he could definitely see through the exam Points Tokens.
"What exactly are you planning?" Seeing Gu Feng's pleased expression, Chu Youhuan crouched down, looking at him with confusion.
As she crouched, her twin peaks were right before his eyes. Gu Feng, who hadn't deactivated his Immortal Eye, saw right through them.
The scenery was exceptionally beautiful. Beneath the pink undergarment, the round, perky, and slightly pink twin peaks were clearly visible.
"Ahem... nothing... nothing!" Gu Feng felt his cheeks burn, a rush of heat surging through his body. He quickly deactivated his Immortal Eye, pretending as if nothing had happened.
"How many Spirit Nurturing Realm disciples from our sect are planning to take the exam? Those below the third level!" Gu Feng turned to ask Liu Wuxiang.
"Many Innate Realm ninth-level disciples are working hard in cultivation. By the time of the exam, there should be over thirty of them!"
"This is too little, we're still far from the target of five hundred!" Gu Feng had considered everything except the overall strength of the Sunset Glow Sect.
"How many disciples at the ninth level of the Innate Realm does our Sunset Glow Sect have?"
"Over two thousand," Chu Youhuan replied.
"What? Over two thousand? Previously, there were only about ten thousand Inner Sect disciples, and among them, over two thousand are at the ninth level of the Innate Realm?" Gu Feng was shocked.
Gu Feng's lack of understanding of the Sunset Glow Sect gave both of them a headache. As the sect leader, not knowing the internal situation of the sect was quite something.
"Every year, the Sunset Glow Sect selects ten disciples from the Outer Sect, plus special admissions, totaling one hundred Inner Sect disciples!
After so many years of accumulation, having over two thousand disciples at the ninth level of the Innate Realm isn't strange, is it? Not everyone can succeed in Spirit Nurturing.
Most cultivators don't have the talent, and without special opportunities, they can never break through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm in their lifetime!" Liu Wuxiang said helplessly. This kind of talent limitation was something Gu Feng couldn't comprehend.
"Among the two thousand ninth-level Innate Realm disciples in the Inner Sect, eighty percent are over a hundred years old. Their only goal in life is to break through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm and then secure a position as a deacon in the Sunset Glow Sect. If nothing unexpected happens, these people are prepared to live out their remaining years in the sect." Chu Youhuan, as the former fifth-ranked on the Inner Sanctum Heaven Ranking, knew the Inner Sect situation all too well.
Those who could break through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm had already done so; those who couldn't would find it nearly impossible in their lifetime.
"Over a hundred years old?" Gu Feng was somewhat surprised; this was indeed quite a revelation.
"Is there any way to have them break through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm within three months? I want to take them to the Grand Harmony Academy!"
Gu Feng's words were shocking and relentless!
"You want to take these elderly gentlemen to participate in the entrance exam?" Chu Youhuan's eyes widened in disbelief.
Although the Grand Harmony Academy's admission notice doesn't specify an age limit, taking so many grandfathers to the exam would surely be laughable.
Liu Wuxiang also looked stunned. After a while, he frowned and said, "There is a way to force a breakthrough, but the cost is too high, it's not worth it!"
"Tell me about it!" Gu Feng was excited.
"The Innate Realm-Breaking Pill is specifically used to forcibly break through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm. However, using it will make the cultivator's already poor talent even worse.
Any cultivator with some ambition wouldn't choose to take this pill. Moreover, even if they wanted to, not everyone could afford it. One pill costs as much as two million Low-grade Spirit Stones! And it's not even guaranteed to succeed; it only increases the chance of breaking through. Who would be willing to spend this kind of money?" Liu Wuxiang said gravely.
Gu Feng's thoughts raced. The cost was indeed too high. The Innate Realm-Breaking Pill costs two million per pill; for five hundred people, that's ten billion. And it only increases the chance of breaking through. To ensure all five hundred break through, the cost would far exceed ten billion, possibly even a hundred billion.
"Don't even think about it. In the entire Sunset Glow Sect, there are only a few who can refine the Innate Realm-Breaking Pill. Even if you're willing to spend the money to cultivate them, it's impossible to find so many pills!" Chu Youhuan added.
Even if Gu Feng bought all the Innate Realm-Breaking Pills in Cloud Prefecture, it wouldn't be enough to have five hundred cultivators break through!
"Help me call Yan Yexue over. She should be able to refine the Innate Realm-Breaking Pill. I have something to ask her!"
Not long after, Yan Yexue, dressed in a white robe, arrived at the sect leader's hall.
"Greetings, Sect Leader!"
"Niece, there's no need for formalities!" Gu Feng chuckled, not waiting for her to roll her eyes before getting straight to the point.
"How much does it cost to refine an Innate Realm-Breaking Pill?"
Yan Yexue was extremely dissatisfied with Gu Feng's address for her, but she still answered truthfully.
"Based on a 30% success rate for refining, the cost of one pill is roughly between 1.8 million to 2 million, depending on the grade of the pill!"
Pfft—
Gu Feng nearly spat out blood. No wonder there were so few Innate Realm-Breaking Pills in the entire Cloud Prefecture. It turns out it's not profitable at all. Who would be willing to refine it?
"Come with me to the Alchemy Room. I want to study and see if we can improve it and refine a high-quality imitation of the Innate Realm-Breaking Pill—the Innate Realm-Breaking Diarrhea Pill!"
"Vice Sect Leader Liu, help me select 470 disciples from the sect who don't reject taking the Innate Realm-Breaking Pill. They can be at the ninth level of the Innate Realm, even elderly ones or those who can't walk, but they must be loyal!
This is the highest-level task I, as the Sect Leader, have issued. It must be completed!"
With that, Gu Feng dragged the bewildered Yan Yexue towards the Alchemy Room.
Leaving Chu Youhuan and Liu Wuxiang staring at each other in confusion!
"Is Gu Feng really planning to lead 500 cultivators to compete for the top scholar position together?"
"He's serious, more serious than when he was building the Swamp Fortress!"
Thinking of this, both of them simultaneously envisioned the shocking scene a few months later, where a large group of elderly cultivators, all at the first level of Spirit Nurturing and with no potential, would be awarded the title of top scholar!
If this really happened, the Grand Harmony Academy would not only fail to recruit the desired prodigies but would also have to pay out a massive reward of 50 billion!
Not to mention the Grand Harmony Academy, even the entire Great Chu Dynasty would be left dumbfounded!
"Just thinking about it makes me excited!" Chu Youhuan's eyes sparkled. "Vice Sect Leader Liu, I'm familiar with the Inner Sect. Let me help you select suitable disciples!"
"This... alright!"
Liu Wuxiang was speechless. Cultivators at the ninth level of the Innate Realm have a lifespan of around 300 years, and generally live to about 250 years.
Cultivators over a hundred years old are said to have no ambitions, but those who truly decide to take the Realm-Breaking Pill are usually over 200 years old!
Taking a group of elderly cultivators over 200 years old to participate in the Grand Harmony Academy's entrance exam?
It's simply unimaginable, the scene is too beautiful.
Regardless of the outcome, the Sunset Glow Sect is bound to make a name for itself in the Great Chu Dynasty, albeit a notorious one!
(End of the Chapter)
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