"Does this item have a name?" Elder Chang Yan stroked the patterns on the barrel, his voice trembling slightly.
Jiang Yifan cupped his hands and replied, "Replying to the elder, this disciple calls it the Six-Combination Continuous-Bead Gun."
"The Six-Combination Continuous-Bead Gun..." Elder Chang Yan repeated in a low voice before suddenly raising his volume. "Upon evaluation: Jiang Yifan of the Five Elements Dao Sect, Six-Combination Continuous-Bead Gun—tier 5 highest-grade!"
With thirty-six tier 5 high-grade spirit pearls and the supplementary circuits, it could not be called a tier 6 tool, but it was more than enough to be considered a tier 5 highest-grade item.
This announcement was like a thunderclap, sending the entire audience into an uproar.
"Tier 5 highest-grade?!" Li Nanyi suddenly sprang from his seat, his voice changing pitch. "A grade even higher than tier 5 high-grade?!"
The tea cup in Qu Chen's hand shattered on the floor, and he was completely oblivious to the tea splashing onto his hem. "Tier 5 highest-grade... How long has it been since a highest-grade magic tool appeared in the cultivation world?"
Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao ignored his disciples' reactions. He tapped the jade pendant at his waist, and a ray of spiritual light vanished into the void.
"Sect Leader," his voice transmission was grave, "the Five Elements Dao Sect has given us another surprise."
After a moment of silence from the other side of the jade pendant, Zhao Wufeng's deep voice came through. "Is it that Jiang Yifan?"
"A tier 5 highest-grade magic tool." Ling Xiao's gaze swept over the figure in the arena. "This is already the fourth one."
"That man Feng Yi... just where did he dig up these monsters..."
Cang Dongqing's gaze drifted between Jiang Yifan and her master. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed her bracelet as a flicker of contemplation passed through her eyes.
"Junior Sister?" Qu Chen noticed her odd behavior and asked in a low voice.
Cang Dongqing shook her head slightly. "I'm going out for some air."
Without waiting for Qu Chen's response, she quietly stood up and left her seat.
Below the stage.
The disciples from the Qingxia Sect looked as pale as death. The round-faced cultivator slumped directly to the ground. "It's over... everything is over... one hundred mid-grade spirit stones..."
The purple-robed cultivator's lips trembled. "Tier 5 highest-grade... how can we even compete with that?"
On the other side, Liu Qingyang's eyes widened. "The Eldest Senior Brother's Seven-Star Reflecting Moon Mirror is only tier 5 mid-grade!"
"That's a difference of two whole sub-grades!" Zhou Zhimian grabbed Qiao Songyun and shook him frantically. "If I remember correctly, a highest-grade tool is more than fifty percent stronger than a high-grade one!"
"Fourth Junior Brother, you're going to shake me until I'm dizzy!" Qiao Songyun pried Zhou Zhimian's hands off him. Both were direct disciples of the Water Moon Sect, but even they had never seen an elder in their sect refine a highest-grade magic tool.
Lu Tingyun stared fixedly at the magic tool in the arena, his Soul-Siphoning Sword lowering unconsciously. "A gap like this..."
Meanwhile, Chu Chenzhou stood below the stage, his Seven-Star Reflecting Moon Mirror held low as he failed to hide the shock in his eyes.
"Tier 5 highest-grade..." he murmured, his voice laced with bitterness. "Is the gap really this large..."
Duan Xianxing had already jumped up from his seat and grabbed Mu Wenyan's sleeve. "We won! Fourth Senior Brother definitely won!"
In truth, even without his shouting, Li Nanzhu and the others were already beaming with joy.
The clamor in the arena gradually died down.
Elder Chang Yan cleared his throat, his thick spiritual energy carrying his voice to every corner. "Next, we shall proceed to the magic tool testing phase."
His tone was calm, as if he were merely stating a routine procedure, but his slightly gleaming eyes betrayed the anticipation in his heart.
His gaze shifted erratically, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Jiang Yifan, yet he could not help but steal frequent glances at that uniquely shaped magic tool with his peripheral vision.
At this moment, sect plans and factional disputes were all cast to the back of his mind—to a high-level cultivator obsessed with the Dao of refining, such a never-before-seen new type of magic tool held an irresistible attraction.
Elder Ji also nodded slightly. "Indeed, the rules must not be broken."
As her voice fell, nine pitch-black puppets rose from around the martial arts arena, each radiating spiritual energy fluctuations of the early Golden Core stage.
"According to custom, attack-type magic tools will test attack power, while defense-type will test defensive power. The order of testing will be based on the order of completion. The first tester: Chu Chenzhou of the Water Moon Sect," Elder Chang Yan's voice echoed over the competition grounds.
Chu Chenzhou took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Though he knew his chances of victory were slim, the battle intent in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest. His Seven-Star Reflecting Moon Mirror glowed with silver light as the seven bronze mirrors arranged themselves into the Big Dipper formation in the air.
"Go!"
With his light command, seven silver beams shot simultaneously toward the central puppet. The disciples watching from the sidelines held their breath.
BOOM—
As a piercing sound of rushing air rang out, the early Golden Core stage puppet had just raised its arms to defend when the concentrated protection shield was instantly shredded by the violent spiritual energy.
The silver light continued with unabated momentum, blasting a hole the size of a washbasin into the puppet's chest and completely shattering its internal spiritual energy circuits.
"Excellent!" Elder Ming Deng stood up and clapped his hands, his eyes full of joy. "This strike already has the power of the peak of the mid-Golden Core stage!"
Hearing this, Chu Chenzhou stood with his hands behind his back and pursed his lips. While the strike appeared effortless, he had actually used fifty percent of his spiritual energy.
When his gaze swept past Jiang Yifan, a trace of gravity flashed in his eyes.
"Senior Brother Chu's strike was magnificent!" The purple-robed cultivator jumped up from the ground, the fire of hope rekindling in his eyes. "Maybe there's still a chance!"
The round-faced cultivator also struggled to his feet, patting the dust off his robes. "Right, although Jiang Yifan's magic tool has a high grade, its actual combat performance might not be..."
"Might not be what?" A nearby Beast Taming Sect disciple could not help but interject. "Tier 5 highest-grade versus tier 5 mid-grade... the gap is..."
"What do you know!" the purple-robed cultivator argued defiantly. "The Refining Great Competition isn't just about grade; it's also about actual power!"
The disciple sneered, "Is it that hard to admit someone is strong?"
These words were like a needle, stifling everything the purple-robed cultivator was about to say.
It was not that they were unwilling to acknowledge Jiang Yifan's strength; it was simply that the bet of one hundred mid-grade spirit stones was too painful—it was their entire life savings!
"Next, Liu Qingyang of the Water Moon Sect."
Liu Qingyang took a deep breath and carried the Twelve-Tone Soul-Siphoning Bells toward the testing area. His Foundation Establishment cultivation was particularly striking among the group of Golden Core cultivators.
"This disciple's cultivation is shallow," he said respectfully, bowing toward the judges' bench. "I humbly request an elder to conduct the test on my behalf."
Elder Chang Yan nodded slightly. "Granted."
He raised his hand with a beckoning motion, and the bell tool in Liu Qingyang's hands flew into his palm. Elder Chang Yan tapped his finger, suppressing his own cultivation to the early Golden Core stage.
As spiritual energy was injected, the twelve gold bells arranged themselves into a strange formation in the air. Clear ringing sounds chimed, and the testing puppet's movements immediately became sluggish.
After the other elders investigated, they found that the core array inside the puppet was noticeably disordered. Although it had not caused physical damage, it had effectively interfered with the operation of the Golden Core puppet.
If this were replaced by the sea of consciousness of a Golden Core stage cultivator of similar cultivation, the opponent would undoubtedly fall into an illusion.
Lu Tingyun's Soul-Siphoning Sword appeared even more fierce.
Dark red patterns lit up on the pitch-black blade. With a single thrust, it actually left a deep mark on the puppet's surface.
One after another, the competing disciples stepped forward to test, but none caused substantial damage to the puppets.
Finally, it was Jiang Yifan's turn.
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