Free Web NovelChapter 276: Chapter 271: Advancing to the Finals
Mu Chen. This unfamiliar name had appeared for the first time at the Spirit Selection Conference, where only code names were used. Though the spectators had never participated themselves, having watched the conference for so many years, they knew only one type of person could announce their name at the end: the final victors, first and second place. Yet now, everyone stared in shock at the fifteen-year-old boy standing beside Elder Lin Xiao, utterly speechless.
"Mu Chen... so that’s the kid’s name?" someone finally exclaimed after a few seconds, breaking the silence.
"I don’t think I’ve heard of any famous Spirit Selection Families with the surname Mu," another person added.
"They probably trained him in secret for years, only revealing him at the very last moment."
...
Wave after wave of discussion swept through the spectator stands. In an instant, Mu Chen’s name spread throughout the entire Fenglan Empire. The roar of the crowd for him had already drowned out the cheers for the three-time champion, Ma Bi. In their eyes, a fifteen-year-old Fifth Grade Spirit Selector was nothing short of a miracle.
Standing in the second group, Ma Bi fixed a sharp gaze on Mu Chen, nervously biting his nails. ’Heh heh, the cheers are pretty loud, aren’t they? But that’s even better. The higher you’re praised, the harder you’ll fall. Then my reputation, which has faded, will soar once more. Just you wait...’
Elder Lin Xiao waved over to an inspector. "Old Yan, you go take a break. You’ve overseen so many rounds; leave the final stage to me."
The inspector, Old Yan, cleared his throat and nodded at Lin Xiao with a smile. "Right. What’s next is the final round. It wouldn’t feel right if you weren’t the one to host it." With that, Old Yan turned and walked to the inspectors’ rest area, where he began whispering with the person beside him. He and the other inspectors kept throwing curious glances at Mu Chen, making him incredibly awkward.
Lin Xiao clapped Mu Chen on the shoulder before striding to the center of the high platform. "Time flies!" he boomed. "After three hours of eliminations, the Spirit Selection Conference is drawing to a close. The ten Spirit Selectors remaining on this platform are this year’s top ten. But is simply deciding the top ten enough?" Lin Xiao paused, then declared decisively, "Of course not! Don’t forget the ultimate goal of the Spirit Selection Conference! It is a name—a name that everyone will shout in unison! And so, let us proceed to the penultimate stage of the conference—the semi-finals!"
’Semi-finals?’ Mu Chen was taken aback. ’But there are ten of us here, aren’t there? If it were the semi-finals, there should only be four people left to determine third and fourth place.’
"Haha! I’m sure you all have many questions. Since the first and second rounds were greatly changed, why can’t the final stages be changed as well? I, Lin Xiao, am the one standing here today, and I decide the rules of the Spirit Selection Conference! So now, the two remaining groups will each step forward to select Original Stones. Whoever gets the highest quantity will be the winner of their group. Those who place second through fifth in each group will face off for ranks three through ten, but that will take place after the final match. Therefore, I want every one of you to give it your all. Go on, create a miracle!"
"Create a miracle!"
"Create a miracle!"
"Create a miracle!"
Everyone in the spectator stands was swept up by Lin Xiao’s enthusiasm, and they couldn’t help but chant in unison. Lin Xiao, satisfied with the atmosphere he had stirred up, pressed his hands down to quiet them. "Everyone! Please be quiet for a moment! The semi-finals are about to begin. Will the five Spirit Selectors from each group please find your positions!"
Mu Chen and the others quickly moved to the front of the pile of Original Stones. The task now was to pick out as many Spirit Crystal Ores as possible with no margin for error. However, anyone who had made it this far had a certain level of confidence and seasoned experience. It was survival of the fittest, and those who remained were people of true skill. Except for Mu Chen, of course.
"Very good. Since you are all in position, I declare the semi-finals... begin!"
At Lin Xiao’s sharp command, all ten contestants activated their Pupil Techniques once more. They had only twenty seconds. The number of Original Stones they could appraise would determine their final rank. Mu Chen, however, only activated his Purple Sky Demon Pupils to avoid suspicion. Three seconds later, he slowly closed his eyes, standing his ground with an air of complete confidence, showing no intention of stepping forward to choose.
Everyone had grown accustomed to this posture. They didn’t know what Grade Mu Chen had truly reached, but judging by the supreme confidence in his stance, it looked like he was about to win again.
In reality, they were overthinking it. Mu Chen was simply wondering if he should once again use his "win by one extra stone" tactic to defeat his opponents. Little did he know how much immense, unseen pressure his current stance was exerting on everyone else.
’I refuse to believe you can actually surpass everyone!’ A Fifth Grade Spirit Selector from the first group gritted his teeth and began rapidly grabbing stones from the pile. In less than two seconds, he had already snatched five Original Stones. At this rate, if he kept up his explosive pace, he had a good chance of grabbing around fifty.
Mu Chen sighed. ’This person is indeed very strong, perhaps even on par with Ma Bi. But unfortunately for him, he ran into me.’ Mu Chen, the one who might as well be a cheater.
"Time is almost up! Four... three... two... one..."
As the countdown began, all the Spirit Selectors accelerated their pace, grabbing stones even faster. The only exception was Mu Chen, who stood with his eyes closed. Only when the strongest of the other selectors breathed a sigh of relief did Mu Chen finally act. He extended one hand, spread his fingers, and then abruptly clenched his fist. With a burst of Primordial Power, he instantly drew a pile of Original Stones toward him—nearly seventy of them. The move left every other Spirit Selector on the stage completely dumbfounded.
"How many did he get? That’s got to be at least sixty!"
"Bullshit! I’d say it’s more than eighty!"
"Gods! He only used his Pupil Technique for three seconds, didn’t he? How could he possibly appraise so many Original Stones that fast?"
As another wave of chatter erupted, Mu Chen came to a realization. ’In this world, being too low-key only makes you seem weak, while being too high-key just leads to a faster demise. The key to survival is to be neither humble nor arrogant; never shrink back when it’s time to be bold, and never show off when it’s time to be discreet.’ That was the true path to survival in this world. And so, at the last second, he had chosen to be bold.
Were seventy stones Mu Chen’s limit? Of course not. If he had wanted to, he could have picked out every single Spirit Crystal Ore in an instant. But he couldn’t do that. There was a limit to everything; crossing it would be counterproductive. He, Mu Chen, was no fool. If seventy stones could secure his victory and create the optimal effect on his reputation, why do something so far beyond the pale that people couldn’t accept it?
"The round is over! Everyone step away from the tables!"
Lin Xiao’s voice was filled with excitement. He had seen Mu Chen’s every move with perfect clarity. In fact, during this entire semi-final, he hadn’t paid any attention to Ma Bi at all, having focused his gaze entirely on Mu Chen. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Mu Chen slowly backed away from the table, joining the other contestants. With trembling hands, Elder Lin Xiao gently stroked the Original Stones Mu Chen had selected. He closed his eyes, as if listening to something. After about twenty seconds, his eyes snapped open and he let out a huge laugh. "Excellent! Absolutely excellent! To think our Fenglan Empire has produced such a talent! Even I would need a full twenty seconds to appraise these stones, yet you, boy, managed it in a mere three! A genius! A prodigy! Seventy Spirit Crystal Ores, and more than half are Attribute Spirit Crystals! Tsk, tsk! In all my long years, I’ve never seen such a freak of nature! Mu Chen! You advance to the final round!" His thunderous cry echoed across the entire Fenglan Square.
"He’s... in the finals..." Xu Fei slowly rose to his feet, muttering in disbelief. As a unified cheer erupted from the crowd around him, he snapped to his senses. "The finals! My little brother Mu Chen is in the finals! This is amazing!"
He had considered countless possibilities. As Mu Chen climbed higher and higher in the ranks, Xu Fei’s expectations had grown. But no matter how high one’s hopes, they couldn’t be completely detached from reality. When Mu Chen made it into the top twenty, Xu Fei’s greatest hope was simply for him to make the top ten. He would have been satisfied with tenth place! But Elder Lin Xiao’s announcement just now felt like ascending to heaven. The finals! He was actually in the finals!
"This is going to cause a huge stir in Stone City!" Xu Fei’s entire body trembled with excitement as he said it.
The other four Spirit Selectors in the first group looked at each other, all feeling as if they were in a dream. Seventy stones. The Fifth Grade Spirit Selector who had been the strongest performer among them now stared at the fifty-one Original Stones in front of him, a complex mix of emotions churning in his heart. He had specifically tested himself before the match; his personal best was selecting forty-five stones within the time limit. Today, he had managed fifty-one—a clear personal record. And yet, even after surpassing his own limits, he had still lost.
He clenched his fists tightly, then slowly relaxed them. He was utterly convinced. This fifteen-year-old boy was a true genius, a prodigy who had earned his complete and heartfelt respect, even as a thirty-year-old Spirit Selector.
Soon, the rankings for the first group’s five Spirit Selectors were finalized. Mu Chen was the undisputed winner. Second place went to the thirty-year-old Spirit Selector who had chosen fifty-one Original Stones, with the other three ranked accordingly.
However, as Elder Lin Xiao finished inspecting the thirty-year-old Spirit Selector’s stones, a satisfied smile graced his lips. "This is your third time participating in the Spirit Selection Conference, isn’t it? I’ve witnessed your progress. Even though you lost to the dark horse Mu Chen this time, I still acknowledge your skill. Don’t leave after the conference is over. Come find me at the Spirit Selection Guild. I have something I’d like to discuss with you."
The man froze, stunned. Instantly, the disappointment in his eyes vanished, replaced by clarity and excitement. A summons from Elder Lin Xiao was no small matter—it was a reward countless Spirit Selectors dreamed of (everyone except Mu Chen, that is).
The ranking for the second group was also undisputed. Ma Bi once again defeated the other four contestants. Surprisingly, however, second place in that group went to the fatty. Though he appeared as cautious as ever, Mu Chen could see the joy of victory in his eyes. The fatty himself didn’t seem to understand how he had ended up with some Fake Original Stones, but the others had apparently grabbed even more, securing his second-place spot.
"The inspection of both groups is complete! The first person advancing to the final round is... from Group One! Mu Chen!"
"Mu Chen!"
"Mu Chen!"
"Mu Chen!"
Countless people erupted in cheers at Elder Lin Xiao’s announcement. Compared to Ma Bi, it seemed they much preferred this fifteen-year-old kid.
"And from Group Two! Ma Bi!" freēwebnovel.com
"Ma Bi!"
"Ma Bi!"
"Ma Bi!"
Though the cheers weren’t as loud as Mu Chen’s, Ma Bi still had a large number of die-hard fans, cultivated over three years, who supported him unconditionally. The two sides were now pitted against each other. The final round... was about to begin!
