(Don't forget to vote if you've enjoyed this book!) "What is the Celestial Ascension Gathering?" Wu Jiuzhi suddenly asked a question that Han Li had also been puzzled by. Han Li had heard the name "Celestial Ascension Gathering" several times from Wan Xiaoshan, yet had never had the opportunity to learn its details. "Could it be similar to the trading fair held in Tainan?" Han Li mused to himself. "Absolutely not! Do you not even know about the Celestial Ascension Gathering? This is a once-in-a-decade event in Yue State, offering the finest opportunity for young cultivators to join prestigious cultivation sects." Black Mu was both surprised and excited. "Wu brother is so young—he must have been cultivating elsewhere, so it's understandable that he's unaware of this gathering," said Qingwen the Daoist, without being overly surprised. "Oh! Then could you tell me more about it? To join one of the Seven Great Sects is truly a leap forward!" Wu Jiuzhi immediately became enthusiastic and asked Black Mu. "It's not the time to talk about the Immortal Ascension Gathering now. What we should be discussing right now is the matter of our independent practitioners going missing." Hu Pinggu, seemingly addressing the young man with a touch of dissatisfaction, said. "It's all right, I'll explain it to Wu brother. Perhaps others aren't very familiar with the details of the Immortal Ascension Gathering either." The Qingwen Daoist replied with a smile, though Han Li noticed that the Daoist had glanced at him deliberately. Han Li felt a sudden alertness. Did the Qingwen Daoist see something? He had made every effort to obscure the signs of a novice cultivator and avoided contact with these people as much as possible, yet it seemed he had failed to conceal his presence. Indeed, this Qingwen Daoist's eyes were quite sharp! "Since the Qingwen Master has mentioned it, then I'll explain it to Wu brother." Seeing this, Hei Mu also became enthusiastic, clearly eager to share his thoughts. Thus, everyone settled back into their original seats, except Huang Xiaotian, the stout one. "I'm quite familiar with the matter of the Ascension Gathering, so I'll go back and rest now. You all carry on." Huang Xiaotian spoke with a cold, composed demeanor, then left the room without waiting for anyone else to speak, leaving the others staring at one another in bewilderment. "Please don't mind, Brother Huang's cultivation method is rather unique—he tends to sleep more, and it's not intentional neglect!" Qing Wen quickly stepped in to defend Huang Xiaotian with a steady, upright tone. Upon hearing this, most of the others in the room exchanged weary smiles. Who could possibly mind? This man was indeed a powerful force, even surpassing the Daoist in magical prowess! The atmosphere in the room became slightly awkward. "Brother Hei Mu, let's continue!" Wu Ji still broke the silence, urging them on. Hei Mu smiled gently and then resumed his narration. "When it comes to the Ascension Gathering, one cannot overlook the Foundation Pill—the elixir that has driven every Qi-Stage cultivator mad..." In truth, any Qi-Stage cultivator wishing to advance to the Foundation Stage and become a true member of the immortal world must not only master their foundational technique to the seventh level but also consume the rare spiritual medicine known as the Foundation Pill, a concoction only the great sects are capable of producing. Only then can they hope to break through their stage limitations and successfully establish their foundation. This has earned the Foundation Pill the esteemed reputation of the "Pill of Ascension," a title that has fueled the fervor of countless cultivators. Within the great sects themselves, however, the Foundation Pill remains exceedingly scarce. Its raw materials are exceptionally hard to find; even when all the immortal sects across the Yue Kingdom unite, pooling their resources and efforts, they only manage to produce a few cauldrons of the pill every decade—no more than several thousand pills. Even if these pills are fully distributed among the sects, they still fall far short of meeting their own demands. Thus, it is impossible for any Foundation Pill to reach beyond the inner circles of the great sects. Yet, throughout the entire Yue state's cultivation realm, there are still many cultivators who have practiced their foundational techniques up to the seventh level, eager to break through their current bottlenecks with Foundation Pill. Thus, on one hand, Foundation Pills are extremely scarce and firmly held by the major sects, while on the other, an increasing number of independent cultivators—especially those at the lower levels—find themselves in urgent need of these pills but unable to locate any outside the sects. This has long created a sharp conflict between the two groups, to the point where the lower-level cultivators have grown deeply resentful of the major sects. The major sects themselves have naturally noticed this growing tension, yet they are currently at a loss for solutions. After all, they themselves do not have sufficient supplies of Foundation Pills—how could they possibly allocate more to those outside their own ranks? Yet, no matter how great the challenge, eventually, a prodigy within one of the sects managed to resolve this crisis. He even conceived a plan: every time a foundational pill is produced, they would recruit outstanding, naturally gifted wild cultivators from outside and integrate them into these major sects, then administer the foundational pills to them. This way, the foundational pills would not leak out to external parties—thus preserving the sects' internal resources—and at the same time, it would alleviate dissatisfaction among lower-tier cultivators, since joining a prestigious sect is something any such cultivator would surely welcome. Moreover, by selecting especially gifted disciples, the plan would be truly well-rounded and beneficial in every way. However, the selection process must remain fair and rigorous, otherwise it might backfire and create discontent. Thus, the sects adopted the most classic and convincing method—the "stronger survives" approach—by organizing competitive tournaments, allowing those with exceptional abilities to vie for the privilege of joining their respective sects. And the seven major sects each allocated ten spots and ten Foundation Pills to the ultimate victors. Of course, they imposed certain age limits—refusing to admit anyone over forty—since even the most gifted such individuals simply lacked prospects for development. Thus, the "Ascension Assembly" was born! Indeed, the contestants who triumphed on the battle platforms were invariably those with the deepest cultivation and outstanding potential, leaving the receiving sects delighted with their high-quality recruits. Meanwhile, the grievances of other cultivators gradually dissipated as their attention fully shifted to this once-a-decade opportunity—like a dragon leaping over the waterfall. Thus, the Ascension Assembly has continued year after year, each time bringing seventy fortunate individuals into the fold of the seven great sects, fueling even greater enthusiasm among the other cultivators. In the end, almost every qualified, self-assured Qi-Stage cultivator would risk their lives and attempt several times to compete in the tournaments, hoping to achieve a lucky break and transform from a fish into a dragon! Yet the tournament itself wasn't easy—magic wasn't something that lower-tier cultivators could simply control at will. Each time, many suffered injuries or death, and deep grudges and lasting rivalries were forged among the participants. Blackwood went on speaking for nearly an hour, and Wu Ji listened intently, gaining substantial insights. Meanwhile, Han Li, who was listening alongside, also benefited greatly, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultivation world. "If I succeed in the tournament, wouldn't I then become an entry-level disciple of a major sect?" Wu Ji said with clear admiration and yearning after the story. "Dream on! With your current level, you'd either be injured or perish in the first round!" Hu Ping Gu, hearing Wu Ji's dreamy aspirations, couldn't help but mock him. "Oh, why not? Why can't I?" Can the cultivation technique from the Eighth Level not yet qualify for the tournament stage?" Wu Jiuzhi didn't seem upset this time; instead, he approached Hu Ping, earnestly seeking her advice. Hu Ping was somewhat surprised, but after a moment's hesitation, replied, "Wu, do you know what kind of people the seventy finalists were last year? How many cultivators of your own level were killed or injured on the tournament stage?" "I would be most grateful if you could enlighten me," Wu Jiuzhi said with sincere humility. "I personally witnessed the entire process of the Ascension Festival's tournament matches, and even now, when I recall it, I still feel deeply uneasy." Hu Ping seemed to remember something particularly terrifying, her face slightly pale. Her husband, the man with a thick beard, immediately placed his hand on her shoulder to offer comfort. Hu Ping turned to look at him with deep affection, and her expression gradually softened. "Our couple has decided not to participate in the tournament itself—we only plan to observe. We intend to remain in the Qi Cultivation stage for the rest of our lives." And since you still have ambitions, I'll share with you some of the key insights about the match arena, so you won't die in the dark. Hu Pinggu said calmly.