Is It Reasonable for Me to Start a Sect at 12?

Even in the earlier rounds of basic talisman creation, the highest-grade talisman that had appeared was only Earth Grade Level Seven. No one had ever seen a talisman reach Earth Grade Level Nine before.

"Could it be that this person was deliberately holding back their performance earlier?"

"Why would someone do that?"

"Who knows what goes through the mind of someone that skilled? Maybe they had their own reasons."

"Could it be Yang Changming?"

"I doubt it. In the last round, he didn't even produce a single Earth Grade Level Seven talisman."

"But didn't someone just suggest that maybe he was holding back before?"

"He just doesn't seem like the type..."

"Do you think the next talisman will also be Earth Grade Level Nine?"

...

Before the spectators could speculate much longer, the examiner quickly retrieved the next talisman, tested it, and immediately announced the result.

Sure enough, it was another Earth Grade Level Nine talisman!

The spectators were so astonished that they were beginning to feel numb.

At this point, everyone was thinking the same thing: Could all of them really be Earth Grade Level Nine?

And indeed, the results confirmed their suspicions.

From the first to the tenth talisman, every single one was Earth Grade Level Nine!

When this result was announced, the audience's excitement doubled.

It really was Earth Grade Level Nine for every single one!

At that moment, nearly every spectator had the same thought: Who is this person? I need to know their name, background, and everything about them within the next minute!

The examiner didn't keep the audience in suspense for long. After completing the tests, he immediately announced the name associated with the talisman bag.

"Talisman Master He Yi. Currently ranked first among the top one hundred."

When this somewhat unfamiliar name was announced, the spectators were taken aback.

"He Yi? Who is that?"

"I remember seeing this name before, but his performance wasn't particularly outstanding..."

"The Talisman Master Tournament... there shouldn't be any cheating, right?"

"Shhh—what are you talking about? After what happened earlier, do you really think cheating is still possible? Besides, who would cheat in such a high-profile way? It's like begging to be investigated."

"So, it seems this person must have been holding back earlier, huh? That's pretty gutsy—what if they had accidentally been eliminated?"

"Well, the world of the truly skilled is beyond our understanding..."

Listening to the murmurs around them, Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu couldn't help but exchange whispered thoughts.

"Wow! Brother Xiao, this person is amazing!" Jiang Youfu said excitedly.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Ever since they had started learning talisman-making themselves and had worked closely with Liu Chun, they had gained a good understanding of just how difficult the process could be. The more they understood, the more they realized how incredible this He Yi person must be.

Lin Xiao transmitted to Jiang Youfu, "And this person must also be very cautious and confident in their abilities to dare to hold back their performance until now."

Such behavior required a high level of confidence in one's abilities, as well as a keen understanding of the overall skill level of the other competitors in the Talisman Master Tournament.

Suddenly, they heard a spectator in the crowd pointing toward the group of talisman masters waiting in the arena and exclaiming, "Ah! That must be Talisman Master He Yi! I happened to see him before!"

As they looked in the direction the person was pointing, they saw a young man standing among the fourth group of talisman masters, receiving the astonished stares of those around him with a calm expression.

This young man appeared to be in his early twenties, with eyes as bright as the stars, his hair tied back with a jade crown. He wore a purple robe, and his posture was tall and straight—an impressive figure indeed.

He seemed entirely accustomed to the spotlight, showing no reaction to the many gazes fixed upon him.

The spectators couldn't help but praise him:

"This Talisman Master He Yi really does look as talented as he is!"

"Indeed, not only is he incredibly skilled, but he's also so handsome."

"And look at that—despite achieving such outstanding results, he doesn't show a hint of arrogance. This must mean he has an exceptional character."

But Lin Xiao noticed a trace of pride in He Yi's demeanor.

A sudden thought crossed his mind.

Could it be that even these Earth Grade Level Nine talismans were deliberately held back?

If that were the case, then He Yi truly had every right to be proud!

Though the spectators were still abuzz with discussion about He Yi's achievements, the Talisman Master Tournament continued on schedule.

After a while, it was finally Liu Chun's turn.

Compared to He Yi, Liu Chun's results were more modest.

But for him, this was still a small breakthrough, and he was quite pleased with the outcome.

Out of ten talismans, one was Earth Grade Level Four, three were Earth Grade Level Three, five were Earth Grade Level Two, and one was Earth Grade Level One.

Had He Yi not been in this group, Liu Chun's results could have easily placed him at the top of the fourth group. But now, he was only in second place.

Nonetheless, those who had previously dismissed the fourth group as the weakest had nothing more to say.

With over two hundred more talismans yet to be tested, only three hundred results had been announced, and already there were two exceptionally strong performances. Who knew what the final standings would be?

By the time all the results for the fourth group were announced, the spectators were collectively holding their breath.

Liu Chun, who had been in second place among the first three hundred, had slipped to seventh place by the time all five hundred results were in!

Previously, people had assumed the fourth group would be the easiest to compete in, making its participants lucky to be placed there. But now it turned out that the fourth group was the real "Group of Death"!

The first three groups had only produced one Earth Grade Level Five talisman, but in the fourth group, the top five competitors each had at least one Earth Grade Level Five talisman!

This outcome left everyone wondering: what was going on with the group divisions in this Talisman Master Tournament?

It seemed incredibly unfair that one group had so much more talent than the others!

Fortunately, despite the disparity in the top ranks, the overall performance of the talisman masters in the lower ranks wasn't too different across the groups.

So no one could argue that the competition was entirely unfair.

While the spectators were amazed, the organizers of the Talisman Master Tournament, as well as the distinguished figures in the VIP stands, were also surprised.

Several leaders quickly summoned the event organizers:

"Go and investigate why the fourth group's results are so extraordinary."

Indeed, the fourth group was remarkable.

In all the years the Talisman Master Tournament had been held, there had rarely been a performance as outstanding as He Yi's.

Rarely, but not never.

However, it was unprecedented for a group division, carefully balanced based on historical performance, to yield such a disproportionate outcome.