Chapter 2112: Chapter 999: First Place Similarly, using a unified formation to discipline disciples extinguished the "nature" and "individuality" of the cultivators, preventing them from freely engaging in the sword competition and fully utilizing their strength. Disciples winning in this manner rely not on their own strength and do not deserve to be called "geniuses." The high-level members of various aristocratic families and sects mostly remained silent. Such attempts have been made by them before, but the results were not good, with more practical issues than expected. That the Taixu Gate could achieve such a degree shows they indeed put a lot of thought into it, and it’s far from as simple as it appears on the surface. But now that the sword competition has just begun, it’s still difficult to say whether this formation is good or bad. On the high platform, however, there were several Golden Core and even Feathered Immortal cultivators whose eyes shone with brilliance. Most of these individuals came from Taoist soldier families, with resolute features, having experienced many battles, exuding a commanding aura. Among them was a Feathered Immortal of the Yang Family. When the formation of the Taixu Gate was deployed, his eyes lit up, and after closely observing several actual matches of the sword competition, he nodded in secret. Many things were not apparent to others, but being from a Taoist soldier family, he understood these matters clearly. "Are there any disciples of the Yang Family in the Taixu Gate?" the Feathered Immortal of the Yang Family asked. A nearby Elder replied in a low voice: "Yes, from the Cheng’en lineage, there’s a boy named ’Qian Jun’ in the Taixu Gate. There are also several others scattered among the other lineages." "Hmm." The Feathered Immortal of the Yang Family nodded, remembered the name, and after some contemplation, said, "Go back and tell the Family Head that the Yang Family should have more interactions with the Taixu Gate in the future. These disciples are all good seedlings..." "Yes..." the Elder replied softly, then added with a hint of regret, "It’s just that, ultimately... they are still somewhat immature." "They’re only children who haven’t yet left the sect, immaturity is natural," the Feathered Immortal of the Yang Family said with hope in his eyes, "Once they gain experience, the most important thing is having the consciousness of fighting with Taoist soldiers, the idea of ’sharing the same sword’. Given time and tempered by the battlefield, they will surely have great promise." "True Man’s words are indeed so..." After pondering for a moment, the Elder frowned and said, "But these children are from the direct lineages of aristocratic families, children of nobility, not meant for battle. In the future, they might not be able to enter the battlefield." "No matter..." The Feathered Immortal of the Yang Family said calmly, looking at the vast Dao Mountain with deep eyes. Should chaos one day engulf the land, with war spread like wildfire, and all beings dragged in, whether they are willing won’t matter anymore... ... On the screen of the sky, the sword competition continued. The disciples from other sects each had their strengths, but fundamentally, it was still a "sect-based" approach to the competition. Four disciples shielding one "genius." Or, five geniuses banded together to complement one another. This essentially is an "elite" tactic. Under Mo Hua’s leadership, the Taixu Gate disciples, however, had imperceptibly turned the sword discussion into a "war," practicing a "group" strategy. In terms of cultivation or Taoist skills, perhaps they did not hold an advantage. But their tactical execution was more thorough, advancing and retreating as one, with orders strictly followed. To win, they even abandoned their "individuality." Instead of using inherited Spiritual Artifacts, they uniformly chose customized Spiritual Artifacts that were targeted for the tactical needs, followed specific Taoist skills, avoided unnecessary bravado, did not show off their abilities; everything served the "tactic," everything was for victory. In this way, the difference in levels became apparent. The Taixu Gate disciples, during the "Huang" character competition stage, had an unexpectedly high win rate. And so, until the sun set and dusk fell. The first day’s events of the sword competition gradually came to an end amid the noise and excitement. After the matches, the Mount of Tao tallied the victories. The Taixu Gate, which initially feared its sect’s status was precarious, suddenly surged to the top, temporarily ranking first in the Qianxue Sword Debate on the first day! When this result came out, even the Taixu Sect Leader was stunned. During the day’s sword competition, observing the victories and the situation, he had guessed that the Taixu Gate’s initial ranking should not be low. But to actually take first place, he still felt an unreal sense of "dreaming." Not only the Sect Leader, but from the Three Mountains down to all elders and disciples, all were dumbfounded. First in the sword competition? Even if it was only the first day, and it was temporary, could they, the Taixu Gate, actually suppress the Four Great Sects and Eight Great Gates to reach first in the sword debate? This is first in the sword competition after all. Even if only for the first day, even if just temporarily, even if just a "fleeting bloom," it was unprecedented. From top to bottom, the sect was filled with joy and excitement. And all of this was largely due to Mo Hua’s planning. Mo Hua’s prestige among the disciples unknowingly rose another level. Even the ancestors and Sect Leader of Taia Chongxu Mountains, and some high-ranking Elders, began to view Mo Hua with a renewed respect. The more they looked at Mo Hua, the more pleasing he appeared, the more they found him admirable. They actually understood in their hearts that the "first in the sword competition" for the Taixu Gate was unlikely to last. But despite this, it was enough to make them feel proud and elated. And this "temporary" first in the sword competition for the Taixu Gate caused a significant stir when it spread to the Four Great Sects, the Eight Great Gates, and the Twelve Streams.