The cloud sea in front of her was shifting and rising, appearing to Ban Jie just like the situation inside Xuan Armor Cave—it changed too fast, making it difficult to control.
She furrowed her brows and pondered deeply, analyzing the current circumstances with all her might.
"The three Golden Core Cultivators are still fighting. Since the confrontation began, Lu Zeng has been at a disadvantage, and his situation has deteriorated further."
"If he doesn’t have a trump card to change this situation, I’m afraid he’ll be the first one eliminated."
Ban Jie was not surprised by this anticipated outcome and understood it quite well.
The purpose of the Xingyun Trial in Xuan Armor Cave is to promote the Mysterious Armor with all possible efforts!
Therefore, once the content of their Xingyun Trial had been finalized, it rarely changed. The Xingyun Trial in Xuan Armor Cave was merely a three-layered sieve used to select cultivators most suitable for refining the Mysterious Armor.
From a certain perspective, this is an investment.
Investing in these suitable cultivators, who might feed back to Xuan Armor Cave in the future if they succeed. Even without feedback, just the benefits these cultivators gain from using Mysterious Armor would bring reputation benefits to Xuan Armor Cave.
In fact, the vast majority of cultivators, upon gaining anything, would quickly return a positive feedback to Xuan Armor Cave.
There are two main reasons for this.
First, Mysterious Armor wears out easily and requires repair using Green Flowing Copper, a rare man-made treasure material, which only Xuan Armor Cave has the unique formula and refining methods for.
Second, Xuan Armor Cave has more cooperation content with the feedback cultivators, such as selling other types of Mysterious Armor. When cultivators experience the practicality and benefits of Mysterious Armor, they naturally have a stronger desire to purchase other Mysterious Armors and are more willing to pay the price.
Who are the ones suitable for using Mysterious Armor?
Based on the method of using Mysterious Armor, it suits Martial Cultivators, Body Cultivation, and Mechanism Cultivators. This corresponds precisely to Tie Zheng, Ao Pan, and Lu Zeng.
The first two are almost adept at close combat, and the Mysterious Armor is quite suitable for them. The last Mechanism Cultivator can remotely control using Divine Sense. Mysterious Armor itself has the ability to fight independently, akin to some mechanical artifacts, making it also practical for Mechanism Cultivators.
The origin and design of Mysterious Armor itself is rooted in the Ancient Sect’s Mechanism Sect.
The power of Xuan Armor Cave itself has also been passed down from the Mechanism Sect, leaving behind descendants to this day.
Ban Jie had reviewed detailed intelligence about Xuan Armor Cave, aware of many precedents, and clearly noticed: judging from the results of various Xingyun Trials, the advantages of Martial Cultivators and Body Cultivation are evident, and the Trial is quite unfriendly to Mechanism Cultivators who are not adept at close combat.
"Once Lu Zeng loses and gets eliminated, what will Ao Pan and Tie Zheng choose?"
These two, having experienced a battle, will surely have their combat power diminished. Within Xuan Armor Cave, there is a Great Array suppression, making Golden Core Cultivators have advantages against Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but not as overwhelming as outside the cave.
Ban Jie predicted that since Ao Pan and Tie Zheng already cooperated once, they would definitely follow the successful experience and continue to team up to eliminate all Foundation Establishment Cultivators first.
Ban Jie had gone through related intelligence and found that in the Xingyun Trial within Xuan Armor Cave, whenever the current situation appeared, the probability of Golden Core teaming up to set a trap was very high.
"I must do everything in my power to ensure Ban Ji snatches the first place."
"The true obstacle in this Trial isn’t Ning Zhuo, but these three Golden Core Cultivators. I must make them exhaust each other to the limit!"
Ban Jie had prepared for this aspect.
"Ban Ji, fight well, try to defeat Foundation Establishment Cultivators first, amass as much Mysterious Armor as possible. This stuff wears out quickly in the third stage, so the more the better!"
In her heart, Ban Jie was cheering for Ban Ji.
In her view, Ban Ji’s calm retreat, without entangling with Rust Disaster Craftsman and Ning Zhuo, was the most correct choice.
Based on the combat power Ning Zhuo has revealed now, a battle between Ban Ji and Ning Zhuo would, at best, end in a bitter victory.
But then, how would Ban Ji deal with the victorious Golden Core Cultivators?
If he can’t ultimately win, how can he contend for the first place this time?
"It’s just that Ning Zhuo is indeed hard to deal with..."
Although Ban Jie hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, the detailed intelligence in her hands allowed her to witness Ning Zhuo’s skillful and seasoned Righteous Path techniques.
"Rust Disaster Craftsman has always been a Demon Dao Loose Cultivator, inherently not Ning Zhuo’s match in this aspect."
"Regardless of whether he fights or not, Ning Zhuo can always gain an advantage. Ban Ji, taking Rust Disaster Craftsman away, also helped Ning Zhuo reach his goal."
"But with so many outsiders he’s gathered to help him, what benefits did he secretly promise them in return?"
Thinking of this, Ban Jie couldn’t help but face darken slightly.
"I had Xuan Armor Cave’s informant secretly frame Zhang Dadan, causing him to be eliminated in the first stage..."
"Unexpectedly, even though Ning Zhuo’s wings were clipped, his articulate talent is remarkable, making Zhang Dadan’s presence wholly unimportant!"
"Ning Zhuo, go ahead and relish your triumph for a moment. I have more than Zhang Wangxing’s group."
Ban Jie was not too worried about Ban Ji.
Because she still had hidden reserves not yet employed.
Once Ban Ji nears elimination, hidden soldiers will take action.
Now is not the time to use them!
"King’s Order needs setbacks and pressure for stimulation."
"If Ban Ji is too formidable, it might cause Golden Core Cultivators to feel threatened and join forces prematurely!"
Ban Jie could mobilize vast resources. This is because the Ban Family’s level of support for Ban Ji far exceeded people’s expectations.
A gust of mountain breeze blew past, refreshing her mind, and Ban Jie’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
Holding fort here was not easy for her.
The situation she faced was complex, one that outsiders couldn’t understand. The mere emergence of King’s Order was enough to distress, making it hard to grasp properly. Now within the chaotic brawl in Xuan Armor Cave, the considerations were vast, having rapidly executed thoughts diminishing most of the ideas in Ban Jie’s Divine Sea.