Su Yu also knew that the Golden-winged Flying Centipede couldn't be refined massively in a short time. This creature is made by refining a level 20 Golden Centipede with a Flying Gu. Each of these two Gu insects costs about one tael of silver, and at least a hundred are needed initially to refine one Level 40 Elite Template Golden-winged Flying Centipede.
Adding other blood food and spiritual medicine, the total cost is about 100 taels of silver.
Right now, everyone is poor, without much extra money, so initially they can't refine many.
However, since Su Yu doesn't understand how to refine Gu, he doesn't need to worry about this and continues to go out the next day to kill monsters and accumulate battle experience.
Unknowingly, half a month later, while Su Yu was killing monsters underwater, he received a message from Fu Ping:
"There's a small guild examination tomorrow at the headquarters. Do you want to participate?"
"Of course, I'll participate."
"Then prepare well. The rewards for this small examination are plentiful, and if you make it to the top twenty, you'll receive special attention from the guild and will be shortlisted for the reserve cadre candidates."
"Thank you, Mr. Fu, for the reminder."
"No need to be polite, I've always thought highly of you."
After closing the communication, he continues to kill monsters.
A few hours later, as night falls, he returns to the base to discuss with Zhuang Zhuo and others and returns to the guild headquarters together with Gu Zhiqiu.
Zhuang Zhuo, Shi Ning, and Meng Chen felt that their current strength was insufficient, so they simply decided not to participate.
They plan to wait for the second small examination three months later to participate. By then, each would have a dozen Golden-winged Flying Centipedes and might be able to compete for ranking.
As for Gu Zhiqiu, since he shifted to the Subtle Level Ten Thousand Gu Spirit Gathering Scripture, he felt his strength had increased significantly and wanted to see if he could break into the second tier.
Back in Thousand Feather City, the guild headquarters was as prosperous as ever.
The two parted ways, and Su Yu first went to the flea market to sell off some miscellaneous items he had accumulated over the past half month, making 11 taels of silver and 852 wen, with a total asset of 74 taels of silver and 619 wen, not yet reaching one gold.
"I hope this small exam will reward some money; otherwise, I won't even have the money to raise the Heart Skill limit."
After grabbing a casual bite to eat, Su Yu returned to his guild-assigned residence. Just after finishing his wash-up and preparing for bed, he received a message from Fu Ping:
"Here are the rules for tomorrow's small exam and the ranking rewards. Take a look, so you have an idea."
"Thank you, Mr. Fu."
"No need to be polite; you are the newcomer under my responsibility, and the better you perform, the bigger my year-end bonus will be."
"Then I must strive hard to get the supervisor a big red envelope at year-end."
"Haha, thanks for your kind words."
Closed the communication and opened the attached materials for review.
The data showed that tomorrow's small exam at nine in the morning would take place at the guild's arena, with several high-ups from the guild expected to watch.
The competition is divided into two rounds. The first round is a three-line qualifying match, where the guild will segment all the newcomers into three tiers. The first tier will directly enter the second round, while the remaining two tiers will have each contestant compete in three rounds against others, with those winning three or two matches advancing directly.
The second round is a standard one-on-one PK, with rounds determining wins and losses.
Making it to the top 64 rewards one tael of gold.
Making it to the top 32 rewards two taels of gold.
Making it to the top 16 rewards three taels of gold and 100 guild contribution points.
Making it to the top 8 rewards five taels of gold, 200 guild contribution points, and one opportunity to listen to the guild enshrinement.
In the top 4, the reward is 10 taels of gold, 300 guild contribution points, and two opportunities to listen to the guild enshrinement.
Third place: 20 taels of gold, 400 guild contribution points, and three opportunities to listen to the guild enshrinement.
Second place: 30 taels of gold, 500 guild contribution points, and four opportunities to listen to the guild enshrinement.
First place: 50 taels of gold, 1000 guild contribution points, and five opportunities to listen to the guild enshrinement.
"These rewards...."
"The guild is truly wealthy."
It's just a small exam, and with three rounds every year plus one large exam, the rewards must be even higher. Such investments are indeed extravagant.
But these are necessary expenses. Not only the Thousand Feather Guild, but all large guilds must heavily invest in nurturing newcomers; otherwise, the guild would quickly decline without fresh blood.
Although the theoretical lifespan limit below Loose Immortal is 150 years, various accidents in the cultivation journey often lead to deaths in battle, with very few surviving that long.
Moreover, the resource demand in later stages is massive, with many people spending decades stuck at a Heart Skill level of seventy or eighty, and less than one in a hundred can reach a hundred to pass tribulation.
And of those who can reach this step, few dare to attempt tribulation.
The success rate of those who dare to attempt tribulation is pitifully low.
Those daring enough belong to the elite, the high-levels of the guild, which is another matter entirely.
The average level of mainstream, veteran cultivators ranges between sixty and ninety, generally aging between sixty and eighty. If they fought too fiercely in their early years, considering retirement might already be on their minds by their forties or fifties, unwilling to risk further, just wanting to earn enough for retirement.
There are quite a few semi-retirees in the guild, with a batch entering retirement every year.
Thus, for any force to grow and expand, it must continually cultivate newcomers.
Investing resources actively is necessary; relying solely on cultivators from ordinary backgrounds to gradually progress wastes significant time.
"Strive to enter the top 8."
Evaluating his current abilities, Su Yu felt he had a good chance.
Without further ado, the next day, before six in the morning, he received another message from Fu Ping, telling him to head to the guild's arena on time.
He quickly freshened up, left home, and leisurely flew over the city on his paper crane, spotting from afar the massive dome structure occupying four to five square kilometers in the city center. That's the arena, although it's still early, and there's no one there yet.
The small exam is open to the public, with both guild and non-guild members allowed to watch.
Additionally, various people were setting up betting pools on the regional channel, wagering on the small exam rankings.
Su Yu took a look and saw everyone from the first and second tiers on the leaderboard, including himself.