I imagine that there will be a few ways to catch an Elder's attention before the end of the year tourney, like a special job or competition for that Elder's interests. It wouldn't be all that radical for Inner Sectship to be dangled for any clear number ones in the group, so that they don't just stomp the tourney.
Good point - there might be a way for an Elder to 'promote' a particularly desirable disciple early, either for meritorious deeds for the sect or for sheer talent/catching an Elder's eye. For example, I could see someone who hits peak Yellow/Silver (or even breaks through in one or the other) being moved (or guaranteed a move outside the tournament structure) to give them early access to Genesis so their cultivation doesn't stall.
We can't get Genesis until we are a inner sect disciple, and for that we need to wait until the end of a year and participate in a tournament where we can expect at least 5 Green. We have to be in the Top 8.
I'd be quite surprised if more than 4 of competitors have hit Green by the end of the year (the big three and Ji Rong). Getting there is *hard*, especially if your talent is lower than Ling Qi or Ji Rong's - even if you've got expensive medicines. And then you need to succeed in the breakthrough rolls (three of 'em). Remember that Ling Qi's speed has been
insane from the perspective of those around her - and typically cultivation slows dramatically as the ranks go up.
As for "competing with Greens"... to be honest, I would expect Late Yellow/Late Silver Ling Qi to do quite well against single-path focusers. Especially with some well-mastered combat and cultivation arts to back her up.
Suyin and Ling will hate us forever if we don't give them a chance to profit from this.
Wut.
How the hell did you arrive
there? "Because Ling Qi didn't convince them to sell access to their unique advantage over all the others, they'll hate her?" Are you kidding?
They're twitchy, almost paranoid about people they don't know. They
really don't want to give possible competitors a leg up, and are probably quite afraid of other people kicking them off the place. Their interest in trying to 'sell' the location is probably less than nil.
Move it around a bit - do you think Ling Qi should sell the vent's location to
her competitors? Kang Zihao would be happy to pay some stones up front for the location, I'm sure...
EDIT: And why are people wanting Ling Qi to try and establish a faction for Bai? And including random nobles just because Ling Qi has a good impression of them?
Nobles aren't going to make lasting alliances with other nobles without careful consideration. Han Jian is
not going to become Bai's follower - ever. And he's going to be wary of making any kind of alliance, and perhaps would be quite unwilling to interact with her at all. He's got his family to think of.
Plus, he's already got his own faction - why would he 'subordinate' it to someone else? And how would you think Fan Yu or the rest would take it? Gu seems to
tolerate Bai... for Ling's sake. Han's view is likely to be similar. The central point is not Bai or Han, but Ling Qi herself. And neither is likely to become her follower.
No, if there's a "Bai faction", it'll be Ling Qi, Li Suyin and Su Ling. And probably
nobody else. Maybe Ji Rong, depending on how he views Bai, Ling, Li and Su and how they view him over the next few months.
