Chapter 440 - 156: The Contest Concludes, the Sect’s Reward
Before the words had even faded, Steward Wang, Lin Ziheng, Zhang Hengyi, and Zhao Xuexiang rushed over, their faces beaming with unrestrained joy.
"Yang Jing, well done! Lingxi Peak can finally hold its head high!" Steward Wang stroked his beard, grinning from ear to ear.
Lin Ziheng was so excited he was practically dancing. "First place! It’s really first place! Junior Brother Yang, you’re incredible! Who’s going to say Lingxi Peak has no talent now?"
Zhang Hengyi and Zhao Xuexiang nodded repeatedly beside them, congratulating Yang Jing on his victory with expressions full of shock and admiration.
Zhao Xuexiang gazed at the composed Yang Jing before him, feeling as if he were in a dream.
For ordinary Inner Sect Disciples like them, winning first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle was an almost unattainable honor.
Even though they had seen that Yang Jing’s strength was extraordinary, just making it into the top nine, and then the top four, had been a pleasant surprise. No one had dared to hope that he could fight his way through every obstacle to claim the throne of first place—a position symbolizing the pinnacle of the Xuanzhen Sect’s younger generation in the Inner Strength Realm.
...
While the crowd was still buzzing with discussion, the Main Peak Steward on the Cyan Qilin Platform once again announced in a loud voice, "Next, we will proceed with the second match of this Cyan Qilin Battle: Zhao Chong of Celestial Derivation Peak versus Qin Wenbao of Thunder Peak!"
However, a long moment passed after the announcement, and Qin Wenbao did not appear on the platform.
A moment later, his hoarse voice drifted from the crowd. "I... forfeit!"
No one was surprised by this turn of events.
In his previous fight with Yuwen Mingjue, Qin Wenbao had been beaten so badly he’d coughed up blood, suffering serious injuries. Although he had used elixirs to recover quickly, he was still a far cry from his peak condition.
In his current state, there was no way he could be Zhao Chong’s opponent.
Besides, even if he were fully healed and fighting at his peak, he was still no match for Zhao Chong. Forfeiting now actually seemed straightforward and wasn’t considered shameful.
This meant that the match for second place should have been between Zhao Chong and Yuwen Mingjue.
But Yuwen Mingjue had been beaten unconscious by Yang Jing and had to be carried off the platform, which was equivalent to a forfeit.
With that, this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle came to a complete close.
The Main Peak Steward went to the judges’ area to confer with several Main Peak Elders. He then returned to the center of the Cyan Qilin Platform, gathered his Inner Qi, and announced the final rankings to the entire assembly. "By the sect’s ruling, the top three of this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle are as follows—
"First place, Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak!
"Second place, Zhao Chong of Celestial Derivation Peak!
"Third place, Yuwen Mingjue of Yunxi Peak!"
Below the stage, Qin Wenbao heard the rankings and sighed inwardly, filled with regret.
’If the top-four rankings had been different—if I had been ranked third and Yang Jing fourth—then Yang Jing would have fought Yuwen Mingjue first,’ he couldn’t help but think.
’With Yang Jing’s strength, he definitely would have beaten Yuwen Mingjue unconscious, too. Then I could have moved up to take the third-place spot and received the corresponding sect reward.’
Unfortunately, there were no ’what ifs’ in life. In the end, that honor had slipped through his fingers.
...
The disciples below the Cyan Qilin Platform were still chattering away, the hubbub showing no signs of dying down.
Some praised Yang Jing’s immense strength, calling him the most dazzling newcomer in the Xuanzhen Sect this year.
Others lamented that Zhao Chong had gotten lucky and stumbled into second place.
Still others felt sorry for Yuwen Mingjue, saying he was unlucky to have run into Yang Jing. Otherwise, with his strength, he might have been able to defeat Zhao Chong for second place. Instead, he was beaten unconscious and had to relinquish the spot.
In the crowd, Sun Ningxiang’s face was flushed with excitement, her bright eyes fixed on Yang Jing as her heart pounded in her chest.
As she watched the figure surrounded by the people of Lingxi Peak, she felt as if she were in a trance.
’In just a few short months, the once-unknown junior brother who had joined the Xuanzhen Sect at the same time as her had fought his way to the very top and seized first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle!’
...
Meanwhile, Yang Jing was speaking with Steward Zheng, Steward Wang, and a few others, a faint smile on his face.
Just then, a disciple from the Main Peak hurried over. He bowed with cupped hands toward Yang Jing and said politely, "Senior Brother Yang, the Elders have sent me to ask you to come to the judges’ area to receive your reward for first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle."
Hearing this, Yang Jing nodded. He said a quick word to Steward Zheng and Steward Wang, then followed the disciple toward the judges’ area.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhao Chong also heading toward the judges’ area, likely to collect the reward for second place.
As for Yuwen Mingjue, who had placed third, he was probably still unconscious and thus unable to come collect his prize.
Lin Ziheng, Zhang Hengyi, and Zhao Xuexiang stood where they were, their eyes filled with envy as they watched Yang Jing’s departing figure.
The rewards for first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle were incredibly generous. Not only did they include various elixirs, but also the opportunity to cultivate in a Grade B Training Room—all resources immensely beneficial for one’s training.
Without relying on a family background, they might not be able to obtain even one of those rewards after ten years of hard work.
Even with the support of their families, those resources were still exceedingly precious to them.
Yang Jing followed the disciple to the judges’ area and saw four Main Peak Elders sitting at a stone table.
He hurried forward and bowed respectfully. "Disciple Yang Jing greets the Elders."
All four Elders smiled faintly, their gazes toward Yang Jing quite amicable.
One of them, a square-faced Elder, spoke first, his tone full of praise. "Good lad, not bad at all! To take first place in your very first Cyan Qilin Battle... you’ve brought great honor to Lingxi Peak!"
Another Elder nodded in agreement. "It’s true that Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang were absent this time, so you took advantage of an opening. But to defeat top disciples like Zhao Chong and Yuwen Mingjue in succession is more than enough to prove your strength!"