Chapter 439 - 156: The Competition Concludes, The Sect’s Reward
The dead silence lasted but a few moments before a thunderous uproar erupted from below the Cyan Qilin Platform.
Countless disciples erupted into chaos. A mixture of discussion, gasps of awe, and fervent cheers threatened to overturn the entire Cyan Qilin Platform.
"My god! That was too ruthless! Yuwen Mingjue was knocked out cold!"
"Yang Jing’s strength is simply terrifying! Who could have imagined that he’d take first place in his very first Cyan Qilin Battle, and beat Yuwen Mingjue so badly on top of that!"
"So fierce! So fierce! Now that’s the true peak of power at the Inner Strength Level! In his hands, Yuwen Mingjue was utterly powerless to fight back!"
The disciples were shocked beyond belief, craning their necks to stare at the platform, their faces filled with utter astonishment.
They knew Yang Jing was strong, capable of successively defeating top disciples like Zhou Tong, Wei Dongting, and Zhao Chong.
But they never imagined he could be so powerful that he would brutally beat the once-imperious Yuwen Mingjue to a pulp, leaving him paralyzed on the ground, seemingly hovering between life and death.
Just then, the Main Peak Steward in charge of the Cyan Qilin Battle stepped onto the Cyan Qilin Platform.
His gaze swept across the battered platform before finally landing on Yang Jing, the unconcealed shock still visible in his eyes.
The Main Peak Steward sighed inwardly. ’This kid is way too ruthless!’
’This wasn’t a match; he was clearly trying to kill him.’
His gaze fell once more on Yuwen Mingjue, who was lying on the ground.
This kid had been so impressive before, dressed in a splendid brocade robe, standing on the platform with a face full of arrogance, his gaze so disdainful it was as if no one was worthy of his notice.
But now?
His brocade robe was torn to shreds, his body was covered in blood, and he was slumped on the ground like a formless heap. His chest rose and fell faintly, and who knew how many bones he’d broken. He had long since passed out, unable to even let out a whimper.
The Main Peak Steward sighed softly. With a flick of his finger, a pure white Healing Elixir shot accurately into Yuwen Mingjue’s mouth.
Once swallowed, the Elixir quickly dissolved, releasing a faint medicinal aroma. Yuwen Mingjue’s weak breathing seemed to stabilize a little.
Having done this, the Main Peak Steward turned, gathered his Inner Qi, and announced in a booming voice, "By the sect’s decree, the winner of this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle is Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak!"
As his voice faded, another deafening cheer erupted from the crowd below.
Hundreds, even thousands, of disciples from every vein of the Xuanzhen Sect cheered excitedly for Yang Jing’s victory.
They had witnessed Yang Jing’s meteoric rise firsthand, and as they watched him fight, many had imagined themselves in his shoes.
These disciples, most of whom had never participated in the Cyan Qilin Battle, couldn’t help but wonder: if they were to fight, could they also be like Yang Jing, soaring to prominence, defeating one veteran champion after another, and claiming the top spot?
At this moment, two Stewards from Yunxi Peak ascended the Cyan Qilin Platform, their expressions grim.
They hurried over to Yuwen Mingjue’s side, and their faces grew even heavier as they took in his wretched state.
No matter the circumstances, Yuwen Mingjue was a disciple of Yunxi Peak—and a key talent they were investing in. For him to be beaten into such a state on the Cyan Qilin Platform was a disgrace to them as Stewards of Yunxi Peak.
The two Stewards looked up and gave Yang Jing a long, cold stare. Their eyes betrayed a hint of displeasure, but they dared not make it too obvious.
Soon, they retracted their gazes, bent down, and carefully lifted the unconscious Yuwen Mingjue, then quickly descended the Cyan Qilin Platform.
Although both of them had reached the Qi Eating Realm—a full major realm of Cultivation above Yang Jing—they didn’t dare rebuke him lightly.
What Yang Jing had just demonstrated was not only overwhelming power, but also a ruthless and decisive lethality.
More importantly, the boy’s talent was extraordinary. He had taken first place in his very first Cyan Qilin Battle, meaning his future accomplishments were sure to be boundless.
Within the sect, strength was what earned respect.
No one dared to easily offend a genius who had both potential and the means to back it up.
And to offend such a promising new expert for the sake of Yuwen Mingjue, who wasn’t even that well-liked? That was certainly not worth it.
Who knew if Yang Jing would remember today’s offense after he broke through to the Qi Eating Realm?
Besides, in their eyes, Yuwen Mingjue was typically arrogant and condescending; their impression of him was mediocre at best. It certainly wasn’t worth sticking their necks out for him now.
...
Immediately after, Yang Jing gave the Main Peak Steward a slight bow with cupped hands—a gesture of respect from a junior—then turned and strode off the Cyan Qilin Platform.
His steps were firm and steady, each one seeming to land on the very hearts of the disciples watching.
Countless gazes fell upon him, filled with a mixture of heartfelt admiration, fearful reverence, and lingering shock.
From this day forward, the name "Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak" was destined to spread throughout the Main Peak and the Seven Veins of the Xuanzhen Sect, becoming a hot topic of conversation among the disciples.
Yang Jing had just stepped off the platform when Steward Zheng rushed forward to greet him, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.
He clapped Yang Jing heavily on the shoulder, the force nearly knocking him off balance, the excitement overflowing in his voice. "Yang Jing, oh, Yang Jing! You’ve really brought honor to our Lingxi Peak! First place! You took first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle! It’s been years since Lingxi Peak has produced such a brilliant disciple on this platform!"
Yang Jing grinned, rubbing his tingling shoulder. "It was just a fluke," he said humbly. "I got lucky."
"A fluke?" Steward Zheng roared with laughter and slapped him on the back. "I’ve heard you say that line a few too many times! There’s no such thing as that much luck; strength is strength! Beating Yuwen Mingjue to a pulp like that isn’t something you accomplish with a ’fluke’!"