Chapter 427 - 153: I Didn’t Want to Discourage You This Much
He smiled bitterly to himself. ’If I had foolishly refused to concede and insisted on fighting, I would have truly angered Yang Jing. The outcome would have been far more severe than just being shaken to the point of my blood churning.’
At this thought, Zhou Tong took a deep breath, wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, and cupped his fists at the slowly approaching Yang Jing. His tone held a mix of resignation and relief. "I concede."
For the Inner Sect Disciples of the Xuanzhen Sect at the Inner Strength Level, this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle was a rare opportunity.
Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang, the two titans who had dominated the top two ranks for years, were absent. Every top Inner Strength disciple who had long been suppressed under their shadow was eager to seize this opportunity. Who wouldn’t want to fight for a top-three position and claim more of the sect’s resources?
But no one expected a dark horse like Yang Jing to come out of nowhere.
A rookie Inner Sect Disciple participating in the Cyan Qilin Battle for the very first time, he had swept through the competition, single-handedly shattering the hopes of countless others who aimed for the top three.
The moment Zhou Tong conceded, the Main Peak Steward strode onto the Cyan Qilin Platform and announced loudly, "Fifth match! Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak wins!"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the roaring crowd below. "The top four for this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle have now been determined!" he continued. "All disciples may rest for one hour. After that, the final ranking matches will begin!"
Yang Jing gave Zhou Tong a slight nod, then turned and walked off the Cyan Qilin Platform.
Zhou Tong followed him off the platform, his steps heavy.
In that moment, countless gazes fell upon Yang Jing—gazes filled with admiration, awe, and intense curiosity.
Gone from their eyes was the initial disdain and doubt, replaced by nothing but genuine respect.
"Oh my god! He made it to the top four in his first-ever Cyan Qilin Battle! His strength is terrifying! And to top it all off, he’s so handsome. The title of Jade-Faced Young Master might just get stolen by him."
"Who would’ve thought Lingxi Peak could produce such a powerhouse? He beat both Wei Dongting and Zhou Tong today. That’s one hell of a record!"
"The top four! Next he’ll be facing off against Yuwen Mingjue, Zhao Chong, and Qin Wenbao. Now things are getting interesting!"
Cries of admiration and gasps of shock rose and fell throughout the crowd.
Lin Ziheng was already waiting below the platform. When he saw Yang Jing approaching, he rushed forward and clapped him on the shoulder, his face beaming with excitement. "Junior Brother Yang, congratulations! You made it to the top four!"
But his excitement quickly faded, and his expression grew solemn. He lowered his voice. "However, Junior Brother Yang, your next match is going to be a tough one!"
Yang Jing turned to look at him, waiting for him to continue.
Lin Ziheng leaned in, his voice grave. "The top four are you, Yuwen Mingjue, Zhao Chong, and Qin Wenbao. In the ranking matches, whether the sect places you third or fourth, you’re guaranteed to face either Yuwen Mingjue or Zhao Chong! And those two... they’re really tough opponents!"
Hearing Lin Ziheng’s words, the expressions of Zhang Hengyi and Zhao Xuexiang, who were standing nearby, changed in unison, their hearts seizing with anxiety.
And it was true.
With only Yuwen Mingjue, Zhao Chong, Yang Jing, and Qin Wenbao left in the top four, no matter how the sect arranged the matches, Yang Jing was bound to face either Yuwen Mingjue or Zhao Chong.
These two were top-tier Inner Strength experts of the Xuanzhen Sect’s younger generation, second only to Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang. They had been famous for years, possessing profound foundations. They were on a completely different level from the likes of Wei Dongting and Zhou Tong.
Although Yang Jing’s performance had been stunning as he swept through his opponents, when it came to facing those two, forget Zhang Hengyi, Zhao Xuexiang, and Lin Ziheng—even Steward Zheng felt no confidence whatsoever. In fact, he thought Yang Jing’s chances of victory were slim to none.
The three exchanged a look, each seeing the deep worry reflected in the others’ eyes.
....
From a distance, in the spectating crowd, Su Qingyue stood in a corner. Watching Yang Jing being swarmed by admirers, she felt completely dazed. The scene before her was as hazy and unreal as a dream.
She could never have imagined that the once-unremarkable Yang Jing—the one she’d paid no mind to—could actually fight his way into the top four of the Cyan Qilin Battle.
The valiant image of Yang Jing on the platform moments ago—shattering Zhou Tong’s leg technique with a single punch—sent shockwaves through her heart. It shook her so badly that her legs went weak, and she could barely remain standing.
...
At the edge of the crowd on the other side, Zhao Hongxiang and Cai He Kang were also packed in with the onlookers.
Zhao Hongxiang watched Yang Jing descend from the Cyan Qilin Platform. His face was a shade pale and his lips were pressed into a thin line, but he appeared outwardly calm.
However, Cai He Kang, who stood beside him, saw it clearly: Zhao Hongxiang’s hands, hanging at his sides, were trembling faintly but uncontrollably.
...
In the Yunxi Peak disciples’ area below the Cyan Qilin Platform, Yuwen Mingjue stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His sinister gaze was locked onto Yang Jing, and the corner of his mouth twisted into an icy smirk.
’I have to make sure I’m pitted against Yang Jing in the ranking matches,’ he plotted silently.
’Once I get my hands on him, I’ll strike ruthlessly. I’ll injure him so severely he’ll be eliminated, and he won’t even get a chance to touch the threshold of the top three.’
Yuwen Mingjue had watched Yang Jing’s entire battle just now. He was certain that Qin Wenbao’s strength wasn’t enough to overpower Yang Jing; in fact, Qin Wenbao was likely the weaker of the two.
He had never imagined that this unknown disciple from Lingxi Peak could actually fight his way into the top four, right into his path.
’The fool is courting death.’
The next moment, a glint of vicious coldness flashed in Yuwen Mingjue’s eyes.
’Heaven has a path, yet you refuse to walk it. Hell has no gates, yet you insist on barging in.’