Chapter 395 - 147: Dragon and Tiger List, Experts of the Various Peaks
Yang Jing quickly composed himself and nodded seriously. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother. I’m all ears."
"I wouldn’t call it guidance. I’m just telling you a bit about how things work here."
Lin Ziheng waved his hand, his tone becoming more casual. "Junior Brother Yang, you should already know this, right? Only the top three disciples in the Cyan Qilin Battle get rewards, and the higher the rank, the more lavish they are. The first-place prize—ten days’ use of a Grade B Training Room, plus Sect Contribution Points and Elixirs—is enough to make countless disciples green with envy..."
Yang Jing nodded. He had heard all this from Si Jiawen, so for now, he just listened quietly without interrupting.
Lin Ziheng continued, "The Cyan Qilin Battle is held once a month, and there’s no limit on participation. The sect’s purpose is clear: to cultivate its disciples, allowing everyone to temper their skills in battle."
His tone gradually grew serious. "But did you know? The top three spots in every month’s Cyan Qilin Battle are almost always claimed by the same few geniuses. They take home the rewards time and time again, accumulating more and more sect resources. Their foundations grow deeper, and their strength naturally increases. It creates a cycle where the gap between them and the other disciples only widens."
At this point, Lin Ziheng lowered his voice and warned with a solemn expression, "If you want to place well in the Cyan Qilin Battle, there are two people you must be especially wary of. One is Gao Yang from Zhenyue Peak, and the other is Xu Ziqiang from Fen Yang Peak."
"Among disciples below the Qi Eating Realm, those two are considered virtually invincible," Lin Ziheng said in a low voice. "They’ve long since polished their Inner Strength to its absolute peak. They’re just one step away from breaking through to the Qi Eating Realm, but they’re stuck at a bottleneck and haven’t been able to advance for some time."
"For over a year straight, first and second place in the Cyan Qilin Battle have gone back and forth between those two," Lin Ziheng added. "Unless one of them is away on a mission and unable to participate, no one else even gets a chance at the top two spots."
Yang Jing’s heart sank, his expression growing ever more somber.
’With his foundation in the Mountain-Shattering Fist, the Indestructible True Skill, and the Raging Wave Kicks, he considered his strength superior among disciples of the same rank, but he was by no means arrogant enough to believe he was invincible below the Qi Eating Realm.’
’If he really had to face top-tier experts like Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang, Yang Jing had no confidence at all.’
’He even suspected he was no match for either of them.’
’After all, they had dominated the rankings for over a year. Their accumulated foundations had to be many times deeper than that of an ordinary disciple.’
Lin Ziheng saw his solemn expression and knew his words were disheartening, but he pressed on with the truth. "Junior Brother Yang, let me give you some advice. If you run into either of those two in the ring, be extremely careful. If it’s unavoidable and you end up facing one of them, your best bet is to concede immediately."
He sighed, his tone sincere. "Don’t think me harsh, but preserving your strength is the wisest course of action. Giving up on the top two spots and focusing on competing against the others for third place is the most sensible choice for you."
Yang Jing remained silent, but his heart grew heavy.
’Lin Ziheng’s meaning was clear. With the two immovable mountains, Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang, standing in the way, he had no chance at the top two spots in the Cyan Qilin Battle. The only thing he could strive for was third place.’
Seeing Yang Jing’s grave expression, Lin Ziheng sighed again and added, "Besides those two monsters, Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang, who leave everyone breathless, there are a few others you need to watch out for. They are all strong contenders for third place in the Cyan Qilin Battle."
He began counting them off on his fingers. "One is Zhao Chong from Celestial Derivation Peak, another is Yuwen Mingjue from Yunxi Peak, and the last is Qin Wenbao from Thunder Peak. The strength of these three far surpasses that of ordinary Inner Strength Disciples at the Peak of Transformation."
After a pause, Lin Ziheng went into detail about the three. "That Zhao Chong was born with Divine Power and is most proficient in a Low-grade True Skill called the Sky-Splitting Fist. His punches are fierce and tyrannical, and the force of his fists is like a gale, capable of blasting through a boulder in a single strike. Among disciples of the same realm, few can withstand his blows directly.
"Yuwen Mingjue of Yunxi Peak is also a master of fist techniques. He cultivates the All Things Return to Origin Fist. This Low-grade True Skill seems measured and calm on the surface, but it’s full of hidden subtleties. It can redirect an opponent’s force, making him incredibly tricky to fight.
"As for Qin Wenbao of Thunder Peak, he walks a path that blends hard and soft styles. He practices the Sea-Covering Palm. His Palm Force is immense, and he can condense his strength into his palm, striking out like a great wave crashing onto the shore. Its range is vast and nearly impossible to defend against."
Yang Jing listened quietly, committing the names and martial arts of these three to memory. However, when he heard the name "Yuwen Mingjue of Yunxi Peak," his brow twitched.
’He suddenly recalled something. A few days ago on Yunxi Peak, he had stumbled upon a young master in a brocade robe pestering Senior Sister Ning Xiang. He later learned from her that the man was Yuwen Mingjue, an Inner Sect Disciple from Yunxi Peak.’
"Will all three of them be participating in this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle?" Yang Jing asked.
Lin Ziheng nodded. "Barring any special circumstances, they’ll definitely participate. After all, the rewards from the Cyan Qilin Battle would be a great help to them in their push for the Qi Eating Realm."
Yang Jing nodded, saying nothing more, but the corner of his mouth curved into a slight smirk as a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
’Running into that Yuwen Mingjue in the ring during the Cyan Qilin Battle... now that would be interesting.’
The two continued walking as they talked, and before they knew it, they had reached the mountainside.