Chapter 590 - 196: A Bet Is a Bet (Part 2)
He quickly came to his senses, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He then walked toward the area where the Lingxi Peak disciples were gathered.
When the Lingxi Peak disciples saw Yang Jing walking back, they instantly erupted in even more fervent cheers.
Every one of them was flushed with excitement, their gazes filled with respect and adoration as they looked at Yang Jing.
As a disciple of Lingxi Peak, Yang Jing had taken first place in the Fushan Competition, tying with Chu Yunhai, the top-ranked member of the Hidden Dragon List.
For these ordinary Lingxi Peak disciples, this honor was a tremendous source of confidence.
In the future, whether interacting with disciples from other veins within the sect or mentioning it to people in Jintai Prefecture, they would have a reason to be proud and would be looked upon with greater respect by others.
Moreover, Lingxi Peak hadn’t produced such an astonishingly brilliant prodigy in many years. Now that Yang Jing had appeared, the entire peak was invigorated.
The crowd chanted Yang Jing’s name in unison, their shouts neat and passionate, echoing through a corner of the square.
Yang Jing smiled and nodded slightly at the crowd, politely cupping his hands in response. He wore a gentle smile, showing no trace of arrogance from winning first place in the Fushan Competition.
Just then, Fang He, Yan Chenglong, Lin Ziheng, Shi Xin, and others immediately swarmed around him, all talking at once as they congratulated him.
"Junior Brother Yang, that was incredible! Congratulations on winning first place in the Fushan Competition!"
"Yeah, you’re so strong! Your fight with Chu Yunhai was spectacular!"
Hearing this, Yang Jing replied with a smile, "It was just a fluke."
They all started laughing.
Fang He patted his chest and said, "Your fight with Chu Yunhai on the stage was so intense just now. Even from so far away, we were on the edge of our seats!"
While everyone was surrounding Yang Jing to congratulate him, on one side of the stage, Steward Xue was in a low-voiced discussion with Chief Elder Ouyang Jingxuan and a few other Elders, discussing the matter of announcing the final rankings.
Soon, Ouyang Jingxuan walked up to the high platform with a preliminary draft of the rankings to make the final decision with Cao Zhen and the Lord of the Seven Veins.
After Cao Zhen and the seven Peak Masters reviewed the list and raised no objections, Ouyang Jingxuan promptly walked back down from the high platform and handed the finalized list to Steward Xue.
Steward Xue took the list and steadily walked onto the stage.
In an instant, all eyes in Fushan Square focused on him. The clamor gradually died down, and everyone held their breath, waiting for Steward Xue to announce the final rankings and bring the highly anticipated Fushan Competition to a close.
Steward Xue took a deep breath, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire square. Once it was completely silent, he began to announce the rankings in a clear voice:
"First Place: Chu Yunhai of Celestial Derivation Peak and Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak, tied!
Second Place: Bai Ziyu of Thunder Peak!
Third Place: Lu Shaohua of Qingxu Peak!
Fourth Place: Su Muyuan of Celestial Derivation Peak!
Fifth Place: Cui Yuan of Zhenyue Peak!
Sixth Place: Jiang Lin Yuan of the Main Peak!
Seventh Place: Li Cangwu of Fen Yang Peak!
Eighth Place: Gu Changfeng of Yunxi Peak!
Ninth Place: Lin Jinghong of Qingxu Peak!
Tenth Place: Ma Guoliang of Fen Yang Peak!
Eleventh Place: Zhang Yunhao of Thunder Peak!
Twelfth Place: Meng Fan of the Main Peak!
Thirteenth Place: Shen Kuo of Zhenyue Peak!
Fourteenth Place: Han Lie of Fen Yang Peak!
Fifteenth Place: Yan Chenglong of Lingxi Peak!
Sixteenth Place: Cheng Guosheng of Zhenyue Peak!
Seventeenth Place: Zhao Hongyu of Yunxi Peak!
Eighteenth Place: Zhou Ruoxi of Thunder Peak!
Nineteenth Place: Xie Yutong of Qingxu Peak!
Twentieth Place: Fang He of Lingxi Peak!"
Everyone listened intently. This final ranking was not just proof of strength, but also determined the sect’s allocation of resources.
According to the rules, the top three would receive incredibly generous rewards. The first-place winners, in particular, would obtain three drops of Yunqiao Jade Marrow and long-term access to a B-grade Training Room.
Those ranked from fourth to twentieth would also receive special cultivation from the sect, gaining access to more Cultivation Resources and opportunities for guidance.
Hearing the names on the list, the disciples in the square were filled with envy. This was especially true for those who hadn’t made it into the top twenty, who were secretly filled with frustration and regret.
After reading out the top twenty rankings, Steward Xue paused. He then continued in a clear voice, "In addition, there is another list of disciples. These are disciples who performed excellently and showed outstanding potential during this Fushan Competition but did not make it into the top twenty.
"These disciples will also be specially cultivated by the sect and provided with corresponding Cultivation Resources.
"The complete list of outstanding disciples will be posted outside the Main Peak Steward Hall tomorrow. You may all go and view it for yourselves then."
As Steward Xue’s voice fell, a wave of intense discussion once again swept through the square.
They discussed the geniuses who had ranked in the top twenty and what kind of resources the sect would provide to cultivate them.
...
On the high platform, Peak Master Zhenyue, Qin Gang, took a deep breath, his knuckles tightening slightly. A flash of unconcealable pain flickered in his eyes.
But the moment he stood up, that flicker of pain was forcibly suppressed, replaced by a calm and indifferent expression, as if he were about to do something utterly ordinary.
He turned and walked to the side of Peak Master Lingxi, Bai Bing. Reaching into his robes, he took out a palm-sized, lustrous White Jade Porcelain Bottle. A faint spiritual light swirled around its body, making it clear at a glance that this was no ordinary object.
Qin Gang held the porcelain bottle out to Bai Bing and said in a deep voice, "This is the Heart Inquiry Pill. It’s the only one I have."
Hearing the words "Heart Inquiry Pill," all the Peak Masters of the various veins, including Bai Bing and Sect Leader Cao Zhen, felt a stir in their hearts. Their gazes fell in unison on the White Jade Porcelain Bottle.
Everyone in the upper echelons of the Xuanzhen Sect knew how precious the Heart Inquiry Pill was.
This elixir could temper the mind and greatly enhance one’s comprehension, possessing a miraculous effect on breaking through cultivation bottlenecks and grasping the mysteries of Cultivation Techniques. Even Pill Realm masters regarded it as a rare resource.
Thinking of how Qin Gang had first lost a Bone Jade Pill to Bai Bing and was now handing over a Heart Inquiry Pill, the others couldn’t help but look at him with a mixture of pity and amusement.
Celestial Derivation Peak Master Huang Zhen stroked his beard and chuckled as he looked at Qin Gang. ’This Peak Master of Zhenyue has always loved collecting rare treasures. Don’t be fooled by his calm facade; given how rare the Heart Inquiry Pill is, his heart is probably bleeding right now.’
Bai Bing extended a fair hand and steadily accepted the White Jade Porcelain Bottle. As her fingertips touched its cool surface, she could clearly feel the pure medicinal power of the elixir swirling within.
She stood up, gave a slight nod to Qin Gang, and said with a hint of a smile in her cool voice, "Thank you, Peak Master Qin."
Upon hearing this, the corner of Qin Gang’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. He forced a smile and said, "No need for thanks. A bet is a bet."
Bai Bing smiled and shook her head but said no more.
She usually spent all her time absorbed in closed-door cultivation, rarely expending energy to collect such top-tier treasures. The rewards for her disciples were also mostly standard sect resources.
’But at this moment, a thought suddenly occurred to her. It turns out I don’t need to go through the trouble of searching for treasures; I can easily obtain top-tier pills like the Bone Jade Pill and Heart Inquiry Pill through bets. This method is quite effortless.’
In just two bets, she had won a Bone Jade Pill to improve one’s foundation and a Heart Inquiry Pill to enhance comprehension from Qin Gang. It was a true godsend.
Qin Gang’s successive "deliveries" of treasures were greatly appreciated by Bai Bing.
Bai Bing looked up at Qin Gang, a teasing smile in her eyes, and said softly, "Peak Master Qin, I’ll hold on to this Heart Inquiry Pill and the Bone Jade Pill for you for now. Why don’t we have another bet next time? We’ll try to let you win all these treasures back."
When Qin Gang heard this, his mouth twitched even more violently. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, only let out a grunt. He then turned and strode away from the high platform, his retreating back looking for all the world like he was fleeing in defeat.
Watching Qin Gang leave, Sect Leader Cao Zhen let out a soft chuckle, then also rose and walked away.
Seeing this, the other Peak Masters also stood up and left the high platform one after another.
Bai Bing, Yunxi Peak Master Zhou Yunyi, and Celestial Derivation Peak Master Huang Zhen walked side-by-side.
Huang Zhen turned his head, smiled, and cupped his hands toward Bai Bing. "Congratulations, Peak Master Bai, on gaining such a prodigious disciple in Yang Jing! The boy has cultivated Three True Skills to the Qi Eating Realm simultaneously, which shows his talent is extraordinary. His future achievements will be limitless. With him and Si Jiawen supporting each other, Lingxi Peak is sure to prosper in the future."
A faint smile bloomed on Bai Bing’s beautiful, cool face. She shook her head slightly and said, "Peak Master Huang, you flatter me. Celestial Derivation Peak’s Chu Yunhai is also outstanding. He possesses a War Body and has limitless potential. My disciple had to give his all just to barely manage a draw with him. I should be the one congratulating you, Peak Master Huang. With such a talent, Celestial Derivation Peak will surely rise to new heights in the future."
Walking beside them, Zhou Yunyi listened to their back-and-forth flattery, her lips pressing into a thin line.
’These two... one is praising a disciple, the other is praising the first one back. It’s endless! Have they ever considered how anyone else feels?’
She paused for a moment and subconsciously shuffled half a step to the side. She suddenly no longer wanted to walk with these two "masters of prodigies."
𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
The overwhelming aura of prodigies all around was a bit too much for her to handle.