Chapter 434 - 155: First Place
Below the Cyan Qilin Platform.
Yuwen Mingjue’s expression was thunderous, his fists clenched tightly inside his sleeves.
He had already tried his best to overestimate Yang Jing’s strength, but reality had still far surpassed his expectations, leaving him deeply shocked.
He knew better than anyone just how strong Zhao Chong was.
Even he couldn’t say with one hundred percent certainty that he could defeat Zhao Chong.
But this formidable rival hadn’t even lasted a hundred moves against Yang Jing before admitting defeat in disgrace.
The scene felt utterly inconceivable to Yuwen Mingjue. A chill crept up his spine, spreading through his entire body.
’Yang Jing defeated Zhao Chong so cleanly. If I were to face him... could I hold my own?’
’Could I withstand that ferocious, unparalleled fist power? And that ghost-like Body Technique?’
In the crowd of disciples watching from not far away, the discussions about Yang Jing grew louder and louder, every word falling on Yuwen Mingjue’s ears.
"This Yang Jing is just too strong! Even Zhao Chong was no match for him. With this level of strength, he could probably go toe-to-toe with Yuwen Mingjue!"
"Who would have thought Lingxi Peak could produce such a monster? To make it into the top three in his first-ever Cyan Qilin Battle!"
These words of astonishment at Yang Jing’s overwhelming strength were like needles, pricking at Yuwen Mingjue’s heart and filling him with irritation.
Before Yang Jing defeated Zhao Chong, he had never paid the Lingxi Peak disciple any mind. He had dismissed him as a mere nuisance. After all, the people Yang Jing had defeated before were nothing but pushovers in his eyes, not worth a second glance.
But the moment Yang Jing defeated Zhao Chong, a pressure like a mountain came crashing down on his heart.
Yuwen Mingjue’s expression grew uglier, and even his breathing became a little heavier.
...
In a small pavilion on a distant hill.
A gentle breeze swept through, causing the tea in the cups on the stone table to ripple.
Peak Master Bai Bing of Lingxi Peak, Peak Master Zhou Yunyi of Yunxi Peak, Peak Master Huang Zhen of Celestial Derivation Peak, and Peak Master Li Zhihai of Qingxu Peak were seated together, their gazes fixed on the Cyan Qilin Platform, each with a different expression.
All four of them had witnessed Yang Jing’s dominant victory over Zhao Chong just now.
Huang Zhen looked surprised as he spoke. "I never would have expected it. That Yang Jing was holding back! An ordinary disciple who has mastered three martial arts to the point of essence manifestation would never have such formidable Inner Strength and physical power. Either the boy was born with Divine Power and his physique is extraordinary, or one of the arts he cultivates is of a very high quality, far beyond any common technique."
Hearing this, the other three Peak Masters slowly nodded.
They were all grandmasters of the Martial Dao with keen eyes. They had long since seen that Yang Jing had the foundation of three martial arts mastered to the point of essence manifestation.
But if it were merely three such martial arts, he should never have been able to overpower Zhao Chong and his Low-grade True Skill, the Sky-Splitting Fist. After all, Zhao Chong not only majored in a Low-grade True Skill but had also trained in multiple other martial arts. His foundation was far deeper than that of his peers.
And yet, the final result was Zhao Chong’s crushing defeat at Yang Jing’s hands.
This meant that Yang Jing still had a hidden card up his sleeve.
The pavilion fell silent for a moment.
Except for Bai Bing, whose expression remained placid and unreadable as if she had expected this all along, the faces of Zhou Yunyi, Huang Zhen, and Li Zhihai were all filled with astonishment.
They had all underestimated the true strength of this disciple from Lingxi Peak.
The silence didn’t last long. Peak Master Qingxu, Li Zhihai, took a sip of his tea, his eyes filled with admiration. He smiled and said, "This Yang Jing becomes more surprising with every fight. Defeating Zhao Chong is proof of his deep foundation. I’m afraid even Yuwen Mingjue might not win against him. Lingxi Peak is quiet, but when it makes a move, it shakes the world! It seems they’re on track to produce the champion of this Cyan Qilin Battle."
As Li Zhihai finished speaking, Peak Master Yunxi, Zhou Yunyi, furrowed her brow slightly.
Yuwen Mingjue was a disciple of her Yunxi Peak. If he could take first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle, it would undoubtedly be a great honor for Yunxi Peak.
But Yang Jing’s current display of strength was so astonishing that she was no longer confident.
What frustrated her even more was the memory of when Peak Master Zhenyue, Qin Gang, had recommended Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang to join Yunxi Peak. She herself had rejected them on the grounds of their "mediocre aptitude"...
Peak Master Lingxi, Bai Bing, remained silent from beginning to end. She simply gazed toward the Cyan Qilin Platform as a faint, almost imperceptible softness flickered in her cool eyes. Her fingertips tapped lightly on the stone table, as if she were pondering something.
Outside the pavilion, the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak, Si Jiawen, stood elegantly, her excited gaze fixed on Yang Jing.
She would never have dared to imagine that Yang Jing could actually defeat Zhao Chong.
After all, Zhao Chong had quite a reputation in the Xuanzhen Sect. Who would have guessed that the victor would be decided after only a few dozen moves?
With Yang Jing’s current record, he was guaranteed at least second place and was now vying for first.
At the start of the Cyan Qilin Battle, she wouldn’t have even dared to dream of such a result.
Si Jiawen let out a soft sigh of relief, the heavy weight on her heart finally lifting.
As long as Yang Jing placed in the top three, her Master would have the standing to negotiate with the Main Peak. ’And if he manages to take first place...’ At this thought, Si Jiawen couldn’t help but smile. ’Just imagining that scene, what a great show that would be to watch.’
...
「At the same time.」
Outside the railings below the Cyan Qilin Platform, within the crowd of spectating disciples.
Sun Ningxiang, Liu Rou, and Lin Wenxuan were chatting amongst themselves.
Liu Rou gazed at Yang Jing, who was surrounded by a crowd not far away, her eyes filled with admiration and envy. She said softly, "Senior Brother Yang is truly incredible now. He’s guaranteed second place and is fighting for first. With this achievement, he’ll receive a reward from the sect and also get to use a Grade B Training Room for five days, free of charge."