CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 149: TOURNAMENT REWARDS

WHOOSH!

Zi Yuan’s sword thrust towards Luo Feng.

The massive sword glow bathed the entire Dueling Arena in a sea of gold!

This strike seemed to possess the momentum to cleave heaven and earth!

The students watching from afar felt their scalps tingle, stimulated by the sharp qi in the sword glow!

Luo Feng also sensed this strike was extraordinary. The chilling murderous intent made his pores prickle open; he knew Zi Yuan was finally getting serious.

HUM!

A strange blood-red light spread across Luo Feng’s pupils. A domineering murderous intent, one that compelled submission, gathered in his eyes as the Tiger Soul Saber hummed and trembled.

"Sky-Piercing Evil Qi!"

A dark, gloomy blade glow howled out. It was nearly two meters high and three meters long, domineering and flamboyant, as if intending to cleave heaven and earth. Even the blazing sun seemed to be drawn into its light.

"AH!"

In the stands, an Outer Court student whose eyes met Luo Feng’s gaze screamed in horror, his face drenched in cold sweat.

BOOM!

The blade glow blocked Zi Yuan’s golden Sword Qi. The violent shockwave, almost palpable, spread outwards. A massive pit, five zhang long and wide, appeared in the ground between them!

"Good! Again!"

Zi Yuan paused for an instant, then shot Luo Feng an excited look before the sword in her hand howled once more.

Luo Feng, having already unleashed the Bloodthirsty Art and reached his peak state, also struck out with his saber.

Golden Sword Qi and eerie blade glows rampaged across the Dueling Arena. Immense crevices from the aftershocks spread out like a spiderweb in all directions.

"AH! This place is going to collapse! Retreat, quickly!"

A corner of the stands, ten meters away, even showed signs of collapse, sending the surrounding crowd scrambling back in panic.

"Unbelievable! They’re actually students from the same academy as us!"

"Forget fighting them; I couldn’t even withstand the aftermath of their battle!"

"The two seem evenly matched. I wonder who will win."

The surrounding Purple Sun School students gazed at the two combatants on stage, their eyes wide with awe, a slight tremor running through them.

"Stop!"

Just as everyone was speculating who would have the last laugh, a terrifying pressure suddenly engulfed the entire Dueling Arena.

Dean Zi Hongyuan appeared in the Dueling Arena. With a wave of his hand, two powerful torrents of Gang Qi swept towards Luo Feng and Zi Yuan.

WHOOSH!

The whistling Saber Gang and Sword Qi vanished instantly. Luo Feng and Zi Yuan were forced to halt, each driven back more than ten steps.

"Father, Luo Feng and I haven’t settled things yet! Why did you interfere? I was so close to winning!"

Zi Yuan had been enjoying herself. Interrupted so suddenly, her face immediately scrunched into a pout.

Luo Feng smiled faintly and looked at Zi Yuan. "Zi Yuan, you’re being unreasonable. I clearly had the upper hand. If the Dean had intervened a moment later, you would have lost."

Zi Yuan’s cheeks puffed out. "You’re shameless! I clearly won! Father, am I not right?"

Everyone else in the Dueling Arena also looked at Zi Hongyuan, curious as to how this duel would be concluded.

Looking at the eager Zi Yuan, Zi Hongyuan felt a slight headache. "You two, stop arguing. After discussing with the academy elders, we’ve decided this duel is a draw."

Saying this, Zi Hongyuan gave Luo Feng a profound look.

This duel had far exceeded his expectations.

Zi Hongyuan hadn’t expected Luo Feng to be capable of fighting Zi Yuan to a standstill.

If the match had continued, they might have both suffered grievous injuries.

Luo Feng nodded slightly. A draw... just as I expected.

The New Talent Tournament was less than three months away.

Getting injured now could very well affect his performance in the New Talent Tournament.

The academy certainly wouldn’t want to see that happen.

"A draw..." Zi Yuan pouted. Her bright eyes flickered towards Luo Feng, then she nodded and laughed. "Luo Feng, I still have trump cards I haven’t used. So, you still lost to me!"

"Oh, really?" Luo Feng touched his nose, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

He wasn’t surprised that Zi Yuan was hiding some of her strength.

However, he also had trump cards he hadn’t played.

If I were to unleash Dragon Roaring Nine Heavens, I might not necessarily lose to her.

"It’s a draw. That’s hardly surprising. With the New Talent Tournament approaching, Purple Sun School certainly wouldn’t want anything to happen to Luo Feng and Zi Yuan, their two seeded contestants."

Whispers spread through the surrounding stands.

A leader of a minor power from Qingfeng Town exclaimed, "Zi Yuan and Luo Feng’s duel was a real eye-opener! This trip wasn’t wasted!"

"My son is also fifteen this year, already at the Fourth Stage of the Rigid-Soft Realm, and he spends all day boasting about how amazing he is. I really should have brought him to see what true young talent looks like."

A middle-aged woman remarked, looking at Luo Feng with a mix of envy and exasperation.

Her words evoked a ripple of laughter from those nearby.

Luo Feng and Zi Yuan returned to the high platform in the center of the Dueling Arena.

"Senior Brother Luo Feng, Senior Sister Zi Yuan, congratulations."

The others on the Hidden Dragon List immediately stood up to congratulate them as they approached.

Their recent duel had been truly breathtaking! Such formidable strength had thoroughly awed these usually arrogant Hidden Dragon List elites.

Luo Feng nodded and walked towards his original seat.

Zi Yuan walked ahead and sat on the first golden chair. Seeing Luo Feng heading for the second, she teased with a mischievous laugh, "Luo Feng, now that we’re tied for first on the Hidden Dragon List, are you still going to sit in the second golden chair?"

Catching the mischievous glint in Zi Yuan’s eyes, Luo Feng’s eyes flashed, and he chuckled. "Thanks for the reminder. Indeed, I should also sit in the first golden chair. I just wonder if it’s wide enough for two."

With that, Luo Feng walked straight towards her chair.

Seeing Luo Feng wasn’t joking, Zi Yuan grew anxious. "Don’t come over! I was just kidding!"

Luo Feng chuckled. In an instant, he was seated firmly in the second golden chair.

"I was just kidding too."

Zi Yuan froze, realizing Luo Feng had tricked her. Her face flushed crimson. "You villain!"

PHEW...

Dean Zi Hongyuan walked to the center of the Dueling Arena, waved his hand for silence, and announced, "The qualification challenge has successfully concluded! The top ten on the Hidden Dragon List will represent the academy at the New Talent Tournament! Now, for the rewards."

BUZZ!

Hearing the word ’rewards,’ all Purple Sun School students immediately craned their necks, afraid to miss a single word.

Zi Hongyuan announced loudly, "Winged Tiger List students will each receive twenty Condensation Yuan Pills. Hidden Dragon List members ranked seventh to tenth will be awarded three second-grade Spiritual Medicine, Tiger Gang Pills. Those ranked fourth to sixth will receive five Tiger Gang Pills and one Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Arts Secret Manual. The top three will be awarded one third-grade Spiritual Medicine, a Condensing Gang Pill, and one Yellow Grade Peak-Rank Martial Arts Secret Manual."

After a brief pause, Zi Hongyuan continued, "Furthermore, the top three students will receive personal guidance from a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert."

BOOM!

As his words fell, the entire Dueling Arena erupted with excitement.

The students receiving awards cheered excitedly.

Those who didn’t win secretly vowed to earn a place in next year’s qualification challenge.

"Guidance from a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert! So enviable! I wonder when I’ll ever get such an opportunity."

All eyes were on four people: Zi Yuan, Luo Feng, Yang Hong, and Xu Mei.

With Lin Yun seriously injured, Luo Feng and Zi Yuan were tied for first.

Yang Hong and Xu Mei, originally third and fourth, moved up to second and third place, respectively.

Bing Ruolan was ranked fourth.

A Yellow Grade Peak-Rank Martial Arts Secret Manual and guidance from a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert...

Luo Feng licked his lips.

He wasn’t overly concerned about the Yellow Grade Peak-Rank Martial Arts Secret Manual.

He wasn’t currently lacking Martial Arts.

But the reward of personal guidance from a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert was undeniably tempting.

Spiritual Rotation Realm experts had already surpassed the ninth level of the Meridian Wheel Realm, stepping into another realm of Cultivation, their strength undergoing a complete metamorphosis!

Even the smallest fragment of these experts’ Cultivation experience was incredibly precious to Meridian Wheel Realm Martial Artists!

Receiving guidance from a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert was something every Martial Artist dreamed of!

"Personal guidance from a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert... Tsk, tsk. Purple Sun School is truly going all out this time."

"Purple Sun School ranked last in the previous New Talent Tournament. I heard Dean Zi Hongyuan was even ridiculed by Dean Li Wansong of Wanluo School. No wonder he’s so determined to cultivate these seeded contestants."

Those present were influential figures from various powers within a hundred-li radius of Purple Sun School. A little thought was all it took for them to grasp the crux of the matter.

"In ten days, assemble at the academy plaza. That expert will come to meet you personally then."

Zi Hongyuan reminded Luo Feng and the others, then declared the qualification challenge officially over.

People began to leave the Dueling Arena, their discussions lively as they went.

"With a dark horse like Luo Feng emerging and a Spiritual Rotation Realm expert invited, Purple Sun School shouldn’t end up last among the Four Great Academies in this year’s New Talent Tournament."

"That’s hard to say. Which of the Four Great Academies lacks talent? Tianlan School’s ’Heavenly Fragrant Woman’ He Qin, Floating Snow School’s ’Traceless Young Master’ Ji Wufa, and Wanluo School’s ’Thunderbolt Spear’ Wan Feng all possess potential and talent rivaling those two."

"Mm, I heard a rumor that ’Heavenly Fragrant Woman’ He Qin and ’Traceless Young Master’ Ji Wufa reached the peak of the Seventh Stage of the Essence storage Realm a month ago."

"Peak of the Seventh Stage of the Essence storage Realm! Doesn’t that mean Luo Feng and Zi Yuan stand no chance?"

"Not necessarily. I just have a feeling that Luo Feng isn’t so simple."

"Let’s stop guessing. The results will be clear in three months."

"Indeed. I should also hurry to the Red Chain Mountain Range to hunt some Demon Beasts for travel money. I absolutely have to see this year’s New Talent Tournament with my own eyes!"

...

Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan left the Dueling Arena together, walking side by side on the path back to Purple Spirit Peak.

"Luo Feng, congratulations on becoming number one in our academy."

Luo Feng glanced at Bing Ruolan’s delicate profile and smiled faintly. "Tied for first, actually."

The radiant evening glow bathed Bing Ruolan, dyeing her pale blue short hair with dream-like hues. She smiled sweetly,

"After you train with the Spiritual Rotation Realm expert, your Cultivation will surely reach a new level. In two months, you’ll definitely become the true number one!"

Luo Feng was momentarily captivated by Bing Ruolan’s beautiful, ethereal silhouette. Her words, however, snapped him back to reality. "Ruolan," he asked, "would you like to come with us?"

Bing Ruolan paused in her steps and turned to look at Luo Feng, a brilliant smile on her face. "It’s alright if I don’t go. I’ll just continue to cultivate diligently at the academy."

Although she hid it well, Luo Feng still caught the flicker of disappointment deep within her sapphire-blue eyes.

This girl can’t even tell a convincing lie.

Luo Feng smiled inwardly. After a moment’s thought, he made a decision.