Yu Qingtang was still thinking wistfully about Jin Lulu’s little restaurant-review booklet. Honestly, Ye Chenyan’s suggestion tempted him quite a bit.
Still, he cleared his throat with restrained dignity. “I’ve already eaten a lot...”
Maybe they could just eat a little more. Eating their way through all of Qingzhou was a bit excessive.
A solemn voice from the great hall cut off their conversation.
“The Heavenly Dao endures; all things turn in their cycles.”
Yu Qingtang looked up and pricked up his ears. The voice sounded oddly familiar—wasn’t it the one from the schoolhouse before?
Feeling vaguely guilty, he rubbed at his nose. That voice had seemed rather displeased with him last time. He had no idea how it felt now...
“As each sixty-year cycle turns, gifted figures rise in abundance.”
As the solemn voice rang out, a golden ranking board unfurled in the great hall. Gold rippled upward from the bottom, and lines of names appeared one after another: the outstanding disciples of every sect and school.
It had its own system of evaluation, ranking everyone based on their performance within the Ancient Academy Realm as well as their individual strength.
Naturally, the original novel had never listed every participant’s place in full. It had only mentioned Jin Yangzi in first and Ye Chenyan in second, before their peak Golden Core battle.
But that battle had already happened ahead of schedule. The rankings would probably be different now.
Curious, Yu Qingtang craned his neck and joined everyone else in experiencing what it felt like for ancient students to wait for their names to appear on the list.
—Not that he was worried about his rank.
He was worried his name would not appear at all.
After all, Tianji Zi had said he was a little unusual...
As the names emerged one by one on the golden board, the jade token at Yu Qingtang’s waist gave a quiet flash. His name was unobtrusively added to the very bottom.
Yu Qingtang’s eyes lit up, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as it’s there!
It seemed Tianji Zi’s jade token was genuinely remarkable. It could not only fool the Flying Immortals Ranking, but even trick the awareness within the Ancient Academy Realm.
Once he was sure his cover had not been blown, Yu Qingtang relaxed considerably and began openly enjoying everyone else’s business.
Miaoyin Xian’s rank was not high. Neither were the ranks of the Heavenly Music Sect as a whole—but music cultivators were not particularly competitive by nature, so that was only to be expected.
By contrast, the Heavenly Fire Cult and Guiyi Sect occupied higher places. One wielded domineering fire-attribute spiritual power, while the other boasted peerless sword cultivators. Both were naturally favored in combat.
What surprised him more was Scholar Xiao’s ranking. It was rather high—actually a little above Chi Yantian’s.
Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. Near the top of the golden board, his own name finally surfaced slowly.
But there was still someone above him.
Amid countless watching eyes, Wen Rubing’s name appeared at last, suppressing all others as it took first place.
Whispers immediately broke out around the hall, and everyone’s gaze fell on him.
“Guiyi Sect’s first disciple! That pressure... He has already reached the Nascent Soul Realm!”
“More than that—the second place is also Guiyi Sect’s. This year’s Golden Core Competition, Guiyi Sect is going to steal the spotlight again!”
“Hmph. Sword cultivators only have the advantage in the early stages. Just wait until later...”
Wen Rubing remained neither arrogant nor humble. None of the surrounding comments seemed capable of stirring his emotions. He simply stood calmly before the other disciples of Guiyi Sect.
But the rankings had not been finalized yet. The solemn voice spoke again.
“Any who dispute the rankings may issue a challenge.”
Watching the spectacle, Yu Qingtang suddenly remembered—
In the original story, Wen Rubing had already left the Ancient Academy Realm by this point. Ye Chenyan, ranked second, was supposed to challenge Jin Yangzi, who held first place.
But now Jin Yangzi was absent, and first place belonged to Wen Rubing...
Yu Qingtang stole a glance at Ye Chenyan.
Ye Chenyan’s brows drew together slightly. He seemed to be in something of a bind as well.
“I object!”
Before Ye Chenyan could speak, Chi Yantian had already stepped forward, eyes blazing.
Yu Qingtang turned to look at that new spectacle. Chi Yantian’s ranking was already quite high, though there were still plenty of people above him. Yu had no idea whom he planned to challenge...
Then Chi Yantian raised a hand and pointed directly at him, glaring furiously at the golden board.
“Why is she dead last? What kind of trash ranking is this?”
Yu Qingtang’s expression froze.
“...”
Everyone’s eyes turned in unison toward the golden board, focusing on the three characters at the very bottom.
Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang: “...”
He had never imagined that being dead last would attract more attention than taking first place.
A bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead. He asked softly, “Is there any chance I actually deserve it?”
“Impossible!” Chi Yantian was even angrier than Yu himself. “That turtle shell of yours is ridiculously hard!”
Yu Qingtang covered his eyes.
“...”
“Indeed.” Wen Rubing opened his eyes. “Miss Yu’s qin music is exquisite. She cannot possibly be ranked dead last.”
“Does this academy ranking only value the desire to outdo others?”
“She carries the secret Lotus Realm inheritance of our Buddhist sects. There is no way she should be placed so low.”
A young Buddhist nun stepped from the crowd. Though she looked young, her expression inspired an instinctive sense of kindness and calm.
She offered Yu Qingtang a slight smile. “Miss Yu, I am Tianhui of White Cloud Nunnery.”
Yu Qingtang’s heart dropped.
Oh no. Dharma Academy’s rivals are here.
“Let’s make one thing clear first.” Ye Chenyan stepped in front of him, one brow raised. “Yu Qingtang does not want your Buddhist secret inheritance in the first place. You can discuss with Dharma Academy who should receive the Lotus Realm. Do not trouble him.”
Yu Qingtang hurriedly nodded along. “I can give it to either of you. You can settle it among yourselves.”
Please do not make him the judge!
How could he possibly arbitrate between such important figures? One careless word, and this could turn into a bloody conflict between sects.
“We would never trouble Miss Yu,” Tianhui said with a gentle smile. “Buddhist sects speak of affinity. Since the Lotus Realm came to Miss Yu, it naturally means that she shares an affinity with Buddhism.”
“Even if she never returns it, that would be fine—as long as it does not go to that damned Dharma Academy.”
Yu Qingtang: “...”
Master Tianhui smiled gently, and her tone was soft as well. But whenever Dharma Academy came up, she practically ground her teeth. Their grudge clearly ran deep.
On the other side of the crowd, the Dharma Academy disciples Yu Qingtang had searched for in vain throughout the Ancient Academy Realm finally made their appearance.
The monk at their head had an unusually round skull, delicate features, and a pointed little face entirely at odds with his powerful physique.
The contrast gave him the bizarre beauty of a muscle-bound Barbie.
The muscle-bound Barbie monk pressed his palms together and bowed to Yu Qingtang. “Benefactor, this humble monk is Baoding. At last, I have met you.”
He glanced faintly toward Tianhui.
“Since we have come to the Golden Core Competition, any dispute should naturally be settled on the martial platform.”
“White Cloud Nunnery believes Dharma Academy unworthy of the Lotus Realm. Then let us settle the matter on the martial platform.”
“Gladly.” Both of them wore equally cordial smiles, yet the atmosphere had turned unusually tense.
Tianhui glanced toward Wen Rubing and smiled. “But the Lotus Realm may not necessarily belong to either of us.”
A sharp gleam flashed through her eyes as she turned toward Yu Qingtang with a smile.
“Whichever of us takes first place in the Golden Core Competition will earn the right to receive her inheritance and bring the Lotus Realm home.”
Baoding frowned slightly and looked deeply at Wen Rubing. Then he raised a hand to Tianhui.
“Agreed.”
“Please.”
The two of them flew onto the platform, beginning the first battle of the Golden Core Competition.
With them setting the example, many others began issuing challenges as well. They leaped into the air, and all nine martial platforms opened at once. Techniques flashed in every direction, dazzling the eye. The whole hall erupted into excitement.
Yu Qingtang stared at the two Buddhists fighting among themselves, then edged closer to Ye Chenyan and asked, “Can those two... beat Senior Brother Wen?”
Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow and gave a soft snort of laughter. “Together, perhaps. Separately...”
He shook his head.
Yu Qingtang was even more shocked. “Then what is Master Tianhui thinking?”
Ye Chenyan looked deeply at them and chuckled. “Her name suits her. She is clever.”
“White Cloud Nunnery does not excel in combat, while Dharma Academy tempers the body until it is nearly indestructible. She is most likely no match for Monk Baoding. But she does not want him to obtain the Lotus Realm, so she came up with this expedient.”
Just as Ye Chenyan had said, Tianhui launched attack after attack on the martial platform, yet she clearly could not shake Baoding’s defense. The battle gradually reached a stalemate.
Ye Chenyan tilted his head and leaned close to Yu Qingtang’s ear.
“In short, she thinks that as long as Dharma Academy does not get it, leaving it with you will do in a pinch.”
Yu Qingtang looked ready to cry. “But I don’t want to do in a pinch!”
This hot potato was not just a figure of speech.
It could literally set his butt on fire.
Ye Chenyan laughed softly. “Then why not ask Senior Brother Wen to pretend to lose to Baoding and pass this trouble along?”
Yu Qingtang’s eyes lit up. “Would Senior Brother Wen agree?”
“No.” Ye Chenyan smiled brightly. “Senior Brother Wen is impartial as iron. As long as something involves an exam, he will never play favorites.”
Yu Qingtang: “...”
Annoyed, he smacked Ye Chenyan once. “Then you only said that to tease me!”
The hit did not hurt Ye Chenyan in the slightest. Instead, it made him raise his brows and smile.
He leaned closer to Yu Qingtang’s ear and cleared his throat.
“Which is why you can only ask me.”
“If you ask me to defeat Senior Brother Wen, then I can pretend to lose to that monk and help you toss this burden away. How does that sound?”
Yu Qingtang paused. He glanced at Ye Chenyan, then secretly looked toward Wen Rubing.
“Then... are you really going to challenge Senior Brother Wen? He has already formed a Nascent Soul.”
“Why not?” Ye Chenyan crossed his arms, utterly unconcerned.
“Let me make this clear—I’m not looking down on you.” Yu Qingtang hesitated. “I just think...”
In the original story, Ye Chenyan had challenged Jin Yangzi while carrying the hopes of his sect and seeking to avenge Wen Rubing.
But now, if he challenged his own senior brother, the situation would be entirely different.
His position in Guiyi Sect was already delicate. If he defeated Wen Rubing as well...
Yu Qingtang grabbed him. “Maybe forget it.”
Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. “You’re afraid I can’t beat him?”
“I’m afraid you can!” Yu Qingtang sighed. “It would make you look so... un-united and unfriendly. What if everyone else starts disliking you again?”
Ye Chenyan’s gaze shifted slightly. He nodded in thought.
“When you put it that way... that is very possible.”
“Then the Discipline Elder, those old fossils who already dislike me, and everyone else will definitely seize the chance to lodge complaints and make trouble for me.”
“Right?” Yu Qingtang nodded with him. “So...”
“So when the time comes, remember to coax me.” Ye Chenyan laughed, then suddenly rose into the air. He cupped his hands toward Wen Rubing. “Senior Brother Wen, would you grant me a match?”
Wen Rubing slowly raised his head, one hand closing around the hilt of his sword.
He nodded lightly.
“Good.”
Yu Qingtang stared in shock, at a complete loss. He pointed at the two men in midair.
“He—he...”
“I know.” Li Ling’er nodded along, her expression complicated. “Why is this guy such a show-off? He’s like a peacock °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° spreading his tail.”
“I can’t stand him.”
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter