Chapter 490 - 170: Dumbfounded

Gao Yang shook his head, tapping his fingertips lightly on the stone table. "I’ve only heard some scattered rumors. No one can say for sure what the specific rewards will be. But I imagine the official announcement for the Fushan Grand Competition will be posted soon. We’ll find out then."

Xu Ziqiang nodded, picked up his teacup, and drained it in one gulp. The look in his eyes grew a few shades darker.

He was indeed confident in his own strength, but as for taking one of the top three spots, even he felt it was unrealistic.

Although the vast majority of the Xuanzhen Sect’s Inner Qi Realm disciples were over thirty years old, there were still a few who were younger.

The two of them were considered among the best of the Inner Strength Realm disciples, but if they were to face an Inner Qi Realm expert, defeat was the only possible outcome.

...

Night.

Yunxi Peak.

Inside Yuwen Mingjue’s courtyard.

Within the main house, candlelight flickered, casting their two silhouettes onto the wall, making them flicker and fade.

Yuwen Mingjue sat on a wooden chair to one side, his face still tinged with a faint pallor.

He had been severely wounded by Yang Jing on the Cyan Qilin Platform, and though his injuries had improved significantly, he was still far from a full recovery.

Sitting opposite him was none other than the man at the top of the Hidden Dragon List, Chu Yunhai.

Chu Yunhai wore simple, solid-colored martial attire, his back as straight as a pine tree. His expression was calm and composed. In contrast, Yuwen Mingjue’s face betrayed a sense of restraint and humility, and he even deliberately lowered his posture as he sat.

Yuwen Mingjue looked at Chu Yunhai and said softly, "Senior Brother Chu, regarding the Divine Flame Fruit you asked my family to look into last time, I have some news from my clan."

Chu Yunhai’s eyes had been downcast. Upon hearing the three words "Divine Flame Fruit," a flicker of joy instantly appeared on his calm face, and his composed aura dissipated somewhat. He looked up at Yuwen Mingjue and asked, "What news?"

Seeing this, Yuwen Mingjue was secretly delighted. He quickly straightened his back and replied, "The Divine Flame Fruit is currently in the hands of a wealthy merchant in Wenyang Prefecture. Coincidentally, this merchant’s ancestors had some past dealings with my Yuwen Family.

"If a certain high-ranking elder from my clan is willing to personally approach the merchant, then out of respect for their old ties, he should be willing to sell the Divine Flame Fruit to my Yuwen Family."

Chu Yunhai’s eyes instantly lit up, a fervent glow shimmering within them.

He had been stuck at the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm for many years, his path forward uncertain. It was already difficult to successfully break through, but to do so and reach the Qi Absorption Realm before next year’s Gold Platform Grand Competition? That was as hard as ascending to the heavens.

He had tried once before, only to fail in the end and suffer internal injuries.

Even with the experience from that attempt, he wasn’t very confident he could succeed if he tried to break through again.

That was why he had pinned his hopes for a breakthrough on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures or precious pills.

However, treasures that could help one break through from the Qi Eating Realm to the Qi Absorption Realm were exceedingly rare, as uncommon as a phoenix feather or a qilin’s horn. He had searched for a long time without a single clue.

The last time he had specifically come to Yunxi Peak to find Yuwen Mingjue, it was because he had his eyes on the Yuwen Family’s power. He wanted them to use their influence to help him find some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that could aid his breakthrough. The Divine Flame Fruit was one such item.

If he could obtain the Divine Flame Fruit and refine its pure medicinal power, his chances of breaking through to the Qi Absorption Realm would increase by at least twenty percent!

A long-absent smile appeared on Chu Yunhai’s face. He said gently to Yuwen Mingjue, "In that case, I must thank you, Junior Yuwen. As for the price of the Divine Flame Fruit, you can rest assured, Junior Brother. I will absolutely not let the Yuwen Family take a loss. I can buy it for double the price."

Yuwen Mingjue quickly stood up, bowed slightly to Chu Yunhai, and put on an obsequious smile, waving his hands repeatedly. "Senior Brother Chu, you’re being too formal. There’s no need for double the price. It’s just..."

His tone shifted, and a troubled look appeared on his face. "That elder in my clan has always been stubborn and old-fashioned, and he’s not easy to persuade. I’m not completely confident I can convince him to personally go to Wenyang Prefecture. I can only do my best. Whether it succeeds in the end will be up to fate."

How could someone as astute as Chu Yunhai not instantly grasp the hidden meaning in Yuwen Mingjue’s words?

He set down his teacup, his gaze heavy as he looked at Yuwen Mingjue. He got straight to the point. "Junior Yuwen, is there something you’re finding difficult to say? You might as well speak plainly."

Hearing this, a flash of hesitation crossed Yuwen Mingjue’s eyes. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he bowed deeply to Chu Yunhai, his voice filled with an irrepressible hatred. "Senior Brother Chu, to be honest, that Yang Jing from Lingxi Peak not only stole the woman I love, but he also severely injured me on the Cyan Qilin Platform, causing me to lose all face! This grievance is stuck in my chest, and I simply can’t swallow it!"

He raised his head, his eyes swirling with venomous light, and his voice grew more urgent. "I heard the Fushan Grand Competition is about to begin. I hope Senior Brother Chu can help me teach that person a harsh lesson! You don’t need to kill him—I know that would put you in a difficult position. You just need to injure him severely, even more severely than I was injured. That will be enough!"

Yuwen Mingjue stared fixedly at Chu Yunhai and said, word by word, "As long as you agree to this, Senior Brother Chu, I will risk everything and do everything in my power to persuade the clan elder to help you obtain that Divine Flame Fruit!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunhai looked at the teeth-gritting Yuwen Mingjue before him, his brow furrowing deeply.

Time passed, second by second.

Chu Yunhai pondered for a long time, weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he slowly shook his head and said in a level voice, "Junior Yuwen, I cannot agree to this."

Yuwen Mingjue’s eyes widened instantly, the ferocious expression on his face freezing. He looked at Chu Yunhai in disbelief and asked, his voice cracking, "Why?!"

He had thought the bait he’d thrown out was tempting enough that Chu Yunhai would agree without a moment’s hesitation.

After all, it was just a matter of severely injuring a disciple, something that could be done with little effort. In exchange, he would gain the hope of breaking through to the Qi Absorption Realm, increasing his chances by a full twenty percent!

’This is a major matter concerning his future on the Martial Dao, yet Chu Yunhai refused?’

Chu Yunhai spoke lightly, his tone betraying no emotion. "There is no why. The sect has its rules. Disciples of the same sect are forbidden from killing each other."

’That reason was complete bullshit.’

Sparring and conflict between disciples within the sect never ceased. As long as no one died, the Elders mostly turned a blind eye.

But Chu Yunhai knew very well that the Yang Jing of today was no longer the nobody he once was.

The current Yang Jing had not only taken first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle, broken through to the Qi Eating Realm, and entered the Hidden Dragon List, but he had also been accepted as a Direct Disciple by Peak Master Lingxi, Bai Bing.

’That carried a completely different weight.’

Although he had the support of the Celestial Derivation Peak Master, offending an existence like Bai Bing, and even damaging his image in the eyes of the sect’s upper echelon, all for a Divine Flame Fruit he wasn’t even sure he could obtain, was simply not worth the price.

He could tell the difference between a single feast and a steady supply of food.

He certainly wanted to break through to the Qi Absorption Realm as soon as possible to prepare for the Gold Platform Grand Competition a year from now.

But even without the Divine Flame Fruit, as long as he had enough time, he was confident he could cross that threshold and step into the Qi Absorption Realm. At worst, he would just have to wait for the Gold Platform Grand Competition six years later. After all, he was still young.

Yuwen Mingjue stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded.

He never would have thought that after laying such a careful trap, one he was ninety percent sure would hook Chu Yunhai, the big fish that seemed to have taken the bait would just lightly slip away.

"Senior Brother Chu, you... this... he..."

For a moment, Yuwen Mingjue was utterly tongue-tied.

’Of course, I don’t believe that bullshit Chu Yunhai said about disciples being forbidden from harming each other. I just can’t figure out why he refused.’

’Is Yang Jing really that important in Chu Yunhai’s eyes?’

’So what if he’s on the Hidden Dragon List?’

’You’re the one at the top of the Hidden Dragon List!’