Capítulo 1049: Chapter 386: What Exactly Are You Four Doing?!
“That’s enough, stop now, young man.” Song Taosheng waited for a moment longer, seeing that Ning Zhuo showed no signs of stopping, he finally spoke up again and called Ning Zhuo to halt.
Ning Zhuo’s thigh was a bloody mess. After being reminded, he opened his eyes, paused for a moment, and only then realized he had already won.
Song Taosheng, with a gentle expression, asked Ning Zhuo for his name while casting a healing spell.
The wounds on Ning Zhuo’s body began to rapidly recover at a speed visible to the naked eye.
This rate of recovery caused a flash of surprise in Song Taosheng’s eyes, as he thought to himself, “This youngster’s physical foundation is quite remarkable!”
Ning Zhuo bowed to Song Taosheng, first expressing his gratitude, then respectfully answering with his name.
Song Taosheng took out three ink sticks and a jade slip.
“You are the champion this time; here is the Bitter Ink, and here is a Qi Gathering Technique I created myself, called ‘Song Tao’s Qi Nourishing Art.’ These two items are your rewards.”
Song Taosheng activated his mana, making the prizes float in front of Ning Zhuo.
After thanking him once more, Ning Zhuo accepted the rewards with both hands under the envious gazes of the others.
He examined the rewards in his hands.
He set aside the jade slip containing the cultivation technique for now, as it was his first time seeing the Bitter Ink.
This ink stick was not purely black but had a bitter brown color, deep and introverted, as if it absorbed endless night.
It had a faintly clean and bitter scent of pine and cypress when smelled.
It felt heavy in his hand, and Ning Zhuo felt that the ink stick was as solid as mystic iron.
Song Taosheng sized up Ning Zhuo, openly admiring him, stroking his beard, he said, “It’s a pity you have achieved Foundation Establishment; otherwise, with your temperament, you would have a bright future in Confucianism.”
“Oh well, I’ll give you another opportunity.”
As he spoke, Song Taosheng gently waved his sleeve, and the gate of the Confucian Temple immediately opened.
Facing the dense pine forest outside the gate, he spread his fingers wide and made a grabbing motion into the air.
Song Tao’s Qi Nourishing Art instantly activated, bringing a breath of literary style towards him.
Song Taosheng infused the literary style into Ning Zhuo: “This is the effect of Song Tao’s Qi Nourishing Art. Even if you are not a Confucian cultivator, you can use it. You should carefully experience the use of the literary style. When your cultivation succeeds in the future, you are allowed to come to this mountain anytime to absorb the pine breeze here.”
Ning Zhuo immediately showed an expression of joy and thanked him once more.
“Alright, you may leave now.” Song Taosheng waved his sleeve, directly dismissing the guests.
The second and third-place Confucian cultivators immediately showed expressions of disappointment, as they still held the unrealistic hope that the top three would all receive rewards.
However, it’s not uncommon for the Xingyun Trial to be winner-takes-all.
The crowd passed through the gate of the Confucian Temple and surged outside the temple.
Some people left directly, while others approached Ning Zhuo and greeted him proactively.
Ning Zhuo did not refuse anyone, smiling and forming good relations widely.
After a busy while, Ning Zhuo noticed that Bai Jiyun, Liu Fushu, and Kong Ran had been waiting for him, so he gladly joined their company.
Bai Jiyun, with a gentle and composed temperament, gave a hearty smile and directly praised, “Daoist Friend Ning, your determination is admirable!”
Liu Fushu, having lost wholeheartedly this time, also nodded in agreement with envy and reminded Ning Zhuo, “From what I’ve seen, Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo, you have already secured two first-place titles in the Xingyun Trial. With one more first-place, you can go to the registration area to exchange for a new identity token.”
Bai Jiyun nodded and added, “This should be done quickly. The entire Myriad Images Sect is watching. If at this moment, Brother Ning can exchange for a Stone Token, it would indeed be a great debut.”
Kong Ran: “I’ve heard that Situ Xing has already obtained three first-place titles and now has a Stone Token.”
“Brother Ning, if you work hard, you still have a chance.”
“But remember to watch the time. If it drags on longer, and more people get a Stone Token, it won’t be special or stand out anymore.”
According to the rules of the Myriad Images Sect, the identification tokens for cultivators in the Xingyun Trial are constantly changing. Wood Token, Stone Token, Copper Token, Iron Token, Silver Token, Gold Token, all the way to Jade Token… Each level of identification token represents the Myriad Images Sect’s recognition of the cultivator’s present and future potential.
“Alright, I’ll do my best!” Ning Zhuo nodded.
He couldn’t help but ask himself: Should he make his debut now?
Others thought he should strive for success, but Ning Zhuo knew his own strength; winning a first place wasnt a difficult task.
“The question is, is it appropriate for me to stand out now?”
Ning Zhuo was also constantly keeping up with the latest information.
Currently, several cultivators have exchanged for the Stone Token, and indeed Situ Xing was among them.
“The Confucian cultivators should hope for me to get the Stone Token.”
“But from how I see it, Shen Xi, Lin Jinglong, and the others haven’t truly exerted themselves but have instead let Situ Xing stand out first.”
“Is it really good for me to show up now? What would be lost, and what would be gained?”
Ning Zhuo pondered this question all the way back to the Bluestone Cave Mansion, but he couldn’t figure it out.
Ning Zhuo knew the reason himself: “I have no grasp of the specific inner affairs of the Myriad Images Sect. I’m new here, and I haven’t figured out many situations, not even encountered a genuine higher-up before.”
As a young man who has mostly mixed in Immortal City, participating in such a super sect was indeed a first for him. Especially since the Myriad Images Sect was one of the most extensive among many super sects.
The Confucian cultivators were secretly supporting Ning Zhuo, but they were only of the middle level and were still maintaining a safe distance from Ning Zhuo. Close communication was simply not possible.
Qing Huangzi was a Loose Cultivator, Golden Core Level, whose positioning was, in Ning Zhuo’s view, not much different from his mother Meng Yaoyin when she was alive.
Wen Ruanyu was a Confucian Cultivator stationed outside all year round, and he was still being held under house arrest.
Yang Sanyan, as an important member of the Evil Slaying Hall, might have a deep understanding of the sect’s internal affairs, but he was still in White Paper Immortal City.