Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Four: Reward

Chang Jingyan’s strength was something Yang Ze had already guessed to a certain extent, because when names were inscribed on the stone tablet, Chang Jingyan’s name was the clearest of all.

At that time, Yang Ze was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the unassuming Chang Jingyan would possess such formidable surface strength. However, inscribing names only reflected superficial strength, and a slight discrepancy between true combat prowess and the ranking was entirely normal.

Yet, when the actual fights broke out, Yang Ze realized that he had still underestimated Chang Jingyan.

The gap between Chang Jingyan’s strength and that of the other unregistered disciples was quite substantial. Many unregistered disciples had issued challenges to Chang Jingyan.

These unregistered disciples all seemed to harbor great confidence, but compared to them, Chang Jingyan remained completely unruffled and at ease.

Possessing the exact same half-step First-Tier cultivation base, these challengers were simply no match for Chang Jingyan, being effortlessly defeated one after another. The only person who managed to trade hundreds of blows with Chang Jingyan was Meng Liwei.

Speaking of Meng Liwei, this individual was likewise exceedingly extraordinary.

Meng Liwei’s superficial strength seemed unremarkable, but during the challenge matches, Meng Liwei, who had been ranked lower down, actually challenged his opponents one by one and emerged victorious in every single match.

Especially in the final battle against Chang Jingyan, Meng Liwei had unleashed his full strength. Even though he ended up defeated, he firmly secured his position as the second-ranked unregistered disciple.

Yang Ze stared intently at these two individuals. Judging from the process of their exchange, he was no match for either of them. Their mastery over true essence far surpassed that of people like Shui Ziming.

If he were to actually fight these individuals, whether he could withstand ten blows remained an unknown.

He had originally thought that securing the identity of one of the top ten unregistered disciples on Qingyang Peak would allow him to relax slightly, but upon witnessing these individuals who truly stood at the apex, he discovered that he was, in truth, only just beginning.

However, despair did not completely consume Yang Ze’s heart. He was currently merely at the ninth stage of true essence; if he could refine true essence and break through to the half-step First-Tier realm, he would have the confidence to fight these two.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and Yang Ze stood up. Since the challenge matches had concluded, there was no need to continue sitting here watching the proceedings.

"Top one hundred disciples, step forward!" Xie Yuan called out to all the unregistered disciples. Immediately, the rest of the top one hundred disciples also stood up at this moment.

On a large arena beneath the high platform, Meng Liwei was currently half-kneeling on the ground, a trail of fresh blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, while the aura around his body had grown somewhat withered.

His gaze was somewhat grim as he looked toward the opposite side, where Chang Jingyan was standing.

Only, Chang Jingyan’s current state was incomparable to before. The clothing on her left sleeve was completely torn open, revealing fair skin, yet several gasps on her left sleeve were oozing fresh blood, lending a hint of crimson to that snow-white skin.

Chang Jingyan’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Meng Liwei. She had not won this battle easily; she had almost fallen at Meng Liwei’s hands.

The two had decided the victor, yet they still stood in a standoff on the arena. It was only the moment Xie Yuan spoke up on the high platform that the confrontational aura between the two was dispersed.

Broken out of it by Xie Yuan, Meng Liwei managed to stand up from the ground with some difficulty, took out a medicinal pill and swallowed it, stepped down from the arena, and stood beneath the high platform.

Chang Jingyan had arrived a step ahead of him and stood half a step further forward than him. Following the two of them, the rest of the disciples arrived on the scene.

Yang Ze stood at the very tail end of the top ten disciples, with the top one hundred unregistered disciples directly behind him. At this close distance, he could sense the ill-intent concealed in the gazes directed at him from those behind.

It seemed his decision to abstain from the final match had stirred up thoughts among some of these people, but Yang Ze cared nothing for their opinions.

If they only entertained thoughts, naturally he would take no action. However, should these people dare to reach out, he would not mind proving his strength through alternative methods.

Just as these unregistered disciples below began harboring malicious thoughts, a cold hum from the high platform suppressed them, shaking all the unregistered disciples to their cores and daring them to speak no further.

Yang Ze looked straight ahead, his gaze carrying a faint trace of excitement. After waiting for so long, the distribution of rewards was finally at hand.

They were not made to wait long. With a mere wave of Xie Yuan’s hand on the high platform, a pile of wrapped packages materialized, stacked together like a small mountain.

Xie Yuan waved his hand again, and the packages forming the small mountain immediately flew up, descending toward each individual unregistered disciple.

"Inside these packages are your respective earned rewards. The medicinal pills have already been placed within them. As for spiritual weapons, the Martial Academy will grant you the opportunity to choose for yourselves. There is a token inside the package; take that token to the Artifact Hall, and you may select one weapon from the weapon repository to take away.

As for contribution points, there is also a certificate inside this package. After the Martial Arts Tournament concludes, take the certificate to Qingyang Hall, and designated disciples will complete the exchange of contribution points for you."

As soon as Xie Yuan’s voice trailed off, most of the disciples immediately began inspecting their packages, and Yang Ze was no exception.

Opening the package in his hand, Yang Ze spotted a jade bottle placed at the bottom, an iron token, and a written voucher.

The items were few, but among the unregistered disciples, they were more than enough to incite a scramble.

Especially the Pill for Breaking Tiers contained within that jade bottle; a single Pill for Breaking Tiers could increase the probability of breaking through to the First-Tier realm by twenty percent, and two pills could increase it by forty percent.

Yang Ze possessed the Black Stone; although he would encounter no bottlenecks during breakthroughs and could succeed one hundred percent of the time, the Pill for Breaking Tiers was equally useful to him. As long as he consumed these two Pills for Breaking Tiers, the time required to condense true essence could be drastically shortened.

Confirming everything was in order, Yang Ze resealed the package. He had finally accomplished the goal of this Martial Arts Tournament. With this, he could proceed to the next step of his plan.

Everyone tucked away their packages, and the Martial Arts Tournament officially came to an end. All the unregistered disciples began leaving the venue.

Yang Ze mingled within the crowd, walking silently toward the upper reaches of Qingyang Peak. Unfolding his movement technique, after only a brief moment in the eyes of the crowd, Yang Ze’s figure vanished.

The remaining half-step First-Tier disciples looked in the direction Yang Ze had departed, all guessing that Yang Ze was heading to the Artifact Hall to exchange for a weapon.

At the thought of the might displayed by the high-grade spiritual weapon in Yang Ze’s hands, they all felt a stirring of temptation.

Every single Martial Arts Tournament saw only the first-place winner receive a high-grade spiritual weapon, but the first-place winner of every tournament would ascend to the Outer Academy shortly after the conclusion of the tournament.

Consequently, almost none of them had witnessed the might of a high-grade spiritual weapon firsthand. Having seen it this time, they were immediately captivated.

Seeing Yang Ze rush off toward the Artifact Hall, the remaining unregistered disciples who were eligible to exchange for weapons also hurried after him.

The weapons in the weapon repository were inevitably limited. If they arrived late and good things were claimed by others first, they would not even have time to cry.

Rushing all the way, by the time they reached the Artifact Hall, they were still a step too late. Yang Ze had arrived here first, and only one unregistered disciple was permitted inside the weapon repository at a time to claim a weapon. They could only wait until Yang Ze came out before entering themselves.

Witnessing this situation, many unregistered disciples cursed aloud, yet after cursing, they did not leave, choosing instead to keep watch outside the Artifact Hall.

They wanted to see what kind of weapon Yang Ze would bring out from the weapon repository shortly.

Meanwhile, Yang Ze was led by a Third-Tier deacon of the Artifact Hall, descending deeper into the subterranean levels of the Artifact Hall.

The Artifact Hall was massive. The weapon repository was not built above ground; instead, an underground warehouse had been constructed beneath the Artifact Hall to house these weapons.

"In the weapon repository of our Qingyang Peak’s Artifact Hall, a vast quantity of mortal-grade and spiritual-grade weapons are stored, along with a few precious treasure-grade weapons. The entire weapon repository holds immense value, which is why it was built underground and equipped with mechanisms and restrictions. You must follow closely behind me and make no reckless movements, otherwise, should you accidentally trigger any mechanism or restriction and die here, you cannot blame me."

The deacon walking ahead of Yang Ze took step after step, offering warnings.

Yang Ze nodded and said, "This disciple understands!"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over his surroundings. Descending the stone steps of this tunnel, he looked at the walls on either side, not daring to even brush against them.

The moment he stepped into this tunnel, he had felt an oppressive aura emanating from it, suppressing his very blood and qi while instilling a strong sense of danger.

Fortunately, the Blood Slaughter saber on his back emitted a sharp aura that granted him a sliver of safety.

Walking all the way forward until reaching the end of the passage, the deacon in front finally stopped, and Yang Ze saw a massive stone door appear ahead.

Two torches were inserted on either side of this stone door, their flickering flames casting a dim, eerie ambiance.

"This stone door alone requires the cultivation of the Third-Tier Pulse Opening realm to breach. But if one attempts to force it open, the surrounding mechanisms and restrictions will erupt, and a martial artist of the Pulse Opening realm will undoubtedly die."

The deacon muttered to himself, whether speaking to himself or to Yang Ze was unclear.

Yang Ze offered no reply. A silver token materialized in the palm of the deacon, which he placed into a recess at the very center of the stone door.

The instant the token was inserted, the entire stone door emitted a clicking sound and slowly opened on its own.

The deacon stepped inside first, and Yang Ze followed closely behind. Upon entering the weapon repository, he could not help but gasp sharply.

Inside this warehouse, rows upon rows of racks were arranged, each rack holding numerous weapons, the lowest grade among them being mortal-grade.

The moment he stepped into the warehouse, the lingering aura of slaughter surged toward the two of them.

An aura instantly erupted from the deacon’s body, isolating the murderous intent a foot away from him. However, he made no move to protect Yang Ze, instead turning around to cast a cold glance at him.