LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 20: Rankings
Deep within the forest.
Wu Xiaopang glanced back over his shoulder and couldn't help asking, "Master, is it really alright to leave them there?"
"Would you prefer arranging their funeral in advance?" Zhang Yun shot him a sideways glance.
"No, that's not what I meant!" The plump disciple shook his head vigorously. "I was just thinking – if that 'Masochist Elder' gets eaten by spirit beasts, how will we collect the ten thousand spirit stones from our bet?"
Zhang Yun stared at his disciple's earnest expression, momentarily speechless. After a beat, he waved dismissively, "If the beasts devour him, I'll simply collect from the South Mountain Sect Leader. That old fox wouldn't dare default on debts."
"Ah, true enough!" Wu Xiaopang nodded sagely.
Beside them, Xu Ming pressed a palm to his forehead. Their master had already stripped Qiu Lue and his disciples of every storage ring and possession before departure. The ten thousand spirit stones were already in their possession. Yet here they were, seriously discussing debt collection from a corpse – if Qiu Lue could hear this, he'd probably choose permanent unconsciousness.
Ding!
A crystalline chime interrupted their conversation. Glowing characters materialized on their training bracelets:
[First Trial Task: Hunt five spirit beasts above Qi Refining Stage Fifth Level with disciples. Reward: 20 points.]
"Perfect timing." Zhang Yun's eyes sharpened as his gaze snapped to a massive tree forty meters ahead. A low growl rumbled through the undergrowth as a three-meter-long black tiger with blood-red eyes emerged.
"Spirit beast!" Both disciples tensed.
Zhang Yun activated his Immortal Eye Technique:
[Black Spirit Tiger]
Realm: Qi Refining Seventh Level
Weakness: Destroy both eyes to incapacitate...
"Xu Ming," Zhang Yun commanded, "Aim for its eyes."
The youth nodded, sword flashing from its sheath. As the tiger lunged, Xu Ming pivoted with lethal grace – blade piercing the right orb in a spray of crimson. The beast collapsed, howling. Three precise thrusts later, it lay still.
[+7 points] flashed on Xu Ming's bracelet, while Zhang Yun's showed [Task Progress: 20%.]
"Master?" Xu Ming gestured to the corpse.
"Store it. We'll process everything after returning." Zhang Yun consulted a map confiscated from Qiu Lue – detailed markings revealing spirit beast habitats throughout Southern Wind Forest. "This way."
They soon reached a massive tree hollow housing a green-scaled serpent:
[Emerald Refining Serpent]
Realm: Qi Refining Sixth Level
Weakness: Strike three inches below head and seven-inch tail segment...
"Xiaopang," Zhang Yun nodded to his plump disciple, "Three and seven inches."
The ensuing battle proved chaotic. Wu Xiaopang stumbled through dodges, nearly tripping over roots before finally channeling his Tyrant's Qi into a crushing blow to the serpent's midsection. Zhang Yun observed with a critical eye – while Xu Ming moved with natural swordsman's instinct, the plump disciple clearly needed combat seasoning.
Outside the forest, the ranking monument shimmered:
1st: South Mountain Sect's Grand Elder (49 pts)
2nd: South Mountain Sect's Third Elder (42 pts)
...
10th: Lingxian Sect's Grand Elder (25 pts)
"Nine South Mountain elders in the top ten!" The crowd buzzed. "Is Lingxian Sect being humiliated?"
Lingxian Sect's leader maintained composure, though his gaze lingered on the 16th position – Zhang Yun's name glowing steadily. Meanwhile, South Mountain's sect master frowned at Qiu Lue's stagnant zero points. The map he'd personally provided should have guaranteed a top ranking... Unless...
A cold smile curved his lips as he glanced toward the forest depths. Perhaps that meddlesome Zhang Yun had already become forest fodder.