CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 16: FIRST PLACE

"Pfft!"

By the time Yun Jing noticed, it was too late. Gu Qingqing’s palm had already struck his back, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood and stagger forward.

Just as Gu Qingqing was about to press her advantage, he suddenly flipped in the air, and a Sword Qi shot towards Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing quickly dodged, retreating several steps. The Sword Qi hit the ground, shattering the floorboard instantly.

Immediately after, Yun Jing unleashed more than a dozen waves of Sword Qi, all evaded by Gu Qingqing. The ground behind her bore the brunt of the attacks, turning the marble floor tiles into pieces, making the referee’s eyelids twitch.

With a flick of her wrist, the Mixed Immortal Silk extended instantly, rushing towards Yun Jing.

Yun Jing dodged, but with a flick of her wrist, the Mixed Immortal Silk turned in an arc, striking away his sword just as he was about to swing it, then binding him tightly. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free.

Gu Qingqing caught Yun Jing’s sword and placed it against his neck, causing him to immediately stop struggling.

"You lost," Gu Qingqing said calmly as she looked at Yun Jing.

Yun Jing was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Yes, I lost!"

Gu Qingqing looked at the referee, and after the referee announced her victory, she retracted the Mixed Immortal Silk and returned the sword to Yun Jing.

"Thanks for letting me win." She cupped her hands towards Yun Jing and said earnestly.

"Thank you, Miss Gu, for sparing me!" In that moment, if Gu Qingqing had exerted just a bit more force, he would have died. Although he appeared a bit disheveled now, he still retained some of Yue Zhao’s demeanor.

Gu Qingqing waved her hand and turned to step off the platform.

"Wow, Geng Geng, you were amazing!" Yun Ran rushed over to hug Gu Qingqing, saying excitedly.

Even though Yun Jing was the eldest son of the Yun Family, Yun Ran should logically stand by Yun Jing’s side. But since Yun Ran couldn’t defeat Yun Jing herself and had always wanted to, Gu Qingqing achieving it for her made Yun Ran very happy, regardless of Yun Jing’s presence.

It had been a long time since Yun Ran hugged her like this, making Gu Qingqing a bit unaccustomed. The only difference now was that she had grown taller and no longer got buried in Yun Ran’s embrace!

After Yun Ran let her go, Si Lin and the others also praised Gu Qingqing thoroughly.

The final match was scheduled for the next morning. Since staying there wasn’t productive anymore, they decided to return to their lodging directly.

Upon returning, Gu Qingqing received another message from Wen Guiyun, urging them to hit the road quickly and return to the Lingxi Sacred Land as soon as possible. She could only respond that she would leave promptly and told Wen Guiyun not to worry too much.

After that, she had her daily conversation with Jun Wu. Fortunately, Jun Wu’s recent words and actions did not appear strange to Gu Qingqing, allowing her to relax, feeling that her body was doing well.

After the call ended, Gu Qingqing began her daily routine of practicing handwriting and swordsmanship.

...

In a private room on the third floor of Huazhou City’s Star-picking Tower.

Zhou Qi and Yun Jing sat facing each other, with many fine dishes placed on the table between them and a pot of wine in front of each.

"You lost to Gu Qingqing too," Zhou Qi said to Yun Jing, his smile somewhat mischievous.

"Didn’t you also lose to her?" Yun Jing poured himself a cup of wine and, matching Zhou Qi’s smile, replied.

Zhou Qi’s smile froze for a moment before quickly returning to normal, "You haven’t gone all out in years. I thought you would win."

As he spoke, his gaze probing Yun Jing.

"Our cultivation levels are about the same. If you lost, how could I win?" Yun Jing seemed oblivious to Zhou Qi’s gaze, drinking from his cup calmly as he spoke.

"You’re as inscrutable as anything; who knows what you’re really thinking." Dissatisfied with Yun Jing’s response, Zhou Qi pouted.

Although people outside praised Yun Jing for his gentlemanly demeanor and charming elegance, Zhou Qi had always been dismissive of such views. From what he knew about Yun Jing, the man was not as kind as he seemed!

"I am indeed less skilled," Yun Jing paused, recalling his fight with Gu Qingqing, then smiled and said.

Seeing Yun Jing’s expression, Zhou Qi’s lips twitched, but he eventually stayed quiet, taking a sip from his own cup.

"Next, there’s only Zhao Cheng and Gu Qingqing left to fight. Do you think Zhao Cheng will win?" He put down his cup and asked Yun Jing.

"You already have an answer in your heart, don’t you? Why ask me?" Yun Jing refilled Zhou Qi’s cup, speaking with a hint of helplessness.

"What’s Gu Qingqing’s background exactly? When did people coming up from the Lower Realm become this impressive?" Zhou Qi felt somewhat out of touch with the times. First, it was Yun Ran, and now Gu Qingqing appeared, completely shattering his impression of people ascending from the Lower Realm.

Thinking about Gu Qingqing’s identity, Yun Jing smiled slightly, "Her identity is not simple."

"You know?" Zhou Qi squinted at Yun Jing.

"You’ll find out soon enough," Yun Jing replied, choosing to ignore Zhou Qi’s expression. He considered how valued Gu Qingqing was by Si Lin and the others. Surely, they would soon announce her identity to prevent clueless individuals from provoking her.

Zhou Qi watched Yun Jing for a while, knowing that if Yun Jing didn’t want to talk, there was no way to get the information from him. Thus, he gave up on probing and simply focused on drinking with Yun Jing.

...

The next morning, the finals of the tournament commenced.

Accompanied by Si Lin and the others, Gu Qingqing arrived at the competition venue, with Zhao Cheng arriving shortly before her.

The two were already somewhat acquainted; Gu Qingqing remained composed, while Zhao Cheng’s anticipation for the match reached its peak, almost impatiently eager. Without much talk, he went straight to the platform, and as soon as the referee announced the start, both of them moved simultaneously.

Zhao Cheng held his sword vertically in front of him, quickly forming a seal with one hand, running it over the sword. With a slight twist of his wrist, a powerful Sword Qi surged towards Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing wielded the Mixed Immortal Silk, weaving it into a web in front of her, which blocked her completely. The Sword Qi collided with the web, and both dissipated simultaneously.

Zhao Cheng swept his sword horizontally, and Sword Qi attacked Gu Qingqing. Gu Qingqing also swung the Mixed Immortal Silk, sending a surge of Spiritual Power towards Zhao Cheng.

The Sword Qi and Spiritual Power collided mid-air, causing a violent explosion, and the ground was blown open, dust flying everywhere.

As the dust settled a little, Zhao Cheng was already charging forward with his sword.

The longsword brushed past Gu Qingqing’s face, and she narrowly dodged it. As the two brushed past each other, she turned around, and the Mixed Immortal Silk, like a Spiritual Snake, wrapped around Zhao Cheng’s left arm. Zhao Cheng turned, slashing at the Mixed Immortal Silk, but could not cut it.

His eyebrows rose. With a hard pull, Gu Qingqing was dragged towards him.

Gu Qingqing’s feet skidded on the ground while maneuvering the Mixed Immortal Silk, releasing Zhao Cheng’s left hand, and instead attacked Zhao Cheng’s face. Zhao Cheng instinctively swung his sword to block, but Gu Qingqing used this opportunity, kicking up from the ground and launching herself into the air, kicking towards Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng raised his sword, guarding his chest. Gu Qingqing stepped on his sword, and with a forceful block from Zhao Cheng, her body retreated in mid-air.

With a tap on the ground with his toe, Zhao Cheng also took flight, raising his sword high and slashing down at Gu Qingqing. Powerful Sword Qi struck towards Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing dodged sideways, and the Sword Qi fell on the ground behind her, immediately creating a large pit, dust billowing.

Zhao Cheng didn’t stop, continuously swinging his sword ten times, each narrowly avoided by Gu Qingqing. The ground behind her was now pitted and uneven, unrecognizable from its original neat appearance. The judges by the side twitched at the mouth, tempted to make the two stop.

Yet the two paid no mind. The Mixed Immortal Silk in Gu Qingqing’s hand suddenly transformed, mixed with the sound of the wind, rushing towards Zhao Cheng’s face. Zhao Cheng dodged sideways, simultaneously slashing at the Mixed Immortal Silk, but to no avail. The Mixed Immortal Silk turned mid-air and attacked Zhao Cheng again.

Zhao Cheng lunged forward, flipping in the air, avoiding another attack from Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing flashed in front of Zhao Cheng, striking with her palm. Zhao Cheng quickly dodged, not expecting Gu Qingqing to simultaneously kick at his abdomen. Caught off guard, he was hit in the stomach, his expression twisted momentarily. Ignoring the pain from his stomach, he stabbed towards Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing didn’t expect Zhao Cheng to endure so well, unable to dodge in time, being injured on the shoulder by Zhao Cheng.

After a brief exchange, both were injured and quickly separated again.

Gu Qingqing wielded the Mixed Immortal Silk, launching Spiritual Power attacks towards Zhao Cheng. Zhao Cheng quickly dodged, avoiding the Spiritual Power attacks, leaving a mess wherever it passed.

Their Spiritual Power was rapidly depleting. Gu Qingqing’s Spiritual Power was more abundant than Zhao Cheng’s, and Zhao Cheng already felt his Spiritual Power running out. Since consuming an elixir was not allowed during the competition, he could only find a way to quickly end the match.

He launched over a dozen Sword Qi in succession, using them as a cover to approach Gu Qingqing, but Gu Qingqing, although narrowly, dodged all his Sword Qi. As he approached, she seized the opportunity and used the Mixed Immortal Silk to bind him, directly throwing him out of the ring.

When his body landed below the ring, he still couldn’t believe he had lost just like that!

"The first place in this competition is Gu Qingqing!" The judge of the competition, having watched several of Gu Qingqing’s matches, announced the result as Zhao Cheng hit the ground, indeed receiving a satisfied look from Gu Qingqing.

The spectators around immediately began chanting Gu Qingqing’s name. In an instant, the entire world seemed to echo with her name.

The first place in the tournament was the most formidable young person in all of Huazhou City. The era where Zhao Cheng, Yun Jing, and Zhou Qi stood together as equals was officially over. From today on, everyone in Huazhou City would remember the name ’Gu Qingqing’!

Gu Qingqing stood on the stage, her gaze sweeping across the audience. Originally, she didn’t have a deep feeling about winning first place, thinking it was just a ranking to gain some good items. But feeling the attention of thousands, she suddenly understood why so many people were obsessed with becoming number one!

This feeling of being adored by thousands was truly wonderful!

When she returned to the side of Yun Ran and the others, everyone else was also very happy.

"Geng Geng is really amazing. Now everyone in Huazhou City will remember Geng Geng!" Rong Ye looked very pleased, feeling happier than if he had won first place himself!

"Geng Geng, you are the best!" Mu Chen gave Gu Qingqing a thumbs up, very happy for her.

"You worked hard!" Si Lin patted Gu Qingqing’s head, his expression not overt, but he was visibly smiling.

"Geng Geng is really great, getting first place, do you have any gift you want?" Yue Zhao was also smiling very happily. When facing Gu Qingqing, his smile was always very genuine, and this time was no exception.

"Geng Geng, this is the Array Plate I just crafted recently as your reward." Nan Hua was the most straightforward, directly handing an Array Plate to Gu Qingqing.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." Gu Qingqing accepted it straightforwardly, showing a smile.

"Geng Geng, you are amazing. Let’s see how Zhou Ting can mock us, people who ascended from the Lower Realm!" Yun Ran was also very happy. She remembered Zhou Ting previously saying she would teach them a lesson, but Zhou Ting didn’t even make it to the finals, while she and Gu Qingqing not only made it to the finals, but Gu Qingqing also claimed first place. She could imagine how bad Zhou Ting’s face would look!

Gu Qingqing also had just an average impression of Zhou Ting, and thinking of her disgruntled expression, her smile deepened.

The competition was over, and next was the award ceremony.

As the first place winner, Gu Qingqing received the Breaking Barrier Pill from the City Lord’s hand. After getting off the stage, she immediately handed the Breaking Barrier Pill to Yun Ran.

"Geng Geng, why are you giving this to me? This is your reward; I can’t accept it!" Yun Ran was startled, not expecting Gu Qingqing to do this. She hurriedly tried to return the Jade Bottle to Gu Qingqing.

"You know it’s my reward, so isn’t it up to me to decide what to do with it?" Gu Qingqing gave Yun Ran a sidelong glance, dissatisfied with her reaction, pulling Yun Ran’s hand to place the Jade Bottle in it, "Don’t forget, before entering the competition, I said I would give this to you. Sister Yun, just accept it."

Yun Ran was momentarily stunned, recalling when Gu Qingqing asked her about the rewards, but she never expected Gu Qingqing really meant to help her obtain the Breaking Barrier Pill. Not knowing what to do, she looked at Si Lin and the others next to Gu Qingqing, "Senior Brother Si, persuade Geng Geng, I really can’t accept this!"

"Geng Geng is giving it to you, just take it. It’s not particularly valuable!" Yue Zhao looked at Gu Qingqing’s expression, then at the Jade Bottle in Yun Ran’s hand, and said.

"Exactly, just a Breaking Barrier Pill. If Geng Geng wants it, I can refine it for her." Ever since Mu Chen received the inheritance in the Secret Realm, his Alchemy had improved greatly. Besides, he had collected many spirit flowers and herbs before, so he wasn’t as stressed over the Breaking Barrier Pill as most people.

Hearing this, Yun Ran couldn’t help but feel amused.

The Breaking Barrier Pill is something many people would kill to get, yet here, between the siblings, it’s regarded as ’not very valuable.’ It truly was a case of envy when comparing people!

But regardless of how envy-inducing, Yun Ran was deeply moved and ultimately decided to accept the Breaking Barrier Pill.

Meanwhile, Yun Jing and the other two unexpectedly approached Gu Qingqing.