CHAPTER 499: CHAPTER 509: FORCIBLY SEIZING THE RANKING

"I’m unharmed! Why have you come?"

"Eh, your cultivation... you’ve had a breakthrough!"

Chu Feng never expected that in just a few days of not seeing each other, Han Xiaoying’s cultivation had already broken through to the Sword Saint Realm.

Long before coming to the Divine Martial Continent, Han Xiaoying’s cultivation had already reached the Late Stage Great Sword Master. Elder Zhuang, although very harsh on others, was extremely kind to Han Xiaoying.

He even secured her a large amount of cultivation resources.

Han Xiaoying had tried to charge into the Sword Saint Realm quite some time ago, but unfortunately, she failed.

Her current breakthrough was unexpected, yet made sense.

"After advancing to the Sword Saint Realm, to quickly rise beyond the position of Medicine Farmer, I must have enough merit. So, I decided to take on a task to earn some merit," Han Xiaoying said.

Han Xiaoying was a very strong-willed girl, she certainly did not wish to be a Medicine Farmer all her life.

Even less so, to be constantly oppressed by others.

An optimistic and confident girl who perseveres is the most beautiful.

She had both talent and beauty, and her character was also superior. This is why she was so attractive, wherever she went, countless geniuses and young lords madly pursued her.

Chu Feng and Han Xiaoying chatted enthusiastically, expressing affection with glances. Qin Shan, who stood to the side watching like a third wheel, became somewhat unwilling.

"Chu Feng, this task from the Red List is not something you’re capable of completing. Today, it has to be me who takes it on." A month ago, Qin Shan already wanted to earn a significant amount of merit.

His status was very high, and he was well-acquainted with the higher-ups of the Task Hall, maintaining a certain relationship with them.

He had the administrator in charge of the Rank list at the Task Hall, who was a Vice Hall Master known for releasing Red List tasks, inform him in advance as a favor.

Indeed, as soon as the task of capturing criminals on Medicine Mountain Number 108 turned into a Red List task, that Vice Hall Master immediately sent someone to notify Qin Shan to come and accept the task.

Being acquainted with bigwigs like a Vice Hall Master of the Task Hall and receiving covert assistance from them was enough to show how prestigious Qin Shan’s position was in the sect.

Qin Shan hurried to the Task Hall at full speed, ready to take up the Red List task.

Nobody expected that he had only hesitated for those two seconds. Yet Chu Feng had already seized the opportunity first.

Now, Qin Shan wanted to force Chu Feng to give up the Red List task by leveraging his strength and status.

"Hand over the Red List task!" Qin Shan extended his hand to Chu Feng with a cold and arrogant face.

"Things have their order; why should I give it to you?" Chu Feng naturally disagreed.

"Won’t hand it over? Then go try registering at the counter!" Qin Shan sneered.

Chu Feng, not believing in such nonsense, immediately went to register at the counter. Because the two people posting the Rank list didn’t pay any attention to him at all.

"Thank you! Please register this task for me!" Chu Feng handed over the Rank list.

The person inside did not refuse.

After taking the Rank list, a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance came over.

"Vice Hall Master Yang!" The Outer Sect’s Steward charged with registration, immediately greeted him with respectful salutations.

This man called Vice Hall Master Yang glanced at Chu Feng outside the window, his eyes cold and indifferent. His gaze quickly shifted past Chu Feng and settled on Qin Shan, who was standing behind Chu Feng.

A trace of a warm smile appeared on Vice Hall Master Yang’s face, a complete day and night difference compared to his treatment of Chu Feng.

"Junior Brother Qin, please wait a moment, it will be ready right away!" In Vice Hall Master Yang’s manner, in addition to enthusiasm, there was also a hint of ingratiating subservience.

Qin Shan is not only a member of the Inner Sect but also an Elder disciple, with an incomparably prestigious identity.

For someone like Vice Hall Master Yang, who is an Outer Sect’s Guardian, befriending such a person is definitely a profitable endeavor.

Many onlookers, viewing Qin Shan, have eyes filled with admiration and envy.

"Such an imposing presence, to actually have Vice Hall Master Yang, such a high-ranking figure, serve him so enthusiastically."

"If it were me, I’d be proud just to cultivate a relationship with an ordinary member of the Task Hall. Those folks from the Task Hall usually carry themselves with such arrogance."

"What do you know? Junior Brother Qin’s identity is distinguished; he knows many important figures within the Sect and is also deeply valued by the Inner Sect Elders. To us, it’s an extraordinary thing for Vice Hall Master Yang to greet him so warmly, but to him, it might just be a trivial matter not worth mentioning."

"Hehe, just wait! This Outer Disciple named Chu Feng who is competing for the Red List Task with him is sure to lose face and embarrass himself!"

The spectators were discussing animatedly, pointing at Chu Feng and talking, full of ridicule.

Meanwhile, they held boundless worship for Qin Shan.

"Alright! Then I’ll leave it to Vice Hall Master Yang!" Qin Shan laughed proudly with the corners of his mouth lifted.

He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of showing off and being flattered in front of everyone.

Especially in front of such a great beauty as Han Xiaoying, flaunting his own prestigious status and connections, his heart swelled with extreme satisfaction.

So satisfying, truly blissful.

Chu Feng, this little upstart, actually dares to contest with me, he is simply courting humiliation.

Qin Shan’s gaze swept towards Han Xiaoying unintentionally on purpose, wanting to get a sense of her admiring gazes and expressions towards him.

But to his dismay, once he took a closer look, the smile on Qin Shan’s face immediately faded somewhat.

Han Xiaoying’s pair of bright and shiny black eyes were fixated on Chu Feng, twinkling as she watched him. It was as if, in her world, there was only Chu Feng, unable to accommodate any other man.

Listening to the conversation between Vice Hall Master Yang and Qin Shan, Chu Feng felt something was amiss.

Sure enough, after a short while, the procedures inside were completed.

"Chu Feng, here is your Task Token. Listen carefully, your Task Token is a secondary one, which means you need to wait until the person holding the Main Token gives up the task or fails it, before you can take on this task. Otherwise, even if you complete it, all the Merit will go to the holder of the Main Token."

The young registrar inside handed over a Task Token to Chu Feng with a cold face.

Compared to the other token remaining in his hand, it was clearly a size smaller.

Moreover, the front of Chu Feng’s token bore an eye-catching "secondary" symbol.

"What’s the meaning of this? The Rank list was taken down by me first, why give me a secondary token? This secondary token, if anyone should be given it, should be given to Qin Shan!" Chu Feng said, his face livid with anger; these people were bullying him too much.

"Hehe, you really should stop making a fuss! According to Sect rules, when two people compete for the same Red List Task, to ensure the task’s prompt and successful completion, our Task Hall has the right to let the stronger individual undertake the task."

"Qin Shan’s strength is a hundred times greater than yours, naturally, he will hold the Main Task Token and take priority in completing this task."

The young man sneered with a brief explanation.

Standing behind him, Vice Hall Master Yang did not speak, but the look he gave Chu Feng was clearly one of sarcastic ridicule, tinged with the contempt one would have when looking at an ant.

"Make way!"

Qin Shan stepped forward, his formidable aura pushing Chu Feng aside as he took the Main Task Token handed through the window with a smile.

"Competing with me, you’re not even worthy to carry my shoes! If you have any self-awareness, you’ll voluntarily leave Junior Sister Qin and let her pursue the happiness that rightfully belongs to her!"