During Gongyi Tianheng and He Chengfeng's battle, the Qingcang Empire wasn't necessarily calm.
They could see that those two's strengths didn't have that big of a difference. Thus, while they originally felt that they had this match's victory in their grasp, what actually happened caused them to develop some worry. It wasn't until He Chengfeng's victory that they finally laid down their concerns.
Immediately following this, the remaining martial artists vied over the rankings one after another. It was only Tianheng and He Chengfeng's fight which was so brilliant. The present rematches between the others didn't have the same feeling of shaking one to their core. The upcoming matches weren't going to be as antic.i.p.ated.
Even if it were the martial artists who were about to fight, if it weren't for the honor of their countries, perhaps they'd also be bored — After seeing the strongest of their peers, who'd still be interested in the mediocre?
On the other end, He Chengfeng directly jumped off the stage and into the middle of his congratulating faction. They returned to their empire's designated location. As for Gongyi Tianheng, he was welcomed by quite a few people.
The one scampering over the fastest was none other than Gu Zuo, who'd been paying attention to Tianheng's condition from the start. Among the others who paid a visit, not including Gongyi Zhuoyue, were the Prince Beside the Emperor Cang He and Cang Yu, who was waiting for someone else's challenge.
Gu Zuo's heart constricted when he looked at Tianheng, who'd been practically turned into a b.l.o.o.d.y mess.
Yes, he knew that these were all superficial wounds. If there was anything that really needed to be worried about, it could be completely fixed with a Rejuvenation Pill. There wouldn't be the faintest of scars or medicinal side effects.
But looking like this couldn't help scaring a person!
Gu Zuo didn't hesitate as he hurriedly grabbed a top grade Rejuvenation Pill to give to his big brother.
Because the differences in color between the top grade and high grade pills weren't too great, the others who were deeply concerned about Tianheng's circ.u.mstances at this time didn't look too carefully at it.
As a matter of fact, Gu Zuo got away with it very easily.
Of course, Gongyi Zhuoyue and the others all asked about his well-being. Gu Zuo clearly understood that Tianheng was out of danger, but that didn't stop him from transmitting his voice: Big brother, are you okay?
Tianheng grinned, but didn't panic over all the devoted care from his clansmen. In his mind, he still didn't forget to give Gu Zuo a reply: Don't worry, Ah Zuo. They were insignificant, small injuries. I've already healed completely.
The effects of top grade Rejuvenation Pills were truly extraordinary.
The healing speed of the scattered cuts on Tianheng's body could be seen by the naked eye. It wasn't long before his healing skin returned to its uninjured state. Apart from Tianheng's complexion not looking so good, no matter how one saw him, he felt like a valiant martial artist who hadn't just experienced a battle at all.
Merely…
Embarra.s.sed, Gu Zuo shifted his gaze away.
In order to make that match even more lifelike and even better looking, Tianheng endured through a lot. His wounds would still be mentioned, but the things he carried with him — His clothing was in tatters, so they weren't so good looking.
Most of all, his big brother's disposition was astonishing, and his temperament was usually out of the ordinary. It gave him a manly heroic spirit. Once he pretended to be injured, that weakened appearance would inevitably…evoke a sense of charm in unscrupulous people.
One shouldn't look at indecent things.
Naturally, Tianheng didn't forget the matter of his own ruined clothing, but in the end, he also didn't have a storage device. He could only privately chat with Gu Zuo and have him deliver some. However, what Tianheng didn't expect was that he didn't even have enough time to send a message before a set of brand new, mint-condition clothes was already in his hands.
Gongyi Tianheng laughed in spite of himself.
What else was there to say?
Nowadays, his little pharmacist was very considerate of others.
Compared to when they first met, they were truly more familiar with each other now.
Other people only thought Tianheng was tidying himself up. Seeing him like this, they withdrew back to where they came from.
Tianheng was a man, and wasn't picky about the clothes. He immediately tore off his ragged outer robes and changed them for a new set. This once more restored his image as an elegant young master.
At this moment, the Prince Beside the Emperor Cang He looked at Tianheng with eyes filled with admiration. Smiling, he said clearly: “Good, good, good! You truly deserve to be called the imperial capital's incomparable young master. Once your grave disease was cured, there's no one who could surpa.s.s your graceful bearing!”
This praise was indeed extremely rare.
Moreover, when these words were spoken, even though Duanmu Qingrong and Sima Yuanyou had complicated expressions, they also didn't show too much unwillingness. These two young masters of the imperial capital had already acknowledged Tianheng and Cang Yu's brilliance. And because Huangfu Zhanghao previously experienced many young experts at close range when he luckily stumbled into the top three, he agreed even more.
As for that Helian Xingcheng? No matter how much he envied or hated Tianheng, the others didn't regard him as important any longer.
Under these accolades, Tianheng promptly said: “The prince has mistakenly praised me. This younger generation dares not accept it.”
Cang He also didn't speak too much, only saying: “When we return, His Majesty will certainly have a great reward for you. Tianheng, if you find success in the future, we hope you don't forget about the empire.”
Tianheng naturally replied: “I wouldn't dare. The Cangyun Empire is this Tianheng's homeland, and I would never dare forget it.”
He replied thusly.
Gu Zuo watched them go back and forth, and just withdrew to the sidelines.
He felt that the Prince Beside the Emperor's words had another meaning… Was his perception mistaken, or was there really a matter they didn't know about?
He was convinced that his big brother should've also sensed it. Once the Hundred Countries Tournament ended, Gu Zuo could carefully discuss this with his big brother and listen to his ideas…
On the other side, He Chengfeng was also like this.
At this time, he took a medicinal pill, still unaware of his body's internal injuries. Though he didn't show any special expressions, his subtle att.i.tude could still be seen by people. This time, he was very satisfied with his own ranking.
While the people of that first cla.s.s empire held some wariness towards Tianheng, for now they felt more honored on behalf of their own nation's favored talent.
After a while, the matches determining the rankings were all finished.
Cang Yu was challenged by several people. After a series of bitter struggles, his final records weren't bad. He preserved his spot in fifth place, which was above any in the Cangyun Empire's history. It was a first cla.s.s achievement.
Apart from this, there was the matter of lower level countries' martial artists advancing to the finals and challenging higher level countries. Cang Yu, Huangfu Zhanghao, and Gongyi Tianheng all had these qualifications.
One also didn't know if Zhanghao's luck was too good or for what other reasons, but among the second cla.s.s empires, there really were ones whose fighters had all died. When those three raised challenges to those empires, wasn't it simply not fighting and winning anyway?
After the Cangyun Empire witnessed this course of events, all of a sudden, it became a second cla.s.s empire.
— If one proposed that to upgrade to first cla.s.s empire, the Cangyun Empire's foundations were still insufficient, but in rising to second cla.s.s, under their achievements, it wasn't something anyone could say “No” to. [1]
Cang Yu and the others didn't continue issuing challenges. Even earlier, the Cangyun Emperor placed his hopes on the ninth prince. In itself, Cang Yu naturally understood the principle of biting off more than one could chew. Rising to second cla.s.s was just enough for the time being.
If one wanted to upgrade to first cla.s.s, not only did one require a lucky opportunity, but also the acc.u.mulation of a long period of time… The Cangyun Empire was never like a rich upstart that only sought benefits in the short-term and not those in the long-term.
Only now was the matter of the rise in the empire's fundamental rank finally resolved.
At this very moment, those three Immortal realm martial artists at last declared the performance records before everyone.
Merely, what they found worth mentioning was naturally the top ten young powerhouses. Behind the dozens of martial artists, there was a man who could only be seen waving his finger like the wind. In a flash, many words were carved into the side of a mountain. Then, a woman announced the names of the top ten martial artists one after another.
They only heard her respectfully say: “Those in the top ten of this Hundred Countries Tournament are as follows.”
“First place: From the Qingyun Continent's first cla.s.s Qingcang Empire, He Chengfeng…”
“Second place: From the Tianwu Continent's third cla.s.s Cangyun Empire, Gongyi Tianheng…”
“Third place: From the Tianwu Continent's third cla.s.s Cangyun Empire, Huangfu Zhanghao…”
“Fourth place: From the Youwu Continent's first cla.s.s Xiangzhi Empire, Peng Jiao…”
“Fifth place: From the Tianwu Continent's third cla.s.s Cangyun Empire, Cang Yu…”
“Sixth place…”
Each one highlighted a martial artist. Each of them then ascended the stone platform and was conferred their rewards from the hands of the Immortal realm martial artists. As for the empires they hailed from, if the country raised its cla.s.s through challenges, it could also receive a cla.s.s promotion tablet from the Qingyun Sect. It was very precious since it acted as proof.
Upon seeing the panorama of the top ten martial artists, those below the stone platform all had their hearts filled with envy.
Gu Zuo was also watching from below and, on the contrary, his heart didn't have any envy.
He only felt that… Despite his big brother's designation in second place, even if he didn't know that the final rankings of the entire tournament were all under his big brother's control, he also felt that his big brother's good looks were the most extraordinary.
Even other people felt that the bearing of that egotistic [2] He Chengfeng couldn't compare to that of his big brother.
…Although, there were probably many people who felt that they were attracted because of his big brother's face. But if it were really like this, perhaps this was an even greater advantage to Tianheng.
Down below, Gu Zuo had many such secret thoughts. On the stone platform, the three Immortal realm martial artists patiently endured. Just when their patience reached its limits, they concluded this exercise.
Immediately following this, Gu Zuo heard that female martial artist speak:
“Excluding the top ten martial artists and their countries of origin, those from the remaining countries shall quickly leave this place!”
Gu Zuo blanked.
Could it be that there were still other arrangements?
He suddenly recalled his own conjecture he made previously…
With this line of thought, he turned his head and stealthily looked at the Prince Beside the Emperor.
Sure enough, there was an instant where Cang He's face was emotional.
He definitely knew something!
But…it shouldn't be a bad thing?
The martial artists of the other empires all quickly left. Under the chiding of the Immortal realm martial artists, they didn't dare hesitate in the least. And as for the martial artists who stayed behind? Altogether, there were just the people from four to five empires present.
What was odd was that each of their leaders seemed to know something. Instead, it was the guards of each empire's aristocratic families and the partic.i.p.ants themselves who were full of questions.
And at this moment, that female martial artist — Zou Qingyue, the one who started this iteration of the Hundred Countries Tournament, revealed the true, final segment.
Her clear and cold gaze swept across the numerous martial artists and stated: “Every martial artist who ranked in the top ten has the chance to join the Qingyun Sect to cultivate and become a Qingyun Sect disciple. Whom among you are unwilling?”
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[1] Thanks to user Charysa for fixing this!
[2] 老天第一老子第二 - “G.o.d is first, but yours truly is second.” Or rather, only G.o.d is superior to me.
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