Chapter 121: Is This Really the First Place Prize?

Shence Puppet gave up on defense and attacked the Zhenwu Puppet without any strategy.

Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal would never exchange injuries for injuries.

Her spiritual energy was already lower than Chen Xiaoyan’s, and naturally, her Fragrant Intent was also weaker.

If things kept up like this, the first to run out of Fragrant Intent would only be herself.

Kiting was the best strategy for now.

Without Canglong Break, Shence Puppet had nothing left but to foolishly chase after and poke at the opponent.

This made it even more likely for her to get kited.

The Zhenwu Puppet would run a few steps, then turn back for an attack, and Chen Xiaoyan was at a complete loss.

When the cooldown for Canglong Break was over, she could unleash a combo, but otherwise, she could only passively take hits.

Sometimes, if she got lucky, she might land a poke; if not, she wouldn’t even touch her opponent.

But it didn’t matter.

Just drag it out and see whose Fragrant Intent runs out first.

After ten minutes, Shence Puppet’s health dropped to 46%.

Fifteen minutes: 29%.

Twenty minutes: 13%.

Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal used Hand of Spring and Spring Breeze Lead several times, using up about a hundred Fragrant Intent.

But the other side hadn’t used a single skill.

“What’s going on? Why isn’t the big-shot Chen Xiaoyan healing her puppet?”

“Who knows.”

“Could she be throwing the match on purpose?”

“No way. If she loses, first place in the sect tournament is out of reach, and the title of Tianxiang’s best will be gone too. No way the big-shot would do something so stupid.”

“Shence Puppet’s HP bar is red! I’m freaking out here.”

“The emperor’s not anxious, but the eunuchs are.”

“How does it feel like the big-shot is the audience and we’re the ones competing?”

At twenty-three minutes: 5%.

Shence Puppet still had 8% HP left, and Chen Xiaoyan finally made a move.

“Spring Breeze Lead!”

Spring Breeze Lead was her lowest Fragrant Intent cost skill, perfect for attrition battles.

【+2293】

Damn, in three seconds it healed more than six thousand HP, instantly filling up the dying Shence Puppet’s health bar.

Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal was stunned on the spot.

Her Spring Breeze Lead’s healing was almost twice her own, which meant she was also using twice as much Fragrant Intent.

If this dragged on, the only loser would be herself.

Most importantly, at this rate, she wouldn’t even get to see a single god-tier skill from the other side.

Both sides were just chipping away; Spring Breeze Lead alone could handle it, so why waste Fragrant Intent on a big heal?

Compared to Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal’s frustration, the onlookers were having a blast.

“Jeez, that healing is terrifying. I’m so jealous I could cry.”

“Twice the gap. Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal is doomed.”

“Don’t forget, big-shot Chen Xiaoyan has only used Spring Breeze Lead so far.”

“Yup, it’s settled. Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal isn’t worthy of Chen Ten Thousand using her god skills.”

“Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal says, are you even being polite?”

“233, sending some sympathy to Yun Yun big-shot.”

Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal frowned and pondered for a moment, but finally gave up.

“I admit defeat.”

“Alright.”

Chen Xiaoyan nodded calmly and withdrew with her puppet.

She had wanted to disgust her opponent with Shence, but who knew the other side picked a semi-tank Zhenwu too.

You can’t hurt me, I can’t hurt you either.

From the skills Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal had shown, there was nothing particularly special.

As for whether she was hiding her strength, who knew.

“First group: Chen Xiaoyan wins. Second group: Chen Xiaoyan, Chong Chong, step forward.”

“Hehe, Senior Sister, I concede!”

Chong Chong followed suit and loudly raised her hand.

The senior sister frowned deeply, glaring fiercely at Chong Chong, then swept her gaze over Chen Xiaoyan and her group.

Hmph, these junior sisters are all birds of a feather—not a single good one among them.

But what could she do?

They all conceded.

She couldn’t force them to compete, right?

“Honored sect leaders, the first place has been decided.”

The host senior sister bowed to Yue Qifang and Shen Qingqing before stepping down from the high platform.

She needed to go to the back mountain to calm down.

Yue Qifang glanced sidelong at Shen Qingqing and spoke softly, “I think it’s better if Junior Sister makes the announcement, since she’s your disciple after all.”

“Senior Sister, if you don’t want to say it, don’t make excuses.”

Yue Qifang knew her junior sister was just making excuses, so she simply smiled it off.

Shen Qingqing rose and looked down at Chen Xiaoyan on the stage.

“Chen Xiaoyan, step forward.”

“Disciple present.”

“I hereby formally appoint new disciple Chen Xiaoyan as the Head Disciple of the Tianxiang Sect, responsible for all affairs concerning the new disciples.”

“This disciple will follow the Sect Leader’s orders.”

With a wave of her hand, Shen Qingqing sent a streak of flowing light into Chen Xiaoyan’s body.

【Congratulations, player Chen Xiaoyan, for obtaining a new title: 《Tianxiang Head Disciple》】

Hearing the system’s prompt, she felt nothing at all.

She’d gotten this title before, when new dungeons were added.

All it did was shine with a golden glow; besides showing off, it was utterly useless.

“Chong Chong, Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal, step forward.”

“Disciple present.”

“You two performed excellently in the sect tournament, so you are each awarded a Spirit Fruit.”

Shen Qingqing waved her hand again.

Two beams of light flew toward them, stopping in front of them.

They were two fruits with special effects.

Though they looked just like green fruits on the surface, who cared when they had buffs?

Chong Chong checked the Spirit Fruit’s stats, and excitedly told Chen Xiaoyan, “Xiaoyan-jie, eating this Spirit Fruit gives you two hundred extra spiritual energy!”

Chen Xiaoyan’s eyes went red with envy.

Damn, two hundred spiritual energy?

Second and third place both got two hundred spiritual energy.

Why did I, as the first place, only get a useless title?

It’s not fair, Sister Shen.

The rewards for second and third were the same; no wonder there was no fight between Chong Chong and Yun Yun Doesn’t Want to Heal for the top three spots.

Because it wasn’t necessary.

Either way, the reward was the same.

“Congratulations, congratulations.”

Chen Xiaoyan reluctantly tore her gaze from the Spirit Fruit and looked at Shen Qingqing on the stage.

Her eyes were full of grievance, pitifulness, confusion, and all sorts of emotions, all silently telling her how unfair her treatment was.

Shen Qingqing blinked in confusion.

What’s wrong with this girl?

Why does she look so pitiful, like she’s been abandoned?

She took first place.

Even if she’s not happy, why act like this?

Forget it.

She’d summon her to the backyard later and ask.

“A fruit that adds two hundred spiritual energy—not bad, but not great either.”

“I thought the reward would be a golden shiny divine weapon.”

“Speaking of golden shiny, big-shot Chen Xiaoyan’s title sure is bright. Wonder if it has any stat bonuses.”

“Didn’t the Head Disciple title get handed out before? I heard it doesn’t have any stat boosts at all.”

“Uh… Is this really the first place prize?”

“Haha, look at the big-shot’s expression—so rich!”

“Must be doubting her life right now.”

“Yeah, first place gets a worse reward than the ones behind her. Might as well not take it.”

“Huh, there’s an NPC heading over.”

The players suddenly noticed an NPC senior sister walking toward Chen Xiaoyan.

“Junior Sister, congratulations on winning first place.”

Yan Xiaoyu smiled gently, sizing up the girl before her.

This woman was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see through her.

Sometimes she looked like a cold immortal from the moon, sometimes like an enchanting demoness, sometimes just a normal mortal.

Her own Immaculate Body was rejecting her.

Just like it once rejected Prince Jin, Zhao Heng, years ago.

Yan Xiaoyu found this very strange.

“Senior Sister?”

Chen Xiaoyan hadn’t expected an NPC to talk to her.

She paused, then saw the system prompt and realized this NPC was named Yan Xiaoyu.

“Greetings, Senior Sister Yan.”

“Mm.”

Yan Xiaoyu nodded with a smile.

“Junior Sister, may I have a word in private?”

“Alright.”

Chen Xiaoyan followed Yan Xiaoyu aside.

“Junior Sister, I came today to ask: Has Sect Leader Shen formally taken you as a disciple?”

Had Shen Qingqing formally accepted her as a disciple?

Chen Xiaoyan couldn’t answer that.

If not, what did these god skills mean?

If so, there had been no formal apprenticeship ceremony; technically, she wasn’t a disciple.

But—

In her heart, Chen Xiaoyan already regarded Shen Qingqing as her master.

Whether or not Shen Qingqing acknowledged it.

A skill could never lie.

“Yes.”

Yan Xiaoyu closed her eyes in despair, her expression pained.

“Senior Sister Yan, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just a moment of frustration.”

Chen Xiaoyan didn’t reply.

Not knowing the situation, it was best not to say anything and risk making things worse.

“Junior Sister… Oh, no, I should call you Senior Sister now, since you’re now Sect Leader Shen’s personal disciple and outrank us.”

Chen Xiaoyan hurriedly waved her hands to protest.

“No, Senior Sister Yan, just keep calling me Junior Sister. I never cared about seniority.”

“No rules, no standards, Senior Sister Chen.”

Yan Xiaoyu’s tone was extremely firm, impossible to refuse.

“Uh… alright.”

“Junior Sister should head to Sect Leader Shen now, so I’ll take my leave.”

This was important.

She couldn’t just take her word for it; she had to ask the sect leader to confirm before anything could be decided.

“Bye, Senior Sister Yan…”

Chen Xiaoyan had just said the words when Yan Xiaoyu gave her a cold look, making her quickly correct herself.

“Senior Sister Yan.”

Once Yan Xiaoyu left, Chen Xiaoyan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This NPC’s aura was too strong.

In the Tianxiang Sect, aside from those three top dogs, only she gave her this bone-chilling feeling.

And most importantly—

She couldn’t understand why, but she felt Yan Xiaoyu was hostile to her.

Wasn’t this their first meeting?

She’d never offended her before, had she?

So why the hostility?

NPCs naturally wouldn’t hold grudges, and besides… wait, am I missing something?

A lightbulb went off in Chen Xiaoyan’s mind.

She slapped her forehead, and for some reason, thought of Shen Qingqing.

“Damn it.”

Yan Xiaoyu was an NPC—no way she’d fall for a player.

But she kept mentioning Shen Qingqing and was so concerned about whether she was Shen’s disciple.

Yan Xiaoyu’s hostility toward her was most likely related to Shen Qingqing.

Most likely, this NPC was a local lily.

Another lily, huh? My physique for attracting lilies really lives up to its name.

“Xiaoyan-jie, what did Senior Sister want?”

After Chen Xiaoyan returned, still annoyed, Chong Chong immediately came over, curious.

“Nothing much. She just asked me some questions about Shen Qingqing.”

Hearing that, Chong Chong lost interest.

Grinning, she hugged Chen Xiaoyan’s left arm.

“Let’s go, Xiaoyan-jie. Come to the back mountain—I have something good for you.”

“What good thing?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

“Um… I want to see too.”

Nearby, A Curtain of Dreams nervously raised her hand.

Chong Chong glared at her, walked over, pressed her hand down, and threatened in a low voice.

“No, you don’t.”

Seeing the murderous look in Chong Chong’s eyes, A Curtain of Dreams immediately shrank back and nodded frantically.

“Yes, I don’t.”

Satisfied, Chong Chong let go, hugging Chen Xiaoyan’s left arm and heading to the back mountain.

Only when the two had disappeared did A Curtain of Dreams stomp her foot angrily.

“What kind of person is that? So bossy.”

“She’s really possessive over Xiaoyan-jie. Don’t try to get between them.”

“I’m not,” A Curtain of Dreams said innocently after hearing Xian Yun’s words.

She was just new here and wanted to get along with the big-shots, hoping for some care and protection, but she’d run into trouble right away.

“Do you think people on a date would bring a third wheel?”

Xian Yun shrugged helplessly.

“A date? Them?”

A Curtain of Dreams was dumbfounded.

She pointed in the direction of the back mountain, her face full of confusion as she looked at Xian Yun.

Small head, big question.

“What? Surprised? I was surprised too when I first realized.”

“Damn, Big Sis Chen Xiaoyan is actually a lily?”

A Curtain of Dreams covered her mouth in shock.

Xian Yun shook her head.

“Not really. From what I’ve seen these past few days, Xiaoyan-jie doesn’t love Chong Chong—she always treats her like a little sister. As for whether Chong Chong feels that way, I’m not sure.”

A Curtain of Dreams gave her a thumbs up.

“You’re amazing. You even know this kind of inside scoop.”