I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 128 Everyone’s Expectation

The Monkey King stared at Xue Xiang, and Xue Xiang stared at the Monkey King.

Leaving is impossible, even though Ning Qianjun suffered a crushing defeat.

But that was because he had fallen into his own trap and fought an unexpected battle with the Monkey King.

The Monkey King was quite powerful, but Xue Xiang had a teleportation talisman to protect him, so he wasn't afraid.

"Roar!"

The Monkey King let out a mournful roar at Xue Xiang, spewing out frost from his mouth, which condensed into a mysterious aura.

Xue Xiang summoned his Qi Shield, but Xuan Sha struck it, causing it to dissolve instantly. He then used his Breath of Wind Step to dodge the attack.

Xue Xiang could tell that the Monkey King was all bark and no bite.

The display of Xuan Sha seems to be a way of revealing an arsenal and trying to intimidate him.

After all, even the might to annihilate Ning Qianjun couldn't scare him away, and the Monkey King seemed to be getting a little anxious.

"Yes, it must have been interrupted during its breakthrough, and it's desperately holding on."

Sure enough, the next instant, the Black Monkey King let out a low, throat-ripping roar.
Its breath suddenly became disordered, as if something had been forcibly torn off.

As the black mist churned, the blood-red patterns on its body bulged, and it looked as if venomous snakes were slithering beneath its muscles.

"call!"

The Monkey King was furious, his blood-red eyes fixed on Xue Xiang.

It knew that if it could not eliminate the human in front of it as soon as possible, this attempt to break through the barrier would inevitably end in failure.

It suddenly pounced, its wings flapping, and the air in the cave seemed to be smashed down by an iron hammer, creating a hurricane capable of shattering rocks.

Xue Xiangwen used his qi to create a shield, protecting his body as he retreated close to the stone wall.

With the Returning Breath Step unfolding, her feet moved as lightly as willow leaves, and in the whistling wind, her figure swayed as she swept past the sharp claws.

"Hu-hu-"

Three claw strikes followed in quick succession, like thunder piercing the sky.

Each time it fell, five deep cracks were torn into the cave wall, and rubble flew everywhere.

With a roar, the Monkey King's black mist condensed in his mouth and suddenly spat out a dark blade, like a compressed storm, which instantly tore through the sky and headed straight for Xue Xiang.

"shield!"

Xue Xiang gave a low shout, and his literary energy materialized into a giant cyan shield that appeared in the air.

boom--

The blade struck the wind shield, creating a shockwave that shattered the shield into countless blue wind feathers. The remaining force sent Xue Xiang flying, crashing heavily into the wall.

Xue Xiang sprang to his feet, regaining his footing, and his literary energy once again transformed into a shield to protect him.

His blood and qi surged throughout his body, causing him pain everywhere, yet deep down he was incredibly excited.

Because he discovered that the Monkey King at the breakthrough stage wasn't all that powerful.

As long as we don't confront him head-on, but instead drag things out, avoid him, and wear him down, we can still win this battle.

Sure enough, the Monkey King's roar grew more urgent.

Its body surface was covered with a distorted luster from the black mist, as if countless cracks were bulging from its skin and its blood vessels were protruding, as if it were being scorched by raging fire.

As the backlash intensified, his attacks became even more ferocious, and he spewed out a torrent of Xuan Sha energy.

Xue Xiang was overwhelmed by the attack, rolling around on the ground from time to time, but his literary skills were unpredictable, and he always managed to turn the danger into safety.

Time passed slowly, and the black mist around the Monkey King gradually changed from thick to distorted, while the blood-red light in his eyes grew increasingly frenzied.

Finally, after another failed attack that shattered half of the cave wall, the Black Monkey King roared to the sky, as if it had been pushed to its limit!
It suddenly leaped back to its previous seat, opened its mouth wide, and the crystal cores scattered on the ground in front of it were swept up by an invisible force, like a stream of light flowing backwards and rushing into its mouth!
"Gurgle, gurgle."

The enormous throat writhed, swallowing blood-stained white crystal cores one by one.

The entire cave fell into a deathly silence.

The monkey king's massive body stopped, its wings half-spread, its blood-red eyes suddenly contracted, and then all the fur on its body stood up as if against the wind.

The next moment, black blood streaks appeared on its body surface. The streaks intertwined, like magma flowing under its skin, radiating intense heat.

Its back was bent, and its bones cracked one by one, as if countless chains were breaking inside its body.

An even more terrifying and suffocating atmosphere than before slowly rose.

"hiss!"

This is an attempt to force a advancement.

As the black mist gathered, the Monkey King's figure, resembling a demon god, gradually solidified within the purplish-black light mist.

The air seemed to freeze, and the cave resembled a volcano about to erupt.

Xue Xiang's heart sank. He stepped back to the edge of the stone wall and stared intently at the Monkey King. He knew perfectly well that he could not let him succeed in breaking through to the next realm.

"hammer!"

Xue Xiang let out a low shout, and his literary energy condensed into a giant hammer as tall as a man, which smashed down on the Monkey King with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks.

boom!
But with a loud bang, the Monkey King remained completely still.

Suddenly, a layer of purplish-blue spiritual energy shield appeared on its body, like an inverted bell, enveloping its form.

The giant hammer rippled with faint light, crumbling inch by inch.

The Monkey King's eyes turned bloodshot, and he endured the backlash, remaining seated motionless, his spiritual light growing ever stronger.

Inside the cave, even the stone walls were trembling slightly.

Xue Xiang's heart skipped a beat.

"Roar! Roar!"

Seemingly certain that Xue Xiang couldn't break through his spiritual energy shield, the Monkey King roared to the sky, his aura growing stronger and stronger.

Instantly, the light on his abdomen grew stronger and stronger, the black light faded, and a faint purple aura swirled around it.

"Never mind, let's give it one more shot, if it doesn't work, we'll retreat."

Xue Xiang gritted his teeth and released Zi Rang and Rang Ling from the Wen Palace.

These two items were refined from literary energy and are the only physical objects that can be stored in the literary palace and brought into the examination hall.

The words "Zi Rang" and "Rang Ling" immediately emanate a torrent of literary energy.

In an instant, a Gatling gun, gleaming with a chilling light, materialized out of thin air.

Xue Xiang pulled the trigger, and countless steel bullets shot out from the barrel, spewing fire and sound.

"Da da da--"

Bullets rained down, pounding against the Monkey King's spiritual energy shield like a raging river.

The light shield trembled violently, as if thin ice had been exposed to the blazing sun, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared.

The Monkey King was filled with shock and rage. He desperately tried to rebuild the shield, but the steel bullets carried a terrifying power that could tear everything apart.

Suddenly, the Monkey King opened his eyes and let out a heart-wrenching roar. His figure blurred, and the protective barrier was completely shattered. A rain of steel pierced through and brought out a large cloud of blood mist!
It staggered and fell to the ground, half of its body a bloody mess, but the power of its advancement was already uncontrollable.

It clutched its chest, its head tilted back, and its roar sent rock fragments flying throughout the cave.

Suddenly, a purple light burst forth from the center of its chest, piercing the black mist like lightning.

boom!
The light suddenly contracted, transforming into a fist-sized crystal core radiating a purple glow, which floated in the air.

The Monkey King's eyes glazed over, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

The cave fell into a deathly silence, with only the purple crystal core slowly rotating, like a small purple sun disc.

Xue Xiang felt his blood surge, took a deep breath, and reached out to grasp it.

The moment my fingertip touched it, it felt as if lightning had struck me, and the whole world fell silent.

He looked at the purple crystal core in his hand and said in a low voice, "Who else but me can be the top scholar in the county examination?"

………………

Invigilation room.

The hall was completely silent, except for a monitoring array plate more than ten feet tall that stood suspended in the air, with a flowing light screen reflecting the movements of countless students in the Black Mountain of the Demon Realm.

Wei Fan sat alone behind his desk, his brows furrowed.

He glanced around casually and was surprised to find that the grades of many students who had received special treatment under the patronage of others had suddenly risen, incredibly fast, like carp leaping over their original high positions one after another.

The curves were intertwined on the light screen, and they didn't look normal at all.

Wei Fan's heart sank, and he slowly raised his eyes.

Outside the window, wind and rain raged, and the pale sunlight shone through the high window, making his eyes appear exceptionally cold and stern.

“The powerful and influential families are truly breaking the rules.”

He murmured to himself, then suddenly stood up, his sleeves fluttering, and the light screen on the array plate fluctuated violently.

He immediately summoned a group of invigilators and pointed out the unusual aspects one by one.

Everyone stared in disbelief, their faces turning extremely grim.

"If this continues, what justice is there in the trial?"

"It's already like this, can it be changed?"

"They're betting that the law won't punish everyone."

"........."

Wei Fan no longer hesitated and said in a deep voice, "Join the formation! All of you are witnesses. I will report this matter to the academy."

In an instant, everyone stood in their positions and worked together to activate the invigilation array.

The array patterns spread out from outside the hall, encircling the entire examination hall, and then beams of spiritual light rose from the ground and shot into the sky.

Subsequently, the communication array at Canglan Academy was activated.

Upon receiving the news, Ni Quanwen, the magistrate of the academy and temple, slammed his fist on the table in anger, his face as cold as ice, and shouted sternly, "How dare you! How dare you!"

"May I ask, Palace Attendant, what should be done?"

Wei Fan said in a muffled voice.

"What does Elder Wei mean?"

"The trial is therefore cancelled, and the test will be repeated."

"No. The imperial examination is extremely sacred; how can we abandon its luster?"

"Then what should we do? Are we just going to sit idly by and watch the powerful families seize power?"

“This matter certainly did not only happen in my Canglan Prefecture. How about this, extend the trial time, hoping to dilute Yinsheng’s advantage.”

Furthermore, the communication array within the examination ring will be reopened, allowing examinees to exchange information and access a publicly available map of the Black Mountain Demon Realm, marking the locations where monsters roam.

"There's no other way... Huh!"

"Elder Wei, what's wrong? Elder Wei..."

Ni Quanwen, the envoy of the Canglan Academy, exclaimed in surprise.

Wei Fan said, "Haha, haha, despite all your scheming, Xue Xiang still came out on top."

"what happened?"

Upon hearing the name "Xue Xiang," Ni Quanwen suddenly perked up.

He remembered that the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan was very fond of this Xue Xiang.

If it weren't for upholding the fairness of scientific research, he would very much like to take care of Xue Xiang.

"The proctoring array has updated the number of crystal cores hunted, and Xue Xiang has overtaken him to take first place."

Wei Fan was beaming with excitement.

………………

On the rocky hill, the fog hung low and heavy, obscuring the sky and the sun.

A bloody wind blew from the valley, making the cloak flutter loudly.

The students gradually gathered together.

Lu Wenhou stood at the front, his posture upright and his expression stern.

Shen Nansheng and Lou Changqing stood on the left and right respectively, while the rest of them exuded a mingled aura, like a flock of eagles folding their wings.

Where is Ning Qianjun?

Shen Nansheng looked up at the valley entrance, her brows furrowing slightly.

Xia Li, panting and dressed in tattered clothes, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Ning was afraid that Xue Xiang would ruin things, so he chased Xue Xiang into the valley."

As soon as he finished speaking, several disdainful sneers drifted away on the wind.

Lou Changqing dusted off his hands. "Bad news? His abilities have already been tested; he's just a candidate ranked outside the top ten."

I admit that this person is exceptionally talented in poetry and prose.

But when it comes to spiritual cultivation, who among those present is not far superior to him?

Although he was unwilling to agree to Ning Qianjun's continued rivalry with Xue Xiang, he still retained the pride of a young master from a prominent family.

"A theoretical strategist."

"The moment they encounter real violence, their true colors will be revealed."

The crowd echoed his sentiments, their sarcastic remarks rising and falling, tinged with undisguised arrogance.

Lu Wenhou did not speak, but only glanced at the entrance of the valley.

His gaze was like a blade, carrying an innate arrogance and indifference, as if he didn't care about "Xue Xiang" whether he spoke or not.

At that moment, everyone's spiritual rings suddenly glowed, and new information arrived.

Ni Quanwen's instructions were carried out. The examination hall opened the communication function of the document ring, made public the geographical map of the Black Mountain of the Demon Realm, and marked the locations where monsters appeared.

Shen Nansheng paused for a moment, then sneered: "I'm afraid even the academy can't stand by and watch. Let's leave a way out for those from poor families."

"late."

Lou Changqing pursed his lips, "This is called being slow at one step, and slow at every step."

Actually, I find my elders quite annoying.

"With our superior skills and abilities, we can easily crush those from poor families; there's no need for this."

"Brother Lou is absolutely right."

"Haha, putting everything else aside, just look at the number of crystal cores we hunt. If it exceeds one or two, we can say that we have taken advantage of our location."

But it's already exceeded that by ten or twenty pieces, what can we say?

"Brother Lü has accumulated over a hundred points, right? How many points does Xue Xiang have? Can he even reach thirty? This is the difference that can be created by taking advantage of others."

"They simply don't dare to face the gap between us and ourselves. They always say that we have received preferential treatment and don't believe how much hardship we have endured over the years to build such a solid foundation."

The crowd burst into laughter, the atmosphere eased slightly, and their words were full of contempt for the poor boy.

"The outcome is already decided. Brother Lü is far ahead. According to the rules of the county examination, he will be number one in the county examination."

"Congratulations, Brother Lü! You have brought glory to your family and honor to us all."

"........."

Amidst the congratulatory greetings, Marquis Lü Wen nodded slightly.

He had nothing to be happy about about things that were destined to happen.

He spent ten years in seclusion, cultivating to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and he felt that the battlefield he was conquering was the second secret realm.

This is just a place for children to play.

Just as the laughter reached its peak, the light screen of the talisman flashed again.

The standings have been updated.

The first place has changed; it's now Xue Xiang.

His score was an astonishing 237 points.

The integral is counted in cyan crystal nuclei; one cyan crystal nucleus corresponds to one integral.

The second-ranked was Lü Wenhou, whose number was only one hundred and thirteen.

Xue Xiang's performance was more than double his.

Numbers are like knives, piercing the eyes.

The laughter of the students was abruptly cut off as if by a sharp blade. Shen Nansheng was stunned at first, the curve of her lips frozen on her face.

Lou Changqing felt a lump in his throat, unable to utter a single word, his face flushed red.

Xia Li's pupils contracted sharply, and she almost dared not blink.

Lu Wenhou's indifferent expression seemed to have been slapped in the face by an invisible hand. His arrogant expression froze in mid-air, and for the first time, there was an undisguised look of surprise in his eyes.

The wind swept by, stirring up pebbles on the ground, which then crashed against the rock face, making a tinkling sound.

The only sound in the air was breathing; each person seemed to be suffocating, as if weighed down by a heavy object.

"He... collected a whole valley of crystal cores?"

Shen Nansheng's voice was dry.

No one answered.

………………

When the new results were announced, the stench of blood still lingered inside the cave.

Xue Xiang let out a long sigh and slumped to the ground.

The Monkey King's massive body lay sprawled on the ground, its fur standing on end like swords, still carrying an undiminished murderous aura.

The cave was eerily quiet, with only water droplets dripping from the rock walls, slowly sliding down the bluestone and making soft, rustling sounds.

After resting for a moment, Xue Xiang went forward to inspect the area.

The corpse of a purple-level monster is a treasure trove—

Its scarlet fangs, thick fur, and hard bones all exude an unusual spiritual charm.

Xue Xiang naturally wouldn't waste it; with a wave of his hand, he put it all into his document ring.

Just then, a noise came from outside the cave. Xue Xiang was startled and strained his eyes to see Pan Feng lying at the cave entrance, peering inside.

"Brother Pan, you have great courage. Come in, there's no danger now."

Xue Xiang called out.

Pan Feng slipped inside and witnessed the terrifying post-war ruins within the cave. He trembled inwardly. "Brother Xue, good, good skill."

He sneaked in quietly and had been hiding in the distance, waiting outside the cave for a long time.

He couldn't hold back any longer until the latest results were announced, and he mustered up his courage to come in.

"Brother Xue, congratulations on winning first place!"

Pan Feng cupped his hands in congratulations.

Xue Xiang smiled slightly, "Brother Pan is trying to remind me that we still have a profit-sharing agreement, isn't he?"

Pan Feng smiled awkwardly and waved his hands repeatedly, "An agreement is an agreement, but given the circumstances at the time, where else could Brother Xue put all the crystal cores if he didn't put them into the document ring?"
As for the revenue sharing agreement, just take it as a joke.

"If Brother Xue is so inclined, I would be perfectly content to help you hunt ten ghost-faced monkeys."

When he reached an agreement with Xue Xiang, he never dreamed that Xue Xiang would be so fierce.

In his mind, getting seven or eight crystal cores by following Xue Xiang would already be a great deal.

“An agreement is an agreement. I’ve kept my share for Brother Pan.”

Xue Xiang waved his hand, and a package flew towards Pan Feng.

Pan Feng took it, opened it, and the crystal cores scattered all over the ground, like a flowing, shimmering white galaxy.

"Twenty-three pieces, not yet recorded in the official register, Brother Pan, please take them in quickly."

Xue Xiang said with a smile.

Pan Feng's breath hitched, his pupils turned completely white, and he remained stunned for a long while before he came to his senses.

"This... Brother Xue, you've given me way too much!"

Brother Pan bowed in thanks while swiftly sending the crystal core into his document ring.

Suddenly, the long-awaited sunlight shone into the cave, casting two shadows of different lengths.

Xue Xiang brushed the dust off his hands, his eyes narrowed for a moment, and he slowly spoke, "Brother Pan, there is something I don't understand. Please enlighten me."

Pan Feng smiled and said, "Brother Xue, please speak freely."

Xue Xiangdao said, "As far as I know, very few of you who are privileged students have established your own literary careers."

Logically speaking, since adults in your family have traveled to this demonic land, it shouldn't be difficult for them to bring out crystal cores. Why then are you unable to establish a literary palace?

Pan Feng was silent for a moment, as if he was choosing his words carefully, "Brother Xue, that's a good question. The acquisition of literary talent is firmly controlled by the imperial court. Apart from the imperial examination, almost all other channels have been blocked."

Take this crystal core for example; it will automatically melt and turn into nothingness once it leaves the Demonic Land.

Unless an elder is willing to take the enormous risk of personally leading the younger generation into this demonic land, perhaps they can establish a literary palace based on it.

Without baptism before the statue of a saint, even if such a literary palace is opened, it is not stable and is extremely prone to collapse.

Aside from the imperial examinations, where would one see a statue of a sage?

At this point, he sighed and a bitter smile appeared on his lips: "So, in the end, the imperial examination is the orthodox path to immortality for us Confucian scholars."

Xue Xiang nodded slightly, "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Pan."

Pan Feng laughed heartily, "Brother Xue, you flatter me."

I never expected that Brother Xue would be such a sincere gentleman, not caring that I was born into a privileged family and treating me with such sincerity.

He straightened up, suppressed his smile, and looked at Xue Xiang seriously in a deep voice, "I have nothing to repay you with, so I will leak some more information. Brother Xue, please listen carefully."

He held up two fingers and poked them into the sunlight. "First, none of us can take the crystal cores from the trial grounds out."

"Either refine it here as soon as possible, or wait until the trial is over and exchange it for treasures at the Martial Arts Hall at a discounted price. Otherwise, once you leave this demonic land, everything will turn to dust, leaving nothing behind."

"Second, there is a second trial! However, the second trial is no longer within the scope of the county examination; it is a game for the strong."

To put it bluntly, it was a true coming-of-age ceremony prepared by the patriarchs of powerful families for their descendants.

Pan Feng's eyes were deep and his voice was low. The sunlight in the cave reflected on his face, making it appear half bright and half dark.

"The Demonic Lands controlled by the Imperial Court will open other areas for the first time during the second trial."

I estimate that only the top performers in the county examination will be allowed in.

At that time, the strongest candidates from all the prefectures will gather to compete.

He paused for a moment, his expression filled with undisguised envy: "Those places may contain newly sprouted spiritual herbs, or the ruins of cave dwellings of predecessors, all of which are opportunities that have never been touched by anyone before."

With Brother Xue's grades, he is certainly qualified to enter... I hope Brother Xue will seize this opportunity.

After speaking, Pan Feng's gaze softened, carrying a sense of relief and sincerity. "As for our previous cooperation agreement, that ends here."

"Pan should find a quiet place to refine the crystal core and establish his own literary palace."

After saying this, he bowed respectfully, turned and left.

………………

Outside the miasma valley, gray fog churned and the wind howled like knives.

The broken, rocky hillside resembled a shattered chessboard, overgrown with thorns.

With the update of the geographical map in the document ring, communication was enabled.

Confucian scholars gathered from all directions, converging outside the mouth of the malarial valley.

The once sparsely populated valley entrance is now bustling with people, divided into two distinct streams.

On one side were those from prestigious families, dressed in impeccable attire.

On the other side were children from poor families, their figures either thin or disheveled, their clothes mostly torn, yet each of them had piercing eyes, like sharp swords emerging from the wilderness.

A mountain wind blew up, carrying dust that wafted towards us, and there was a faint smell of gunpowder in the air.
"If there is no fairness in the examination hall, what is the point of having an examination at all!"

A poor scholar, his voice sharp and his forehead veins bulging, pointed at the scholar opposite him and angrily questioned him.

"You rely on your family connections and cheated to get these grades, yet you dare to claim you have real ability!"

Someone responded with a cold laugh, clearly enraged.

Yin Sheng's expression changed drastically. Some people initially disdained to pay attention, but when they were surrounded by the poor scholars, their tempers flared up, and their gazes clashed like swords.

In a short while, someone had already placed their hand on the hilt of the sword.

The air felt like it was being roasted by hot coals, ready to ignite at any moment.

"Wow!"

A sword aura suddenly cleaved through the noisy air.

Lu Wenhou slowly stepped forward, his long sword silently drawn from its sheath.

His face was cold and his gaze indifferent, only glancing briefly among the crowd.

The next instant, a sword slashed down!
boom!
The ground seemed to be pounded by a giant hammer, with soil and rocks flying everywhere, and sword marks more than a foot deep, forcefully separating the two groups of people.

The sound of the wind around us seemed to freeze at that moment.

The sword energy lingered, its aftertaste swirling in the valley, carrying a menacing sharpness.

He sheathed his sword, his voice cool and clear: "Noisy."

The group of scholars from humble backgrounds were furious and stepped back a few paces.

After a brief silence, a clear gust of wind swept down from the sky.

As everyone looked up, amidst the swirling mist, a streak of blue light stretched across the sky, seemingly imbued with life, transforming into a rainbow bridge.

A figure arrived with hands behind his back, riding the wind, his long robes fluttering, his feet resting on a radiant rainbow bridge, his posture like that of an immortal soaring through the clouds.

As the light fell, it was Xue Xiang.

With a light touch of his toes, the light of the rainbow bridge dissipated like ripples on water. He slowly landed at the mouth of the valley. Before he could even speak, cheers erupted from the poor students, and their cheers rose like a tidal wave.

"What a cunning scheme! In the end, the poor student still won the championship!"

Someone looked up and shouted, their eyes gleaming with excitement and stubbornness.

"Trying to intimidate us? In the end, you'll have to rely on real skills!"

"Brother Xue taking first place, that's fair!"

The voices of the impoverished scholars were thunderous, one after another, their momentum breaking through the previous oppression.

The Yinsheng's faces were ashen, their eyes sharp as blades, and streams of energy surged into the sky.

"Hmph, the trial is not over yet."

Shen Nansheng shouted coldly, suppressing the anger in his heart.

Lou Changqing stepped forward, his gaze sharp as he fixed on Xue Xiang, his voice laced with a accusatory tone and a chilling edge, "Where is Ning Qianjun?"

Xue Xiang's gaze was calm yet slightly nonchalant, as if he could see right through their thoughts.

He gave a slight bow, his tone unhurried, "Brother Ning, feeling secure in his ranking, has already returned ahead of me."

In short, it's like a pebble thrown into the center of a lake.

Among the impoverished scholars, someone immediately couldn't help but sneer.

The students were shocked, their faces turning incredibly grim. Everyone understood the implication behind those words: Ning Qianjun was finished.
The wind rose again in the valley, whistling and whipping up the sand and gravel on the ground, which then struck the rock walls with a tinkling sound.

Amidst the dust and mist, the atmosphere of confrontation between the two sides was even stronger than before, as if the entire valley would be set ablaze at any moment.

Lu Wenhou's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles taut and white, his cold gaze seeming to pierce through Xue Xiang.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice as cold as ice, "Xue Xiang, the county examination is not over yet, and the outcome between us is still undecided."

He paused, a sinister glint in his eyes, "You must have sabotaged the Monkey King to achieve what you have today."

"Very well, you've successfully ignited my competitive spirit. Just you wait."

After saying this, he flicked his long robe and drifted away.

The group of students left one by one, and Pan Feng mingled among them, nodding to Xue Xiang from afar.

"Brother Xue!"

Wei Wendao was the first to step forward, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement. "Excellent! That's great! It's made these shady characters lose face."

"That's right, Brother Xue has really given us poor kids a boost!"

As they spoke, the crowd gathered around, bowing respectfully, and some couldn't help but laugh.

The pent-up frustration finally found an outlet.

"Gentlemen, you flatter me. I was just lucky."

Xue bowed to Tuantuan and said, "I looked at the points leaderboard and there are still many of my peers who haven't obtained the crystal core yet."

In this way, one cannot open a literary palace, and without literary talent to rely on, it will be very disadvantageous in the upcoming competition.

"Gentlemen, those who have not yet established their literary palaces, please step forward."

The crowd was puzzled by Xue Xiang's intentions, but those who had not yet established a literary palace still stepped forward.

Although it's a bit embarrassing, results don't lie.

Xue Xiang silently counted, and there were more than thirty people. He took out more than thirty crystal cores, waved his hand, and the crystal cores were lifted by spiritual energy and scattered into the hands of everyone.

"These crystal cores are not recorded in my literary register. If you obtain them, they can be listed as your achievements and can also help you open up your literary palace."

Xue Xiang was not speaking without reason.

After confirming that he couldn't take the crystal cores out of the area, his desire to continue hunting for them faded.

As for points...

The crystal cores he recorded in the ritual ring were only half of his stock.

This doesn't even include the purple crystal core.

According to the rules, one white crystal nucleus is equivalent to five cyan crystal nuclei.

For white-grade and above, the price is more than ten times higher.

In other words, if the purple crystal core in his hand were recorded in the scripture ring, it could earn him 500 points.

These terrifying statistics mean the champion is a foregone conclusion.

If you can't use it all up and can't take it with you, even if you go to the Armory to exchange it, you'll only get a discounted price.

Therefore, the value of a single crystal core instantly decreased in Xue Xiang's eyes.

At this moment, it's absolutely worthwhile to take out some insignificant crystal cores to boost popularity.

After all, that's how you build reputation and connections.

"Brother Xue, how could I possibly accept such an honor?"

"Why bother? Let's rely on our own abilities. If we take it, it will only diminish your achievements, Brother Xue."

"That's right, Brother Xue, please take it back."

The crowd was shocked and deeply grateful.

From their perspective, the crystal core was extremely precious, and Xue Xiang was willing to give it away as a gift. They were practically living bodhisattvas, and they owed him a huge favor.

"Gentlemen, listen to me. We need to team up. Only by working together can we quickly eliminate the remaining monkey monsters in this miasma valley. You can work together to hunt them down."

Xue Xiang said loudly, "As for these crystal cores, since I have given them away, I will not take them back."

Gentlemen, please do not disappoint Mr. Xue's good intentions.

Furthermore, I, Xue, need to choose a place to refine the crystal core, so I will not accompany you all.

The communication function of the left and right talisman rings has been activated. If you have any questions, you can contact me at any time.

My ordination certificate number is Jue Bing, number thirty-seven. Excuse me.

After saying that, Xue Xiang swayed and used the Returning Breath Step to disappear into the distance.

Watching his departing figure, someone sighed softly, "He is truly a gentleman of the highest virtue among us."

"Brother Xue is exceptionally generous and righteous, truly a hero of our county."

"It is the people's expectation that someone like him should win the championship. People like Lü Wenhou, Shen Nansheng, and Lou Changqing are simply laughable."

“From this day forward, no one in the younger generation of the county will be worthy of being compared with Brother Xue.”

(End of this chapter)