The two days of waiting passed uneventfully for Ye Fan, but his two senior sisters were overly excited.
Zi Qing would mumble "We're first, we're first!" whenever she had a moment.
Even the usually stoic senior sister would frequently blush with excitement.
After all, they had only come to participate before, and hadn't even dared to dream of making it into the top hundred.
Yet, to their surprise, they had clinched the first place.
"Junior brother, you are truly amazing!"
Zi Qing cupped Ye Fan's face in her hands, her expression full of curiosity.
"You're so young and already this powerful; this Innate Dao Body is practically cheating!"
Zi Bing remained silent, merely watching Ye Fan with the same curiosity.
"Senior sisters, if you have nothing else to do, perhaps you should go cultivate," Ye Fan said speechlessly, pushing away Zi Qing's hands.
"No, no," Zi Qing quickly shook her head. "I'm too happy right now; cultivating now would lead to qi deviation."
Zi Bing nodded in agreement.
"Then let's do something else," Ye Fan reached into his ring and produced a deck of playing cards.
Soon, the sound of cards hitting the table echoed through the courtyard.
"Clack, clack, clack!"
...
On the morning of the third day.
The Great Liang Imperial Palace.
The disciples participating in the grand competition stood on the plaza, awaiting Liang Dekuai's arrival.
After emerging from the secret realm yesterday, they had sent people to inquire.
They were eager to know who had been so formidable as to clear it so quickly!
After all, the mainstream teams were still stuck on the third or fourth floor, with some unfortunate ones not even having passed the first.
It felt as if the progress of this competition had been too hasty.
However, no matter how much they inquired, they couldn't find out who had claimed the first place.
"His Majesty arrives!"
With the eunuch's announcement, Liang Dekuai arrived at the plaza with his entourage.
"Everyone performed very well in this grand competition; I am greatly pleased..."
Liang Dekuai began with a standard official opening.
Fortunately, Liang Dekuai didn't possess the skill of "let me just say a few words," and finished in a few minutes.
"I believe everyone has been waiting impatiently," Liang Dekuai smiled slightly. "Now, I will announce the rankings of this grand competition."
"One hundredth place, from Qingfeng Sect in Sunset Canyon, congratulations!"
After speaking, Liang Dekuai led the applause.
"Clap, clap, clap!"
Amidst the warm applause, the representative from Qingfeng Sect excitedly rushed onto the award stage.
"Ninety-ninth place, from..."
"Ninety-eighth place..."
"Ninety-seventh place..."
...
After fifty people had filled the award stage, Liang Dekuai paused.
The next segment was the award ceremony.
The rewards for 51st to 100th place were a magical artifact and some precious medicinal materials.
After this, the next round began.
For 11th to 50th place, in addition to the aforementioned rewards, they also received a five-hundred-year mining right to a rare spirit mine.
4th to 10th place received preferential policies from the Great Liang Kingdom for their sects.
Next up were the representatives for the top three to receive their awards.
The representatives for second and third place were fine; their strength was well-deserved, and other cultivators were not particularly surprised.
"First place, from Ziyun Sect in the Fire Feather Mountain Range, congratulations!"
"Clap, clap, clap!"
Amidst the warm applause, the senior sister, Zi Bing, ascended the award stage.
The cultivators participating in the grand competition erupted in shock!
The first place had been taken by a rookie at the Golden Core stage!
This seemed completely absurd!
Ultimately, they could only attribute it to the other party's incredible luck...
After all, luck was often a part of strength.
The basic rewards for the top three were similar to the previous ones, except that the magical artifacts, cultivation resources, and spirit mine resources were of much higher quality.
In addition to this, each sect also received a permanent territory!
This territory alone was far more valuable than all the previous rewards!
A magical artifact could only empower one person.
Cultivation resources and spirit mines could only strengthen a portion of the sect members.
But a territory could empower the entire sect!
After all, the places chosen as sect territories were naturally blessed with abundant spiritual energy and auspicious feng shui.
Furthermore, they were located near the imperial city!
The implied connections and other conveniences were immeasurable in value!
Liang Dekuai personally handed the land deed of Ziyun Sect to Zi Bing.
"From now on, the Blazing Sun Mountain Range will belong to your Ziyun Sect."
"Whoosh—!"
A commotion immediately rippled through the crowd.
While the territories for the second and third place sects were also excellent, they were considered reasonable by comparison.
But the Blazing Sun Mountain Range...
Wasn't this a bit too extravagant?
The Blazing Sun Mountain Range's spiritual energy density was second only to that of the Great Liang's premier sect!
It far surpassed the territories of the second and third place sects by an unimaginable margin!
Even the top five sects of Great Liang had repeatedly tried to purchase it, only to be refused by Liang Dekuai.
If not for their fear of the Great Liang Kingdom's old revered elder, other sects would have likely resorted to force to seize it!
Not only that.
The Blazing Sun Mountain Range had originally been gifted by Liang Dekuai to the First Prince.
Unfortunately, the First Prince had died prematurely, and there hadn't been time to develop it.
Liang Dekuai's affection for the First Prince was known throughout the Great Liang Kingdom.
Even after the First Prince's death, Liang Dekuai would rather let the Blazing Sun Mountain Range lie barren than transfer it to anyone else!
Yet today, it had been given to Ziyun Sect just like that?
Many in attendance had never even heard of the Fire Feather Mountain Range.
Even those who had heard of it only knew it as a small, desolate place lacking spiritual energy.
It was the kind of place where no one would bother building a sect, even if the land were given away for free.
Backward, desolate, and impoverished – these were the hallmarks of the Fire Feather Mountain Range!
Could it be that Ziyun Sect had some hidden connection with the imperial family?
Soon.
The gazes of these disciples turned eager as they looked at Zi Bing.
According to the rules of the Great Liang Kingdom, once these territories were bestowed, they would have absolutely no further connection with the imperial family!
This meant that no matter what happened, the Great Liang imperial family would not intervene!
This implied that, in certain respects, the Blazing Sun Mountain Range was now effectively ownerless!
To send a rookie at the Golden Core stage to participate in the competition, coupled with being from a barren land like the Fire Feather Mountain Range...
How powerful could this Ziyun Sect possibly be?
After Zi Yun and the other two descended, Liang Dekuai glanced at Ye Fan below.
My son, this is as far as Father can help you...
Upon returning to their residence, Ye Fan and his two senior sisters began packing their belongings, preparing to leave.
They had visited the two elders in the palace earlier, but the Second Elder stated he was busy with teaching and would not be returning with Ye Fan for now.
With the Second Elder not returning, their good friend Master Xie Yan naturally wouldn't be going either.
While they said they were packing, there wasn't much to pack.
Everything was already in their rings; they could simply return.
"Ye Fan, why don't you all ride my flying ship back?" suggested Liang Rujing, the little tail. "My flying ship is very fast."
Both senior sisters looked at Ye Fan in unison.
"Alright, that's settled," Ye Fan immediately decided.
The one piloting the flying ship was Grandma Li, who hadn't appeared in a while.
Ye Fan, accompanied by two elder women and one younger one, stood on the deck, enjoying the cool breeze.
"If Master knew, he'd definitely be very happy!" Zi Qing chattered incessantly, her face beaming with excitement.