“ shì tā ？” yǎn qián xiū shì nà ào rán de miàn páng ， hé jì yì zhōng nà zhuàng ruò fēng diān de qīng nián chóng dié zài yì qǐ 。
“是他？”眼前修士那傲然的面庞，和记忆中那状若疯癫的青年重叠在一起。
"Is it him?" The proud face of the cultivator in front of him overlapped with the image of that mad青年 from his memory.
lǐ fán yǒu xiē lèng zhù le 。
李凡有些愣住了。
Li Fan was momentarily stunned.
“ jū rán méi sǐ ？ bù jǐn duǒ kāi le mò shā miè shì de dà huò ， ér qiě sì hū zài yuán dào zhōu hái lìng yǒu jì yù ？”
“居然没死？不仅躲开了墨杀灭世的大祸，而且似乎在源道州还另有际遇？”
"Remarkably, he didn't die? Not only did he avoid the great calamity of Mò Shā Xièshì, but also seems to have had other experiences in Yuándào Prefecture?"
“ zhè zhǒng qì yùn ……”
“这种气运……”
"This kind of fortune..."
lǐ fán dùn shí duì zhè hán yì lái le xìng qù 。
李凡顿时对这韩易来了兴趣。
Li Fan immediately took an interest in Han Yi.
zǐ xì dǎ liàng ， tā hé dāng chū yī fú pò làn 、 tóu fà lā tā de xíng xiàng jié rán bù tóng 。
仔细打量，他和当初衣服破烂、头发邋遢的形象截然不同。
Carefully observing him, Li Fan noticed that his appearance was vastly different from when he was ragged and unkempt.
rú jīn de hán yì yī xí zǐ jīn cháng páo ， qí shàng yǐn yǐn yǒu guāng huá liú zhuǎn ， yī kàn jiù bú shì fán pǐn 。
如今的韩易一袭紫金长袍，其上隐隐有光华流转，一看就不是凡品。
Now, Han Yi wore a purple-gold robe with faint light radiating from it, clearly not ordinary.
zuǒ shǒu shàng dài zhe méi lǜ yù bān zhǐ ， chú le chǔ wù gōng néng zhī wài ， gèng yǒu zhèn fǎ bō dòng hén jì 。
左手上戴着枚绿玉扳指，除了储物功能之外，更有阵法波动痕迹。
A green jade ring finger guard adorned his left hand, showing more than just storage capabilities; there were traces of array fluctuations.
dì yī yǎn wàng qù ， gěi rén de gǎn jué jiù shì qì dù fēi fán 、 fēi fù jí guì 。
第一眼望去，给人的感觉就是气度非凡、非富即贵。
At first glance, one could sense an extraordinary demeanor, suggesting he was either wealthy or noble.
zì shēn xiū shì yě shì bù sú 。
自身修士也是不俗。
His own cultivator status wasn't trivial either. Thirteen years ago, he hadn’t broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Now, however, he had reached the same level as Li Fan—Golden Core cultivation.
shí sān nián qián ， tā hái méi yǒu tū pò dào zhù jī jìng 。
十三年前，他还没有突破到筑基境。
"Interesting." Li Fan's eyes flickered with a smile.
rú jīn ， què yǐ jīng gēn lǐ fán yī yàng ， shì jīn dān xiū wèi le 。
如今，却已经跟李凡一样，是金丹修为了。
Amidst the crowd’s attention, a silver light shone from the Heavenly Xuan Mirror in the center of the hall, illuminating Han Yi’s purple wooden box.
“ yǒu yì si 。” lǐ fán mù guāng wēi dòng ， zuǐ jiǎo fú xiàn chū yī sī xiào yì 。
“有意思。”李凡目光微动，嘴角浮现出一丝笑意。
After a moment, the purple wooden box vanished. The list on the mirror’s surface changed slightly.
wàn zhòng zhǔ mù zhōng ， dà tīng zhōng yāng de tiān xuán jìng miàn shàng ， fàng chū yī dào yín sè guāng huá ， zhào shè zài hán yì shǒu zhōng de zǐ sè mù hé shàng 。
万众瞩目中，大厅中央的天玄镜面上，放出一道银色光华，照射在韩易手中的紫色木盒上。
Atop the list was now "Han Yi, Heaven's Transformation Pill. Can extend life by eight hundred and six years."
piàn kè zhī hòu ， zǐ sè mù hé xiāo shī 。
片刻之后，紫色木盒消失。
The cultivators in the hall immediately erupted into chatter.
ér tiān xuán jìng miàn de bǎng dān shàng ， zì jì wēi wēi biàn dòng 。
而天玄镜面的榜单上，字迹微微变动。
"Is it really true? This kid didn’t exaggerate?"
bǎng shǒu ， hè rán biàn chéng le “ hán yì ， tiān dōu huà yǔ dān 。 kě yán shòu bā bǎi líng liù zài 。”
榜首，赫然变成了“韩易，天都化羽丹。可延寿八百零六载。”
"A mere Golden Core cultivator, his luck must be extraordinary! Actually finding a longevity pill that can extend life for eight centuries? I envy him to death!"
tīng nèi xiū shì dùn shí yī piàn huá rán 。
厅内修士顿时一片哗然。
"Heaven's Transformation… I seem to have heard this name before?"
“ jū rán shì zhēn de ？ zhè xiǎo zi méi shuō dà huà ？”
“居然是真的？这小子没说大话？”
"The Blue Feather Immortal Sage who had fallen in Yuándào Prefecture, was the cultivation technique he practiced not called 'Heaven's Transformation'? It’s said there are fierce battles over this true art of cultivation within Yuándào Prefecture. Many cultivators have perished while competing for it. I wonder what relation this Heaven's Transformation Pill has to the Blue Feather Immortal Sage."
“ qū qū jīn dān xiū shì ， yùn qì yě wèi miǎn tài hǎo le ba ？ jū rán néng zhǎo dào yán shòu bā bǎi zài de bǎo wù ？ zhēn shì xiàn shā wǒ yě ！”
“区区金丹修士，运气也未免太好了吧？居然能找到延寿八百载的宝物？真是羡煞我也！”
The crowd discussed fervently, their gazes filled with various meanings.
“ tiān dōu huà yǔ …… zhè míng zì sì hū zài nǎ lǐ tīng guò ？”
“天都化羽……这名字似乎在哪里听过？”
Han Yi, however, remained composed despite the many powerful cultivators staring at him. He even bowed gracefully and said, "Thank you all! As expected, first place will be mine this time."
“ yuán dào zhōu zhī qián nà wèi yǐ jīng yǔn luò de lán yǔ xiān zūn ， xiū xíng de gōng fǎ shì bú shì jiù shì 《 tiān dōu huà yǔ gōng 》？ jù shuō xiàn zài yuán dào zhōu nèi wèi le zhēng duó zhè mén hé dào zhēn gōng ， dǎ dī bù kě kāi jiāo ， yǔn luò le hǎo xiē xiū shì 。 bù zhī dào zhè tiān dōu huà yǔ dān hé lán yǔ xiān zūn yǒu shén me guān xì 。”
“源道州之前那位已经陨落的蓝羽仙尊，修行的功法是不是就是《天都化羽功》？据说现在源道州内为了争夺这门合道真功，打的不可开交，陨落了好些修士。不知道这天都化羽丹和蓝羽仙尊有什么关系。”
This remark made the faces of the present cultivators look less pleasant.
zhòng rén yì lùn fēn fēn ， dīng zhe hán yì de mù guāng bǎo hán zhe gè zhǒng bù tóng de yì wèi 。
众人议论纷纷，盯着韩易的目光饱含着各种不同的意味。
Unperturbed, Han Yi pulled out a folding fan from somewhere and opened it with a snap.
ér hán yì miàn duì xǔ duō xiū wèi yuǎn gāo yú tā xiū shì de níng shì ， què néng shǐ zhōng tài rán zì ruò ， miàn bù gǎi sè 。
而韩易面对许多修为远高于他修士的凝视，却能始终泰然自若，面不改色。
He leisurely fanned himself before finding a spot to sit down, waiting for the final results.
shèn zhì hái cháo zhe zhū wèi xiū shì xiāo sǎ dì xíng le yī lǐ ， xiào zhe shuō dào ：“ chéng ràng le zhū wèi ！ bù chū yì liào de huà ， cǐ cì xuán shǎng dì yī wèi ， jiù guī wǒ le 。”
甚至还朝着诸位修士潇洒地行了一礼，笑着说道：“承让了诸位！不出意料的话，此次悬赏第一位，就归我了。”
Han Yi’s sudden appearance dampened the atmosphere in the Heaven's Peak Academy hall significantly. The discussion was no longer as heated.
cǐ yán yī chū ， zài chǎng xiū shì de liǎn sè dōu biàn dé bù zěn me hǎo kàn 。
此言一出，在场修士的脸色都变得不怎么好看。
First and second places were almost set; although third place might change, it wasn't drawing much attention anymore.
hán yì què mǎn bù zài hū ， bù zhī cóng nǎ tāo chū yī bǐng zhé shàn ， shuā de yī shēng dǎ kāi 。
韩易却满不在乎，不知从哪掏出一柄折扇，刷的一声打开。
The衍法珏's derived technique, though impressive, could only reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. It couldn’t compare to divine orifices or union techniques.
yōu xián zì dé dì shàn le shàn ， zhǎo le chù wèi zhì zuò xià ， děng dài zuì zhōng jié guǒ chū lái 。
悠闲自得地扇了扇，找了处位置坐下，等待最终结果出来。
After a few hours, another two or three cultivators entered the hall.
hán yì de tū rán chū xiàn ， ràng tiān jí yuàn dà tīng nèi jiē xià lái de qì fēn yī xià zi chén mèn le bù shǎo 。
韩易的突然出现，让天极院大厅内接下来的气氛一下子沉闷了不少。
They glanced at the list on the Heavenly Xuan Mirror and knew they had no chance for the top three positions.
bù shì yuán xiān nà me tǎo lùn rè liè le 。
不似原先那么讨论热烈了。
Nevertheless, driven by Dou Cheng's promise of double rewards, each one presented their treasures.
dì yī èr jī hū yǐ jīng dìng xià 。
第一二几乎已经定下。
Seeing that the time was right, Li Fan took out a Birth-Death Fruit from his storage ring and placed it in front of the mirror.
suī rán dì sān míng de guī shǔ kě néng huì yǒu biàn dòng ， dàn shì guān zhù dù xiǎn rán méi yǒu zhī qián nà me gāo le 。
虽然第三名的归属可能会有变动，但是关注度显然没有之前那么高了。
A flash of light later, the list on the Heavenly Xuan Mirror updated again.
yǎn fǎ jué tuī yǎn de gōng fǎ suī rán bù fán ， dàn dì sān míng zhǐ néng tuī yǎn dào yuán yīng jìng jiè 。
衍法珏推衍的功法虽然不凡，但第三名只能推衍到元婴境界。
"Xiao Fan, Birth-Death Fruit. Can delay life by three hundred years."
gēn huà shén nǎi zhì hé dào gōng fǎ ， wán quán bù kě tóng rì ěr yǔ 。
跟化神乃至合道功法，完全不可同日耳语。
Li Fan's unexpected rise stirred some excitement in the hall.
guò le xiǎo bàn tiān hòu ， lù lù xù xù yòu yǒu liǎng sān míng xiū shì lái dào dà tīng 。
过了小半天后，陆陆续续又有两三名修士来到大厅。
One cultivator suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Li Fan as if they had a deep-seated grudge.
kàn le yǎn tiān xuán jìng miàn de bǎng dān hòu ， tā men zhī dào jìng zhēng qián sān míng shì méi zhǐ wàng le 。
看了眼天玄镜面的榜单后，他们知道竞争前三名是没指望了。
"Brother Wan! Calm down, calm down!"
dàn shì zhè xiē xiū shì hái shì wèi le jí chéng tiān zūn xǔ nuò de shuāng bèi bào chóu ， yī yī jiāng bǎo wù xiàn shàng 。
但是这些修士还是为了极成天尊许诺的双倍报酬，一一将宝物献上。
This was none other than the original second-place contestant, Wan Yu.
lǐ fán jiàn shí hòu yě chà bu duō le ， yú shì cóng chǔ wù jiè zhōng jiàng yī méi wǎng shēng shòu guǒ qǔ chū ， fàng zhì yú tiān xuán jìng miàn qián 。
李凡见时候也差不多了，于是从储物戒中将一枚往生寿果取出，放置于天玄镜面前。
Han Yi and Li Fan's appearance pushed him out of the top three, robbing him of the chance to use the衍法珏.
guāng huá shǎn guò ， tiān xuán jìng de bǎng dān zài dù gēng xīn 。
光华闪过，天玄镜的榜单再度更新。
The Museum of Subduing Demons
“ xiāo fán ， wǎng shēng shòu guǒ 。 kě yán huǎn sān bǎi zài 。”
“萧凡，往生寿果。可延缓三百载。”
Li Fan’s gaze lingered on Wan Yu for a moment before completely ignoring him.
lǐ fán de yì jūn tū qǐ ， ràng yǒu xiē yā yì de dà tīng zhōng ， xiān qǐ le yī sī bō lán 。
李凡的异军突起，让有些压抑的大厅中，掀起了一丝波澜。
Under the watchful eyes of the cultivators, Li Fan slowly approached Han Yi's seat and sat down beside it.
gèng yǒu yī wèi xiū shì huò rán zhàn qǐ ， shuāng mù tōng hóng ， sǐ sǐ dīng zhe lǐ fán 。
更有一位修士霍然站起，双目通红，死死盯着李凡。
Han Yi sized up Li Fan, his eyes flashing with interest.
fǎng fú lǐ fán gēn tā yǒu bù gòng dài tiān zhī chóu yì bān 。
仿佛李凡跟他有不共戴天之仇一般。
But he didn’t say anything; instead, he gave Li Fan a slight bow and smiled.
“ wàn xiōng ！ lěng jìng ， lěng jìng ！”
“万兄！冷静，冷静！”
Li Fan nodded slightly before closing his eyes to rest.
yuán lái cǐ rén zhèng shì yuán běn de dì èr míng ， wàn yù 。
原来此人正是原本的第二名，万煜。
Halfway through another cup of tea later, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror began counting down in numbers.
hán yì hé lǐ fán de chū xiàn ， yī xià zi ràng tā diē chū le qián sān míng ， shī qù le huò dé shǐ yòng yǎn fǎ jué de jī huì 。
韩易和李凡的出现，一下子让他跌出了前三名，失去了获得使用衍法珏的机会。
The deadline for the rewards was approaching.
《 zhèn yāo bó wù guǎn 》
《镇妖博物馆》
Just as the final moment arrived, a scholar-like figure dashed into the hall.
lǐ fán de mù guāng què zhǐ shì zài tā shēn shàng wēi wēi tíng liú ， suí hòu jiù jiāng qí wán quán wú shì 。
李凡的目光却只是在他身上微微停留，随后就将其完全无视。
Stopping under the mirror, he looked up with squinted eyes.
zài zhòng xiū shì de zhù shì xià ， lǐ fán huǎn huǎn zǒu dào hán yì zuò wèi fù jìn ， kào zhe zuò xià 。
在众修士的注视下，李凡缓缓走到韩易座位附近，靠着坐下。
His reaction was interesting; first, he let out a long sigh of relief.
hán yì dǎ liàng zhe lǐ fán ， yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī jīng guāng 。
韩易打量着李凡，眼中闪过一丝精光。
Then he shook his head, looking very disappointed.
bù guò tā cǐ shí yě méi shuō shén me ， zhǐ shì cháo lǐ fán gǒng le gǒng shǒu ， miàn lù wēi xiào 。
不过他此时也没说什么，只是朝李凡拱了拱手，面露微笑。
Scanning the room, his gaze locked onto Han Yi.
lǐ fán wēi wēi diǎn tóu ， suí hòu bì mù yǎng shén 。
李凡微微点头，随后闭目养神。
Following Li Fan's example, he found a spot to sit near Han Yi.
yòu guò le bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， tiān xuán jìng miàn shàng kāi shǐ fú xiàn shù zì de dào jì shí 。
又过了半盏茶的功夫，天玄镜面上开始浮现数字的倒计时。
Han Yi couldn't help but chuckle: "Interesting!"
lí xuán shǎng de jié zhǐ shí jiān ， yǐ jīng bù yuǎn 。
离悬赏的截止时间，已经不远。
His fan movements became more hurried.
jiù zài zhè zuì hòu shí hòu ， yī dào shū shēng dǎ bàn de shēn yǐng yā zhòu fēi bēn le jìn lái 。
就在这最后时候，一道书生打扮的身影压轴飞奔了进来。
As the countdown on the Heavenly Xuan Mirror reached zero, only the top three remained on the list.
shēn xíng zài tiān xuán jìng miàn xià tíng zhù ， yǎng tóu mī yǎn 。
身形在天玄镜面下停住，仰头眯眼。
A blue-robed cultivator suddenly appeared in the hall.
jiē xià lái tā de fǎn yìng yě hěn yǒu yì si ， xiān shì zhǎng sōng le yì kǒu qì 。
接下来他的反应也很有意思，先是长松了一口气。
He said loudly, "Han Yi, Xiéng Yuè, Xiao Fan, please follow me."
suí hòu yòu yáo le yáo tóu ， yī fù shí fēn kě xī de yàng zi 。
随后又摇了摇头，一副十分可惜的样子。
"Other cultivators, stay here; a specialist will handle the distribution of rewards shortly."
shì xiàn sǎo shì yī zhōu ， què shì zhí jiē suǒ dìng le hán yì 。
视线扫视一周，却是直接锁定了韩易。
Upon hearing this, Han Yi took the lead without hesitation.
yě xué zhe lǐ fán ， zài hán yì fù jìn ， zhǎo le wèi zhì zuò xià 。
也学着李凡，在韩易附近，找了位置坐下。
Li Fan stood up and gestured for Second Place, Xiéng Yuè to follow.
hán yì bù yóu dì chī xiào yī shēng ：“ yǒu qù ！”
韩易不由地嗤笑一声：“有趣！”
Xiéng Yuè hesitated briefly before following Han Yi out.
shān dòng shàn zi de dòng zuò què yǒu xiē jí cù qǐ lái 。
扇动扇子的动作却有些急促起来。
Li Fan walked last in line.
tiān xuán jìng de dào jì shí huǎn huǎn guī líng 。
天玄镜的倒计时缓缓归零。
Under the admiring gazes of the cultivators, they followed the blue-robed cultivator through several doors until they arrived at a courtyard with a large tree.
ér jìng miàn shàng de pái háng bǎng ， zuì zhōng yě zhǐ yǒu qián sān xíng liú le xià lái 。
而镜面上的排行榜，最终也只有前三行留了下来。
The tree had once been lush and expansive, its branches covering much of the courtyard.
yī wèi lán páo xiū shì ， cǐ kè hū rán chū xiàn zài dà tīng zhōng 。
一位蓝袍修士，此刻忽然出现在大厅中。
But now, it was bare, with yellowish-brown marks on its trunk.
tā lǎng shēng shuō dào ：“ hán yì 、 xī mén yuè 、 xiāo fán ， sān wèi hái qǐng gēn wǒ lái 。”
他朗声说道：“韩易、西门月、萧凡，三位还请跟我来。”
An elderly man with white hair stood under the tree, his hunched figure touching the dying tree before him.
“ qí yú xiū shì dāi zài cǐ chù ， shāo hòu yǒu zhuān rén fù zé hé duì fā fàng bào chóu 。”
“其余修士呆在此处，稍后有专人负责核对发放报酬。”
His back seemed desolate.
hán yì wén yán ， dāng rén bù ràng ， qǐ shēn zǒu zài zuì qián fāng 。
韩易闻言，当仁不让，起身走在最前方。
"Salutations, Immortal Sage!"
lǐ fán zhàn qǐ hòu ， què shì cháo zhe dì èr míng xī mén yuè zuò le gè qǐng de dòng zuò 。
李凡站起后，却是朝着第二名西门月做了个请的动作。
Li Fan and the others bowed immediately.
xī mén yuè yóu yù le piàn kè ， qīng shēng dào xiè ， suí zhe gēn suí hán yì zǒu le chū qù 。
西门月犹豫了片刻，轻声道谢，随着跟随韩易走了出去。
Han Yi put away his arrogance, becoming more reserved.
lǐ fán zé shì zǒu zài sān rén zuì hòu 。
李凡则是走在三人最后。
Dou Cheng slowly turned around, looking at the young trio with a mix of nostalgia and sadness in his eyes.
zài yī zhòng xiū shì yàn xiàn wú bǐ de mù guāng zhōng ， tā men sān rén gēn suí lán páo xiū shì ， chū le dà tīng yòu guǎi ， yì zhí cháo lǐ shēn rù 。
在一众修士艳羡无比的目光中，他们三人跟随蓝袍修士，出了大厅右拐，一直朝里深入。
"You three are doing well."
chuān guò shí jǐ dào men ， zuì zhōng lái dào le yí gè tíng zhōng cháng le kē dà shù de xiǎo yuàn lǐ 。
穿过十几道们，最终来到了一个庭中长了颗大树的小院里。
Dou Cheng spoke slowly, a hint of death lingering on his face.
zhè kē dà shù céng jīng sì hū zhǎng de hěn shì mào shèng ， zhī yā yán zhǎn ， jī hū fù gài zhěng zuò tíng yuàn shàng kōng 。
这颗大树曾经似乎长的很是茂盛，枝桠延展，几乎覆盖整座庭院上空。
"Frankly speaking, your contributions have far exceeded my expectations. Thanks to you, I can still stand and move now."
kě shì rú jīn bù zhī zāo shòu le hé děng biàn gù ， shù yè quán dōu diào guāng 。
可是如今不知遭受了何等变故，树叶全都掉光。
"I need to make some final arrangements for afterlife matters."
lián shù de zhǔ gàn shàng ， dōu fú xiàn chū kū huáng de bān hén 。
连树的主干上，都浮现出枯黄的斑痕。
Dou Cheng’s words were slow, his expression tinged with a sense of impending doom.
shù xià ， zhàn zhe yī wèi bái fà cāng cāng de lǎo zhě 。
树下，站着一位白发苍苍的老者。
"Do you mean that you've already ingested all these longevity treasures?"
tā de shēn qū yǒu xiē jù lóu ， fǔ mō zhe miàn qián tóng yàng jí jiāng yíng lái sǐ wáng de dà shù 。
他的身躯有些句偻，抚摸着面前同样即将迎来死亡的大树。
"Why?"
bèi yǐng yǒu xiē xiāo suǒ 。
背影有些萧索。
Xiéng Yuè couldn’t help but ask.
"Is it him?" The proud face of the cultivator in front of him overlapped with the image of that mad青年 from his memory.
Li Fan was momentarily stunned.
"Remarkably, he didn't die? Not only did he avoid the great calamity of Mò Shā Xièshì, but also seems to have had other experiences in Yuándào Prefecture?"
"This kind of fortune..."
Li Fan immediately took an interest in Han Yi.
Carefully observing him, Li Fan noticed that his appearance was vastly different from when he was ragged and unkempt.
Now, Han Yi wore a purple-gold robe with faint light radiating from it, clearly not ordinary.
A green jade ring finger guard adorned his left hand, showing more than just storage capabilities; there were traces of array fluctuations.
At first glance, one could sense an extraordinary demeanor, suggesting he was either wealthy or noble.
His own cultivator status wasn't trivial either. Thirteen years ago, he hadn’t broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Now, however, he had reached the same level as Li Fan—Golden Core cultivation.
"Interesting." Li Fan's eyes flickered with a smile.
Amidst the crowd’s attention, a silver light shone from the Heavenly Xuan Mirror in the center of the hall, illuminating Han Yi’s purple wooden box.
After a moment, the purple wooden box vanished. The list on the mirror’s surface changed slightly.
Atop the list was now "Han Yi, Heaven's Transformation Pill. Can extend life by eight hundred and six years."
The cultivators in the hall immediately erupted into chatter.
"Is it really true? This kid didn’t exaggerate?"
"A mere Golden Core cultivator, his luck must be extraordinary! Actually finding a longevity pill that can extend life for eight centuries? I envy him to death!"
"Heaven's Transformation… I seem to have heard this name before?"
"The Blue Feather Immortal Sage who had fallen in Yuándào Prefecture, was the cultivation technique he practiced not called 'Heaven's Transformation'? It’s said there are fierce battles over this true art of cultivation within Yuándào Prefecture. Many cultivators have perished while competing for it. I wonder what relation this Heaven's Transformation Pill has to the Blue Feather Immortal Sage."
The crowd discussed fervently, their gazes filled with various meanings.
Han Yi, however, remained composed despite the many powerful cultivators staring at him. He even bowed gracefully and said, "Thank you all! As expected, first place will be mine this time."
This remark made the faces of the present cultivators look less pleasant.
Unperturbed, Han Yi pulled out a folding fan from somewhere and opened it with a snap.
He leisurely fanned himself before finding a spot to sit down, waiting for the final results.
Han Yi’s sudden appearance dampened the atmosphere in the Heaven's Peak Academy hall significantly. The discussion was no longer as heated.
First and second places were almost set; although third place might change, it wasn't drawing much attention anymore.
The衍法珏's derived technique, though impressive, could only reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. It couldn’t compare to divine orifices or union techniques.
After a few hours, another two or three cultivators entered the hall.
They glanced at the list on the Heavenly Xuan Mirror and knew they had no chance for the top three positions.
Nevertheless, driven by Dou Cheng's promise of double rewards, each one presented their treasures.
Seeing that the time was right, Li Fan took out a Birth-Death Fruit from his storage ring and placed it in front of the mirror.
A flash of light later, the list on the Heavenly Xuan Mirror updated again.
"Xiao Fan, Birth-Death Fruit. Can delay life by three hundred years."
Li Fan's unexpected rise stirred some excitement in the hall.
One cultivator suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Li Fan as if they had a deep-seated grudge.
"Brother Wan! Calm down, calm down!"
This was none other than the original second-place contestant, Wan Yu.
Han Yi and Li Fan's appearance pushed him out of the top three, robbing him of the chance to use the衍法珏.
The Museum of Subduing Demons
Li Fan’s gaze lingered on Wan Yu for a moment before completely ignoring him.
Under the watchful eyes of the cultivators, Li Fan slowly approached Han Yi's seat and sat down beside it.
Han Yi sized up Li Fan, his eyes flashing with interest.
But he didn’t say anything; instead, he gave Li Fan a slight bow and smiled.
Li Fan nodded slightly before closing his eyes to rest.
Halfway through another cup of tea later, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror began counting down in numbers.
The deadline for the rewards was approaching.
Just as the final moment arrived, a scholar-like figure dashed into the hall.
Stopping under the mirror, he looked up with squinted eyes.
His reaction was interesting; first, he let out a long sigh of relief.
Then he shook his head, looking very disappointed.
Scanning the room, his gaze locked onto Han Yi.
Following Li Fan's example, he found a spot to sit near Han Yi.
Han Yi couldn't help but chuckle: "Interesting!"
His fan movements became more hurried.
As the countdown on the Heavenly Xuan Mirror reached zero, only the top three remained on the list.
A blue-robed cultivator suddenly appeared in the hall.
He said loudly, "Han Yi, Xiéng Yuè, Xiao Fan, please follow me."
"Other cultivators, stay here; a specialist will handle the distribution of rewards shortly."
Upon hearing this, Han Yi took the lead without hesitation.
Li Fan stood up and gestured for Second Place, Xiéng Yuè to follow.
Xiéng Yuè hesitated briefly before following Han Yi out.
Li Fan walked last in line.
Under the admiring gazes of the cultivators, they followed the blue-robed cultivator through several doors until they arrived at a courtyard with a large tree.
The tree had once been lush and expansive, its branches covering much of the courtyard.
But now, it was bare, with yellowish-brown marks on its trunk.
An elderly man with white hair stood under the tree, his hunched figure touching the dying tree before him.
His back seemed desolate.
"Salutations, Immortal Sage!"
Li Fan and the others bowed immediately.
Han Yi put away his arrogance, becoming more reserved.
Dou Cheng slowly turned around, looking at the young trio with a mix of nostalgia and sadness in his eyes.
"You three are doing well."
Dou Cheng spoke slowly, a hint of death lingering on his face.
"Frankly speaking, your contributions have far exceeded my expectations. Thanks to you, I can still stand and move now."
"I need to make some final arrangements for afterlife matters."
Dou Cheng’s words were slow, his expression tinged with a sense of impending doom.
"Do you mean that you've already ingested all these longevity treasures?"
"Why?"
Xiéng Yuè couldn’t help but ask.