The crowd’s gaze flickered back and forth between Gu Qing and Ning Zhuo.
Most people knew about the conflict between the two of them. So, these eyes were full of aning and interest.
Watching a spectacle is almost a universal human nature.
"Huff huff huff..."
Gu Qing’s breath was heavy, his eyes bloodshot. He had been consuming elixirs too intensively earlier, and now the accumulated side effects were constantly surfacing.
There was a sickly flush on his face, and fine beads of sweat were seeping from his forehead. His temples throbbed, accompanied by a drum-like heartbeat that also pulsed along. Each beat brought with it a piercing pain, tornting Gu Qing’s nerves.
His previously ticulous long hair, tied up with a jade crown, now had a few strands breaking free, sticking ssily to his sweat-soaked cheeks, making him look even more disheveled.
"I won."
"This ti, I still won!"
The joy of victory was far less intense than initially imagined.
Because this victory was too precarious.
Gu Qing was forced to swallow three whole bottles of elixirs, just barely maintaining an advantage at the last mont.
"This guy..." Gu Qing looked at Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo, dressed in white, even though he lost, wore a calm smile, giving a sense of grace and dignity, as if he were honored in defeat.
Gu Qing’s pupils contracted, and he wondered internally, "What kind of elixir did this guy take to have such a good effect?"
"Or did he use so other ans?"
"Or does he naturally have such calculation skills?"
Layer upon layer of speculation slightly wavered Gu Qing’s confidence.
anwhile, Nangong Zhi’s gaze also fell on Ning Zhuo.
She admired in her heart, "No wonder Wen Ruanyu favors him; Chu Xuangu and Song Taosheng have good reason to support him."
"He can calculate so precisely and quickly. If it were other more difficult and complex problems, could he do even better?"
Looking at Ning Zhuo, who didn’t seem breathless and maintained a remarkable deanor, Nangong Zhi felt a sense of "this young man is unfathomable."
Ning Zhuo’s performance and deanor were not only noticed by Gu Qing and Nangong Zhi, but almost everyone present saw it as well.
Gu Qing took first place?
So what!
He is a Confucian Cultivator, a renowned genius cultivator of Huazhang Country; getting first place is very normal, isn’t it?
However, Ning Zhuo is not.
Among all the cultivators present, how many Confucian Cultivators were there? Not even ten percent.
These people resonated more with Ning Zhuo!
The third Xingyun Trial for Confucian Cultivators was to refine spirit paper, the whole trial clearly favored Confucian Cultivators. The public had no complaints about this, and instead felt secretly grateful. After all, the Confucian Cultivators overseeing the trials announced the refining thod, and all participants greatly benefitted.
The main purpose of the Confucian Cultivators hosting this Xingyun Trial had beco expanding their influence. Both the host and participants got what they needed.
Anyone who had ever experienced paper-making knew that Confucian Cultivators had a really huge advantage here!
Gu Qing’s victory was to be expected, but Ning Zhuo, not being a Confucian Cultivator, yet bravely seizing second place, was truly remarkable.
Everyone gave him recognition, understanding, and even sympathy. Because sympathizing with Ning Zhuo was like sympathizing with themselves.
Unknowingly, they all considered Ning Zhuo as one of their own.
So, after the second round ended, more cultivators gathered around Ning Zhuo. But unlike the first ti, they actively went to Ning Zhuo to make friends, more to acknowledge his unwavering efforts.
"Well done, Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo."
"Getting second place is really not easy for you. After all, you only have a Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt cultivation, while those behind you include those at the Golden Core Stage."
"Keep up the effort, maybe you’ll be the first in the third round!"
Encouraging words filled Ning Zhuo’s ears.
Ning Zhuo smiled wryly, cupping his hands repeatedly, thanking everyone for their support, and expressing how extraordinarily he had perford in these two rounds, how happy he was to have everyone’s support. At the sa ti, he felt very anxious, fearful of failing their expectations!
Looking at Ning Zhuo in the center of the crowd, Gu Qing’s hands hidden in his long sleeves had already clenched tightly into fists.
Clearly, he was the first, yet it was so desolate around him. How could Ning Zhuo be so glorious?
"So, even though that kid Ning Zhuo lost, he won people’s support and more hearts."
"This young man is indeed remarkable!"
Gu Qing squinted, covering the cold glint in his eyes. He once again realized Ning Zhuo’s righteous ans, his fear of him growing a bit more.
As if sensing Gu Qing’s gaze, Ning Zhuo in the crowd turned to look back.
Their gazes collided in the air, as if sparking a fire!
Although they were not enemies, they both regarded each other as their biggest rival.
"Hmph!" Gu Qing steadied his mind, "Mountain and River Page, Heavenly Star Paper, these two trials are done. These were the easiest two spirit papers put in front to accommodate the public."
"Next are Haoran Xuan and Heart Fire Essence, how will you handle them!"
Gu Qing flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.
Ning Zhuo also withdrew his gaze, feeling heavy-hearted.
"Next, continuing to perform like this will be difficult."
Through Zhu Fenxiang’s information, he also knew in advance the order of the five types of spirit papers in the trial—Mountain and River Page, Heavenly Star Paper, Haoran Xuan, Heart Fire Essence, and finally, the Inheriting Dao Jade Page.
"In refining the Mountain and River Page, I can rely on the Earth Elent and Water Elent realm, mastering the materials, having an advantage."
"In refining the Heavenly Star Paper, I can further rely on the Taoist Artifact Luoshu, possessing a strong calculation advantage."
"But when it cos to Haoran Xuan and Heart Fire Essence, I’m at a loss."
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