C108 Ranked on the Strong List

As the judge's words echoed through the arena, a wave of astonishment swept over the crowd, their murmurs reflecting their amazement.

The outcome of this wager had taken everyone by surprise.

And yet, it was clear to all that Lin Xuan's fame would now reverberate throughout the entire sect.

Lin Xuan acknowledged the murmurs with a slight nod, retrieved his Identity Badge, and approached the judge.

The judge, recognizing Lin Xuan's intent, gestured for two Inner Sect disciples to assist Hu Yuanhua to his feet.

Knowing what was expected, Hu Yuanhua produced his own Identity Badge.

As Lin Xuan neared, Hu Yuanhua spoke with a grave tone:

"Senior Brother Lin, I concede this bet. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly and will not dispute the wager of 80,000 contribution points.

However, I currently have fewer than 80,000 energy points at my disposal—only 60,000 remain.

Might I be able to use some spirit stones to make up the difference?"

Hu Yuanhua's demeanor was notably deferential, even addressing Lin Xuan as 'senior brother.'

Indeed, Lin Xuan's effortless victory had elevated him beyond Hu Yuanhua in strength.

In the Martial Arts World, where strength dictates respect, it was only proper for Hu Yuanhua to refer to Lin Xuan as 'senior brother.'

Yet, as a contender on the Strong List, Hu Yuanhua held a status and level of cultivation that far exceeded Lin Xuan's.

Despite Lin Xuan's superior strength, it was common for martial artists to harbor resentment and refuse to acknowledge such a reversal.

But Hu Yuanhua's admission was genuine and unforced. He sincerely recognized Lin Xuan as his senior brother.

This battle had laid bare Lin Xuan's formidable capabilities, surpassing even what the rumors had suggested.

Indeed, the title of the Drifting Cloud Sect's number one genius might not suffice for Lin Xuan.

His potential was boundless, and even now, Hu Yuanhua felt he paled in comparison.

He dared not offend Lin Xuan and sought to ingratiate himself at every turn.

So, Hu Yuanhua willingly addressed Lin Xuan as 'senior brother,' casting aside the hollow pride that came with being an elite disciple.

Surprised by Hu Yuanhua's earnestness, Lin Xuan gave him a thoughtful look.

He hadn't anticipated Hu Yuanhua's change of heart to come so swiftly.

But that was none of his concern.

He couldn't be bothered with him.

Still, Hu Yuanhua's proposal was quite timely; he was in need of spirit stones for his cultivation.

"Alright, how many spirit stones do you have on hand?"

Lin Xuan inquired without delay.

"Six thousand. I've only got six thousand substandard spirit stones left," Hu Yuanhua responded honestly.

"I'm actually short on spirit stones, so using them to top off the wager works for me. I'll take all six thousand. But what do you think is a fair exchange rate?" Lin Xuan asked, turning his attention to Hu Yuanhua.

With a flirtatious smile, Hu Yuanhua quickly replied, "Since you're in need, please take them. Regarding the rate, let's say six thousand spirit stones for twenty thousand contribution points. Plus the sixty thousand points I have left on my Identity Badge, that rounds out the bet to eighty thousand points. Senior Brother Lin, does that sound good to you?"

Exchanging six thousand spirit stones for twenty thousand contribution points was a generous rate, much higher than the highest known rate within the sect.

Clearly, Hu Yuanhua was taking a loss.

But to ingratiate himself with Lin Xuan, he overlooked these details.

"That works for me," Lin Xuan said, nodding with approval.

He passed his Identity Badge to the nearby judge.

He was well aware of Hu Yuanhua's overt attempts at flattery.

Yet, considering Hu Yuanhua's earlier challenge had been laced with deceit, Lin Xuan chose not to dwell on past grievances.

The judge quickly processed the transaction and returned the Identity Badge and a storage ring to Lin Xuan.

Accepting them, Lin Xuan glanced over at the crowd, spotting several deacons at the peak of the Condensation Spin Stage. With a grin, he called out, "Deacon Liu, Deacon Sun, I've been running low on spirit stones lately. Could I possibly exchange some contribution points for more?"

Having previously dominated the elite disciple Hu Yuanhua, Lin Xuan had swiftly facilitated the exchange. The deacons, eager to please, even matched Hu Yuanhua's unfavorable exchange rate.

Lin Xuan had no qualms about accepting everything that was offered to him.

Within minutes, he had successfully exchanged his 120,000 contribution points for 18,000 substandard spirit stones, supplementing his existing reserve of 70,000 contribution points and 24,000 spirit stones.

Lin Xuan gave a satisfied nod. This would sustain his cultivation for a while, allowing him to enhance his strength.

Moreover, once the tale of his exploits in the Fighting Arena spread, it would send shockwaves through the sect once more, and he would amass a significant number of energy points.

His gains from this venture were substantial.

The only downside was that this was a one-time opportunity; a repeat performance was out of the question. He had simply revealed too much of his prowess.

His current level of strength was likely impressive even by the standards of the Strong List.

Returning to the Fighting Arena would be futile; no one would dare to challenge him, knowing defeat was inevitable. No one would foolishly seek out such certain loss.

He also recognized that he could no longer accrue energy points and cultivation resources from the arena.

Resigned, Lin Xuan could only inwardly sigh, accepting that there was nothing more to be done.

However, he quickly regained his composure. If this avenue was closed to him, he would simply seek another.

With his enhanced abilities, he was confident in finding new methods to gather cultivation resources.

With this in mind, Lin Xuan prepared to depart from the Fighting Arena. He had set out with a clear objective, not for the arena itself, but to explore whether other departments, like Pill Refining and Spell Formation, might offer ways to replicate his talents and select a martial arts profession that would yield abundant cultivation resources.

It was only because he noticed significant changes in the Fighting Arena that he had paused to investigate.

Now, having profited handsomely, it was time to move on.

Just then, Deacon Chen, standing nearby, called out to him.

"Nephew Lin, please hold on a moment."

Lin Xuan paused, turning towards him with a look of curiosity.

Deacon Chen gave a respectful nod and approached Hu Yuanhua, who was a short distance away.

Hu Yuanhua's expression flickered with surprise before he understood the situation. With a rueful smile, he produced a black identity badge edged in silver, along with a small booklet the size of his palm, and handed them to Deacon Chen.

"Senior Brother Lin, Deacon Chen, it was an oversight on my part—I forgot these. Please take the Strong List Token and the roster."

Deacon Chen accepted them and passed them to Lin Xuan, elaborating:

"It's a sect mandate that within the Inner Sect, strength reigns supreme.

Should any of the elite disciples be defeated, they lose their place on the Strong List, to be succeeded by their conqueror.

Nephew Lin, in the full view of the Fighting Arena's audience, you triumphed over Nephew Hu.

By the letter of our rules, from this moment forward, you are the newly minted elite disciple, claiming the twenty-eighth spot on the Strong List!

You're now entitled to all the privileges and benefits that come with being an elite disciple."

Lin Xuan's expression registered surprise, but he quickly broke into a smile, nodding as he accepted the token and the list, expressing his gratitude:

"Thank you."

Without Deacon Chen's reminder, Lin Xuan would have remained unaware of these honors.