"Take a rest for a while, the award ceremony will begin soon, and the chief judge will personally present the awards to everyone," the referee told Zhou Hong.
"Okay!"
Then, the referee spoke to the second-place winner.
In this way, each of the top ten finalists was interviewed by the referee.
"Next, we will hold the award ceremony. Please, the chief judge of the Martial Cultivation Competition, senior Huang Ruohong, come to the stage to present awards to the ten geniuses." The referee shouted.
"Clap clap clap!" Enthusiastic applause filled the venue.
Amidst the applause, an old man slowly walked onto the stage. This old man was none other than the chief judge of the Martial Cultivation Competition, Huang Ruohong.
Zhou Hong was no stranger to him.
Huang Ruohong, holding the first-place trophy, approached Zhou Hong first, smiling somewhat awkwardly and said, "Congratulations, student Zhou Hong, you have become the overall champion of this Martial Cultivation Competition."
"Thank you, senior Huang!" Zhou Hong also smiled with a strange expression, and Huang Ruohong felt a bit uneasy. It was a pity that no one knew his inner thoughts at this moment.
Next, awards were presented to the second-place winner, and so on.
After all the awards were presented.
"I announce that the battle for the top ten has concluded. At 2 PM, the ranking battles for the 10th to 30th places will be held. Please look forward to it." The referee announced loudly again. The people from the Martial Cultivation Hall then got up one by one, preparing to have lunch and then watch the battle for the top 30 in the afternoon.
"Zhou Hong, sob sob sob!" As Zhou Hong walked off the stage carrying the trophy, the dean immediately rushed up, weeping loudly.
"What are you crying about?" Zhou Hong was speechless.
"Champion, our Jinzhou University actually won the championship and third place. My goodness, this must not be real." The dean said, wiping away tears.
"It's just a championship, what's so exciting about it?"
"In the past, our Jinzhou University's strongest only managed to get into the top 100. Can you blame me for being so excited?" The dean rolled his eyes.
"Alright Dean, let's go back," Changsun Ruoyan also said with a smile, holding a third-place trophy in her hand.
"Okay, I'm treating you to a good meal at noon."
"Then I won't be polite," Zhou Hong chuckled.
Just then, Zhou Hong's phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was Qiao Xiaoyu calling.
"Hello, Xiaoyu!" Zhou Hong quickly answered.
"Zhou Hong," Qiao Xiaoyu cried out.
"Speechless, why are you crying again?" Zhou Hong thought to himself, the dean had just finished crying.
"How can I not cry? This is too exciting."
"Hehe, wait for me to come back. I'll take the car back this afternoon," Zhou Hong said.
"Others haven't finished yet, how can you go back first?"
"I'll go back if I want to, who cares? Alright, we'll talk when I get back."
"Mhmm."
Zhou Hong hung up the phone.
The dean said, "Zhou Hong, theoretically, you cannot leave first. You must wait until the Martial Cultivation Competition officially ends before you can leave together."
"I can't wait. It will take several more days for everyone to finish. I don't have that much time," Zhou Hong insisted on going home.
"In that case, you can take a car back by yourself. However, you have become the champion now, and you are somewhat famous throughout Jiangnan Province. I am a bit worried if you go back alone."
"Haha, what are you worried about?" Zhou Hong couldn't help but smile.
"Aren't you worried yourself, which is why you've been hiding so much? There are many perverts in this world, and some people just can't stand to see others do well. Why don't you come back with us? It would be safer."
"No need, I can protect myself."
"Alright then, let's go eat first."
Zhou Hong and the dean and others returned to the hotel for lunch.
After eating, Zhou Hong returned to his hotel room, ready to pack his luggage and drive home.
"Zhou Hong, why don't I go back with you!" Changsun Ruoyan said.
"No need, are you also worried about my safety?" Zhou Hong asked with a smile.
"How is that possible? I wouldn't worry about you before anyone else. In that case, you go back first. I'll come back after the Martial Cultivation Competition officially ends, which will probably be in two or three days."
"Okay, see you at school!"
After Zhou Hong packed his luggage, he prepared to go to the train station. It would only take a little over an hour to take the high-speed train from the provincial capital back to Jinzhou City.
However, as Zhou Hong walked out of the hotel entrance with his suitcase, a luxurious MPV stopped in front of him.
"Hello, are you Zhou Hong?" After the car door opened, a middle-aged man inside asked with a smile.
"I am. Who are you? What do you want with me?" Zhou Hong was a little confused. Did this guy know he was going home and specially rushed to send him? If so, Zhou Hong would naturally not be polite and would avoid taking the high-speed train.
"My master wants to talk to you," the middle-aged man said with a smile.
"Your master wants to talk to me? Who is your master?" Zhou Hong frowned slightly.
"My master's name is Tang Chaomeng. You might not have heard of him, but everyone in this provincial capital knows him."
"Is that so? Who is it?"
"Don't get too excited after hearing this. My master, Tang Chaomeng, is the seventh-ranked expert in Jiangnan Province, seventh in the entire province!" The middle-aged man winked, seemingly expecting Zhou Hong to be shocked by his introduction.
However, Zhou Hong's face remained expressionless. Zhou Hong only knew that Huang Ruohong, who was previously ninth, and Jiang Baokui, who was eighth, had both been dealt with by Zhou Hong. This seventh-ranked Tang Chaomeng was probably not much stronger.
"What does your master want with me?" Zhou Hong asked.
"Don't ask so many questions, get in the car quickly. I'll take you to see him now."
"What if I don't go?" Zhou Hong snorted.
"My master said you must go, please get in the car." The middle-aged man seemed to have a hint of threat. If Zhou Hong insisted on not going, he might directly force Zhou Hong into the car.
"Okay, I'll go!" Zhou Hong couldn't be bothered to think too much. He also wanted to see what this guy wanted with him.
After getting into the car, the car immediately drove away from the hotel and headed in a certain direction.
"Student Zhou Hong, your performance this morning was very exciting," the middle-aged man said with a smile in the car.
"Thank you!"
"To be honest, in all the previous Martial Cultivation Competitions, there has never been a student from a city who could win the championship. In every past competition, even if it wasn't a provincial genius, they were second or third-tier geniuses from the capital."
"Stop with the nonsense."
"Heh heh, quite arrogant, aren't we!" The middle-aged man chuckled, a hint of displeasure on his face. However, there was nothing he could do now. After all, his master invited Zhou Hong to recruit him. If Zhou Hong was successfully recruited, he would be one of them in the future.