While twenty billion couldn't truly equate to Qingxu Heaven's honor, since there was no actual loss, the people of Qingxu Heaven finally ceased their protests.
Shui Han Yi naturally didn't carry that much money on him, so he could only write an IOU in public, promising to deliver it to Qingxu Heaven within half a month without any delay. With the emperors of the four great empires and all the assembled powers as witnesses, he dared not renege.
This trial finally concluded amidst a clamor.
Qingxu Heaven had cleared its name, exposed the schemes of the Taichu Sacred Land and the Demonic Sect, and earned even more admiration. Li Tian Jue and Su Luo's individual capabilities were also marveled at, inspiring deep respect. The Taichu Sacred Land, on the other hand, had its reputation utterly ruined, becoming an object of universal scorn and disdain, with only a few minor sects refraining from openly cursing them.
The compensation for the remaining families would not be handled on-site but discussed and settled privately.
After the bloodstains on the plaza were cleaned, it was finally time to announce the results of the highly anticipated Prodigy Competition.
Emperor Beiming was in an excellent mood, his earlier annoyance completely gone. Looking at the directional signs in the arena, he laughed heartily, "Now, we will announce the finals of the Prodigy Competition. All geniuses who have entered the top one hundred, please remain. We shall now begin presenting the rewards."
This was also a focal point of great attention.
The Sun Moon Plaza was packed with people, filled with laughter and cheers.
The geniuses who had entered the top one hundred were elated, their faces beaming with joy and pride. Those who hadn't, immediately deflated, leaving dejectedly to return to their seating areas.
The hundred who remained were the true elites of the entire Xuanhuang Continent!
Among the attendees were many disciples of great sects and powerful forces. A small number, due to their own hard work and good fortune, had successfully squeezed into the top one hundred, finally enjoying this moment of unparalleled glory.
Although everyone knew who the first place was, according to the rules, the announcement proceeded from last to first.
"This year's Prodigy Competition's 100th place—Liang Ping of the Changchun Sect, eliminated 102 Netherflames. We welcome the young hero Liang to the stage to receive his prize: three million Spirit Coins, one hundred various gems, and a sixth-grade Dharma artifact..."
"This year's Prodigy Competition's 99th place—Li Shuang'er of the Lieyang Sect, eliminated 108 Netherflames..."
"This year's Prodigy Competition's 98th place—Zhao Yun, the Crown Prince of the Great Liang Kingdom, eliminated 121 Netherflames..."
Under the loud announcements by the palace attendants of the Red Moon Kingdom, one by one, heroic young men and women stepped forward. Amidst the envious gazes of their peers, they walked to the front of the plaza, received their rewards from beautiful attendants, and then greeted the entire audience with beaming smiles.
As each genius stepped up to receive their award, the atmosphere became lively and jubilant.
"Please welcome, this year's Prodigy Competition's 87th place, Young Master Wen Ru Chu of the Wen Family from Wenchang Kingdom, who eliminated 285 Netherflames..."
Upon hearing this, the people of Qingxu Heaven couldn't help but smile.
Not far away, a young man with a beaming smile was overjoyed. It was Wen Ru Chu, who had been with Su Luo and the others earlier. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Laughing heartily and waving, he strode to the front of the plaza to accept his award.
"These tens of millions were well spent. Little junior sister, look at him, his face is about to split from grinning," Chu Tian Shu teased Su Luo.
"As long as he is willing," Su Luo smiled faintly.
Qingxu Heaven had gained sixty million from Wen Ru Chu, and he had successfully entered the top one hundred. It could be considered a happy outcome for all.
Even Sun Jian, who had been rescued earlier, secured the 93rd place.
The entire audience buzzed with discussion. Some smaller families and forces eyed the geniuses on stage, secretly selecting future sons-in-law and daughters-in-law for their own children. Those who entered the top one hundred were all dragons among men. If they could form alliances with them, their own family's overall strength would undoubtedly increase significantly.
However, the true focus of attention was on the top ten.
The tier of rewards clearly indicated this.
From 100th to 50th place, the rewards were three million Spirit Coins, one hundred gems, a sixth-grade Dharma artifact, a sixth-grade Spirit Pet egg, five bottles of sixth-grade elixirs, and a Prodigy Ranking medal engraved with their name and rank.
From 49th to 11th place, the rewards doubled: five million Spirit Coins, two thousand gems, a seventh-grade Dharma artifact, a seventh-grade Spirit Pet egg, ten bottles of sixth-grade elixirs, and a Prodigy Ranking medal.
As for the rewards for the top ten, they started at a minimum of ten million Spirit Coins.
Everyone watched with keen interest, letting out cheers when their own geniuses stepped up to receive awards.
Compared to the weighty scrutiny and confrontation of the earlier trial, the current atmosphere was lively and exciting.
Finally, it was time for the top ten.
The announcer's tone changed, his shrill voice echoing throughout the venue, "Now, the most exciting moment has arrived. We invite the tenth place on the Prodigy Ranking to the stage, Duan Shu, the Young Island Master of Penglai Island, who hunted 2325 Netherflames..."
At this, thunderous applause erupted from the entire audience.
A man who was completely round, already portly at a young age, walked out. He was fair-skinned, but his eyes were small and squinted. When he smiled, he resembled a crescent moon, his eyes barely visible.
Was this the Young Island Master of Penglai Island, Duan Shu?
Su Luo hadn't had a chance to examine him closely earlier and now realized he was a large胖子 weighing over three hundred pounds.
"With such a physique, wouldn't movement be inconvenient? Yet he managed to hunt over two thousand three hundred Netherflames," Lu Ji Xing murmured quietly, clearly curious about the cultivation of this Young Island Master Duan.
"I think there might be a special reason," Su Luo mused.
As the Young Island Master of Penglai Island, he was certainly no ordinary person. He would have been strictly disciplined from a young age to inherit Penglai Island in the future. Such elite geniuses from the six great powers would absolutely not have reached this position due to favoritism.
As expected, although Duan Shu was as round as a water vat, his movements were quite agile.
Su Luo thought to himself, perhaps it was due to his innate talent, or the cultivation techniques he practiced?
Amidst a roar of cheers, he received his award and calmly stepped down from the stage. He wasn't as excited as the person who took 11th place, clearly having experienced grand occasions many times before.
Next was the 9th place.
This was someone familiar to everyone, the former 11th place on the Prodigy Ranking, a Heavenly Maiden Miao Xiu Yan from the Six Desires Sect. She was Wen Dai Er's junior sister. Although slightly less beautiful than her, she was also a universally beloved beauty.
Her appearance immediately drew cheers and praise from countless admirers.
"Miss Xiu Yan is truly my goddess, so powerful! Ninth place, eliminating over 2,400 Netherflames, even more impressive than the Young Island Master of Penglai Island!"
"Miss Xiu Yan, marry me, I will love you for a lifetime..."
Miao Xiu Yan gracefully took the stage, continuously blowing flying kisses and winking at those around her, causing another stir throughout the audience. Men's faces lit up with excitement, while most women scorned her, secretly cursing her as a vixen.
This was the typical portrayal of the Heavenly Maidens of the Six Desires Sect. They were all stunningly beautiful, unconstrained by worldly conventions, and possessed supreme cultivation.
Among the six great powers, they were considered neither strictly righteous nor evil, a peculiar existence.
Although Su Luo had spent little time with them, he vaguely felt that while the outward behavior and attire of the Six Desires Sect's Heavenly Maidens were somewhat shocking, their hearts were pure. They were merely intentionally defying those rigid moral codes.
8th place, Sun Yu Ze of the Longevity Hall, eliminated 2539 Netherflames...
7th place, Shang Xie Shao Qing, the Young Master of the Longevity Hall, eliminated 2835 Netherflames...
6th place, Wen Dai Er, the foremost Heavenly Maiden of the Six Desires Sect, eliminated 3139 Netherflames...
Each genius stepping onto the stage caused a sensation throughout the audience, but when the fifth place, Zhan Li of Qingxu Heaven, was announced, the cheers gradually subsided.
The crowd could no longer face the top five contestants squarely.
Because...
All of them were from Qingxu Heaven!