"I concede."
Amidst the dumbfounded and disbelieving gazes of the crowd, Chu Yushu raised his right hand, signaling the referee that he surrendered.
Given his previous fierce and swift attacks, and his current composed state, he didn't seem like a loser at all.
Yet, he had indeed conceded.
"Why did you stop? We can still fight."
Yang Zixuan looked at the pretty boy in front of her with some confusion.
Just moments before, she had channeled the Yang family's "Zheng Ren Gong" and "Jin Zhong Zhao" to absorb Chu Yushu's attacks and temper her body.
"Jin Zhong Zhao" was something Yang Hong had specifically instructed Yang Zixuan to learn. He had cultivated it himself and knew that while "Jin Zhong Zhao" was low-level, it had excellent body-tempering effects.
When Yang Zixuan was attacked by Chu Yushu, she was a little scared at first. Once she fully activated her defensive techniques, she realized these attacks were actually helping her temper her physique.
Therefore, she simply stood still in the center of the arena and took the hits.
"I'm tired, so I'm not fighting anymore."
Looking at Yang Zixuan's expectant eyes, Chu Yushu felt a pang of discomfort.
He also knew Yang Zixuan's identity.
Whether Yang Zixuan had treasures to protect her or divine skills to guard her, he couldn't break through them.
Unless he used a fatal killing move!
However, using a killing move for a mere competition was inappropriate, especially since there was no enmity between them.
Thus, he simply conceded.
Chu Yushu, guided by his father's advice, understood the true purpose of participating in the Five Directional Prodigy Competition. He had already displayed his strongest abilities.
If any immortal from a major sect took a liking to him, someone would approach him afterward.
After another glance at the strange little loli, Chu Yushu turned away elegantly and leaped off the stage.
His stylish leap of ten zhang again earned him a round of applause and admiration,
as if he were the victor of the match.
"Show-off pretty boy!"
Yang Zixuan spat at Chu Yushu indignantly. After the referee announced her victory, she reluctantly descended the stage with an unhappy expression.
Yang Hong watched Yang Zixuan's displeased face and smiled. This little girl indeed needed to face some setbacks,
only then would she understand her own shortcomings and weaknesses, and grow better.
However, that show-off pretty boy should be taught a lesson.
So handsome, yet so ostentatious, did he really think he was a pencil case?
A dangerous glint flickered in Yang Hong's eyes as he planned to find an opportunity to deal with him later.
Having confirmed Chu Yushu's position and identity, Yang Hong turned his attention back to the arena.
He wanted to continue "stealing" techniques.
Chu Yushu had not fully displayed his "Treading Snow Without a Trace" movement technique earlier, so Yang Hong had not successfully "stolen" it.
He intended to continue "stealing" techniques in the subsequent matches.
The Five Directional Prodigy Competition was still divided into four groups, with eight contestants from each dynasty.
These contestants could be the top eight from their respective dynasty's prodigy competitions, or they could be eight individuals chosen through negotiation within their dynasties.
However, all contestants were bound to be masters, at least geniuses with unique skills.
This provided Yang Hong with opportunities to "steal" techniques.
Because the contestants' strengths were relatively close, each battle lasted over ten minutes.
Battles like Yang Zixuan's, which ended in victory after three minutes of being beaten, did not occur again.
By the end of the day, Yang Hong had gained abundantly: the advanced movement technique "Butterfly Teasing Cat," "Drunken Fist Movement Technique," and the advanced fist techniques "Vajra's Fury," "Coiling Serpent Skill," and "Wudang Cloud Hand."
Seven types of intermediate movement techniques, ten types of intermediate fist techniques, and three types of intermediate saber techniques.
Thirty-one types of various low-level martial arts.
Mostly movement techniques and forms. Internal cultivation and external attacks could not be "stolen."
However, Yang Hong was already very satisfied with this.
And this was only the first day.
"Young Master, the battles for the junior group have all concluded for today. Shall we return?"
The three old men, Old Wang included, looked at Yang Hong's still enthusiastic demeanor and quickly surrounded him, acting as if they were going to tie him up and take him back.
"Mm~ It's time to go back. The little girl performed so well; I should prepare some good food for her.
Old Wang, you report to Grandpa Emperor later and have Zixuan rest at my place. I'll treat her."
"Understood, Sixth Young Master."
The eunuch Old Wang received the order and left in a different direction. Yang Hong, under the "protection" of Old Li and Old Liu, returned to his cold palace.
Yang Hong had Old Li fetch some ribs from the imperial kitchen, and he himself hastened the ripening of a first-grade spiritual plant radish. He personally simmered a pot of delicious soup for Yang Zixuan.
He also hastened the ripening of a cucumber, but unfortunately, it only reached ordinary ninth-grade quality and did not evolve into a spiritual plant.
The subsequent three instances of using the acceleration cultivation also had bad luck, and no first-grade spiritual plants were ripened.
After all, many plants have an upper limit to their quality, and too many instances of acceleration cultivation are required.
"Imperial Brother~ Imperial Brother~ I won, I won today's competition!"
Before Yang Hong's soup was ready, he heard Yang Zixuan's excited voice.
"This little girl is quite fast.
It seems I can only use true qi to simmer the soup."
Looking at the bubbling pork rib soup, Yang Hong decided to try something.
Cupping his hands around the boiling clay pot, Yang Hong injected his potent and pure true qi, causing the pot to boil even more fiercely.
He allowed the true qi to enter the two ingredients and several medicinal herbs, forcing out all the nutritional components of these materials and fully integrating them.
In just a few breaths, a tantalizing aroma spread out.
"Imperial Brother~ I smell delicious food~ I want to eat delicious food, I'm starving to death."
Yang Zixuan's voice, which sounded like she was starving to death, was full of vigor and a bit deafening.
"I know, little glutton. I'm serving the soup."
Yang Hong replied, ending his action. Although the soup wasn't perfect yet, it was fully cooked.
"Imperial Brother~ I won again today."
The little girl's voice, transmitted through the partition to Yang Hong's ears, was filled with pride.
"Heh heh~ I heard. That's why I specially cooked for you."
"Ah~ Thank you, Imperial Brother."
Seeing Yang Hong enter the dining hall with a clay pot, Yang Zixuan started to get up to receive it.
"You just sit. Or go serve the rice."
"Hee hee~ It's already served."
Yang Zixuan smiled and pointed to the two small bowls of rice on the table, her small face filled with pride, her large eyes curving into crescents.
"Then let's eat~"
"Imperial Brother, you eat too."
Yang Hong's purpose for making this soup was that Yang Zixuan's fighting style today reminded him of the correct way to cultivate "Jin Zhong Zhao" –
being hit!
By enduring blows, one could stimulate the potential of the physical body, continuously strengthen it, and generate external and internal force.
Most martial artists would suffer some hidden injuries when cultivating this way, but Yang Zixuan had Yang Hong to help regulate her, along with various spiritual plants to supplement her nutrition.
She had no need to worry about hidden injuries at all.
It could even strengthen her physical foundation to a certain extent.
After the meal, Yang Zixuan naturally had to brag about her accomplishments. With her rosy lips, she described herself as a brave warrior fighting against demons, fearless and winning against stronger opponents.
Listening to the little girl's exaggerated narration, Yang Hong almost couldn't suppress his laughter.
This little one didn't know that he was present at the scene himself.
However, Yang Hong pretended not to know, praising the little girl's prowess in an ignorant manner.
Of course, his praise was skillfully guided.
He intended to lead Yang Zixuan to abandon useless techniques in her future battles, focus on defense, and overwhelm her opponents with her strong defensive capabilities to achieve victory.