C13 I will Accept My Loss!

Faang Hongfu, the disciple in question, wore a scowl. He had been convinced that his capture of the Lightning Leopard was the grandest prize of the event. Imagine his dismay when a One-Horned Earth Bear emerged, stealing his thunder and leaving him seething with irritation.

"Liu Guang, you've shattered the record for the disciples' monthly harvest. Outstanding work! Keep it up," the Appraisal Elder commended, before announcing loudly, "One head of the One-Horned Earth Bear, three Ink Flowers... That's a total of six hundred and eighty Tao points!"

"Thank you, Elder. I'll redouble my efforts," Liu Guang replied, elated. He accepted his identity jade plate, now updated with his Tao points, and descended the steps with a triumphant air.

Approaching Zhao Yu, he beamed and reminded, "Junior Brother Zhao, remember our wager."

"Don't worry, I've always had a good memory," Zhao Yu responded with a grin.

Liu Guang's brow creased ever so slightly. He had expected Zhao Yu to be ashen-faced and utterly distraught by now. Instead, Zhao Yu appeared utterly unfazed by the situation.

Internally, Liu Guang scoffed, "Nice act, Zhao Yu. But we'll see if you can maintain this nonchalance once your Spirit Weapon is in my hands, you jerk."

The queue inched forward, and soon it was Zhao Yu's turn. The disciples' eyes turned to him, curious to see his haul, though expectations were muted given the foregone conclusion of their bet.

It was a shame, they thought, that Liu Guang had so effortlessly won a Spirit Weapon, stirring envy in their hearts.

"Junior Brother Zhao was once the most brilliant prodigy of our sect. His findings are bound to be remarkable. Pay close attention, everyone," Liu Guang called out, unable to contain his excitement at the thought of claiming a Spirit Weapon, even breaking into a triumphant dance.

Zhao Yu ascended the steps with a serene expression and placed his pack on the sturdy counter.

"Zhao Yu, with your health in such a fragile state, you should be focusing on recuperation. Try to limit your excursions from now on," the Appraisal Elder advised, his sigh tinged with a note of compassion as he regarded him with a look of pity.

"Thank you for your concern, Elder Qian. I understand," Zhao Yu said with a smile.

His strength had taken a nosedive after being poisoned. While many opportunistic disciples scorned him, there were just as many who felt sympathy.

Zhao Yu loosened the straps of his pack, revealing a pitch-black tiger skin to the onlookers. Among other items, there were tiger teeth, bones, and claws.

"This is..."

The Appraisal Elder had expected Zhao Yu to bring mere herbs, so the sight of these items left him momentarily speechless.

"Elder Qian, I've consumed all of the Black Wind Tiger's meat," Zhao Yu explained. "Only these Demonic Beast materials remain. Could you appraise their total value in Tao points?"

The Appraisal Elder, snapping out of his initial shock, scrutinized the materials closely. After a moment, he confirmed, "Indeed, this is a Black Wind Tiger!"

"What? A Black Wind Tiger?"

"Zhao Yu's catch is a whole Black Wind Tiger!"

The news traveled quickly down the line of disciples, causing a stir.

Several disciples abandoned the queue altogether, rushing forward to see for themselves. They gazed at Zhao Yu with incredulous eyes.

Liu Guang stood petrified, his thoughts a jumbled mess.

"A Black Wind Tiger, how can this be?"

The Black Wind Tiger was among the most prized Demonic Beasts on the fringes of Mount Taibai. Even his entire One-Horned Earth Bear couldn't match its value, let alone just the bear's head.

Eventually, the crowd began to settle.

Curiosity replacing his astonishment, the Appraisal Elder inquired, "Zhao Yu, how did you manage to slay the Black Wind Tiger?"

The disciples leaned in, holding their breath, equally eager to uncover the truth.

Zhao Yu's response came with a light smile, "Truthfully, my tale isn't much different from Senior Brother Liu's; we've both been quite fortunate. I stumbled upon the Black Wind Tiger locked in combat with other Demonic Beasts. It was gravely wounded by the time I arrived, and I had my Spirit Weapon at the ready. But honestly, before I could even act, the Black Wind Tiger succumbed to its injuries. Otherwise, with my current strength, how could I have possibly taken down a Black Wind Tiger? Right?"

The disciples were all green with envy when they heard the news.

"I had thought Liu Guang was lucky, but Zhao Yu's fortune is truly unparalleled," remarked one of the disciples.

All eyes turned to Liu Guang, filled with a mix of sympathy, mockery, and a touch of glee at his misfortune.

Liu Guang's face was a picture of utter dismay.

"Zhao Yu, I must admit, you've really surprised me," the Appraisal Elder said, his voice tinged with admiration before he declared, "For the materials of an entire Black Wind Tiger, he has earned a total of 920 Tao points."

"Thank you, Elder Qian," Zhao Yu responded, a hint of unexpected delight in his voice.

He had anticipated that the Black Wind Tiger materials might net him over eight hundred Tao points, but to actually receive more than nine hundred was beyond his expectations. He knew, deep down, that Elder Qian must have given him a bit of a boost, and he felt a warm sense of gratitude.

Taking the identity jade plate, Zhao Yu turned and descended the steps.

"Zhao Yu, you're too sly! You had a Black Wind Tiger all along, yet you acted as if your haul was meager. Were you toying with me deliberately?" Liu Guang confronted him, seething with resentment.

With a smile, Zhao Yu replied, "Senior Brother Liu, is your memory failing you? You were the one who proposed the bet. Why are you trying to pin this on me now? But really, there's no point discussing it—you lost. Please transfer the 1,000 Tao points to me."

Fuming, Liu Guang retorted, "You just got lucky with the Black Wind Tiger materials; it wasn't through any skill of your own. Why should I concede to you? I refuse to accept this! You'll never get my Tao points."

Zhao Yu's smile faded, his voice growing colder, "Liu Guang, our bet was whether my haul would be more than one-seventh of yours, with no stipulations on how it was obtained. And let's not forget, you initiated the wager, in front of everyone. Are you really considering reneging on your word?"

"Don't back out now, Liu Guang."

"Exactly. You claim Zhao Yu relied on luck for the Black Wind Tiger, but wasn't your own catch a stroke of luck? How shameless can you be?"

The disciples surrounding Zhao Yu were indignant on his behalf.

Liu Guang, seething with anger from the insult, glared around with a menacing look in his eyes and declared, "Today, I'm not giving him a single Tao point. Who among you is willing to aid this dying weakling? If you're so inclined, step forward and challenge me to a duel!"

The crowd glared at him, their anger palpable, yet silence reigned.

They despised Liu Guang's despicable behavior, but standing up for Zhao Yu against Liu Guang just didn't seem worth the risk. For one, they weren't that close to Zhao Yu. And secondly, Zhao Yu's days seemed numbered, while Liu Guang was a formidable inner sect disciple.

With the disciples holding their tongues, Liu Guang let out a scornful laugh and turned to Zhao Yu, "If you disagree, Zhao Yu, challenge me to a duel. Defeat me, and the Tao points are yours. But if you're too cowardly to face me, then keep your mouth shut."

Zhao Yu was seething with rage.

Liu Guang had tried to win his Spirit Weapon through a wager and lost. Not only did Liu Guang renege on the bet, but he also kept taunting him. Zhao Yu's patience had reached its limit.

As Zhao Yu was about to retort, a familiar voice echoed from afar, "Zhao Yu, you scoundrel, you've finally shown up. I was beginning to think you'd spend a lifetime hiding away, too scared to show your face."

Following the voice, Zhao Yu saw Tian Feng approaching from a distance, his face twisted with bitterness.

"Isn't that Tian Feng? He's definitely here for payback against Zhao Yu."

"Exactly. Tian Feng was bested by Zhao Yu last time by a fluke. Now that he's healed, he's surely out for revenge."

The disciples buzzed with speculation.

Liu Guang stepped aside, a smirk on his face, "It seems I won't have to lift a finger; someone else is eager to give you the lesson you deserve."