Chapter 83: Celestial Flame Lotus! Waiting for 10x benefits!
The crowd could not help but be envious. The judges did not even react when it was their turn, but now they were even going as far as to congratulate her and clap for her. This just showed her influence and how strong she would grow in the future. It was a fitting show of power.
Ignoring everything around, Nadia could not help but glance sideways secretly, trying to find out how Oliver reacted. In the end, she saw him clapping for her as well and felt satisfied. Her lips wanted to curl up, but she restrained herself. Her mother might also be watching.
Oliver glanced as the elder clicked his fingers, and the demon was instantly sliced into two halves and quickly assimilated into nothingness.
That was an exorcism technique… only exorcists with espera could use that.
The head judge stood and called for silence once more. “We have reached our decision. The rankings are as follows…”
[1st: Nadia Mystic]
[2nd: Oliver Mystic]
[3rd: Violet Mitchell]
[4th: …]
As he announced the names and ranks, there were gasps and murmurs of surprise. Some of the expected top contenders were ranked lower than anticipated, while others who had been overlooked rose to prominence.
When Oliver’s name was called, he was placed among the highest ranks, but the judges gave him a look that promised further scrutiny for some reason.
Good, I placed second. The reward should be good.
He felt happy that he placed second. Actually, he was more glad that Nadia placed first, which meant that she was going to receive a better reward, and he would enjoy the tenfold benefits too.
Seeing Oliver laughing weirdly to himself, the others didn’t know what to say. In the end, they just ignored him and went to rest. The previous night had taken a toll on them mentally and physically.
“The winners stay while the rest leave. We will distribute the rewards,” the elder announced as he guided the rest of the participants away.
The group of rankers were also taken to a chamber with the judges and other clan elites present as well. Oliver was quite surprised when he heard that the second brother was not the runner-up but instead some unknown girl. Nonetheless, the judges had their own criteria, and he did not care.
After they were led to the chamber, the head judge informed them. “For the 3rd rank, you will receive a secret martial arts technique from the clan. You have three choices, select one of them wisely.”
He said to Violet and presented three notebooks with the technique name written on the cover. She took a moment and carefully analyzed her compatibility. All the techniques were top-notch for their level and foundation. In the end, she selected a technique called [Purple Snap of the Hateful Snakes]. It seemed to focus on hand-to-hand combat.
“Good, you can leave now if you want or wait for other participants,” he told her, and she decided to stay and wait.
“For the second rank, the reward is a choice between these two metals.” He clapped as two glass boxes with some sort of radiating metal placed inside appeared on the table. There were two labels on the boxes: one was Terrorgold of Spirits, and the second was Hellish Plant Meteor. He was supposed to select one.
“This one.” Oliver wanted both, but he knew that it was impossible, so he picked one as per his needs.
The elder nodded and gave the box to Oliver and told him about it. “Hellish Plant Meteor. This metal is extremely precious. If you give it to a skilled blacksmith, you can get yourself a wonderful weapon or even an artifact. It depends on the skill of the crafter in the end. Many exorcists try their best to get a piece of it, but it’s not something to be obtained easily. This metal could only be extracted from demonic territory and thus is very hard to mine.”
Oliver nodded slightly. He was aware of this and thus chose it. He had already collected some metals prior to this, and with this, he was one step closer to implementing his plan. There was something that he wanted to be crafted, so he had been collecting the metal necessary for it.
“Now for the 1st ranker, Miss Nadia, you will receive a truly unique reward,” the head judge announced, his voice resonating with pride and anticipation. “As the first-place winner, you will be granted the Celestial Flame Lotus, an ancient artifact passed down through our clan for generations.”
He gestured towards a pedestal at the center of the chamber, where a delicate lotus flower made of shimmering, translucent material sat. It radiated a soft, otherworldly glow, and the air around it seemed to ripple with energy.
“The Celestial Flame Lotus is not just a symbol of our clan’s heritage; it possesses incredible power. When bonded with its owner, it can enhance your espera, amplify your martial arts abilities, and provide protection against dark espera. However, it requires great skill and dedication to fully unlock its potential.”
Nadia looked at the artifact with eagerness. She had heard about it, and this was what she had been aiming for when she participated in the first place.
The head judge continued, “This artifact chooses its master. You must meditate and form a bond with it. Only then will it reveal its true abilities to you. Use it wisely; it will become a great weapon in times of great need.”
Nadia nodded solemnly. She didn’t underestimate the head judge. Rather, she was not a person to underestimate others based on their strength; she was wary of everyone, be it friend or enemy.
Suddenly, Oliver’s image came to her mind as she thought about the artifact, but she quickly shook her head. She had a great responsibility on her shoulders and thus could not be held back.
She gently picked up the Celestial Flame Lotus, feeling its warmth and energy resonate with her own. “You may stay and meditate here to form your bond,” the head judge said. “Take all the time you need. This is an honor that few have achieved.”
As Nadia found a quiet corner to begin her meditation, the room buzzed with a mix of admiration and envy from the other participants. Even some elders could not help but sigh. This artifact was something that even they would have wanted in their prime.
Oliver watched curiously. He was brimming with curiosity as he wondered what abilities she was going to awaken and how much profit he would gain. He turned towards the head judge and suddenly called out.
“Elder, I have something to ask…”