Chapter 160: Overwhelming Victory! Zhao Yunji’s Budding Affection
The Three-Legged Golden Crow fell to the ground, lifeless.
In contrast, Jiuying’s body rapidly shrank, returning to its miniaturized form as it wobbled back to Lin Qi’an’s side. Exhausted, it collapsed into unconsciousness, likely from severe overexertion.
“The Crown Prince’s spirit beast… won?!”
After a brief silence.
“Whoaaaaaa~~~~~~~~~!”
The crowd erupted into frenzied cheers!
“How did this even happen? A comeback like this—I must be dreaming! Hahaha, it’s unreal!”
“Exactly! This wild rollercoaster of events has left me dumbfounded!”
“The Crown Prince truly is the blessing of our Canglan Dao Domain! He’s taken first place two rounds in a row—too powerful!”
“Hahaha, those who were mocking the Crown Prince earlier have suddenly gone mute, haven’t they?”
“Look at them, all with faces as dark as thunderclouds. Scary~!”
This unexpected reversal earned Lin Qi’an the near-unanimous admiration of the Canglan Dao Domain audience.
Even the Xiling Divine Hall, who had previously hated Lin Qi’an, had to admit he had saved the Canglan Dao Domain’s reputation.
After all, the Xiling Divine Son’s spirit beast had been killed by that crow, and now Lin Qi’an had avenged them. Somehow, it felt satisfying.
The saying proved true—“The enemy of my enemy can be my friend, if only temporarily.”
—
Lin Liuli blinked rapidly, still finding the situation surreal. Her “troublesome little brother” was a bit too powerful, wasn’t he?
She used to think that she needed to work hard in her training to protect her adopted family, especially her younger siblings. But now… was her little brother the one protecting her instead?
On second thought, having a younger brother like this to rely on wasn’t too bad after all.
—
Even Zhao Qingmeng was astonished.
The battle between Jiuying and the Golden Crow was rare enough to be a spectacle even in the eyes of Great Emperors.
Zhao Yunji was utterly speechless for a long time.
The power Jiuying had displayed moments ago was clearly at the Dao Transformation level. More impressive still was its ability to unleash Taiyin Mystical Water.
This mystical water was formidable, capable of extinguishing even divine flames that ordinary water couldn’t touch.
“Elder Sister, if you want to cuddle that spirit beast, I can ask Brother Lin for you,” she teased with a giggle.
“You scram!” Zhao Qingmeng snapped, annoyed.
—
“Thank goodness!” Ran Yuwei finally let out a sigh of relief. To her, winning or losing didn’t matter as much. What mattered most was seeing the Crown Prince and Jiuying safe and sound.
“Yuwei, you’ve really done a great job this time!” The other two maids looked on enviously, knowing this would likely earn Ran Yuwei even more favor from the Crown Prince.
—
In another corner, Tong Xiang stood slack-jawed.
“Master, was the All-Beast Essence Spirit you gave to Brother Lin really that powerful?”
“How could it be…” Lu Weishuang shook her head. “If it were that effective, it would’ve been snatched from me long ago. There’s no way it would’ve stayed in my possession.”
She was utterly baffled as to why Lin Qi’an’s spirit beast so overwhelmingly strong? Even consuming the All-Beast Essence Spirit shouldn’t have produced such a result!
—
The most dramatic reactions, however, came from the VIP seats.
Earlier, Kui Long the Great Emperor had made a wager with the Sword Emperor. Now, Kui Shili’s face looked as though he had eaten something foul.
He couldn’t speak for a long time. Victory had been within reach—they were practically popping the champagne—and yet, that brat had somehow reversed the situation. His rage was indescribable.
“The elixir—time to hand it over,” Lin Weixuan said calmly.
“Hmph. Take it!” Kui Shili reluctantly tossed over the Thunder Dragon Pill and stormed off in fury.
Lin Weixuan, now holding the incredibly precious pill, showed no reaction. Instead, he casually handed it to one of his subordinates.
“Give this to Qi’an as a reward from his father.”
“Yes, sir!”
—
Back in the arena.
Jin Lingkong cradled the lifeless Golden Crow in his hands, realizing it was no longer breathing. It was nothing but a corpse.
“Nooooooo!!!” His anguished, heart-wrenching scream echoed through the arena.
The Golden Crow Clan members, too, were consumed with rage. Their fists clenched, their eyes burned with hatred as they glared at Lin Qi’an.
Their killing intent was palpable—blatantly murderous. This was a true Golden Crow…
If nurtured carefully, it could have revitalized the Golden Crow Clan, strengthening their fading bloodline. But now, that hope had been snuffed out before it could blossom.
“Lin Qi’an, your spirit beast killed our Golden Crow!”
“You bastard! Do you know how important it was to our clan?!”
“You deserve to die!”
A cacophony of venomous curses erupted.
Before Lin Qi’an could respond, the Canglan Dao Domain audience’s fury flared up.
“Skill-less fools, shut up already!”
“Why so noisy? Did someone at home die?”
“Weren’t you so cocky just now? Now that our Crown Prince crushed you, you’re sulking? Pathetic!”
“If you can’t handle losing, get out of here! What a joke—you think we’ll put up with your nonsense?”
The Golden Crow Clan was drowned in an onslaught of insults. What could they do? Nothing, except swallow their anger and leave, tails between their legs.
“Lin Qi’an, our clan will remember this grudge!”
“Pray we don’t find an opportunity. If we do, you won’t live!”
From this day forward, the Golden Crow Clan officially marked Lin Qi’an as their mortal enemy—an enmity that would not end until death.
—
The second round had officially ended.
After a short intermission, the third round would begin.
One of the main events of the grand ceremony was the Pilgrimage Path.
At that time, all participating Holy Sons and Saintesses would enter together, showcasing their abilities on a grand stage.
Without lingering further, Lin Qi’an took Jiuying and left the arena.
—
“Your Highness, is Jiuying all right?” Ran Yuwei ran over anxiously.
Lin Qi’an gave her a playful smile. “You don’t check on this Crown Prince first, yet you rush to console a spirit beast? You deserve to be punished.”
“P-Punished? How so?”
“Tonight, you will assist this Crown Prince with his bath.”
“As you command.” Ran Yuwei thought to herself, mThis is clearly a reward, not a punishment. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind more ‘punishments’ like this!’
—
After reuniting with Lin Liuli, she immediately asked, “Lin Qi’an, where did you even get a spirit beast like that?”
“I hatched it,” Lin Qi’an replied without hesitation.
“Hatched? Are you joking with me?” Lin Liuli crossed her arms, scoffing.
“Do I need to describe the entire day-and-night process of incubating the egg in detail to convince you?”
“Your Highness?!” Ran Yuwei quickly interjected, her face flushing.
Even though Lin Liuli was a wandering Taoist and detached from worldly affairs, she could still understand the innuendo. Her expression became slightly awkward.
Before she left home, Lin Qi’an had been nothing more than a mischievous child. Now? He had a growing circle of women and no shortage of tricks to keep them entertained!
At that moment, a subordinate approached and respectfully handed Lin Qi’an a small box.
“Your Highness, this is from the Sword Emperor. He instructed me to deliver it to you.”
Inside was the Thunder Dragon Pill. The moment Lin Qi’an saw it, he recognized its immense value—especially for cultivators who practiced thunder techniques.
Just then, Zhao Qingmeng and Zhao Yunji entered.
The younger princess was dressed in an elegant frost-colored gown embroidered with golden dragons with closed eyes, her enchanting beauty capable of captivating kingdoms.
The elder princess, in contrast, wore a regal golden dress that perfectly highlighted her stunning figure. Tall and dignified, she radiated a beauty that could mesmerize an entire empire.
The sight of the two walking together was a breathtaking display of elegance. Such an encounter was a privilege only someone like Lin Qi’an could enjoy.
“Brother Lin!” Zhao Qingmeng giggled as she spoke. “Elder Sister insisted on coming to see your spirit beast. I couldn’t stop her, so here she is!”
“Don’t make things up!” Zhao Yunji quickly clarified, flustered. “I came here on Imperial Father’s orders to congratulate you on your victory and deliver this spirit medicine to aid your spirit beast’s recovery.”
She explained herself clearly, wary of any misunderstandings. At the same time, her gaze fell on the pill in Lin Qi’an’s hand.
The Thunder Dragon Pill!
Her eyes brightened instantly. While it might be of little use to most people, it was a priceless treasure for cultivators of thunder techniques.
If successfully refined, the benefits would be immeasurable.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Lin Qi’an said as he accepted the spirit medicine.
He handed it to Ran Yuwei, instructing her to aid Jiuying’s recovery, before preparing to refine the Thunder Dragon Pill himself.
With the Pilgrimage Path approaching, every bit of strength mattered. Lin Qi’an understood that many would target him, and in such a treacherous environment, power was his only guarantee.
—
“Lin Qi’an, may I accompany you?” Zhao Yunji’s sudden question left everyone stunned.
She had actually said such a thing? This was completely unexpected!
“Accompany me?”
“You’re refining the Thunder Dragon Pill. I’ll stay nearby and won’t disturb you,” she explained.
Even just being near the process would allow her to gain some insights, which would benefit her cultivation.
Her personality was always focused on growth. For Zhao Yunji, diligence and effort were paramount—she firmly believed that the heavens rewarded hard work.
“Fine.” Lin Qi’an agreed, allowing her to follow him into the Lotus Realm.
As for Lin Liuli, Zhao Qingmeng, and the others, they were left to be entertained by the maids while Jiuying was entrusted to their care.
The Lotus Realm.
This was Zhao Yunji’s second visit to the Lotus Realm. As Zhao Yunji entered, memories of the last time surfaced, causing a blush to rise on her cheeks. She couldn’t believe she had done such a thing.
“Why is your face so red? What’s wrong?” Lin Qi’an asked casually.
“N-Nothing!” she stammered.
That event was something Zhao Yunji had resolved to keep buried in her heart forever. Little did she know that Lin Qi’an was already aware of it.
“Let’s get started.” Lin Qi’an took out the Thunder Dragon Pill and split it into two equal halves.
“Last time, though you claimed you were hunting demonic beasts, you did stand guard for me for quite some time.”
“And today, you’ve gifted me this spirit medicine. I owe you a favor.” We’ll split this pill—half for each of us. Take it.”
“Wait… what?” For a moment, Zhao Yunji was completely stunned. A warm, joyful feeling suddenly welled up in her heart.