"Second Brother, why couldn't it be me?" Xiao Yang retorted.
"You—"
Xiao Ziwen was at a loss for words.
"Jiu Lang, your performance today was rather unexpected," King Zhenbei said.
"Like father, like son. I owe my victory to Father King's excellent guidance!" Xiao Yang flattered him.
Though none of what he had now had anything to do with King Zhenbei, there was never any harm in buttering him up.
Sure enough!
King Zhenbei's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Clip-clop, clip-clop!"
Another incense stick's time passed before the sound of hooves came from the distance. The other young masters returned one after another.
"Father King, I was the first to reach the summit of West Mountain, but I didn't see the brocade banner you mentioned!" Xiao Junlin hurried over.
But in the next instant, his expression froze.
He saw the banner bearing the Xiao character planted in the ground right in front of him, with Xiao Yang standing beside it.
"What's going on?" Xiao Junlin was stunned.
"Eldest Brother, don't you understand? The contest is over. I've taken first place!" Xiao Yang said with a confident smile.
"Impossible! You cheated!"
Xiao Junlin's eyes reddened as he roared, "You're only a Third-grade Martial Artist, riding some obscure, wretched horse. How could you possibly beat me?"
"Not a single person saw you during the entire first round! You must have used some despicable trick to steal the banner and Deceive the Heavens to Cross the Sea!"
"Eldest Brother, you can eat whatever you like, but you can't say whatever you like! If you're accusing me of cheating, show me the evidence!" Xiao Yang said coldly.
"I..."
Xiao Junlin was momentarily speechless, because he had no evidence.
Even so, he still refused to accept it.
"Father King, Ninth Brother set off last but came back first. There must be something suspicious about that. Someone must have taken the banner ahead of time and given it to him!"
"He never even reached the mountaintop. He turned back halfway, which is why he got here so quickly!"
"Ninth Brother's victory was undeserved, and his methods were despicable. I beg you to investigate this thoroughly!"
Xiao Junlin lodged his complaint.
King Zhenbei's expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "I planted that banner bearing the Xiao character at the summit of West Mountain with my own hands, and set a restriction on it. No one but a member of the Xiao bloodline could move it. So there's nothing wrong with Jiu Lang's victory!"
What?!
At those words, not only Xiao Junlin but everyone present was stunned.
If King Zhenbei had said so, then Xiao Yang's victory was the real deal!
The formerly overlooked Ninth Young Master had just made a stunning debut!
"Junlin, though you possess the Supreme Bone, don't underestimate the heroes of the world! Jiu Lang may be less accomplished than you in cultivation, but he has built up strength over time and has boundless potential. He has the bearing of a peerless hero, and may yet surpass you!" King Zhenbei continued.
"Father King..."
Xiao Junlin's expression changed drastically, and waves crashed in his heart.
He had never imagined that Father King would think so highly of Ninth Brother—even putting him on a level with himself.
He had thought that with his Third Brother Xiao Li crippled, the throne would be his for the taking.
But now, it seemed Xiao Yang had become his greatest rival!
"Eldest Brother, don't forget we made a bet! When are you going to give me the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace you promised, along with the hundred pills from Medicine King Valley?" Xiao Yang asked.
His words were like salt rubbed into Xiao Junlin's wounds.
"Ninth Brother, don't worry. I won't go back on my word. I'll give them to you when we return!"
Xiao Junlin gritted his teeth, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes as he thought:
The treasure may be nice, but you'll need to be alive to enjoy it!
Soon, King Zhenbei's voice rang across the grounds once more.
"Ninth Brother takes first place in the first round! Next is the second round: the hunt! You are not to ride horses. Take your blades and bows into the hunting grounds, and return here before sunset!"
As soon as he finished speaking,
the young masters charged into the hunting grounds with their retainers.
This second round was a team battle. The more men one had, the greater the advantage.
By comparison, Xiao Yang was all alone and at a severe disadvantage.
"Azure Luan, take the Cloud Piercing Bow and help Xiao Yang!" Ning Hongye ordered.
"Yes, General."
Azure Luan nodded, took hold of the Cloud Piercing Bow, and followed Xiao Yang into the dense forest.
"Xiao Yang, how did you take first place just now?"
Unable to contain her curiosity, Azure Luan asked.
She had been at the front the whole time, neck and neck with Xiao Junlin, and she hadn't seen Xiao Yang anywhere.
"Take a guess."
Xiao Yang left her hanging.
Azure Luan shook her head, but for some reason, she had a feeling that the appearance of that terrifying black beast had something to do with Xiao Yang.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Azure Luan drew her bow and loosed arrow after arrow. They streaked through the air, leaving countless afterimages.
She was already a crack shot who could hit a target a hundred paces away. With the Cloud Piercing Bow's formidable power, she soon brought down more than a dozen ferocious beasts.
If she kept hunting at this rate, she would slaughter every beast in the hunting grounds, leaving nothing for the other young masters.
"Ninth Brother, Commander Azure Luan, I have a secret to tell you both!"
Xiao Junlin came over again.
"What secret?" Azure Luan asked coldly.
"Fifty miles north of the West Mountain Hunting Ground lies the Yin Water Pool. My men found out that a Heavenly Origin Fruit there is about to ripen!" Xiao Junlin said.
"A Heavenly Origin Fruit?!"
Azure Luan was startled.
She knew it was a precious Spirit-grade Treasure and an excellent healing remedy.
Ning Hongye had been badly injured in the Outer Regions and was in dire need of a treasure like the Heavenly Origin Fruit.
"Eldest Brother, are you really being this generous?" Xiao Yang asked warily.
No one offered help without a reason; there had to be a catch.
If Xiao Junlin knew where the Heavenly Origin Fruit was, he could go get it himself. Why tell them?
"I lost in the first round, so I'm determined to win the second. But Commander Azure Luan is too formidable. If I let her keep shooting, I'm afraid I still won't take first place. So I'm sharing this information with you. You go to the Yin Water Pool to search for the treasure, and I'll hunt here. We each get what we want. How does that sound?" Xiao Junlin said.
"Fine. I agree!"
Azure Luan immediately put away her bow.
In her eyes, nothing in the world mattered more than General Ning.
"Commander Azure Luan, then it's a deal!"
Xiao Junlin excitedly patted her on the shoulder, secretly smearing some powder onto her.
Azure Luan looked disgusted and immediately stepped away. She then turned to Xiao Yang and said, "Ninth Young Master, you can stay and continue hunting, but I'm going to the Yin Water Pool!"
"Of course I'm coming with you!" Xiao Yang replied.
Though he suspected Xiao Junlin was up to no good, if the news about the Heavenly Origin Fruit was true, he could give it to Ning Hongye and trigger the system's reward in return.
That was far more important than winning the hunt!
The two set off together toward the northern part of the hunting grounds.
As Xiao Junlin watched them go, a vicious glint flashed in his eyes.
"Ninth Brother, you brought this on yourself!"
"With top-grade Myriad Beast Lure, plus the 'thing' in the Yin Water Pool, not even nine lives will be enough to save you!"
"Heh. You shouldn't have crossed me. Even if Father King investigates, he'll never trace it back to me!"
Before you continue