After saying this, Tuoba Xin let out a long, heavy breath, relief spreading across his face.
"Qin Hao obtained the stone man essence because he was strong enough."
"If I had been in his place, forget obtaining the stone man essence—my martial soul would probably have been devoured by the Stone Puppet King."
"So I have no reason not to acknowledge Qin Hao's excellence!"
Originally, Tuoba Xin had still found the outcome difficult to accept, but now he had thought everything through.
There was nothing to fear in falling short of excellence; the real danger lay in deceiving oneself and refusing to accept reality!
Of course, Tuoba Xin's thoughts did not mean everyone else felt the same.
At that moment, the White Jade Training Ground was so silent that a falling pin could have been heard.
The disciples, Chi Zhenheng, Xiahou Lie, and the other elders were all stunned, shaken by Tuoba Xin's words.
Only after a long while did someone cry out.
"What? What? Qin Hao obtained the stone man essence?"
"Quick, quick, quick! Give me a hard slap and see if I'm dreaming! Even the top-ranked Tuoba Xin couldn't obtain the stone man essence. How could a newcomer like Qin Hao get it?!"
"You can't put it that way! Don't forget, when Qin Hao, Lei Yifei, and Lei Yuanshui fought over the essence mystic stone in the Stone Man Secret Realm, even those two joining forces couldn't suppress Qin Hao."
"Exactly. I reckon Qin Hao and the others encountered the Stone Puppet King again after we left the Stone Man Secret Realm. But I never expected Qin Hao to obtain the stone man essence. Huh? Look! Qin Hao's cultivation actually broke through to the early stage of Meridian Opening Second Layer! Th-this is unbelievable!"
"Hiss! Qin Hao's cultivation