Chi Yuan's gaze lingered on Han Xuanji for a moment, and he unusually cupped his hands in a respectful greeting, a faint smile even playing on his lips.
"I've also heard about Fellow Daoist Han hunting Moon-Swallowing Heavenly Wolf. As expected of the Nine Mysteries Holy Lord's disciple, he has avenged our Ten Thousand Immortals Association."
His words were well-chosen, subtly implying an attempt to win Han Xuanji over, seemingly unconcerned about her previous actions.
Jiang Hanzhou and Chen Bei nodded to Han Xuanji, their goodwill evident in their eyes, though they said nothing.
Han Xuanji knew perfectly well that these people were being so polite to him, partly because of his status as a direct disciple of the Nine Mysteries Holy Lord, and partly because this was practically his home turf.
But more importantly, the news of his and Lan Miao's success in hunting down more than a dozen Variant had spread throughout the entire valley.
In this Sacred Domain, strength is the best calling card.
He didn't put on airs; he simply cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, his tone calm and humble.
"Master Chi, you flatter me. I only managed to kill that beast thanks to the help of a few friends."
After some pleasantries, Liu Wanxu took out the battle record prepared in advance by the Ten Thousand Immortals Association and checked with Jiang Hanzhou and Chen Bei the number and level of Variant killed by each side.
Han Xuanji remained silent. While she didn't say she was completely indifferent to the matter of dividing the cake, she certainly didn't take it too seriously.
The Seven-Colored Profound Origin Fruit was indeed precious, but he already had seven fruits lying in his System Space.
Of course, he still appeared quite solemn on the surface, and Zhou Yuan and the others behind him also seemed very serious.
They attributed all the credit to Han Xuanji, but it's unclear where she would rank.
Although he had hunted down quite a few Variant, he wasn't really sure where he ranked.
Liu Wanxu Jade Slip containing his battle merits, and a pale golden light screen appeared before everyone's eyes.
The light screen was densely filled with kill records from various forces and lone cultivators, with the level, quantity, and affiliation of each Variant clearly marked.
This record was checked by him, Jiang Hanzhou, Chen Bei. Although it cannot be said to be absolutely fair, it is generally acceptable to all parties.
The battle achievements for this Mystic Hue Valley hunt are recorded below.
Liu Wanxu's voice remained as gentle yet clear as ever, as he calmly read out the top seven rankings.
At the Ten Thousand Immortals Association, Chi Yuan was ranked first.
This first place was no surprise; the Ten Thousand Immortals Association mobilized over a hundred cultivators, and Chi Yuan himself personally killed the strongest Dark Gold Black-Armored Lizard.
A large portion of these achievements were naturally attributed to him, the head of the association.
Jiang Hanzhou of the Profound Origin Association ranked second, Northern Dipper Association Chen Bei Society ranked third.
Although these two organizations were not as numerous and powerful Ten Thousand Immortals Association, they each dispatched dozens of elites, taking on a significant share of the Variant hunting in the valley. The two leaders even personally participated, and the quantity and quality of the Variant they killed were undeniable.
And the fourth place was none other than Han Xuanji.
As soon as the ranking was announced, a murmur of discussion arose from the crowd.
Han Xuanji's five-person team also had an impressive kill record, Moon-Swallowing Heavenly Wolf and more than a dozen other Variant, with no exaggeration whatsoever.
After all, the Moon-Swallowing Heavenly Wolf is a top-tier Variant, and ordinary teams are no match for it.
Li Fu ranked fifth.
This is the most surprising part.
He was a lone wolf, and although he was incredibly strong, even the most skilled killer couldn't outnumber a dozen opponents.
Despite his Li Fu demeanor, Li Fu actually knows quite a few people. In addition to killing them alone, he also teamed up with some lone experts to hunt down two top-tier Variant, but the credit was all given to him.
Therefore, Li Fu also squeezed into the top seven, and even ranked quite well, not in the bottom two.
The sixth and seventh were the leaders of two small groups, each of whom had hunted down quite a few Variant. Although their achievements were not as dazzling as those of the previous ones, they were still solid accomplishments.
As for the remaining cultivators, most of them could only watch the seven Profound Origin Fruit hanging on the branches with longing eyes, feeling unwilling but helpless.
Rules are set by the strong. They don't even have the strength to challenge the rules, so what right do they have to criticize them?
With experts from all three major factions present, anyone wanting to argue will have to get past these hundred-plus people first.
"Now that the rankings have been determined, please choose in order."
Liu Wanxu closed the Jade Slip, stepped aside, and cleared the space directly in front of the fruit tree.
Chi Yuan stepped forward without hesitation.
He stood beneath the fruit tree branch, looking up at the seven shimmering Xuan Profound Origin Fruit. His gaze swept from crimson to purple, finally settling on the purple Xuan Profound Origin Fruit with the most intense purple light.
That fruit was the best among the seven, its purple qi aura swirling like a rosy cloud, with faint patterns of Principle flowing across its skin. The vitality it exuded alone caused the vegetation within several feet to grow wildly.
He raised his hand, and the Purple Extreme Dao Fruit gently fell into his palm, which he then stored in his storage space.
The entire movement was fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation.
Jiang Hanzhou was the second to step forward. His gaze swept over the remaining six fruits before he finally chose a cyan Profound Origin Fruit.
That green fruit contained extremely pure Principle and Daoist principles, making it perfectly compatible with the Cultivation Method passed down in the Jiang Household.
Chen Bei's selection process was more decisive and efficient.
He stepped forward, his gaze coldly sweeping over the remaining five fruits, and reached out to pluck the blue Profound Origin Fruit that exuded a chilling aura.
The blue Profound Origin Fruit corresponds to the Daoist Principle of ice, which complements his Sword Dao perfectly.
It was Han Xuanji's turn.
He walked to the fruit tree and looked up at the four remaining fruits on the branch.
After Chi Yuan, Jiang Hanzhou, and Chen Bei took the purple, cyan, and blue stones, the remaining four stones were red, orange, green, and yellow.
The red and orange pieces are in excellent condition, no less so than the previous three.
The green and yellow ones were noticeably inferior, their luster not as rich as the others, and the Principle on their skin were much sparser.
Han Xuanji's gaze lingered briefly between the crimson and orange hues.
The crimson Profound Origin Fruit contains the Daoist Principle of the Fire Element, while the orange one is of the earth element; to him, there is little difference.
There are already seven perfectly formed Profound Origin Fruit in the System Space.
Han Xuanji raised his hand and casually picked the crimson Profound Origin Fruit into his hand. The peel was warm as jade, and as soon as he touched it, a warm current flowed down his arm and into his meridians, faintly carrying a tempering effect on his body.
He carefully put the fruit away, then turned and retreated back to Lan Miao and the others.
Lan Miao's eyes were full of envy, but she was too embarrassed to say it and could only watch longingly.
The others had similar expressions, but they were mostly happy for Han Xuanji.
There were no unexpected events during the distribution of the fruit, and soon Li Fu and the others finished distributing it.
When all the fruit had been picked, the entire valley seemed to vanish into thin air, and the figures of the crowd appeared in an open space.
Needless to say, these are the rules of the Saint Realm.
Once the fortuitous opportunity in a place of fortuitous opportunity is taken, that space will disappear, only to reappear many years later.
No one was surprised. Those who received fruit were naturally happy, while those who didn't could only leave with regret.
After Chi Yuan gave the order, the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Association took the lead in forming up and retreating. Hundreds of them marched out of the valley in a grand procession, their formation still orderly and their momentum still awe-inspiring.
Li Fu disappeared into the depths of the dense forest in a few swift movements.
Before leaving, Jiang Hanzhou deliberately walked up to Han Xuanji, his tone carrying an undisguised desire to befriend him:
"Brother Han, if you have the time, you are welcome to visit my Profound Origin Association's headquarters anytime. When we go to the Ten Directions Immortal Hall, having more friends will give us a better chance of success."
Han Xuanji cupped his hands and said "okay," neither refusing nor promising anything.
Information within the Immortal Palace is scarce. He plans to refine the fruit later to raise his cultivation level, and then ask Zhou Yuan if he can reveal anything.