374: Chapter 374 Top Three on the Prodigy Ranking

Since it had been agreed upon yesterday that Daoist Cang Zhu would come in person, Lin Xiao and the others were not surprised.

By now, the women were all dressed neatly in relatively simple attire to avoid overshadowing the main event.

Gu Jianxin and the others had not left yet; seeing Lin Xiao emerge with their own eyes, they all revealed expressions of surprise.

Because Lin Xiao's appearance, compared to his deeds, was far too young and ordinary!

He looked just like some playboy from the martial world out for a stroll.

In contrast, Xiao Qingxuan and the other women by his side, each with their own unique charm and breathtaking beauty, were truly a bit conspicuous.

"Heavens... no wonder Bingyan has to consult the Prince of Zhenbei for everything. She must be under a lot of pressure in the prince's manor."

Wei Yurou whispered. She was considered a beauty in the martial world, but in front of Xiao Qingxuan and the others, her looks could only be described as mediocre.

"Hmph, a philanderer. How could Senior Sister fall for a man like this?" Li Qiner said disdainfully.

"Little Junior Sister, do not speak nonsense! No matter what the Prince of Zhenbei is like in private, he is not someone we are qualified to judge," Gu Jianxin said with a frown.

Leng Bingyan returned to Lin Xiao's side at this moment. Just as she called out "Husband," Lin Xiao interrupted her.

"Go ahead. Since Madam Ding didn't tell you in advance, she probably didn't want to force you. Just show your full strength; we all support you."

Xiao Qingxuan and the other women nearby also nodded with smiles, their eyes filled with encouragement.

Leng Bingyan was moved and made up her mind completely. "Then I shall strive not to bring shame to my husband."

Seeing this, Gu Jianxin brought several of his junior brothers and sisters over to pay their respects to Lin Xiao as well.

Since they were Leng Bingyan's fellow disciples, Lin Xiao didn't put on airs and exchanged a few pleasantries with them.

However, when he saw Wei Yurou's status entry, Lin Xiao sneered inwardly.

This woman's real surname was actually "Xie"!

However, Lin Xiao was in no hurry to tell Leng Bingyan, so as not to disturb her mindset for the grand competition.

Led by Daoist Cang Zhu, Lin Xiao took the women up to the Heaven Inquiry Training Ground.

Gu Jianxin and the others didn't dare to follow too closely, keeping a distance of over a hundred meters.

On the way, Lin Xiao casually chatted with Leng Bingyan about her fellow disciples.

Gu Jianxin and Wei Yurou had participated in the previous Prodigy Battle.

Gu Jianxin had even won first place for the Sword Forest, shocking the world with that single battle.

"Your Eldest Senior Brother is indeed cut out for the sword. I see he has an innate sword bone; he's at the very top of the Earth Grade aptitudes."

"Yes, Senior Brother not only has high talent but is also extremely hardworking."

"Master said that at this rate, Senior Brother will likely enter the Sword Master Realm after the age of forty. He will most likely be the future sect leader of the Sword Forest."

Daoist Cang Zhu looked surprised and flattered him, "The Prince has a keen eye. To think you can see his bone structure without even seeing him make a move?"

Lin Xiao said playfully, "Daoist, stop acting. We both know full well that although Gu Jianxin has talent, the heights the Sword Forest can reach in the future depend on that fat guy."

Daoist Cang Zhu's expression stiffened, and he smiled sheepishly. "The Prince indeed has eyes like torches. It's true; what I envy Sect Leader Bai the most for is taking in his third disciple, Yin Zhong."

"Yin Zhong? Isn't he third on the prodigy rankings?"

Mu Wanying said in surprise, "That chubby guy is him? With a belly that big, can he still use a sword?"

Daoist Cang Zhu laughed. "General Mu, this Young Hero Yin is a sword dao genius discovered by the Sword Forest. Once he enters the Prodigy Battle, you'll understand."

"My Third Senior Brother... he indeed has extremely high talent, but he's just too lazy. All he thinks about is good food."

Leng Bingyan said somewhat helplessly, "Once, just to eat roast chicken, he offended all the villagers near the Sword Forest. They thought they were being plagued by weasels."

"We were searching for him everywhere at the time, only to find he had hidden in a restaurant kitchen to avoid punishment, wanting to switch careers and become a chef."

The women couldn't help but chuckle.

"If Yin Zhong is acknowledged by both my husband and the Daoist, yet can only rank third on the prodigy rankings, then the second... I recall they are a disciple of the Daoist Sect?" Xiao Qingxuan asked.

"Correct, someone named 'Xiao Yangliu.' Could she be a female disciple taken in by the Daoist?" Xie Juner asked curiously.

"The Princess overestimates me. I am not good at teaching disciples. Xiao Yangliu is the only disciple taken in by my junior sister, Taoist Xinyizi."

Cang Zhu sighed. "Xiao Yangliu is a pitiful person. Because she was born with a defect, she was abandoned in a ditch by heartless people."

"My junior sister happened to find her and brought her back to the sect for treatment. She bathed in medicinal herbs from a young age. After she was saved, it was discovered that her cultivation talent was extremely high."

"Although she is only sixteen, the youngest on the prodigy rankings, her strength is indeed not to be underestimated."

Hearing this, the women couldn't help but feel pity. They hadn't expected the second on the rankings to have such a tragic background.

"Then whose disciple is the first?"

Lin Xiao hadn't asked until now because he didn't care much, but since he was going to be a 'guest participant,' it was better to know a little.

"Naturally, it's the most sought-after genius of Blade Mountain in recent years, the closed-door disciple of the Blade Emperor, 'Child Ghost'."

Cang Zhu said helplessly, "To be honest, if Child Ghost had participated in the last session, Young Hero Gu might not have taken first place. Even though Child Ghost was only fifteen then, he likely would have won the title."

Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised. "Fifteen? What's that kid's background?"

"The Prince may not know, but Child Ghost not only has Heaven Grade aptitude, but is also a Lone Star of Heavenly Slaughter, with a 'Seven Killings' fate that is unbridled!"

"Before he was even born, his entire family met with a bloody calamity. On the third day after his birth, he caused the death of his own mother."

"Yet, it is precisely such a fate that allows him to cultivate Blade Mountain's most dangerous immortal grade blade technique, the 'Three Lives Desperate Blade'."

"He was brought to the Blade Emperor by Blade Mountain as a child. The Blade Emperor made an exception for him, taking him as a closed-door disciple and teaching him personally."

"In terms of seniority, he is actually a generation higher than me, yet he is only twenty years old now."

Daoist Cang Zhu shook his head with a bitter smile. "In the history of the Prodigy Battles, many with Heaven Grade aptitude have appeared, but those who have mastered an immortal grade technique can be counted on one hand!"

Lin Xiao listened as if he were hearing a storyteller, finding it quite interesting.

Just as he was about to ask about the backgrounds of the others on the prodigy rankings, they had unknowingly arrived at the training ground.

At this moment, the place was packed with layers of people.

As soon as the Prince of Zhenbei appeared, the crowd erupted into a din, with people bowing respectfully and offering greetings in an endless stream.

However, most of the martial world figures were kept outside the railings by the Daoist Sect and were not allowed near the VIP seats.

Except for Leng Bingyan, who had to go register for the competition, Lin Xiao took the other women to a high platform on the topmost level.

Looking out from here, there were four nearby mountain peaks, each with a platform, connected to each other by chain bridges.

Only then did Lin Xiao breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there were enough venues; if there were only one, how long would the competition take?

Just then, a somewhat weathered voice came from not far away...

"Your Majesty... is it you?"