27: Reward liquidation

The Land of Baptism, its energy completely settled, was enveloped in a profound silence.

This deathly quiet was even more suffocating than when the energy torrent had raged moments before.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on the young man, his clothes tattered but his figure exceptionally straight—Li Dong!

A mix of shock, awe, and an undeniable jealousy and fear filled the air.

Foundation Establishment during the Baptism? And it even triggered an anomaly from the Altar? This kid must have opened his Heavenly Eye!

Li Dong himself felt it was quite mystical.

That impossibly pure beam of light was still slowly drilling into his body, warm and comforting.

He and the dark Altar beneath his feet seemed to be... connected? It felt as if this stone lump had come alive and was quite "friendly" towards him?

Could this Altar have some hidden benefits?

On the high platform, the elderly man presiding over the Baptism tottered down, his legs no longer very steady.

He was hundreds of years old and had presided over countless Baptisms, but he had never seen anything as outrageous as today!

A Body Tempering Realm cultivator directly resisting a Foundation Establishment Realm sneak attack, using the force to achieve a Breakthrough, and even making the Altar glow and vibrate?

This was no human; it was clearly a monster in human skin!

The old man walked up to Li Dong, his expression like someone observing a rare protected animal, his voice trembling slightly: "Cough... The Baptism is over. Now... I will announce the Rank."

He feigned composure and began to read out names.

Most survivors received "Good" or "Excellent" Ranks, which would be considered good in normal times, as this Baptism's difficulty coefficient was maxed out, and it even came with external interference.

Zhou Xian and the other top Prodigies, although somewhat shaken by Li Dong, had solid foundations and still managed to get an "Outstanding" Rank, drawing envious glances.

In the past, "Outstanding" was the ceiling; it meant extra meals and resource allocation upon return.

But today, these two words seemed... a bit underwhelming compared to a certain impending announcement.

Finally, it was Li Dong's turn.

The entire venue was so quiet that heartbeats could be heard.

The old man paused, as if psyching himself up, then placed a withered hand on the nearby Baptism Altar.

Buzz—!

The moment his palm landed, the ancient Altar erupted in a blinding flash of light!

Within the light, countless profound runes flickered, collided, and fused wildly, finally condensing into two massive, ancient characters in mid-air—

Extraordinary!

These two characters came with their own background music, exuding immense pressure as they hung there, as if proclaiming to the world: Look, a miracle!

Before the crowd could react, something even more terrifying happened!

Humming! Humming! Humming!

As the two characters "Extraordinary" shone, the Altar itself began to hum, the sound growing louder and louder!

It was like an ancient bell, dormant for millennia, being struck!

Immediately after, the incredibly sturdy Altar, along with the surrounding ground, began to tremble slightly, yet distinctly!

Oh my goodness!

The Altar... the Altar was vibrating for this Rank?!

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for achieving the final Rank of the Demon Suppression Baptism: Extraordinary!"

"This Rank has broken all Baptism records in the Mu Shi County Demon Suppression Division's history!"

"Based on the Extraordinary Rank, the host will receive additional reward bonuses!"

"Detecting deep resonance between the Baptism Altar's core and the host's 'Spirituality', some Altar authority data has been opened for the host to record..."

The System's notification sounded in Li Dong's mind, confirming this outrageous Rank and its chain reactions.

Outside, chaos erupted!

"Extraordinary?! Are my ears okay? There's even such a Rank?"

"A new record! The highest Rank since the establishment of the Mu Shi County Demon Suppression Division!"

"Direct Foundation Establishment during the Baptism! What the hell..."

"The key is the Altar! Did you see it? It glowed! And vibrated! What's going on?"

"What exactly is Li Dong's background?"

Gasps, sharp intakes of breath, and discussions merged into a cacophony; everyone was bewildered by this off-the-charts event.

On the high platform, Zhao Zhen, already suffering internal injuries from Li Dong's counterattack, had a pale face.

Now, hearing the words "Extraordinary" and seeing the Altar's seemingly living reaction, he felt his vision blur, a sweetness in his throat, and almost spat out another mouthful of blood!

Five thunderbolts struck him!

This feeling was absolutely like five thunderbolts striking him!

He had painstakingly plotted, using his authority to deliver a deadly blow, but what was the result?

He didn't kill the person; instead, he helped him achieve Foundation Establishment! And the person even struck him back!

Now, this kid had even received an unprecedented "Extraordinary" Rank, and even the Altar was cheering for him!

How was this a trap? This was clearly him personally sending Li Dong onto a highway, and even paving the road smoothly and wide!

Zhao Zhen's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. This was practically tearing off his old face, throwing it on the ground, trampling it hundreds of times with shoes that had stepped in dog shit, then spitting on it and finally throwing it into a pigsty to plaster the wall!

He stared fixedly at Li Dong, wishing he could flay him alive with his gaze, but in broad daylight, before the Altar's anomaly, he couldn't even utter a single fart!

On the other side, Zhang Wu watched all this, his beard trembling with excitement.

Good! Good! Good!

He knew that the Mu Shi County Demon Suppression Division was about to change!

This kid, Li Dong, was no longer just a potential stock; he had directly gone public and was hitting consecutive daily limits from the opening bell!

The promise he had made to his old friend Li Shanyue now seemed not just fulfilled, but over-fulfilled, and he even won the 'Annual Best' award along the way!

Zhang Wu clenched his fists, suppressing his wild joy, and turned to look at Zhao Zhen, his meaning clear—look at the mess you've made!

The Baptism officially ended, and the Ranks were settled.

Li Dong, with the two characters "Extraordinary," stood alone at the top, making everyone else's Ranks, even "Outstanding," instantly pale in comparison.

The immense contrast made the atmosphere extremely subtle.

After a brief, deathly silence, a tide of discussions surged.

Shock, envy, jealousy, awe... various emotions fermented in the crowd, and almost everyone's attention was firmly fixed on Li Dong.

Even those top Geniuses from the county who had thought highly of themselves, like Zhou Xian, now came forward.

There was no longer any trace of his previous arrogance on his face; instead, there was a complex expression, containing apprehension, unwillingness, and even a hint of... a desire to win him over.

"Brother Li Dong, congratulations." Zhou Xian's voice was a bit dry, "I apologize for any offense given earlier; I hope you can overlook it."

To be able to bend and stretch, he was indeed a notable figure.

Immediately after, many well-dressed middle-aged men, clearly representatives of various Families, and some internal Demon Suppression Division personnel, also gathered around.

Their faces were beaming with enthusiastic smiles, and they spoke various flattering words, vying to get closer to Li Dong.

Everyone could see that this young man, who had come from a remote, impoverished area, had limitless potential. If they didn't invest now, when would they? He was practically an original stock!

"Brother!"

A clear, tearful cry pierced through the crowd.

Li Qingyan pushed through the people and rushed to Li Dong, hugging him tightly.

The little girl's eyes were red, but her face was beaming with immense pride and joy.

"Brother! You're amazing! I knew you could do it!"

The scene of deep sibling affection quieted the surrounding clamor significantly.

In the corner, Zhao Zhen's face was so dark it could wring out water.

He suppressed the sharp pain in his chest and his churning Qi and blood, staring fixedly at Li Dong, who was surrounded by the crowd; his venomous gaze almost materialized.

But he dared not move.

Old man Zhang Wu was watching him, and several other high-ranking Demon Suppression Division officials were also present, not to mention Li Dong was currently riding a wave of popularity. Who would dare to cross him at this time?

He could only endure!

This debt, he would remember! Zhao Zhen swore he would absolutely not let it go just like this!

"Everyone, quiet down!"

Zhang Wu's booming voice rang out. He walked to Li Dong's side, patted Li Dong's shoulder heavily, his face full of praise and relief.

"Li Dong's performance in this Baptism was Heaven-Defying, and he shall be a model for the younger generation of our Mu Shi County Demon Suppression Division!"

He looked around, his voice rising a few octaves: "Such a Prodigy is a blessing to our Demon Suppression Division! The Division will spare no resources to fully cultivate him! Anyone, any force, that dares to obstruct him, will be an enemy of our entire Mu Shi County Demon Suppression Division!"

These words were resounding, especially the last sentence, which was almost openly directed at certain people.

Zhao Zhen's face twitched, but he said nothing.

The presiding elder also stepped forward at the opportune moment and explained to Li Dong: "Young friend Li Dong, the 'Extraordinary' Rank is the highest honor recorded in our Demon Suppression Division. This means you have received the deepest level of recognition from the Baptism Altar."

"According to the rules, you will receive generous rewards far exceeding the 'Outstanding' Rank. The specific details will be communicated by a dedicated person later. This matter may even attract the attention of the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division."

Facing all this, Li Dong remained exceptionally calm.

The adulation of the crowd, Zhao Zhen's hostility—he saw it all and kept it in his heart.

But he knew this was just the beginning.

The Foundation Establishment Realm was still not enough in front of true powerhouses.

The gains from the Baptism were immense, especially the spirituality fragments and System rewards; he needed to digest them quickly and convert them into tangible combat power.

What he lacked most now was still time.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the Land of Baptism returned to its quiet state.

Li Dong took Li Qingyan back to the temporary residence arranged by the Demon Suppression Division.

"Brother! Brother! You're incredible! When that 'Extraordinary' Rank came out just now, the Altar was shaking! And that Zhao Zhen, his face turned green, hahaha!"

As soon as they entered the door, Li Qingyan chattered non-stop, her small face flushed with excitement.

Li Dong smiled and ruffled his sister's hair: "Qingyan, sit for a bit. Let me check the gains from this time."

He sat cross-legged, his consciousness sinking into his mind, and opened the System interface.

The detailed Baptism report and reward list lay quietly there.

"Brother, quickly look at what the rewards are! They must be super generous!" Li Qingyan leaned closer, her eyes full of anticipation.