Chapter 99: The Tempting Reward

“You did very well,” the elder said as he looked at Bai Feiyu, and though he had a thousand thoughts he could speak only that one sentence.

The disciple truly was exceptional—so exceptional that no suitable word could fully capture it.

In the Great Hall, the disciples watching stood in quiet admiration, all eyes on Bai Feiyu.
From that moment, everyone knew Bai Feiyu had officially entered the rank of the premier Heavenly Prodigies of the Gui Xu Sect.

To be named among those prodigies was, in essence, to receive the sect’s full cultivation support.
Even if the sect were ever to face a great calamity, those on this rank would be protected first.

Such treatment was enough to make anyone jealous, yet when one remembered it had been purchased with a life, when death had nearly taken him under an enemy’s blade, even that envy faded.

They had all assumed he had simply been lucky.
Now they realized how wrong they were.

In the hall, Yang Fan, Shi Yuan, and Qian Shuang saw Bai Feiyu alive, and their faces were all bright with joy, almost to the point of disbelief. It was the first time in their lives they had ever felt this stirred.

Just then the Sect Master came hurrying in. The instant he entered the hall, his eyes fixed on Bai Feiyu. He nearly blinked in astonishment, as if he wondered whether he was seeing a mirage. He had already received urgent reports: the minor branch had rebelled. He had been in seclusion, but because this involved Bai Feiyu’s life, he emerged at once to oversee everything himself.

Now, seeing Bai Feiyu standing alive before him, the Sect Master found himself half believing his vision had played tricks on him.

“Master, I did not fail your command. I gave everything and in the end slew the sect lord of the Yunling Sect!”

He bowed respectfully toward the Sect Master. To Bai Feiyu, this man was not only Qian Shuang’s father; he had also shown him uncommon care. So Bai Feiyu held him in deep respect and knew that his own rise to this point had come in part from the Sect Master’s support.

“What did you say? You killed the Yunling Sect lord?”
The Sect Master drew in a sharp breath, clearly hard-pressed to believe it.

But when he saw the torn pieces of clothing on the ground, he believed at once. He recognized the air of the Yunling Sect lord there—the qi residue was unmistakably the man’s. More than that, the fluctuation of cultivation plainly reached the Second Layer of the Shackle Realm, exactly as reported.

The elder could only regard him now with awe—this disciple had done the impossible.

He had earlier taken this student only because Qian Shuang had reported him: a remarkable talent from the outer hall, worthy of transfer to the inner hall. Afterward, the disciple truly proved himself with notable achievements; clearly he was a rare prodigy. So he had been given special cultivation.

No one expected that in so short a time—just a few months—the youth would grow to such a degree as to slay a Shackle Realm practitioner of the second layer.

A senior elder stepped forward and recounted the entire affair to the Sect Master in full.

“So you broke through in the final moment and only then beheaded the Yunling Sect lord?” the Sect Master asked.

“Yes, Master,” Bai Feiyu answered plainly. How he had broken through was a secret, of course.

The Sect Master nodded. As ruler of the sect, he knew enough of the wider world: disciples from major sects truly can fight beyond their normal realm. Even where one side is far stronger, disciples from such heights can still do it.

And now his own sect contained such a disciple.

The Sect Master gave a satisfied, warm laugh and said:

“Then all the cultivation resources of the Yunling Sect are with you? Very well. By my authority, all of Yunling Sect’s resources, except spirit stones and all items below the Ninth Layer of the Celestial Qi Realm, shall be yours.”

“This was your prize from the start. Given your level, you are not lacking anything. Therefore, the sect has decided to spread your deed throughout all halls, so every disciple knows it, and to record it forever in Gui Xu Sect’s Heavenly Prodigy Annals.”

Many elders gasped at this. The shock was immeasurable.

Such an achievement belonged to the highest tier. To be entered into the Heavenly Prodigy Annals was something inner disciples would read generation after generation.

One must understand: a place in that record is not granted to just any prodigy. By precedent, those recorded stand far above their peers. Even disciples as young as Yang Fan, who had reached the Shackle Realm early, would not qualify for that honor or for future disciples to revere.

This made clear how difficult it was to enter that list.

For Bai Feiyu to be written into it now showed plainly how deeply the Sect Master valued him.

On top of that, all of Yunling Sect’s spiritual-resource reserves were now his alone. This reward was staggering. Though Yunling was a small sect, its hidden stores were vast—truly the wealth of an entire sect.

Now those resources became the possession of a single disciple. Bai Feiyu did not need anything below the Ninth Layer of the Celestial Qi Realm, but everything above that was all his.

No wonder so many felt their eyes burn green.

After hearing this, Bai Feiyu immediately bowed in thanks. He understood how weighty the reward was.
Even without all the rest, being entered into the sect’s Heavenly Prodigy records was enough on its own.

What he lacked before was reputation: how to be forever admired by the disciples of Gui Xu Sect.
Now that, too, was settled. In time, a legend of him would surely arise within the sect.

“Bai Feiyu,” the Sect Master said gravely once more, “though your combat strength is formidable and your cultivation is already high, I hope you do not grow proud. The inter-sect contests are about to begin. This time, I hope you can win us an excellent standing for Gui Xu Sect.”

At the mention of the sect-wide ranking battle, Bai Feiyu nodded. He had already heard of it: the contest among sects and the contest of ranks.