Elder Jun stood tall and continued, “As for the fourth to tenth places, your rewards will be delivered to you.”
“With that, I declare this Skyfire Trial successfully concluded.”
After speaking, Elder Jun and Elder Li left together.
“Respectfully bidding farewell to the elders,” the crowd said, bowing in unison.
Once the two elders vanished from sight, Lin Yun soared out of the arena, returning to Mo Bai and Old Black.
Mu Ji was there too, and upon seeing Lin Yun, she excitedly rushed toward him.
“Lin Yun, you’re incredible! You even defeated a Tongtian Realm cultivator. You’re truly a man who captivates even me, Mu Ji,” she exclaimed with admiration.
“Mu Ji, as I said, we’re just teammates,” Lin Yun said with a helpless smile.
“I don’t care! I refuse to believe I can’t win you over,” Mu Ji declared firmly.
“Lieutenant Lin Yun, I never imagined you’d become this powerful!” Old Black praised repeatedly.
Mo Bai also smiled and said, “Lin Yun, your performance really shocked me. After centuries of silence in the ancestral land, today you made a stunning impact!”
“You’re too kind,” Lin Yun replied with a smile.
“Lin Yun, when you challenged the Tongtian Realm, you shocked everyone. They all thought you were mad, even I was startled, but you proved yourself with your strength. From today, you’re famous in the Skyfire Temple!” Old Black said excitedly.
“Before challenging Bi Chaoqun, I wasn’t entirely confident,” Lin Yun said, smiling and shrugging.
“To defeat a First Layer Tongtian Realm cultivator as a Saint Realm, that’s incredible. Your future is boundless,” Old Black said, giving a thumbs-up in admiration.
After a pause, he continued, “By the way, Lin Yun, you also killed Shu Chi for me, avenging my old grudge. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Lin Yun said, “That guy was always plotting against you and me. Killing him during this opportunity eliminates future trouble once and for all!”
“True, but Shu Chi was so bold because he has a brother in the Skyfire Temple as his backing. Now that Shu Chi is dead, I’m worried his brother might seek revenge,” Old Black said gravely.
“Oh? What’s his brother’s strength?” Lin Yun asked.
Lin Yun hadn’t known this. No wonder Shu Chi was so arrogant.
“A Tongtian Realm Skyfire General,” Old Black replied.
“Tongtian Realm? No matter. Once I reach the Tongtian Realm, I won’t fear him,” Lin Yun said.
Lin Yun was confident he wouldn’t take long to reach the Tongtian Realm.
“Lin Yun, your sword has become a True Saint Artifact. It seems you’ve had significant opportunities over the years, but be careful not to attract envy,” Mo Bai said.
Having received millions of Haoyue Crystals from Lin Yun before and now seeing his weapon as a True Saint Artifact, Mo Bai was certain Lin Yun had encountered great opportunities.
“I understand. I did gain some opportunities at the border,” Lin Yun nodded.
“Looks like I need to go out and gain experience too,” Mo Bai sighed.
The crowd dispersed amid discussions.
After chatting with Old Black and the others for a while, Lin Yun bid farewell and returned to his camp.
He didn’t seek out Guang Tiancheng.
During registration, Lin Yun and Guang Tiancheng had made a bet. If Lin Yun failed to reach the top ten in the Skyfire Trial, Guang Tiancheng would expel him from the Cold Fiend Army and report his inaction on past missions to the Skyfire Temple.
At the time, Guang Tiancheng had also promised that if Lin Yun reached the top ten, he would apologise, and if Lin Yun reached the top three, Lin Yun could make any request of him.
This promise wasn’t demanded by Lin Yun but was voluntarily made by Guang Tiancheng.
Now that Lin Yun had secured a top-three spot, the bet had a clear outcome.
Yet Lin Yun didn’t seek Guang Tiancheng to claim it, feeling it unnecessary.
After all, Guang Tiancheng had opposed Lin Yun’s registration because he thought Lin Yun’s strength was insufficient, and competing as a Dominator Realm cultivator would be embarrassing. Lin Yun’s refusal to heed his advice had angered him.
There was no deep enmity between them.
So Lin Yun felt that proving his strength today was enough.
Lin Yun wasn’t one to hold grudges over minor issues, as long as his底线 wasn’t crossed. Generally, he wasn’t overly petty.
But upon returning to the camp, Lin Yun was surprised to find Guang Tiancheng standing in the courtyard, with Lieutenants A Yu and Zhu Xing by his side.
Lin Yun was astonished. They were still at the arena when he left, yet they had returned before him.
Even more surprising was that Guang Tiancheng was waiting in his camp’s courtyard, seemingly for him.
“Commander Guang,” Lin Yun said, clasping his fists.
“Lin Yun, in just five hundred years, you’ve gone from Dominator Realm to Tiansheng Realm and defeated a Tongtian Realm cultivator. You’ve given me quite a shock,” Guang Tiancheng said, looking at Lin Yun with a complex expression.
At this moment, Guang Tiancheng felt he could no longer see through the man before him.
He no longer dared to judge Lin Yun with ordinary standards.
“You’re too kind, Commander,” Lin Yun said with a slight smile.
A Yu and Zhu Xing chimed in, “Lin Yun, your performance today was truly impressive. We’re curious how you progressed so quickly.”
“It’s simple. Two hundred years ago, I went to the Border Mountains to hunt demons and stayed there for nearly two centuries, gaining some opportunities,” Lin Yun said.
“You were in the Border Mountains for those two hundred years?”
Guang Tiancheng was stunned.
He had only known Lin Yun left the Skyfire Temple but hadn’t known he went to the Border Mountains, assuming he was just out training.
“You stayed in the Border Mountains for two hundred years?” A Yu and Zhu Xing were equally shocked.
“It’s a place that really tempers a person,” Lin Yun said with a smile.
Guang Tiancheng took a deep breath to compose himself, then asked, “Lin Yun, our bet has a result. Why didn’t you come to me to settle it outside the arena?”
“Commander Guang, I felt it was unnecessary. I aimed for the top three to earn the Skyfire Tempering qualification, not to target you. Besides, I only promised I could reach the top ten. The additional terms of the bet were set by you,” Lin Yun said.
