From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 253 Aftermath of the Treasure Hunt: Xiao Yao's Tumultuous Encounters

I turned around and saw Ling Yun walking towards me with a gloomy expression.

His tall figure blocked the light from the cave entrance, casting a shadow that sent a chill down my spine.

The applause gradually subsided, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze, with a tense atmosphere spreading rapidly.

My heart tightened, and I instinctively gripped the luminous pearl hidden in my sleeve.

"Xiao Yao, please wait!" Ling Yun's voice was low and hoarse, as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

He walked up to me, staring intently at me.

I tried to remain calm and replied indifferently, "Young Master Lingyun, is there anything else?"

"What is it?" Ling Yun sneered. "You stole the championship that should have been mine. Tell me, what else is there to say?"

As soon as he said this, a buzz of discussion immediately arose around him.

Some uninformed contestants started pointing fingers at me, and their...

“Young Master Lingyun, the competition was fair and just. Winning the championship is based on strength. How can you say that it ‘should belong to you’?” I suppressed my anger and tried my best to make my tone sound calm and firm.

"Strength?" Ling Yun laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He looked up at the sky and laughed a few times, then pointed at me and said, "What strength do you have, a piece of trash without spiritual roots? You only won the competition by luck by using some underhanded means!"

His words were like a bomb, causing an uproar in the crowd.

The surrounding chatter grew louder, and all sorts of doubts and ridicule surged in like a tide, almost overwhelming me.

I felt an inexplicable fire rise from the bottom of my heart, a mixture of anger and resentment that almost made it hard for me to breathe.

I bit my lip tightly, trying hard to control my emotions and not let the tears fall.

“Ling Yun, you…” I was about to retort when he rudely interrupted me.

"What? Did I hit the nail on the head? Feeling guilty now?" Ling Yun's face was full of smug smiles, his tone full of sarcasm. "Let me tell you, Xiao Yao, don't think you can just leave with the championship so easily!"

Just then, a greasy voice came from the crowd, "Brother Lingyun is right, there must be something fishy going on here..." I turned my head sharply and saw Qingfeng walking towards me with a wink and a fake smile on his face.

My heart sank suddenly...

As soon as Qingfeng's greasy voice came over, I felt my stomach churning.

His small eyes gleamed with a cunning light, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey, making one feel uneasy.

He pushed through the crowd, walked to Ling Yun's side, and smiled like a cat that had stolen some fish.

“Yes, Brother Lingyun is absolutely right,” Qingfeng shook his head, looking heartbroken. “Everyone has witnessed Xiao Yao’s strength. How could she suddenly win the championship? There must be some unspeakable secret behind this!” He deliberately emphasized the words “unspeakable secret”, which made the surrounding discussions even noisier, like countless flies buzzing around his ears.

As I watched them sing in unison, I felt utterly disgusted.

They knew perfectly well that I won by merit, yet they deliberately twisted the truth. This despicable act disgusted me.

I felt a surge of powerlessness. The pressure around me was like a giant net, binding me tightly and making it hard for me to breathe.

"I'll say it again, the competition is fair and just, you..." I tried to explain again, but my voice was drowned out by their even more arrogant taunts.

Suddenly, I felt a cold, sinister gaze, like a venomous snake, tightly coiling around me.

I turned my head sharply, but saw nothing unusual. However, the chilling feeling lingered, as if countless eyes were watching me in the darkness, ready to devour me at any moment.

My heart sank as I thought of Blood Shadow, trapped within the barrier.

Although he was suppressed by Senior Lingyu with talismans, his subordinates were still lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

I felt like a fish on a chopping board, with their lives at any moment.

I instinctively gripped the luminous pearl in my hand, my nails digging deep into my flesh, causing a slight stinging pain that only made me more alert.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, becoming cold and viscous, and I felt an uneasy atmosphere spreading through it.

Their malice surged toward me as if it were a tangible force, and I gritted my teeth, trying my best to remain calm.

Just then, a slightly hoarse voice came from not far away, like a blunt knife slowly cutting into my taut nerves: "Xiao Yao, do you think you can escape?" Although the voice was not loud, it carried a sinister chill that pierced my bones.

I looked up sharply, trying to see the source of the sound, but found that everything around me had become blurry, as if shrouded in a thin mist.

"You..." I was about to speak when a sudden force grabbed my arm, and my body involuntarily leaned forward.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the surging emotions within me.

Their mockery was like countless sharp thorns, piercing me all over, but I cannot fall, I absolutely cannot.

I raised my head and scanned the ugly faces before me with unwavering determination. The malice and greed in their eyes sent chills down my spine.

Just when they thought I was about to argue again, or even expected me to make a hysterical defense, I slowly took something out of my sleeve.

It was a crystal-clear jade pendant, emitting a faint glow in the dim cave, engraved with complex runes and a striking character "crown".

This is the certificate of victory personally awarded to me by Senior Lingyu, and it is also the best proof of my strength.

I held the jade pendant high, exposing it completely to everyone's view.

The light emanating from the jade pendant illuminated their astonished faces, instantly freezing their mockery and disdain, replaced by an incredulous shock.

The buzzing discussions gradually subsided, replaced by complete silence.

I could clearly feel the change in the surrounding air; the tense atmosphere seemed to have reached its peak at that moment.

Those who had been pointing fingers at me were now staring intently at the jade tablet in my hand. Ling Yun's face, which had been filled with anger, was now stiff, and he frowned deeply, as if he were thinking about something.

Even Qingfeng's greasy face showed a rare look of surprise. His small eyes, which were originally squinted into slits, were now wide open.

As I watched the changes in their expressions, an indescribable sense of pleasure welled up inside me, but I felt mostly tired and weary.

I don't want to waste any more breath arguing with them, nor do I want to be consumed by these pointless quarrels.

I gripped the jade pendant tightly, glanced at them indifferently, then turned around, ready to leave this place that disgusted me.

Just as I was about to take a step, a voice with a sinister laugh pierced my ears again, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, hissing with a chilling aura: "Xiao Yao, do you think you can scare us with a broken sign? Do you really think you can leave here safely?" The voice was sharp and piercing, cutting through the silent air like a blade.

I turned my head sharply, only to find that the scenery around me had become somewhat blurry, as if a thin mist was shrouding everything.

I tried to open my eyes wide to see the person speaking, but I couldn't see anything at all. It felt like an invisible hand was gripping my heart tightly, making me feel suffocated.

Just as I was stunned, a powerful force suddenly came from behind, like a cold giant hand, and grabbed my arm hard.

I felt my feet sink into the ground, and my body lurched forward uncontrollably, instantly losing my balance...

I staggered a few steps and almost fell.

A faint scent of sandalwood wafted into my nostrils, and a warm, strong hand steadily supported me.

I looked up abruptly, and what came into view was Senior Lingyu's kind face. His deep eyes shone with wisdom, as if he could see through everything.

"Senior Lingyu!" A warm current surged in my heart, as if I had grasped a lifeline in a vast ocean.

Senior Lingyu smiled slightly at me, then turned to look at Lingyun and Qingfeng. His usually gentle voice now carried an undeniable air of authority: "In this treasure hunt competition, Miss Xiao Yao won the championship fair and square through her own strength. This is beyond question. Anyone who dares to question the fairness of the competition is provoking the Immortal Alliance!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a powerful pressure instantly enveloped the entire cave, and the air seemed to freeze, making people feel suffocated.

Ling Yun and Qing Feng's expressions changed drastically. Their previous arrogance vanished instantly, and they lowered their heads like two defeated roosters, not daring to make another sound.

I could clearly feel that the cold, menacing gaze that had been haunting me had also disappeared, as if the eyes that had been watching me from the darkness had finally closed.

I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Blood Shadow's men would no longer dare to act rashly.

The surrounding contestants, who had initially looked on with doubt and skepticism, now looked on with admiration and praise.

They all gave me friendly looks, and some even started whispering about my brilliant performance in the game.

I straightened my back, feeling the hard-won glory, and my heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Senior Lingyu patted my shoulder and said with a smile, "Miss Xiao Yao, you did very well." Although his voice was gentle, it carried a powerful strength that made me feel incredibly safe and warm.

I bowed deeply to Senior Lingyu, then turned and strode away from this place of trouble.

Stepping out of the cave, the warm sunlight shone on my face. I took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air, and my heart was filled with anticipation for the future.

I boarded a cloud boat bound for the celestial realm. The cloud boat slowly rose, and the earth beneath my feet gradually became smaller until it disappeared.

I stood at the bow of the boat, facing the wind, looking at the boundless sea of ​​clouds ahead, my heart filled with anticipation.

"Immortal Realm, here I come..." I murmured to myself.

Suddenly, the boat rocked violently, and I stumbled, almost falling over.

I quickly steadied myself and looked up, only to see a strange mist appearing in the sea of ​​clouds ahead...

A deep voice came from behind me: "Watch out, something's wrong ahead..."