Hearing Lin Fan’s words, Luo Yin sneered inwardly.
This guy knew how to talk his way out of it. Rather than admitting outright that the spoiler was the correct plot, he’d claimed his original version was flawed and needed to be replaced with the spoiler.
That meant he didn’t have to scramble for revisions. He could simply carry on.
Most of the listeners in the hall weren’t fools. Many picked up on the implication in Lin Fan’s words—including Ling Qingxue and the others.
Evidently, the spoiler was Lin Fan’s intended plot all along.
In the private box, Luo Yin tilted his head slightly toward Ling Qingxue.
“Well? Do you believe it now?”
Ling Qingxue hated to admit it, but she wasn’t one to renege on a deal. Besides, her bet with Luo Yin had been all in good fun, and she’d enjoyed herself. With a slight nod, she conceded her loss.
Luo Yin smiled and turned to Xiao Yurou, who had buried her head against her chest.
“Princess Yurou, don’t forget our wager. You promised me one favor. Rest assured, it won’t be anything lewd.”
His blunt words turned Xiao Yurou’s lovely face bright red. She ducked her head even lower.
With a muffled hum, she signaled her agreement.
Ling’er, meanwhile, spoke up excitedly.
“Does that mean we can hear Young Master recount the Tales of the Great Wilderness even after leaving the Daluo Ancient Dynasty?”
Luo Yin replied airily.
“Yeah, yeah. As if I have that kind of spare time to spin you tales.”
Ling’er giggled and stuck out her tongue.
Up on the platform, Lin Fan saw the awkward moment pass. He let out a quiet breath of relief, intending to investigate this spoiler properly next.
In his mind, it had to be the work of someone skilled in foresight or divination arts.
The notion of another transmigrator who’d read the novel never crossed his thoughts.
His guess wasn’t entirely off-base, though. Luo Yin could indeed glimpse others’ futures.
Luo Yin glanced at Lin Fan’s Luck Value. It had dipped from over four thousand to thirty-eight hundred—his spoiler had shaved off several hundred points.
Pity the System offered no reward for this method of draining Luck Value.
Luo Yin shrugged it off. Once Lin Fan’s Luck Value fell below his own, he could start harvesting leeks from him.
Lin Fan’s System doubtless dangled some major rewards too, didn’t it?
“We couldn’t care less about your Tales of the Great Wilderness! When do we get to the rankings? We’ve been waiting! I, your father, came all the way from the boondocks of the Western Profound Realm—not to hear your damn stories!”
An abrasive voice cut through the hall. Everyone turned toward it and spotted a gloomy young man with deathly pale skin and eyes of pure black, no whites in sight. He lounged there with haughty disdain.
“Ye Qingping! He’s actually here!”
“A Night Race prodigy, sure—but not list-worthy. Now, if Ye Youlian showed up…”
“He’s not here to check the list. He’s stirring trouble, gunning for that Immortal Grade Technique and Immortal-level Treasure.”
“Look around—plenty of hotshots in the hall! Crimson Maple Sect’s Young Master Zhang Mingyuan, Dominant Blade Sect’s senior disciple Chen Yuankun, Abundant Origin Holy Land’s Holy Maiden Ye Qianqian…”
“Pah! Hotshots? They’re all after the Immortal Grade Technique and Immortal-level Treasure, just like Ye Qingping. True elites would only eye Heaven-Human Level or better.”
“Yeah…”
“…”
The murmurs reached Lin Fan’s ears. He flashed a faint smile, brushing aside the earlier incident.
“Very well! In that case, let the Holy Profound Realm Newcomers List begin!”
“This ranking compiles the top ten prodigies of the Holy Profound Realm by my hand—regardless of race, sect, or cultivation path!”
“Placement isn’t based solely on realm. It factors in trump cards, battle history, and more.”
“If you take issue with any prodigy, voice it after I’ve covered their full profile. I’ll address it. Fail to convince? The Immortal Grade Technique and Immortal-level Treasure are yours.”
Lin Fan’s words hung in the air. He clapped the wakewood, snapped open his fan, and declared:
“Holy Profound Realm Newcomers List—Tenth Place: Northern Spirit Realm, Taiyi Holy Land, Su Chen!”
Su Chen!?
The name stunned Ling Qingxue. She instinctively glanced at Luo Yin.
Wasn’t that her disciple?
Hadn’t he died in the Profound Heaven Tower?
How could he make the Newcomers List?
This list was clearly a sham.
Luo Qianqiu’s face took on a peculiar cast.
Taiyi Holy Land?
Luo Yin’s sect, wasn’t it?
Su Chen? She’d never heard the name.
Some nobody from the Northern Spirit Realm?
A intrigued smile played across Luo Yin’s lips.
He had it figured out now—Lin Fan’s ranking criteria.
Likely pieced together from the novel’s contents, as Lin Fan remembered them from his past life.
In the original tale, at this juncture, Su Chen’s protagonist halo would let him crush Blood Nether Soldiers in the Profound Heaven Tower and win the Daoist Nun’s favor.
Just that feat alone warranted a spot.
Too bad, Lin Fan. The era had changed.