Chapter 0353: Did the Yellow Dragon Cheat?

Like Fied and Harris, Spindu also lowered his head and stepped back with a ashamed expression. But as he stepped back, his expression relaxed slightly—his score, though lower than Harris’s at 567,350 points, was 30 points higher than Fied’s!
For now, he was in second place!
Usually, he ranked second or third. Being in second this time, ahead of Fied, was already quite good.
Fied watched Spindu leave with a displeased look. This time, he had ended up behind Spindu, in third place!
Normally, he ranked first, with Harris occasionally taking first place, but he had never been in third.
“Alright, there’s no need for further nominations. One by one, step forward and release the Primal Beast Crystals you hunted, so we can tally the final scores,” Kennedy said, taking his gaze off Spindu and turning to the members of the Runing family.
“Yes, Patriarch!” the members replied respectfully.
As before, they took turns releasing the Primal Beast Crystals they had hunted. With Fied, Harris, and Spindu acting as exceptions earlier, the other members felt more relaxed. However, Kennedy and the others grew increasingly worried as they saw the results of each member’s crystals.
Like Fied and the others, the number of Primal Beast Crystals these members had hunted this time was significantly reduced. Each of them had a score that was one-third lower than before—some even half as much!
Chester also stepped back with a gloomy expression after hearing his score: 456,180 points!
That was his result this time. Usually, he scored over 600,000 points.
When the short, chubby Francis stepped back, he looked utterly dejected. His score was only 195,310 points—less than 200,000! Although all the members had seen their scores drop, he seemed to have suffered the biggest decline and was now in last place!
One after another, the members released their Primal Beast Crystals, and their scores echoed across the True Dragon Hall plaza.
After Francis stepped back, two more members stepped forward to release their crystals and have their scores counted. After they left as well, no one else stepped forward, leaving a brief lull.
For a moment, the plaza was completely silent.

“Is there anyone else who hasn’t had their points counted?” Kennedy’s voice rang out at that moment.
“I.” A calm voice replied.
When that voice was heard, all the young members turned to look in unison.
Under their strange and mocking gazes, a figure slowly stepped forward from the crowd.
Seeing Huang Long, Kennedy and the three others were slightly stunned.
“This kid hid until the end to come out—afraid he’d have too few points and be embarrassed, right?”
“Points? Hehe, Fat Francis has over 190,000 points. I wonder if this kid even has 100,000.”
“100,000? I don’t think he even has 50,000!”
The young members couldn’t help but whisper and discuss as Huang Long appeared last.
When Huang Long passed by Fei De, Fei De sneered and taunted through telepathy, “Kid, I heard you’re going to treat Chester, Francis, and the others after you return?”
Huang Long remained indifferent and replied telepathically, “If you’re free, you can come too.” Without stopping, he went straight to Kennedy and the three others.
A flash of anger crossed Fei De’s face as he snorted inwardly. “Kid, I’ll show you later!”
“Greetings, clan leader, and the three elders,” Huang Long said as he bowed to them.
“It’s Huang Hai.” Kennedy looked at Huang Long with a rare smile. “Good, it’s rare to see you step forward. This result doesn’t mean much—your cultivation is still young. Keep trying, and you’ll surely catch up to them.”
Kennedy spoke to comfort Huang Long.
Huang Long smiled bitterly inwardly but could only respond respectfully on the surface.
Kennedy nodded with a smile and then said encouragingly, “Then show us the Primal Beast Crystals from your hunt.” Donald also looked at Huang Long with encouragement. Bishop and Barret nodded with smiles as well.
Huang Long agreed and went to one side of the square. With a thought, he released the Primal Beast Crystals from the Five Pits Divine Cauldron.
The members of the Runing family looked at Huang Long with even more mockery.
“Does this kid really dare to show off?” a dark-haired youth sneered through telepathy.
“Hehe, what if he doesn’t? Everyone’s points need to be counted,” a blond-haired youth added. But as soon as he finished speaking, his mocking eyes suddenly widened. His mouth froze mid-sentence as he pointed at Huang Long, “He… he actually did?!”
Hearing this, the dark-haired youth turned around, stunned.

Above the Yellow Dragon lay that pile of colorful Prime Beast Crystals, so dazzling that everyone who glanced at them was stunned.
“Forty-eight thousand three hundred and ninety!”
Someone shouted this number first, and immediately, the square was filled with murmurs.
They remembered that Fei De, currently in third place, had the most Prime Beast Crystals captured—forty-eight thousand three hundred and eighty-nine!
Yet, this Huang Hai had captured even more than Fei De, just one more?!
Fei De stared in shock at the pile of Prime Beast Crystals, then looked at the Yellow Dragon.
Harris and Spindu did the same.
“Brother, pinch me—am I going crazy?” Fat Francis stood beside Chester, speaking in a daze.
But Chester kicked him instead—this time genuinely—hitting Fat Francis in the buttocks. He staggered, cried out in pain, and fell to the ground. Everyone turned to look.
Kennedy, Bishop, Barret, and Donald also glanced over, scaring Fat Francis into retreating quickly, sweating profusely. Fortunately, Kennedy and the others didn’t scold him harshly.
After a brief moment of shock and disbelief, the scene fell silent.
“Huang Hai, did you capture all these Prime Beast Crystals by yourself?!” When silence reigned, Kennedy pointed at the pile in front of the Yellow Dragon and asked, his voice filled with disbelief. After all, it was hard to believe.
A mid-tier divine late-stage cultivator had captured more Prime Beast Crystals than Fei De, Harris, Spindu, and others who were at the peak of the Seventh Level of the Nether King?!
The Yellow Dragon remained calm. “Yes, these Prime Beast Crystals were captured by me.”
Of course, he omitted the word “all” from his reply.
All? The Yellow Dragon sneered inwardly.
Inside the Five Pits Divine Cauldron, there was still nearly sixty million Prime Beast Crystals piled up.
“Huang Hai, did you really capture all of these by yourself?!” Then, Grand Elder Bishop couldn’t hold back and spoke, his voice carrying doubt and authority compared to Kennedy’s.
He simply couldn’t accept that a mid-tier divine late-stage cultivator like Huang Hai had captured more Prime Beast Crystals than his proudest grandson!
Of course, only he knew what he really thought.
The Yellow Dragon frowned and stared at Bishop. “What do you mean?”

“Huang Hai, how bold of you to cheat during the trial!” Suddenly, a furious shout rang out. Everyone turned to see that it was Fei De. At that moment, Fei De stepped forward, pointing angrily at Huang Long.

Kennedy frowned.

Fei De approached Kennedy and said respectfully, “Chieftain, elders, this Huang Hai must have bought Original Beast Crystals in the headquarters in advance after learning about the trial. I’ve been informed by my subordinates that Huang Hai once purchased 100 billion units of metal ore materials from the Trade Hall.”

Huang Long sneered inwardly. He hadn’t expected this kid to have noticed him already and even uncovered such details.

Kennedy looked grave. He had also investigated this matter, and indeed, Huang Long had bought 100 billion units of metal ore materials from the Trade Hall.

“Huang Hai, confess everything clearly to the chieftain. If you confess now, I’ll intercede for you. But if it’s discovered later, huh!” said Elder Bishop coldly.

As the chief elder and law-enforcing elder, he despised the most those who cheated like this! Usually, he would punish them severely, but given Huang Long’s special status and Kennedy’s presence, he gave Huang Long a “chance” to confess.

Huang Long stared at Bishop and sneered, “Confess? How exactly do you want me to confess?”

Seeing that Huang Long was “unrepentant,” Bishop grew angry. If it weren’t for Kennedy and Huang Long’s status, he wouldn’t tolerate such arrogance from this kid in front of him!

Donald also shook his head in disappointment.

“Well, the truth will come to light once we investigate,” said Kennedy’s authoritative voice.

“Yes, chieftain,” Bishop replied, suppressing his anger.

“You, go and check it,” Kennedy ordered, pointing at the clerk in charge of checking records and scores.

The clerk quickly replied respectfully and then walked over to the pile of Original Beast Crystals in front of Huang Long.

The Lu Ning family had naturally placed some family-specific seals on the Original Beasts on the trial island. These Original Beast Crystals, obtained after killing those beasts, could be identified through the Lu Ning family’s special secret methods.

“Oh no, oh no, Chester! How can Brother Huang Hai still refuse to admit his mistake at this point? Now isn’t the time to hold on stubbornly!” Fat Francie looked anxious.

Chester also frowned, worried.

Although Huang Long had a special status, cheating in a trial was a serious crime.

Fei De looked at Huang Long and sneered. Harris and Spindu stared at Huang Long as well. The other disciples showed various expressions—glee, pride, mockery, regret, and so on.

The steward approached the pile of Primordial Beast Crystals and then formed several hand seals in sequence, creating a mysterious rune. The rune expanded, rose into the air, and then covered the pile of Primordial Beast Crystals. If there was any problem with those crystals, they would collide with the power of the rune, producing an explosive sound. As the rune covered them, everyone held their breath, staring intently. Bishop glanced at the Yellow Dragon and snorted coldly in his heart.