Chapter 111: Enclosing the Land

Upon hearing this, the disciples stood in front of their respective elders, forming several long rows.

As the winner of the Grand Competition, Fatty Gu walked forward as soon as the Master of the Asura Mansion finished speaking. With a wave of the Mansion Master Xiu Binggan's sleeves, one hundred and thirty stone tablets, each twice the height of a man, suddenly appeared on the plaza before them.

To everyone’s shock, the moment Fatty Gu stood before these tablets, all of them erupted in light, some bright and some dim. The entire crowd was frozen in place.

"W-what is going on?"
"Does this mean all the tablets accept him, and he can take them all?"
"What about the rest of us?"
...
"Ahem."
"There must be a mistake."
"Young Friend Gu, why don't you step back and let the other disciples have a try?"

The Mansion Master, whose eyes were just as wide as everyone else's, had previously stated that whoever the tablets accepted could take them home. Yet, he now shamelessly used his seniority to urge Fatty Gu to step aside.

"Second place, Xiu Qingcang, you come up and try."
"As you command, Master."

As Xiu Qingcang walked past the retreating Fatty Gu, he suddenly shuddered instinctively. Reaching the edge of the stone tablets, he took a deep breath and released his entire aura.

One breath, two breaths... After dozens of breaths, not a single tablet showed any change; not even the faintest glimmer appeared. It was clear that the result was exactly the same as his previous self-test within the Asura Mansion—Xiu Qingcang still failed to gain recognition. Extremely embarrassed, he didn't even dare look at his Mansion Master; he bowed and retreated to his queue in chagrin.

More than a dozen disciples followed, each stepping up in turn. Only two tablets flickered with faint halos for two disciples from different sects, barely counting as a success.

By this point, the expressions of all the high-level figures had turned grave. These were the top twenty ranked on the Earth Ranking. Any one of these disciples would have been a leader among their peers in their own youth. Yet, excluding the anomaly that was Fatty Gu, only two poor souls had gained recognition.

If the rules were followed strictly, all the stone tablets would belong to Fatty Gu alone. Although two other disciples had been recognized, their halos were far too dim compared to the brilliance of the ones Fatty Gu had triggered.

Normally, a sect would be delighted to gain more tablets, but the senior figures of the Misty Sect were breaking into a cold sweat. They realized that if their disciple Fatty Gu really took all the tablets, the Misty Sect would incite public outrage. Even if they hadn't broken the rules, they would be targeted by every power in the Southern Region.

...

"Um, Senior Xiu, would you like me to try again?"
"Er, very well."

Being sharp-witted, Fatty Gu was well aware of the risks. He had to bite the bullet and ask to try again, praying to every deity he knew that the tablets would shine less this time.

But things went the opposite way!

When Fatty Gu approached again, every single tablet shone with brilliant light without exception. The members of the Misty Sect trembled. Even Fatty Gu, whose face had gone deathly pale, instinctively took several steps back. He thought to himself, *This is a death trap for me.*

...

While everyone on the plaza was left speechless, Fatty Gu’s mind raced.

"Senior Xiu, esteemed seniors, I have something to say, if I may."
"Speak, young friend."
"I feel there is something wrong with these tablets, though I cannot say exactly what. However, Senior Xiu, since these tablets were meant to benefit our entire Southern Region, why not display them publicly in the name of your Mansion, open to all cultivators of the South?"
"A good, a great idea!"
"I implore Mansion Master Xiu to take charge and open the tablets to the entire Southern Region. We, the cultivators of the South, will forever remember the great benevolence and righteousness of you and the Asura Mansion."

...

As soon as Fatty Gu spoke, Nangong Kang, the Sect Master of the Misty Sect, grasped the meaning instantly. He silently praised the boy’s quick thinking and immediately bowed to the Mansion Master, echoing Fatty Gu’s suggestion in a loud voice.

An Ran, the shrewd Sect Master of the Crouching Tiger Sect, quickly followed suit. Even Wen Baiyi, the Master of the Azure Cloud Sect, who was usually at odds with Nangong Kang, spoke up in support. The other sect leaders, family patriarchs, and royal dignitaries followed, bowing in request.

"This... very well. Since all fellow daoists feel this way, I, Xiu Binggan, thank you all on behalf of the countless cultivators of our Southern Region."
"Come! Pass down the order."
"The Asura Mansion shall install all one hundred and thirty tablets in the very center of the Southern Region. All cultivators, young and old, may observe them freely."

...

The Mansion Master, elevated to a pedestal of moral righteousness, gave Fatty Gu a meaningful look before using the momentum to announce the order.

"Young Friend Gu, it was you who proposed this plan to benefit the South. My Asura Mansion wishes to reward you on behalf of all our fellow cultivators."
"What is it that you desire?"
"Well, this young one will leave that to your decision, Senior."
"Very well. You are truly an extraordinary youth. How about I grant you a top-tier magical artifact?"
"Hiss! A top-tier magical artifact?"
"This young one thanks you, Senior! But, could I make one more request?"
"Speak."
"I feel that the center of the Southern Region is exceptionally rich in spiritual energy. Could you grant me some land in that central area? Just a hundred acres... no, eighty, or even fifty would suffice."
"This... I shall grant it to you!"
"I thank you, Mansion Master! I am eternally grateful for your immense kindness and benevolence..."

Listening to Fatty Gu ramble on with insincere flattery, not only the Mansion Master but everyone present—including the other disciples—couldn't help but sigh. It was obvious that the Mansion Master hadn't wanted to agree, but the boy had handed him a massive merit and public favor, leaving him no room to refuse.

*This boy is a talent,* they all thought.

In truth, the Mansion Master had planned to keep the tablets in the center anyway to ensure the Asura Mansion’s long-term prosperity. But because Fatty Gu had asked in front of everyone, he couldn't refuse.

...

Every high-level figure knew that once the tablets were concentrated in the center of the Southern Region, that location would become incredibly scarce and prosperous. Especially since the strongest force in the South, the Asura Mansion, was stationed there.

By seizing fifty acres—nearly thirty thousand square meters—the boy had secured a goldmine. Whether he opened an inn, a restaurant, or shops... it would be a fortune. And with everyone knowing the land was a personal gift from the Mansion Master, who in the Southern Region would dare cause trouble on his property? People would likely flock to his businesses just to curry favor with the Asura Mansion.

The senior figures were all deeply impressed by Fatty Gu's sharp foresight. Looking back at their own disciples, who hadn't even realized the value of the request, they felt a sense of frustration. Putting aside cultivation and combat, this boy was in a completely different league.

Of course, the Misty Sect was the most delighted. In their minds, Fatty Gu belonged to them, and his assets were theirs. Even the rival Azure Cloud Sect Master, Wen Baiyi, felt a pang of envy.

As for losses? The boy hadn't lost anything. Since the tablets recognized him, whether he kept them to himself or they were displayed for all to see, the result was the same.

Fatty Gu, who never let an opportunity slip, didn't wait for the crowds to disperse. He shamelessly asked for a map from the Asura Mansion and, with a thick skin, marked out a plot of land right next to the most prime location, successfully obtaining the deed.

...

As expected, once the news spread that the tablets were to be displayed publicly, the entire Southern Region boiled over with excitement. Countless cultivators gathered to praise the magnanimity of the Asura Mansion and the virtue of Mansion Master Xiu Binggan.

The Asura Mansion was left with mixed feelings. Once a person or faction is placed on a moral pedestal by the public, they are forced to consider their reputation in every action. It would be much harder for them to act as brazenly or unfairly as they had in the past.

The Hundred Sects Grand Competition finally came to a true end. Every sect, family, and royal court, along with the spectators, returned home to organize their own pilgrimages to the tablets.

The Misty Sect did not return immediately. They headed straight for Fatty Gu’s private plot. The Sect Master, peak masters, and elders were all in high spirits, pointing and marking the land, already planning how to maximize the profit of their "sect’s" new property.

"We can build a tall inn here."
"We need restaurants and tea houses on both sides."
"The central area can be divided into shops for trading resources."
"It would be even better if the Five Regions Chamber of Commerce could open an auction house here..."

Fatty Gu, the official owner, ended up being the most redundant person there, accompanied only by Bai Ling'er. Finally, under his strong protest, the elders showed a shred of mercy, allowing him to keep a small, dusty corner at the very edge of the property, bordering the Endless Forest, for his own private residence.