Chapter 365

Bai Shaoling’s eyes brightened, and he smiled, bowing: "Brother Gao, Brother Xu, and all other brothers."

Gao Lin smiled and bowed, saying: "Brother Xu, brothers, why don't you hurry and pay respects to the Young Sect Master, Brother Bai."

Only then did Xu Yang realize that the man in front of him was actually the future Sect Master of the Purple Sun Sect, Bai Shaoling.

It was said that this Bai Shaoling was originally a genius with the potential for a second Dragon Ascension, but to succeed to the position of Sect Master in the future, he had given up the opportunity for a second Dragon Ascension and joining the Heavenly Strategy Academy.

"Greetings, Brother Bai!"

Xu Yang bowed solemnly, and the Departing Fire Peak disciples who had traveled with them, such as Sun Tao and Zhu Yuan, also hurriedly bowed.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Bai Shaoling, they left and found a place to sit down.

Suddenly, Xu Yang felt two gazes filled with murderous intent land on him. Following the gazes, he saw two men beside Liu Qingyuan on the main viewing platform staring at him intensely. The younger one had a silhouette somewhat similar to Song Wenshan, whom he had killed, and was almost identical to Song Wenxuan.

"Song Shirong!"

He instantly understood that this person was the head of the Song family, Song Shirong. The middle-aged man in the plain robe beside him must be the Song family’s Heaven Origin expert, Song Yushao—an old monster who was still young despite having lived for a hundred years.

People continued to arrive, but Sect Master Zhang Jingyuan had not yet appeared. Xu Yang, Gao Lin, and the others chatted idly, their eyes scanning the crowd.

"Interesting. The ranking challenge is about to begin, and it’s said that Yan Guiyun has yet to return."

Suddenly, a remark from someone in the crowd caught everyone’s attention.

Everyone looked carefully and realized that basically all the geniuses of the Ten Talents List had appeared: Jiang Fan, Du Chuan, Qi Xuancheng... even Li Chuyang, who had been in solitary confinement, had been released and appeared on Heaven Authority Peak. The only one missing was the third-ranked Yan Guiyun.

"Could something have happened to Yan Guiyun?"

"He couldn't possibly miss such an important event as the ranking challenge unless he was delayed by something urgent."

"It’s possible he is currently breaking through to the Heaven Origin realm somewhere in the Yunling Mountain Range."

……

The surroundings were suddenly filled with discussion, with many people speculating about Yan Guiyun’s situation.

Listening to these speculations, Xu Yang looked curiously at Gao Lin and asked: "Brother Gao, if Yan Guiyun never appears, how will it be handled?"

Gao Lin said: "He will be removed from the list, his status as a Ten Talents genius will be canceled, and others will be allowed to fill the Ten Talents List."

As he spoke, his gaze flickered toward Xiong Kun not far away, and he continued: "Xiong Kun is going to make the list. I heard people say the Sect Master sent Liu Qingyuan deep into the Yunling Mountain Range to search for Yan Guiyun for many days, but he couldn't find him. I’m afraid something has happened."

Xu Yang nodded, not expecting that he had indirectly helped Xiong Kun. Otherwise, for Xiong Kun to make the list, it wouldn't be impossible, but it would be fraught with difficulties.

"Old Ghost Li, both the Ten Heroes and Ten Talents lists came from your hand. Who will be number one in this ranking?" On the viewing platform, Ding Yuan asked Li Songhe curiously.

As an outer sect Elder, Li Songhe was the person who understood all the disciples the best.

In an instant, everyone looked at him.

Upon hearing this, Li Songhe pondered slightly before saying: "Yan Guiyun."

Several months ago, Yan Guiyun had already begun to impact the Heaven Origin realm. Even if he hadn't succeeded now, his cultivation base was still the highest.

"Yan Guiyun? He’s probably already dead. Just tell us about the others," Elder Huoyun said.

With Yan Guiyun not appearing at this time, everyone knew in their hearts that he had likely gone out to train and died in the Yunling Mountain Range.

"If Yan Guiyun doesn't appear, the first place should be Qi Xuancheng," Li Songhe said.

Everyone was stunned. Qi Xuancheng was only ranked eighth on the Ten Talents List. Even if he had cultivated for longer, it shouldn't be Qi Xuancheng’s turn, right?

Li Songhe, however, did not explain: "Second place should be Zhang Hanzhou. As for third, this old man can't be sure; it could be Ye Qiuling, or it could be the Young Marquis or Li Chuyang."

Elder Huoyun raised an eyebrow: "Why couldn't it be Xu Yang? He didn't reach the Great Success stage of Marrow Cleansing much later than Li Chuyang and the Young Marquis. Moreover, when he fought Li Chuyang in the Heavenly Wind Valley, it was Li Chuyang who ended up at a disadvantage."

Once these words were spoken, everyone who knew about the incident in the Heavenly Wind Valley felt it made sense.

Xu Yang and Li Chuyang had fought in the Heavenly Wind Valley. On the surface, the two were evenly matched, but most knew that Li Chuyang had been at a disadvantage. Xu Yang had resisted Li Chuyang’s attacks with his physical body alone; if he had used his Golden Gang Qi, Li Chuyang would have undoubtedly been defeated.

Li Songhe laughed: "In terms of talent, Xu Yang might be a cut above Li Chuyang, but the Ten Talents ranking challenge doesn't just look at talent; it also looks at cultivation techniques and martial arts. Your disciple Xu Yang—how many ultimate techniques have you taught him?

And how many ultimate techniques has Li Lingdu’s son cultivated?

That day, they only collided with their bare hands; they didn't use weapons or martial arts."

At the Purple Sun Sect’s Heaven Authority Peak, everyone was waiting in anticipation.

"The Sect Master has arrived!"

As a voice rang out, everyone stood up and looked in the direction the sound came from.

Today, Zhang Jingyuan was dressed in a long purple robe, his hair tied with a jade hairpin, his expression calm and elegant as he stepped up to the highest part of the viewing platform.

"Sorry to have kept you all waiting."

He bowed to the Elders, Peak Masters, and guests from the various peaks below, wearing a kind smile.

"Sect Master, you are too polite." Everyone returned the bow.

Zhang Jingyuan nodded, his gaze sweeping across the four directions as he said loudly: "The Ten Talents disciples have always been the pillars of our Purple Sun Sect.

The Ten Talents ranking challenge serves two purposes: first, to test the quality of the Ten Talents geniuses, and second, to find geniuses whose brilliance has been obscured by dust.

It doesn't matter if you weren't on the list before; as long as you defeat a disciple on the Ten Talents List, you are the new Ten Talents member and will receive the sect’s tilted resources for cultivation.

The Ten Talents disciples might also have just gotten lucky to make the list. Whether you are a dragon or a snake will be seen today.

I now declare that the Purple Sun Sect’s Ten Talents ranking challenge has begun."

Without any unnecessary chatter, he directly announced the start of the ranking challenge.

As his words fell, Yang Yuanzhou, one of the four Elders of Heaven Authority Peak, floated onto the arena and shouted: "This ranking challenge will be presided over by this old man. All Ten Talents disciples, come onto the stage to accept challenges."

The Ten Talents ranking challenge had truly begun.

In an instant, the martial arts arena was filled with thunderous roars. The genius battle everyone had been looking forward to was finally starting.

"Li Chuyang is here. Anyone who wants to challenge me, bring it on."

Li Chuyang’s entire body erupted with silver Gang light, landing behind Yang Yuanzhou like a stream of light, his domineering and arrogant energy radiating without restraint.

"I really want to tear his mouth off." Jiang Fan showed a look of disgust, walked out from the viewing platform, and stepped toward the arena step by step.

At the same time, Ten Talents disciples like Qi Xuancheng, Ye Qiuling, Zhang Hanzhou, and Xu Yang also stood up one after another.

As the only woman on the Ten Talents List, Ye Qiuling was the center of attention; hardly anyone was paying attention to male disciples like Xu Yang.

Soon, everyone had ascended the stage, but there were only nine. Yan Guiyun still hadn't appeared, and Yang Yuanzhou had to look at Zhang Jingyuan, who was sitting at the highest point.

Zhang Jingyuan sighed. Although he didn't want to believe it, his disciple Yan Guiyun had likely died in the Yunling Mountain Range. He looked at Li Songhe, signaling for him to choose someone to fill the ten spots on the Ten Talents List.

"Xiong Kun, then!" Li Songhe chose Xiong Kun, who had been on the list from the very beginning, without hesitation.

"Is Xiong Kun present?" Yang Yuanzhou shouted.

"This disciple is here!" Xiong Kun’s voice rang out, filled with excitement.

"Get on the stage!" Yang Yuanzhou said.

"This disciple obeys!"

Xiong Kun was overjoyed, his voice even trembling slightly. He hadn't expected to return to the Ten Talents List so easily.

In fact, although he was determined to fight his way into the Ten Talents List, he didn't have much confidence. Han Feng had defeated him many times, and although Lu Ren had been defeated by him before, the Lu Ren of today was no longer the Lu Ren from the outer sect; he didn't have the certainty of victory.

"Brother Xiong, congratulations!"

Once Xiong Kun landed on the arena, Han Feng and Lu Ren, who were familiar with him, offered their congratulations. Neither of them had expected Xiong Kun to get so lucky and become a Ten Talents genius again so simply.

"Just lucky!" Xiong Kun bowed with a smile.

Just then, Yang Yuanzhou’s gaze swept across the entire arena, looking at the faces of all the inner sect disciples, and he said loudly: "Anyone under the age of twenty-six who feels their strength is greater than one of them can come onto the stage to challenge them now. If you win, you are the new top ten, and you can also receive sect rewards."

In the first round of the ranking challenge, disciples who weren't on the list challenged those who were.

Of course, there were age requirements.

Once these words were spoken, Lu Ren, Han Feng, and Xiong Kun’s expressions changed slightly. Among the Dragon Ascension disciples of their generation, except for Xie Zhan, who had already reached the Small Success stage of Marrow Cleansing and was qualified to challenge them, no one else was qualified.

However, there were quite a few disciples from the previous generation who had reached the Small Success stage of Marrow Cleansing. The three of them had the lowest cultivation bases, so they were likely to become the targets of these people’s challenges.

"Xiong Kun, dare you fight?"

The next moment, seven or eight voices rang out simultaneously, all naming Xiong Kun, who was ranked last, as their target.

Xiong Kun’s face turned green. How many matches would he have to fight against so many people? And most of them were disciples from the previous generation; some had been at the Small Success stage of Marrow Cleansing for nearly a year or two.

Yang Yuanzhou stood with his hands behind his back and continued: "Those who want to challenge Xiong Kun, step out. Are there any who want to challenge others?"

Just when everyone in the Nine Provinces thought there would be no more challengers, a voice rang out: "This disciple wishes to challenge Han Feng."

Someone was actually not challenging Xiong Kun, who was ranked last, but challenging Han Feng, who was ninth. Everyone looked in the direction the voice came from and found it was an unknown disciple; over ninety percent of the people didn't recognize him.

"A dark horse has appeared!"

"Sure enough, there was a hidden genius. He’s actually challenging Han Feng directly."

"Who is this person?"

"I don't know his name, but I remember he seems to have a good relationship with Xu Yang."

……