Chapter 109: Stunning Nan Yun, Famous Across the Land!

"Mother!"

"Damn it~!"

"It's from our Nan Yun! Someone from Nan Yun Prefecture made the 'Dragon's Potential List'!"

"Haha, a sixteen-year-old at the Second Stage Innate—our Nan Yun has a prodigy too!"

"I know Chen Mu—I've seen him! He's the External Affairs Hall Master of the Great Knife Gang in the East District of the Outer City. Always low-key, never expected—truly never expected—he's an Innate Realm martial artist!"

"…"

After a brief silence, the Hero Tower erupted in chaos, boiling with noise.

Warriors from the first, second, third, and even fourth-floor private rooms rushed out upon hearing the commotion, staring at the red banner's list.

Second-to-last: Nan Yun's Chen Mu—a Dragon's Potential prodigy!

The "Dragon's Potential List" is updated every three months, and every branch of the Hero Tower always posts it publicly.

Of course, the Hero Tower merely copies this list from other sources.

In the nineteen provinces of the Great Zhou, the provincial capitals announce the list first, then major factions copy it.

The Hero Tower makes it convenient for wandering martial artists to learn of the rankings.

Nan Yun Prefecture hadn't had anyone on the list for decades.

Now that Chen Mu has made it, every martial artist in Nan Yun is thrilled, proud, and exultant.

"Chen Mu's record shows he killed two Fourth Stage Innate cultivators in succession, then even slew a wounded Eighth Stage Innate… Huh?"

The speaking warrior suddenly froze, then wore a strange expression as he said, "Uh, wait—didn't Chen Mu kill Sun Jindong, Fang Yuanfu, and the others?"

"…"

The crowd around him fell silent.

Everyone exchanged glances; those who knew each other locked eyes silently.

Too coincidental!

Sun Jindong's Martial Dao Realm was precisely Fourth Stage Innate.

Fang Yuanfu's cultivation was also exactly Eighth Stage Innate—and he was still wounded and unrecovered!

What are the odds of such a coincidence?

"Nine out of ten."

Nan Yun's local martial artists remained silent, but wandering warriors from elsewhere, unafraid to speak, shouted loudly, "Amazing! He climbed the 'Dragon's Potential List' by stepping on Sun Jindong and Fang Yuanfu's heads!"

"Exactly! A wounded Eighth Stage Innate is still an Eighth Stage Innate—Chen Mu is only Second Stage Innate, yet he slew him. Clearly, Chen Mu is formidable."

"Wow, how did Chen Mu even manage that? So many minor realm gaps, and he still killed them all."

"He's a genius—aren't geniuses supposed to kill opponents across realms?"

"…"

The Hero Tower buzzed with endless chatter.

And the news spread rapidly outward.

Less than a stick of incense had passed before every major and minor faction inside and outside Wulong Fucheng knew Chen Mu had made the list.

Four Directions Martial Arts Hall.

"One hundred and seven on the 'Dragon's Potential List'?"

Wei Dongliang stood in the courtyard, having listened to his subordinate's report, his eyes gleaming with interest, "Who is this Chen Mu?"

The Hero Tower was still uncertain, but Wei Dongliang knew the moment he heard the news that Sun Jindong and Xu Yibai had been killed by Chen Mu.

He felt no anger or rage—only curiosity.

Curiosity about Chen Mu's true origins.

At "Ba Jian Mountain," Chen Mu had stood beside Zhao Fuzhou!

And he was familiar with Di Chunlei—their relationship seemed quite close.

"My lord, Chen Mu is the Hall Master of the Great Knife Gang in the Outer City of Wulong Fucheng. He is rumored to have a master of the Innate Realm, though no one has ever seen him."

"Chen Mu himself is solitary, but he has a cousin named Huang Feiyang, who caught Di Chunlei's eye. Di Chunlei took him as his disciple in place of a master and has already taken him away from Wulong Fucheng to 'Shenshan.'"

"Also, Chen Mu is very close to Zhao Fuzhou's sister-in-law; that's how he gains access to the Town Martial Office. Whether Chen Mu has officially joined the Town Martial Office remains unconfirmed."

After reporting, the subordinate bowed his head and fell silent.

"A rumored Innate Realm master? A cousin who joined the Giant Spirit Sect? The Giant Spirit Sect has strict recruitment standards—Huang Feiyang must possess the 'Great Strength Martial Body.'"

Wei Dongliang listened, then mused, "Sixteen years old, Second Stage Innate—remarkable. No wonder Zhao Fuzhou took special notice of him."

In his mind, another thought surfaced.

The "Duan Tianhe Sword Scripture!"

Could the transmission jade slip recording the "Duan Tianhe Sword Scripture" have been taken by this Chen Mu?

But on that day, when the jade slip was fought over, Chen Mu never even entered the cave!

How could he have taken it?

…

Town Martial Office.

"Chen's kid made the list?"

Zhao Fuzhou, having listened to He Ningshuang's report, exclaimed in surprise, "Impressive! I didn't expect him to make it so fast."

"... Did my lord already know Chen Mu would make the list?" He Ningshuang asked, stunned.

"Yes," Zhao Fuzhou nodded. "At his age, being Second Stage Innate means making the 'Dragon's Potential List' was inevitable—though I expected it to take two or three more years. Didn't expect it so soon."

"Indeed—he's already on it," He Ningshuang sighed.

She was a native of Nan Yun Prefecture and knew no one from Nan Yun had made the "Dragon's Potential List" in decades.

The moment Chen Mu ascended it, within a single night, his name spread throughout the entire prefecture.

Even the surrounding prefectures, and even the state capital of Hengzhou, would feel a small tremor.

Fame and fortune, fame and fortune.

Climbing onto the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" is the best path to fame!

"Oh right, my lord."

Suddenly, He Ningshuang recalled something and said quickly, "While the news of Chen Mu's ranking was spreading, there was also another piece of news — some people suspect it was Chen Mu who killed Sun Jindong and Fang Yuanfu!"

"No need to suspect — it was indeed him who killed them."

Zhao Fuzhou chuckled lightly, "The battle record on the 'Hidden Dragon Ranking' plainly tells everyone that Sun Jindong and Fang Yuanfu were Chen Mu's stepping stones, helping him earn a place on the 'Hidden Dragon' ranking!"

Regardless of why Sun Jindong and Fang Yuanfu came into conflict with Chen Mu.

The dead are simply dead!

The "Hidden Dragon Ranking" only looks at results — the loser becomes a stepping stone, the winner's name spreads across the world!

Even if this ranking is only one hundred and seventh, it is still fame!!

It can be said that within less than half a cup of tea's time after the latest issue of the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" was announced, countless people throughout the nineteen circuits of Great Zhou knew Chen Mu's name!

"……"

He Ningshuang opened her mouth, "Doesn't that mean Chen Mu will be hunted down by the Fang family of Hannan?"

"There's no need to worry about that either."

Zhao Fuzhou said calmly, "Chen Mu has already left Nanyun. As long as his whereabouts aren't exposed, once he leaves Hannan Circuit, no matter how angry the Fang family is, they won't be able to do anything about it."

In his heart, however, a voice rose.

'Could the "Heavenly River Sword Canon" also have been taken by Chen Mu?'

But then he recalled that Chen Mu hadn't even entered the cave at the time.

He hadn't even caught a glimpse of the jade slip for transmitting techniques — how could he have seized it?

For Chen Mu to have obtained the jade slip was far too unrealistic!

……

Shi Kuangsheng, Huang Keqin, the Li family, the Gao family, the Pan family……

Within Nanyun Prefecture, people from all the major and minor factions, on account of Chen Mu's ranking, were either excited, or moved, or envious.

Especially those who knew Chen Mu — Tang Tianhao of the Tang family, Zheng Qianrou of the Zheng family — regarding the young genius who had once been on par with them, whose name now stirred the four directions overnight, they were both shocked and shaken!

"Who was it back then that spread the word that Chen Mu was the 'Number One Youth of Nanyun'?"

"How is this just Nanyun's number one? Clearly it's Hengzhou's — no, Hannan Circuit's number one!"