Chapter 404

Chen Mu descended outside Wulong Fucheng and walked into the city on foot.

He did not visit the city's Zhenwu Office; instead, like an ordinary free cultivator, he spent some silver to rent a house with a private courtyard in the relatively quiet yet not desolate East District.

The courtyard was small, with only three main rooms and a tiny garden, but it was peaceful and undisturbed—perfect for his temporary stay.

In the days that followed, Chen Mu lived a regular and "leisurely" life.

He trained in the morning.

In the afternoon, he used his disguise technique to alter his appearance and aura, becoming a young cultivator named Qin Shuang—around twenty-some years old, with an ordinary face and a calm demeanor—and stepped out of the courtyard to blend into the city's crowds.

His destination was the Hero Hall, located at the center of Wulong Fucheng, vast in size and always teeming with guests.

Although the spreading war had affected the Hero Hall's intelligence network, the difficulty, time, and accuracy of gathering information had greatly declined.

But a dying camel is still bigger than a horse; the Hero Hall still swiftly learned and announced key battles, movements of important figures, and shifts in regional situations across the land.

Chen Mu came daily to learn the latest developments of the Zheng-Mo war, especially changes in the Hannan and Shannan regions, while also listening to various rumors and anecdotes from the martial world.

Not just Chen Mu—at least half the cultivators in the hall were here for the same reason: to gather news.

Some sat alone sipping tea and listening; others gathered in small groups whispering.

The Hero Hall had become, during this special time, the only window through which many cultivators maintained contact with the outside world.

This seemingly ordinary routine passed in the blink of an eye, nearly a month gone.

Wulong Fucheng still maintained its surface calm, but the news from the Hero Hall grew heavier day by day; the Mo Sect's offensive seemed fiercer than ever, with battle lines stagnating or even retreating on multiple fronts.

On this day, Chen Mu, as usual, disguised himself as "Qin Shuang" and entered the first-floor hall of the Hero Hall in the afternoon.

The hall was crowded; the air reeked of food and wine, sweat, and an inescapable undercurrent of anxiety.

Chen Mu was just about to find an empty seat when he heard a warm greeting from nearby.

"Young Brother Qin, over here!"

Chen Mu turned toward the voice and saw a burly man with a full beard, dressed in coarse short robes, his aura at the Eighth Layer of Post-Heaven, waving vigorously at him with an excited grin.

This man was Xie Antu, whom Chen Mu had "met" a few days ago at the Hero Hall.

At the time, Xie Antu had been boasting about his youthful adventures, talking nonstop; Chen Mu found it amusing and bought him a few drinks, and over time, Xie Antu had come to regard "Qin Shuang"—this generous, mild-mannered young man—as a friend.

"Big Brother Xie, in such high spirits today? Any good news?"

Chen Mu walked over with a faint smile and sat across from Xie Antu.

He held a favorable impression of this straightforward, well-informed man.

"Heh, Young Brother Qin, you've come at the perfect moment!"

Xie Antu pointed toward the third floor of the Hero Hall. "See that? The staff up there on the balcony are busy! The annual big event is about to happen!"

Chen Mu followed his finger and saw two staff members in the Hero Hall's distinctive dark-blue short tunics, swift and precise, carefully unrolling a wide scroll made of special silk and hanging it on the outer side of the red balustrade, adjusting its position carefully.

"The Master List?" Chen Mu's heart stirred—he suspected what it was.

"Exactly!"

Xie Antu slapped his thigh, his voice rising involuntarily. "The Dragon's Pool List was updated last month—this time it's the Master List! The annual Master List is being posted today!"

"Those who make the list are all great figures—the elite among Earth Altar realm masters. They're usually invisible, and only through this list can we know who the top martial masters are, who's advanced, and who's fallen behind!"

Xie Antu's words drew the attention of other cultivators nearby.

Soon, the news that "the Master List is being updated" spread through the hall like ripples.

The noisy chatter gradually faded; many put down their wine cups and chopsticks, all looking up in unison toward the scroll about to be unfurled on the third floor.

"The Master List is coming again? I wonder if the top ten have changed?"

"I heard the southern front is brutal—maybe some Masters have fallen, and new ones have risen."

"Look! It's about to unfold!"

"I wonder how many from our Shannan region will make the list this time?"

Everyone leaned forward, whispering in anticipation, the air thick with curiosity and expectation.

For these ordinary cultivators, mostly struggling in the Post-Heaven realm and far from reaching the Earth Altar realm, every name on the Master List represented a legend—a goal to look up to and chase.

Under the gaze of all, the two staff members on the third floor finally adjusted the scroll's position. One grabbed the silk tassel at the bottom and yanked it sharply downward.

"Whiiiiish—"

The wide scroll unfurled with a rustle.

Against a crimson background, bold golden characters lined up neatly from top to bottom, each bearing a name.

Beside each name were brief annotations: their sect, major achievements, or titles.

The Master List, updated once a year, listed only seventy-two names.

The hall fell silent; everyone strained their eyes, scanning the list for familiar or intriguing names.

"Number one is still 'Fierce Fist' Li Qingtian!"

"Number three changed—it's 'Flowing Cloud Sword Lord' Liu Suifeng. He was eighth last year; his progress is astonishing."

"Our Shannan region's 'Black Flame Blade Lord' rose three spots—to twenty-eighth."

"..."

The cultivators scanned rapidly, whispering exclamations or sighs.

Every small shift on the list could mean a shift in the fate of an Earth Altar master, possibly tied to some shocking battle or upheaval.

Chen Mu's gaze also slowly traced down the list.

Suddenly, a cry came from the northwest corner of the hall.

"Look at number sixty! Number sixty is… Chen Mu!"

That cry struck the calm lake like a boulder.

"Chen Mu? Which Chen Mu?"

"Who else? The youngest Inspector from the Zhenwu Office!"

"He… he made the list? How is that possible? Didn't he just break through to the Earth Altar realm not long ago? How did he get on the Master List?!"

"…"

The crowd erupted in stunned exclamations.

Only the information for rank sixty was displayed—

【Rank Sixty: Chen Mu】

【Nickname: Flame Sword Lord】

【Age: Nineteen】

【Identity: Imperial Court's Zhenwu Bureau, C-Class Patrol Inspector】

【Realm: Earth Altar, Three Flowers Converging】

【Record: In Luoding Fucheng, Shannan Circuit, he slew three Earth Altar Divine Bridge cultivators, one Earth Altar Three Flowers Converging, and one Earth Altar Five Qi Ascending—all without sustaining a single wound.】