Chapter 262: Potential Among the Top Ten of the Earth List

At the bottom of the lake.

Lin Chen frowned; the Canglan energy had been expelled from his body—an outcome he had not anticipated.

A few breaths later, he activated his cultivation technique once more, drawing the Canglan energy back inside, but it was swiftly expelled again, just as before.

His body endured the piercing cold, yet the energy failed to remain or be absorbed.

"Is it that these three energies repel each other?"

No—the Mother Tree essence given to him by the Wu Garden showed no repulsion; otherwise, he wouldn't have advanced so smoothly during his sixth transformation.

It's the Lord Lingxiao energy and the Canglan energy that repel each other!

Lin Chen formed a hypothesis: the Mother Tree essence was extremely gentle, and since it had never clashed with the Lord Lingxiao energy, it wouldn't clash with the Canglan energy either.

The most likely explanation was that the Lord Lingxiao energy and the Canglan energy repelled each other.

Lord Lingxiao energy was supremely yang, while Canglan energy brought extreme cold upon entering the body—exactly the opposite.

The Lord Lingxiao energy had already taken root inside him; to absorb the Canglan energy, a continuous influx of it would be needed to counterbalance the Lord Lingxiao energy and prevent expulsion.

The Lord Lingxiao energy here is still not dense enough!

I need to go deeper…

…

…

On the lakeshore, as time slowly passed, Qu Feng and the others who had been watching began to show signs of unease.

"It's been two quarter-hours already!"

One disciple spoke, glancing at the large hourglass beside them—placed by the Wu Garden to help disciples accurately track how long they'd spent at the lake's bottom.

"Li Brother said two quarter-hours, but it's certainly not an exact figure; a little longer is normal."

Li Yuan listened to his junior disciples' murmurs, pressed his lips together, and said nothing, only staring at the calm lake surface before him.

Two quarter-hours was his estimate, based on how long he himself had endured the Canglan Lake when he first entered the ranks.

Back then, right after entering Ninth Rank, he had held out for two quarter-hours during low tide, and only one quarter-hour during high tide.

Rumors claimed Lin Brother was nearly rank-entered, but "nearly" wasn't the same as actual rank; estimating he could last two quarter-hours was already the most optimistic prediction.

…

When the hourglass had drained another quarter-hour, all the disciples present could no longer stand still.

"Could something have happened to Lin Brother?"

One disciple's face showed worry; though few disciples ever suffered harm entering the Canglan Lake, the worst usually was excessive cold causing frostbite upon surfacing.

But with Lin Brother still not emerging after three quarter-hours, their fears grew.

This was beyond what even a Meridian-Refining cultivator could endure.

"He shouldn't be in trouble."

Qu Feng shook his head: "I believe Lin Brother is fine; let's wait a little longer."

"Wait? If Lin Brother really is hurt, the Dean might throw all of us into the back Canglan Sea."

Every disciple here understood what Lin Brother meant to the Wu Garden.

At these words, Qu Feng wavered; though he trusted Lin Brother, Lin Brother's importance to the Wu Garden made him hesitant to risk anything.

"I'm going down."

Li Yuan spoke in a low tone; he shared the same fear—that Lin Brother's stubbornness might push his body past its limit without yielding, risking real harm.

As he undid his belt, preparing to strip off his clothes, a disciple beside him suddenly shouted: "There's movement—the lake surface is rippling over there!"

All eyes snapped to the lake. Fifty zhang from shore, bubbles surged upward, sending ripples radiating outward.

A few breaths later, a figure leapt from the water; upon seeing it, everyone exhaled in relief.

Lin Brother!

Lin Brother is unharmed.

Yet after that relief, all eyes held awe as they watched the figure walking across the water toward them.

To endure three quarter-hours in the Canglan Lake without entering the ranks—unthinkable.

Li Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at Lin Chen, a thought forming in his mind.

"Lin Brother, you've been down so long—you've had me frantic!"

Lin Chen stepped ashore, hearing Qu Feng's words, his eyes showed confusion—he didn't understand why Qu Feng was so anxious.

"Even a newly rank-entered cultivator struggles to last three quarter-hours in the Canglan Lake. Had I not remembered how you always create miracles, I and the other brothers—especially Li Brother—were about to dive in and pull you out."

Qu Feng explained. Lin Chen followed his gaze and saw Li Yuan standing on shore.

"Lin Brother, this is Li Yuan, our senior brother—the strongest in the entire Canglan Wu Garden."

Hearing this, Lin Chen bowed: "Greetings, Li Lin Shixiong."

To be called the senior brother of the entire Canglan Wu Garden meant he was the strongest among all three cohorts.

"Lin Brother, are you injured? Any discomfort?"

Li Yuan looked at Lin Chen, asking in a low tone.

"Thank you, Li Lin Shixiong, I'm perfectly fine."

Lin Chen smiled in reply; he surfaced not because his body couldn't endure it, but because the Canglan energy, once inside, was swiftly expelled by the Lord Lingxiao energy.

He had tried advancing further toward the lake's heart, but a force there continuously surged outward, blocking his approach.

"If you're unharmed, perhaps we could exchange a few moves."

At Li Yuan's words, Qu Feng and the others stared in surprise—they hadn't expected Li Brother to challenge Lin Brother.

Lin Brother hadn't entered the ranks, while Li Brother was likely nearing Eighth Rank.

Was such a sparring match fair to Lin Brother?

Lin Chen paused for a breath, then nodded: "Li Lin Shixiong wishes to guide me—I am deeply grateful."

Lin Chen had been surprised at first, but quickly understood: Li Yuan wasn't trying to humiliate him—he wanted to gauge Lin Chen's true strength.

Hearing Lin Chen accept, Qu Feng and the others immediately stepped back, eyes alight with anticipation.

Li Brother's strength needed no introduction—he was number one in the Wu Garden.

They weren't expecting Lin Chen to defeat Li Brother; they wanted to see how many moves Lin Chen could withstand.

One was the strongest newcomer, the other the strongest overall—this was a clash between new and old champions.

"Lin Brother, you strike first."

Li Yuan stood with hands clasped behind his back, refusing to use a spiritual weapon; at his realm, using one would be unfair to Lin Brother.

"Very well, Li Lin Shixiong, please instruct me."

Lin Chen nodded, activating his blood qi fully, showing no carelessness. He had never truly fought a rank-entered cultivator, let alone one nearing Eighth Rank like Li Brother.

One breath later!

Blood qi at its peak, Lin Chen let out a sharp cry and launched the first attack.

The Wind-Cloud Palm, wreathed in searing qi, struck straight for Li Yuan's face; as the palm wind swept past, golden light flickered faintly.

This was a sparring match—Lin Chen chose direct confrontation.

Seeing Lin Chen's move, Li Yuan understood his intent and inwardly marveled—no wonder Lin Brother was Lin Brother; such confidence to face him head-on.

In past Wu Garden competitions, other juniors never dared confront him directly—they knew the gap between their strength and his.

They relied on agility and evasion instead.

"Lin Brother, be careful."

As Lin Chen's palms drew near, Li Yuan murmured softly; his palms glowed with icy blue mist, freezing the air within three zhang.

Sensing the sudden drop in temperature, Lin Chen's pupils contracted—he recalled his battle with the Han Kingdom's cultivator, whose frost mist had affected him not at all.

But this time…

Boom!

Their palms collided; Lin Chen was flung backward, spinning twice midair before stabilizing, while Li Yuan remained perfectly still.

"No wonder you're Li Lin Shixiong."

Lin Chen's eyes held admiration; in that instant of contact, he'd felt piercing cold energy surge through his palm—if he hadn't retreated and shifted his stance quickly, his meridians would've been damaged.

"Lin Brother, don't hold back—let me see your full strength."

Li Yuan smiled; he could tell Lin Chen hadn't gone all out in that first strike—he was testing Li Yuan's power.

"Alright."

Lin Chen nodded, his palms sweeping through the air, each motion leaving trails of golden light.

"Palm Seven!"

He cried out, striking again with both palms.

As his palms tore through the air, the roar of wind filled the space—even Qu Feng and the others, now ten zhang away, felt the gale of his palm strikes.

"Lin Brother's growth is truly terrifying."

Qu Feng's mouth hung slightly open; he had a gut feeling that if he were the target of this palm, he couldn't have blocked it.

He recalled sparring with Lin Brother back in Linhu Village—back then, Lin Brother couldn't even withstand a few of his moves; now, he was far beyond him.

Qu Feng now understood the envy and shock his own juniors had once shown him in the martial hall.

Li Yuan's expression turned serious; before his palms even reached, the wind preceded them.

Lin Brother's palm strike shattered Li Yuan's earlier calm—he activated his martial will, swinging his palms as Ninth Rank will poured forth; he met the attack with both palms, the Canglan qi forming illusory waves of water.

Boom!

As their palms met, Lin Chen was flung backward again—but twisted his waist midair, spinning several times to dissipate the residual force before landing firmly on the ground.

Unlike before, Li Yuan also stepped back one pace.

Though only a single step, it sparked a wave of murmurs among the onlookers.

Qu Feng and the others stared in disbelief—Lin Chen had forced Li Lin Shixiong to step back?

Even the top nine-grade seniors from the Joining Wuyuan had never managed this when facing Li Lin Shixiong.

"Lin Lin Shidi, the outside world claims you're invincible below the ranked tier, but in my view, even ordinary ninth-grade martialists aren't your match."

Li Yuan's eyes still held shock—when their palms touched, he felt a searing energy surge toward him, explosive in nature, erupting instantly upon contact…

Had he not been vastly stronger than Lin Lin Shidi, any other ninth-grade martialist would have been injured by that energy in the chaos.

"Lin Lin Shidi, your true strength is sufficient to rank among the top ten of the Earth List."

Li Yuan's eyes gleamed—rank thirty on the Earth List, the bottom fifteen, aren't even ranked; with your strength, you could've entered the Earth List long ago.

The Joining Wuyuan placed you first on the Human List solely because you're one year younger than the minimum age required for the Earth List—this was the first-ever Dragon Potential List, and age was the primary criterion.

This ranking system ensures no prodigy gets overlooked.

Prodigies like you, whose strength could enter the top fifteen of the Earth List, can still challenge Earth List holders to earn a spot.

"If that's the case, then the top three on the Earth List…"

From Lin Chen's placement at number one on the Human List, Li Yuan suddenly had a suspicion—the top three on the Earth List might be stronger than the bottom of the Heaven List, but were placed higher on the Earth List due to their age.

At the very least, the number one on the Earth List definitely surpasses the bottom of the Heaven List in strength.

So if I want to challenge the Heaven List, I must do it before the Earth List number one begins his challenge—once he succeeds in defeating the bottom of the Heaven List, I'll have no chance left.

"Li Lin Shixiong is correct."

Though Li Yuan's words cut off abruptly, Lin Chen understood what he hadn't finished saying.

In Linhu Village, his master had already analyzed this for him—the top-ranked prodigies on all three lists of this Dragon Potential List possess strength far exceeding their peers.

The Heaven List number one needs no explanation; the Earth List number one's true strength could likely break into the top seven of the Heaven List, and my own Human List number one strength could enter the top twenty of the Earth List.

Now, after the sixth transformation, I can break into the top fifteen!

Every nation has conducted detailed analyses of the prodigies on the Dragon Potential List—that's why Chancellor Hua urged me to absorb Canglan energy to break through to the seventh transformation.

Only with the seventh transformation can one reliably enter the top ten of the Earth List.

Qu Feng and the others beside him listened in utter confusion.

What were Li Lin Shixiong and Lin Lin Shidi talking about? So profound—this is what prodigy-level conversation sounds like?

"Li Lin Shixiong, I have a question."

"Speak, junior brother."

"When I tried to absorb Canglan energy in Canglan Lake, I found I could absorb very little—why is that?"

"Absorb very little?"

Before Li Yuan could answer, the other disciples all rolled their eyes—how had none of them ever encountered such a problem?

More often, there was too much Canglan energy—they couldn't absorb and refine it all before their bodies couldn't bear its freezing chill, forcing them ashore.

"Lin Lin Shidi thinks there isn't enough Canglan energy?"

Li Yuan smiled faintly—before he entered the ranked tier, he wouldn't have understood what Lin Lin Shidi meant.

"Canglan Lake surges once every other day; at that time, the lake's center spews forth vast amounts of Canglan energy. Today isn't surge day—tomorrow, Lin Lin Shidi will feel just how dense the Canglan energy becomes."

(End of Chapter)