Chapter 109

Corpses littered the ground, blood flowed like a river!

As for the third piece of news, it concerned the Great Ming Dynasty.

As the late emperor's appointed Zhu Tie Dan, the emperor's own imperial uncle.

Zhu Wushi secretly bribed eight of the ten Grand Generals and rose in rebellion.

Fortunately, the Prince of Xing and the Prince of Taiping arrived in the capital in time to aid the throne.

This allowed the three sides to form a tripartite stalemate, without causing any major upheaval.

Each of these incidents.

Every time the news reached a place.

It sparked massive uproar locally!

Even the entire Nine Provinces trembled, and the world erupted in shock!

Meanwhile.

Above the void.

The Heaven's Dao Golden List also seemed unwilling to remain idle.

After lying dormant for some time, it suddenly blazed with brilliant light.

In an instant.

That dazzling radiance illuminated the entire Nine Provinces.

At once.

Even the sun appeared somewhat dimmed.

People who sensed the commotion all looked up.

A few breaths later.

As the golden light faded.

Lines of characters slowly appeared.

【Nine Provinces Combat Ceiling Rank - No. 6: Zhang Daoling, Cultivation: mid-stage Heavenly Being.】

【Identity: Founder of the Han Dynasty's Celestial Master Sect, Founder of the Tang Dynasty's Celestial Master Mansion, current Sixth Dragon Head of the Qinglong Society.】

【Zhang Daoling, originally from the Han Dynasty, was once a student at the Imperial Academy, thoroughly versed in the Five Classics, later became obsessed with Dao cultivation, calling himself Taiqing Xuan Yuan.】

【Due to his heavenly talent and extraordinary comprehension, after reading all Daoist scriptures, he suddenly awakened, transitioning from Dao to martial arts, ascending from an ordinary man to the realm of Grand Master in a single day.】

【Thereafter, his cultivation advanced rapidly; in his spare time, he founded the Five Bushels of Rice Sect, also known as the Celestial Master Sect, and styled himself as Tian Shi!】

【Later, due to court corruption and wicked ministers in power, he traveled to the Tang Dynasty and established the Celestial Master Mansion on Xuanwu Mountain, transmitting the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Art.】

【Thirty years ago, after being stuck for years at the peak of the Earth Immortal realm without breakthrough, he happened to meet the Qinglong Society's Grand Dragon Head Ximen Wudi, who was in high spirits and gave him guidance, instantly elevating him to Heavenly Being.】

【Grateful for the guidance and conquered by Ximen Wudi's immense power and charismatic persona, he joined the Qinglong Society and assumed the position of Sixth Dragon Head.】

【Since then, for thirty years, under Ximen Wudi's deliberate instruction and admonition, he slowed his cultivation pace, dedicating most of his time to strengthening his foundation and refining his deep roots.】

【Thus, though his cultivation progress has been modest, his true combat power rivals even that of a peak-stage Heavenly Being—and may even surpass it!】

【Heaven's Dao Evaluation: Heavenly talent, transcendent comprehension, myth on the horizon!】

【Heaven's Dao Reward: Elixir of Longevity (consumption grants five hundred years of lifespan), Thunder Art Secrets (contains the essence of Thunder Dao; the higher one's comprehension, the more one gains).】

Sssss!!!

As the final character on the Heaven's Dao Golden List appeared.

Across the Nine Provinces, a collective hiss of breaths echoed simultaneously.

A few breaths later, another wave of uproar erupted!

But this time.

The world's shock was not directed at Zhang Daoling, nor at Ximen Wudi.

It was directed at the Qinglong Society!

Yes! Exactly!

It was the Qinglong Society!!

Since Master Hua Xi was exposed by the Heaven's Dao Golden List.

Aside from Li Canghai, Li Taibai, and Yan Shisan, who voluntarily revealed their identities.

Only Ximen Wudi had appeared passively in the backstories of other ranked figures.

Beyond that.

To the world's eyes, the Qinglong Society remained as mysterious as ever!

And the world's knowledge of the Qinglong Society was limited to these few individuals, plus Zhang Sanfeng.

Everything else was unknown.

Under these circumstances.

Who could possibly not be curious about the Qinglong Society?

Not curious about every blade of grass and every twig within it??

Therefore.

After Zhang Daoling was exposed by the Heaven's Dao Golden List.

The world's reaction was predictable!

Not long after.

Throughout the Nine Provinces, murmurs arose everywhere.

"Sss! Just the Qinglong Society's Sixth Dragon Head possesses mid-stage Heavenly Being cultivation and combat power rivaling a peak-stage Heavenly Being! Can't imagine how insane the entire Qinglong Society must be!!"

"No need to beat around the bush—compared to the Qinglong Society, all the top powers of the Nine Provinces are like children playing house. You don't realize how absurd it is until you compare them!!"

"I agree with that! I think, given the power of the Qinglong Society, it's already comparable to the Eight Imperial Dynasties! No—it should be said that the Qinglong Society is the Ninth Imperial Dynasty hidden across the Nine Continents!!"

"Sigh, I'm truly envious of those who can join the Qinglong Society! Heaven, I'd give up ten years of my friend's life for a single chance to join the Qinglong Society!!"

"I feel sorry for your friend—knowing you is truly the worst misfortune in eight lifetimes! All I can say is, I have many friends; be sure to count me in!!"

Great Qin, Xianyanggong.

"Is this the power of the Qinglong Society's Dragon Head?"

"It seems I underestimated them."

Gazing at the Heavenly Dao Golden List in the void.

Hearing Ying Zheng murmured softly.

Thinking of the secret report he had received not long ago.

His face, full of majesty, was instantly filled with wariness.

Or rather,

Merely based on the power Zhang Daoling had displayed,

it was enough for him to acknowledge the Qinglong Society as the Ninth Imperial Dynasty hidden across the Nine Continents!

Because,

even the Eight Imperial Dynasties' trump cards,

the number of Heavenly Being Realm experts were few and far between.

As for those above the Heavenly Being Realm, even he wasn't certain if any existed!

Yet the Qinglong Society still had Ximen Wudi—the forbidden existence hailed as the Number One Expert of the Nine Continents!

If one truly assessed high-level combat strength,

the Qinglong Society, this Ninth Imperial Dynasty, might even rank among the top two—or even first!!

With this thought, Hearing Ying Zheng subtly narrowed his eyes and let out a soft laugh.

"Sixth Dragon Head, sixth place?"

"It seems I will inevitably have a battle with you someday!"

"Fascinating. Truly fascinating."

Saying this,

there was no hint of killing intent in his brow.

Instead, a trace of keen interest appeared.

His smile grew even brighter.

As if delighted to have such an opponent.