Chapter 177: The Fate Rankings

"The Hidden Dragon List?"

Lu Qing looked at the scroll on the stone table.

"May I ask, Sir Zhi Rui, what is the Hidden Dragon List?"

"The Hidden Dragon List is a ranking created by Tianji Tower, listing the top one hundred Inner Core Realm warriors with the highest potential to advance to the Innate Realm among countless others in the world.

Once a warrior enters the Innate Realm, their lifespan increases significantly, and they gain various extraordinary abilities, akin to a dragon soaring in the heavens with the vastness of the world at their disposal.

Hence the name, Hidden Dragon."

Lu Qing: ...

He had thought that the Hidden Dragon List, with its grandiose name, would be something extraordinary.

Turns out it was just a preparatory list for the Innate Realm.

If Lu Qing were an ordinary country boy, he might have been impressed by the Hidden Dragon List.

But he wasn't, so he could only manage a polite smile.

It wasn't that Lu Qing looked down on this ranking.

Rather, with his multiple inheritances, he knew that in the path of cultivation, the Innate Realm was merely the beginning, far from the achievement of a true dragon.

Thus, he found it challenging to evaluate this list.

The young man in plain clothes was perceptive and could tell from Lu Qing's calm expression that he didn't think much of the Hidden Dragon List.

This caused him to fall silent as well.

He suddenly recalled that this young man before him was unlike any martial arts genius he had ever encountered.

Lu Qing's talent was simply monstrous.

The Innate Realm might be an insurmountable abyss for other Inner Core Realm warriors, even martial arts masters.

To cross it, one must dedicate immense effort, heart, and a touch of indispensable luck to have a chance at breaking through.

But for Lu Qing, it was not a particularly difficult realm to attain.

For an unparalleled genius who was almost certain to step into the Innate Realm, was being on the Hidden Dragon List truly something to be proud of?

The young man in plain clothes sensed Lu Qing's thoughts, so he remained silent.

An awkward atmosphere filled the courtyard.

Lu Qing noticed this and felt that it was somewhat impolite to treat a guest in such a manner.

After a moment's thought, he asked, "Sir Zhi Rui, may I ask where I stand on this Hidden Dragon List?"

However, what Lu Qing didn't expect was that when he asked this question, the young man in plain clothes became even more silent.

After a long while, he replied, "......Twenty-ninth."

Lu Qing was a bit surprised. "It seems that the world is indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with numerous martial arts geniuses. I wonder who the powerful warriors are that are ranked ahead of me?"

"Those ahead of you are mostly Inner Core Realm masters who have been at the peak for a long time. Some have even cultivated their soul force, and are just a step away from entering the Innate Realm."

Lu Qing nodded.

One of the most crucial keys to breaking through from the Postnatal Realm to the Innate Realm was soul force.

Since those martial arts masters had already reached this stage, they were just a thin line away from the Innate Realm.

It was reasonable for them to be ranked above him.

What Lu Qing didn't know was that on the Hidden Dragon List, not only were those ranked ahead of him a step away from breaking through, but even most of those ranked below him were martial arts masters as well. The weakest among them were still powerful warriors who had achieved great success in the Inner Core Realm.

Moreover, they were almost all renowned and held a significant reputation in the world.

However, upon realizing that the Hidden Dragon List held little value for Lu Qing, the young man in plain clothes didn't feel like elaborating further.

"The rankings on the Hidden Dragon List are updated every six months. I'll leave this copy here, Young Master Lu. You can take a look at it when you're bored and learn about the current martial arts masters in the world."

The young man in plain clothes handed the scroll to Lu Qing.

Lu Qing took it and put it away without looking at it immediately.

The young man in plain clothes didn't mind and instead said, "Old Doctor Chen, the last thing I want to discuss is about you."

"Oh? Please, go ahead."

"In the next ten years, there will likely be great changes in the world, and chaos will ensue. The struggle between good and evil will probably resurface, and even the Holy Mountain may be hard-pressed to cope.

Old Doctor, you have the opportunity to enter the Holy Pool for cultivation once. If you don't want to give up this chance, it's best to use it within the next five years.

Otherwise, you might waste this opportunity."

The young man in plain clothes spoke with a solemn expression.

"How do you foresee great chaos unfolding?"

Old Doctor Chen's expression turned stern as he asked.

"I don't know the specifics of the chaos, but this is the parting message left by the founding ancestor of Tianji Tower. It should be accurate."

Old Doctor Chen pondered for a moment before replying, "Old man understands. If nothing happens in these years, I will make a trip to Zhongzhou."

Chapter: "The Young and Powerful"

In recent days, Old Doctor Chen had learned quite a bit from his conversations with Wei Shanhe. Moreover, he had just heard about the Seven Killing Order that had been issued on Lu Qing by the Seven Killing Tower, which made him even more mindful of cultivation.

"Very well, it's getting late. I should take my leave as well, Old Doctor Chen." The young man in plain clothes, Zhi Rui, prepared to bid farewell, having said all that he needed to.

"So soon? Qing, go inside and fetch some floral tea for our guest to take with him." Lu Qing asked his daughter to see Zhi Rui off with a gift.

Only after Zhi Rui had left did Lu Qing take out the Hidden Dragon List and examine it. He didn't immediately unroll the scroll but instead activated his unique ability, focusing his gaze on it.

A faint golden light emanated from the scroll, surprising Lu Qing.

"Golden? This is surprising. It's just a list, yet it has a golden quality to it? Interesting." Lu Qing's curiosity was piqued.

He then turned his attention to the small notes on the list.

[Hidden Dragon List: A ranking compiled by Tianji Tower based on the collection and analysis of countless Inner Core Realm warriors' information from around the world.]



[This list records the top one hundred powerful Inner Core Realm warriors whom Tianji Tower believes have the highest potential to break through to the Innate Realm.]



[Those who make it onto the Hidden Dragon List gain the attention of the world and are subtly blessed with a boost in their cultivation journey.]



"This Hidden Dragon List actually gathers qi luck?" Lu Qing was truly astonished by this revelation.

Previously, he had been puzzled by Zhi Rui's tone, which suggested that all martial artists held the list in high regard and aspired to be on it. Now, he understood.

It seemed that his inclusion on the list wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Lu Qing unrolled the scroll and immediately scanned down the list. He found his name at the twenty-ninth position: "Cangzhou Lu Qing, seventeen years old, Early Inner Core Realm."

The information was very concise, revealing only his name, age, and cultivation level, without any further details.

Lu Qing continued scanning the list, noticing that the other entries were similarly brief. At most, they included the cultivator's sect or family name. No other information, such as their cultivated techniques or preferred weapons, was disclosed.

Lu Qing was quite satisfied with this level of discretion. It showed that Tianji Tower maintained a sense of propriety by not revealing too much about those on the list.

As he perused the list further, he indeed spotted a few familiar names. One was that of the young man in plain clothes, Zhi Rui, who was ranked ahead of him at seventeenth place. Additionally, he recognized the names of Wei Xinghe and the burly man from Tiancang Sect, Zhao Xiong, who were ranked seventy-eighth and eighty-first, respectively.

However...

Even these two Inner Core Perfection Realm martial arts masters were ranked relatively low on the list.

It seemed that the world was indeed filled with countless powerful martial artists.

Lu Qing's eyes drifted further down the list, and he was surprised to find several disciples of the Seven Killing Tower among the ranks. The most formidable among them was a person named "Tan Lang," who held the ninth position.

What caught Lu Qing's attention the most was that not a single person in the top fifty was over thirty years old. Even in the latter half of the list, the oldest person was only forty-eight years old, still considered a martial artist in their prime.

In other words, the Hidden Dragon List was a very "young" list, featuring those at the peak of their physical condition.

"Makes sense. The Hidden Dragon List ranks those with the highest potential to break through to the Innate Realm. Once a person surpasses thirty years of age, their qi and blood begin to gradually decline from their peak, reducing the likelihood of breaking through to the Innate Realm." Lu Qing mused, understanding the reasoning behind the ages on the list.

"Wei and Zhao's lower rankings are probably also due to their age. Not everyone has the innate talent and fortune of my master." Lu Qing thought of his master, who, despite his advanced age, maintained exceptional vitality. He had never been one to seek conflict, and his body was free of any injuries or ailments.

Later, after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, not only had his body recovered to its peak condition, but he had also managed to forge a soul force. Coupled with the protection of the Merit Light, he had been able to achieve the seemingly impossible—entering the Innate Realm at an old age.

For other elderly martial artists, breaking through after the age of fifty or sixty would be akin to ascending to the heavens—an incredibly difficult feat without the same accumulation of fortune and opportunities as his master had enjoyed. Thus, it was understandable that the Hidden Dragon List didn't feature any elderly masters.

Chapter: The Coming Turmoil

After briefly perusing the Hidden Dragon List, Lu Qing rolled it up, intending to study it in detail when he had free time.

"Master, what are you thinking about?"

After putting away the list, Lu Qing looked up and saw his master deep in thought, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I was thinking about what Zhi Rui said earlier. Back at Wei's residence, I also heard people discussing the impending upheaval. I wonder if it's related to the coming chaos he mentioned."

Old Doctor Chen looked troubled.

Ever since he heard the young man in plain clothes mention the upcoming chaos, he had a nagging feeling that something important was about to happen.

It seemed to be connected to something of great significance.

Lu Qing pondered for a moment before finally speaking up. "Perhaps I know a little about what Zhi Rui was referring to."

"You know something, Qing?" Old Doctor Chen asked, surprised.

"I can't be completely sure, but a while ago, I found a strange book in an old bookstore in the county town. It recorded some very unique information..."

"... According to that eccentric hermit, if his calculations are correct, the revival of spiritual energy may occur in our lifetime."

"And the upheaval Zhi Rui mentioned, the great chaos, might be related to this."

Lu Qing shared some of the information he had gleaned from the hermit's notes.

"An era of cultivation and the revival of spiritual energy?"

Upon hearing Lu Qing's words, Old Doctor Chen was stunned.

He never imagined that this matter was connected to events from tens of thousands of years ago.

But...

"Could the era of cultivation and the existence of immortals be real? Could there truly be immortals in this world?"

Old Doctor Chen found it hard to believe.

Although he was a strong Innate Realm cultivator, he had always considered tales of immortals and gods to be mere legends.

Now, hearing that immortals might actually exist, his worldview was shaken.

"I also find it unbelievable, but after witnessing certain things, I feel that it might not be as far-fetched as it seems. For example, there's the large cauldron in Wei's underground chamber." Lu Qing reminded him.

Old Doctor Chen suddenly realized the connection.

Indeed, the cauldron in Wei's possession was extraordinary.

Not only did it contain profound mystical energy, but according to Wei Shanhe, it had grown from the size of a fingertip to its current massive size over a hundred years.

A cauldron that could grow on its own was certainly no ordinary object.

Perhaps only an immortal with immense powers could create such a wondrous artifact.

"It seems that Zhi Rui's mention of the impending upheaval does refer to the revival of spiritual energy." Old Doctor Chen sighed.

Initially, he thought that the young man in plain clothes was referring to conflicts between sects or perhaps impending wars between counties.

He never expected it to be related to such a monumental change in the world.

However, how were they supposed to deal with such a massive shift?

For a moment, Old Doctor Chen felt at a loss.

"Master, there's no need to worry too much. If the sky falls, there will be tall people to hold it up," Lu Qing reassured his master, noticing his concern.

"Although Zhi Rui didn't explicitly state the reason for the upheaval, I believe he must have some idea, and even if he doesn't, the powerful sects backing him surely do.

Those sects wouldn't want the world to descend into chaos, so let's just wait and see for now."

Old Doctor Chen's expression eased as he understood.

Indeed, even that eccentric hermit had found the jade tablet, and those ancient sects with their vast resources and influence must know even more hidden secrets.

They had likely prepared for this impending change, awaiting its arrival.

"In the end, we are just healers. Our voices carry little weight, and our ability to influence events is limited. Our duty is to cure illnesses and save lives. Let those powerful sects worry about the grand scheme of things," Old Doctor Chen said, his attitude noticeably lighter.

Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Fortunately, his master, despite his kindness, always saw himself as a healer first and didn't shoulder the burden of saving the world.

Otherwise, if he started obsessing over it, Lu Qing wasn't sure how he would guide him out of that mindset.

As Lu Qing chatted with his master, he had no idea that the outside world was in an uproar due to the recently released Hidden Dragon List by Tianji Tower, and the reason for this commotion was the inclusion of his name on the list.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end