Chapter 177: The Qi Yun Rankings – Rank

"Qian Long Bang?" Lu Qing glanced at the scroll resting on the stone table.

"May I ask, Zhi Rui Ge Xia, what exactly is the Qian Long Bang?"

"The Qian Long Bang," said the Cloth-Clothed Youth, "is a list compiled by the Tian Ji Lou, ranking the top one hundred martial cultivators across the realm who are most likely to break through into the Xian Tian Jing. Once a cultivator ascends to the Xian Tian level, their lifespan increases dramatically, and they gain extraordinary abilities—like dragons soaring through the heavens, with the entire world open before them. Hence, this list is called the Hidden Dragon."

Lu Qing: ……

He had thought the Qian Long Bang, with its grand name, must be something truly extraordinary.

Turns out, it was just a preliminary list for those on the verge of reaching Xian Tian Jing.

If Lu Qing had been an ordinary village boy, he might have found this ranking impressive.

But he wasn’t. So he merely offered a polite smile.

It wasn’t that he looked down on the list.

He simply knew, thanks to the multiple heritages within him, that the Xian Tian Jing was merely the beginning of the cultivation path—far from being the true mark of a dragon.

Thus, he found it hard to take the Qian Long Bang seriously.

The Cloth-Clothed Youth, a man of rare insight, saw through Lu Qing’s calm expression at once. He immediately realized the boy wasn’t impressed.

And so, he fell silent.

He suddenly remembered—this young man was unlike any martial genius he’d ever encountered.

His talent was simply too unnatural.

For most Inner Martial Cultivators, even Wu Dao Zong Shi, the Xian Tian Jing was an unbridgeable chasm. Crossing it required immense effort, blood, sweat, and a stroke of luck.

But for Lu Qing? It was nothing more than a minor milestone.

For a prodigy who was almost certain to step into Xian Tian, was being ranked on the Qian Long Bang truly something to boast about?

The Cloth-Clothed Youth sensed Lu Qing’s thoughts. He had nothing to say.

An awkward silence settled over the courtyard.

Lu Qing noticed the tension and felt slightly guilty—after all, it wasn’t polite to treat a guest this way.

After a moment, he spoke:

"Zhi Rui Ge Xia, may I ask… where do I stand on this Qian Long Bang?"

But to his surprise, the Cloth-Clothed Youth grew even quieter.

After a long pause, he replied:

"...Twenty-ninth."

Lu Qing blinked. "So the world truly is full of hidden talents. There are so many martial geniuses out there. Who are the ones ahead of me?"

"Those ranked above you are mostly long-term Inner Martial Cultivators who have already refined their Spirit Soul Power. Some are already just one step away from breaking into Xian Tian."

Lu Qing nodded.

The key to ascending from Hou Tian Jing to Xian Tian Jing lay in the cultivation of Spirit Soul Power.

Those who had already reached this stage were on the brink of transcendence.

Their ranking ahead of him made perfect sense.

What Lu Qing didn’t know was that, on the Qian Long Bang, not only were those above him just one step from Xian Tian—but those below him were mostly Wu Dao Zong Shi as well. The weakest among them were still Inner Martial Cultivators at the peak of their power.

And nearly all of them were well-known across the realm.

But once the Cloth-Clothed Youth realized the Qian Long Bang meant nothing to Lu Qing, he lost interest in elaborating.

"The rankings are updated every half-year. This copy I leave here. When you’re bored, Lu Xiao Langjun, you can take a look. It’ll give you a sense of who the strongest martial cultivators are today."

He handed the scroll to Lu Qing.

Lu Qing took it, tucked it away without opening it immediately.

The Cloth-Clothed Youth didn’t linger.

"Chen Laodaifu," he said, turning, "the final matter I wish to speak of concerns you."

"Oh? Go ahead."

"In the next ten years, the world may face great upheaval. Chaos will rise again. The struggle between righteousness and evil may resurface. Even Sheng Shan may struggle to keep pace."

He spoke with solemn gravity.

"You have one chance to enter Sheng Chi cultivation. If you do not wish to waste it, you should use it within five years. Otherwise, it may be lost forever."

Old Doctor’s expression tightened.

"Great chaos? What do you mean?"

"I don’t know the specifics," the youth admitted. "But this was the final message left by our sect’s founding ancestor. It cannot be wrong."

Old Doctor pondered for a moment.

"Understood. If nothing happens in the coming years, I’ll travel to Zhongzhou."

Lately, after conversations with Wei Shanhai, Old Doctor had learned much.

And now, hearing that Lu Qing had been cursed by Qi Sha Lou with Qi Sha Ling, he had grown even more determined in his cultivation.

"Very well," said the Cloth-Clothed Youth. "It’s getting late. I must be on my way."

With all matters concluded, he prepared to depart.

"So soon?" Lu Qing said. "A Qing, go inside and fetch some fragrant tea. Let Zhi Rui take it with him."

After the Cloth-Clothed Youth left, Lu Qing finally unrolled the Qian Long Bang.

He didn’t open it right away. Instead, he activated his abilities and stared at it intently.

A faint golden glow began to rise from the scroll.

"Gold?" Lu Qing was surprised.

A mere ranking list, yet it possessed a golden quality?

That was unexpected.

He studied the text on the scroll.

【Qian Long Bang: Compiled by Tian Ji Lou from data on countless Hou Tian Jing cultivators across the realm, this ranking list calculates the one hundred most likely to break through into Xian Tian Jing.】

【Those ranked here are watched by all under heaven. They receive an invisible Qi Yun blessing, making their cultivation path smoother.】

"The Qian Long Bang… actually gathers Qi Yun?"

Lu Qing was genuinely stunned.

Now he understood why everyone held this list in such high regard.

No wonder the Cloth-Clothed Youth had spoken of it with such reverence.

It made sense.

Being on this list wasn’t just an honor—it was a tangible advantage.

Lu Qing flipped through the scroll, scanning down the list.

And there it was—his name, in the twenty-ninth position.

Cangzhou Lu Qing, 17 years old, Inner Organs Initial Stage.

The information was minimal—just name, age, and cultivation level. Nothing more.

He glanced at the other names.

Their profiles were similar.

At most, they listed the cultivator’s sect or family.

No details about combat techniques, weapons, or other personal traits were revealed.

Lu Qing was satisfied.

It showed that Tian Ji Lou maintained discretion—protecting the privacy of those on the list.

He scanned further and spotted a few familiar names.

One was the Cloth-Clothed Youth himself—ranked seventeenth.

Two others stood out: Wei Xinghe, and the Kuiwu Dahan Zhao Xiong from the Northern Frontier Tian Cang Sect.

Their rankings were close—seventy-eighth and eighty-first.

But…

Even two veteran Wu Dao Zong Shi, who had spent decades refining their cultivation, were ranked so low?

It showed just how many powerful martial cultivators the world truly held.

Lu Qing continued scanning and noticed several names from Qi Sha Lou.

The strongest among them was a man named "Tan Lang," ranked ninth—extremely formidable.

Most importantly, he noticed a pattern:

No one ranked in the top fifty was over thirty.

Even among the bottom fifty, the oldest was only forty-eight—still in his prime.

In other words, the Qian Long Bang was an exceptionally young list.

The cultivators on it were at the peak of their physical and spiritual strength.

"Of course," Lu Qing mused.

"The Qian Long Bang ranks those most likely to break into Xian Tian. Once a person passes thirty, their vital energy gradually declines. The chance of breakthrough diminishes."

That was why even Wei Family Head and Zhao Xiong were ranked so low—age was likely a factor.

Not everyone had a Master’s talent or fortune.

Master had forged his own Nourish Body Fist, and though advanced in years, his vitality remained exceptional.

He disliked conflict, so his body had no lasting injuries.

After consuming the Dipulse Spiritual Fluid, his body returned to peak condition—and even cultivated his Spirit Soul Power.

With the protection of Merit Light, he had achieved the impossible, stepping into Xian Tian at an advanced age.

But most older cultivators, past fifty or sixty, lacked such accumulation and luck.

Breaking through again? Nearly impossible.

Hence, the Qian Long Bang had no place for elderly Zong Shi.

After a brief inspection, Lu Qing rolled the scroll back up, intending to study it more thoroughly later.

"Master," he said, looking up, "what are you thinking?"

Old Doctor stood with a frown, deep in thought.

"I was pondering what Zhi Rui Ge Xia said earlier. Back at the Wei Family Residence, I’d heard rumors about the Wan Nian Bian Ju. Could this be the same thing?"

Old Doctor looked troubled.

After hearing the warning of impending chaos, a strange premonition stirred within him—something of great importance was at stake.

Lu Qing thought for a moment, then said:

"Perhaps I know what Zhi Rui Ge Xia meant."

"A Qing? You know?" Old Doctor looked up in surprise.

"I’m not certain, but recently, I found an ancient book in an old bookstore in the County Town. It contained strange information…"

"According to the Carefree Hermit’s notes, if his calculations are correct, the spiritual energy revival may be happening right now—within our era."

Lu Qing recounted what he’d read in the hermit’s handwritten notes.

"Rebirth of the cultivation era… spiritual energy revival?"

Old Doctor stared, stunned.

He never imagined this could be tied to events from tens of thousands of years ago.

But…

"Could such a thing really exist? Are there actually immortals in this world?"

He’d always treated tales of gods and immortals as mere legends—fairy tales for the masses.

Now, to learn they might be real…

The shock was profound.

"I find it hard to believe too," Lu Qing admitted. "But after seeing certain things… I can no longer dismiss it as fiction. For instance… the great cauldron beneath the Wei Family’s underground chamber."

Old Doctor snapped to attention.

Of course.

That cauldron was extraordinary.

It radiated deep Dao essence.

And as Wei Shanhai had said, it had once been no bigger than a fingertip—yet, over a hundred years, it had grown to its current size.

A cauldron that grew on its own?

That defied all natural laws.

Only someone with divine power—like an immortal—could create such a wondrous artifact.

"Then… Zhi Rui Ge Xia’s warning about Wan Nian Bian Ju… it must refer to this spiritual energy revival," Old Doctor murmured, sighing.

He’d thought the chaos might only involve power struggles between sects or the outbreak of regional wars.

But this… this was a transformation of the very world.

And how were they supposed to face such a cataclysm?

For a moment, Old Doctor felt lost.

"Master," Lu Qing said gently, "don’t worry too much. If the sky falls, someone taller will catch it."

He saw the uncertainty in his master’s eyes.

"Zhi Rui Ge Xia didn’t reveal the cause of the coming change. But I believe he knows something. Even if he doesn’t, the powerful sects behind him surely do. They wouldn’t want chaos. So we’ll just watch and wait."

Old Doctor nodded slowly, coming to his senses.

Yes.

The Carefree Hermit had found the jade tablet.

The great sects—those with millennia of heritage, vast resources, and deep secrets—must have already prepared.

Why worry?

"Very well," Old Doctor said, his tone lightening.

"At the end of the day, we’re just doctors. We’re insignificant. Our duty is healing people. The fate of the world? Let the great sects deal with that."

With that, he let go of his unease.

Lu Qing exhaled quietly in relief.

Good.

Master was kind-hearted, but he’d never believed he had a duty to save the world.

If he had, Lu Qing wouldn’t have known how to comfort him.

Unbeknownst to Lu Qing, at that very moment, the world outside was in turmoil—over the newly released Qian Long Bang.

And the reason?

His name had been placed on it.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end