Chapter 613: Chapter 612: Kirin (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)
Not only Fu Tong, others on the mountainside too, noticed the several white-robed elders descending from the stone steps, and immediately held their breaths.
The surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The only sound audible was the thumping of their hearts.
"State your names," said one.
Upon reaching the platform, the silver-bearded elder leading the group swept his gaze around, quickly noticing Fu Tong, Wu Siming, Huan Yundu, and two others.
Without delay, they stated their names.
Many people noticed that Shi Xiaole seemed to be intentionally ignored.
Swoosh.
Ten yards away, the silver-bearded elder began to write in mid-air. On the third row of the Ten Thousand Forms Stele, in the twenty-first position, a name appeared - Zuo Shaobai.
The stele was over ten feet wide, and each name did not take up much space, leaving plenty of room in between for new additions.
Few knew this, but the stele contained a profound Array System that could enlarge the space between names. For at least the next several millennia, there should be no worry about running out of room.
"Ranked eightieth, huh?"
Zuo Shaobai exhaled.
The first row of the Ten Thousand Forms Stele had four names, and the second row, with names, had fifty-five. Zuo Shaobai, being the twenty-first name of the third row, was thus ranked eightieth overall.
According to the principles of Mount Wanxiang, those in the same row were considered to be at the same level. A few points difference during the test made it difficult to distinguish their statuses.
But others held different views. High was high and low was low. Regardless of how it might change in the future, the test results now clearly defined their rankings, which would be set in stone once word got out.
Only the four prominent prodigies, each causing an earth-shaking sensation, were respected enough to avoid public debate about their respective ranks.
Being ranked eightieth in the history of the six centuries old Flying Horse Dynasty pleased Zuo Shaobai greatly, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
All around, many looked at Zuo Shaobai with a mix of jealously and envy.
Not to mention the eightieth, even the seven hundred and sixty-third would be considered an unparalleled honor for the youngsters of the dynasty, as long as they could get their names etched into the Ten Thousand Forms Stele.
From here on out, the name Zuo Shaobai would be recorded in the annals of history. As long as Mount Wanxiang stood, he would forever be remembered by the Martial World.
Emerging after Zuo Shaobai was not Huan Yundu, but Wu Siming, ranked fourth on the third row.
Creak, creak.
The young warriors close to Wu Siming suddenly heard an extremely grating sound of fists clenching. Upon looking over, they saw Wu Siming’s handsome face get slightly flushed, with unspeakable complexities filling his eyes, carrying hints of both joy and embarrassment.
Frankly speaking, his ranking was quite high. Ordinarily, Wu Siming would be thrilled, but he struggled to accept it at the moment, since Huan Yundu’s name had yet to appear.
As expected, right before Wu Siming’s name, another appeared - Huan Yundu.
"Hahaha, Mount Wanxiang indeed has discerning eyes. I have always said that I will prove to everyone through my actions, who truly is the stronger one," said Huan Yundu, laughing haughtily, clearly hinting at something.
The crowd understood.
These two geniuses had been adversaries for many years, everything between them filled with rivalry, all for the heart of Qiu Yuchu. The frustration that Wu Siming displayed was largely due to Huan Yundu outranking him.
"Whether you are stronger or not, it is not for you to decide. After we leave, I would very much like to challenge you," replied Wu Siming coldly, deliberately emphasizing the word ’challenge’.
"I am not afraid of you. If you want a battle, then let’s have one!"
Huan Yundu couldn’t suppress his pride. He glanced at Qiu Yuchu, who was not far away, seemingly reminding her that he was the ultimate victor.
The fourth name to appear belonged to Han Yang, tenth on the genius list, in the forty-third position of the second row. His total rank was forty-seventh.
"Not bad."
A look of ecstatic happiness appeared on the ordinarily composed face of Han Yang.
It was more than just ’not bad’. The Flying Horse Dynasty had existed for over six centuries, and had produced countless geniuses. Being among the top fifty of all those people had a prestige incomparably higher than that of the genius list of the Divine Strategy Academy!
It was often said that those on the genius list represented an era, while those etched into the Ten Thousand Forms Stele represented the entire historical tide.
Six people had managed to reach the fifth round. Now, only Fu Tong and that young man in blue remained, making everyone even more nervous as they began to guess the positions of the two.
After taking a deep breath, Fu Tong saw the silver-bearded elder continue to writing in mid-air.
"Second row, twenty-eighth position."
Finally, Fu Tong saw his name appear with a total ranking of thirty-second.
This placement was somewhat lower than what he had hoped for.
Upon seeing Duanmu Xiu, who ranked fifth on the genius list, two places below him, and others like Zhang Tianpeng, and Ji Morou even further behind, Fu Tong, instead of getting angry, felt some comfort and pride.
He should have been happy, should have been the focus of everyone’s envy and attention. Yet, the moment his gaze fell on the figure in the blue robe by chance, all his excitement was again shrouded in gloom.
Damn boy, where did he come from!
"He came out later than me, his results are not necessarily better than mine."
Fu Tong gritted his teeth in silence.
Some people have a combat style tending towards endurance, so they naturally consume more time than others. Some have astounding flying skill, possibly always dodging attacks, thereby prolonging the time they’re defeated. Others have strong bodies, able to resist multiple attacks...
In summary, the possibilities vary. Until the results come out, Fu Tong will not admit that Shi Xiaole is better than him.
His breath involuntarily grew heavier, his eyes fixed intensely on the silver-bearded old man.
At this moment, not just Fu Tong, but everybody’s gaze was firmly nailed to the silver-bearded old man, eager to see his next move.
"Third row, or the second row?"
The Evil Intent Young Master’s heart had never throbbed so fast. Regardless of emotion or interest, he didn’t want Shi Xiaole to leave his name on the stele. He even hoped that everything before was just a farce.
"Brother Shi, let me see, your first appearance in Tian State, will it be as stunning as in Xuanwu State?"
Yu Zhao took a deep breath, and Li Zifeng, who was next to him, held the hilt of his sword.
There were also familiar faces like Bai Zhanmei, Yan Buhui, Su Zhaoyang, and others paying particular attention. They kept glancing from the silver-bearded old man and to Shi Xiaole.
"With Brother Shi’s demeanor, there could be a slight chance that he’ll rank within the top ten of the second row."
Bai Zhanmei thought to herself.
She knew this ranking was somewhat too high; after all, Duanfang Xiu who ranked fifth on the genius list, was only at the twenty-sixth place in the second row. But Shi Xiaole was too enigmatic.
The battle in the forest allegedly remains in Bai Zhanmei’s memory providing endless food for thought, making her more terrified the more she thought about it.
A woman’s intuition tells her that she absolutely cannot underestimate Shi Xiaole.
Under the scrutinizing gazes of numerous eyes, the silver-bearded old man suddenly walked to Shi Xiaole and, for the first time, showed a hint of a smile: "What’s your name, little boy?"
"I am Shi Xiaole."
Shi Xiaole hurriedly responded with a bow.
"Ha-ha, such a good name. But, unfortunately, I can’t carve your name on the stele."
Upon hearing this, there was a stir in the crowd.
The tense facial expression of the Evil Intent Young Master involuntarily broke into a broad smile; the smile soon changed into loud laughter, and after extreme tension, he started to feel somewhat lightheaded.
Thankfully, it was merely a false alarm!
"I said it; how could this boy possibly be inscribing his name on the stele!"
Fu Tong was also laughing, feeling entirely relaxed.
Shi Xiaole’s expression remained calm throughout, so calm that the silver-bearded old man was stunned. He asked, "Aren’t you disappointed, little boy?"
"I did my best, did what I could do to the fullest, so why should I feel disappointed?"
Shi Xiaole replied.
The old man gazed at Shi Xiaole, his eyes deep. He said after a long while: "It’s no wonder. Despite your young age, you have such a clear mind. I indeed won’t chisel your name because I’m not qualified enough. The clan leader himself will carve your name!"
Once this statement was made, the noise at the scene grew louder. Yet suddenly, like a car revving full speed then braking abruptly, the place fell eerily silent, only coarse breathing sounds filling the air.
The crowd’s expressions went from blank, to bewildered, and after a while, they slowly started processing the old man’s words. Astonishment and shock rolled over their faces, beyond what words could express, changing with every passing second.
"This, this..."
The expression on the Evil Intent Young Master’s face was more captivating than ever; his mind blank, except for the old man’s words echoing incessantly.
Just what kind of result did it take for Elder Wanxiang himself to chisel one’s name down? Almost everyone in the Martial World knew the answer, but the truth made it harder for the Evil Intent Young Master to believe. He trembled violently.
From the beginning to the end, Elder Wanxiang had only carved four names.
"Shi Xiaole, possessing talent beyond common measure, extraordinarily intelligent, indomitable spirit, peerlessly daring, an exceptional genius rarely seen in this world, an outstanding talent that only appears once every hundred years. He deserves a place at the pinnacle of the Ten Thousand Forms."
The crowd was still struggling to comprehend when suddenly, from the distant cloud mists, a majestic roar echoed like a thunderclap, resounding in everyone’s ears.
Immediately after, several golden characters, heavy as Mount Tai, seemed as if they had suppressed countless generations. These characters broke through the cloud mists, descended from the sky, harshly emblazoned on the highest point of the Ten Thousand Forms Stele. His position even exceeded that of the Young Dragon in the first row.
The crowd took a closer look, and in an instant, gasps filled halfway up the mountain, continuing for a long time.
’Kirin’ Shi Xiaole!
