Chapter 348: Chapter 139: Ranked Geniuses, Peak of Transformation, Dragon Gate Martial Trial
At the top of the list on the left, the two words "Hidden Dragon" were written in eye-catching cinnabar ink, the brushstrokes sharp and fierce.
At the top of the list on the right were the two words "Profound Truth," the calligraphy steady and solid. The two lists were set opposite each other, exuding an extraordinary aura.
Upon seeing these two names, Yang Jing instantly understood what he was looking at.
These two lists had to be the Profound Truth List and the Hidden Dragon List he had previously overheard disciples from Lingxi Peak idly chatting about.
Although he had never intentionally sought information about them, he had picked up a few details. The Hidden Dragon List was for new disciples who had joined within the last three years, exclusively featuring the most outstanding members of the sect’s younger generation.
The Profound Truth List, on the other hand, had a much broader scope. It included all Xuanzhen Sect disciples under the age of forty, regardless of seniority. As long as they were strong enough, they could make the list.
Both lists only had thirty spots, making them extremely exclusive and prestigious. They were updated on the first and fifteenth of each month, and any changes always drew the attention of countless disciples.
Any disciple who made it onto the Hidden Dragon List or the Profound Truth List was considered a top-tier genius of the Xuanzhen Sect. Their talent and strength far surpassed their peers, and they were held in high regard within the sect.
Successfully making the list came with generous rewards from the sect. This not only provided a huge boost to one’s cultivation but was also a great honor—the ultimate recognition of a disciple’s strength.
Yang Jing’s gaze first fell upon the Hidden Dragon List on the left, and he slowly scanned it from top to bottom. The names on the list felt both strange and familiar. Most were new disciples from other peaks; he didn’t see anyone he knew personally, though he had heard some of the names mentioned in passing.
He didn’t pay the names much mind, only pausing for a moment when he saw the one at the very top.
The current number one on the Hidden Dragon List was Chu Yunhai of Celestial Derivation Peak. He had to be an exceptionally talented disciple to have emerged from Celestial Derivation Peak in recent years. To stand firmly at the top, suppressing all other new disciples, meant his strength and talent could not be underestimated.
Yang Jing silently committed the name to memory, taking it as a benchmark for his own future cultivation.
Then, his gaze shifted to the Profound Truth List on the right.
He had only scanned the first few rows when he spotted a familiar name: Si Jiawen, the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak. "Lingxi Peak" was noted next to her name, and she was ranked fifth.
Yang Jing’s heart skipped a beat. ’For Si Jiawen to be ranked fifth on the Profound Truth List... her strength must be formidable. She really lives up to her title as the number one disciple of Lingxi Peak. With power like that, she’s at the absolute peak of the Xuanzhen Sect’s younger generation.’
He looked further up the Profound Truth List. The names in the top ranks belonged almost exclusively to the Senior Brothers of the various peaks, all of them powerful experts who had been famous for a long time.
Ranked first was Xiao Nu, the Senior Brother of Fen Yang Peak, and second was Zhao Wenju, the Senior Brother of Zhenyue Peak. The names that followed were all widely recognized as top-tier geniuses.
Yang Jing knew that just making it onto the Profound Truth List meant you held a prominent status within the Xuanzhen Sect, and your fame might even spread throughout Jintai Prefecture.
To rank in the top ten of the Profound Truth List was another matter entirely. Such a person would be considered a major figure throughout all of Jintai Prefecture, earning deep respect wherever they went.
The disciples around him were murmuring amongst themselves, their tones filled with reverence and admiration.
Some marveled at Xiao Nu’s unfathomable strength, while others remarked on how astonishing Zhao Wenju was. Some envied Si Jiawen for securing the fifth spot at such a young age, while others secretly vowed to cultivate diligently and earn a spot on the list themselves one day. Their words were filled with yearning to be like the experts on the list.
Yang Jing listened quietly for a few moments without saying a word. He watched for a little longer before looking away and turning to walk out of the Steward Main Hall.
As far as he was concerned, both the Hidden Dragon List and the Profound Truth List were far too distant for now.
’The strength of the experts on those lists is far beyond my current reach. Rather than envying others, I should focus on improving myself one step at a time.’
His most urgent task now was to refine his cultivation as quickly as possible, break through to the Peak of Transformation, and then successfully pass the Dragon Gate’s martial trial to enter the Inner Sect.
He knew full well that only by becoming an Inner Sect Disciple could one truly establish a foothold in the Xuanzhen Sect and be considered a disciple who had properly entered its gates.
Only then would the sect begin to allocate significant resources to him. Everything—from Cultivation Resources and martial arts inheritances to cultivation guidance—would be several times better than what outer sect disciples received.
Outer sect disciples, after all, were on the fringes of the sect, lacking resources and attention. Their cultivation depended entirely on their own trial and error. Without exceptional talent or a stroke of good fortune, it was incredibly difficult for them to make any major breakthroughs.
Otherwise, the sect wouldn’t have deliberately drawn a line between the Outer and Inner Sects. The disparity between the two was clear from the distribution of resources alone.
...
Yang Jing left the Main Peak Steward Hall, his steps light yet steady. His heart filled with an urgent desire to cultivate, he headed straight for the training rooms on the mountainside of Lingxi Peak.
He didn’t spare a single glance for the plants and scenery along the way, his mind completely focused on refining his cultivation and breaking through to the Peak of Transformation as quickly as possible.
Time flew, and two months passed in the blink of an eye.
During those two months, Yang Jing remained completely immersed in his daily cultivation, traveling back and forth between his residence, the Training Rooms, and his late-night training spot, his mind free of all distractions.
His cultivation advanced steadily with each passing day of refinement, bringing him ever closer to the Peak of Transformation. His Inner Strength also grew increasingly pure and vigorous.
「One afternoon, inside a D-grade Training Room on the mountainside of Lingxi Peak.」
Yang Jing was completely absorbed in practicing the Mountain-Shattering Fist.
Inside the stone room, the faint, lingering fragrance of burning Exotic Beast Musk Treasure Materials filled the air. A warm aura enveloped his body, nourishing his meridians and allowing his Inner Strength to circulate with even greater ease.
He stood in the center of the stone room, feet planted firmly on the ground, his stance low and his fists clenched. He executed every single move with intense focus and diligence.
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