15: Chapter 15 Ranking Battle Officially Begins

Jiang Changge's gaze passed through the window lattice and landed on the palace gate just one street away.

He focused intently on the barely perceptible fluctuation in the air, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"It seems the ancient ruin controlled by the Zhouwu Dynasty is about to break free from its suppression. It will likely happen within these next few days."

Ever since he first sensed that faint disturbance, Jiang Changge had learned of this secret through the System.

Buried beneath the capital of the Zhouwu Dynasty was an ancient ruin that had been relocated there.

It was the founding ancestor who, using heaven-defying means, employed a Great Teleportation technique to seal the entire ruin beneath the Imperial City.

For Jiang Changge, this was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.

Since the System upgraded, he hadn't yet truly experienced a hundredfold reward.

Although the Zhouwu Dynasty had a powerhouse at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage guarding it, he possessed concealment techniques like the Void Realm Breath Suppression.

With the instant transmission array disk in hand, even if he truly encountered an unbeatable existence, he could teleport back to the Kunlun Sect in a single thought.

He already had a plan in mind: once the Southern Wasteland Family Ranking Tournament officially began, everyone's attention would be focused on the battles on the arena.

That would be the best Opportunity for him to quietly sneak into the palace and explore the ancient ruin.

The banquet was drawing to a close.

As the crowd began to disperse, Lu Jinghan, Qin Muchuan, and Su Fuguang had just reached the entrance of Zuixian Tower.

Not far away, Gu Feng and his group locked eyes with them, their faces showing undisguised mockery.

After throwing out a few harsh words, Gu Feng and the others flicked their sleeves and left. However, the three of them did not get angry; they simply exchanged a smile.

Since the ranking tournament was imminent, all grudges would be settled on the arena.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The highly anticipated Southern Wasteland Family Ranking Tournament finally kicked off on the jade plaza of the Zhouwu Dynasty's capital.

In the center of the plaza stood a towering arena. The surrounding stands were packed with people.

On the highest main platform, three figures with profound auras were already seated.

In the center sat Prince Zhao Zhou Zhenyue of the Zhouwu Dynasty, wearing dark robes and a jade crown, exuding natural authority without anger.

To his left was Grand General Yang Zhirong of the Nanli Dynasty, dressed in iron-like military armor with the gaze of an eagle.

On the right sat National Preceptor Xu Daozi of the Xuanyuan Dynasty, his Daoist robes fluttering, holding a horsetail whisk, with an expression as detached as the clouds.

Although the three did not speak, they seemed like three mountains suppressing the high platform, silently setting the tone for this grand event.

Grand General Yang Zhirong of Nanli and National Preceptor Xu Daozi of Xuanyuan were both existences who were basically beneath only one person but above ten thousand.

Although the holding of the Family Ranking Tournament was very significant, it was not enough to warrant the personal attendance of these two.

As for why the two appeared here, the main reason was that both great dynasties had heard some rumors about the Zhouwu Dynasty recently.

With Grand General Yang Zhirong and National Preceptor Xu Daozi coming, the Family Ranking Tournament was secondary; investigating the situation of the Zhouwu Dynasty was the primary task.

And the ruler of the Zhouwu Dynasty naturally knew their intentions, but at this moment, they were too busy to care. They could only let Prince Zhao Zhou Zhenyue keep an eye on these two.

At this time, Jiang Changge brought Lin Yanzhou to the jade plaza. Seeing the major families of the Southern Wasteland gathering here, it was quite lively.

Upon arriving, Lin Yanzhou's gaze was drawn to the three figures on the high platform. "Revered Master, those three look so powerful! Everyone is in awe of them."

Lin Yanzhou greatly admired the strong; he had always yearned to Cultivate and become a powerhouse. That way, he would not be bullied by others.

Jiang Changge smiled and patted Lin Yanzhou's head, saying, "You will definitely be able to surpass them in the future and become a powerhouse even stronger than them."

"Then Revered Master, compared to them, who is more powerful?" Since becoming a Disciple, Lin Yanzhou did not yet know his Revered Master Jiang Changge's Realm of cultivation.

"Those three are at the Body Integration Stage; can they compare to your Revered Master? Of course, your Revered Master is more powerful!"

"Your Revered Master is the most powerful person in this Xuanhuang World; it's just that your Revered Master is low-key and has always kept a low profile."

Jiang Changge said this without blushing or skipping a beat. He had the System and would sooner or later be invincible in the world; being invincible early or late was the same, there was no difference.

"You must remember, after you succeed in your Cultivation in the future, you must also be as low-key as your Revered Master and not completely expose your cultivation strength."

"Use thirty percent of your strength to kill the enemy, and keep seventy percent for yourself!"

Although Lin Yanzhou did not understand Jiang Changge's words at the time, he kept them firmly in his heart. Thus, many years later, there would be an invincible schemer who would make the entire heavens restless.

Jiang Changge understood the law of the jungle in the cultivation world: as long as you are not invincible, you cannot be reckless. Even after becoming invincible in the world, there are still those who descend from the heavens.

As for Lu Jinghan, Jiang Changge believed that in his past life, he was a powerhouse at the Peak of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. He should understand these principles even more deeply than him, so there was naturally no need for too much instruction.

As time passed, all the families were ready. Seeing this, Prince Zhao Zhou Zhenyue stood up and walked to the edge of the high platform, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the plaza.

"This Southern Wasteland Family Ranking Tournament will follow the old System, implementing a points-based competition, and the final Family ranking will be determined based on the points!"

"Now, the ranking tournament officially begins!"

As Prince Zhao Zhou Zhenyue's voice fell, Family Disciples had already taken the stage to compete. On the arena, spiritual light instantly intertwined, and shouts erupted everywhere.

Those who appeared first were mostly Disciples from middle and lower-tier families. Although they each displayed their strengths, with swords crossing and Talismans flying, they could not hide the gap in their cultivation Foundation.

After only a few dozen rounds, some were vomiting blood and flying backward, leaving the stage in dismay. There were also those who gritted their teeth and fought consecutively, but after winning two or three matches, their aura withered. Eventually, they were knocked off the stage by latecomers, having only accumulated a few points.

The scene seemed intense, but the three on the main platform remained indifferent. In their eyes, these battles were no different from children playing.

Suddenly, a youth in green robes defeated five opponents in a row, his movement technique as agile as the wind, drawing a low gasp from the sidelines. He came from the Yunhe Gu Family, which had only begun to emerge in recent years and had previously been unknown.

"A bit interesting." Grand General Yang Zhirong tapped his fingertips on the armrest. "This kid's Flowing Cloud Step has already attained three parts of the true essence."

"It's a pity the Foundation is floating." National Preceptor Xu Daozi shook his head slightly.

Before his words fell, the youth in green robes faced a Disciple from an old-established Family wearing purple robes. The opponent calmly pushed out three palms: one palm broke his movement technique, and one palm shattered his protective spiritual light. The third palm sent him staggering off the stage, blood spilling from his mouth.

Similar scenes played out one after another. Those Family Disciples who had suddenly risen due to Opportunity or secret techniques were sharp and aggressive at first. But once they encountered heirs from families with deep Foundations, they often showed signs of decline within ten moves. The gap in the longevity of the Cultivation Technique and the purity of spiritual power was exposed during the sustained confrontation.

"After all, it lacks the polishing of time." Prince Zhao Zhou Zhenyue said calmly. His gaze, however, swept over Grand General Yang Zhirong and National Preceptor Xu Daozi as if nothing was there, and the two acted as if they hadn't heard.

In a corner of the plaza, Lu Jinghan stood holding his sword. After watching the competition before him for a while, it was exactly the same as the situation in his memory.

In this life, except for the Kunlun Sect, everything else had the same development trajectory as in his past life. As such, the Qin Family and the Su Family would still, like in his past life, see their rankings steadily rise.