72: How come my disciple is only tenth in the Tianji Pavilion rankings?

Paper cannot wrap fire.

Especially in a place like Wanbao City, where information is extremely developed.

The “great deeds” of the Hidden God Sect’s five-person group at the auction, and their “counter-kill” of the Thirteen Fiends of Black Wind outside the city, spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Central Province overnight.

“Did you hear? Some fierce individuals appeared at Wanbao Pavilion yesterday!”

“More than fierce! They were practically Dragon Kings descended! They munched on 100,000-year-old Ginseng King like radishes and threw Top-Grade Spirit Stones around for fun!”

“I heard they even casually sold a bunch of Heaven-rank Cultivation Techniques and Saint Weapons, like a clearance sale!”

“The most outrageous thing is that the bandits, the Thirteen Fiends of Black Wind, tried to rob them, but… they were counter-killed! Even their ashes were scattered!”

“Hiss—! Really? That was a Soul Transformation Stage mighty expert leading the team!”

“Absolutely true! My third uncle’s second granduncle’s neighbor saw it with his own eyes! Those young men and women were incredibly fierce, their every move capable of destroying the heavens and earth!”

For a time, legends about the “Eastern Wasteland’s Mysterious Five-Person Group” were rampant.

Everyone was guessing, what was the origin of these five youths who suddenly appeared?

Which hidden Emperor-Orthodoxy Immortal Sect could cultivate such monstrous successors?

And as Central Province’s most authoritative intelligence agency and “gossip center”.

Tianji Pavilion naturally wouldn’t miss out on such a huge hot topic.

In just one night.

The latest edition of the “heavenly prodigy ranking” was quickly released and spread throughout Central Province through various channels… “Look! The new ranking is out!”

“My heavens! Tianji Pavilion actually updated the ranking temporarily for those five people from the Eastern Wasteland!”

“Quickly see where they ranked!”

Wanbao City, Yuelai Inn.

The Hidden God Sect’s five-person group was sitting around a table, eating breakfast.

Shi Tian had a roasted chicken in his left hand and a pork hock in his right, eating with oil dripping from his mouth.

“Senior Brother, it’s so noisy outside, what are they shouting about?”

Xiao Chen sipped his tea, his expression calm.

After a night of fermentation, he had grown accustomed to being stared at like a monkey wherever he went.

“Nothing, just Tianji Pavilion’s ranking has been updated.”

“Ranking?”

Shi Tian’s eyes lit up, and he mumbled, “Then… are we on it?”

After all, they had caused such a stir last night, selling treasures and killing people. If they couldn’t make it onto the ranking, then Tianji Pavilion would be too unobservant.

“Probably.”

Ye Fan gnawed on a spirit fruit, “I just don’t know what rank we’ll be.”

“Definitely very high!” Shi Tian said confidently, “Senior Brother is so fierce, he instantly killed a Soul Transformation Stage expert with one sword, he has to be in the top three, right?”

“Exactly!” Su Mo also chimed in, “Second Senior Sister’s scythe is also powerful, killing people like cutting grass.”

Leng Yanran didn’t speak, but a hint of imperceptible expectation flashed in her cold eyes.

After all, who wouldn’t want their name to be famous throughout the world?

“Alright, stop guessing.”

Xiao Chen put down his teacup and stood up.

“We’ll know if we go out and see.”

The five walked out of the inn, only to see the street packed with people, all gathered around a huge Water Mirror, pointing at the flashing golden names on it.

“They’re here! They’re here!”

“Move aside, the main characters are here!”

Someone shouted, and the crowd automatically parted, creating a path.

Countless gazes of curiosity, reverence, and envy focused on the five.

Xiao Chen and the others were not intimidated and walked straight to the Water Mirror.

They looked up, eagerly scanning down from the top of the ranking.

[First Place: Dao Yi. Taiyi Holy Land Saint. Cultivation: Half-step Soul Transformation. Record: Once, on the shores of the Eastern Sea, he killed the Three-Headed Six-Armed Demonic Ape King (Soul Transformation Middle Stage) with a single finger. Commentary: Possesses a natural Dao Body, with the potential of a Great Emperor.]

“It’s this guy again.” Xiao Chen pouted, a little displeased.

But it was normal, after all, he was an established powerhouse, and his position couldn’t be shaken in a short time.

Continuing to look down.

[Second Place: Yaoguang Holy Son. Successor of Yaoguang Holy Land. Cultivation: Nascent Soul Peak. Record: ...]

[Third Place: Ji Family Divine Body, Ji Haoyue...]

...The top nine were still those familiar old Faces.

Shi Tian was getting a little anxious.

“What’s going on? Why isn’t Senior Brother here yet?”

“Is Tianji Pavilion blind and missed us?”

Just then.

“Look! Tenth place!”

A burst of exclamations erupted from the crowd.

At the tenth position on the ranking, a brand new, extremely unfamiliar name was radiating brilliant golden light.

[Tenth Place: Xiao Chen. Sect: Hidden God Sect. Cultivation: Golden Core Peak (suspected). Record: Outside Wanbao City, instantly killed the Thirteen Fiends of Black Wind (including one Soul Transformation Middle Stage expert) with a single sword. Commentary: Sword Dao reaching the divine, possessing great Luck, suspected to be from an unspeakable forbidden land in the Eastern Wasteland.]

“Tenth… tenth?”

Shi Tian was stunned. He rubbed his eyes, thinking he had misread it.

“Senior Brother is so fierce, and he’s only tenth?”

“This isn’t logical!”

Xiao Chen’s own expression was also a bit grim.

He didn’t care about the ranking, but he felt… a little humiliated.

Revered Master had even given him the immortal slaying sword, and he only got tenth place? How was he going to explain this to Revered Master when he returned?

“Look! There’s more below!”

[Twelfth Place: Ye Fan. Sect: Hidden God Sect. Cultivation: Golden Core Middle Stage (Physical Body Becoming Saint). Record: Outside Wanbao City, shattered the head of Black Wind Fiend Third (Nascent Soul Late Stage) with a single cauldron. Commentary: Physique unknown, suspected to be an ancient Overlord Physique, possessing immense strength and unparalleled defense.]

[Fifteenth Place: Leng Yanran. Sect: Hidden God Sect...]

[Seventeenth Place: Su Mo. Sect: Hidden God Sect...]

[Twentieth Place: Shi Tian. Sect: Hidden God Sect...]

The names of the five people, like five heavy bombs, directly dominated the top twenty positions on the heavenly prodigy ranking!

The entire Central Province went crazy!

An obscure “Hidden God Sect” actually produced five monsters capable of ranking in the top twenty of the heavenly prodigy ranking all at once?!

Are they trying to prevent other Holy Lands from surviving?!

However.

The five-person group, as the parties involved, were all displeased at this moment.

“I’m only twentieth?”

Shi Tian pointed at his name, feeling insulted.

“I’m a man who can eat an entire Dragon! Why am I ranked behind that Su Mo who only releases poisonous gas?”

Su Mo coldly glanced at him: “Not convinced? Want to fight?”

“Fight then! Who’s afraid of who!”

“Alright, stop arguing!”

Xiao Chen, with a dark expression, stopped the two troublemakers.

Humiliating.

Too humiliating.

Revered Master had given them a full set of divine equipment, and they ended up getting “top twenty in the class.”

If Revered Master found out, he might just break their legs… Meanwhile.

Far away in the Eastern Wasteland, Hidden God Sect.

Li Daoxuan was lying on a rocking chair, a huge Water Mirror suspended before him.

The Water Mirror was broadcasting a “live stream” of the Central Province heavenly prodigy ranking.

He looked at his disciples’ “top-ranked” positions, his expression shifting from initial anticipation, to doubt, and then… to fury!

“Bang!”

Li Daoxuan slammed the armrest, and the rocking chair, crafted from ten-thousand-year-old soul nurturing wood, instantly shattered into dust.

“Outrageous!”

Li Daoxuan trembled with rage, his beard almost bristling.

“Tenth place?!”

“My eldest Disciple, wielding the immortal slaying sword, possessing great Luck, and stepping on Wind-Fire Wheels (not really), and you tell me he’s only ranked tenth?!”

“And Old Fourth, that Saint Body, who can smash a star with one cauldron, is only ranked twelfth?!”

“The most ridiculous is Old Third! That glutton! He’s a man who can chew on Emperor Weapons like snacks! You rank him twentieth? Who are you insulting?!”

“What is this Tianji Pavilion good for?!”

“Are they blind?!”

“Or did they take bribes from that ‘Dao Yi’ guy and deliberately make things difficult for my Disciples?!”

The more Li Daoxuan thought, the angrier he became.

This was no longer a simple ranking issue.

This was a matter of Face!

It was the Face of his Hidden God Sect!

It was the Face of him, Li Daoxuan, as their Revered Master!

“No! This matter cannot be left like this!”

Li Daoxuan paced back and forth, the anger in his eyes burning brighter and brighter.

“If I don’t show them some color, they’ll really think my Hidden God Sect is easy to bully!”

He stopped abruptly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

He had an idea!

Li Daoxuan took a deep breath, and facing the Water Mirror, he used a trace of his Great Emperor-level Divine Thought, crossing the endless Void Realm, and directly transmitted his voice into the minds of Xiao Chen and the others.

The voice was filled with undeniable dominance and… protectiveness.

“A bunch of good-for-nothings!”

“Holding the Divine Artifacts your Revered Master gave you, and you only got such a rotten ranking, and you still have the nerve to eat outside?”

“Listen well!”

“Now, immediately, at once!”

“Go, and smash that wretched ranking for your Revered Master!”

“Tell those unsophisticated bumpkins of Central Province—”

“The first place on the heavenly prodigy ranking must, and can only, belong to our Hidden God Sect!”