A faint smile touched Shen Lin’s lips, having likely guessed what was on Xiong Kun’s mind. He spoke slowly, "First on the Ten Heroes List: Jiang Fan!"
At his words, everyone’s eyes went wide. How could it be the Young Master Marquis?
Shen Lin said, "The Young Master Marquis reached Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement a month ago, which is why he’s ranked first."
"How could he be so fast? Don’t tell me Li Chuyang and Du Chuan haven’t even reached Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement yet?" Xiong Kun gasped.
He and Jiang Fan were from the same group of Dragon Ascending Disciples. He’d only entered the Marrow Cleansing stage a few months ago, yet Jiang Fan had already achieved Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement. The difference between them was simply staggering.
"Li Chuyang reached Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement half a month ago, so he’s ranked second. Du Chuan hasn’t reached Minor Achievement yet; he’s ranked fourth."
Li Chuyang had also reached Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement! Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
As for whose talent was greater, his or Jiang Fan’s, it was truly hard to say.
"Who’s third?" someone couldn’t help but ask.
Shen Lin smiled. "Xiong Kun’s cohort has a lot of geniuses, but the previous one wasn’t devoid of talent. Third place went to the top of their Ten Heroes, Yan Guiyun."
"With Yan Guiyun’s talent, he’s probably already reached Marrow Cleansing Great Success," someone remarked with a sigh, clearly familiar with the name.
Xu Yang had also heard of Yan Guiyun’s fame back in the Outer Sect, though he had never met him.
Shen Lin nodded. "The Ten Heroes List does say he has reached Marrow Cleansing Great Success. He’s very likely to reach the Celestial Essence realm within three years and has a hope of undergoing the Secondary Dragon Ascension."
"Who’s fifth? Is it Han Feng?" Xiong Kun asked anxiously.
’If Han Feng is fifth, then I have a chance to make the Ten Heroes List.’
Shen Lin shook his head. "Fifth on the Ten Heroes List is Ye Qiuling. Her cultivation is a half-step away from Marrow Cleansing Great Success."
It was Ye Qiuling!
Xu Yang remembered the elegant, ethereal woman. Every time she appeared in the Outer Sect, she caused a sensation. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"Ye Qiuling has been an Inner Sect Disciple for a long time. How is she still eligible for the list?" someone asked with a frown.
"Ye Qiuling just entered the Sect early. She’s not actually that old—only twenty-four this year. In three years, she’ll be eligible to participate in the Secondary Dragon Ascension. Anyone not qualified for a Dragon Ascension can’t appear on the Ten Heroes List."
After Shen Lin’s explanation, everyone finally understood.
People start their martial arts training at different times, so even if someone entered the Sect before you, they might actually be younger.
"Sixth on the list is the second-ranked of the Ten Heroes from Yan Guiyun’s cohort, a man named Zhang Hanzhou. You’ve probably never heard of the seventh-ranked: Qi Xuancheng."
Qi Xuancheng?
Everyone froze. The name was indeed unfamiliar.
"Senior Brother Shen, what’s this Qi Xuancheng’s background? How come none of us have heard of him?" Xiong Kun asked.
’I’ve heard of the geniuses from my cohort and the one before, but I’ve never heard of this Qi Xuancheng.’
"Qi Xuancheng never spent time in the Outer Sect, and he’s never been on any list before. This is the first I’m hearing the name, too. A rumor is going around that he’s the grandson of the Medicine King Peak Master. His identity was only revealed because he’s planning to participate in the Secondary Dragon Ascension three years from now."
Everyone understood at once. The Blood Lotus Sect was always trying to assassinate the Purple Sun Sect’s most outstanding disciples. That must be why Qi Xuancheng’s identity had been kept a secret.
Now that his identity was revealed for the Secondary Dragon Ascension three years hence, who knew how many other "big fish" were still hidden beneath the surface.
If Li Chuyang hadn’t been the one to publicize Jiang Fan’s status, it likely would have remained a secret as well.
"Eighth is Lu Ren, ninth is Han Feng, and tenth is none other than our Junior Brother Xiong Kun," Shen Lin announced, rattling off the last few names.
Xiong Kun was overjoyed. ’I made the list! I actually made the list!’
’Now I can get the resources that come with being on the Ten Heroes List. In three years, I might actually have a shot at the Secondary Dragon Ascension.’
Shen Lin looked at Xu Yang with regret. "It’s a real shame for Junior Brother Xu Yang. If Qi Xuancheng hadn’t suddenly appeared out of nowhere, you probably would have been ranked among the Ten Heroes."
Everyone looked at Xu Yang with sympathy. With Xiong Kun ranked last, Xu Yang had truly missed out by the slimmest of margins.
If not for the sudden appearance of Qi Xuancheng, the last spot on the Ten Heroes list would have likely gone to him.
Xu Yang asked curiously, "Senior Brother Shen, what are the rewards for making the Ten Heroes List?"
Shen Lin said, "For ranks one through five, the monthly reward is one hundred contribution points and two Profound Yuan Qi Transformation Pills, plus two months of cultivation time in Tianfeng Valley. For ranks six through ten, it’s a monthly fifty contribution points and one Profound Yuan Qi Transformation Pill, plus one month in Tianfeng Valley."
’That’s quite a lot.’
Xiong Kun was already grinning from ear to ear. With these resources, his confidence in participating in the Secondary Dragon Ascension three years from now was much greater.
"Such a shame for you, Xu Yang!" he said, feigning sympathy.
Xu Yang shook his head; he didn’t really mind. It wasn’t in his nature to be flashy, and he wasn’t about to seek the limelight just for some extra resources.
"Didn’t Lu Ren lose to Xu Yang during the Outer Sect competition? How is he on the Ten Heroes List, and even ranked ahead of Xiong Kun and Han Feng?" someone asked in confusion.
Everyone’s attention snapped to that fact. Lu Ren’s ranking did seem a bit strange.
Shen Lin smiled. "It’s because of his Forged Soldier talent. The Ten Heroes List doesn’t just consider Martial Arts Talent, but a combination of all factors. Ye Qiuling, who is fifth on the list, was also ranked so high because her talent in Alchemy was considered.
"Lu Ren’s Forged Soldier talent is greater than you can imagine. My master said that he could forge a Half-Spirit Weapon within a year at most, and a true Spiritual Soldier within three."
Forging a Spiritual Soldier in three years?
Everyone was visibly shaken. Forging a Spiritual Soldier was a skill on the Elder Level.
Across all of Li Fire Peak, you could count the number of disciples below the Elder rank capable of forging a Spiritual Soldier on one hand, regardless of their age.
That kind of Forged Soldier talent was truly frightening. Even if his Martial Arts Talent was somewhat lacking, his future prospects were much brighter.
Shen Lin looked at Xiong Kun, his eyes crinkling into a smile. "Of course, if Junior Brother Xiong is unhappy with this ranking, you can challenge someone ranked above you in a year. If you win, you’ll take their place."
Xiong Kun’s eyes lit up.
But then Shen Lin continued, "Likewise, if other disciples are dissatisfied with your ranking on the Ten Heroes List and the resources you enjoy, they can also challenge you. If they defeat you, they will take your spot."
Xiong Kun’s pupils contracted. The smile instantly vanished from his face.
’I’m in last place. I’ll be the one everyone is scrambling to challenge. I’m afraid I’ll be fighting every day and have no time left to cultivate.’
His gaze flickered subtly over Xu Yang as he asked in a low voice, "Is there no age limit on these challenges?"
’If there’s no age limit, those older disciples in their thirties and forties could easily beat me.’
"There is. Only those under the age of thirty are allowed to issue a challenge."
Xiong Kun finally breathed a sigh of relief. With the age limit set to thirty, he was confident that in a year’s time, he would fear no challenger. Even Xu Yang would be no match for him.
...
「Three days later, Tianfeng Valley!」
Tianfeng Valley was located behind the Purple Sun Sect’s Four Peaks and was one of the most important locations in the entire Sect.
Although it was a natural Cultivation Treasure Land, its peculiar environment meant it wasn’t open for disciples to cultivate in year-round. Only when the Sect officially opened it could disciples spend contribution points to train there.
Tianfeng Valley was highly effective for Marrow Cleansing, especially for disciples who had already reached Gang Qi Great Success. To them, this place was a true Holy Land.
Many of those who entered the Inner Sect with a Great Achievement in Gang Qi Cultivation were able to use Tianfeng Valley to break through to the Marrow Cleansing stage in one go.
Furthermore, the Sect provided a special benefit in this regard: anyone who had just entered the Inner Sect, regardless of their cultivation level, could come here to train for one month free of charge. Whether they could use this opportunity to break through to Marrow Cleansing was up to their own destiny.
With a month of free training time available, Xu Yang made his way there as well.
At this moment, Tianfeng Valley was teeming with people; many disciples from the Four Peaks had arrived.
The so-called Tianfeng Valley was, in fact, a valley. It was shaped like a giant, fan-like funnel. The rock faces on either side were a grayish-black color, smooth as a mirror, and emitted a faint pulsation somewhat similar to Spirit Iron.
In the center of the valley was a cave that seemed to devour all light. Even from a hundred meters away, Xu Yang couldn’t make out what was inside. He could only faintly hear the sound of a furious wind roaring and echoing from within.