Chen Yi slowly crossed the familiar names on the "True Dragon Ranking" with his finger, his gaze lingering on the Grand Elder's position.
There it is again, that ranking. Chen Yi might not dare to assert it outright, but the Grand Elder possessed divine-level spiritual power, a strength that rivaled any top expert in the world. Even so-called Ultimate Douluo couldn't guarantee a steady victory.
Yet now, the Grand Elder was actually listed behind Golden Crocodile Douluo. In Martial City, the Grand Elder and the Golden Crocodile Douluo had only clashed in momentum, with no clear outcome.
"This Seven Treasure Glazed Sect deliberately pushed the Grand Elder one spot down... truly sinister," Chen Yi commented coldly. This was not simply a matter of ranking, but also a veiled depreciation and provocation.
By placing the top combat strength of the Body Sect—just below the sect leader—after the second Worship of the Spirit Hall, they invisibly elevated the power of the Spirit Hall, while also suggesting the Body Sect was still inferior. The intent to provoke was clear.
Chen Zhen let out a cold snort, saying nothing, but obviously agreed with his son's opinion.
Chen Yi's eyes moved further up, finally locking onto the very top name of the list—Tang Chen.
"And then there's Tang Chen." As Chen Yi read the name, his tone was so laced with sarcasm it was almost impossible to hide.
"Missing for decades, not even appearing when the Clear Sky Sect faced its greatest crisis—a man as good as dead. In this world of soul masters, anyone with any brains who still follows this Clear Sky Douluo... haven't they already fallen?"
As a time traveler, Chen Yi understood better than anyone that Tang Chen was not truly dead, but had become the King of Slaughter in the City of Slaughter, his soul controlled, no different from a walking corpse.
"A man whose life or death is unknown suddenly placed at the very top of the 'Douluo True Dragon Ranking'..." Chen Yi shook his head, his smile growing more mocking.
"The last of the Three Sects? Heh, things are really going downhill."
Yet, Chen Yi could also understand: in today's Three Upper Sects, the Clear Sky Sect could seal its mountain, and its strongest force remained unknown. The strongest in the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect was only the 96th-level Sword Douluo, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan didn't even have anyone above level 95.
Resurrecting the "legend" of Tang Chen, who once fought invincible battles on the continent, was nothing but forcibly staining a fading collective glory with a phantom's brilliance.
"That's not all..." Chen Zhen interrupted, his eyes briefly flashing cold.
He continued, "According to information from those we sent back to Spirit Hall, not only Ning Fengzhi and Yu Yuanzhen, but also others were stirring up this broken ranking and proposing to have Yu Xiaogang set a seal on it."
"Clear Sky Sect's Tang Xiao is also moving behind the scenes."
At this, a flash of murderous intent appeared in Chen Zhen's eyes, tinged with regret. "That man is slippery. If not, it's a pity there's no trace left on the surface... I should send him underground, let him reunite with his rats whose life or death is also unknown."
The Body Sect had slain this generation's Clear Sky Douluo. The two sects were already locked in endless conflict, and Chen Zhen wouldn't mind helping if he could.
"And this as well." Chen Zhen continued, taking the heavy "Titled Douluo List" from Chen Yi, flipping through the pages quickly. The paper rustled, stopping at another section.
What caught his eye was another ranking title—"Hidden Dragon Ranking" (for soul masters under 25, who have reached the Soul Elder realm and demonstrated outstanding potential).
Chen Yi glanced at the top of the list. Two names were written side by side, in a font size slightly larger than the others, which didn't surprise him.
1st: Chen Yi (Body Sect's young sect master, Grand Martial Academy prodigy, 14 years old, soul power level unknown, estimated near or at Soul Emperor).
Record: In the finals of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, achieved second awakening, defeated Qian Renxue, who possessed the god-class martial soul Seraphim...
2nd: Qian Renxue (Young Miss of Spirit Hall, 20 years old, soul power level unknown, estimated high Soul Emperor, martial soul Seraphim.
Record: ...Unfortunately, lost to Chen Yi in the finals...)
Below these two, the font and introduction shrank drastically starting from third place, forming a cliff-like gap.
"Quite eye-catching," Chen Yi remarked, his eyes lingering for a moment on the words "defeated Qian Renxue without using second awakening." His tone was indifferent, betraying no joy, anger, sorrow, or delight.
"If only these people could fight Qian Renxue again, fighting to the death would be best."
Speaking, his gaze slid down and settled on third place.
3rd: Tang Yin (Age: 12; birthplace: Shrek Royal Academy; martial soul: Blue Silver King; soul power: high-level Soul Elder, noble existence.)
Record: Has defeated Soul Ancestor opponents many times, tactics are diverse, with exceptional intelligence and a calm disposition.
Evaluation: Talented and holds great potential, highly likely to compete on the same stage as Chen Yi and Qian Renxue in the future.
"Blue Silver King?"
Chen Yi raised his eyebrows slightly, instantly understanding. "This Tang Yin... should be Tang San."
Yet Chen Yi was a bit puzzled. He'd left Tang San so severely injured that all of his meridians were damaged. Even the top healing soul masters would need a long time to heal him.
Under such circumstances, breaking through to Soul Elder at age thirteen was impossible in the original timeline. Not only had he recovered quickly, but he had reached a high Soul Elder level, almost catching up to the very best of his generation.
More importantly, the Blue Silver Emperor's soul bone was in his body, the key to restoring the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline. Yet the 85,000-year-old Blue Silver King had been killed by Yang Wushuang, and its soul ring and bone absorbed by Ye Cien.
So how did Tang San's Blue Silver Grass evolve to Blue Silver King?
Was there some secret method in this world that could drive the Blue Silver Grass's second awakening, aside from the Blue Silver Emperor's sacrifice and inheritance?
Or did Tang San have other fortuitous encounters, perhaps something from Asura?
"And this Shrek Royal Academy... what's its origin?"
Chen Yi looked at his father. The name sounded oddly familiar, and he had several guesses.
Chen Zhen frowned and thought for a moment. "The academy was originally just a school in Suotuo City of the Balak Kingdom...
Calling it an 'Academy' is already a stretch."
"If you want resources where there are none, if you want a simulation environment, there's none. The dean is said to be an infamous profiteer."
Chen Zhen's tone was clearly full of disdain. "About half a year ago, Ning Fengzhi went in person to the Heaven Dou Palace. Who knows what deal he struck with that old fox Xue Ye. That's how 'Royal' got tacked onto this broken school."
"I heard Seven Treasure Glazed Sect lost a lot of blood on this, and Ning Fengzhi's face was pitch black when he came out of the palace."
Chen Yi suddenly realized it was true.
Shrek Academy still existed, but this time it had clung to the thigh of Seven Treasure Glazed Sect and been transformed into a slightly different 'Royal' Academy.
"As for this Tang Yin," Chen Zhen continued in a flat tone, as if discussing something trivial, "about two months ago, he suddenly parachuted into the Hidden Dragon Ranking, and as soon as he appeared, was shoved into the top ten.
That ranking boasted about his talent, saying 'his intelligence is almost demonic' and 'his future is bound to be comparable.'"
"Recently, he's been in the Suotuo Soul Arena, defeating several famous soul ancestors."
He spoke lightly, his face showing not a hint of fear.
A thirteen-year-old high-level Soul Elder, defeating Soul Ancestor as a Soul Elder.
It sounded like a bluff, but within the Body Sect and Grand Martial Academy, there were indeed few young disciples who could do that.
Compared to monsters like Chen Yi and Qian Renxue, it was even more of a joke, like the difference between clouds and mud.
In Chen Zhen's view, this Tang Yin was just like Tang Chen at the top of the True Dragon Ranking, a banner raised by the last three sects to save face and forcibly create momentum.
Chen Yi was noncommittal, his eyes roaming further down the list.
Indeed, there were many familiar names at the back: Team Spirit Hall's Qing Yao, Guang Yu, Wang Jie; Grand Martial Academy's Yang Zhantian, Che Lang, Meng Yutong, and others.
Their strength and records were real, and it made sense for them to be listed.
But when he saw two names next to each other, he couldn't suppress a mocking laugh.
Yu Tianheng, Yu Tianxin.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's twin stars.
Top Soul Elder cultivators, both possessed the top beast martial soul—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon—and were expected to inherit the clan, hoping to revive their family.
These two were actually listed, and not low, even above Grand Martial Academy's Jiang Hongfei and God Wind Academy's Feng Xiaotian.
"Blue Lightning Twins?"
Chen Yi shook his head and laughed.
"In an ordinary group of soul masters, they might be considered geniuses, but in a true circle of prodigies, they're only mediocre."
"Not to mention, compared to us in the Body Sect and Spirit Hall, even in the Four Elemental Academies, there are plenty who could steadily defeat them."
"And yet, such people are ranked above Jiang Hongfei and Feng Xiaotian?"
Losing all interest in reading, Chen Yi casually closed the booklet, his last trace of expression vanishing, replaced by coldness and disgust.
"Don't just spout nonsense wherever you please."
With those words, Chen Yi's wrist flicked, and the beautifully bound "Titled Douluo List" was tossed aside like dirty trash, landing on the ground with a thud and kicking up dust.
No wonder the Grand Elder looked down on this ranking so much.
Where was the objectivity in such a list of the strong?
It was clearly political propaganda, jointly manufactured by the three aforementioned parties.
Throughout the entire article, they implicitly emphasized: see, whether top power or promising stars, our Three Sects stand alongside Spirit Hall and the Body Sect as the "third pillar" of the soul master world, still full of talent and deep heritage.
"Soon."
Chen Zhen didn't even glance at the book on the ground, his tone indifferent.
"This thing is just to attract low-level soul masters and ordinary nobles who haven't seen the world."
"If your cultivation is above Soul King and you know even a little about the true pattern of the continent, who would take this seriously?"
Chen Yi didn't reply, just stood there, gazing indifferently at the booklet on the ground—a symbol of stubborn old order and ridiculous self-respect. After a while, he looked up at the vast sky outside the courtyard.
Some people, immersed in past glory, refuse to awaken, and in order to maintain their pitiful self-esteem and influence, keep using these ridiculous means...
But he didn't mind waking them up in the most direct way possible.
He would show them, clearly and unmistakably, who truly held the final say on the Douluo Continent now.
And it was time for some people to see their true identity and correct their stance.
…