The change was immediate.
The news spread through Dongtai Prefecture like wildfire.
At first, it was only a small disturbance within the Human Martial Rankings, something that most people would have ignored if not for the strange disappearance of a familiar name.
Rank 95 — Su Yang.
The name that had remained almost forgotten near the bottom of the rankings had suddenly vanished.
For several breaths, nobody understood what had happened.
Then someone noticed another change.
Gao Yuanhua's name had moved.
Rank 70 had changed as well.
And beneath the new ranking was a name that caused countless people to stare in disbelief.
Rank 70 — Su Yang.
Realm — Tendon Refining.
For a moment, the entire ranking seemed to become silent.
Then an uproar erupted.
"Su Yang?"
"Isn't that the Su Yang who was previously Rank 95?"
"How did he suddenly become Rank 70?"
"Wait! Where did Gao Yuanhua go?"
"Rank 71!"
The realization spread rapidly.
Gao Yuanhua had fallen from Rank 70 to Rank 71.
And according to the rules of the Human Martial Rankings, there was only one way such a change could happen.
Someone had defeated him in a fair challenge.
The Human Martial Rankings were not simple measurements of cultivation, nor were they based solely on someone's reputation, background, or potential. The organization maintaining the rankings had spent countless years establishing rules precisely because martial artists were too troublesome to measure by ordinary standards.
Sneak attacks did not count.
Assassinations did not count.
Group battles did not count.
Killing someone while they were injured did not count.
A martial artist could possess a hundred tricks capable of killing someone stronger, but those tricks would not allow them to climb the rankings.
The rankings measured something much simpler.
Strength.
If one wanted to take another person's position, then one had to stand before that person and defeat them fairly.
Therefore, the moment Gao Yuanhua's ranking fell by one place and Su Yang appeared at Rank 70, everyone understood what had happened.
Su Yang had defeated Gao Yuanhua.
The problem was...
Gao Yuanhua was a Bone Refining martial artist.
Su Yang was only at Tendon Refining.
The difference between those two realms was enormous.
External cultivation was unlike ordinary internal cultivation where a genius might occasionally rely upon profound techniques, powerful Qi, or superior comprehension to cross a major realm and defeat an opponent.
External cultivation was brutally straightforward.
The body itself was the weapon.
Skin became stronger.
Muscles became stronger.
Tendons became stronger.
Bones became stronger.
Each major stage represented an enormous transformation in physical foundation.
A Tendon Refining martial artist fighting a Bone Refining martial artist was normally equivalent to someone attempting to smash a mountain with their bare hands.
Yet Su Yang had done exactly that.
The only explanation that immediately came to the minds of those with sufficient knowledge was the existence of the perfection states.
Iron Skin.
Bronze Muscles.
Ox Tendons.
Silver Steel Bones.
These were not ordinary achievements.
Even among martial artists who practiced external arts, most could only cultivate according to the ordinary path, gradually strengthening their bodies through great medicine, cultivation methods, pile stances, and years of painstaking training.
The perfection states were different.
They required extremely profound external arts, enormous amounts of resources, exceptional aptitude, and a will capable of enduring pain that ordinary martial artists could scarcely imagine.
Refining the deeper layers of the body wasn't something that could be achieved merely because someone possessed enough Qi-Blood.
The skin had to be refined beyond its ordinary state.
The muscles had to undergo a deeper transformation.
The tendons had to be strengthened until they could transmit explosive power without damaging the body.
And the bones...
The bones were even more difficult.
The deeper one refined, the more terrifying the pain became.
That was why those capable of achieving even one perfection state were considered geniuses among external martial artists.
And for someone to achieve several perfection states before even reaching Bone Refining...
That was something else entirely.
"A Tendon Refining martial artist defeating Bone Refining..."
A young disciple stared at the ranking with disbelief.
"Could he have achieved Ox Tendons?"
Another shook his head.
"Impossible to know."
"But he must have achieved at least one perfection state."
"Otherwise, how could he defeat Gao Yuanhua?"
The discussion became louder.
Those with weaker backgrounds could only speculate.
But those from powerful families and martial sects immediately understood that Su Yang's value had changed.
He was no longer merely the young cripple who had challenged Liu Ruyan.
He had now proven that his physical foundation was abnormal.
Someone who could cross the gap between Tendon Refining and Bone Refining was no longer someone that could be judged according to ordinary standards.
"Jia-level root bone at the very least."
An elder from a powerful family muttered while looking at the ranking.
"Perhaps even higher."
His companion frowned.
"Would someone with that kind of talent really remain the same by the time of the appointment?"
The elder didn't answer.
That was precisely the problem.
The more they thought about it, the more valuable Su Yang appeared.
And the more valuable Su Yang became...
The more people began wondering who stood behind him.
At this point, the Su family was already celebrating.
Within the Su residence, laughter could be heard throughout the courtyard.
"Rank 70!"
"Young Master Su has entered the top seventy!"
Several members of the younger generation were particularly excited.
For an ordinary martial artist, reaching the top seventy of the Human Martial Rankings was already an achievement worthy of pride.
The rankings didn't only represent strength.
They represented the future.
Those who entered the upper portion of the Human Martial Rankings were frequently noticed by powerful sects, families, martial halls, and even major forces throughout the prefecture.
More importantly...
Su Yang had surpassed Liu Ruyan.
Previously, Liu Ruyan had been ahead of him.
Now Su Yang had climbed to Rank 70.
Liu Ruyan had fallen one position.
The members of the Su family couldn't help but feel delighted.
"Hahaha! I knew Young Master Su wouldn't remain at Rank 95."
"Rank 70!"
"He's already surpassed Liu Ruyan!"
"Look at how quickly his ranking has risen."
Someone laughed.
"The Jade Sword Palace must be regretting everything now."
The atmosphere was jubilant.
But while the Su family celebrated, the atmosphere within another residence was completely different.
The Liu family.
Silence filled the hall.
Liu Ruyan sat quietly.
Her eyes were fixed upon the ranking report in front of her.
Rank 72.
She had been Rank 71.
Now she had fallen.
Not because she had lost a battle.
Not because someone had defeated her.
But because another person had climbed above her.
Su Yang.
Her fingers slowly tightened around the edge of the paper.
She had already known that Su Yang was improving. But she had never expected him to rise this quickly.
Yet now...
He had defeated a Bone Refining martial artist while only being at Tendon Refining.
Liu Ruyan's eyes gradually became sharper.
"So you've already reached this level..."
There was no anger in her voice.
Instead, there was something more complicated.
Pressure.
For the first time in a long while, Liu Ruyan felt that she couldn't afford to remain complacent.
Her talent had always been extraordinary.
The resources of the Jade Sword Palace had allowed her to cultivate rapidly, and she had always been among the most outstanding young martial artists in Dongtai Prefecture.
But Su Yang's existence had forced her to reconsider something.
If she stopped moving forward...
He would catch up.
And now he had already surpassed her.
"Prepare the cultivation resources."
The servant standing nearby immediately bowed.
"Miss?"
"I want to enter closed-door cultivation."
The servant hesitated.
"How long?"
Liu Ruyan looked toward the distant sky.
"As long as necessary."
Meanwhile, within the Jade Sword Pool, Han Yu received the news almost simultaneously.
He stared at the ranking for a long time without speaking.
Su Yang had once again done something that defied common sense.
Han Yu's expression gradually became serious.
"Tendon Refining..."
His hand slowly tightened.
"Defeating Bone Refining."
He had seen Su Yang before.
He understood better than most people how terrifying such a foundation was.
But even he hadn't expected Su Yang to grow this quickly.
A trace of fighting intent emerged in Han Yu's eyes.
Rather than fear, the news had awakened something else.
Competition.
He had always been proud of his own talent.
If Su Yang could advance so quickly, then he couldn't afford to remain behind.
"It seems ill need to accelerate my plans."
The servant beside him immediately bowed.
"Young Master, Sect Mistress has already prepared—"
"More."
Han Yu interrupted.
"I want enough resources to enter secluded cultivation immediately."
The servant's expression changed slightly before he bowed.
"Yes."
Han Yu looked once more at the ranking.
Rank 70 - Su Yang.
His eyes became cold.
"Don't stop there."
He murmured.
"If you're going to climb..."
"Then I'll climb with you."
Elsewhere, the Liu and Wei families were no longer capable of treating Su Yang's rise as a minor matter.
The two families had originally been content to watch from the side.
Su Yang's ranking had fallen.
Rumors had spread. People had begun questioning his talent.
Some had even begun whispering that his five-year appointment might end in disappointment.
Those rumors had been useful.
They had allowed the Liu family and Wei family to maintain a certain amount of pressure without openly confronting him.
But now everything had changed.
Su Yang had gone from Rank 95 to Rank 70.
Worse...
He had done it by defeating Gao Yuanhua.
That was no ordinary advancement.
It was a declaration.
Su Yang had revealed that his physical foundation was far stronger than anyone had previously believed.
Inside the Wei family residence, an elder placed the report on the table.
"We can no longer continue watching."
Another elder frowned.
"The boy is still too young."
"Exactly."
The first elder's eyes narrowed.
"And that's why we need to decide what we're going to do before he becomes even stronger."
Silence followed.
The name Su Yang had once been mentioned with indifference.
Now...
It carried weight.