In the waiting area before Star Oracle Hall, heads were moving, noise was deafening. Nearly ten thousand young geniuses from various forces gathered here, like refined steel about to be thrown into a furnace, awaiting the official opening of the assembly. The air was permeated with a complex atmosphere of tension, excitement, confidence, and mutual scrutiny.
Tang Xiaoqi sat alone in a corner, appearing to meditate with eyes closed, but actually his spiritual sense was released like an invisible spider web, quietly capturing information flowing in the surrounding clamor. In this gathering of geniuses, any bit of intelligence could relate to future success or failure.
Soon, a term appeared repeatedly in various conversations, discussions, and even debates with extremely high frequency, catching his attention.
"Hidden Dragon List."
"...This time the 'Hidden Dragon List' is probably going to see a major reshuffle! So many hidden geniuses emerging, those old faces probably will not be able to keep their positions!"
"Hmph, those in the top hundred of the 'Hidden Dragon List,' which one has not been through hundreds of battles? How could they be so easily shaken? In my view, there will not be much change, at most some replacements in the middle to lower ranks."
"Do not underestimate this assembly! The Central Plains Ninth Prince, the Ice Plain Holy Maiden, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect Buddha Son, the Shadow Abyss Sea Ghost Noble... these are all ruthless characters capable of impacting the top twenty, even the top ten!"
"Top ten? You think too highly of them! Those monsters in the top ten of the 'Hidden Dragon List,' which one is not at Nascent Soul late stage or even grand completion? The cultivation methods they practice, the trump cards they possess, are simply beyond what we can imagine!"
"By the way, does anyone know the latest 'Hidden Dragon List' ranking? I left in a hurry and have not updated yet!"
"I have it here! Just bought a rubbings version from 'Myriad Worlds Book Sea,' cost me five hundred upper-grade spirit stones! Let's have a look!"
Tang Xiaoqi's mind moved slightly, quietly concentrating more attention on those few cultivators passing around a jade slip. From their fragmented words, he quickly extracted key information.
This "Hidden Dragon List" was an extremely authoritative institution in the Central Plains cultivation world, the "Heavenly Secrets Pavilion," that ranked cultivators under a hundred years old throughout the cultivation world (not limited to the Central Plains) based on comprehensive factors such as cultivation level, battle records, potential, and background. Those who could make the list were all true heaven's favored children, leading figures of the younger generation, representing the peak power of the future!
This list was not fixed; the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion would update it at any time based on intelligence from various sources and major events. And this "Wan Xiang Wen Dao Assembly" was undoubtedly the most important stage to verify the list's credibility and trigger drastic ranking changes!
At this moment, the startled exclamations from those few cultivators confirmed his guess.
"My heavens! The top rank is still 'Ling Tianyu'! This monster!"
"Ling Tianyu? Is that the one from the mysterious force 'Cloud Heaven Immortal Sect,' said to bear the 'Chaos Constitution,' formed a Nascent Soul at twenty, reached Nascent Soul grand completion at thirty, once went deep into the Demon Abyss alone and killed a Spirit Transformation demon general?"
"Who else could it be? They say he could have broken through to Spirit Transformation long ago, but has been suppressing his cultivation to consolidate his foundation. Such a figure can no longer be described by the word 'genius,' simply a monster!"
"Second place has not changed either, 'Huang Jiutian,' the young clan leader of this generation of the Southern Ming Separating Fire Phoenix Clan, bloodline purity said to approach the ancestor, controlling the Southern Ming Separating Fire, burning mountains and boiling seas!"
"Third place... eh? Third place changed! It used to be 'Zhan Wuji,' now it is 'Luo Wuya'? Where did he come from?"
"You do not know Luo Wuya? The current heir of the Western Region 'War God Temple,' said to have cultivated the 'War God Diagram' to an unprecedented level, achieving body sanctification, one punch can explode stars! He just recently officially emerged and directly challenged and defeated the original third place Zhan Wuji, forcefully entering the list!"
"Fourth place is 'Wonderful Sound Fairy,' the Holy Maiden of Xuanji Holy Land, said to have brought her 'Heavenly Melody Constitution' to perfection, one celestial song can give life to all things, and also bring all things to silence..."
"Fifth place..."
Those few cultivators recited the names on the list and their glorious battle records as if counting family treasures. Behind every name was a legend, representing strength and background that made people look up to.
Tang Xiaoqi listened silently, waves gradually rising in his heart.
Ling Tianyu, Huang Jiutian, Luo Wuya, Wonderful Sound Fairy... and the Central Plains Ninth Prince, Ice Plain Holy Maiden, Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect Buddha Son, Shadow Abyss Sea Ghost Noble and others he had heard of before.
These names were like heavy weights, pressing on his heart. He had originally thought that his Nascent Soul stage cultivation, plus various trump cards, would be enough to secure a place in this assembly. But now it seemed, this water was far deeper than he had imagined!
The top hundred of the "Hidden Dragon List" were probably all at least Nascent Soul stage! The top fifty were likely all Nascent Soul mid-stage or above! And those monsters in the top ten, even top five, had reached Nascent Soul late stage or even grand completion, their strength probably no less than some veteran Spirit Transformation cultivators!
His own Nascent Soul early stage cultivation (he revealed Golden Core externally, but his true cultivation was Nascent Soul early peak), among these geniuses, did not seem to have much advantage. Moreover, which of these people did not bear top-level inheritances and possess powerful trump cards?
An unprecedented pressure quietly spread in his heart. But at the same time, an even more intense fighting spirit also burned along with it!
This was the stage he wanted! Competing with these true heaven's favored was the only way to maximally stimulate his potential and temper his Dao-heart!
His gaze swept over those extraordinary figures in the waiting area, trying to match the names he heard with people. Could that white-robed sword cultivator meditating with closed eyes, seemingly out of place with his surroundings, be on the list? That dragon-robed youth surrounded by people, flames of arrogance blazing, must be the Central Plains Ninth Prince. That palace-robed woman surrounded by cold energy should be the Ice Plain Immortal Palace Holy Maiden...
Just then, discussions from another group nearby caught his attention.
"...Speaking of which, there seem to be quite a few dark horses this time. I heard a 'Gu True Person' appeared in the Southern Frontier, gu techniques mysterious and unpredictable, once poisoned a Nascent Soul to death!"
"The Eastern Region also has a rogue cultivator called 'Sword Nameless,' sword techniques ruthless and tricky, challenged several sect geniuses, never defeated!"
"The Western Region Buddhist Kingdom also produced a 'Golden Body Arhat,' physical body ridiculously strong, said to have taken a Nascent Soul treasure attack head-on without a scratch!"
"And also, I heard someone appeared in the Southeast Region, called... Tang Xiaoqi? Right! Said to have casually suppressed a few ignorant noble family disciples at the border, strength seems not bad, just do not know which small sect from some corner, never heard of before..."
Tang Xiaoqi raised his eyebrows upon hearing this. He did not expect his small matter to have spread here, and even be mentioned as a "dark horse." However, clearly in these people's eyes, he, a cultivator from a "small Southeast Region sect," compared to those famous heaven's favored, was still nothing worth mentioning, only counted as one of the "not bad strength" dark horses.
He did not care about these empty names, but was happy to let it be so. Being low-key allowed for better observation, and could sometimes achieve unexpected results.
He closed his eyes again, but his heart was no longer calm.
The "Hidden Dragon List" was like an invisible net, gathering the world's talented within it, and also clearly outlining for him the silhouette of top combat power in this assembly.
The road ahead was indeed full of powerful enemies.
But he, Tang Xiaoqi, when had he ever feared a challenge?
Qingxu Temple's inheritance, Green Lotus Purification Origin, Chaos power, his father's Guardian Sword Intent, the expectations of his senior brothers and sisters... his foundation was equally deep!
He gently stroked the number plate in his hand - "Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty-One."
This number represented his current starting point. And his goal was definitely not just this.
Hidden dragon in the abyss, would eventually have its day to soar.
This "Hidden Dragon List," he would sooner or later walk upon it! And he would stand at the highest position, to see what the scenery there looked like!
A powerful belief rose from his heart, thoroughly dispelling that trace of pressure from earlier. His Dao-heart, after learning of the enemies surrounding him, instead became even more translucent, even more firm.
The assembly had not yet begun, but invisible competition had already unfolded. And this "Hidden Dragon List" was the first target all geniuses wanted to conquer in their hearts!