“`
Liu Yiyi had no choice but to follow Dugu Aotian on his travels, enhancing her ability to adapt and respond to various situations.
Liu Mufeng and Tiancheng Daoist, along with the rest of the Yaochi Holy Land, returned to Yaochi.
…
As springs passed and autumns came, more than two thousand years had slipped by unnoticed.
On Yuntai Peak, in Lu Changsheng’s cave abode, Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged in the medicinal pool, as the pure medicinal essence flowed into his Zodiac Meridians, tempering his internal organs, sinews, and flesh.
The Innate Taoist Body devoured all the medicinal essence, leaving not a single drop, and glowed with a vibrant cyan light.
Under the influence of the cyan luminescence, all things on Yuntai Peak thrived and pulsed with life.
“Having cultivated the ‘Qing Emperor Eternal Life Art’ to the eighth layer’s Great Perfection, my physical strength has surpassed that of a superior Holy Artifact, lying somewhere between an Emperor Soldier and a Holy Artifact.”
Lu Changsheng concluded his cultivation.
He had utilized these three thousand years to advance his cultivation of the ‘Qing Emperor Eternal Life Art’ from the seventh layer to the eighth layer.
The seventh layer at Great Perfection, the physical body comparable to a superior Holy Artifact.
The eighth layer at Great Perfection, the physical body lying between an Emperor Soldier and a Holy Artifact.
Theoretically, at present, Lu Changsheng’s physical body could withstand any attack from a Holy Artifact without perishing.
Of course, it depends on who is wielding the Holy Artifact.
If it were someone like Lin Xuantong, not to mention utilizing a Holy Artifact, he could kill Lu Changsheng barehanded.
However, it should be sufficient to deal with Jiang Yu.
Lu Changsheng had also cultivated the ‘True Solar Fire Yuan Skills’ to the seventh layer, the ‘Eternal Holy Scripture’ to the eighth layer, and brought the ‘Sword Scripture of the Divine King’ to Great Perfection.
In his spare time, Lu Changsheng also gave guidance to Tang Ling’er, Shangguan Zhao’er, Zhao Wuyan, and Daoist Earth Hound in their cultivation.
Lu Qinglian, Xiao Fan, Ning Qianqian, Su Xiaoqi, and Chen Yi, his various disciples, returned one after another, but only Dugu Aotian had not yet returned to the sect on time.
Chen Yi was visibly anxious, “Could something have happened to our elder brother?”
“No need to worry, he’s likely delayed by some matters along the way.”
Lu Changsheng had the Disciple Apprenticeship Simulator, which allowed him to simulate his disciples’ lives; he knew that Dugu Aotian had encountered some dangers but was safe.
The disciples had descended the mountain to gain worldly experience and to perform good deeds. The virtue returned by the system allowed the Heavenly Earth Mystical Yellow Exquisite Pagoda to grow to the twenty-seventh layer.
Advancing the Heavenly Earth Mystical Yellow Exquisite Pagoda from the twenty-seventh layer to the twenty-eighth layer required ten billion virtue.
Even with many disciples, Lu Changsheng could not accumulate ten billion virtue in a short time.
The twenty-seventh layer of the Heavenly Earth Mystical Yellow Exquisite Pagoda was of a quality equivalent to that of half an inferior Emperor Soldier.
For the competition for the title of Holy Son, Lu Changsheng made several preparations, determined to win.
Becoming the Holy Son grants access to the supreme secret teachings of Tai Hua Holy Land, and once one became an Immortal Emperor, one could even proceed to the higher levels of the Scripture Pavilion and Treasure Pavilion.
“I should head to the main peak now.”
Lu Changsheng set off with his disciples.
The competition for the title of Holy Son was held on the main peak, open and fair, with all the Elders and disciples able to watch the battle.
The victor would become the Holy Son.
For a time, the competition for the title of Holy Son became the focus of everyone in Tai Hua Holy Land, with many Elders and disciples arriving early at the arena.
The challenge of a Holy Son Candidate against a Holy Son, such a grand event, was not common.
Tai Hua Holy Land’s main peak was a sea of people, bustling with excitement.
“I heard that the Holy Son Candidate, Daoist Changsheng, is only a ninth layer Golden Immortal. I didn’t expect him to challenge for the title of Holy Son so soon.”
“Who do you think will win?”
“I still favor Jiang Yu. The difference between a ninth layer Golden Immortal and the Quasi-Emperor Realm may be only one level, but it’s vast, like heaven and earth.”
“If I were Daoist Changsheng, I would at least wait to reach the Quasi-Emperor Realm, to stand a better chance in challenging for Holy Son.”
“I bet an Immortal Pill of fourteenth grade that Daoist Changsheng will win.”
Your journey continues on empire
“`
“Then this Immortal Pill belongs to me. Everyone has witnessed Jiang Yu’s strength. Twenty thousand years ago, Jiang Yu killed a Demon Chief of the same Quasi-Emperor realm, and his fame spread far and wide. After this battle, Jiang Yu ranked ninety-seventh on the Qilin Ranking of the Immortal Realm’s Holy Lands.”
“Are you referring to the Qilin Ranking recorded by the Kunlun Holy Land, which ranks the talents of all the unparalleled young geniuses in the Immortal Realm who have less than five hundred thousand years of cultivation time?”
“Exactly, it’s the Kunlun Holy Land’s Qilin Ranking. Those who make it onto the Qilin Ranking, barring any accidents, all have the potential to become an Immortal Emperor.”
“What rank is our Holy Maiden at?”
“The Holy Maiden ranks seventy-second on the Qilin Ranking.”
“What? The Holy Maiden, already the number one genius of our younger generation in the Tai Hua Holy Land, is only ranked seventy-second?”
“There are many Holy Lands, countless Cultivator Clans, and numerous Loose Cultivators of the Immortal Sects in the Immortal Realm. For the Holy Maiden to rank seventy-second after only three hundred thousand years of cultivation is quite good. You should know that those ranked before the Holy Maiden are either freakishly talented geniuses or unparalleled geniuses who have cultivated for over four hundred thousand years. Jiang Yu has cultivated for more than four hundred thousand years, and his ranking is still not as high as the Holy Maiden’s.”
“Then where does Daoist Changsheng rank on the Qilin Ranking?”
“Daoist Changsheng ranks four hundred and sixty-first.”
The people of the Tai Hua Holy Land whispered among themselves, an Elder among them speaking eloquently about the Qilin Ranking.
The Qilin Ranking, a list published by the Kunlun Holy Land every thousand years, only records the young geniuses with less than five hundred thousand years of cultivation time, serving as a gauge for the strength and aptitude of these young talents.
The top five hundred of the Qilin Ranking are mostly from various Holy Lands and Cultivator Clans.
Some Holy Sons and Holy Maidens from Holy Lands who either have too little cultivation time or have yet to show themselves, like Liu Yiyi of the Yaochi Holy Land, are not included in the Qilin Ranking.
But there’s no doubt, to be among the top five hundred of the Qilin Ranking, one must be a genius among geniuses of the Immortal Realm.
Currently, the Tai Hua Holy Land has only two people in the top one hundred of the Qilin Ranking, namely Lin Qinghan ranked at seventy-second and Jiang Yu at ninety-seventh.
Jiang Yu has cultivated longer than Lin Qinghan, who ranks higher due to her superior aptitude and strength.
Yet, qualifying for the top one hundred of the Qilin Ranking is sufficient to demonstrate Jiang Yu’s formidable strength.
The assessment of the Qilin Ranking by the Kunlun Holy Land is relatively objective, with the major flaw being that geniuses who do not display their strengths to the world are not listed.
Geniuses from the Demon Sects are also not entered into the Qilin Ranking.
Lu Changsheng, having killed the King of Chaos and the Divine Ape King, and having faced off with the Grand Freedom Buddha, was evaluated as a peak Golden Immortal, but not yet at the Quasi-Emperor realm.
The difference between the Quasi-Emperor realm and the Golden Immortal realm is vast, and the Qilin Ranking consists solely of unparalleled geniuses, so it is basically impossible for a Daluo Golden Immortal to break into the top five hundred.
The Immortal Realm is never short of unparalleled geniuses.
Lu Changsheng’s ability to rank at four hundred and sixty-first also owes to the fact that he was taken in by Lin Xuantong as his disciple. The Supreme Elder of the Kunlun Holy Land responsible for the rankings thus advanced Lu Changsheng’s position to within the top five hundred.
Saint Lord Lin Xuantong of the Tai Hua Holy Land, accompanied by a group of Supreme Elders, arrived, and all the Elders and Disciples immediately quieted down.
With his incredible cultivation, Lin Xuantong commands the Tai Hua Holy Land, and there are none who do not respect him.
Also arriving with Lin Xuantong were the protectors and Supreme Elders of the Tai Hua Holy Land, individuals who may have been former Holy Sons, Holy Daughters, candidates for such titles, or even Lin Xuantong’s junior brothers, junior sisters, and disciples.
An Immortal addressed Lin Xuantong, “Rank ninety-seventh on the Qilin Ranking, going against rank four hundred and sixty-one—no matter how you look at it, the former has a higher chance of winning. Elder Brother, what do you think?”
Lin Xuantong replied calmly, “The Qilin Ranking of the Kunlun Holy Land carries significant weight, but the ranking will only be updated after a contest. In other words, the Qilin Ranking is outdated. As long as my disciple defeats Jiang Yu, he may well enter the top eighty of the Qilin Ranking.”
“It seems Elder Brother has great confidence in his disciple.”
“Naturally. He has cultivated for a short period, but he may be able to enter the top ten of the Qilin Ranking in the future.”
“The top ten of the Qilin Ranking…”
The Supreme Elders of the Tai Hua Holy Land looked at each other.
With Lin Qinghan’s talent, she is currently only ranked seventy-second on the Qilin Ranking.
Lin Qinghan still has room for improvement, and if she becomes an Immortal Emperor, she may even reach the top thirty or twenty.
But the top ten of the Qilin Ranking consists of monstrous talents who, despite not having cultivated for long, have already become Immortal Emperors and are advancing at an extraordinary pace.
Even if Lin Qinghan reaches the Immortal Emperor Realm, she may not have the chance to break into the top ten.
Those are the truly unparalleled geniuses among geniuses, beyond reproach.
Lin Xuantong’s junior sister narrowed her eyes, seemingly recalling the distant past, “Elder Brother, what was your highest rank on the Qilin Ranking back in the day?”
“Not very high, just second.”
