Ranking of the Leaderboard

"I did it!"

Yun Che took a deep breath, resisting the urge to shout in exhilaration. His face glowed with excitement, his heart racing with triumph.At this moment, as long as he willed it, he could summon a wisp of Martial Inner Force in the palm of his hand. That faint azure aura was nearly imperceptible—transparent and ethereal, vanishing into the air if one did not look closely.This was the first strand of Martial Inner Force Yun Che had ever condensed.He had never imagined that a once-distant dream would now be so tantalizingly close.With the successful formation of Martial Inner Force, the bottleneck to the fourth realm of martial cultivation—the True Martial Stage—no longer existed for him.For Yun Che, stepping into the Fourth Stage was now merely a matter of time. He only needed to push his cultivation to the pinnacle of the Third Stage, and then, like a river flowing seamlessly into the sea, he would break through, ascending into the Qi Nourishment Phase, officially earning the title of a True Martial Artist."In the entire outer clan of the Yun family, not a single disciple has yet achieved the condensation of Martial Inner Force—not even Yun Yue or Yun Yijian..."At this thought, Yun Che could barely contain his exhilaration, a deep sense of accomplishment surging through his veins.To form Martial Inner Force while still in the Third Stage meant that beneath the True Martial Realm, he was unparalleled."The medicinal potency of the two-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng must not go to waste!"Sensing the surging vitality coursing through his body, Yun Che composed himself and focused on refining his blood essence, further condensing his Martial Inner Force.Harnessing the residual medicinal power, he managed to extract several more strands of Martial Inner Force within his body.Essentially, Martial Inner Force was nothing more than an advanced refinement of one's innate lifeblood energy—extracted and condensed into its purest form.To fortify his newly acquired power, Yun Che secluded himself in meditation for an entire day and night before emerging from his chamber.The moment he stepped beyond his threshold, he could distinctly perceive a newfound strength in every breath he took—each inhalation and exhalation carried a subtle but formidable aura, one that could impose pressure upon those around him.Even his parents immediately sensed the change."Feng'er looks different—he seems more energetic, brimming with vigor," Yun Shi observed, her eyes crinkling with a smile."He's even grown taller," Yun Tianyang noted, though as he regarded his son, a faint sense of pressure weighed upon him.Their observations were not mistaken.These changes were real.Ever since merging with the enigmatic eye, Yun Che's body had been undergoing a slow and profound transformation.And with his recent meteoric rise in strength, his physical stature, his vitality, and even his mental resilience had all elevated to a greater level.The shifts were so tangible that even his demeanor exuded a newfound aura—one of confidence and quiet dominance."If even my parents can perceive it, then other martial artists will undoubtedly discern that I have cultivated Martial Inner Force."Yun Che fell into contemplation.With only a month remaining until the Clan Martial Assembly, his goal was nothing less than first place—or at the very least, the top three!"I must find a way to conceal my Martial Inner Force..."Returning to his room, Yun Che sat cross-legged in deep thought.The moment he shut his eyes, an array of over a hundred martial manuals surfaced in his mind—volumes he had obtained from the Xuanwu Pavilion.Moments later, one particular book stood out—The Art of Concealing Qi.Unlike combat techniques, The Art of Concealing Qi did not enhance strength nor accelerate cultivation.Yun Che had initially chosen this manual simply because it was classified as a high-tier intermediate technique, akin to Furious Dragon Fist.If mastered to the Minor Accomplishment stage, this technique would allow him to suppress and mask his life force and Martial Inner Force, making it nearly impossible for others to discern his true cultivation level.Upon reaching the Major Accomplishment stage, the mastery of one's aura would reach an extreme—enabling complete erasure of presence, blending seamlessly into the surroundings.At this level, even the keenest of hunting beasts with the most acute sense of smell would be unable to detect the user's existence.That very day, Yun Che began his training in The Art of Concealing Qi.Despite being classified as an intermediate peak-tier technique, he found it incredibly easy to grasp.In just half a day, he reached the Minor Accomplishment stage—capable of fully suppressing and controlling his Martial Inner Force.With this, even a seasoned True Martial Artist would struggle to perceive that he had successfully cultivated Martial Inner Force."According to the manual, this technique typically takes several months to attain the Minor Accomplishment stage…"Yun Che was mildly astonished.But upon further thought, he realized—he had already mastered Drifting Heaven's Step, refined Martial Inner Force, and achieved feats many could not. Compared to those achievements, mastering a technique of this level was naturally a trivial task.With his presence now successfully concealed, Yun Che could move freely once more.And as fate would have it, the next few days marked the registration period for the Clan Martial Assembly."Feng'er, the Clan Martial Assembly is now open for registration. Don't miss the deadline."His father, Yun Tianyang, reminded him."Understood, I'll head there now," Yun Che responded, his voice steady and brimming with confidence.Yun Tianyang nodded. "Since you've broken through to the Third Stage, you should be able to secure a place among the top hundred in the rankings.""The top hundred?"Yun Che chuckled, shaking his head. His parents truly underestimated him.He had absolute confidence in this tournament.Even if he failed to claim first place, securing a position within the top three was well within his reach.Without delay, he set off toward the registration grounds.The Clan Martial Assembly occurred once every three years, with registration opening precisely one month before the competition.By the time Yun Che arrived at the registration site, a large crowd had already gathered—countless clan disciples queuing to sign up."Have you heard? The rewards for this year's Clan Martial Assembly are extraordinarily generous—far surpassing those of previous years!"A fellow clan disciple spoke excitedly."Rewards? Tell us more! You're an Inner Clan Disciple, you must have inside information!"Several nearby disciples perked up with interest, turning their attention toward the one who had spoken.Their hushed conversation also caught Yun Che's ear.He glanced sideways at the so-called Inner Clan Disciple—a youth whose cultivation had reached the Third Stage Pinnacle. Judging by the intensity of his life force and the aura emanating from his body, his strength was at least on par with Yun Qian.

"As expected of an inner clan disciple."

Yun Che mused inwardly. Even a seemingly ordinary inner disciple possessed such formidable strength."This year's martial tournament offers remarkable rewards. Those who secure a place within the top fifty will be granted the status of inner clan disciples, gaining access to the second floor of the Xuanwu Pavilion, where they may select a high-grade martial technique. Additionally, they will be awarded a three-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng.""If one enters the top twenty, they may select two high-grade martial techniques and will receive two three-hundred-year-old Blood Ginsengs."The inner disciple paused briefly before continuing."Tsk tsk, three-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng… The clan is truly willing to offer such lavish rewards!""High-grade martial techniques! Ordinary disciples might never have the opportunity to learn one in their lifetime!"The surrounding disciples murmured in astonishment, their excitement barely contained.Even Yun Che found himself pleasantly surprised.A three-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng was worth three thousand taels of silver—anyone who had visited the Herbal Pavilion would know its immense value.Yet, what truly intrigued him was the opportunity to enter the second floor of Xuanwu Pavilion and freely choose from its collection of martial arts manuals."If I gain entry to the second floor, I'll be able to bring out a wealth of advanced martial techniques…"Yun Che's anticipation grew.The inner disciple continued, "Those who make it into the top ten will also be allowed to select two high-grade martial techniques, but their reward will be a five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng!"

A five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng!

The nearby disciples erupted with excitement, their eyes gleaming with eagerness. Many clenched their fists in determination.After all, a single five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng was valued at a staggering ten thousand taels of silver!"It is also said that those who rank in the top three will receive not only one supreme-grade martial technique and two high-grade ones, but also a Blood Nourishment Pill as a reward!"

"A supreme-grade martial technique!"

"A Blood Nourishment Pill?"

A wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd.Supreme-grade martial techniques stood at the very pinnacle of conventional martial arts, capable of leading one to the ninth level of martial cultivation.As for the Blood Nourishment Pill, it was an exceedingly rare elixir. Rumor had it that even True Martial Realm warriors could use it to enhance their cultivation.If Yun Che were to obtain one and consume it, he might not even need a few days to break through to the Fourth Stage.However, such divine elixirs were exceedingly rare, each worth no less than fifty thousand taels of silver…"What about the first-place winner? Is there a special reward?"Someone in the crowd asked curiously."Indeed! According to tradition, the champion always receives an exclusive, additional reward!"Several Yun clan disciples spoke eagerly."The first-place prize will undoubtedly be extraordinary, but even I am unaware of what it is," the inner disciple admitted with a shake of his head.A sigh of disappointment spread through the crowd.Yet, the greater the mystery, the stronger the intrigue.After a long wait, Yun Che finally reached the registration desk, where he was issued a token.Upon it, a number was engraved: 188.Yun Che knew that this was his participant number.In the Yun Clan, several hundred disciples typically enrolled in the tournament.According to clan regulations, only those under eighteen could qualify as inner disciples, and the quota was limited to fifty.Since the inner ranks were already filled, it meant that some of the current inner disciples would inevitably be eliminated, replaced by new challengers.Thus, the tournament was not only a competition—it was a merciless battle of survival.After completing his registration, Yun Che returned to the outer clan's territory and devoted himself to even more rigorous training.Day by day, time slipped away.The Clan Martial Assembly drew ever closer.Twenty days before the tournament, the clan had already compiled an unofficial ranking of its strongest disciples.Unsurprisingly, the one occupying the first position was none other than Yun Linlong, the undisputed prodigy of the inner clan.Two years ago, he had already broken through to the Fourth Stage: True Martial Realm.In the previous tournament, he had ranked among the top three—despite being under fifteen years old at the time.Now, he stood as one of the Four Great Geniuses of Yuyang City.Thus, his position as the number one disciple of the Yun Clan was unquestioned, unchallenged.Following him were Yun Feng in second place, Yun Han in third, and Yun Qin in fourth…Then came Yun Yue, ranked twenty-first!Yun Che inhaled sharply.The strongest of the outer disciples, Yun Yue, had not even broken into the top twenty of the inner ranks.Below that, Yun Yijian and Yun Fei were ranked thirty-eighth and fortieth, respectively.As for Yun Qian and Yun Guang, both of whom had once been among the top five of the outer ranks, they now sat at forty-ninth and fifty-third in the overall standings.The rankings listed only the top one hundred names.Yun Che scanned further down the list…And finally—At the very bottom, the ninety-ninth position—He saw his own name.