Chapter 79: The Top Ten Kings of Today - Part 2

"The battle between the alien king and the Taoist of Peach Blossom Mountain is a microcosm of this cultivation golden age. The younger generation's rapid rise has already surpassed the older generation. This is truly the era of the youth," Bai Yunfei sighed, feeling the helplessness of being left behind by time.

But he didn't want to concede, which was why he chose to step down as the sect leader of Yu Hua Gate and focus on his cultivation.

After all, who wasn't once a genius youth?

Lin Jiufeng asked, "Who's next after the alien king?"

Bai Yunfei took a sip of tea and said, "You're wrong. The seventh king of the Top Ten isn't some young genius."

Lin Jiufeng looked at him in surprise. He had just said that the younger generation was outshining the older one, but now he was saying that the seventh king wasn't a genius?

Bai Yunfei explained, "The young geniuses rose quickly, taking most of the spots. But the older generation isn't completely useless. Even though time has faded their brilliance, the sands of time will eventually reveal a few who can stand tall with their calmness and experience, shoulder to shoulder with the younger geniuses."

Lin Jiufeng's curiosity was piqued. "Now you've got me interested. Who is the seventh king?"

"Master!"

"The seventh king is Master. He was born three hundred years ago, at a time when spiritual energy wasn't as abundant as it is now. But he still spent twenty years cultivating and reached the Ninth Forbidden Realm. When everyone expected him to rise and claim dominance, he opened a school and became a teacher, educating others."

"That teaching lasted for three hundred years!"

"Three hundred years later, with the revival of spiritual energy and the manifestation of the Dao, cultivation became easier, and young talents emerged. The older generation was all but forgotten, but Master became even more famous."

Bai Yunfei spoke with admiration.

Lin Jiufeng was intrigued. "What did Master do to gain such fame?"

"It's said that Master opened the Heavenly Gate," Bai Yunfei said solemnly.

Lin Jiufeng immediately sat up straight, shocked. "Opened the Heavenly Gate? What does that mean?"

"Quite literally, Master opened the Heavenly Gate. Over the past three hundred years, his cultivation became unfathomable. It's rumored that he opened the Heavenly Gate more than a decade ago, and for eleven years, he cultivated in the heavens, beyond the reach of those in the mortal realm. Many Tenth Forbidden cultivators visited him, and after meeting him, they all referred to themselves as his disciples, not daring to speak ill of him."

"Although Master has not acted directly, his reputation has spread throughout the cultivation world," Bai Yunfei explained.

Lin Jiufeng raised an eyebrow, greatly interested in this mysterious Master.

Opening the Heavenly Gate—what did that mean? Lin Jiufeng was deeply curious.

"So, who's the eighth one?" Lin Jiufeng asked, still eager to learn more.

"The eighth is Yue Dashan!" Bai Yunfei smiled, proudly introducing him.

"Ah, this little guy! Is he the one who crossed the tribulation in the North Sea?" Lin Jiufeng also smiled, asking.

"The North Sea tribulation was spectacular. Everyone who witnessed it said that it was like a hundred thousand bolts of lightning crashing down, destroying the heavens and the earth. The North Sea was engulfed in monstrous waves, and Yue Dashan single-handedly endured the tribulation. His performance alone was enough to secure a spot as one of the Top Ten Kings," Bai Yunfei said, clearly concerned.

Lin Jiufeng frowned. Why did Yue Dashan need to undergo tribulation? Wasn't that breaking the celestial rules?

"It's a good thing he survived. When he returns, I'll make sure to ask him why he had to undergo such a tribulation," Bai Yunfei added with worry.

Lin Jiufeng nodded in agreement. It was clear that Bai Yunfei cared deeply about his disciple's well-being.

"Who are the last two?" Lin Jiufeng asked, eager to know about the final two spots.

The previous figures were so stunning—surely the last two couldn't be any less impressive, right?

Bai Yunfei clicked his tongue. "The last two are very special. Without them, the weight of the Top Ten Kings would be greatly diminished."

Lin Jiufeng's curiosity was piqued even further. "Such a high evaluation?"

He stared at Bai Yunfei, eager to hear more.

"The ninth king is a divine beast—the Qilin!" Bai Yunfei said in a deep voice.

"What?" Lin Jiufeng couldn't believe his ears. He sat up straighter, staring at Bai Yunfei in disbelief. "The Qilin, the divine beast?"

How could that be? The demonic beasts were already rare, hiding deep in the vast mountains. How could a divine beast, and specifically a Qilin, still exist?

Bai Yunfei grinned. "Do you remember, Master, that many years ago, there were rumors in the cultivation world about a young Qilin emerging from the demon race? Taoist sects even mobilized all their experts to capture it?"

Lin Jiufeng certainly remembered. Bai Yunfei's words immediately brought back his memories. He had once left his divine soul outside his body and overheard the Taoist sects discussing the young Qilin.

"Are you saying that this Qilin is the same one from back then?" Lin Jiufeng licked his lips, astonished.

Bai Yunfei nodded. "Yes, the young Qilin was protected by the demon race, and Taoist sects failed to capture it. Now, years have passed, and the Qilin has grown into a powerful being, its strength beyond imagination. It's considered one of the top contenders for the first place in the Top Ten Kings."

Lin Jiufeng suddenly became even more curious about the last spot. "Now I'm really curious about the final person."

Bai Yunfei smiled. "The last spot has sparked much debate within the cultivation world. Many geniuses were nominated, but none were universally accepted, until this person appeared..."

Lin Jiufeng gave him a playful glance. "You're still teasing me."

Bai Yunfei chuckled and didn't delay. "The tenth king is Old Dragon from the South!"

"Dragon?" Lin Jiufeng's voice was filled with shock. "Are you saying a true dragon?"

He suddenly felt like he was out of touch with the world. He had only been in seclusion in the Scripture Pavilion for ten years, and now, there were Qilins and true dragons appearing in the world?

It made Lin Jiufeng feel like he had been cut off from the world for thousands of years.

"Yes, a true dragon. And this Old Dragon isn't simple. There are eyewitnesses who claim to have seen him fall from the sky, and they even heard him shout angrily, saying he would return," Bai Yunfei confirmed.

Lin Jiufeng was stunned. A true dragon? Not a young dragon, but an old one—its strength must be unimaginable.

"Shouldn't the true dragon easily surpass the others?" Lin Jiufeng asked, confused.

"This Old Dragon was injured. Some saw him coughing up blood. After he fell, he devoured a whale dragon in the South Sea to heal his wounds. But even with that, his injuries were too severe," Bai Yunfei explained, shaking his head.

"With such serious injuries, he's still in the Top Ten?" Lin Jiufeng raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, and even in his current state, he's still a strong contender for the top spots, often placed in the top three alongside the Qilin and Master," Bai Yunfei nodded.

"The three of them are indeed the most competitive," Lin Jiufeng agreed. "Master opened the Heavenly Gate before spiritual energy even revived, spending eleven years cultivating in the heavens. The Qilin is a divine beast, and its potential is limitless. As for the Old Dragon, if it weren't for its injuries, it would certainly be the undisputed first."

Bai Yunfei nodded in agreement, then leaned in closer to Lin Jiufeng and whispered, "Actually, there's one more person above the Top Ten Kings."

Lin Jiufeng looked at Bai Yunfei, curious. "Who?"

"Master, it's you," Bai Yunfei said with a grin.

"Me?" Lin Jiufeng was taken aback. He never expected anyone to still remember him.

"Master, do you know what people in the cultivation world call you?" Bai Yunfei laughed.

Lin Jiufeng shook his head. How could he possibly know?

"They call you the 'God of the Mortal Realm'," Bai Yunfei said with a sly grin.