Invincible Beyond Heavens: Cultivating With A Broken EXP System

Zhu Ximen himself was a genius among the younger generation. During the time they had been apart, he had successfully broken through to the fifth level of the Qi Sea Realm and risen to the rank of True Disciple.

Such progress was already considered extremely fast, and deep down, he had even believed he was beginning to catch up to Li Yun.

Now he realized how laughably mistaken that thought had been.

The instant he saw Li Yun, he had instinctively tried to sense the depth of Li Yun’s current cultivation. Yet with his own fifth-level Qi Sea Realm strength, he could not perceive anything at all.

Li Yun felt like a bottomless abyss.

Unwilling to accept it, Zhu Ximen focused harder and finally caught the faintest trace of qi that Li Yun had unintentionally allowed to leak out.

That tiny trace of energy struck Zhu Ximen’s senses like a divine mountain crashing into his soul.

His mind trembled violently. His blood surged wildly in his chest, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.

Shock flooded his face.

He had once felt the aura of his own master, the Peak Master of Human Origin Peak. That aura had been powerful and imposing, yet it had never given him such an overwhelming sensation.

A terrifying thought rose in Zhu Ximen’s mind.

Had Li Yun’s cultivation already surpassed even peak-level powerhouses?

Seeing the stunned look on Zhu Ximen’s face, Li Yun smiled faintly.

“I happened to encounter a small opportunity recently, so my cultivation improved rather quickly.”

Zhu Ximen stared at him in silence for a long moment. In the end, he could only force out two words.

“You monster.”

“Can you all stop talking about cultivation the moment you meet someone? It is so boring.”

Shi Luo rolled her eyes in annoyance, then skipped over to Li Yun’s side and naturally wrapped both hands around his arm.

“Brother-in-law, are you going out for a walk? We were just about to head out too, so let’s go together.”

Li Yun glanced at her helplessly, but he did not refuse.

“Alright.”

The group soon left the residence of Martial Ascension Gate and stepped onto the bustling streets of Hidden Dragon City.

The city was overflowing with life. Merchants shouted loudly from both sides of the road, restaurants were packed with guests, and martial artists from every corner of the Southern Martial Domain could be seen moving through the streets. Powerful auras rose and fell everywhere, creating an atmosphere that was both lively and tense.

As they walked, Li Yun noticed a large crowd gathered around a roadside stall. Curious voices rose from within, mixed with cheers, arguments, and bursts of laughter.

He looked over and asked, “What is happening there?”

Zhu Ximen replied, “That is a gambling den. People are placing bets on the participants of the Hidden Dragon Tournament.”

Li Yun raised an eyebrow, interest flashing in his eyes.

“Oh? That does sound interesting.”

Without hesitation, he strode toward the crowded stall.

After pushing through the surrounding crowd, he reached the front and saw a long wooden table staffed by seven or eight attendants. Behind them hung rows of wooden plaques, each carved with a participant’s name and marked with betting odds.

The rules were simple.

The lower the odds, the more likely that person was expected to win. The higher the odds, the less confidence people had in them.

Li Yun casually swept his gaze across the plaques.

The first plaque bore the name Su Fengyan, and the odds beside it were astonishingly low.

The second plaque was marked with the name Li Hao. His odds were also extremely low, though still noticeably higher than Su Fengyan’s.

The third plaque belonged to Huang Chen.

The fourth was Zhang Haoran.

The fifth was Wen Batian.

Farther down the list, the hundredth plaque carried the name Zhou Qing.

Li Yun quickly noticed that the first hundred names all had very low odds. Only after the hundredth position did the numbers begin to look normal.

He turned to Zhu Ximen and asked, “Are all the people ranked in the top hundred that famous?”

Zhu Ximen looked at him with disbelief.

“You really do not know them? Have you never paid attention to the Hidden Dragon Ranking?”

Li Yun shook his head lightly.

“I know some of the geniuses on the ranking, but not all of them. Most of the ones I know are people I encountered during the Tea Ceremony.”

As he spoke, Li Yun took out the Hidden Dragon Ranking and gave it another glance. After scanning through it carefully, he still did not find his own name.

His brows rose at once.

“What are the requirements for entering this Hidden Dragon Ranking?”

Zhu Ximen explained, “There are no fixed requirements. If your strength is high enough, you can enter. Generally speaking, once someone reaches the first level of the Essence Qi Realm, they are considered qualified to be listed.”

Li Yun frowned slightly.

“My cultivation realm may not appear high, but my true strength entered the Essence Qi Realm long ago. So why is my name not on the ranking?”

He was already at the seventh level of the Qi Sea Realm, yet his battle power could rival the greatest young geniuses of the Southern Martial Domain. And it wasn’t like he was some unknown genius. He had create enough chaos in the Tea Ceremony to be known by almost all the forces of the Southern Martial Domain.

By all logic, he should not only qualify for the Hidden Dragon Ranking, but even stand within the top ten.

Yet his name was nowhere to be found.

Zhu Ximen smiled and spread his hands.

“That, I do not know. My guess is that they place great importance on actual cultivation realm. Whoever compiles the Hidden Dragon Ranking probably follows a rule that only those who have officially stepped into the Essence Qi Realm can be included.”

After a brief pause, he continued speaking.

“Still, your situation proves that the Hidden Dragon Ranking is only a reference, not an absolute measure of strength. You should never underestimate someone simply because their name does not appear on the list.”

His expression grew more serious as he looked at Li Yun.

“Across the entire Southern Martial Domain, there are many geniuses who cultivate quietly in the shadows. They focus on growth rather than fame, and because they have not displayed their abilities publicly, their reputations remain unknown. Naturally, people like that would not appear on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.”

Li Yun nodded slowly as understanding dawned on him.

“I see.”

Zhu Ximen gave a firm nod.

“Those outside the Hidden Dragon Ranking are not necessarily weak, but those who stand on the Hidden Dragon Ranking are unquestionably powerful.”

He turned and pointed toward the betting plaques in the distance.

“Take Su Fengyan, Li Hao, Huang Chen, and the others ranked within the top ten. These people have already crushed countless young talents and built their names through battle after battle. Every one of them is a top-tier genius with frightening strength.”

His voice lowered slightly.

“If anyone underestimates them, they will pay a heavy price.”