King of Ten Thousand Years

In a bamboo forest on the mountaintop stood a simple bamboo pavilion.

That was the residence of Hermit Hidden Dragon.

At this moment, more than a dozen people were gathered in the bamboo forest. Five or six of them were disciples of Hermit Hidden Dragon, all here to celebrate his birthday.

The weakest among Hermit Hidden Dragon’s disciples had a cultivation at the Fifth or Sixth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm.

”Senior Brother Miao is here!”

”The Martial Arts Family founded by Senior Brother Miao is growing more prosperous by the day. It’s truly enviable.”

The arrival of Miao Jiang and his son drew enthusiastic greetings from their fellow disciples, along with a fair share of flattery and praise.

”Huh? Senior Brother Lin is here too?”

The arrival of Lin Dongfeng also attracted attention.

However, the crowd’s attitude was a bit colder.

Lin Dongfeng had languished for thirty years and had little contact with the others. Even if he had recovered his cultivation, his future prospects had been delayed.

By contrast, Miao Jiang, as Hermit Hidden Dragon’s number one disciple, had founded a large Martial Arts Family. His achievements were remarkable, and he even had a sliver of hope of advancing to the Earth Element Realm in the future.

A few of the fellow disciples knew about the grudge between Lin Dongfeng and Miao Jiang.

Therefore, they deliberately kept their distance from Lin Dongfeng.

Just then, another father and son pair walked up to the bamboo forest.

”Yuwen is here!”

Several fellow disciples rushed forward to greet them.

The father and son were a handsome middle-aged man and a stern-looking young man, respectively.

’Hm?’

Luo Tian’s gaze sharpened. The stern-looking young man was none other than Yuwen Xuan, ranked third on the Human List.

Yuwen Xuan was also a survivor from the Royal Secret Garden.

’I didn’t expect this. Yuwen Xuan’s father is actually a disciple of Hermit Hidden Dragon too.’

The Yuwen Family was the number one Martial Arts Family in the Azure Cloud Kingdom.

”Senior Brother Lin, Senior Brother Miao, after twenty or thirty years, our ’Three Hidden Dragon Heroes’ of old are finally gathered together again,” Yuwen Xuan’s father said with emotion.

”Yes, twenty or thirty years have passed. Things have changed, and so have we.”

Lin Dongfeng had a distant look in his eyes and couldn’t help but sigh.

The Three Hidden Dragon Heroes referred to the three most outstanding disciples under Hermit Hidden Dragon.

They were: Lin Dongfeng, Miao Jiang, and Yuwen Zhou.

However, with the unfortunate decline of Lin Dongfeng, the leader of the three, this title had become a thing of the past.

”Heh, the glory of the older generation will eventually fade. Why bring it up again?”

Miao Jiang scoffed, interrupting their reminiscence.

Lin Dongfeng had once been the head of the three heroes, and Miao Jiang had been suppressed by him back then. He didn’t want to talk about it.

”Right now, the stage belongs to the younger generation.”

Miao Jiang smiled brightly, a hint of pride showing.

”My son Miao Feng, and Nephew Yuwen Xuan, their achievements are even greater than those of the ’Three Hidden Dragon Heroes’ in their prime.”

As soon as he said this, the crowd chimed in with agreement.

”Nephew Miao Feng is not yet thirty and has already advanced to the Third Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm. Truly, a great father will have a great son.”

”And Yuwen Xuan is ranked third on the Human List. His potential is even more astounding.”

For a moment, Miao Feng and Yuwen Xuan were praised by the elders, becoming the most outstanding geniuses of the third generation.

Miao Jiang and his son basked in the crowd’s adulation, feeling pleased with themselves. Their mocking gazes swept over Lin Dongfeng and Luo Tian.

”And this Junior Luo!”

Miao Feng’s teasing gaze landed on Luo Tian’s face.

”Elder Lin said you’re a champion at the top of the Human List. I wonder how you compare to Yuwen Xuan,” Miao Feng said scornfully.

Just a moment ago, he had been careless and was outsmarted by Luo Tian, and he held a grudge for it.

In this setting, Miao Feng wanted to completely humiliate Luo Tian and Lin Dongfeng.

Lin Dongfeng was once the head of the three heroes, but he unexpectedly fell into decline. Now, his disciple was at the bottom of his generation.

”Senior Brother Lin, is this your disciple?” a few of the fellow disciples asked curiously.

”A Half-step Spirit Sea Cultivation? He should be able to break into the top thirty on the Human List.”

Everyone couldn’t help but feel that Lin Dongfeng’s disciple was a huge step down from those of the other two heroes.

”Luo Tian!”

Yuwen Xuan’s gaze hardened, his fists clenched, and hatred showed on his face.

”What! Junior Yuwen, you know this kid?” Miao Feng looked astonished.

Although his own cultivation was a step higher, he was still very impressed by Yuwen Xuan’s achievement of placing third on the Human List.

After all, back in his day, Miao Feng had only managed to fight his way to seventh on the Human List.

”Luo Tian! You’d better hold on tight to your number one spot on the Human List! I, Yuwen Xuan, will surely challenge you one day.”

A strong fighting spirit shone in Yuwen Xuan’s eyes.

At the Wu Mansion’s grand event, Xia Bingyue had pledged herself to Luo Tian, a fact that Yuwen Xuan bitterly resented.

What annoyed him even more was that Luo Tian was ranked number one on the latest Human List.

Yuwen Xuan had also had a fortunate encounter in the Royal Secret Garden, and his strength had greatly increased.

But Luo Tian’s record for the Human List was defeating two opponents at once, easily slaying two cultivators who were both ranked second on their respective Human Lists.

Faced with such strength, Yuwen Xuan wasn’t confident at the moment. He needed to absorb the benefits of his opportunity and choose another day to challenge Luo Tian.

”What! Number one on the Human List?”

The meaning behind Yuwen Xuan’s words stirred up waves of shock and disbelief.

”This kid, number one on the Human List? How is that possible!”

Miao Feng grinned, completely unconvinced.

”Nephew Yuwen Xuan, you really know how to joke. In the last few hundred years, there has never been a number one on the Human List who was below the Spirit Sea Realm.”

After a moment of shock, Miao Jiang shook his head and laughed.

’These youngsters, they love to be sarcastic. Yuwen Xuan must be mocking Luo Tian. Quite humorous.’

”A joke? I, Yuwen Xuan, am not one to trifle.”

Yuwen Xuan was somewhat displeased.

He was a serious person who rarely smiled and disdained lying.

”Hey! I have a copy of the Human List publication here. The number one is really Luo Tian!” a young man exclaimed in surprise.

”Bring it over, let me see!”

The expressions on the faces of Miao Jiang and his son changed, and they quickly took the Human List booklet.

The crowd looked closely.

On the first page, under the section for prominent figures, there was a relevant description.

”Number One on the Human List: Luo Tian, Half-step Spirit Sea Cultivation, under sixteen years of age, a student of the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion.”

That shocking first place ranking made the smiles on the faces of Miao Jiang and his son freeze. Their faces burned as if they had been brutally slapped.

”This kid! How could he be number one on the Human List!”

Miao Feng was as stunned as if struck by lightning, trembling with disbelief.

The prominent figures page also had an introduction to Luo Tian’s battle record.

”...In the Royal Secret Garden, he received the acknowledgment of the five tablets of Profound Spirit Mountain, achieving a peerless accomplishment. Fighting one against two, he directly killed Wang Tian, second on the Azure Cloud Kingdom’s Human List, and Deng Yunjie, second on the Qiu Yue Kingdom’s Human List.”

UPROAR!

That brilliant battle record and peerless accomplishment left everyone utterly shocked, their hearts reeling as if hit by a monstrous wave.

To become number one on the Human List was to stand at the absolute peak of all geniuses of the same generation in the Azure Cloud Kingdom.

That peerless accomplishment was simply immeasurable.

What Lin Dongfeng had said earlier about being ”at the top of the Human List” was a massive understatement!

”Congratulations, Senior Brother Lin, for not only recovering your cultivation but also taking in such a stunning disciple.”

Yuwen Zhou clasped his fist, his face full of envy.

Luo Tian’s talent, potential, and strength had all reached a level where he could look down upon the geniuses of the surrounding kingdoms.

It could be said that Luo Tian’s potential for achievement far surpassed that of the Three Hidden Dragon Heroes in their day.

”Congratulations, Senior Brother Lin!”

Several nearby fellow disciples spoke up one after another to offer their congratulations.

As long as Luo Tian didn’t fall, reaching the Earth Element Realm was a tangible possibility for him someday.

Who wouldn’t want to be on good terms with such a genius?

’This Luo Tian! He’s too much of a threat...’

Miao Jiang’s face was gloomy, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

The fact that Lin Dongfeng had found such a disciple filled him with immense jealousy and hatred.

’This is infuriating!’

Miao Feng had originally wanted to mock Luo Tian’s Human List ranking, but instead, he was utterly crushed.

Among the third generation, he was considered an outstanding representative.

But now, he was like a clown, merely serving as a foil to Luo Tian’s brilliance.

”Everyone is too kind. Luo Tian is only a student I’ve taken on. He has another, more powerful master guiding him from behind the scenes.”

Lin Dongfeng’s face was flushed with pride as he spoke humbly.

A student wasn’t considered an Official Disciple.

Lin Dongfeng had always believed that Luo Tian had a powerful master behind him; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to repair his own foundation.

Therefore, Lin Dongfeng had not officially taken Luo Tian as his disciple.

But it was undeniable that the two shared a master-disciple bond.

CREAK!

Suddenly, the door of the bamboo pavilion opened.

”Master invites you all to come in.”

The ethereal figure of a woman in a snow-white dress, as beautiful as an ice fairy, entered everyone’s sight.

”Xia... Bingyue!”

Luo Tian’s mind and body trembled.

”Junior Sister Xia!”

”Junior Sister, you truly are as lovely as a heavenly fairy.”

Lin Dongfeng, Miao Jiang, Yuwen Zhou, and the others all greeted her.

This Junior Sister Xia was Hermit Hidden Dragon’s Closed-door Disciple, and her talent and potential surpassed that of the former Three Hidden Dragon Heroes.

As a Closed-door Disciple, her status was also far superior to that of the other disciples.

”You juniors, have you not yet greeted Nun Xia?” Miao Jiang and the other elders chided.

”Greetings, Nun Xia!”

A trace of awe flashed in Miao Feng’s eyes, and his heart pounded with excitement.

He had met this Nun Xia once or twice before. She was truly an Ice Palace Fairy, someone to be admired from a distance, never to be defiled.

”Nun Xia.”

Yuwen Xuan forcefully suppressed the adoration in his heart.

In his pursuit of Xia Bingyue, he had participated in the Wu Mansion’s grand event, only to be defeated by Wang Tian.

”Luo Tian, this is your Nun Xia. Go and pay your respects,” Lin Dongfeng prompted with a smile.

”N-Nun Xia?”

Luo Tian stood there, dumbfounded, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

「A few days ago.」

He and this incomparably beautiful, ice-immortal-like girl had tasted the forbidden fruit for the first time, savoring every inch of her crystal-clear, jade-like skin.

And now, meeting again, this woman had appeared before him with the status of a martial aunt.

”Greetings... Nun Xia.”

Luo Tian could only force himself to walk forward and perform the junior’s greeting, feeling a dull ache as if he had a toothache.