Invincible!

Chapter 48 Reputation
As noon approached, thousands of distinguished and renowned martial artists gathered in the square in front of the Rising Dragon Pavilion, coming from both the mountaintop and the foot of the mountain.

Among these thousands of people, even the lowest-ranking among them could be associated with martial artists at the Blood Transformation and Marrow Cleansing Realm.

Among them were leaders of major sects, important officials in the court, and members of the imperial family.

Of course, the most distinguished were the members of the royal family, the elders of the three major powers, and the leaders who were waiting quietly in the pavilion.

However, neither the leaders of major sects nor members of the royal family are the main characters today.

He was listed on the Hidden Dragon List...

Or rather, the top ten or top five on the Hidden Dragon List are the real stars at this moment.

Each arrival inevitably elicits a gasp of surprise from the crowd.

And discussions about them are endless.

"Of the top five, Su Jianxing and Yue Longsha have already arrived. That leaves Yan Yu, who is ranked first, Xiang Yangsheng, who is ranked second, and Qi Liang, who is ranked third. As long as the competition method does not rely heavily on luck, the five Dragon Gate Tokens should fall into their hands. As for the others... the chances are less than 30%."

"I've heard that Yan Yu's strength is probably inferior to Xiang Yang's. Why is she ranked first? Is it because she is the nineteenth princess?"

"Shh! You can't say that. Although the Taixu Sword Palace has a superior status, in this territory of six thousand miles, with tens of thousands of people under its jurisdiction, the Yan family is the most respected. Unless there is a significant difference in status, the Rising Dragon Pavilion will have to give the Yan family face."

"What's there to hide? Let's not even talk about whether His Highness Yan Yu is weaker than Xiang Yangsheng. Even if he is slightly inferior, His Highness is two years younger than Xiang Yangsheng. The Hidden Dragon Ranking considers potential in addition to strength. In this way, His Highness Yan Yu is truly worthy of being the number one Hidden Dragon."

Amidst this discussion, Li Xian, Zhou Juechen, and others slowly made their way up the Wendao Mountain.

Along the way, Zhou Juechen also introduced to Li Xian the possible competition methods that might occur in previous Dragon Gate Leap competitions.

"In previous years, the Dragon Gate Leap competitions have required cultivators to search for the Dragon Gate Token in the dense forest and bring it back, or to have them engage in formal martial arts competitions, or to fight ferocious beasts, or to seize missions and hunt down evil spirits. The previous competition involved searching for the Dragon Gate Token in the Dao Asking Mountain, which spans dozens of miles around, and then handing it over to the Pavilion Master."

Zhou Juechen explained, "Some people entered the mountain early to try their luck, while others blocked the outer square to prevent them from meeting the Pavilion Master. However, there was still a lucky one who ranked twenty-sixth on the Hidden Dragon List. He not only found a Dragon Gate Token early on, but also broke through quickly when the top ten were all restrained. In the end, he delivered the Dragon Gate Token and completed the leap over the Dragon Gate."

He said with some envy, "In the words of Pavilion Master Shen, strength is the most important thing for cultivators, but luck and opportunity are equally indispensable."

"I just hope this competition won't be too complicated. I really hope it won't be one where I have to hunt down evil spirits and heretics. Otherwise, just finding the person will be a huge headache for me."

Li Xiandao.

"When hunting down evil spirits and heretics, the Rising Dragon Pavilion will provide detailed intelligence, but... having external intelligence certainly gives us a significant advantage..."

Zhou Juechen nodded.

However, according to the Rising Dragon Pavilion, one's background also has a certain impact on a cultivator's future and should therefore be included in the assessment.

“Master, there are thirty-two experts in the Perfection Realm this year alone, and there are only three Dragon Gate Tokens that can actually be competed for. The difficulty is much greater than the last year.”

Hongyu, who was standing to the side, glanced at Zhou Juechen with some concern.

"Thirty-two people..."

Zhou Juechen was somewhat helpless about this.

Unfortunately, time waits for no one.

On the other hand, Mr. Li felt a pang of regret upon hearing the number.

The entire Great Zhou Dynasty had a registered population of 66 million, and if the hidden population was included, the number was close to 10 million.

As a result, this grand event only managed to gather thirty-two participants with flawless appearances.

Despite the age limit of thirty, it is clear how rare a martial artist with flawless skills is.

In particular, among the thirty-two people who have achieved complete physical perfection, only six have mastered the manipulation of qi and blood, indicating that most of them are newly promoted to complete physical perfection.

With his current strength...

The only people he could call rivals were Qi Liang, Yue Longsha, and six others. As for those who could pose a fatal danger to him and unleash his full potential, there were only Yan Yu and Xiang Yangsheng.

"Since I awoke, I have spent most of my time figuring out how to control my Qi and blood. In the end, I relied on the Blood Refining Technique to accumulate strength and finally made this leap. However, I am currently completely clueless about the unity of spirit and Qi and the cultivation of truth through the illusion. The best way to break through this predicament and find a clue is to personally experience the entry of true Qi into the body."

Li Xian's eyes gleamed. So...

A fight with Yan Yu and Xiang Yangsheng is inevitable.

Even if we are ultimately defeated, seriously injured, and miss the opportunity to achieve great things, we will not hesitate.

Improving one's own strength is paramount.

Just then, Li Xian noticed that many people seemed to be looking at him, accompanied by various discussions.

"That's Li Xian!? The ninth on the Hidden Dragon List, known as the Gentleman Sword? By the way, how did he get the title of Gentleman Sword? I've also looked into Li Xian's background in detail. His actions can hardly be considered honorable, can they?"

"It's certainly not a glorious title, but he's a scholar, and currently ranks ninth on the Hidden Dragon List. As for his title, it should be used in a positive light. So, the name 'Gentleman Sword,' do you understand?"

"Be careful what you say! How can we so easily insult a master of the Perfect Flawless Realm? Especially considering his potential, even if he fails to leap over the Dragon Gate this year, he will definitely be among the top three on the Hidden Dragon Ranking next year! What are the intentions of those who spread such rumors? Don't just follow the crowd and bring trouble upon yourselves!"

"But this is clearly the truth..."

"You think you're so smart? Those top forces that didn't hesitate to send people to recruit him are all fools, without investigating the cause and effect?"

"That's right. Even if you hear these things, can you guarantee they're true? Don't forget, this Li Qianlong has offended a Marquis and a Prince. Especially that Prince, because of special reasons, has an exceptionally wide network of connections."

Various discussions continued to arise.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Juechen immediately reminded him, "Don't let other people's words affect your state of mind."

"I see."

Li Xian nodded slightly.

When he was testing his skills in boxing, he was subjected to countless malicious attacks.

Even after he swept across the universe, he never disappeared.

He certainly wouldn't get angry with someone who lacks independent judgment and is easily fooled by outside information.

The commotion caused by Li Xian's arrival lasted only a moment before an even stronger commotion swept in from another direction.

Qi Liang is here!

"Qi Liang, the Marquis of Zhenwu, is a top-tier expert who is only one step away from refining his true qi and achieving true mastery. With his superb swordsmanship and secret techniques, I would believe it if you said he could fight against a sect leader-level expert! Today, as the carp transforms into a dragon, Qi Liang will surely be among the winners!"

"Huh? Where are those people who were talking about Li Xian before? Why isn't anyone standing up to say that Qi Liang was able to be ennobled entirely because of his status as a prince consort and because he benefited from being part of the Yan family?"

"Are you out of your mind? What are Li Xian's background? What are Qi Liang's background? How dare you say such things?"

Amidst the murmurs, the valiant and extraordinary Marquis Zhenwu, carrying a long sword, quickly arrived at the square, surrounded by a large crowd.

Beside him were Lin Buzhi, who had also been recruited by the Yan family, and several other experts who had received funding.

These people are often honored guests at large gatherings when they travel.

But being with Qi Liang right now is like the sun and the stars; under his dazzling brilliance, they all pale in comparison and naturally don't attract much attention.

With Qi Liang's arrival, along with Yue Long Sha and Su Jian Xing who had already arrived, most of the other participants were also present.

As for Xiang Yangsheng and Yan Yu...

The two of them had already exceeded the scope of ordinary participants and had almost locked in the Dragon Gate Token in advance. Naturally, they would not mingle with the crowd. Instead, they rested early in the pavilion, which was filled with members of the royal family and elders and leaders of major forces.

As noon approached, the five figures arrived together and went directly to the high platform in the square.

Upon their arrival, the discussions in the room quickly subsided.

Shen Chenzhou, the leader of the Rising Dragon Pavilion, didn't waste any words and made a direct announcement.

"This year's Dragon Gate Leap officially begins! The Five Elements Platform is now open! Anyone is free to step onto the platform and become the champion. Once you have overwhelmed all others and no one dares to challenge you, you will become the master of the Dragon Gate Token!"

(End of this chapter)