Chapter 138 – Heavenly Profound Ranking
The Profound Gathering Tower was situated right at the center of the Inner Palace. Its existence could be seen from anywhere in the Inner Palace; hence, Yun Che did not need anyone to guide him, and was able to find the entrance to the Profound Gathering Tower easily.
The Inner Palace’s profound energy was already especially rich; however, the moment he stepped into the Profound Gathering Tower, profound energy that was several times richer than before blew across his body, exciting Yun Che’s Fifty four Profound Entrances and caused them to spontaneously expand and contract.
“There is indeed a natural profound pulse beneath this Profound Gathering Tower. No wonder this place was where the country’s Imperial Profound Palace was situated. If a sect were to settle down here, within three hundred years, a small sect would definitely develop into a renowned and mighty large sect.” Jasmine said.
Yesterday, Sikong Du told Yun Che that his Profound Cultivation Room was the 101st room, which was the first room on the tenth floor. The moment Yun Che was about to walk forward, he suddenly noticed densely packed names on the right wall. A dense aura of profound energy surrounded those names. Evidently, the names were inscribed with profound energy, and could be altered at any time.
“Heavenly… Profound… Ranking?” Looking at the three big words at the very top, Yun Che’s spirit shook. He went closer to the wall, and started to inspect the names on the wall seriously. On the wall was exactly a hundred names. In other words, they were the names of the hundred disciples in the Inner Palace who were also a part of the Inner Palace’s Heavenly Profound Rankings that everyone in Blue Wind Profound knew of.
Yun Che started looking from the bottom to the top and his eyes swept across every single name on the wall. These hundred people, were super elites among the countless elites in the Blue Wind Profound Palace. They were existences that all Profound Palace disciples looked up to, and were all renowned figures in all of Blue Wind Imperial City.
Although there were one hundred people there, the difference in their profound strengths were very small. From the seventy eighth to a hundredth place, their profound strengths were at the eighth level of the True Profound Realm. From the forty first to seventy seventh place, their profound strengths were at the ninth level of the True Profound Realm, and from the fourth to fortieth place, their profound strengths were all at the tenth level of the True Profound Realm.
On the seventy third placed name, Yun Che found Murong Yi’s name:
Murong Yi: Twenty Years Old. True Profound Realm Ninth Level.
On the thirty third placed name, Yun Che found Sikong Du’s name.
Sikong Du: Twenty Years Old. True Profound Realm Tenth Level.
The age of these two people, confirmed that this would be their last year in the Blue Wind Profound Palace. And among this hundred Inner Palace disciples, their ages were mostly nineteen and twenty years old. After all, in the same set of conditions, the level of profound strength was usually a direct ratio to the disciple’s age. From the forth to hundredth place, only two people were below the age of nineteen. Both of them were at the age of eighteen, and they were both ranked at the ninety sixth and ninety ninth… After all, the Heavenly Profound Ranking was precarious, and the ranks could always be replaced by others whenever.
Yun Che’s gaze then landed on the first three names.
Third Place: Fang Feilong. Twenty Years Old. Spirit Profound Realm First Level.
Second Place: Feng Bufan. Twenty Years Old. Spirit Profound Realm First Level.
From third place onwards, the strengths suddenly leapt into a whole new level. From the True Profound Realm, the three disciples crossed into the Spirit Profound Realm. Even though, by simply comparing the levels, they were only a single level higher than the tenth level of the True Profound Realm, the difference in strength from crossing into a whole new realm cannot be compared to the difference from simply gaining a single level.
When he saw the first place, his eyes were fixated there for a long time.
First Place: Fen Juechen. Seventeen Years Old. Spirit Profound Realm Second Level.
Yun Che: “!!!!”
Looking at the name of the very top position of the Profound Sky Ranking, Yun Che was in a state of turmoil. he was not shocked by how this person’s profound strength was a level higher than the second and third place, rather… The age of this Fen Juechen, was actually only seventeen years old!!
He was the only person out of this entire Heavenly Profound Ranking who was under eighteen years old, and, he actually took first place on the Heavenly Profound Ranking!
A seventeen year old who was at the second level of the Spirit Profound Realm!!
What shocking talent. What a monstrous genius. At the age of only seventeen, he actually reached the Spirit Profound Realm! Although his profound strength was only a level higher than the second and third place, his shocking age, proved that his talent was much, much deeper than the disciples who took the second and third places. The publicly acknowledged number one genius in New Moon City, Xiao Luocheng, who reached the tenth level of the Nascent Profound Realm at the age of sixteen, was not even worthy of being his attendant.
Wait a minute… Fen Juechen… Fen?
Yun Che’s brows slightly twitched. According to what he knew, the surname ‘Fen’ could only belong to the Burning Heaven Clan. Only the members of the Burning Heaven Clan would have the surname ‘Fen’. But, why would a member of the Burning Heaven Clan enter the Blue Wind Profound Palace? Burning Heaven Clan’s inherited arts, heritage, and resources… were all much better than Blue Wind Profound Palace. Putting aside the fact that these greatly attached clan disciples would not betray their clan in their entire life, even if Blue Wind Profound Palace were to hand out invitations personally, disciples of the Burning Heaven Clan wouldn’t even pay any mind to Blue Wind Profound Palace at all.
Unless the surname ‘Fen’, did not only belong to the members of the Burning Heaven Clan?
Right at this time, at the entrance of the Profound Gathering Tower, two people entered. On the right was a young man dressed completely in white. His handsome face revealed a hint of femininity, and the scattering gaze from his half-opened eyes emitted a cold chill. When he saw Yun Che, he frivolously whistled: “Whew~! I actually see an unfamiliar face. Little brother, are you new here?”
Yun Che gave a sidelong glance, and was shocked to see Murong Yi standing beside this man in white. And when Murong Yi saw him, he was startled for a second, before laughing loudly in disdain: “Hahahaha. And here I thought who it was. Isn’t this the little mouse who declared that he wanted to challenge me? Hahahaha.”
“Oh?” The man in white rolled his eyes, his interest grew as he looked at Yun Che. “So, you’re that Yun Che? Tsk tsk. You actually have a good complexion, but it’s a pity that you don’t have a good brain. I really wonder if your brain was damaged when your mother gave birth to you.”
The profound energy coming from the man in white was evidently stronger than Murong Yi’s. And it was not just by a little, rather, it was comparable to Sikong Du’s. Even though he looked handsome, he gave Yun Che a very uncomfortable feeling. And, his words were even extremely vicious, causing Yun Che to frown. Killing intent began to rise in his heart.
“Feng Baiyi, watch your words!”
Sikong Du walked in from the Profound Gathering Tower’s entrance with a sullen face.
Feng Baiyi? Hearing this name, Yun Che quickly recalled his Heavenly Profound Ranking… thirty-sixth place! He was three ranks higher than Sikong Du.
Feng Baiyi turned around, and looked at Sikong Du with a smile. “Yo, isn’t this brother Sikong? I heard you brought in a little mouse from outside. Tsk tsk, you have to keep a good watch of it. If a mouse were to run about in the Inner Palace, we will be thoroughly disgusted. Brother Murong, don’t you agree?”
Murong Yi grinned, and said while shaking his head: “Speaking of this little mouse entering our Inner Palace, I’m greatly responsible for it as well. Haah, if I knew this would happen, I would have immediately crippled this little mouse’s limbs yesterday… Since it have already became like this, Brother Sikong, heed my Brother Feng’s advice, and keep a tight leash on your little mouse. Prevent him from running around and polluting our eyes and mood. Hahahaha… Brother Feng, let us go.”
Giving a last disdainful look at Sikong Du and Yun Che, Murong Yi and Feng Baiyi laughed loudly as they entered the Profound Gathering Tower.
Sikong Du heaved out a long sigh, and forcefully suppressed his anger. He then walked over to Yun Che, and said calmly: “Don’t mind them. Feng Baiyi’s and Murong Yi’s families have a marital relationship and usually, they sing to the same tune.”
Yun Che laughed lightly, showing that he did not mind. Then, his gaze moved towards the Heavenly Profound Ranking, and asked with a skeptical expression: “Big brother Sikong, what’s the situation regarding the Heavenly Profound Ranking’s first place, Fen Juechen? The surname ‘Fen’, doesn’t it belong to only the Burning Heaven Clan?”
Sikong Du nodded, and replied: “That’s right. Fen Juechen, is indeed a member of the Burning Heaven Clan. And, he’s also the youngest son of the current Burning Heaven Clan Master, Fen Duanhun.”
“Mn?” Yun Che glanced at Sikong Du with an expression full of shock.
“It’s just as you thought. Currently, Fen Juechen has left the Burning Heaven Clan.” Sikong Du slowly explained: “Fen Juechen’s talent is absolutely frightening. He’s a worthy genius, but at the same time, he’s an extremely arrogant genius. He never tolerates failure. And a year ago, he lost terribly to his brother, Fen Juebi, and was humiliated. Because of his anger, he left the Burning Heaven Clan, and swore that he would never return until he defeated Fen Juebi. Even when his father persuaded him, it was of no use. Of course, this kind of absence does not consider as a form of betrayal. As one of the sons of the clan master, there shouldn’t be any betrayal to talk about to begin with.”
“Then why did he enter the Blue Wind Profound Palace?” Yun Che asked curiously.
Sikong Du glanced at Yun Che, and said: “Looks like, you really don’t understand the current stormy situation in the Blue Wind Imperial Palace.”
“Blue Wind Imperial Palace? How are they related?”
“The reason why Fen Juechen enter the Blue Wind Profound Palace, was the third prince’s idea of forming a good relationship with the Burning Heaven Clan, by allowing Fen Juechen to cultivate in this Profound Gathering Tower.” Sikong Du sighed, and then explained simply: “Currently, the Blue Wind Emperor is bedridden, and there’s rumors that he won’t be able to last another three years. To fight over the emperor’s seat, the crown prince Cang Lin, and the third prince Cang Shuo, went to seek help from the Xiao Sect and Burning Heaven Clan respectively. So as to gain more support from the Burning Heaven Clan, Cang Shuo obviously had to do all he could to get into their good books. Haah, that basically sums up everything. Anyone with a discerning eye is able to see that, Blue Wind Imperial Palace, and even the entire Blue Wind Empire, is about to undergo a great change. Even this Inner Palace, is being drawn into the change that’s about to come… The second place, Feng Bufan, and third place Fang Feilong, are backing the crown prince and third prince respectively. Currently, they’re acting rather arrogant as well, so it’s best that you don’t mess with those two for now. And you can’t afford to mess with them anyway.”
“…” Yun Che pondered for a moment, and said: “If that’s the case, Big brother Sikong, the crown prince and third prince must have tried to rope you in as well, right?”
Sikong Du nodded, and replied: “In this year, I have received dozens of invitations of different kinds from the crown prince and third prince, but I had been finding excuses to turn them all down… After graduating from this place, it would no longer be possible for me to stay in this imperial city. I should be returning to New Moon City the moment that happens. If there ever comes a time you enter the Inner Palace, you will also experience receiving these sorts of invitations. When that time comes, what choice you make, will be up to you to decide.”
“Go cultivate. Three months worth of time, isn’t that short, and isn’t that long either. You gain a sliver of hope for every second you fight for.” Sikong Du looked deeply into Yun Che’s eyes, and then entered straight into the Profound Gathering Tower.”
Yun Che also followed after him from behind, and headed directly towards the tenth floor of the Profound Gathering Tower. The 101st Cultivation Profound Room Sikong Du spoke of, was just right in front of him.