Chapter 106 - 103: The Grandmaster Ranking

Jiangnan Academy. He returned to the dormitory from the cafeteria. Jiang Shu opened his computer, typed some techniques for battling Mutant Beasts, set a reading threshold of one point, and uploaded them. Inside the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, his gains had been exceptionally abundant, with just essential materials worth over 2,800 points. The fangs of the Third Rank Mutant Beast he later produced had shocked the staff even more. A single pair of fangs was worth 800 points. However, his expenses were also substantial! A single alloy battle knife, pre-ordered through Shang Jibei’s account, cost 1,000 points. Afterward, he transferred another 1,000 points to Shang Jibei in exchange for a 10,000,000 deposit, settling his previous debt. After all that, entering the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm only added a little over 1,600 points to my account, not even reaching 2,000. Now, it all depends on how much this post can earn. He then directly purchased "Toad’s Leap." Jiang Shu shut down his computer. He didn’t rush to practice his martial arts; instead, he first had a video call with his parents via WeChat. "The house renovation is done already? That was fast! Dad, you deserve the main credit. But the formaldehyde levels are still high right now, so it’s fine if you and Mom wait a year before moving in. There’s no rush." "Dad, if you’re going fishing, why not get a better SUV? It would also be more convenient for carrying fishing gear." "Don’t worry about the money; it’s not much. Your son is really rich now, and I swear it’s all legitimate. Buying a good car would make your drive more comfortable too. And doesn’t Mom always say she’s bored nowadays?" "With the new car, Dad, you can take her to travel around. You didn’t get to go out much when you were younger. Now’s a great opportunity to see the mountains and waters of Xia Country. Wouldn’t that be great?" He ended the video call. Jiang Shu then opened Ye Zhenzhen’s message window. He rarely chatted with people, but he had always stayed in touch with Ye Zhenzhen. Although, in reality, Ye Zhenzhen was the one sending lengthy messages. He would only reply when he had the time. Of course, at such times, he would usually chat a bit more. He was no fool. He knew Ye Zhenzhen definitely had feelings for him. However, in his view, for a relationship to develop, first, there must be the shared fate of experiencing unforgettable events together. Second, they must possess comparable strength to walk the path together. And these two aspects were currently lacking. So, he decided to let fate take its course. He put his phone aside and sat cross-legged, circulating the Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength. Day after day, he continued his cultivation. Meanwhile, in Jiangnan City, the Tidal Cup was being fiercely contested. The top sixteen, top eight, top four. Because Jiang Shu had won the University Martial Arts Genius Championship, Jiangnan Academy had never been short of martial arts resources. Moreover, with such a role model leading the way, few of the younger students would truly slack off in their martial arts. After returning from the Genius Competition, they all became even more diligent. If even the geniuses were like this, it went without saying for the average martial arts freshmen. Thus, in this inaugural Tidal Cup, students from Jiangnan Academy directly swept all four spots in the semi-finals, firmly suppressing martial arts students from some other key universities. Even Shou Junming made it into the top sixteen. His social media account gained quite a few followers. "Brother Zhao is amazing! He directly secured first place in this Tidal Cup! If Brother Zhao participated in the Genius Competition back then with his current skill level, he might even have made it into the top three!" Top three? I’d be grateful just to make it into the top five. Zhao Su shook his head. Although he had become number one, he felt no pride at all. His pride had been shattered to pieces when he participated in the Genius Competition. Back then, during the Genius Competition, he was at least a figure on the New Talent List, ranked twenty-seventh, which wasn’t too low. He believed that those ranked ahead of him were merely fortunate, having entered the Bright Force realm a bit earlier than him. Especially his fellow student from the same academy, Jiang Shu. Although they had never fought, he had always felt that his combat strength might be number one in Jiangnan Academy! He would win glory for Jiangnan Academy in the Genius Competition! It wasn’t until he stood on that martial stage that he realized that martial stage was never lacking in geniuses. Shang Jibei. Jiang Shu. Zhu Qingyun. Wu Zhiming. To this day, he lacked the confidence to defeat any one of them. And he meant them back then, not their current selves! "Don’t think I’m being overly modest," Zhao Su continued. "You just need to pay attention. How many of the top ten from the Genius Competition are still active in the public eye? How many have participated in any competitions since? If any one of them were to participate in arena competitions, their annual income could exceed ten million. They don’t do so because their sights are already set far beyond this small arena. This is true for the top ten, let alone Jiang Shu, who consistently ranked first, and Shang Jibei, who broke through to the Dark Force on the first day of the competition." "Our teacher also told us that arena competitions are merely a venue for Bright Force Martial Artists. Martial Artists at the Dark Force realm, if they have higher aspirations, will go to the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm. But as for what the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm truly is, perhaps only those of us who reach a certain level of strength will find out." Zhao Su clearly had higher aspirations. He didn’t know whether the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm represented opportunity or danger, but this didn’t impede his determination to go there. The group returned to the academy, had a small celebration, and then went to practice their martial arts. Back in the dormitory, Jiang Shu, having just finished his martial arts practice, logged into the Martial Artist Alliance as usual. In just these few short days, his post had garnered over a hundred views. Clearly, although the Martial Artist Alliance was still in its beta phase, quite a few people had already been invited to join. Just as he was browsing for a while and preparing to close the webpage, the page refreshed, and a post with bright red text was pinned at the top—[Grandmaster List]. He clicked on it. "Fame is priceless; Martial Arts begin with Bright Force. Upon reaching Dark Force, the sinews and bones are fully connected. Further on is Transforming Strength. A feather cannot be added, an insect cannot land. At this realm, one can be called a Martial Arts Grandmaster. They have often mastered all 108 forms of the Innate Guiding Skill and perfected at least one martial art to the realm of Perfection. They possess a true understanding of Martial Arts." "Today, our Martial Artist Alliance establishes the Grandmaster List, cataloging the Transforming Strength Martial Artists of Xia Country. Rankings will change based on combat achievements." "Grandmaster List, First Rank: Shang Siguo. Single-handedly entered a Fourth Rank Mutant Beast’s lair, seizing a cub and returning. With such immense strength and remarkable fortune, he is likely peerless within the Transforming Strength realm." "Grandmaster List, Second Rank: Zhuang Xiuqi. Entered the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm and slaughtered over one hundred Third Rank Mutant Beasts in total. A year ago, he fought Shang Siguo to a draw." "Grandmaster List, Third Rank: Guan Chenghong. Single-handedly faced the siege of three Third Rank Mutant Beasts without being at a disadvantage, slaying them one by one. Proficient with a long spear. He fought Shang Siguo three times and was defeated in all three encounters." ... "Grandmaster List, Rank 128: Xie Feichen. Currently a Martial Arts teacher at Jiangnan Academy. He entered the Xiangnan Province’s Heaven and Earth Secret Realm with Dark Force cultivation, slaughtered three Third Rank Mutant Beasts, and emerged. He achieved Transforming Strength amidst battle. Although he advanced late and is ranked last, his strength is not to be underestimated."