72: Chapter 72 The Attention of the Big Shots

Luo Feng snapped back to his senses.

His eyes were fixed on that shimmering golden name on the hidden dragon ranking.

Chu Feng, second place.

His fingers trembled slightly with excitement.

Even if the previous True Disciples went all out later and the rankings fluctuated; even if Chu Feng might stop at the third floor and his ranking slipped...

But so what?

In today's battle, Chu Feng had already demonstrated his potential to the entire Duobao Sect.

A newcomer who reached second on the hidden dragon ranking relying only on the first volume of the [Heavenly Talisman Scripture].

Once he obtained the Legacy of the second and third volumes, what heights could he reach in the future?

Reaching the top of the hidden dragon ranking?

No, that was only a matter of time.

Luo Feng even had a faint feeling that this young man before him might one day challenge the ascending dragon ranking!

At this thought, the usually steady Nascent Soul Cultivator could no longer suppress the surge of excitement in his heart.

He immediately took out his identity jade token.

...

Nanyun City, Courtyard No. 23.

Inside the quiet room, Jiang Miaoyi sat cross-legged in a white dress.

Her posture was as upright as a pine tree, and her skirt spread out on the prayer mat like a lotus flower, outlining her long and graceful curves.

In the air before her, an identity jade token floated quietly.

She had been waiting, waiting for the final result.

When the jade token began to vibrate, Jiang Miaoyi's Divine Sense permeated it almost instantly.

Luo Feng's voice was brief and powerful: "Junior Sister, True Disciple Chu is now ranked second on the hidden dragon ranking!"

Just that one sentence.

It instantly left Jiang Miaoyi dumbfounded.

Before the Trial Assessment, she and her Senior Brother Luo Feng had made a prediction.

Both agreed that with Chu Feng's rate of progress, he would definitely be able to make it onto the hidden dragon ranking in ten years, before the Sect's review and evaluation.

But at this stage... it was too difficult, far too difficult.

Among the previous True Disciples of the Duobao Sect from the last fifty years, there were over thirty Earth-rank True Disciples alone.

Their study of the [Heavenly Talisman Scripture] was also deeper.

The minimum standard to be promoted to an Earth-rank True Disciple was to master the first three Beast Spirit Talismans of the second volume.

In terms of comprehension progress of the [Heavenly Talisman Scripture], Chu Feng had no advantage.

So Jiang Miaoyi's initial expectation was merely for Chu Feng to accumulate experience through this trial, see the gap between himself and the top True Disciples, and thus stimulate a stronger drive to improve.

She never imagined...

"Second place..."

Jiang Miaoyi withdrew her Divine Sense from the jade token. Her heroic and spirited face was filled with shock, and her chest heaved with great agitation.

It wasn't just surprise; it was a shock that completely overturned her understanding.

She stood up, her white dress falling like water.

After pacing back and forth in the quiet room a few times, Jiang Miaoyi suddenly stopped.

"To be able to obtain a million contribution points..."

She whispered to herself, a light of realization flashing in her eyes. "So this is his true strength in the Dao of Talismans!"

That was it.

Thinking back now, behind those million contribution points, Chu Feng's true trump cards were likely hidden.

"I really..." Jiang Miaoyi suddenly laughed. There was helplessness in that smile, along with gratification, and even more so, a sense of relief.

Jiang Miaoyi looked down at the proud curves of her silhouette beneath her white dress, then looked up toward the direction of the main quiet room where Chu Feng was.

Then, her smile grew even more radiant.

"I've really fallen into his trap this time."

"But this trap..." determination flashed in her eyes, "I, Jiang Miaoyi, will just have to accept it!"

...

Inside the main hall of the Duobao Sect.

"The Peak Master of Beast Treasure's Disciple is rising really fast."

The Peak Master of Sword Treasure spoke, his voice carrying praise. "He shouldn't be holding back anymore. With his Major Achievement in the third volume of the [Heavenly Beast Scripture], if he fully erupts, passing the fourth floor won't even be difficult."

"It is indeed rare."

The Peak Master of Zhenbao Peak chimed in. "Major Achievement in the third volume of the [Heavenly Beast Scripture], and he's only been in the Sect for two hundred years, right? This kind of progress is indeed remarkable."

"But relying solely on Major Achievement in the third volume, I'm afraid passing the fifth floor won't be easy," the Master of Fubao Peak pondered.

"The fifth floor is a hurdle."

The Peak Masters conversed, their topics mostly revolving around those geniuses who had already made a name for themselves.

Until.

"A second person from the hidden dragon ranking has entered the third floor," the Peak Master of Pill Treasure's voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone fell slightly silent.

Immediately, dozens of gazes simultaneously turned toward the third floor of the Duobao Immortal Tower.

There, where there were originally only a few scattered points of light, another one had now appeared.

"Let me see who it is..."

A Peak Master's Divine Thought swept over the information. "Eh? It's actually a newcomer who just passed the True Disciple assessment, hasn't even gone through the review and evaluation yet."

As soon as these words came out, many illusory figures became interested.

The Duobao Sect's [Arts Classics] were core legacies, strictly forbidden from being leaked.

Before the entry assessment, it was impossible for any Disciple to have come into contact with the true contents of the [Arts Classics].

Therefore, for a new True Disciple who had been in the Sect for less than a year to participate in the trial, passing the first floor was already considered excellent, and passing the second floor made them a Prodigy-level Genius.

But to be able to enter the third floor...

"Chu Feng?"

A Peak Master read out the name. "Is that the little fellow who just rushed to second on the hidden dragon ranking?"

"It's him."

"Interesting."

The Peak Masters' Divine Senses penetrated the Duobao Immortal Tower, directly "seeing" the scene within the Trial Space of the third floor.

It was an even more vast and dark space.

On the ground, dense crowds of Stone Golems surged like a tide, numbering as many as a thousand.

In the center of the space, the pale golden protective shield was several times thicker than those on the previous two floors.

Within the shield, a figure was busy at work.

"To pass the third floor, the second volume must be cultivated to Perfection, and it's also a massive test of talisman-making speed and success rate."

"Many True Disciples are stuck here; it's not that they can't make them, but they can't make them in time."

"But this little fellow..."

The Master of Fubao Peak suddenly said in confusion, "He doesn't seem to be making the Beast Spirit Talismans from the second volume?"

The Peak Masters focused their gaze to look closely.

The talisman markings under Chu Feng's brush were indeed not any known Beast Spirit Talisman patterns from the second volume of the [Heavenly Talisman Scripture].

Those patterns were more complex, more wild, and vaguely, five different attributes were intertwining, colliding, and fusing...

"This is... the technique of the first volume, but it's not a Beast Spirit Talisman from the first volume? Self-created Beast Spirit Talisman? A bit... ignorant of..."

The Master of Fubao Peak saw the signs and didn't finish the phrase 'ignorant of the heights of heaven and depths of the earth'. "Although the shield on the third floor is much stronger, it can at most support the interior for five hours."

"If he's making Beast Spirit Talismans from the first volume now, no matter how powerful they are, it's impossible to kill a thousand False Core Stone Golems within the time limit."

The Peak Master of Pill Treasure also said, "A thousand False Core Stone Golems, even a hundred Thunder Wolf Spirit Talismans wouldn't be enough to kill them all. He's wasting time."

"No need to worry."

The Peak Master of Zhenbao Peak spoke slowly. "It's only a few hours anyway. Since this little fellow could pass the second floor, he must have some tricks. We... shall just watch quietly."

The Peak Masters stopped speaking, but their gazes were all locked onto Chu Feng.

They were very curious.

What kind of trump card could this young man, who reached second on the hidden dragon ranking with only the first volume of the [Heavenly Talisman Scripture], possibly produce in a desperate situation like the third floor?