Chapter 2 Hidden Dragon in the Abyss

Inside the State Religion martial arts hall, the atmosphere was heated.

Everyone's eyes were fixed intently on the glowing screen of the hidden dragon ranking hanging high above.

When the two characters "Yun Bai" stubbornly and arduously climbed up from the very bottom of the ranking list like a new sprout breaking through the soil, the entire hall erupted in an instant!

"He made it! He really made it onto the ranking!"

"It's Yun Bai! He really passed the second level!"

"Heaven bless our Chu Prefecture! To think such a Genius has actually appeared!"

"I don't believe it, this is impossible! This is impossible! This ranking list might be fake! I've never heard of it!" Zhao Qian roared with a flushed red face.

Unfortunately, few people cared about his anger at this moment.

Zhao Qian, in a fit of rage, rushed forward and wanted to punch and kick Zhou Lei—the very Cultivator who was displaying the "hidden dragon ranking."

"Hey, Zhao Qian, what are you doing!" Jiang Shuanger shouted.

Zhou Lei did not indulge Zhao Qian; he sneered disdainfully, "What? Can't you stand seeing others succeed? He just saved your younger brother at Qingya Academy, and saved the children of many of us here. Not only are you ungrateful to this young brother Yun Bai, but you also repeatedly belittle and mock him. How do you even have the face to do this!"

"Exactly, Zhao Qian, you've gone too far," others who knew Zhao Qian chimed in.

Regardless, Yun Bai had saved their closest kin.

Jiang Shuanger choked with anger, "Yun Bai saved the relatives of so many of you; he is a hero! But if he ends up unable to save his own sister, isn't that tragic! Aren't you ashamed!"

"That's true."

"This young girl is right. We are Cultivators, we are human, not demons. Zhao Qian, you've gone too far, shut up."

"That's right, heroes cannot be insulted. I apologize for my previous slight!"

"We can't help him with anything; we can only wish him and his sister well here."

"I will personally visit to express my gratitude afterwards."

Countless people nodded in agreement.

Zhao Qian instantly became the target of public criticism and was condemned by all, eventually feeling utterly ashamed.

He wanted to flee this space, but the law-enforcement Cultivator would not allow him to leave.

"Ahhhhh!" Zhao Qian covered his face, "Stop talking! Stop talking..."

"Quiet!" At this moment, the law-enforcement Cultivator saw that the situation was getting out of control and finally intervened.

Spiritual Pressure spread throughout the hall, and the crowd finally calmed down.

Everyone looked at each other, and under the suppression, they eventually had to remain quiet.

Another, more intense restlessness quickly spread.

Because the hidden dragon ranking only records Cultivators who successfully step into the third level and above, and their specific ranking is determined by the results of the quinquennial imperial examination. This means that no matter how many levels Yun Bai actually passed inside the tower, from the outside perspective, he could only temporarily remain at the very bottom of the ranking.

This lag and ambiguity of information made all the onlookers itch with impatience, as if thousands of claws were scratching at their hearts. They craned their necks in anticipation, yet had no way of knowing the specific situation inside the tower; that feeling was even more tense and agonizing than if they were participating in the trial themselves.

Just as the crowd was in a state of agitation, a commotion suddenly came from the entrance of the martial arts hall.

"Make way! Law-enforcement team passing through!"

"Bystanders, step aside!"

Seeing Elder Yin Xin, the law-enforcement Elder of the State Religion, with a grave expression, personally leading a team of fierce-looking law-enforcement Cultivators as they strode over. They unceremoniously parted the crowded throng like a sharp blade slicing through waves, heading straight for the black tower in the center.

The crowd was startled by this sudden display and retreated, the whispering coming to an abrupt halt as everyone's gaze focused on this group.

Immediately following this, an even more shocking scene appeared—two law-enforcement members carried a stretcher out of the tower, and lying on it was none other than Yun Bai, his face deathly pale, eyes tightly shut, and in a coma!

"Yun Bai!" Seeing this, Jiang Shuanger's heart gripped tightly, and she cried out, wanting to rush over without a second thought, but was stopped by a stone-faced law-enforcement member raising his hand.

"Let her come over." Elder Yin Xin's voice came, carrying unquestionable authority.

The obstruction was immediately removed. Jiang Shuanger practically lunged to the side of the stretcher, her trembling hand gently touching Yun Bai's icy cheek, then immediately placed her fingers on his wrist pulse to carefully examine him.

Time seemed to freeze, and countless gazes around were nervously fixed on her. A moment later, her tightly furrowed brows slightly relaxed, and she let out a long sigh of relief.

"It's okay... Although his pulse is weak, his Foundation is stable. The spiritual power in his body is somewhat chaotic but is slowly sorting itself out on its own. The main issue is that his Divine Sense was consumed too severely, and he is exhausted both physically and mentally, which is why he has fallen into a deep slumber for self-repair." She looked up at Elder Yin Xin, her eyes carrying a bit of relief after confirmation, though her worry had not completely dissipated.

"Miss Shuanger, are you relieved now?" Elder Yin Xin's tone softened slightly.

Jiang Shuanger only then realized her loss of composure just now, her cheeks flushing slightly as she hurriedly stood up to clear the way, "Elder Yin, you... where are you taking him?"

"I must trouble Miss Jiang to lead the way; we are sending him back to Great Master Jiang for quiet recovery," Elder Yin Xin explained.

"Okay, okay! I'll lead the way!" Jiang Shuanger nodded hurriedly, guiding the law-enforcement team as they left the martial arts hall in a hurry, under the complex gazes of the crowd of Cultivators.

Yun Bai was carried away, leaving the hall in an uproar of discussion.

"This... what does this actually mean? Did Yun Bai pass the third level or not?"

"He was carried out unconscious; I think it's unlikely... I'm afraid he exhausted himself and was defeated, right?" Zhao Qian, mixed in the crowd with his arms crossed, said with a tone of schadenfreude.

"Sigh, what a pity. Our Chu Prefecture city finally hoped for a Genius, I just hope he isn't ruined just like that..."

"Hmph, a Genius is just a Genius; if they don't grow up, they are nothing! The road is still long!" Zhao Qian curled his lip and scoffed.

"Yo, Zhao Qian, listening to your tone, you sound very bitter, don't you?"

"Nonsense! What does this have to do with me! What do I have to be bitter about!"

Meanwhile, at the Jiang family's small courtyard, just a few streets away from the State Religion.

Inside the inner chamber, the fragrance of medicine mingled with a faint, lingering scent of blood. Yun Qian lay weakly on the soft couch, her face pale to the point of transparency. Not long after Yun Bai left, she had briefly woken up once.

However, this time, her familiar brother was not guarding by the bedside.

Shen Qi, with red-rimmed eyes, told her that after she fell into a coma, her brother had rushed out regardless of everything to raise Spirit Stones to save her life.

Great Master Jiang stood to the side, sighing deeply with a heavy expression. He told Yun Qian that Yun Bai had gone to the State Religion again to seek a solution, and Jiang Shuanger had followed, worried about him. Because Shen Qi could not enter the core area of the State Religion, she had stayed here to take care of her.

"Miss Yun Qian, if you have anything to say... this old man might be able to pass it on for you." Great Master Jiang's voice carried a hint of imperceptible hoarseness.

Yun Qian moved her head with extreme difficulty, an almost imperceptible shake, as if she wanted to shake her head, but she had exhausted even that little bit of strength.

"I... have nothing else I want to say."

The only thought in her mind was the hope that after she passed away, her brother would be able to take good care of himself.

Not to be burdened by her sickly body anymore, and to be able to truly, freely, and without worry, complete the heavy mission in his heart.

Hearing these faint words, which sounded like a final testament, Shen Qi could no longer restrain herself; she covered her mouth and turned away, her shoulders trembling violently as tears fell silently.

No one could accept that the sister who was smiling and charming, clever and lovely yesterday, was today like a candle in the wind, about to wither away.

It turned out that life and death separations were never far away; they lurked in the shadows beside everyone.

Great Master Jiang tried to comfort her, his voice dry, "Miss Yun Qian, do not lose heart; Yun Bai... he will definitely find a way to gather the Spirit Stones and buy the soul-stabilizing pill..."

The corners of Yun Qian's mouth twitched extremely weakly, as if she wanted to try hard to show a smile to put everyone at ease, but ultimately failed.

She understood her brother very well.

She had never seen such profound despair in her brother's eyes before.

Since she could remember, no matter how ferocious the wild beasts they encountered, or how vicious the bandits they faced, her brother had never truly been defeated. He was always calm and composed, with a cluster of inextinguishable flames always burning deep in his eyes.

But this time, she could not see that light.

Her brother must have... already exhausted every method he could think of.

In the inner chamber of the Jiang residence, the oppressive atmosphere almost solidified into substance.

Yun Qian closed her eyes again, slipping into a coma.

And this time, no matter how Shen Qi cried and shouted, it had no effect.

"Great Master Jiang?" Shen Qi looked at Great Master Jiang imploringly.

Great Master Jiang had just tried again to contact Jiang Shuanger to ask for news about Yun Bai, but for some reason, it was like a stone sinking into the ocean.

He silently put away the communication jade talisman. As a healer, the feeling of watching life slip away bit by bit before his eyes while being unable to do anything about it gnawed at his heart like a poisonous snake.

Great Master Jiang's many years of medical experience kept him from showing it, but the atmosphere of death had already permeated the entire room.

In other words, Great Master Jiang had practiced medicine for many years; he had long since grown accustomed to life and death, hadn't he?