4: Chapter 4 The Golden List Soars Above

"One-hundredth place: Thick Earth Spirit Body!"

The Scripture Pavilion was in an uproar as all the Disciples rushed to the windows, looking up at the brilliant golden list in the sky.

Ye Fan mingled with the crowd, his heart racing. The golden list had truly begun its announcement, and it was publicly revealing the owners' names, origins, Physique characteristics, and even potential ratings.

This meant that from this moment on, the entire landscape of the Cultivation World would change. Countless unknown names would become famous overnight, and the struggles, recruitments, jealousy, and even hunting of those on the list would likely follow.

"Potential: Earth Rank, Low Grade..." Ye Fan muttered. He had just read in ancient texts that the potential of special Physiques was roughly divided into Mortal Rank, Spirit Rank, Earth Rank, Heaven Rank, Saint Rank, Divine Rank, and Dao Rank, with each rank further divided into High Grade, Medium Grade, and Low Grade. An Earth Rank, Low Grade wasn't top-tier among spirit bodies, but being able to squeeze into the top hundred was already an immense Opportunity.

The ninety-ninth place followed immediately.

[Ninety-ninth place: Azure Wood Spiritual Body]

[Owner: Zhao Yuanqing (Eastern Region, Yuqing Sect)]

[Potential: Earth Rank, Medium Grade]

"Senior Brother Zhao! He's from our Yuqing Sect!"

"Hahaha! Someone from our Sect has made the list too!"

The Yuqing Sect Disciples instantly erupted in excitement. Ye Fan's gaze narrowed slightly—Zhao Yuanqing was a low-profile Inner Sect Disciple from the main peak who usually focused on the Dao of Alchemy. He hadn't expected him to possess the Azure Wood Spiritual Body. If even someone like him was ruthlessly exposed by the golden list, the consequences would be unimaginable once his own more eye-catching Yin-Yang Dao Body made the list.

He subconsciously checked his internal state, confirming that the "Yin-Yang Breath Concealment Technique" was still operating steadily, which brought him a slight sense of relief.

The golden list continued to scroll.

[Ninety-eighth place: Sharp Gold Sword Body — Bai Wuchen (Heavenly Sword Villa), Earth Rank, Medium Grade]

[Ninety-seventh place: Profound Water Spirit Body — Mu Qingyi (Mystic Ice Palace), Earth Rank, High Grade]

Starting from ninety-seventh place, the potential ratings jumped up a notch with almost every announced rank. The affiliations of those on the list also quickly expanded from small Sects like the Rock Sect to first-rate major Sects like the Heavenly Sword Villa and Mystic Ice Palace.

The discussions in the Scripture Pavilion gradually quieted down as an invisible pressure permeated the air with the rising ranks.

Ye Fan silently memorized the information of every person on the list: Sharp Gold Sword Body, Profound Water Spirit Body, Blazing Fire Battle Body, Earthen Treasure Body, Clear Wind Spirit Body... The potential gradually climbed from Earth Rank, Low Grade to Earth Rank, High Grade, with "Earth Rank, Peak Grade" appearing occasionally.

By the time the eighty-first place was announced, the potential had stabilized at "Earth Rank, Peak Grade."

[Eighty-first place: Astral Battle Body — Zhou Tianchen (Starfall Pavilion), Earth Rank, Peak Grade]

Everyone gasped, their eyes involuntarily drifting toward the still-blank area above.

As if sensing the expectations of all living beings, the golden list's Dao patterns flowed faster, and its light grew more brilliant. A mysterious and profound fluctuation began to spread from the center of the golden list into the endless Void Realm.

Hum, hum, hum—

When the seventy-fifth place, the "Geng-Metal Lightning Body," was announced, a sharp and peerless Sword Intent shot into the sky from deep within the Yuqing Sect! That was a certain secluded Sword Dao Elder being triggered by the golden list's aura. Immediately after, the mountain-protecting array automatically activated, the pill Qi from the Pill Refining Room soared into the sky, and ten thousand beasts in the Spirit Beast garden roared in unison—the entire Sect was resonating with the golden list.

Not just the Yuqing Sect, but throughout the entire Cultivation World, wherever Cultivators gathered, various phenomena appeared: ancient swords hummed on their own, Pill Furnaces emitted rosy clouds, divine birds cried out, and ancient scriptures manifested themselves...

Countless old monsters in seclusion were disturbed, and countless Mortals knelt on the ground.

At this moment, the golden list was no longer just a list, but the source of the Heavenly Dao Laws and the core of the manifestation of the Myriad Daos.

"The Myriad Daos resonate together!" An old Cultivator kowtowed to the golden list. "The Heavenly Dao has manifested; the Great Era has arrived!"

Ye Fan felt the Spiritual Qi around him, which was so active it was almost boiling, and was shocked. Every time the golden list made an announcement, it was triggering and organizing the Dao and principles of this world, laying the foundation for the upcoming "Great Era." The resonance of the Myriad Daos triggered by this announcement process alone was an unprecedented Opportunity for the world's Cultivators.

But the greater the Opportunity, the more brutal the competition. He had to grow stronger faster and develop more discreetly. The golden list did not pause.

Starting from the eightieth place, the potential jumped to "Heaven Rank."

[Eightieth place: Yi-Wood Longevity Body — Su Muqing (Medicine King Valley), Heaven Rank, Low Grade]

"Heaven Rank! The first Heaven Rank!"

Before the cries of surprise could fade, the seventy-ninth place appeared, also at Heaven Rank, Low Grade.

The ranks continued to climb, and every name that appeared caused a huge sensation in its respective region.

At seventieth place, the potential reached Heaven Rank, Medium Grade.

[Seventieth place: Mystic Ice Spirit Body (Variant) — Leng Qingqiu (Mystic Ice Palace), Heaven Rank, Medium Grade]

"A variant spirit body! Heaven Rank, Medium Grade! The Mystic Ice Palace is truly going against the heavens!"

The atmosphere in the Scripture Pavilion was so heavy it felt like it could drip water. The excitement had vanished from many Disciples' faces, replaced only by shock and powerlessness. Compared to these prodigies, they were like fireflies compared to the bright moon.

Ye Fan's heart sank bit by bit. If Heaven Rank, Medium Grade was only ranked seventieth, then how terrifying would the top fifty, top thirty, or top ten be?

At sixty-third place, a name appeared that caught Ye Fan's attention.

[Sixty-third place: Geng-Metal Sword Bone (Acquired) — Xiao Yan (Eastern Region, Loose Cultivator), Heaven Rank, High Grade (With hidden risks).]

"A Loose Cultivator can make the list too?" "The sword maniac Xiao Yan? He actually forged the Geng-Metal Sword Bone?" "Pity it was Acquired; there are hidden risks."

Ye Fan remembered this name. As a Loose Cultivator without a backer, it was uncertain whether making the list was a blessing or a curse—perhaps he was someone to observe or even contact.

Finally, after the fifty-fifth place was announced, the golden list's light paused, as if the Dao patterns were gathering even greater power.

The entire Cultivation World held its breath.

In the next instant, the golden list burst with light.

[Fifty-fourth place: Solar Divine Body (Incomplete) — Lieyangzi (Solar Divine Sect), Saint Rank, Low Grade (Estimated complete state: Saint Rank, Peak Grade)]

Boom!

The Cultivation World completely exploded with excitement.

"Saint Rank! A Saint Rank Physique has appeared!"

"The Solar Divine Body! One of the legendary strongest divine bodies!"

"Even incomplete, it's Saint Rank, Low Grade; in its complete state, it's Saint Rank, Peak Grade!"

"The Solar Divine Sect! The overlord of the Western Region!"

A needle could be heard dropping in the Yuqing Sect's Scripture Pavilion. Everyone was dazed by the words "Saint Rank." Saint Rank—that was a peerless Physique recorded in ancient texts that was enough to sweep across an entire era once it reached Major Achievement.

Ye Fan's throat felt dry. Saint Rank, Low Grade, incomplete, and ranked fifty-fourth. Then his own Yin-Yang Dao Body...

The golden list continued.

Fifty-third, fifty-second, fifty-first... The potential fluctuated between Saint Rank, Low Grade and Medium Grade. The origins of those on the list became more and more shocking, with behemoths that only existed in legends appearing, such as the "Jade Pool Holy Land," "Ancient Ji Family," and "Arctic War God Palace." Ye Fan's mood grew heavier.

Just as the fiftieth place was about to be revealed, the golden list's light changed again, and a more magnificent fluctuation than before suddenly erupted.

Rumble—!

The Great Dao roared, and the Laws resonated. Boundless golden light burst from the golden list, golden lotuses bloomed in the void, immortal music lingered, and the phantom images of Dragons and Phoenixes circled above.

Under the shocked and almost dazed gazes of all living beings, two huge lines of golden Dao patterns slowly emerged:

[The Heavenly Dao has sensed this; let the heavens celebrate together.]

[The top fifty of the physique list contain the Opportunity for Immortal Ascension and will be announced sequentially starting from forty-ninth place in one day.]

[Those who make the top fifty will receive double the blessings and be endowed with Luck.]

The moment the words appeared, golden pillars of light carrying endless Dao charm descended precisely toward the locations of the owners from fifty-first to one-hundredth place.

The Heavenly Dao Blessing had begun to be distributed.

The top fifty would be revealed in one day.

The entire Cultivation World erupted in the most frenzied wave of sound in history. Countless people spread the news, and countless powers began to operate frantically.

Ye Fan stood by the window, watching the golden pillar of light that had submerged into a certain peak of the Yuqing Sect—that was the blessing given to Zhao Yuanqing—and then looked at the blank space for the top fifty on the golden list.

His palms were drenched in sweat, and the Yin-Yang Two Qi inside him flowed faster uncontrollably, as if resonating with the Great Dao, letting out a yearning tremble.

"One day... only one day."

Whether it was a blessing or a curse, the answer would be known tomorrow.