53: Chapter 53 Beauty Ranking Preview: Female Cultivators Eagerly Await

Life in Hidden Dragon Valley had been peaceful for less than a month when, early this morning, Ye Fan was in his Immortal Cave, using the Yin-Yang Two Qi to nourish the guixu fragment in his Dantian. Suddenly—

Hum!

That familiar, indescribably grand fluctuation swept across the world once more; the golden list had returned.

He opened his eyes abruptly and flashed out of the Immortal Cave. Su Qianxue and Liu Mengli also flew out simultaneously, and the three of them stood in the clearing in the valley, looking up at the sky.

High in the heavens, a new area lit up beside the giant golden list.

Within the divine light, Fairies could be vaguely seen dancing, petals fluttered, and ethereal music drifted by, mesmerizing all who watched. The voice of the Great Dao resonated in the hearts of every living being:

"The Heavenly Dao is manifest, and all phenomena are presented! The 'list of peerless wind and grace' (commonly known as the 'beauty list') is about to appear! This list does not judge based on combat power, Foundation, or Opportunity, but rather synthesizes appearance, temperament, grace, Dao charm, and the interpretation and influence of the 'beauty' of the Great Dao upon all living things in the world. It selects the one hundred most outstanding female cultivators of the current era in this world; those on the list are favored by the spiritual brilliance of heaven and earth, gathering the charm of creation, and are peerless in grace!"

"The list will be announced one by one starting from the one hundredth place in three days. At that time, the whole world shall bear witness!"

"It really is the beauty list." Ye Fan's heart sank. He had long had a premonition, but now that it was actually here, he still felt the pressure.

Su Qianxue and Liu Mengli exchanged glances with complex expressions. There was the natural concern for 'beauty' inherent in women, but also anxiety about the trouble it would bring. Given their conditions—Mystic Yin Body, High Grade Golden Core—the probability of them making the list was extremely high.

"Young Master..." Su Qianxue looked at Ye Fan.

"What is meant to come will come." Ye Fan's expression returned to calm. "The golden list is not something we can control. Fortunately, we have prepared in advance, and we have Hidden Dragon Valley as a retreat."

"But once we are on the list, it will certainly attract covetous eyes." Liu Mengli said, full of worry. "Especially in the Domain of Chaos, those villains are even more unscrupulous."

"Therefore, before the list is announced, we must make more thorough preparations." Ye Fan said. "First, strengthen our defenses. Qianxue, Mengli, go immediately to inspect and reinforce all Formations. The entrance tunnel and the aerial defenses must all be fortified. Do not spare any Materials."

"Yes, Young Master!"

"Second, restrict our activities. Before the list is announced and the turmoil subsides, the three of us should try not to leave the valley at the same time. If we must go out, we must disguise ourselves and agree on a method of contact."

"Third, intelligence." He looked at Su Qianxue. "Through that eye on the outside, and other channels, keep a close watch on the outside world's reaction to the beauty list, especially those forces that have designs on the female cultivators on the list."

"Yes, I will go make arrangements right away."

"Also," Ye Fan mused for a moment, "If you really make the list and are ranked highly, attracting powerful enemies that we cannot stop..."

His voice became very serious. "Remember, survival comes first! If necessary, you can abandon everything, including Hidden Dragon Valley. Use the pre-set escape passages to evacuate immediately. As long as you are alive, anything is possible."

Su Qianxue and Liu Mengli felt a warmth in their hearts, as well as a heavy sense of responsibility.

"Rest assured, Young Master, we understand!"

"Good, let's get to work!"

The atmosphere in Hidden Dragon Valley suddenly became tense. Su Qianxue and Liu Mengli focused all their efforts on reinforcing the Formations. Ye Fan inspected every corner of the valley and set up several one-time countermeasures in a few top-secret locations—either to perish together with the enemy or to create chaos to escape.

Meanwhile, the outside world had completely exploded into chaos.

"The beauty list! It really is the beauty list!"

"Favored by the spiritual brilliance of heaven and earth, gathering the charm of creation... I wonder which Fairies will make the list?"

"Need you ask? The number one beauty of the Central Plains, Fairy Luoshen, Luo Qingxue; the Ice Soul Sword Fairy of the Shushan Sword Pavilion, Ling Hanyan; the Miaoyin Bodhisattva of the Great Leiyin Temple, Liaoyuan; and the Saintess of the Yuanshi Demon Sect, Nangong Yue—these are all recognized beauties; they will definitely be on the list!"

"There is also the Yuqing Fairy of the Eastern Region, Su Qingshuang; the Valley Master of the Hundred Flowers Valley in the Southern Wilderness, Hua Xiangrong; the Saintess of the Snow Plains in the Northern Region... The successors of those reclusive Sects might also have beauties!"

"Heh, I wonder who will be at the top of the list? Fairy Luoshen or the Saintess of the Demon Sect?"

"We'll know in three days!"

"Know what, my ass! This kind of list is a source of disaster! Who knows how many wild bees and butterflies the female cultivators on the list will attract, especially those without a background... Sigh."

"What do you know! This is an honor! The 'beauty' recognized by the golden list is not just about the skin; it is also about Dao charm and creation, which is of great benefit to cultivation!"

The entire Cultivation World was abuzz with discussion—male cultivators talked about it with relish, fantasizing about catching a glimpse of their beauty or even getting a taste of their favor; female cultivators had more complex feelings—some secretly hoped to make the list to prove that their 'beauty' was recognized by the Heavenly Dao; some were anxious, afraid that not making the list would be embarrassing, but also afraid that making it would cause trouble; others didn't care at all, feeling that the path of cultivation valued strength above all, and that a beautiful face was nothing but a pink skull.

But regardless, the preview of the beauty list was like a giant magnet, drawing the eyes of the entire Cultivation World back to the golden list. Countless forces secretly dispatched personnel, preparing to "protect," "recruit," or "seize" the female cultivators on the list after it was announced.

Three days passed quickly amidst the eager anticipation of hundreds of millions of living beings.

On the morning of the fourth day, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds—

Hum!

The golden list vibrated again—the divine light in the area of the "list of peerless wind and grace" suddenly receded, transforming into a crystal-clear curtain of light.

On the light curtain, two lines of elegant and ethereal Great Dao text, seemingly formed from petals and starlight, slowly emerged:

[ The list of peerless wind and grace, one hundredth place, is about to be announced. ]