While Lu Changsheng was focused on refining the Hundred Cauldrons Grand Pill, a large number of martial artists had gathered outside the Martial Pavilion.
Over the past month, the number of martial artists on the Northern Region Battlefield had grown rapidly, and it was all thanks to the Divine Strength Rankings.
There were casualties every day, but martial artists from both the Da Yu Dynasty and the northern tribes continued to converge on the Northern Region Battlefield. In the eyes of many, the rankings had beco an important asurent of power for Divine Strength martial artists.
"I wonder if Tian Xin will still be number one this ti."
"I think Song Wuqing might replace him. He has fought several tis, and each battle ended almost instantly. His strength is unfathomable."
"Heh. What about Sheng Yuanyi? He has fought as well and hasn't encountered any trouble so far."
"I still think no one can surpass Song Wuqing."
Most people were focused on the first place, and Lu Jianming was no exception. Since his last encounter with Dao Shi'er, he had joined other martial artists in constant hunts and battles. With each fight, his Sword Intent grew sharper.
A swordsman advanced only through life-and-death struggle. Compared to a month ago, Lu Jianming could clearly feel the changes to his strength.
"I wonder how I'll rank this ti," Lu Jianming murmured, anticipation in his voice.
Suddenly, soone shouted, "The Martial Pavilion's people are here!"
"They're about to announce the new rankings!" another yelled.
Early that morning, the Martial Pavilion staff covered the stone monunt of the Divine Strength Rankings with cloth. Now, they stepped forward and pulled it away.
Whoosh!
The new Divine Strength Rankings were revealed, and all eyes fell on first place.
Tian Xin!
First place still belonged to Tian Xin. The second and third places remained unchanged as well. Tian Xin, Sheng Yuanyi, and Song Wuqing were still firmly seated at the top.
From fourth to tenth, however, several nas had changed, and many familiar nas were missing. On the Northern Region Battlefield, a na vanishing from the rankings usually ant that the martial artist had fallen in battle.
Chatter erupted among the crowd.
"First place is still Tian Xin. The top three really are untouchable."
"Apart from them, many of the other nas changed."
"A lot of familiar nas are gone, and many new ones appeared."
Lu Jianming imdiately searched for his own na. He was ranked eighty-ninth. He scanned upward until he found himself in eighty-fifth place.
Lu Jianming was dissatisfied. Only eighty-fifth?
After that, his thoughts imdiately turned to Dao Shi'er. He looked toward eighty-first place, where Dao Shi'er had once stood. Many others cast their gaze on that spot as well, but they couldn't find Dao Shi'er's na.
Lu Jianming was startled. Where did Dao Shi'er go?
He checked downward, from eighty-first to one hundred, but he did not find Dao Shi'er. Then, he searched upward. At the sa ti, other martial artists were also searching for the na "Dao Shi'er."
Eighty-one. Seventy-five. Sixty-nine...
Finally, they found it. Dao Shi'er's na stood at sixty-first.
An uproar instantly broke out.
"Impossible!"
"How could Dao Shi'er jump twenty ranks at once?"
"From eighty-first all the way to sixty-first!"
Lu Jianming could hardly believe his eyes. He had improved greatly, but his rank rose only a few places. Dao Shi'er, however, jumped twenty places at once.
Everyone knew Dao Shi'er's reputation ca from steady results. Day after day, he'd enter the battlefield and return with slain Divine Strength Realm opponents.
However, could the Divine Strength Rankings really quantify that? The rankings were supposed to asure strength. Did the Martial Pavilion truly believe that Dao Shi'er was strong enough to be at rank sixty-first?
From rank sixty-first upward, most fighters shared a common trait, especially those within the top fifty. Nearly all were martial artists of the Thousand-Cauldrons stage. Those ranked fiftieth and above were essentially peak Thousand-Cauldrons experts, and Dao Shi'er wasn't far from that level.
"Dao Shi'er is truly impressive. He hasn't killed many famous experts, yet his ranking keeps rising."
"I heard he has comprehended Intent, and more than one at that. He also has a strange and powerful secret technique. Otherwise, there's no way he can kill ninety Divine Strength martial artists in a single month. You think that's luck?"
"Ninety Divine Strength martial artists in a month... Even among the top fifty, not many can surpass that."
"By the way, Dao Shi'er doesn't seem to be here. Where is he?
Outside the Martial Pavilion, martial artists argued loudly among themselves. Lu Changsheng, however, never appeared. He remained in his small courtyard, refining the Hundred Cauldrons Grand Pill.
Whoosh!
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. I've finally refined this pill! And my strength has reached three hundred sixty cauldrons.
Obtaining a total of three hundred sixty cauldrons' worth of strength was a significant milestone for him, as it ant his physical strength would reach one thousand eighty cauldrons upon using the Third Transformation of the Divine Dragon.
He just had to activate the transformation, and it would push him past the thousand cauldrons threshold.
He was satisfied, but he also understood that at this stage, raw strength alone no longer decided victory in battle. In a battle among martial artists capable of unleashing more than a thousand cauldrons of force, Intent determined victory. Without Intent, a martial artist could not be considered a peak Divine Strength expert.
Lu Changsheng stepped out of the courtyard and imdiately heard the commotion from the Martial Pavilion.
Hm? Why is the Martial Pavilion so lively?
After a mont, he realized that the Divine Strength Rankings were going to be updated today. Judging by the commotion, many nas had to have shifted in the rankings.
I was ranked eighty-first last ti. I wonder what my ranking is...
Lu Changsheng did not particularly care about rankings, but he was still curious. He had been active over the past month while concealing most of his true strength. He wanted to know the Martial Pavilion's opinion of him.
Soon, Lu Changsheng reached the Martial Pavilion and looked at the newly updated monunt.
Sixty-first?
He was slightly surprised, as he had not expected to jump twenty ranks at once.
I thought I was keeping a low profile, but the Martial Pavilion must have seen through it. Since I obtained a Hundred Cauldrons Grand Pill, they probably judged that my strength has improved. It's neither too high nor too low. It's not bad at all.
Lu Changsheng did not care about the rankings, but it still provided him with useful information. Many new nas had appeared, and he did not know their strengths or techniques. On the battlefield, that uncertainty could easily lead him to jeopardy, so he needed to remain cautious.
As he studied the list, he suddenly heard Lu Jianming's voice in his ears. "Dao Shi'er, you're ranked sixty-first now. I don't know how you did it, but you're in danger. A few northern barbarians are hiding inside ordinary squads waiting for you to appear. Be careful."
"I will be careful," Lu Changsheng nodded. However, that was never going to stop him from entering the Northern Region Battlefield. After a short while, he left Beiling City once more and stepped onto the battlefield once again.
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