Chapter 610 - 204: Potential Ranking, Yunxiao Sect

At these words, both parties, who had been arguing incessantly, nodded slightly in unison.

Xie Xuan and Qin Gang believed that if Chu Yunhai could master his War Body in that time, his strength would undoubtedly rise to another level. Then, choosing him would be even less controversial.

Li Zhihai and Lei Lie, on the other hand, believed that Yang Jing would surely maintain his astonishing growth rate and use his strength to prove his potential. When the time came, he would naturally be able to convince everyone.

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhen also nodded to himself. ’Truly, experience always wins out,’ he thought.

Ouyang Jingxuan’s proposal avoided damaging the harmony among the Peak Masters over their disagreement while also allowing for an objective evaluation of the two candidates’ potential based on their future performance. It was indeed the most prudent and well-rounded solution.

After a moment of thought, he looked at Ouyang Jingxuan and asked, "What Elder Ouyang says is absolutely right. However, the nurturing of these potential seeds is the Xuanzhen Sect’s most important plan moving forward. It must be put on the agenda as soon as possible and cannot be delayed indefinitely.

"But the timeframe cannot be too short, or it will be difficult to gauge their true potential. How long do you think would be most appropriate?"

Hearing the Sect Leader’s question, Ouyang Jingxuan did not answer immediately. Instead, his brow furrowed slightly as he fell into deep thought.

Too short a time, and it would be hard to tell who is superior.

Too long, and it might hinder their development. The matter truly required careful consideration.

Just then, Peak Master Yunxi, Zhou Yunyi, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke. Her voice was gentle and soft, yet it carried clearly throughout the great hall. "Sect Leader, fellow Elders and Peak Masters, in my view, what about a period of two months?"

As Zhou Yunyi suddenly spoke, everyone, who had previously been focused on Ouyang Jingxuan, instantly turned to look at her.

She had remained silent until this point, revealing no hint of her leanings. For her to speak up so abruptly now naturally drew the attention of everyone in the hall.

Zhou Yunyi’s expression remained unchanged, as calm as ever.

In truth, she had proposed the two-month period with two considerations in mind.

On one hand, two months was a perfect middle ground—long enough for Chu Yunhai to familiarize himself with and master his newly awakened War Body, allowing him to steadily enhance his combat strength.

It would also allow Yang Jing to continue demonstrating his astonishing growth rate and prove whether his potential was truly as immeasurable as Li Zhihai and Lei Lie claimed.

On the other hand, she had happened to overhear that after the Fushan Grand Tournament, Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai had already agreed to spar again in two months to settle the score.

By then, their respective levels of strength and depth of potential would become clear through a direct confrontation. The sect could then use this as a key factor in judging who was more worthy of receiving its top resources for priority development.

After hearing Zhou Yunyi’s proposed two-month timeframe, everyone nodded slightly, inwardly agreeing that it was a sound suggestion.

The duration was neither so short that they couldn’t see the two’s true abilities, nor so long that it would delay the sect’s development plans. It was just right.

Ouyang Jingxuan also stroked his graying beard, a look of approval in his eyes. He nodded and said, "Two months is an excellent timeframe. Not too long, not too short—it will be enough to tell us what we need to know."

At the head of the hall, Cao Zhen observed everyone’s unanimous approval, nodded slowly, and said in a steady tone, "Very well."

His gaze slowly swept across the eight people in the hall as he continued, "If no one has any other objections, then the selection of the top potential seed between Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing will be temporarily postponed. In two months, we will reconvene to deliberate and make a decision based on their performance."

"Agreed," the Seven Vein Peak Masters and Chief Elder Ouyang Jingxuan replied in unison, having no objections.

Cao Zhen gave a slight nod and continued, "Regardless of who ultimately becomes the top potential seed, Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing will be the top two individuals on the sect’s priority development list."

He paused, then shifted the topic. "Now then, the third person on the priority development list will be Bai Ziyu, and the fourth will be Lu Shaohua. Does anyone have any objections to these placements?"

The eight of them shook their heads in unison again, each one replying, "No objections."

Bai Ziyu hailed from Thunder Peak. He was exceptionally talented, and his cultivation of the Top-grade True Skill, the Profound Yin Claw, had already reached the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm, making his combat strength formidable.

Lu Shaohua was a disciple from Qingxu Peak, and his talent and strength were also exceptionally high.

Both were top geniuses of the Xuanzhen Sect’s younger generation, only a slight step below Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing. Ranking them third and fourth was well-deserved, and no one disputed it.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Cao Zhen continued, "In that case, let us now discuss the rankings of the remaining twenty-nine disciples on the priority development list one by one and see if any adjustments are necessary."

After he spoke, Cao Zhen, along with the Seven Vein Peak Masters and Ouyang Jingxuan, began a meticulous discussion, poring over the list of disciples they held.

During the process, whenever someone raised a dissenting opinion, the group would conduct a comprehensive assessment based on the disciple’s talent, Cultivation, and performance in actual combat, finalizing each ranking one by one.

In a short time, with the exception of the unresolved contest for the top potential seed between Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai—leaving them temporarily tied for the top spot—the rankings of the other thirty-one disciples on the priority development list were all finalized.

...

In the southeastern region of Jintai Prefecture, there stood a majestic and towering mountain—Phoenix Mountain.

The mountain range stretched for hundreds of miles, its peaks rising one after another, wreathed in clouds and mist. It was not only the largest mountain in Jintai Prefecture but also a Martial Arts Sacred Land yearned for by countless Martial Artists.

This was because the Yunxiao Sect, the head of Jintai Prefecture’s five major sects, had its headquarters atop Phoenix Mountain. With a legacy spanning a thousand years, it possessed profound heritage and formidable strength, making it a cut above the other four sects.

「The summit of Phoenix Mountain.」

Within the Grand Hall of the Yunxiao Sect Leader, sandalwood incense smoke wafted through the air, creating a serene and solemn atmosphere.

Sect Leader Ren An, clad in a white Daoist robe embroidered with cloud patterns, sat enthroned on a large agarwood chair at the head of the hall. He held a recently delivered scroll in his hands, poring over its contents.

The scroll contained a complete and detailed account of the Xuanzhen Sect’s recently concluded Fushan Grand Tournament.

As the leader of the five major sects, the Yunxiao Sect had always closely monitored all significant Martial Dao activities within Jintai Prefecture, paying particular attention to the core affairs of the other four major sects.

The Fushan Grand Tournament held by the Xuanzhen Sect, one of the five major sects, was a high-profile event. It not only determined the power ranking of the Xuanzhen Sect’s younger generation but also influenced the balance of power among the five major sects of Jintai Prefecture. Naturally, it was a matter of prime importance to the Yunxiao Sect.

Ren An read with extreme care. He examined every detail in the scroll: the Fushan Grand Tournament’s schedule, the specifics of key matches, the list of award-winning disciples, and their prizes.

But what he paid the most attention to was the detailed record of Yang Jing.

From his origins in Yuhe County and entering the Xuanzhen Sect with an Eighth-Grade Root Bone, to mastering Three True Skills and reaching the Qi Eating Realm within half a year, and then to fighting his way through the Fushan Grand Tournament to ultimately battle Chu Yunhai to a draw for first place—every detail was recorded with perfect clarity.

As for Chu Yunhai, he was already a famous prodigy of the Xuanzhen Sect. With his second-grade root bone and astonishing perception, the Yunxiao Sect had long kept a detailed file on him, so Ren An was not surprised by his performance.

What truly stunned him was Yang Jing’s heaven-defying performance over the past six months.

After finishing the report on Yang Jing, Ren An slowly closed the scroll. His brows knitted slightly, and an unconcealable flash of surprise in his eyes quickly turned into deep regret.

’In just over half a year, he went from an Inner Strength Martial Artist who hadn’t even reached the Peak of Transformation, soaring all the way to the Qi Eating Realm, while simultaneously mastering Three True Skills to their corresponding levels...’

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with emotion. "Such talent, such a growth rate... truly a rare find! What a pity. A genius like that, and he didn’t join my Yunxiao Sect. It’s truly a great loss."