Genius Ranking

At the mention of this, Ye Lingling took a deep breath, shock still lingering in her eyes.

She recalled that earth-shaking scene above Spirit Hall, her voice carrying a trace of barely perceptible solemnity.

"Teacher Li Bai... he... with just a Green Lotus Giant Sword formed from Sword Intent, suspended above Spirit Hall and pressed down on all of Spirit City until it could barely breathe..."

"The Pope of Spirit Hall, the Elders, and that unfathomable Great Enshrined One, Qian Daoliu, all came out..."

She recounted in detail how Li Bai had intimidated everyone with a single strand of Sword Intent.

How he had unleashed nine shocking Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings and forced Qian Daoliu to personally order their release.

"...Nine... all of them were Hundred Thousand Year red Soul Rings..."

Ye Lingling murmured at last, as though she were still immersed in the shock of that sea of blood-red light.

"Nine Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings?!"

Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan gasped at the same time.

Even Zhu Zhuqing, who was usually so cool and detached, had her pupils suddenly contract!

They knew Li Bai was strong, but they had never expected him to be this absurdly powerful!

Nine Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings!

That was practically the stuff of legends!

No wonder even Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined One had no choice but to bow his head!

"God... if only we hadn't taken leave!"

Ning Rongrong stomped her foot, her face full of regret.

"How amazing would it have been to see Teacher Li Bai display his might in person? That was Spirit Hall headquarters!"

Dugu Yan also deeply regretted missing it, her eyes brimming with longing. "Yeah, I really want to see what Teacher Li Bai looks like when he goes all out..."

The girls chattered excitedly among themselves.

Their admiration for Li Bai was impossible to conceal.

Just then...

The Golden Sky Curtain hanging high in the heavens lit up once more with boundless golden radiance!

[In three days, the Douluo Continent Genius Ranking will be announced!]

[Eligibility: Soul Masters under the age of twenty-five. Rankings will be determined by a comprehensive assessment of talent potential, Soul Power Level, Martial Soul Quality, practical combat strength, and other factors. The top twenty will be selected!]

[All those who make the list will receive a Heavenly Dao Gift!]

Ning Rongrong and the others' gazes were drawn to the Genius Ranking in the sky as it began announcing a new ranking once again.

Ning Rongrong clenched her tiny fists, fighting spirit flashing in her beautiful eyes. "The Genius Ranking! I wonder how many spots Big Dipper Academy can claim, and how high we can rank?"

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were resolute, but she remained silent.

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling also lifted their heads, their eyes full of anticipation.

They all wanted to know, on this ranking that gathered the top young geniuses from the entire continent,

just how far they and their companions could go.

Big Dipper Academy's reputation might seize this opportunity to truly resound throughout the continent.

As soon as the preview of this new ranking appeared,

it instantly drew the attention of Soul Masters across the entire continent!

"The Genius Ranking! Under twenty-five!"

"God, this ranking covers an even wider range! As long as you're young and talented, you have a chance!"

"Talent, level, Martial Soul, combat strength... a comprehensive evaluation. This is much harder than a simple Martial Soul Ranking!"

"I wonder who will make the list? Spirit Hall's Golden Generation? The Princes of the Two Great Empires? Or heirs of those reclusive sects?"

"Those little monsters from Shrek Academy seem pretty young. Do they have a chance?"

"..."

The entire continent once again plunged into fervent discussion and anticipation.

For young Soul Masters, this was undoubtedly another excellent opportunity to make a name for themselves and obtain a fortuitous opportunity.

Many young Soul Masters who considered themselves extraordinarily talented were eager to try, awaiting the ranking's announcement three days later.

Three days hurried past amid the anticipation of countless people.

When dawn arrived once again on the fourth day,

the Sky Screen rippled with familiar waves right on schedule, golden light gathering together.

[Genius Ranking]

The three large characters shone brightly.

[Genius Ranking, 20th Place: Hu Yanli!]

[Soul Power Level: Level 38 Defense Type Battle Soul Ancestor]

[Martial Soul: Diamond Mammoth (Top-tier Defense Type Beast Martial Soul)]

[Affiliation: Elephant Armor Academy]

[Evaluation: His Martial Soul possesses extremely powerful defenses and a solid foundation. He is an outstanding defender among the younger generation.]

[Reward: Soul Power Increased by One Level, and the age of all Soul Rings increased by three hundred years!]

"Hu Yanli! The Young Sect Master of Elephant Armor Sect!"

"The Diamond Mammoth's defenses are indeed terrifying. I heard even Soul Kings struggle to break through them!"

"Level thirty-eight is pretty good. As expected of an heir to one of the Lower Four Sects."

"An increase of three hundred years to his Soul Ring Age will significantly improve his defensive abilities!"

Golden light flowed across the Sky Screen, and it soon announced the next person.

[Genius Ranking, 19th Place: Ma Hongjun!]

[Soul Power Level: Level 33 Assault Type Battle Soul Elder]

[Martial Soul: Evil Fire Phoenix (Top-tier Mutant Beast Martial Soul, contains Phoenix Bloodline, possesses enormous potential, but carries the Evil Fire Hidden Danger)]

[Affiliation: Shrek Academy]

[Evaluation: His Martial Soul Quality is extremely high and his attack power formidable. He is still young and possesses enormous potential. However, his temperament is somewhat impulsive and requires proper guidance.]

[Reward: Soul Power Increased by One Level, and the age of all Soul Rings increased by four hundred years!]

"Ma Hongjun? From Shrek Academy?"

"Evil Fire Phoenix? It sounds incredibly powerful! And it's even a top-tier mutant Martial Soul!"

"Someone else from Shrek Academy made the list! Although he's ranked fairly low, Ma Hongjun should still be young. His future is promising!"

"Evil Fire Hidden Danger? What's that?"

"..."

Far from Spirit City,

the Shrek Academy group, who had temporarily settled in a remote town, immediately burst into cheers when they saw Ma Hongjun make the list.

"Fatty! Not bad! You made the list!"

Oscar excitedly punched Ma Hongjun.

Dai Mubai also smiled and nodded. "Not bad. You didn't disgrace Shrek."

Ma Hongjun himself proudly lifted his chin and planted his hands on his hips. "Of course! Who do you think I am, Ma Hongjun? Hahaha, my Soul Power went up a level, and my Soul Ring Age increased too! Awesome!"

Only Yu Xiaogang frowned slightly. Looking at the words "Evil Fire Hidden Danger," he fell into thought.

The Evil Fire had always been a problem troubling Ma Hongjun's cultivation. It seemed the Sky Screen had noticed it as well.

Meanwhile, factions across the continent once more took note of the name "Shrek Academy."

This academy might appear unremarkable.

But several of its people had already appeared on the Sky Screen Ranking List. It could not be underestimated.

Inside Elephant Armor Sect.

Hu Yanli looked at the ranking in the sky, feeling the Soul Power growing within his body and his Soul Rings becoming tougher.

An excited smile first appeared on his rugged face.

Making it onto the Genius Ranking watched by the entire continent and receiving a Heavenly Dao Gift was indeed something worth celebrating.

"Hm? Only 20th Place?"

However, when he saw that his ranking was merely 20th Place,

and that the 19th Place ahead of him belonged to some kid from a Shrek Academy he had barely even heard of,

whose Soul Power Level was even lower than his own, the smile on his face instantly froze, replaced by a surge of intense dissatisfaction and anger.

"20th Place? What kind of joke is this!"

Hu Yanli roared in a muffled voice, his fists clenching until they crackled.

"I, Hu Yanli, am the Young Sect Master of Elephant Armor Sect! My Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul's defenses are unmatched among my peers!"

"Who among the empire's younger generation hasn't heard my name? How could I possibly be ranked at a mere 20th Place?"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Especially when he saw the description of "Evil Fire Hidden Danger" in Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul evaluation, an obvious flaw.

It made him feel the Ranking List was unfair.