Martial Dao Stele Rankings Reshuffled

The year-end cold wind swept across the Martial Arts Arena, carrying a bone-piercing chill, yet it could not disperse the blazing light in the Inner Hall disciples' eyes.

In the courtyard where the Martial Dao Stele stood, sixty-one figures stood solemnly, the grave atmosphere laced with suppressed excitement.

Elder Fang Yuan, dressed in a green robe, stood before the stele with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept across all the disciples present as he spoke in a steady voice.

"Now, step forward one by one and undergo the Martial Dao Stele ranking test again!"

As his words fell, the crowd stirred faintly before quickly falling silent again. All eyes focused on the Martial Dao Stele, which shimmered with a mysterious glow.

The order of the retest naturally followed the previous rankings, from highest to lowest.

The top ten disciples stepped forward first.

They were composed and steady, with deep, unfathomable auras. They were clearly different from ordinary disciples.

The first to step forward was Fang Hong, who had long occupied the top of the rankings and had already reached Bone Forging.

Not only was he quite renowned within the Fang Clan, but among Liangshui City's younger generation, he was equally famous.

Together with four others from Liangshui City, he was known as the Five Heroes of Liangshui—the five most outstanding young talents.

He stepped forward calmly, wrote his name on the stele with a finger, then struck the stele with a powerful, heavy palm.

"Buzzz—"

The Jade Stele's light flickered violently, making it easy to imagine the power contained in that palm strike.

The next to step forward was Fang Xue, the young woman who had ranked second in previous years.

She wore a moon-white training outfit. Her posture was straight, her features delicate and lovely, her skin whiter than snow, and her eyes carried an icy, snowbound detachment and calmness.

Like Fang Hong, she had also reached the Bone Forging realm.

The martial skill she cultivated was the same Breeze Sword as Fang Han's, but her comprehension of it far surpassed his. She had already reached the major mastery stage.

"Clang—"

With one slash of her sword, the Jade Stele's light flickered fiercely as well. In the end, her ranking settled behind Fang Hong's.

The next to step forward was Fang Hao, who had ranked third in previous years.

Like Fang Hong and Fang Xue, he too had reached the Bone Forging realm.

Standing before the Martial Dao Stele, he drew a deep breath, and a faint series of pops rang out from his muscles and bones.

His right fist clenched tightly, veins slithering beneath his skin like horned dragons. He threw a fierce punch at the smooth Jade Stele.

"Boom!"

A muffled thunderous sound echoed through the courtyard, and the Jade Stele's light flashed violently.

In the end, his ranking fell behind Fang Xue's.

Seeing this result, a trace of disappointment flashed through Fang Hao's eyes.

He had never expected to surpass Fang Hong, but he had hoped to overtake Fang Xue, who held second place. Naturally, failing to do so disappointed him.

Next, the disciples ranked fourth through tenth in previous years stepped forward to test themselves one by one.

Their realms were all a level below the top three, at the Tendon Refining stage.

Even so, their attacks remained imposing and powerful.

Some were fierce and overbearing, others swift and tricky, making the stele's light flicker without end.

However, although there were slight shifts in rank—such as seventh and eighth switching places, and Fang Mei, previously tenth, rising one rank and squeezing out the former ninth—the overall structure of the top ten changed little.

After the top ten had finished testing, it was the turn of the disciples ranked below tenth in previous years.

At that moment, the atmosphere suddenly became even more tense.

Those disciples who felt that a year of arduous cultivation had borne fruit and greatly increased their strength had anticipation and unease flashing in their eyes.

They took deep breaths, wrote their names on the stele, and then unleashed their strongest attacks.

"Forty-first place!"

"Thirty-fifth place!"

"Twenty-eighth place!"

As names lit up one after another on the stele's surface, the new rankings continuously refreshed.

Some saw their rankings rise dramatically, even leaping more than a dozen places at once. Unable to hold themselves back, they let out low roars, their faces flushed red with excitement.

Others discovered that their rankings had not advanced but instead fallen. Their faces instantly turned ashen, their eyes dimmed, and their tightly clenched fists trembled slightly, their hearts filled with loss and unwillingness.

Whispers rose softly through the crowd, mixed with amazement, regret, and envy.

Fang Han stood within the line, his gaze calm, though his heart was not entirely without ripples.

When it was his turn, he stepped forward steadily. His finger touched the icy stele as he wrote the two characters, "Fang Han."

Then he took the Refined Iron Longsword from nearby, and his gaze abruptly sharpened.

"Breeze Piercing Forest!"

The Breeze Sword Art at minor mastery was unleashed with all his strength. Sword light flashed like lightning, carrying the greater power he had gained after breaking through to Flesh Refining Mid-Stage, and stabbed precisely and swiftly into the Martial Dao Stele!

"Clang—!"

The sword tip struck the Jade Stele, producing a clear, trembling ring.

The Jade Stele's light flowed, and the number after the name "Fang Han" changed rapidly before finally settling—fifty-fourth place!

Compared to his fifty-ninth place in the previous test, he had advanced a full five ranks.

And this result should not change again.

After Fang Han, only Fang Tao and Fang Chen remained untested. When they had entered the Inner Hall, they had already been inferior to Fang Han, much less now.

Seeing this result, the other seven who had entered the Inner Hall alongside Fang Han—

Though they had expected Fang Han's rapid progress, they still could not help drawing in cold breaths, their eyes filled with undisguised shock.

"Fifty-fourth... How long has it even been?"

"Flesh Refining Mid-Stage, minor mastery in Sword Art... Just how does he cultivate?"

"He's almost caught up to Fang Lin..."

Their gazes involuntarily turned toward Fang Lin.

Fang Lin's face darkened slightly at that moment.

Looking at the name "Fang Han" pressed close to his own on the stele's surface, he felt a powerful sense of crisis coil around his heart like cold vines.

In less than a month, he had risen one rank to fifty-third place. He had originally been quite proud of himself.

I truly am a genius. In less than a month, I caught up to an Inner Hall disciple from previous years. Given enough time, I will surely have a place among the top ten.

But when he saw Fang Han's ranking, the pride in his heart suddenly collapsed.

Fifty-fourth place!

This branch-family disciple whom he had once completely disdained had caught up to right behind him in such a short time, only one step away.

I absolutely cannot let him surpass me!

Alarm bells blared in Fang Lin's heart as he felt a threat that seemed almost tangible.

That once lofty sense of superiority vanished without a trace, replaced by intense wariness and urgency.

He gritted his teeth in secret, his gaze becoming incomparably sharp as he resolved to cultivate even more desperately after returning.

Fang Tao and Fang Chen stepped forward for their tests. Soon, all the disciples had completed their retests, and the new Martial Dao Stele rankings were clearly displayed before everyone.

Elder Fang Yuan took out a thick register recording the Martial Dao Stele rankings from the end of last year.

His gaze was calm as his fingers moved swiftly between the register and the Martial Dao Stele's new rankings, comparing and calculating the changes in everyone's rank over the past year.

The courtyard was silent enough for a pin to be heard dropping. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the final result.

A moment later, Elder Fang Yuan spoke again, his voice clearly reaching every ear.

"Next, rewards will be distributed to those ranked in the top ten. First place, Fang Hong, five hundred taels. Second place, Fang Xue, four hundred taels..."

He read out the names of the top ten one by one and announced the corresponding amounts of silver.

As the Inner Hall's foremost strength, their rewards were exceptionally generous, ranging from several hundred taels to several dozen taels. The higher the rank, the greater the amount.

The top ten disciples stepped forward to receive their heavy money pouches, unable to hide the joy on their faces. This was recognition and reward for their strength and status.