Chapter 2 Martial Soul Ranking: Demigod-level Cultivation Can No Longer Be Hidden.
On the Douluo Continent, whether in bustling cities, remote villages, or even the Star Dou Great Forest inhabited by soul beasts, all living beings witnessed the incredible spectacle in the sky at the same moment.
A golden canopy, obscuring the sun and sky, descended like a divine miracle.
It disregarded space and distance, clearly appearing before everyone's eyes.
Immediately afterward, before each living being, lines of transparent characters composed of sacred golden light appeared.
[This celestial canopy is a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao of Douluo Continent. The first list is the Martial Soul Ranking, where the top twenty Martial Souls of the current era can be listed (each Martial Soul can only be listed once).]
[Judgment Criteria: A comprehensive evaluation of the Martial Soul's quality, potential, development level, etc. (priority from high to low)]
[Martial Soul quality is divided into: God-level, Super, Top-level, and Advanced.]
[Development level includes: the Martial Soul's level, whether it possesses a domain, and whether it has self-created Soul Skills (dependent on the Martial Soul's own creation).]
[Those listed will receive Heavenly Dao rewards. The rewards vary depending on the ranking, and the Heavenly Dao ranking is beyond question!]
These lines resounded like thunder throughout the entire Douluo Continent!
Countless Soul Masters were shocked and excited!
A manifestation of the Heavenly Dao? Martial Soul rankings? And Heavenly Dao rewards?
Canglan Academy.
Lin Yuan lay lazily in the rocking chair, looking at the transparent text before him, and sighed helplessly, "Sigh, I originally wanted to quietly become a god, but now it seems my demigod cultivation can't be hidden anymore."
This wasn't just boasting.
The quality of his two martial souls alone could absolutely crush all other martial souls on the Douluo Continent.
"System, this celestial canopy, could it be that you created this because you think my ascension to godhood is too slow?" Lin Yuan silently complained in his heart.
Unfortunately, his system was like a three-nothing product; aside from emitting a few mechanical electronic sounds when he first transmigrated and when rewards were distributed, it remained completely silent and aloof.
"Whoosh—"
A fragrant breeze wafted by.
The next second, Xiao Wu, along with Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dugu Yan, appeared directly beside Lin Yuan.
Xiao Wu's large, watery eyes were filled with curiosity as she pointed to the sky and asked, "Teacher, do you know what that is? Could it be... a legendary god?"
Lin Yuan didn't even raise an eyelid, casually replying, "I don't know what it is either, but the gods of this world don't have such power."
Ning Rongrong, standing beside him, giggled, her face full of anticipation: "Then will we soon find out what your martial soul is, Teacher? You've kept it hidden for so many years; it's really something to look forward to."
"Thump!"
Lin Yuan flicked his finger, accurately striking Ning Rongrong's smooth forehead.
"Ouch—"
"Teacher, why did you flick my forehead again? It hurts!" Ning Rongrong covered her head with tears in her eyes, her tone tinged with a hint of coquetry.
Lin Yuan smiled helplessly: "If this ranking is true, then my leisurely life is probably coming to an end."
He glanced at his disciples and slowly asked: "You lot, do you remember how you came to my Canglan Academy in the first place?"
Ning Rongrong and the other girls exchanged glances, all seeing a strange look in each other's eyes, and then said in unison: "Emm, you forcibly abducted us and forced us to become your disciples."
Although his disciples had so bluntly exposed his past, Lin Yuan showed no embarrassment whatsoever; his skin was as thick as a city wall.
"So, do you regret it now?" Lin Yuan said casually. "Once I'm exposed by this Heavenly Canopy, my Canglan Academy will probably be searched out by all the forces on the continent."
"At that time, I'm afraid a lot of people will come looking for us."
Xiao Wu was the first to jump out, hurriedly shaking her head and saying, "I definitely won't regret it! If it weren't for you, Teacher, my martial soul wouldn't have evolved."
"Yes, yes, none of us regret it." Ning Rongrong and the other girls nodded repeatedly.
Since becoming Lin Yuan's disciples, the benefits they had received were beyond imagination.
Whether it was Xiao Wu, who was the first to be abducted, or Zhu Zhuqing, who was the last to enter, their martial souls had undergone a transformative evolution.
Moreover, entering Canglan Academy was not a complete isolation from the world.
After Lin Yuan's cultivation reached the Title Douluo level, they would have a certain amount of vacation every year to go back and visit their families.
People like Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, and Poison Douluo Dugu Bo all knew the approximate location of Canglan Academy.
Without Lin Yuan's permission, if they were to trespass into the Canglan territory, it would immediately trigger the sword formation Lin Yuan had set up!
The power of that sword formation had only been personally experienced by Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
It wasn't that he wanted to trespass into Canglan Academy, but as a sword fanatic, he longed to experience Lin Yuan's divine swordsmanship.
The result was predictable: he lost!
And he lost miserably, failing to even break through the first line of defense of the sword formation before being repelled in a sorry state.
Lin Yuan had once left Chen Xin with a message: if he could break through the first line of defense of the sword formation and comprehend even a trace of its sword intent, then breaking through to level ninety-seven would be a piece of cake!
Unfortunately, Chen Xin's comprehension was ultimately just a little lacking.
Several years had passed, and his cultivation remained at the peak of level ninety-six, just one step away from the insurmountable barrier of level ninety-seven, yet he couldn't seem to break through.
Ning Rongrong, brimming with confidence in her teacher, said, "Teacher, you've set up the world's best sword formation outside. With your strength, even if the Spirit Hall were to send out its entire force, they probably wouldn't be able to break in, right?"
"What are you worried about?"
Lin Yuan lazily shook his head, shifting to a more comfortable position. "It's mainly because they're annoying. Look at me now, leisurely lying around every day, basking in the sun, and guiding your cultivation in my spare time. Isn't this a good life?"
Hearing this, Dugu Yan couldn't help but roll her eyes, saying helplessly, "Teacher, you're still a young man! How can you live like a retired old man? It's too decadent!"
Lin Yuan chuckled, "What can I do? Go out and find someone to fight? But those so-called strongmen in your eyes, in my opinion, probably can't even withstand a single sword strike or even a glance from me."
Although these words sounded arrogant, Ning Rongrong and the other girls deeply agreed.
Ning Rongrong sighed, recalling, "That seems to make sense. When Teacher took me away from the sect, I was only a Soul Douluo, let alone now."
A fighting spirit also rose in Zhu Zhuqing's usually cold eyes as she earnestly said, "I will cultivate diligently! I'll strive to reach Title Douluo as soon as possible, so as not to disgrace Teacher!"
Lin Yuan smiled, his gaze fixed on the sky, and said, "You will. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the rewards from this Martial Soul Ranking shouldn't be bad. I wonder how many of you little ones will make it onto the list."
(End of Chapter)