In the beginning, cultivators explored the "Dong Xuan Secret Realm" without restraint. Once opened, almost all cultivators from the "Da Xin Dynasty" swarmed in.
They scoured it bare!
The cultivators' plundering of the "Dong Xuan Secret Realm" was so insane that they were scraping the very land, threatening to create a Martian landscape.
This kind of "fishing in a dried-up pond" behavior quickly led to dire consequences.
The "Dong Xuan Secret Realm" rapidly declined, with heavenly treasures and rare resources becoming increasingly scarce.
The ancient powerful cultivators saw this and realized it wouldn't do.
They couldn't "fish in a dried-up pond"; they needed to change their strategy to "sustainable fishing in a dried-up pond."
Thus, the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" was born.
Each session of the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" had one hundred spots.
The selection competition was organized by the foremost sacred land of the Central Continent, the "Tian Ji Sect."
Young cultivators throughout the "Da Xin Dynasty" who were under thirty years old and had reached the Foundation Establishment realm could participate.
As long as one could stand out in the selection competition and successfully enter the "Hidden Dragon Ranking," the benefits were immense.
Securing a place in the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" might not make you famous throughout the land, but at least within the borders of the "Da Xin Dynasty," you were a dragon among men.
Younger cultivators would respectfully bow to you and call you "Senior Brother" or "Senior Sister."
Older cultivators would generally favor you, bestowing elixirs, spirit stones, and magic treasures... they might even offer their direct descendants as cultivation partners.
It was fantastic, wasn't it!
Entering the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" also came with an unparalleled benefit that made everyone envious.
The quota!
The quota for exploring the "Dong Xuan Secret Realm"!
Ranked first on the "Hidden Dragon Ranking," one received 100 exploration quotas for the "Dong Xuan Secret Realm."
Ranked second, one received 99 quotas.
And so on.
The cultivator ranked one hundredth on the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" would only receive 1 coveted quota.
This arrangement eliminated much unnecessary conflict. Furthermore, the number of people entering the "Dong Xuan Secret Realm" was strictly controlled, preventing excessive exploitation of the realm.
In the previous "Hidden Dragon Ranking," the cultivators from the Eastern Wilderness Mountain Range were utterly defeated, with only two young cultivators making it onto the ranking, at positions eighty-eighth and ninety-ninth.
Pathetic!
Because of this, for the past century, the cultivators of the Eastern Wilderness Mountain Range had been unable to hold their heads up in the outside world.
Shameful!
Chong Xuanzi looked eagerly at Yun Zhenting, genuinely hoping that the Yun family could lead the Eastern Wilderness cultivators to make a name for themselves and wash away this disgrace!
"Patriarch Yun, for this session of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the Yun Family Immortal Abode must lead us, the cultivators of the Eastern Wilderness Mountain Range..."
Before he could finish speaking, an anomaly occurred!
A colossal immortal boat, majestic and awe-inspiring, like a floating continent, bearing an immense pressure, sailed towards the Yun Family Immortal Abode.
The surface of the immortal boat shimmered with spiritual light, and countless runes flowed with radiance. A massive character for "Medicine" (药) shone brilliantly under the sun.
The Medicine King's Manor!
With such grandeur and display, who else in the entire "Da Xin Dynasty" cultivation world, besides the "Medicine King's Manor," could possibly orchestrate such a spectacle!
Yun Tiānkōng, responsible for receiving distinguished guests at the Yun Family Immortal Abode, stepped forward to greet them.
"Welcome, esteemed friends from the Medicine King's Manor...".
Before he could finish, another anomaly struck.
The immortal boat, which had been perfectly fine moments ago, suddenly experienced a drastic change as Yun Tiānkōng appeared.
Thick black smoke billowed from the top of the immortal boat.
The enormous vessel seemed to lose control, swaying erratically in the air...
What the hell!
What is going on?
Everyone below was stunned.
Then, they witnessed a "traffic accident."
The out-of-control immortal boat targeted Yun Tiānkōng and crashed into him fiercely.
The pitiable Yun Tiānkōng didn't even have time to cry out before he was sent flying by the runaway immortal boat.
*Bang!*
Yun Tiānkōng smashed heavily onto a mountain peak. The impact shook the earth, sending rocks and debris flying, and the peak was shattered, half of its summit collapsing.
Logically, given such a severe accident, Yun Tiānkōng, who was sent flying, should have been dead.
To everyone's surprise, Yun Tiānkōng was unharmed.
After crashing and collapsing half the mountain peak, Yun Tiānkōng stood up, full of life, completely unscathed.
Damn, it works like that?
The crowd looked at Yun Tiānkōng in disbelief, racking their brains trying to comprehend how he could be completely uninjured.
Some powerful cultivators with keen senses detected a "miracle" in that instant.
After Yun Tiānkōng was sent flying, he was severely wounded and in a "near-death" state.
As he crashed and collapsed half the mountain, a "divine sword" sealed within the mountain flew out, transforming into a golden light and integrating into Yun Tiānkōng's body.
The Unbreakable Heavenly Sword!
The heirloom treasure of the "Eastern Sword Sect"!
Legend has it that it was the magic weapon of the "Eastern Sword Sect's" founding ancestor, "Eastern Sword Master," immensely powerful and containing boundless might.
After integrating into Yun Tiānkōng's body, the "Unbreakable Heavenly Sword" instantly healed his injuries and caused his cultivation to skyrocket, advancing him by two levels to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
Such a fortunate encounter made everyone envious.
A group of Golden Core cultivators expressed their envy. They would never dare to harm Yun Tiānkōng or try to seize the "Unbreakable Heavenly Sword."
The divine sword possessed a spirit and chose its master actively.
The "Unbreakable Heavenly Sword" chose Yun Tiānkōng, indicating that he was the fated one, the inheritor of "Eastern Sword Master's" Dao lineage through the mysterious workings of fate.
"Eastern Sword Master" had ascended, not perished.
If anyone harmed his successor on the mortal realm, who knew if "Eastern Sword Master" would cleave through the void and kill across realms with a single sword strike.
Yun Tiānkōng was sent flying by the out-of-control immortal boat, not only unharmed but also gaining an incredible fortunate encounter.
As expected of him.
Always encountering misfortune, getting choked by cold water, tripping on flat ground, even being hit by a runaway immortal boat while welcoming guests.
Yun Tiānkōng's life was a series of tragedies.
However, Yun Tiānkōng was also incredibly formidable.
No accident could kill him.
On the contrary, in every mishap, Yun Tiānkōng would gain benefits and his strength would increase significantly.
Tsk tsk tsk... "Evolving through misfortune," this physique is truly unparalleled!
Yun Tiānkōng, as if nothing had happened, dusted himself off and continued to welcome the people from the "Medicine King's Manor."
This, in turn, made the people from the "Medicine King's Manor" feel ashamed.
Regardless, it was their "Medicine King's Manor's" immortal boat that lost control and nearly killed someone.
"I apologize!"
A clear, cold, and proud voice emanated from the immortal boat.
"I am deeply sorry that the immortal boat inexplicably lost control and injured you!"
Following the voice, a peerlessly beautiful white figure appeared at the top of the immortal boat.
She stood tall, her robes fluttering, like an ethereal immortal from another realm.
Su Muxue!
Su Muxue, guest elder of the "Medicine King's Manor" and a genius alchemist!
Su Muxue said from above.
"As compensation, I shall give you a bottle of Tian Yuan Pill!"