Chapter 265: Hall Master Lei
Arriving at the top floor of the Silver-Robed Elder Hall, Zhang Ruochen finally met the most powerful figure across the thirty-six commanderies of the Demon Ridge—the Hall Master of the Silver-Robed Elder Hall.
"Greetings, Hall Master Lei!" Zhang Ruochen and Si Xingkong simultaneously bowed in salute.
Lei Jing, now ninety-four years old, did not appear aged. He looked like a middle-aged man in his fifties, with broad shoulders, bronze skin, and an explosive sense of power.
When humans cultivated martial arts to the Heavenly Extreme Realm, their bodies became as strong as high-ranking barbarian beasts, allowing them to control various bodily functions, naturally slowing down aging.
Moreover, Lei Jing's strength was formidable, far beyond mere Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts.
He sat beside a desk, holding a scroll of iron-bound martial arts classics, reading. After a long moment, he slightly raised his head and said indifferently, "Si Xingkong, you may withdraw first!"
"Yes, Hall Master."
Si Xingkong bowed respectfully once more, then retreated.
Only Zhang Ruochen and Lei Jing remained in the room.
Lei Jing set down the martial arts classic, studying Zhang Ruochen with some curiosity, and revealed a faint smile. "You are Zhang Ruochen?"
"Yes, student."
Zhang Ruochen took out the account book and said, "Hall Master, this is—"
"No rush!"
Lei Jing shook his head with a smile, seeming more interested in Zhang Ruochen than in that account book.
"I heard that you have been claiming to be my secret disciple outside. Is that true?"
Lei Jing's aura shifted, his entire body emitting a red glow, and a powerful pressure surged forth, enveloping the entire room.
Zhang Ruochen's face turned slightly pale. In his perception, Lei Jing seemed to transform into a massive volcano, spewing scorching lava that turned into an ocean, wrapping around him as if to melt his body.
"Such terrifying aura. Hall Master Lei's martial arts cultivation must have surpassed the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, reaching another realm of martial arts—the Fish-Dragon Realm. Only a Fish-Dragon Realm martial artist could possess such fearsome power."
Arriving eight hundred years later, Zhang Ruochen encountered a powerhouse of this level for the first time.
Just the martial aura emanating from the opponent was enough to suppress Zhang Ruochen, making it hard to breathe, as if his body were burning in lava.
Zhang Ruochen clenched his teeth, silently reciting the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*. The spiritual fire true qi rapidly circulated through the thirty-six meridians in his body, dissolving that martial pressure.
At the center of his brow, a flame imprint emerged, like a burning ember.
Lei Jing's eyes lit up, and he let out a soft exclamation.
After an unknown period, that terrifying pressure vanished.
Feeling the pressure disappear, Zhang Ruochen immediately stopped circulating his technique and looked at Lei Jing again, only to find him still sitting by the desk, having not moved at all.
"It seems Hall Master Lei was only testing me, not truly angry."
Zhang Ruochen breathed a slight sigh of relief. If he had truly offended someone of Lei Jing's caliber, even if Zhang Ruochen had three heads and six arms, he would not be his match at this point.
"Not bad. Under the pressure of three-tenths of my aura, you managed to remain standing. Among martial artists below the Heavenly Extreme Realm, you are the first," Lei Jing said with a smile.
Zhang Ruochen braced himself and said, "Hall Master's secret disciple is Chen Ruo, not me. There seems to be some misunderstanding."
Lei Jing said, "Is that so? Yet I heard that not long ago, in Dashi City, Chen Ruo and Han Qiu of the Yuntai Manor killed the Garrison Marquis Huo Yundu of the Four Directions Commandery and took an account book from Mu Qing's residence. Have you heard of this?"
Zhang Ruochen felt somewhat ashamed. After a moment of thought, he smiled bitterly. "I dare not deceive the Hall Master. In truth, student did use the alias 'Chen Ruo' and claimed to be your secret disciple for self-preservation. This was indeed wrong of me. Please punish me as you see fit."
Lei Jing had not expected Zhang Ruochen to admit it so readily. He laughed heartily. "Interesting!"
Lei Jing said seriously, "If you were a mediocrity, I would have to teach you a lesson. A mediocrity claiming to be my secret disciple would only tarnish my reputation."
"But just now, I tested you and found you to be an extraordinary genius. If a genius claims to be my disciple, when word spreads, everyone will only think I have taught well and have a keen eye for talent. That seems like a good thing!"
"What does the Hall Master mean?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Lei Jing said, "I have one condition. If you can meet it, I will not only drop the matter but also truly accept you as my secret disciple. What do you think?"
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What condition?"
Lei Jing did not immediately reveal the condition but first asked, "You have opened a total of twenty-seven meridians in your body, correct?"
"That's right," Zhang Ruochen said.
In truth, Zhang Ruochen had opened thirty-six meridians, but nine of them were extraordinary meridians. Even Lei Jing could not detect them, so he assumed Zhang Ruochen only had twenty-seven.
Even so, it was enough to astonish Lei Jing.
"To open twenty-seven meridians, the technique you cultivate must be quite powerful. It seems you have had a great encounter," Lei Jing said.
Throughout the Kunlun Realm, with its long history and countless sages and saints, there were bound to be undiscovered secret realms and hidden caves even in the Demon Ridge. Even if Zhang Ruochen had encountered some fortune, it was not unusual—it only showed his strong luck.
Lei Jing nodded, not asking what technique Zhang Ruochen cultivated, but said, "My condition is that you must break into the top one hundred of the *Earth Ranking* this year. And you must do one thing for me."
"What thing?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Lei Jing smiled. "Don't worry, I won't ask you to do anything too dangerous. Just focus on your cultivation. As for the specifics, I will tell you once you enter the top one hundred of the *Earth Ranking*."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Why me?"
Lei Jing chuckled. "First, you owe me a favor. Don't you need to repay it?"
"Second, none of the students at the Martial Market Academy have a chance to break into the top one hundred of the *Earth Ranking*. Even the strongest, Si Xingkong, is only ranked 4,740th on the *Earth Ranking*. As for the other two students, they are all ranked beyond ten thousand."
"Your talent is exceptional. Entering the top one thousand of the *Earth Ranking* should not be difficult. As for the top one hundred... though it is hard, it is still worth striving for. It is not entirely impossible. If I don't choose you, I truly cannot find another suitable candidate."
The *Earth Ranking* covered a wide range, including the entire Eastern Domain, listing a total of one hundred thousand top Earth Extreme Realm martial artists.
More importantly, the *Earth Ranking* only included martial artists under the age of fifty. Once they exceeded that age, no matter how powerful their martial arts cultivation, they would be removed from the *Earth Ranking*.
If someone over fifty had not broken through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm, even if they reached it later, their room for improvement would be very limited.
Thus, the *Earth Ranking* was not just a symbol of strength but also a symbol of talent and potential.
Across the thirty-six commanderies of the Demon Ridge, only seventeen people had entered the *Earth Ranking*, seven of whom were young martial artists under thirty.
Among them, the highest-ranked was Si Xingkong, at 4,740th.
Second was Zhang Tiangui, who had just broken through to the Great Perfection of the Earth Extreme Realm, at 5,041st.
Third was Hong Yu, the top young expert of the Black Market, at 9,470th.
All other martial artists were ranked beyond ten thousand.
Of course, that little saintess of the Moon-Worshipping Demon Sect was also on the *Earth Ranking*, and she was in the top one hundred, with unfathomable strength. However, she had only appeared once in the Yunwu Commandery, so no one considered her a local martial artist of the Demon Ridge. Everyone assumed she had already left.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Hall Master, the martial artists in the top one hundred of the *Earth Ranking* are all top-tier prodigies of the Eastern Domain. Reaching that level is no easy task."
"Are you lacking confidence in yourself?" Lei Jing asked.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "I am confident, but why must I enter the top one hundred of the *Earth Ranking*?"
"Because to become my secret disciple, that is the minimum requirement," Lei Jing said.
In truth, Zhang Ruochen did not want to become Lei Jing's secret disciple, given his own knowledge of martial arts; Lei Jing could teach him little. However, he had borrowed Lei Jing's name, owing him a favor.
A favor must be repaid.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Very well. I agree to the Hall Master's condition. Within a year, I will definitely break into the top one hundred of the *Earth Ranking*."
Lei Jing nodded approvingly and reminded him, "By now, everyone should know that Chen Ruo is Zhang Ruochen. I don't care why you used that alias, but if you encounter any trouble after your identity is exposed, feel free to tell me. In the Demon Ridge region, there are few things I cannot handle and few people I cannot deal with."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I can handle ordinary enemies myself. As for powerful foes, I will not provoke them recklessly. So for now, I won't trouble the Hall Master. Of course, if I ever face a major problem I cannot solve, I will naturally come to you for help."
Lei Jing smiled. "Alright. Now, you may present that account book for me to see."
Zhang Ruochen handed over the account book, placing it on the desk before Lei Jing.
Picking up the account book, Lei Jing began to flip through it. Gradually, his brows furrowed tighter, and a cold glint appeared in his tiger-like eyes.
"Bang!"
Lei Jing slammed the account book onto the desk and snorted coldly. "The Prince of the Four Directions Commandery has quite the nerve. Does he think the Four Directions Commandery is his private territory? Zhang Ruochen, you may withdraw. I will immediately send this account book to the Eastern Domain Saint King Manor, letting the high officials of the First Central Empire deal with the Prince of the Four Directions Commandery. Collaborating with the Black Market to harm the empire's interests—that is a path to death."