Chapter 402: The Six Kings of the New Generation
After the banquet, Zhang Ruochen left the Jiangyue Lake Saint Prince Manor. Passing by a Martial Market Bank, he casually purchased a copy of the latest *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*.
The cover of the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report* depicted the landscape of a sacred land in the Eastern Domain, with vivid brushwork that was clearly the work of a master of painting.
It was said that each issue of the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report* featured a famous scenic spot from the Eastern Domain on its cover, promoting the region's culture and history, inspiring countless martial artists with longing.
In the lower right corner of the cover were six small, elegant characters:
Compiled by: Shengshu Cainü.
Zhang Ruochen had heard many legends about that Shengshu Cainü, but all the tales were vague, as if no one had truly seen her.
Some said that Shengshu Cainü did not practice martial arts, but had read extensively since childhood, mastering the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She entered the Dao through the "qin," through "chess," through "calligraphy," and through "painting," achieving sainthood in all four paths.
Although young, her spiritual power had already reached above the fiftieth rank, transcending the mundane and becoming a spiritual power saint.
It was said she could observe the stars, communicate with spirits, and predict major events in the world. There was almost nothing she didn't know, no one she didn't know.
Since she began writing the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*, there had never been any errors. She always knew about major events in the Eastern Domain at the first moment.
Moreover, she had good relationships with the saints of the Eastern Domain, often sitting with them to discuss the Dao, inviting them to comment on world affairs, and recording their remarks in the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*.
There were too many rumors about that Shengshu Cainü, but Zhang Ruochen didn't take them all seriously.
For one thing, relying solely on one person's power to gain insight into all the affairs of the Eastern Domain, big and small, was impossible even for a saint.
To compile the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*, she must have controlled the vast intelligence network of the Martial Market Bank, with countless intelligence operatives working under her. She only needed to organize and summarize.
Regardless, that Shengshu Cainü was certainly an extraordinary figure. If he had the chance, Zhang Ruochen planned to meet her.
If she truly knew everything, Zhang Ruochen wanted to ask her what exactly happened eight hundred years ago. Were the Nine Emperors really all killed by Chi Yao?
Opening the first page of the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*, the headline read in bold characters: "The Six Young Kings of the Eastern Domain's New Generation."
Following that, Shengshu Cainü used a large section to review the six top geniuses of the Eastern Domain.
The ages of the six were roughly between sixteen and twenty-two, making them truly young martial artists.
Before reviewing these six, there was a lengthy preamble, such as:
"The era of the Four Sacred Bodies has passed. The Six Young Kings will become the new pillars of the Eastern Domain's younger generation. The next decade will belong to them, and a hundred years from now, the Eastern Domain will be ruled by them."
In the Eastern Domain, roughly every ten years constitutes a generation.
Ten years ago, the Eastern Domain gave birth to the Four Sacred Bodies, who dominated the younger generation, with none of their peers able to match them. Thus, they could only seek opponents among those one, two, or even three generations older.
Now, the Four Sacred Bodies are nearly thirty years old, already transcendent, with martial arts cultivation unfathomably deep. Though still young, they no longer represent an era.
The Six Young Kings have emerged, set to replace them as the leaders of the Eastern Domain's younger generation for the next decade.
The Six Young Kings are:
Yunwu Commandery Prince "Zhang Ruochen."
Golden Light Sacred Body "Luo Shuihan."
Town-Suppressing Blade God "Bu Qianfan."
Heartless Sacred Body "Di Yi."
Demon Sect Saintess "Mu Lingxi."
Liangyi Yang Spirit "Gai Hao."
Zhang Ruochen read carefully, finding that Shengshu Cainü was indeed formidable, recording his deeds in great detail.
For example, it mentioned that Zhang Ruochen awakened his Divine Martial Mark at sixteen and began cultivation, achieving his current accomplishments in just three years, which was astonishing.
It also recorded several of Zhang Ruochen's major battles, including his fight with Di Yi at the Tongming River and his defeat of the heirs of the four great saint clans alone on the Chaotic Saint Heavenly Staircase.
Additionally, Shengshu Cainü invited a saint to analyze Zhang Ruochen's martial arts, trying to uncover his true teacher.
They believed that Zhang Ruochen's master was not Lei Jing.
But someone else.
Lei Jing could not produce a disciple like Zhang Ruochen.
That saint analyzed that Zhang Ruochen had practiced the Ten Thousand Buddha Path's ultimate art, "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm," and the Liangyi Sect's ultimate arts, "Yin-Yang Liangyi Sword Formation" and "Ten Pulse Sword Wave."
Ultimately, the saint concluded that Zhang Ruochen's master should be a Buddhist strongman, Jinlong.
Eight hundred years ago, Jinlong likely did not die but had been hiding in the Demon Ridge, only taking Zhang Ruochen as a disciple in recent years. When it was about to die, it gave Zhang Ruochen its dragon pearl and the legendary Buddha Emperor Relic.
Of course, these were just the saint's guesses. Even Shengshu Cainü was cautious when writing this section, adding a question mark at the end.
"There are indeed many clever people in the Eastern Domain. Though they didn't guess everything correctly, they came close to the truth by about a third."
Zhang Ruochen thought to himself, "I must be doubly cautious from now on and not reveal any more clues."
The dragon pearl being exposed was within Zhang Ruochen's expectations.
Once Zhang Ruochen entered the Holy Academy with Half-Saint cultivation, others could see the dragon pearl inside him.
The key was that Zhang Ruochen's identity must never catch the attention of Empress Chi Yao, or the consequences would be dire.
Of course, given Empress Chi Yao's status, she had many major affairs to handle and probably wouldn't notice a young genius from the Eastern Domain for now.
Zhang Ruochen continued reading. Seeing the name of the Demon Sect Saintess, he speculated, "The Demon Sect Saintess Mu Lingxi should refer to Duanmu Xingling. I wonder which name, 'Mu Lingxi' or 'Duanmu Xingling,' is her real one?"
When he reached the introduction of Di Yi, he paused again.
"Why is Di Yi called the 'Heartless Sacred Body'?"
Zhang Ruochen clearly remembered that Di Yi was born with a Five Elements Sacred Body and also had a Flame Demon Heart.
Of course, that demon heart had been dug out by Zhang Ruochen and swallowed by the rabbit, Guo Guo.
Since Shengshu Cainü dared to write it on the front page of the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*, she must have absolute certainty.
Thus, after losing his heart, Di Yi not only didn't die but had cultivated into a Heartless Sacred Body.
"Heartless Sacred Body represents an undying body. It seems Di Yi might have become even more terrifying."
Learning this news, Zhang Ruochen felt no fear. Since he could defeat him once, he could defeat him a second time.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen also felt great pressure. He had to train even harder to stay ahead. Any slight slackness could lead to being surpassed.
Among the six new-generation kings, Luo Shuihan, Di Yi, Mu Lingxi, and Gai Hao were all Sacred Bodies. Only Zhang Ruochen and Bu Qianfan were not.
However, in Shengshu Cainü's writing, the four Sacred Bodies seemed not to have reached the Supreme Extreme Realm. Only Bu Qianfan had achieved the Supreme Extreme Realm in the Yellow Extreme Realm.
At the same time, Shengshu Cainü boldly speculated that Zhang Ruochen had likely reached the Supreme Extreme Realm twice.
Because three years ago, Zhang Ruochen's constitution was frail, far behind even ordinary people, and even further behind Sacred Bodies.
Only by reaching the Supreme Extreme Realm twice could he close the gap with Sacred Bodies.
Just like Bu Qianfan, who reached the Supreme Extreme Realm once, closing the gap with Sacred Bodies. Otherwise, a non-Sacred Body could never match a Sacred Body.
Of course, these were just Shengshu Cainü's guesses, unconfirmed, so they didn't cause a huge stir.
At the same time, Shengshu Cainü analyzed that the reason the four Sacred Bodies hadn't reached the Supreme Extreme Realm was likely because Sacred Bodies themselves were heaven-defying physiques, suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. The difficulty of reaching the Supreme Extreme Realm was much greater for them than for non-Sacred Bodies.
Since ancient times, there had been analyses of "Sacred Bodies" and "Supreme Extreme Realm." Many saints had spent their entire lives studying it, yet found no answers.
Finally, Shengshu Cainü predicted that with the birth of the six new-generation kings, a great era of converging forces was approaching. Not only would there be fierce clashes between geniuses, but saints would also engage in intense confrontations.
In the past, if a generation in the Eastern Domain produced a single Sacred Body, it could lead a golden age.
After all, a Sacred Body becoming a saint represented invincible combat power.
But now, geniuses were emerging in abundance. The previous generation produced four Sacred Bodies, and this generation produced six young kings, truly heralding an era of martial prosperity.
After reading the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*, Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but admire that Shengshu Cainü. She was indeed talented and knew many secrets unknown to ordinary people.
Some of those secrets couldn't be uncovered just by having an intelligence network; they required exceptional wisdom to analyze.
Perhaps she really could predict world events.
"No wonder the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report* caused such a stir as soon as it was released, making everyone want to challenge me. Defeating the six young kings of the new generation is indeed the fastest way to become famous."
"The *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report* has surely spread throughout the Eastern Domain through the Earth Ranking's artifact spirit. The name Zhang Ruochen has probably become a target for many young martial artists striving to surpass."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and put away the *Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report*.
Returning to the Martial Market Courier Station, Zhang Ruochen continued absorbing the sacred dragon power from the dragon pearl, striving to improve his cultivation.
The next day, Zhang Ruochen, Duanmu Xingling, Si Xingkong, and Chang Qiqi left the Martial Market Courier Station and headed to the Holy Academy for the upcoming third round of assessment.
All the students who had passed the first two rounds gathered, assembling in the martial field below the Chaotic Saint Heavenly Staircase, totaling over thirty-five thousand.
According to their respective departments, the students stood in different formations, preparing to enter the Five Elements Ruins Realm.
Of course, before that, they had to go to the camp of the Ruins Realm Battlefield, the Chaos Myriad Realms Mountain.
Only there was the passage to the Five Elements Ruins Realm.
(Xiaoyu, on behalf of Zhang Ruochen, shamelessly asks for votes from all readers, brothers and sisters. What votes? All kinds of votes: monthly votes, recommendation votes, ticket votes.)