The post was immediately flooded upon release, comments soaring past 99, and readership climbing by dozens per second. Zhang Yuan opened the post, but the webpage lagged for several seconds before finally refreshing. ["Prepared statement: This ranking is based on past performance, reputation, and equipment data, and is not absolutely accurate—please treat it as a reference only."] 1: Zhao Chenghuang, from Taigong Sect, 3rd-level Night-Wanderer. [Note: Grandnephew of the senior Zhao of Taigong Sect. He reached the 3rd level three years ago and finished third in the tournament that year. For some reason, he has deliberately stayed in the Transcendent stage, refusing to advance to the Saint level. Zhao Chenghuang is exceptionally reserved, rarely engaging in direct combat. According to reliable sources, his training partner is a Saint-level Traveler, and even the Transcendent-level Travelers no longer impress him.] [Reason for inclusion: His experience points are fully accumulated, his equipment is abundant, and he commands a 4th-level Yin Corpse (Fire Master). His Night-Wanderer skills have been refined to a masterful level.] 2: Land God, central courtyard, Level 3 Earth Monster. [Note: The Land God was among the top five finalists last year's tournament. An elder specialist in defense, he notably nearly wore down his opponent to exhaustion during the first-place match, almost forcing a submission. Many of the top ten players back then have since reached the level of Saint. In this sense, the Land God and Zhao City God follow a similar path—both have spent years refining their abilities at the transcendent stage. This year, the elder has returned with renewed vigor, his thick armor now a sight to behold. One can only imagine how many fans are already feeling uneasy.] [Reason for inclusion: Stack the thickest armor and endure the most potent attacks—still, you're still you, you're still you.] 【Reason for recognition: During trials within the evil faction, Sun Miaomiao was ambushed and nearly killed by two Level 3 evil professionals, yet remained calm and successfully retreated.】 4: Tianxia Gui Huo, Chihuo Clan, Level 3 Fire Master. 【Note: A rare strategic mind among Fire Masters, having cleared two A-level dungeons twice, he is a prodigy capable of holding his own against peers in the evil faction. Early this year, he was specially recruited into the "Shennong Guard" by the Fire Prince.】 【Reason for recognition: Compared to the previous three, he lacks experience and spending power.】 5: A person with no sense of music, Water Deity Palace, Level 3 Musician. 【Note: Typically, a transcendent-level Musician serves as a support, but thanks to a special item called "Music Slave," this musician has become a dual-threat capable of both offense and support. He is well known locally, having once assisted the Head of Office in capturing numerous law-breaking independent practitioners and evil professionals.】 【Reason for recognition: When a support can also deliver offense, it becomes a truly formidable force.】 6: Jiang Jingwei, Ch [Note: Jiang Jingwei is the heir of a senior official from the Chì Huǒ Help, and his identity is exceptionally mysterious. Some people may know that master-level fire practitioners typically have red hair, believed to symbolize the virtue of the Fire Element since ancient times. Jiang Jingwei is not a master-level practitioner, yet he is born with red hair—this perfectly confirms the rumor about the heirs of senior officials.] [Reason for inclusion: Innate virtue of the Fire Element. Such individuals possess a strong affinity for fire, mastering its manipulation and application far beyond ordinary fire practitioners, making them rare talents comparable to peak-level professionals.] 7: Qing Songzi, Baihua Association, Level 3 Wood Spirit. [Note: Whether it's the self-healing Night-Wandering Deity or the endurance-exceptional Earth Monster, no one can match Qing Songzi in physical stamina once they reach the extraordinary stage. We are especially looking forward to his match against the Land God Elder.] [Reason for inclusion: You may tire and even die, but he will never. A true top-tier workhorse.] 8: Yuan Ting, Taiyuan Sect, Level 3 Night-Wandering Deity. [Note: As one of the sixteen captains of the Songhai branch of the Taimei Sect, being assigned to a top-tier metropolitan city is itself a recognition of his capabilities. Yuan Ting concluded his training camp career as an outstanding graduate. Recently, however, he has been recalled by Senior Sun to the training camp for rigorous, almost hellish, training, which has propelled his abilities to remarkable heights.] [Ranking rationale: Senior Sun is being rather careless!] 9: Mountain Sect sorcerer, Taimei Sect, 3rd Rank Night-Wanderer 10: A soldier who has crossed the river, White Tiger Army, 3rd Rank Scout 11: Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn, White Tiger Army, 3rd Rank Night-Wanderer [Note 1: Regarding this ranking, we have engaged in intense and serious deliberations. After careful analysis, incorporating his past performance records, physical skills, and equipment data, we believe his standing should be among the top five. However, the match format of the arena competitions emphasizes exchange and mutual development rather than decisive, one-on-one combat, which significantly limits the use of equipment.] And without counting powerful equipment, Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun's combat prowess isn't outstanding, so ranking 11 is objectively reasonable. [Note 2: He has previously cleared two S-rank and one A-rank challenges. If matched against a scenario-based arena, Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun's strength would soar into the top three.] [Reason for inclusion: Undoubtedly, this is the standout performer of the Five Elements Alliance this year.] What kind of nonsense list is this? Wang Tai is just a participant—well, I'm going to beat him up. Zhang Yuanqing patiently went through all twenty nominees, gritting his teeth quietly. He had expected his ranking to be no better than top five, but he hadn't anticipated landing at eleventh. Who does he think he's looking down upon? "Hmph. They missed one key point—I do have powerful equipment, that's true. But my equipment isn't one-hit-kill type. The Yin-Yang Robe is a setup-type item, different from Guan Ya's spear." "Strictly speaking, I don't actually have any one-of-a-kind, game-ending, domineering tools. Even the pursuit function of the red slippers—since I'm the owner—can be interrupted. As for the blood-thirsty blade, as long as it doesn't strike vital points, it won't make a difference. Therefore, my actual strength hasn't been significantly compromised by the restrictions of the arena matches. I'm sure to leave everyone astonished once the matches begin. And I haven't even counted in the shadow corpses yet." Zhang Yuanqing was deeply dissatisfied with the rankings on the list. Yet he had to admit one thing: among the top ten, especially the top three contenders, even if he gave it his all, he might not be able to defeat them. Take "Land God" for instance. Among his most reliable tools, the red veil is unusable, and the yin-yang robe—since earth overcomes water, and fire generates earth—would be directly defeated. This elder likely won't be able to keep up. The first and second place contenders are both Night-Wanderers, at the near-maximum experience level of level three, and second-generation spiritual beings, so they're certain to have powerful tools "Sun Miaomiao is the granddaughter of Sun Elder. Since Sun Elder has spoken poorly about me, will this woman be targeting me? If I want to secure first place, my chances of encountering her are extremely high." "As for the other nine in the top ten, each one has distinct strengths—any slight misstep and they could easily trip me up. I should go to Wang Tai and request detailed data on all of them." After calming down, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly realized that securing first place would be quite challenging, yet the After-Soil Boots were absolutely essential. In the long term, this would directly impact his growth during the Saint and then the Sovereign stages. In the short term, completing the two key components of the Sacrificial Heaven Set would significantly boost his success rate in clearing the Killing Trials. He glanced at the comments... pulling down the screen to review the official travelers' feedback. ["Call me Queen: What's going on? My Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun is ranked only 11th—what a waste! This is a complete mess."] Indeed, there she was. [The Princess: Yuan Shi Tian Zun's ranking is a bit lower than expected, but still reasonable. As for the others, I think it's fine—having the top three as such is definitely acceptable.] [Head孢 pairing wine and drinking more: acceptable? I'm starting to feel cold inside. Yesterday I just said the Hou Tu Boots shouldn't fall into the Tai Mu Gate's hands, and now it seems two of the top three are Night-Wanderers.] [Little Pig George: Well, there's no way around it. Among the lawful, orderly professions, the Night-Wanderers are truly unmatched. If all three spots were filled by our Five Elements Alliance members, that would be unreasonable. Besides, there's still the Grand Land Lord, elderly as he is—maybe he'll outlast both the No. 1 and No. 3 contenders.] [No Woman Not Happy: That pig above—how can he say that with such composure? The Grand Land Lord is already sixty, yet he still has to carry the banner for the Five Elements Alliance at the extraordinary realm level.] [The White Dragon: What a pity—I didn't even make the list. Even more disappointing, not a single team leader from my D 】 【Tang Guoqiang: That's good enough, good enough. At least we have Yuan Shi. Though I feel his ranking has dropped a bit. Besides, isn't Yuan Ting also from Kangyang District?】 【Da Jibu: We at least managed to register. Li Dongze, that timid fellow, didn't even have the courage to sign up.】 Zhang Yuanqing kept scrolling down the screen, yet didn't see anyone questioning the rankings for the top three. This wasn't a promising sign. "If we don't secure first place this time, I'll have to settle for the second individual realm achievement—hope it comes before the slaughter副本. I'll also look forward to the exclusive reward from the Magistrate's character card." Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. Then he opened the list of the top twenty candidates in the Saint phase. 1: Fu Qingyang, White Tiger Army, 6th-level Swordsman. [Note: The eldest son of the renowned spiritual lineage Fu family. Fu Qingyang is hailed as the strongest Saint among the Five Elements Alliance, the foremost under the Saint's dominion. Even the top-tier professional Night-Wanderer and the evil Saint ranks fall short in his Few people know that, as an ordinary lawful profession, he has become so powerful. After years of research and comparison, we have finally uncovered the secret behind his strength… [Reason for Recognition: Skill nearly attains the Way!] A swordsman? That's the title after a scout transitions to a swordsman, isn't it? Yes, that seems right. Fu Qingyang's primary weapon is a bronze sword. What does "skill nearly attains the Way" mean—does it imply Fu Qingyang possesses exceptional swordsmanship? Zhang Yuanqing turns his attention to the second-place contender. 2: Fengdu Ghost King, Taiyuan Sect, 6th-level Star Official. [Note: He was once a prodigy celebrated throughout the Taiyuan Sect, the first to reach the Saint Realm, and had already gained widespread acclaim even before Fu Qingyang rose to prominence. He once faced off against a Magistrate of the Saint Realm and emerged with a draw.] [Reason for Recognition: A former king.] Hmm? Star Official—Zhang Yuanqing's eyes light up. Is that the title of the next career path for Ye Youshen? Has his ability shifted from the Yin to the Stars? In terms of name and prestige, the Star Official sounds slightly more distinguished than the Night-Wanderer, though it's unclear what their primary abilities are. 3: Jiang Ju, the Red Fire Faction, a Level 6 Fire Demon. [Note: As one of the official Four Princes, the Prince of Fire, born with the innate virtue of Fire, his strength is unquestionable. However, he is overly impulsive and fiery, and his personality flaws often cause those around him to overlook his talents and capabilities.] [Ranking Reason: To be frank, I must say the two above are both underwhelming.] 4: Yin Ji, the Supreme Gate, a Level 6 Star Official. 5: Huang Taiji, the Central Court, a Level 6 Mountain God. 6: Ye Yu Shi Nan, the Hundred Blossoms Association, a Level 6 Beast King. 7: Ming He, the Water God's Palace, a Level 6 Pest God. 8: Ling Jun, the Supreme Gate (also of the Hundred Blossoms Association), a Level 6 Beast King. [Note: It must be admitted that, compared to the top, third, and fifth-ranked candidates, this Flower Prince's rise to 】 【Reason for being featured: Set aside the facts, and he's still quite strong.】 …… Comments below: 【Ling Jun: What do you mean "set aside the facts"? I'm so weak—I'm truly sorry. Who came up with this list? I'm going to beat them to a pulp.】 【White Dragon: Flower prince, flower prince. I'm a fan of yours. Here's a little love note.】 【Princess: Ah ah ah, there he is, the Flower Prince! Got you!】 【Call me Queen: Ah ah ah, Flower Prince, Flower Prince… Well, I guess I'm not really a fan of yours. Then it's fine. The Saint's list is more comfortable—Guang Gong gives me a sense of security.】 【Reporter Xiao Feng: Hey, did you know? The Yin Princess from Tai Men used to have a good relationship with the Demon King.】 【Call me Queen: Really? That's exciting! Tell me more.】 】 【Dog Reporter Xiao Feng: Yin Ji is quite well-known at Taimei Gate—combining both beauty and strength. It's said that the elders at Taimei Gate originally intended to match her with the Fengdu Ghost King, but midway, a Magistrate emerged, capturing Yin Ji's heart. She fell in love and chose to elope with him, spending three months away from Taimei Gate before being forcibly brought back by Red Ying Elder. That's precisely why the Fengdu Ghost King is fighting the Magistrate.】 【Wu Nü Bu Huan: Above, how do you know all this?】 【Dog Reporter Xiao Feng: I heard it from Jian Ji, the Night-Wanderer from my district, who is a close friend of Yuan Ting. He got the information directly from Yuan Ting.】 【Jiang Yang: Yuan Ting mentioned it—so it's likely true...】 【Qi Du Ku Duo: Indeed, Yuan Ting, though talkative, never lies.】 Compared to the grumpy tone of the comments beneath the Top 20 posts, the conversations here are much more relaxed—because the number one is Fu Qingyang, the Fu Qingyang hailed as unbeatable under the Sovereign. This undoubtedly brings immense security to many mid- and lower-level practitioners of the Five Elements Alliance. Is the Yin Princess of Taiyuan the magic king's lover? Wow, will the next time the Cat King speaker play audio of her making love to the magic king? The magic king truly is a relentless tormentor... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly feels a bit sympathetic toward Fengdu Ghost King. Indeed, given the magic king's reputation as a philandering lover, the Yin Princess is likely now harboring deep resentment toward him—having grown out of love. As the magic king's heir, I must be cautious of this lady. "Master Zhi-Sha gave a quiet, "Hm." "I forgot—your green tea has seeped into your bones; it's now second nature." "Hmph!" Xie Lingxi sighed, unable to defend herself, wrinkling her nose. At that moment, the phone resting on the table beside her rang. The caller ID read: Dad! "My dad..." She picked up the phone, murmuring softly to Master Zhi-Sha, and only then answered when the master nodded. "Lingxi, Dad will be entering the Spiritual Realm soon and won't have time to attend the official tournament matches. Here's the ticket—pass it on to you and let him know you're watching for him." "Thank you, Dad, Mua~!" Lingxi was delighted. Her father paused, then asked, "By the way, have you reviewed the list of the top twenty transcendents? I'm wondering—has something gone wrong? Why is Master Yuan-Shi ranked so low?" Lingxi quickly replied, "Dad, Master Yuan-Shi's overall strength is absolutely strong enough to make it into the top five. Master Zhi-Sha agrees with that too." "Thank you, Dad," said Xie Lingxi, now feeling at ease, "The crazy girl agrees too—good. You'd better keep a close eye on things this time and give me a detailed report later. If Yuan Shi Tian Zun makes it into the top three, Dad will send him an invitation for our crab feasting in August, and invite him to stay with us." "Sounds great!" Xie Lingxi said with delight. “Lingjun: ‘It’s common for women to fall for less-than-perfect men—she’s still unmarried, still thinking of the Demon King. Oh well, she’s been misled by one such man all her life.’ You Feng Lai Yi: ‘Though I do find the Demon King rather a disappointment, someone who can keep a woman’s heart engaged for years must surely have a story. So for this tournament, I’ve bet two million on the Master to win, and one million on the Lord of Zhao to win. If I lose, I’ll have to go broke.’ Lingjun: ‘You, my dear, clearly don’t take our Yuan Shi Tian Zun seriously. @YuanShiTianZun’ Xiao Nao Fu: ‘Don’t fan the flames—Yuan Shi really wants to take first place, and it’s no easy feat. I’ve bet one million on Yuan Shi to finish third.’ Third place? The prize is just that cute hair clip? Zhang Yuan Qing thought to himself, what good is third place to me? Just another token of cuteness, isn’t it? Just as he was about to send a few comments in the group chat, a message from Aunt