War God Long Ao

Inside a luxurious restaurant.

Watching Long Ao return, Bing Hun asked curiously, "Brother Long, what happened?"

Long Ao didn't hide anything, as he considered the two of them true friends.

"Huo Teng, the Young Sect Leader of the Flame Sect, and Xia Army, the Young Sect Leader of the Thunder Sect, just came looking for me."

Huo Teng? Xia Army?

Flame Sect? Thunder Sect?

When they heard Long Ao, the expressions of both Linghu Ning and Bing Hun changed. But after a moment's thought, it made sense. After all, with Long Ao's talent and potential, it was only natural that the Six Great Sects would try to recruit him.

Linghu Ning nodded and said, "Brother Long, never mind the fact that you just killed Chai Sheng. Your past achievements alone are enough to entice the Six Great Sects. But I never expected the Young Sect Leaders of both the Thunder Sect and the Flame Sect would come personally."

"Brother Long, you agreed?"

"Right, Brother Long, did you agree to join the Flame Sect or the Thunder Sect?"

In Linghu Ning and Bing Hun's eyes, since the Young Sect Leaders of the Flame Sect and the Thunder Sect had come to invite him personally, they were sure Long Ao would agree to join. The only question was whether he would choose the Flame Sect or the Thunder Sect.

The Flame Sect and the Thunder Sect were two of the Six Great Sects of the Celestial State. Their power and heritage surpassed the other four.

"I didn't agree."

"Brother Long, you mean to say you didn't agree to join either the Flame Sect or the Thunder Sect?"

They seemed to find it hard to believe. 'Are you kidding me?' The Young Sect Leaders of the Flame Sect and the Thunder Sect had personally invited him. They could only imagine the honor that represented, and the kind of resources that would be lavished upon Long Ao if he joined either of those two major sects.

"Lately, I've come to understand something. It doesn't matter where you join; that's all nonsense. The only thing that matters is your own strength and your family's strength. That's the only true path. That's why I didn't agree to join any sect."

Hearing Long Ao's words, Linghu Ning and Bing Hun seemed to have been struck by his sentiment and lowered their heads in thought.

"Brother Long, do you know what kind of people the two Young Sect Leaders of the Flame Sect and the Thunder Sect are?"

A flicker of doubt crossed his face, but Long Ao remained silent, sitting quietly.

"Brother Long, have you heard of the Wind and Cloud Ranking?"

"I have."

"The Wind and Cloud Ranking is a list that surpasses the Hundred Battles Ranking."

At the mention of the Wind and Cloud Ranking, a look of yearning filled the faces of both Linghu Ning and Bing Hun. After all, the Wind and Cloud Ranking was something pursued by everyone in the Celestial State, whereas the Hundred Battles Ranking was for those in the Mortal World. That, plus the age restriction, showed that the Wind and Cloud Ranking was far more prestigious than the Hundred Battles Ranking.

"There are nine Wind and Cloud Rankings across the nine states of the Celestial Martial Continent's Kyushu. Unlike the Hundred Battles Ranking, anyone can strive for a spot on the Wind and Cloud Ranking, but they can't be over thirty years old."

Long Ao already knew all this.

"You could say that anyone who makes it into the top thirty of the Hundred Battles Ranking can basically get on the Wind and Cloud Ranking. And Brother Long, based on your current rank and strength, you should be able to break into the top thirty of the Wind and Cloud Ranking, if not the top twenty, barring any surprises."

Linghu Ning and Bing Hun knew perfectly well what it meant to be ranked in the top twenty or thirty of the Wind and Cloud Ranking.

"Brother Long, if you manage to secure first place on the Hundred Battles Ranking, then I can say with certainty that you'll be able to vie for a spot in the top ten of the Wind and Cloud Ranking."

First place on the Hundred Battles Ranking?

Long Ao, of course, knew what first and second place on the Hundred Battles Ranking signified. Barring any surprises, he believed that the top two rankers both had strength that surpassed the Secondary Transformation Realm.

"Brother Linghu, I'd like to ask about the people in first and second place on the Hundred Battles Ranking."

Normally, Long Ao paid no attention to the Hundred Battles Ranking, let alone the Wind and Cloud Ranking. He didn't even care much that he was on the list. But since he was already in this position, he might as well keep at it. 'Who knows, maybe one day I'll be ranked second, or even first.'

"Brother Long, you don't pay attention to the Hundred Battles Ranking?"

Shaking his head, Long Ao said, "Not really."

Linghu Ning and Bing Hun looked utterly dejected. 'Comparisons are truly odious.' That was just Long Ao's way. In just a few short months, he had gone from someone who couldn't even get on the Hundred Battles Ranking to taking third place.

With such talent, who in the Mortal World could possibly be his match?

"Brother Long, from what I know, the person in second place on the Hundred Battles Ranking is called Little Tornado. He's a Third Transformation Martial Artist. A year ago, he defeated Chai Sheng in three moves, making a name for himself across the Celestial State. So, the gap between Chai Sheng and Little Tornado is huge."

Little Tornado was ranked second on the Hundred Battles Ranking, his strength far surpassing Chai Sheng's.

"As for Black Demon, who has dominated first place on the Hundred Battles Ranking, it's said he's already forty this year, so he'll have to withdraw from the ranking next year. When that happens, Brother Long, you'll automatically be promoted to second place."

Long Ao smiled and said, "Taking second place that way doesn't sound very prestigious."

Linghu Ning and Bing Hun both laughed.

"Legend has it that Black Demon's Cultivation has already reached the Human King Realm, so his strength far surpasses Little Tornado's."

Long Ao also understood. Among the top three on the Hundred Battles Ranking, the gap between each rank represented a massive difference in strength. Take Black Demon in first place and Little Tornado in second, for example. One was a Human King Martial Artist, and the other was a Transformed Martial Artist. The two were simply incomparable.

The gap between the Transformation Realm and the Human King Realm, two of the Five Transformations, was easy to imagine.

"Linghu Ning, within the Five Transformations... do the Human King, Earth Emperor, and Taoist Ancestor Realms also have sub-levels?"

Hearing Long Ao's words, Linghu Ning and Bing Hun looked as if they had seen a ghost, staring fixedly at the black-clothed, white-haired youth before them. Bing Hun asked in utter astonishment, "Brother Long, are you doing this on purpose?"

"On purpose?" Long Ao was startled, not understanding what they were talking about.

"Brother Long, you really don't know?"

"I don't. I know there are Five Transformations in total: the Thunder Tribulation Realm, the Three Transformations, the Human King Realm, the Earth Emperor Realm, and the Taoist Ancestor Realm."

Seeing Long Ao's innocent expression, Linghu Ning sighed deeply, as if he'd taken a blow. 'How can someone who doesn't even have the levels straight have such an astonishing cultivation speed?'

Heavens!

"Brother Long, as you said, there are the Five Transformations. After your Cultivation breaks through to the Human King Realm, each of those major Realms is further divided into four minor tiers: Basic Level, Middle Level, High Level, and Peak Realm."

Bing Hun, who had not spoken until now, suddenly said, "Brother Long, of the two Young Sect Leaders who just came looking for you, Xia Army is a High Level Earth Emperor, while Huo Teng is a Middle Level Earth Emperor. The two are ranked third and fourth on the Wind and Cloud Ranking, respectively."

Basic Level, Middle Level, High Level, and Peak Realm... 'So that means after breaking through to the Human King Realm, there are another four minor tiers to climb within each major Realm.'