It's not just Dai Mubai.
The expressions of everyone in the entire Tiandou camp froze.
Oscar's arms involuntarily opened, and the smile on his face turned into a blank stare.
Ma Hongjun's boast of "winning the top twenty" still echoes in my ears, but now it sounds so ironic.
"This...this can't be, right?"
Ning Rongrong's voice trembled slightly.
"Boss Dai is only in twentieth place?"
"What a joke! Don't we know how strong Boss Dai is? He's the strongest after Third Brother!" Ma Hongjun exclaimed.
Everyone's hearts sank.
Each of them possesses strength surpassing that of a Title Douluo, making them powerful figures capable of establishing their own sects in the outside world.
They are the chosen ones, the trendsetters of this era.
But if even a powerhouse like Dai Mubai can only rank twentieth...
What about them?
Does that mean they don't even qualify for the list?
The moment this thought crossed their minds, an indescribable sense of humiliation and defeat instantly overwhelmed every member of Shrek Academy.
As exceptional individuals, they could not accept this outcome.
The fervor on Yu Xiaogang's face vanished completely, replaced by a look of solemnity and bewilderment.
Tang San frowned, holding the Trident of the Sea God, and remained silent.
He couldn't understand it either.
He knew Dai Mubai's strength better than anyone else; even in the history of the entire continent, he was definitely a top-tier genius.
Saying it's in the top five might be a stretch, but it's definitely in the top ten.
Twentieth?
What exactly are the criteria for judging this list of winners?
While everyone was lost in thought and bewildered,
The golden canopy above the sky shimmered once more, and new lines of small characters began to appear below Dai Mubai's name.
That was actually... Dai Mubai's life story!
Name: Dai Mubai
[Martial Soul: Evil-Eyed White Tiger (Top-Tier Beast Martial Soul)]
[Identity: Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire, student of Shrek Academy]
[Brief Biography: Prince of the Star Luo Empire. Due to the cruelty of royal infighting and fear of his elder brother Davis, he abandoned his fiancée Zhu Zhuqing and fled alone to the Heaven Dou Empire, where he numbed himself with a life of pleasure and debauchery. Later, he joined Shrek Academy.]
boom!
When Dai Mubai saw the words "fearing his elder brother, abandoning his fiancée, and fleeing to Tian Dou," his face instantly turned deathly pale.
This is the deepest scar and most unbearable wound in his heart!
He never imagined that this mysterious golden list would so blatantly expose his most unwanted past to the public!
Let him be publicly executed in front of everyone on the entire mainland!
Zhu Zhuqing, standing beside him, trembled slightly, and her gaze toward Dai Mubai became complicated.
The text on the sky continued to appear.
[Soul Master Profile: Age 15, Level 37 Soul Master.]
[Eighteen years old, level 39 Soul Master, encountered a bottleneck and stagnated.]
[Due to consuming the miraculous herb "Qirong Tongtianju," his physique underwent a complete transformation, his bottlenecks were broken, and his aptitude was greatly enhanced.]
[...]
[He received the baptism of the Sea God's Light, participated in the sixth Black-level trial of the Sea God's Nine Trials, and received much help from Tang San during the process, narrowly escaping death several times. In the end, he obtained a divinely bestowed soul ring.]
[...]
[Currently 28 years old, with a cultivation level of 95, and the title "White Tiger".]
Each line of text was like a heavy hammer, constantly striking at the fragile pride of the Shrek members.
Talent bottleneck...
With the help of the magical herb...
Tang San helped me a lot during the assessment...
These words all demonstrate that Dai Mubai's achievements did not entirely stem from his own efforts.
This made them, who always considered themselves "monsters," feel a burning pain on their faces.
Just when everyone thought the public execution was about to end.
Above the golden sky, the light shone brightly!
A line of text radiating a dazzling light slowly emerged, overshadowing all the previous narration.
Overall ranking: 20th.
[Heavenly Reward: 100,000-Year Soul Bone – Right Arm Bone of the God of War! Soul Power Increased by One Level! Divine Weapon – God of War Axe!]
Jialing Pass, atop the city gate tower.
The crumbling ramparts seemed to weep in the wind, and the lingering stench of blood had not yet dissipated.
Qian Renxue, dressed in a blood-stained golden palace gown, leaned against the wall, gazing at the dazzling golden light in the sky. Her face, which was already pale from her serious injuries, was now covered with a layer of frost.
As Dai Mubai's so-called life story was imprinted word by word on the sky, a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Fearing his elder brother, he abandoned his fiancée?"
"You were able to break through the bottleneck thanks to a magical herb?"
She scoffed.
"What a waste of resources."
"This kind of magical herb is better fed to dogs than given to him."
To her, Dai Mubai's mediocre life in the first half of his life was no different from that of a coward.
How could such a cowardly and utterly timid man be able to make it onto this list of the twenty strongest people on the mainland?
It's absolutely ridiculous.
However, when those dazzling reward words appeared, the mockery on Qian Renxue's face slowly froze.
[Heavenly Reward: 100,000-Year Soul Bone – Right Arm Bone of the God of War! Soul Power Increased by One Level! Divine Weapon – God of War Axe!]
A soul bone that's been around for 100,000 years!
Amazing!
Qian Renxue's pupils suddenly contracted.
Even though she was once the goddess of angels, she knew the weight of these two things.
Any one of these items would be enough to drive all the Soul Masters on the continent mad and unleash a bloodbath.
But now, these two treasures, plus a level one boost in soul power, are only the reward for the twentieth place!
It's merely a consolation prize for last place!
Qian Renxue's heart sank little by little.
What if you come in first place?
A chilling thought instantly flashed into her mind.
If... if Tang San were to take first place on the Golden List...
What kind of earth-shattering reward will he receive?
When their divine positions are shattered, what will the Spirit Empire use to resist them?
In an instant, unprecedented worries and anxieties overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
...
Starry Sky Forest, Lake of Life.
The lake water rippled with blue waves, and a rich sense of life wafted through the air like mist.
On the lakeshore, a colossal black dragon slowly opened its majestic golden vertical pupils; it was none other than the Beast God, Di Tian.
Before him stood a woman with silver hair and purple eyes, whose beauty seemed otherworldly, also gazing up at the sky.
It was none other than the long-dormant Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.
"My lord."
Di Tian's voice was deep and respectful, with an undisguised hint of disdain.
"This Dai Mubai abandoned his fiancée when he was young and was cowardly and hesitant. In his old age, he relied on Tang San in every way. He is really a hypocrite."
"From this perspective, Shrek Academy may not be a place where hidden talents reside; it's just a bunch of hypocrites."
Gu Yuena didn't speak, she just watched quietly.
Di Tian changed the subject, his tone revealing deep shock.
"However, the Heavenly Dao's actions are a bit too extravagant."
"To be ranked twentieth, one can be rewarded with a 100,000-year-old soul bone and a divine artifact. If it were the first place..."
(End of chapter)