Chapter 51 - 49: Who Is the Strongest?

Chapter 51: Chapter 49: Who Is the Strongest?

"One!!!"

The current top ranker on the leaderboard was simply named "One."

It was just a single character. This person had never shown their face, and no one knew who they were—not even whether they were male or female. They were incredibly mysterious.

The number of Cultivation Techniques they had comprehended reached a staggering 159. Among them, three were of exceptionally high quality, classified as Unrivaled Level Body Refining Techniques. When combined with Elixirs, Arrays, and the like, the total number amounted to 523. This total of 523 had already pushed them into the top one thousand on the overall leaderboard.

The most crucial detail was that One had appeared in the Cemetery of Cultivation Techniques no more than three times! Just three appearances, and they had obtained 523 Secret Manuals.

Chen Huangbei was ranked second, but he had appeared in the Cemetery of Cultivation Techniques quite frequently. Moreover, the total number of Secret Manuals he had obtained was only 187—not even half of One’s total.

Although One made very few appearances, every single one caused a massive sensation. They either obtained an off-the-charts number of Secret Manuals and Cultivation Techniques or performed some other miracle. In the eyes of many, this was no mere human, but a god. They were seen as a child of the gods, an inheritor of destiny, and a successor of the Great Dao. Otherwise, their luck wouldn’t be so overwhelmingly strong.

When bringing up this person—or rather, it might be inaccurate to call them a person, as no one knew if they were human, a Demon Beast, or a denizen of the Netherworld—no one had any clue about their background, identity, or race. They were the very synonym of mystery and power, akin to a True Immortal. They were someone others could only look up to from afar but never reach.

This enigmatic One didn’t just bring despair to the younger generation; they also made the older generation incredibly wary. This was because they hadn’t just left their mark on the first floor. The second, third, fourth floors, and beyond—all held their legends. One was not merely an expert in the Body Refinement realm; their cultivation level had already reached a terrifying height.

Ever since One appeared in the Void God Realm, countless major factions in reality had been searching for their whereabouts. Logically speaking, someone of that caliber shouldn’t be so low-profile that not a single piece of news about them existed. Yet in reality, absolutely no one could find even the slightest clue about them, not even a rumor.

Powerful, mysterious, and terrifyingly low-profile. That was what made them the most frightening. Even if someone wanted to target them, there was no way to do so. They possessed immense patience. They would either remain completely hidden or, upon emerging, shake the entire world. What was the most feared trait in cultivation? It wasn’t formidable talent or ruthlessness; it was someone who knew how to lay low. And what was the absolute worst-case scenario? Someone who was simultaneously powerful, ruthless, and, most importantly, incredibly adept at staying hidden.

"I actually don’t think One can completely crush Chen Huangbei!" After a brief silence, someone finally spoke up.

"Chen Huangbei once said that one doesn’t need a large number of Cultivation Techniques, only suitable ones. The Cultivation and Martial Techniques he comprehends are all the ones that fit him best. Moreover, when talking about One, Chen Huangbei didn’t show fear. Instead, he was filled with boundless fighting spirit. He views One as the most important destined rival of his life."

Clearly, they still had high hopes for Chen Huangbei.

"That’s right. In ancient times, Ancestor Chen also relied on the Sacred Body to suppress all enemies of his generation. He defeated various special Physiques and all kinds of prodigies. In his later years, he even defeated someone who had achieved Great Success with the Dominator Body, a Physique rumored to be capable of suppressing the Sacred Body. His combat prowess was unparalleled. Chen Huangbei has replicated Ancestor Chen’s Physique, and his bloodline is even purer than Ancestor Chen’s. I think he won’t be any weaker than Ancestor Chen. Whether that mysterious One can actually hold their own against Chen Huangbei is hard to say."

Chen Huangbei’s strength was indeed undeniable. Among all the outstanding talents who had emerged in reality, he was undoubtedly the number one.

"This era is one of the few truly prosperous periods in history. Not only has One appeared, but we also have the Sacred Body Chen Huangbei. Murong Nan, who is ranked third on the overall leaderboard, cannot be underestimated either. It’s said that someone saw him tear apart a Great Demon cub with Saint bloodline in the wasteland with his bare hands.

"There’s also Xiao Ting in fourth place, and Peach Branch Lanlan in fifteenth. As the number one genius of the Demon Race, he is also extremely powerful!"

It was a brilliantly dazzling era.

Upon hearing the name Peach Branch Lanlan, Su Tan clearly felt the Little White Wolf’s body tremble as hostility burst forth from it. However, it quickly forced the feeling down.

Was that its destined rival? An enemy? The Little White Wolf’s surname was also Peach Branch. There was definitely some bad blood between them. Su Tan didn’t ask; it wasn’t the right time.

The surrounding people saw the Little White Wolf’s hostility but merely thought it disagreed with their views, paying it no further mind.

"Peach Branch Lanlan is only ranked fifteenth? You all underestimate him too much. I won’t say he should be ranked first, but making it into the top three is definitely not a problem!" the Little White Wolf stated.

Its words, however, drew roaring laughter from the crowd.

"Top three? I admit he’s very strong, but he certainly doesn’t qualify for the top three."

"Exactly! In terms of talent and comprehension, he can’t compare to the top-tier prodigies!"

"What if... he possesses the Overlord Body Bloodline?" the Little White Wolf said indifferently.

"The Dominator Body..." The crowd was stunned by the Little White Wolf’s revelation.

Su Tan was also taken aback. No wonder the Little White Wolf had been shocked, excited, and even slightly hostile when it saw him awaken the Dominator Body back then. It was definitely because of Peach Branch Lanlan.

RUMBLE!

Just as they were about to discuss the matter further, the stone stele suddenly erupted with a brilliant light. It was as blinding as the sun, making it impossible for anyone to keep their eyes open.

"What... what is this?"

They stopped arguing, their attention entirely drawn to the anomaly occurring at the stone stele.

MENG... WENG... JIA... LE...

One after another, Sanskrit chants and the sounds of the Great Dao emanated from the stele. It was magnificent and utterly awe-inspiring.

"A phenomenon... Good heavens, a phenomenon of this magnitude... A great treasure has appeared."

"Sanskrit chants... the sounds of the Great Dao... This, this... according to the records, a scene like this hasn’t appeared in ten thousand years." ℴℴ𝘮

"Is this... is this an Emperor Level phenomenon?"

SPLASH! SPLASH!

Lotus flowers cascaded down from the stone stele as profound and holy traces slowly drifted out.

"Yes, yes, it’s definitely an Emperor Level phenomenon!"

"According to the records, an Emperor Level phenomenon looks exactly like this."

"Who is it? Did someone comprehend an Emperor Level Cultivation Technique?"

"Which outstanding genius is it?"

The blinding light persisted for several minutes before finally fading away.

"Congratulations, Chen Huangbei, for comprehending the Sacred Body Emperor Wuxin’s Body Refining Technique—the strongest Sacred Body Body Refinement manual!"

The majestic voice echoed like dozens of massive drums booming right next to their ears.

"Chen... Chen Huangbei..."

"It really is him!"

"Wuxin... That person... He was known as the strongest Sacred Body in history, a Sacred Body who became an Emperor! Countless descendants have been searching for and trying to comprehend his Cultivation Technique, but unfortunately, no one has ever obtained it. It’s said that acquiring the Heartless Emperor’s Cultivation Technique inheritance is equivalent to stepping onto the path of invincibility. As long as they don’t die prematurely, they will eventually achieve a Great Success Sacred Body. I thought that was just a legend. I never expected that Chen Huangbei would actually obtain it!"

"In the future... is the Chen family truly going to produce a Great Success Sacred Body?"

"Absolutely!!! As long as Chen Huangbei doesn’t perish, a Great Success Sacred Body is guaranteed. He might even go a step further!"

"Will he surpass all previous Sacred Bodies and become the strongest Sacred Body in history?"

"That’s why I said One might not necessarily be Chen Huangbei’s match. And looking at it now, that definitely seems to be the case."

Everyone was completely astounded by this scene. They could already imagine the Chen family’s dominant rise and the glorious sight of Chen Huangbei acting as Sovereign over the world!

"That’s right. From the looks of it now, Chen Huangbei and One are indeed neck and neck."

From today onward, Chen Huangbei’s reputation would resound even louder!

"Tch..." Seeing all of this, the Little White Wolf was also extremely surprised at first. But when it noticed Su Tan’s expression, which remained as calm and unruffled as an ancient well, it knew in its heart that this young master beside it was likely the unexpected existence that would blindside everyone.

Su Tan couldn’t see the light, nor could he see the phenomenon. However, he could hear it. He could feel the shock, the madness, and the jealousy of the people around him!

It seemed the current world was truly an era brimming with geniuses. Su Tan felt that it was necessary for him to focus on developing his own strength properly.

"Let’s register and get going," Su Tan said.

"Understood."

The Little White Wolf led Su Tan to the registration area. After a moment of thought, it wrote down the name "Tanzi" before they entered the Stone Forest.

While there were a few people registering, the vast majority were drawn to the phenomenon caused by Chen Huangbei. Su Tan and the Little White Wolf caused no ripples whatsoever, and no one paid any attention to their comings and goings.