A few months quietly passed.
Winter gradually retreated from Dongtai Prefecture, and the arrival of spring brought an entirely different atmosphere to the region.
The once-bare branches of the roadside trees slowly sprouted fresh green leaves, flowers bloomed throughout the courtyards of wealthy families, and the streets became increasingly lively as merchants once again began travelling between the various counties.
For ordinary people, the arrival of spring meant another year had begun.
For martial artists...
It meant another year of competition.
During those few months, countless things had happened throughout Dongtai Prefecture.
Several smaller martial families had risen and fallen.
A few promising young martial artists had revealed their talent.
Some had disappeared while travelling through dangerous regions.
Others had returned from expeditions carrying rare treasures.
Yet among all those events...
One matter attracted the greatest attention.
The changes to the Human Martial List.
The Human Martial List had existed for more than a thousand years.
Nobody knew exactly who had created it.
Nobody even knew what kind of force maintained it.
But throughout the Martial Continent, almost every martial artist acknowledged one thing.
The list was frighteningly accurate.
It wasn't simply based upon cultivation realm.
Combat ability.
Martial techniques.
Battle records.
Age.
Potential.
And even demonstrated achievements were all taken into consideration.
Therefore...
Being listed wasn't merely an honour.
It represented genuine recognition of one's strength.
And the latest changes had caused the entire Dongtai Prefecture to tremble.
The first major change concerned the young master of the Jade Sword Palace.
His previous ranking had been forty-second.
Now...
He had climbed two positions.
Human Martial List
Rank 40 — Han Yu
Affiliation — Jade Sword Palace
Realm — Early Xuan Gang
His rise by only two positions had already caused considerable discussion.
After all, the higher one climbed on the Human Martial List, the more difficult every advancement became.
The difference between ranks eighty and seventy might be relatively small.
But between ranks forty and thirty-nine...
The gap could be enormous.
Han Yu's improvement therefore proved that his cultivation and combat ability had continued advancing.
Naturally...
His appearance on the list wasn't the only major change.
Another familiar name had also changed position.
Rank 72 — Liu Ruyan
Affiliation — Jade Sword Palace Core Disciple
Realm — Major Accomplishment of True Essence
Liu Ruyan had originally been ranked seventy-ninth.
She had attempted to push herself considerably higher.
But the attempt had failed.
Instead...
Her ranking settled at seventy-second.
Even so, nobody considered it a failure.
She had still climbed seven positions.
More importantly...
Everyone understood that Liu Ruyan's current realm was already approaching the threshold where she could enter Xuan Gang.
With her talent and the resources of the Jade Sword Palace behind her...
Her future advancement was almost certain.
Some people even predicted that within several years, she would enter the top fifty.
And then...
She would become one of the youngest Xuan Gang martial artists in Dongtai Prefecture.
However...
The next name caused considerably more discussion.
Rank 70 — Gao Yuanhua
Affiliation — Mountain River Martial Hall
Realm — Bone Refining
The appearance of an External Martial Artist on the Human Martial List wasn't completely unprecedented.
But it was rare.
Extremely rare.
Most martial artists appearing on the list relied upon Internal Martial Arts.
External Martial Artists generally required at least the Tendon Refining Realm before they could compete with the younger generation on the list.
And even reaching Tendon Refining wasn't enough.
They still needed to defeat someone already ranked.
Only then would the mysterious force maintaining the Human Martial List acknowledge their strength.
Gao Yuanhua's appearance therefore caused considerable excitement among the three major martial halls.
The Mountain River Martial Hall immediately gained greater attention.
Yet even Gao Yuanhua's appearance wasn't what shocked the prefecture most.
That belonged to the final change.
The moment the updated list spread...
The entire Dongtai Prefecture erupted.
Rank 90 — Su Yang
Affiliation — Su Family
Realm — Tendon Refining
For several breaths after the news appeared...
Nobody believed it.
Then...
The discussions exploded.
"Su Yang?"
"The Su Family Young Master?"
"Are you talking about the same Su Yang who couldn't cultivate Internal Martial Arts?"
"That's impossible!"
"I heard he was practically a cripple."
"He was!"
"Then how did he reach Tendon Refining?"
The more people discussed it...
The more unbelievable it became.
Only a few months earlier, Su Yang had been known throughout Dongtai Prefecture as the unfortunate young master of the Su Family.
He possessed no Internal Energy.
His Innate Acupoints had been considered blocked.
He had been engaged to Liu Ruyan since childhood.
Then...
Liu Ruyan had become a Core Disciple of the Jade Sword Palace.
She had entered the Human Martial List.
And the engagement had almost collapsed beneath the enormous difference between them.
Yet now...
Su Yang had appeared on the same list.
Rank ninety.
Tendon Refining.
The news immediately caused countless people to reconsider the entire matter.
Some began lamenting.
"Perhaps Liu Ruyan shouldn't have tried to cancel the engagement so quickly."
"Who would have expected Su Yang to possess such potential?"
Others mocked the situation.
"Five years?"
"Now I really want to see what happens five years from now."
There were also people who deliberately fanned the flames.
They spread rumours throughout the prefecture.
Some claimed Su Yang possessed an ancient inheritance.
Others claimed the Su Family had secretly discovered a powerful External Martial Art.
Some even suggested that the mysterious ranking force had made a mistake.
But regardless of the rumours...
One thing was certain.
The Five-Year Appointment had become even more anticipated.
Originally, many people had regarded it as a ridiculous challenge from a crippled young master.
Now...
Su Yang had reached rank ninety.
The situation had completely changed.
People began wondering how far he could climb over the next five years.
Could he enter the top fifty?
Could he defeat Liu Ruyan?
Could he even challenge Han Yu?
Nobody knew.
But countless people had already begun making plans to witness that battle personally.
The news didn't remain within Dongtai Prefecture either.
It spread toward neighbouring counties.
Then neighbouring prefectures.
Before long...
Even several distant provinces had heard about the Five-Year Appointment between the Su Family Young Master and the Jade Sword Palace Core Disciple.
A battle that had once seemed insignificant...
Had gradually become one of the most anticipated events among the younger generation.
---
Within the Su Family's main courtyard...
The atmosphere was completely different.
The Su Family Patriarch sat at the head of the hall.
Yet unlike before...
He was smiling.
A genuine smile.
Several elders stood below him, their expressions complicated.
Some were embarrassed.
Others were secretly relieved.
Only a few months ago, some elders had proposed that Su Yang relinquish his position as Young Master.
Their reasoning had been simple.
He couldn't cultivate Internal Martial Arts.
His engagement had been cancelled.
The family needed a successor capable of carrying its future.
Now...
Those same elders no longer mentioned the matter.
Because the Human Martial List had answered for Su Yang.
Rank ninety.
Tendon Refining.
A young External Martial Artist who had reached Tendon Refining at his age could no longer be considered useless.
The Patriarch leaned back slightly.
His smile deepened.
"Yang'er..."
"He's finally proven them wrong."
One elder coughed awkwardly.
"Patriarch..."
The Patriarch looked toward him.
"What is it?"
The elder hesitated.
"I merely wanted to say..."
"Young Master has indeed made remarkable progress."
The Patriarch smiled.
"Indeed."
His happiness was genuine.
Yet beneath that happiness was another emotion.
Concern.
Because...
The Su Family's strongest foundation hadn't appeared during the confrontation with the Jade Sword Palace.
Their Astral Gang Ancestor hadn't shown himself.
The Patriarch's smile slowly faded.
If the Ancestor had been present...
Perhaps the Wei Family wouldn't have dared intervene so openly.
Perhaps the Jade Sword Palace wouldn't have dared pressure them so aggressively.
There was clearly something wrong.
But now wasn't the time to investigate it.
His gaze once again fell upon the latest Human Martial List.
Rank 90 — Su Yang.
The Patriarch quietly exhaled.
"Five years..."
He murmured.
"Let's see how far you can go."
---
Far away from the Su Family...
A large escort agency was preparing to depart.
Several carriages stood neatly along the roadside while dozens of escorts checked their weapons and supplies.
The insignia of the Changlong Escort Agency could be seen on the banners fluttering above them.
Among the escorts stood a seemingly ordinary young man.
His name was Yang Su.
At least...
That was the identity he was currently using.
The young man casually stepped toward one of the carriages.
A silver-badged escort standing beside it immediately called out.
"Yang Su."
"The next package is supposed to be delivered to Fengyun Prefecture."
"But don't worry."
"We won't actually go all the way there."
"Our stop will be Anping County."
The young man nodded.
Anping County.
It was situated near the boundary between Fengyun Prefecture and Dongtai Prefecture.
A natural gateway between the two regions.
Yang Su casually climbed onto the carriage.
Naturally...
He wasn't truly Yang Su.
He was Su Yang.
After reaching Tendon Refining, his master had given him another instruction.
Train outside.
Fight.
Experience life-and-death battles.
Only through genuine combat could his External Martial Arts foundation continue improving.
Therefore, Su Yang had joined the Changlong Escort Agency.
The agency's escorts travelled across counties and prefectures while protecting valuable goods.
Their ranks were divided into four levels.
Iron.
Bronze.
Silver.
Gold.
Iron escorts generally possessed Acquired cultivation.
Bronze and Silver escorts were generally martial artists who had entered the Innate Realm.
As for Gold...
They required at least Xuan Gang cultivation or an equivalent level of External Martial Arts.
Su Yang currently possessed enough strength to serve as a Bronze escort.
However...
He deliberately kept his strength hidden.
To everyone around him...
Yang Su was merely an ordinary young escort.
Su Yang glanced toward the sealed carriage.
Then he looked at the silver-badged escort.
"Tu Bing."
"What exactly are we transporting this time?"
Tu Bing immediately frowned.
"You've been with us long enough."
"You should know the rules."
Su Yang smiled.
"I know."
"Escorts aren't allowed to ask about the contents of a package."
"Exactly."
Tu Bing looked toward the road ahead.
"We usually only escort goods between nearby counties."
"But this time..."
"Our employer specifically requested delivery toward the edge of the prefecture."
Su Yang's expression became slightly more serious.
"How long?"
"One month there."
"One month back."
"Two months?"
Tu Bing nodded.
"And we'll pass through part of the outer region of the Ten Thousand Mountain Range."
Su Yang's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Ten Thousand Mountain Range.
Even its outer region was dangerous.
Fierce beasts were everywhere.
Some possessed strength comparable to powerful martial artists.
Others were simply monstrous creatures that ordinary escorts could never confront.
Tu Bing lowered his voice.
"That's why we have so many escorts this time."
Su Yang nodded.
He didn't ask further.
He simply leaned against the carriage and closed his eyes.
His fingers slowly tightened around his weapon.
A two-month journey.
Fierce beasts.
Dangerous roads.
Possible battles.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
This...
Was exactly what he needed.
The carriage slowly began moving.
Behind them...
Dongtai Prefecture gradually disappeared into the distance.
And ahead...
The endless wilderness awaited.