Time flowed gently, the years slipping by.
Ever since the Hidden Dragon Ranking appeared, every individual listed on it had drawn the attention of all within the Nine Provinces.
Even those with the lowest cultivation level, like innate martial artists, were regarded with great importance.
Take the Southern Song Dynasty's Guo Jing, for example. Even though Zhao Gou and Qin Hui did not care for him, they had to issue a decree appointing him as a general of the Southern Song Dynasty in order to silence public opinion.
He was assigned as a city defense general.
As if guided by fate, the city he was tasked to defend turned out to be none other than Xiangyang.
His enemy? The mighty Yuan army.
Perhaps it was the protagonist's halo.
Even after missing the chance to reunite with Huang Rong, Guo Jing's luck did not decline. On the contrary, it seemed to grow stronger.
On the third day after arriving in Xiangyang, he caught the eye of the city lord's daughter, and the two ended up marrying.
With the help of his father-in-law, Guo Jing's growth accelerated rapidly.
In less than a month, he took full control of Xiangyang's military forces.
With his virtuous wife aiding him, he became increasingly skilled in military strategy and began maturing into a capable border general.
It was very likely that in the future, Guo Jing would become an extraordinary threat to the Yuan Dynasty.
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Guo Jing was not alone. Others, like the Sui Dynasty's Twin Dragons, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, also experienced rapid rises.
After becoming disciples of Empress Xiao Meiniang, their status soared.
Not only did their strength improve quickly, but their influence expanded at an astonishing pace.
The Empress even arranged for them to form their own military force, the Young Marshal Army.
After participating in multiple campaigns to suppress rebellions, the two truly came into their own.
With the Empress backing them, their rise was unstoppable.
Even the aristocratic clans could do little to obstruct them.
Once they reached the level of Great Grandmasters, the Twin Dragons and their Young Marshal Army would become a terrifying force beyond imagination.
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Of course, not every hidden dragon had a bright destiny.
Take the Great Li Empire's Duan Yu for example.
After his identity was revealed on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, he was immediately stripped of his title as heir to the Prince of Zhennan.
He no longer enjoyed the privileges he once held.
Perhaps Duan Zhengchun would not kill him, but any closeness from the past was now impossible.
Especially considering Duan Yu was the son of a sworn enemy.
His very existence was a blatant insult to Duan Zhengchun's dignity.
Fortunately, with the protection of Heavenly Dragon Temple, the Great Li Empire did not go so far as to call for his death.
Now, Duan Yu did not even dare return to the Great Li Empire. He wandered alone through the Jianghu of the Northern Song Dynasty.
He became the laughingstock of many.
In stark contrast was Xu Zhu, who also had a tragic origin but a vastly different outcome.
Xu Zhu had now officially become the leader of the Carefree Sect.
Back when Wu Yazi was on the verge of death, Xu Zhu had not hesitated to give him a Heavenly Dao reward elixir, saving his life.
From that moment on, the entire Carefree Sect fully accepted him.
Even after learning that Xu Zhu was the son of Abbot Xuan Ci and Ye Erniang, no one in the sect minded.
When Xuan Ci was removed from his position as abbot of Shaolin and mocked by the martial world, the Carefree Sect publicly supported him.
When Ye Erniang was hunted for her crimes, the sect sent people to assist her.
Within the Carefree Sect, Xu Zhu's status was second only to Wu Yazi himself.
Whenever he needed something, the sect would do everything it could to provide it.
From the master down to the lowest disciple, none showed the slightest resistance.
In addition, under Wu Yazi's guidance, Xu Zhu's cultivation progressed at a visible and astonishing pace.
He would reach the level of Great Grandmaster very soon.
Right now, he was undoubtedly a winner in life.
Even though his parentage should have made him an outcast in the martial world, fate smiled on him.
Far more fortunate than Duan Yu.
That being said, Duan Yu was not entirely finished.
Though his identity had changed, his strength continued to grow.
His progress was no less than Xu Zhu.
Given time, even without the Great Li Empire, he could carve out his own path.
His former title as the Prince of Zhennan's heir no longer held real value.
Once he overcomes this hurdle, Duan Yu would experience a true transformation.
Not only in power but also in his state of mind.
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Far away in the Ming imperial palace, Zhu Houzhao had received intelligence reports and took none of these people lightly.
He paid close attention to all of them.
But the person who surprised Zhu Houzhao the most was Jiang Yuyan.
He had originally expected Jiang Yuyan to present herself to him, turning him into a puppet emperor while she played the role of Empress.
Instead, she mysteriously ended up in the Han Dynasty.
Even more shockingly, with the help of a hidden force, she managed to enter the Han imperial palace and became one of Emperor Liu Hong's consorts.
She was now deeply favored by Liu Hong.
Her own stage had begun.
Zhu Houzhao eagerly looked forward to how much chaos she would bring to the Han Dynasty in the future.
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As for Yi Lin, the eleventh-ranked on the Hidden Dragon Ranking and a disciple of the Mount Heng Sect.
Though she was unwilling, she still accepted the role of sect leader under the guidance of her masters.
Suddenly, the entire Mount Heng Sect's status in the Ming martial world rose significantly.
Among the Five Mountain Sects, their prestige was now equal to, if not slightly above, that of the Songshan and Huashan Sects.
Sadly, Yi Lin lacked ambition.
Otherwise, she truly had the ability to unite the Five Mountain Sects under her rule.
At the very least, Zuo Lengchan no longer dared to threaten the Mount Heng Sect as he once did. Instead, he treated them with a new-found politeness.
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In the Han Dynasty, the World Association turned out to be the biggest loser after the Hidden Dragon Ranking appeared.
Previously, they boasted the twelfth through fifteenth positions on the ranking.
But in a single night, everything fell apart.
Bu Jingyun fled the association the same day.
Soon after, Duan Lang and Nie Feng followed.
Even Qin Shuang, who was most valued by Xiong Ba, left for unknown reasons.
Xiong Ba was left utterly alone.
He became the laughingstock of the martial world.
Fortunately, Xiong Ba possessed immense power. Otherwise, the World Association might have been destroyed by rival forces.
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As for Ming's Xie Xiaofeng, Yan Shisan, and Li Xunhuan, Zhu Houzhao had arranged their placements.
Xie and Yan were sent directly into the Jianghu to operate freely.
Li Xunhuan, however, was brought into Zhu Houzhao's close circle of secretaries.
He was being specially cultivated.
Li Xunhuan was no fool. On the contrary, he was very intelligent, only burdened by his sense of chivalry and scholarly pride.
With proper guidance, he could become the kind of talent Zhu Houzhao needed most.