Chapter 709 - Top of the List
"Those who can get on this list are the chosen ones of the Vast Thousand Domains. Their fates are entirely different but can be generally separated into two extremes..." Yan Wushuang remained smiling even as he continued, "As the saying goes, a tree which outgrows the forest will be blown down by the wind. Outstanding individuals are sure to attract envy, regardless of which race they are from. Whenever a demon-like supreme talent with the potential to attain the quasi-emperor realm appears, they would certainly pose a huge threat to other races, which would then pull out all stops to prevent them from attaining said realm."
Although the plump elder was clearly smiling as he spoke, Ye Qingyu could discern a bone-piercing chill in his words.
"So, the people on this list are all dead, right?" Ye asked.
"That's impossible. These people become 'demon-like' precisely because they can accomplish things others can't. While there are indeed a few who were killed by enemy forces or other ill-intentioned beings before they reached their potential, a large portion of them survived and matured thanks to heaven-defying chance and fate, and eventually reached the pinnacle, becoming overlord-level beings in the Vast Thousand Domains and even mighty emperors whose strengths attained the quasi-emperor realm." The plump elder recounted as he wiped away large amounts of sweat.
After listening, Ye Qingyu understood things in general.
He nodded slightly, already vaguely guessing something, and casually asked once again, "Elder Yan, why do you think the Storm List would appear now?"
The ranking had already reached the fifth place by this time.
On the wall appeared a name which gave off an abnormally eye-catching green glow...
Wei Lie.
It sounded a lot like the name of a human expert.
"Hoho, the Storm List only appears for one reason - the Storm of Wall has sensed the birth of a new demon-like level supreme talent among us, and so the list has to be changed and rearranged." Yan Wushuang gazed smilingly at Ye Qingyu, making no secret of his appreciation.
"Look, a new name has appeared above Wei Lie!"
Following an exclamation, the crowd saw that on the wall appeared a line of words which was even more dazzling than the rest, such that one practically had to operate yuan qi in order to look straight at it.
"Time for the fourth place..."
"Mi... Chen..."
"It looks somewhat like a monk's religious name..."
"His strength can actually be top four..."
Everyone concentrated fully and solely on the list changes with amazement and curiosity.
Behind them was Shangguan Wu, who stared with eyes wide open at the Storm List. His expression became increasingly animated as the list verged on completion, such that he nearly could not control himself.
On one hand, it was because of the names that had appeared near the top.
These names, which sounded like the honorific titles of deities, had rocked various large domains during their time. Like comets, they shone in a dazzling brilliance and enacted world-shaking, radical changes.
Having heard many stories of their heaven-defying deeds, Shangguan Wu revered these supreme experts tremendously.
On the other hand, he believed that the appearance of the Storm List was not simply to signal recognition of the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps by the Storm Martial Emperor's will, but also meant that among the mission was someone whose strength and potential had been recorded by the Storm List. In other words, a new pinnacle overlord would be born from among them in the future.
As he thought about this, Shangguan Wu suddenly shifted his gaze toward the completely unfathomable white-robed figure in front of the wall. It was as if, in that moment, he saw on Ye Qingyu an unhuman brilliance and aura.
"The third place name is appearing!"
"The green glow on these words... are becoming so glaring..."
"Third... Pan Wuli..."
"Is this... a demonic beast?"
"Here comes the second place..."
"In front of Pan Wuli is..."
"Qing... Lan..."
"Why... seems like a female name..."
As the list became more populated, the discussions of the crowd became clamorous.
However, far away from the crowd, Huang Tayun remained rooted on the spot in astoundment, becoming more and more ashen-faced.
As an examiner of the Wall of Storm and a front court supervisor of the Violet Gold Divine Office, he naturally knew what the appearance of the Storm List signified.
He was all the more clear who among the crowd was the soon-to-be-born heaven-defying expert.
It could only be the demon-like being who had punched through the Wall of Storm while watched on by countless pairs of eyes...
Ye Qingyu.
To the Alliance of Domains members who knew the Storm List well, it served more like a prediction list.
If Ye Qingyu's name appeared on the list, it would mean that, given some time, he would inevitably transform into a dragon that soared above the Ninth Heavens.
When that time arrived, Huang Tayun would be remembered as the puny Violet Gold Divine Office front court supervisor who had deliberately made things difficult for him. Like an ant under a massive dragon claw, the former would be turned to ashes as easily as falling off a log...
At this moment, the regret in Huang Tayun's heart was nearly enough to kill him.
Why does the person I had to trouble have to be him?
Why does the person who's getting on the list have to be him?
"The first place is... finally about to appear!" Shangguan Wu fastened his eyes on the Storm List.
The highest ranked name gradually emerged on the Wall of Storm under the countless gazes.
The onlooking experts had to operate a good amount of yuan qi in order to see it clearly.
"Po... Hun..."
"What a weird name. Which race could it be from?"
"It's hard to imagine the level of demon-like talent needed to place first on this list..."
There were currently thirty names ranked on the Storm List in front of everyone's eyes.
Highest on the wall was the name Po Hun, which shone in a green brilliance which nobody could look straight at.
"Po Hun... Qing Lan... Pan Wuli... Mi Chen... Wei Lie..." Ximen Yeshui read out the names of the five foremost supreme talents.
"This list only contains thirty people, right? They've all been displayed and there doesn't seem to be any changes. What's going on?" Wen Wan, impatient as always, had thought that a name from the Heaven Wasteland Domain should appear on the list, but this was not the case.
"Hoho, don't be impatient. This is the established ranking before the main feature, which is coming up soon. The Storm List will then be updated and re-ranked." Yan Wushuang widened his mouth to form a deeply meaningful smile.
Standing not far away was Huang Tayun, who was even more nervous at this time.
No matter which rank Ye Qingyu would take, him getting on this list was already an outcome which Huang Tayun certainly did not wish to see.
There was also a member of the Violet Gold Divine Guards who was shocked to the point of madness - Huang Lin.
He looked at Ye Qingyu as if he was looking at a horrifying devil incarnate. He vowed that if time could be reversed and he could do things differently, he would stay so far away from the latter that he would never be seen even once, and certainly would not provoke the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps.
Just then...
A cry of alarm was suddenly heard from among the crowd in the middle of the plaza.
"Look, there are new changes on the wall!"
Indeed, the rank numbers and the names on the wall started to be updated one after another. As each green glow flickered, every name and the corresponding rank number in front of it became clearly different from before.
Several breaths later.
The reassembly and reorder of the names on the wall were complete.
Xue Feihan, originally 30th place, disappeared from the wall.
The 29th-placed Lu Aoyun became the new 30th.
In similar fashion, each and every name was shifted a position back.
Everyone was waiting and expecting.
They knew full well the identity of the one person who could get on the Storm List from among the crowd.
Hence, their hearts were presently palpitating in excitement.
The only question was which rank on this list would the strongest war god of the Heaven Wasteland Domain end up in.
Several breaths later.
In front of the Wall of Storm.
"Wei Lie has been moved to sixth..."
"Why hasn't Lord Ye's name appeared..."
"Look! Mi Chen is now fifth!"
"Oh... Lord Ye is top three!"
"Hahaha... our domain is gonna be famous!"
There was a visible buzz and vigor on everyone's face as the envoy mission grew in excitement.
A sparkling light could be seen in the eyes of the Heaven Wasteland leaders including Empress Yu Xiaoxing and the First Princess, who both stood at the frontmost of the crowd.
Yan Wushuang and Shuang Wuyan, who stood alone far outside the plaza like an ice statue, also revealed increasingly astounded looks on their faces.
Although they were not too surprised that Ye Qingyu would appear on the Storm List, for him to be among the top five was a different story altogether.
The original top five on the Storm List were each an expert who bordered on the quasi-emperor stage.
Especially the first-placed Po Hun, a quasi-emperor who ruled two higher domains a millennium ago.
Huang Tayun's heart was filled with near-insuppressible shock and fear at this time. He remained stiffly rooted on the spot as he stared long and hard at the Storm List. All of a sudden, his pupils contracted, his breath became short, and his arms trembled involuntarily. He uttered in a low and flaky voice, "Impossible... no... Pan Wuli... Qing Lan... how is this..."
At this moment, the originally third-placed Pan Wuli and second-placed Qing Lan were shifted to fourth and third respectively.
In other words, only two names were yet unranked - Po Hun, the original first place, and Ye Qingyu, who had activated but not appeared on the Storm List.
Everyone's gaze was in their most concentrated state.
The entire test plaza became completely soundless.
Everyone held their nerves, fired up their yuan qi, and restrained the surging excitement in their hearts as they waited with bated breath.
By this time, many people had realized that they were about to witness the birth of a miracle.
A breath later.
It seemed like an extremely short time, yet also as if an entire year had gone by.
The two highest ranked names emerged one after the other on the Storm List.
In second place, Po Hun.
Above it shone two eye-piercing characters which dazzled like no other as if they were a scorching comet...
Ye Qingyu.