Just as the black-clad men stood frozen in disbelief...
The final name on the ranking list in the sky finally appeared.
[Hidden Dragon Ranking – Rank 11]
[Yi Lin]
[Identity: Mount Heng Sect Disciple]
[Cultivation: Great Perfection Grandmaster Realm]
[Technique: Mount Heng Sect Techniques, Brahma Lotus Heart Art]
[Reward: Heaven-Grade Low-Tier Pill – Bodhi Pill. Greatly enhances intelligence upon consumption]
[One month from now, the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Ranking will be revealed]
[Candidates are chosen based on strength, potential, martial technique, destiny, and fate. Only Great Grandmasters and above are eligible]
Yi Lin?!
Great Perfection Grandmaster?!
Eleventh on the Hidden Dragon Ranking?!
Linghu Chong stared at Yi Lin in utter shock.
Just moments ago, so many grandmaster-level enemies were effortlessly defeated by her. He had assumed she must have been a Great Grandmaster.
But it turned out she was only at the Grandmaster level!
Even more shocking, the gentle and soft-spoken Yi Lin had ranked first among all Hidden Dragon-level Grandmasters.
She had surpassed even the senior Grandmasters of the martial world who had spent decades building their reputations.
Even his own master, the Five Peaks' leaders, and the elders of the most prestigious sects would be no match for her.
Linghu Chong had once thought that learning the Dugu Nine Swords made him peerless among martial artists.
Now, he realized how laughably naïve he had been.
At Yi Lin's level, even as a Grandmaster, she could undoubtedly challenge and defeat Great Grandmasters.
==========
All across the Nine Provinces, countless people witnessed the updated rankings.
Especially among the Five Mountain Sects.
Those who had heard of or known Yi Lin couldn't help but be stunned.
Were their eyes playing tricks on them?
That sweet, harmless little nun, who showed not a shred of imposing presence, had actually placed eleventh on the Hidden Dragon Ranking?
And she was a Great Perfection Grandmaster?
Surpassing the very elders and masters they all respected?
Were they blind?
Or had Yi Lin simply hidden her strength too well?
This was not just the sentiment of outsiders.
Even within Mount Heng Sect, where they knew Yi Lin best, Abbess Ding Yi and the others were in disbelief.
"Where is Yi Lin?"
"Why haven't I seen her around?"
Mount Heng's campsite was filled with confusion.
Abbess Ding Yi was stunned and immediately sent people to look for Yi Lin.
"Master, Yi Lin probably went out for training as usual."
"She goes out every day to cultivate by herself."
"She should be nearby. Let's go find her!"
"Does anyone know what this Brahma Lotus Heart Art is? I don't think we have that in our Mount Heng Sect."
"It must have been passed down to her secretly by a senior monk from the Buddhist sect."
"That makes sense. Although Yi Lin is gentle and obedient, her comprehension and potential are exceptional. It's not strange that a high-level Buddhist master would favor her."
"The Nine Provinces are vast, and disciples of the Buddhist sect are everywhere. It's only natural that a few reclusive masters would appear."
"For Yi Lin to be acknowledged by such a master, it is indeed a blessing of the highest order!"
"Let's go. We must find her immediately!"
None of the Mount Heng disciples, not even Abbess Ding Yi, felt jealousy in their hearts.
On the contrary, they were thrilled.
They were sincerely happy for Yi Lin.
Her ranking on the Hidden Dragon Ranking was a great fortune for the Mount Heng Sect.
If Zuo Lengchan from Mount Song Sect still wished to pressure them, he would have to think twice.
They all understood one thing clearly: those who made the Hidden Dragon Ranking were not ordinary talents.
They were absolute prodigies.
Monsters among geniuses.
Ordinary talents were not even worth comparing to those on the list.
Each person on it had the power to fight across realms.
In other words...
Even though Yi Lin was a Great Perfection Grandmaster, her actual combat power was likely at the level of a Great Grandmaster.
And not just a weak one.
With someone like that to protect them, Mount Heng Sect had nothing to fear.
Even someone as composed as Abbess Ding Yi couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
And relief.
==========
"This is impossible! We're all Grandmasters! Why are you so much stronger?"
The masked men stared at Yi Lin in disbelief, completely shaken by how easily she had neutralized their group attack.
"What's so impossible about it? Junior Sister Yi Lin made the Hidden Dragon Ranking. Do you really think weaklings like you are worthy of comparing yourselves to her?"
Linghu Chong scoffed, utterly dismissive.
"Who are you, really?"
"That's not the Mount Heng Sect martial arts you're using."
Yi Lin's expression remained calm, her eyes distant with a hint of nostalgia.
"Understand one technique, and all techniques become clear."
"He once told me that as long as one's understanding of Buddhism is profound enough, one can naturally derived all martial arts within the Buddhist tradition."
"Clinging to techniques and power will never allow one to reach the peak."
"I must devote myself to the study of Buddhism, to perceive the truth of all things, to follow the heavens and nature."
"Once your realm is high enough, all martial arts can be understood at a glance, even mastered in an instant."
Her words rang like a great bell in the ears of everyone present.
Stirring their hearts with awe.
They had never heard such a concept before.
Wasn't martial arts something achieved through relentless practice and hard training?
If all one did was study scriptures and philosophy, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?
This was madness.
Just because she made the Hidden Dragon Ranking, did she think she could spout mystical nonsense to mislead them?
Of course, some were more perceptive.
Like Linghu Chong.
He couldn't fully understand her words, but they resonated with him somehow.
He stood there deep in thought.
"He called it the Brahma Lotus Heart Art."
"I've only just begun to learn it."
"It uses Buddhist teachings as the foundation, with martial arts as the supplement."
"Once Buddhism is fully grasped, martial techniques will naturally flow and evolve on their own."
"Brahma Lotus Heart Art!"
The black-clad men looked utterly defeated.
Just hearing the name, they knew it was a Buddhist martial art.
Despite having so many Grandmaster-level experts, not one of them could survive even a single move from this seemingly harmless young nun.
"What are you going to do with us?"
"Senior Brother Linghu, how should we handle them?"
Yi Lin turned to Linghu Chong, letting him decide.
These masked men might be infamous figures in the martial world, but to Yi Lin now, they were no different from ordinary passersby.
Not worth a second thought.
"Who are you people?"
"Are you from the Mount Song Sect? Or allied with Zuo Lengchan?"
Linghu Chong needed answers.
He was worried about the safety of the Mount Hua Sect.
If Zuo Lengchan was conspiring with outsiders to harm Mount Hua disciples, it could spell disaster.
He had to stop it.
"Hmph, a mere discarded disciple of Mount Hua dares to interrogate us?"
"Just kill us already. What's the point of all this nonsense?"
Whoosh!
A streak of sword energy burst forth.
The leader of the masked men slit his own throat in an instant and collapsed, dead on the spot.