Chapter 263 - 261: Qilin List
"What? The Qilin List?"
In the freshman office of Qiangwu Academy, the guidance counselor Sheng Qin returned with a stack of documents, looking completely bewildered by what her colleague was saying.
"Are you talking about the Qilin List from *Qilin Chronicles*—the number one professional martial arts magazine—which ranks the top 100 martial artists in all of Yanhua under the age of thirty?"
Sheng Qin tilted her head, thinking for a moment.
"But isn’t the minimum requirement to get on the Qilin List the Early-stage True Gang realm? Are you saying a freshman, Yang Shen, made the list?"
A male teacher pushed up his glasses. "That’s the thing. Wasn’t Yang Shen sent to the Exotic Realm for a special project? He must have accomplished something incredible for *Qilin Chronicles* to have noticed him."
"That doesn’t seem right... Even if *Qilin Chronicles* has a lot of influence, how could news about the new Exotic Realm be leaked so easily?"
The male teacher hit the nail on the head. "I heard it’s a joint development. Just because Yanhua’s security is tight doesn’t mean other countries’ are. So Yang Shen must have caused a huge stir—something so big that it still stood out even as news spread to other nations when personnel rotated out."
Sheng Qin took the magazine and expertly flipped to the Qilin List’s page. It was the biggest feature of *Qilin Chronicles*, always printed on the centerfold.
Sure enough! It read:
100th Place: Flame Fist Yang Shen, 18 years old, has mastered Rising Sun Fist Intent, Late-stage Innate...
Sheng Qin felt a dawning realization, as if her cerebral cortex was slowly being worn away.
’Late-stage Innate? When did that happen?’
And so quietly! She remembered he was only at the Middle Stage of Innate before he went to the Exotic Realm!
What on earth is going on in that Exotic Realm!
As his guidance counselor, she immediately took this to heart. ’The academy’s leadership will definitely ask a few questions about something this major. If I can’t answer them, won’t it make me look like I’m not taking my job seriously?!’
Perhaps knowing that this information alone would lack credibility, there was also a short description for Yang Shen as a first-time entry on the list.
(Participated in the exploration of the Exotic Realm and earned great merit. Directly killed an Early-stage True Gang Martial Artist.)
Sheng Qin stared at the words for a moment, then fell silent...
’An Early-stage True Gang? And one involved in the development of the Exotic Realm, at that. He couldn’t have been a pushover.’
’It doesn’t even have the word "allegedly." That means they have a completely solid source.’
Sheng Qin looked up seriously. "How many people on the Qilin List are from our school?"
"There are a few current students, but they’re all master’s or doctoral candidates. There are even more alumni. Just pull up the list."
"But you have to understand, making the list is one thing. Making it as a freshman is another. And making it as a Late-stage Innate is something else entirely."
The Qilin List wasn’t a "realm list," but a "power list."
To be listed, a martial artist had to have a reputation for being unbeatable within their own realm. That requirement alone disqualified most from the Academic School.
But ultimately, the list was a "prodigy list," which was why it was limited to those under thirty.
Sheng Qin hadn’t yet heard Yang Shen being called "Yanhua’s number one prodigy," so it would take her a while to digest her surprise.
"In any case, this is a good thing."
"It’s just a bit moving. Yang Shen is usually so gentle, optimistic, and polite. To think he’s already killed a True Gang Martial Artist at his age."
Being a woman, she was naturally more concerned with mental health issues.
’This was probably his first time killing someone. I wonder if I should arrange a counseling session for him, just in case his mental state is unstable after a first kill.’
’Even if he doesn’t show it, he must feel a little dazed inside...’
The male teacher nodded. "That’s true. A freshman who just enrolled is definitely as clean as a blank slate."
...
Elsewhere, at the Yang’s Disciples club center, Named Disciples were gathered at almost all hours, thanks to the pleasant, friendly, and harmonious atmosphere.
Some chatted and made friends, while others sparred with one another.
A young man rushed in, holding the latest issue of *Qilin Chronicles*, and slapped the list page directly onto a table.
"Look! Master Yang made the list!"
A single stone setting off a thousand ripples!
The club center instantly erupted. The magazine was quite authoritative, and since the government didn’t issue such rankings, it was basically the most credible one in Yanhua.
Making the list didn’t necessarily mean he was one of the top 100 martial artists in Yanhua under thirty. There were always people who kept their skills hidden or had yet to be discovered, especially since Yang Shen was ranked last.
But at the very least, it meant he was on that level!
𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Especially since he was the only one on the list under the age of twenty.
"What does this mean? It means Master Yang is the number one of the younger generation in all of Yanhua!!"
Socially speaking, anyone under thirty was considered the "younger generation."
But in the eyes of a university student, what was the difference between being thirty and having one foot in the grave?!
The real younger generation had to be under twenty-two! And among all those people, only Master Yang made the list. If that didn’t make him number one, what did?
Just then, the club’s vice-president, Yuan Rui, came down from the second floor. Hearing the discussion, he smiled faintly.
"No, you’re wrong."
The young man looked bewildered. "Huh? What was I wrong about?"
Yuan Rui said calmly, "Our honored Master was the Champion Scholar of the Jianghuai college entrance exams, and he twice defeated the ’Innate candidate’—a rarity that appears only once every few years in Yanhua... Therefore, our honored Master was already the foremost prodigy of Yanhua’s younger generation."
"The Qilin List didn’t reveal our honored Master’s excellence; it merely recognized it, making up for its past oversight. Only by understanding this cause and effect can we better serve our honored Master with filial piety."
The young man had an epiphany. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. My heart of filial piety is truly not pure enough. I must reflect on it further."
Yuan Rui encouraged him, "There’s no need to belittle yourself. The path of filial piety is long and arduous. Let us strive together~"
....
「In the basement of Gymnasium No. 8, the Night Owl Club’s activity center.」
Jiangti’s Nightwalkers were also discussing the matter.
"Damn... Getting on the Qilin List at Late-stage Innate is insane."
"What do you mean, ’at Late-stage Innate’? You’re a senior. Are you even at Late-stage Innate?"
"Uh... no..."
You think there are a lot of Innate realm experts because you’re at Jiangti.
And you think you’re talented because you haven’t compared yourself to the real deal.
Outsiders look at Jiangti and think everyone is a god, but only those on the inside know that even Jiangti has its own pecking order.
In Yanhua’s Martial Arts Education system, one could get into a junior college at the Early-stage of Bone Training, while the Mid-stage of Bone Training qualified you for an undergraduate program.
The average graduation standard for junior college was between the Late-stage of Bone Training and the Early-stage of Marrow Refining, a gap that many couldn’t cross in three years.
For a regular university, the graduation standard was between the Early-stage and Late-stage of Marrow Refining. Ninety percent of university students graduated without ever reaching the Innate Realm.
Only top universities like Jiangti and Yan Wu made the Innate Realm a mandatory graduation requirement. But even so, quite a few students barely scraped by to graduate, and some even dropped out every year.
And now, just three months into the school year, a freshman was already at Late-stage Innate...
On the upper floor of the Night Owl Club, in a certain private room, another group was also discussing someone’s appearance on the list.
These were all children of the Martial Arts Families at Jiangti. Their skill levels varied, but their pedigrees were all high.
A short-haired girl with long, beautiful legs crossed said, "A while ago, I thought he was a bit arrogant. Turns out we were the arrogant ones."
A young man beside her scoffed, "You’re overestimating him. He’s just a Late-stage Innate."
"A *freshman* Late-stage Innate! You’re a senior and only at the Middle Stage of Innate. Is there even a comparison?"
The guy could only shut his mouth...
This was a speed worthy of being recorded in the school’s history. It seemed only the hero Xu Cheng from back in the day could compare.
Besides, realm alone wasn’t enough to get on the Qilin List. You needed combat experience far beyond your peers, a visible degree of genius, and a big enough reputation.
The short-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. He seemed to have visited my Night Owl Club a while ago, and I was even thinking of recruiting him. Looks like my little pond can’t hold a True Dragon. It’s only natural he wouldn’t give us the time of day."
She, for one, was convinced. In Yanhua, strength reigns supreme. That was a hundred times more persuasive than any convoluted schemes.
A few people below her felt a bit bitter thinking about the absurd commotion the Yang’s Disciples club had been making recently.
The so-called Noble Family Descendants often mistook their lineage for their own ability.
It was inevitable that their abilities would be uneven; no family could guarantee a prodigy in every generation.
They should be grateful that Yanhua revered martial prowess. Below the True Gang realm, the power of money and status held great sway. If society valued intellect and they were tested on intelligence, many of them wouldn’t even have qualified to enter Jiangti.
That’s why these people were naturally a bit insecure and preferred to stick together in cliques.
With a hollow reputation and no real achievements, the more they cared about their status, the more insecure they became.
If someone from outside their system was more outstanding than them, they would naturally pay close attention, trying every method to prove their own class’s superiority.
They wanted to absorb them, suppress them, and, most of all, become them.
It was as much about proving it to others as it was about proving it to themselves.
"You can’t really say that. We Noble Family Descendants are all in the same boat. So what if Yang Shen ignores us? Isn’t there still Jiang Xin? He’s comprehended Fist Intent. Even the elders in my family can’t stop praising him."
"Right, Jiang Xin isn’t necessarily weaker than Yang Shen! And as the most outstanding descendant of this generation, he’ll likely get the support of all the Martial Arts Families. He’ll definitely surpass Yang Shen in the future!"
The short-haired girl blew a bubble with her gum and propped her cheek on one hand.
"The problem is, Jiang Xin doesn’t give us the time of day either... His Fist Intent... it’s really, really strong, but the guy seems to have a few screws loose..."
Another burly man with bulging muscles added, feelingly:
"Last time, I asked him to pass a message to Yang Shen... and he actually made me give him a leg massage..."
"Did you do it...?"
"I... COUGH COUGH, wasn’t I doing it for everyone’s sake...?"
The group exchanged glances, all feeling a sense of helplessness.
"Sigh..."
————