I tricked you into thinking you had the makings of an emperor, but you actually did it?

"Please sit down, everyone."

Shen Ming waved his hand, memorizing everyone's face.

It's often said that offering help in times of need is worse than adding flowers to brocade, but in this chaotic and competitive world, it's still quite heartwarming to see fellow disciples celebrating for themselves.

The group looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

Could it be that the Xuan Emperor is waiting for the right price to go up?

They all thought of this at the same time, feeling both heartache and eagerness for the precious item.

If the Emperor Xuan is willing to accept it, then there is room for negotiation.

Nalan Yun couldn't contain himself and gestured to Liu Ruyan beside him.

Liu Ruyan carefully considered her next words.

Shen Ming holds an extraordinary position in the Xuantian Sect, so we mustn't end up offending people instead of accomplishing our goals.

Suddenly, she smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.

Just as he was about to speak, a stunningly beautiful figure gracefully appeared.

A long, snow-white robe fluttered in the wind, like dancing clouds, light and graceful.

Both men and women looked utterly astonished.

Li Miaozhen, a Buddhist nun from Little Western Paradise!

Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her eyes were like autumn water.

She descended from the sky, and with a flick of her sleeve, jugs of fine wine flew out, landing precisely in front of everyone's stone table.

After doing all this, Li Miaozhen said nothing and silently retreated behind Shen Ming.

A commotion arose.

Some of them had heard that Shen Ming and the Buddhist nun were getting close, but they still couldn't believe what they were seeing.

The holy and beautiful Buddhist nun stood obediently behind Shen Ming, high above him.

What is the relationship between the two?!

Nalan Yun's mouth opened slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief and amazement. Unconsciously, he swallowed hard.

Liu Ruyan, who was standing next to her, did not intend to say anything more.

With such a stunning beauty around, how could he possibly listen to what she was saying?

"Cough cough."

Ma Liang snapped out of his reverie, not forgetting his important task.

Most of the people here today are lobbyists.

For example, Nalan Yun came for her older sister, Nalan Li.

Li Xiaoluo loved Li Yingyi.

Only Ma Liang and Huang Peng came for themselves.

"Junior Brother Shen, the Potential Ranking has been open for less than two hundred days. I wonder what your plans are?" Ma Liang asked.

Upon hearing this, everyone's attention finally shifted away from Li Miaozhen.

They pricked up their ears, waiting for Shen Ming's answer.

"Two hundred days? That's a bit of a hassle."

Shen Ming nodded.

Ma Liang was delighted, thinking that Shen Ming was preparing a way out.

Unexpectedly, Shen Ming changed the subject: "As it stands, I might reach the peak of the sixth level in a hundred days. The Hidden Dragon Ranking limits cultivation levels, so I might have to wait a while longer."

If there's even the slightest hint of a joke on someone's face, everyone will burst into laughter.

But he was so serious that everyone else wanted to laugh but dared not.

Ma Liang's lips twitched, and he gave a look to the person next to him.

“In the last Hidden Dragon Ranking, Senior Brother Ma Liang was unlucky and got stuck at the fifth level, losing to the disciples of the Chuyun Sect and not making it into the top ten,” the disciple immediately said.

The others realized this was setting the stage for Ma Liang, highlighting how much he cared about the Hidden Dragon List, and then made their unreasonable request.

"Senior Brother Ma Liang, don't worry, I won't show any mercy when I encounter disciples of the Chuyun Sect," Shen Ming said.

This fellow disciple, Ma Liang, gifted him a piece of ancient warm jade, which was quite valuable.

He took it to heart and, of course, wouldn't mind getting revenge for him.

Ma Liang was taken aback; that wasn't what he meant.

Others couldn't help but think that the Xuan Emperor was pretending to be ignorant when he knew the truth.

At this moment, a beautiful red figure arrived at Xiaoyao Peak.

The Twin Beauties of Xuantian, Xu Lingyue!

"Wow, it's so lively! What are they discussing?" Xu Lingyue asked sweetly.

"Sister..."

"Don't call me senior sister. You're at the third stage of the Innate Realm now, and your cultivation level is higher than mine," Xu Lingyue interrupted him, her tone somewhat mournful.

When Shen Ming entered the sect, she was still at the entry level of the Profound Realm, and at that time she was at the third level of the Divine Treasury Realm.

She is now at the fifth level of the Divine Treasury Realm, while Shen Ming is already at the Yuantai Realm.

However, she was still quite proud of the fact that this was her half-student.

"Here! This is a Spirit Void Fruit. It's not as good as your Hundred-Year Golden Peach, but it's still one of my most treasured possessions."

Shen Ming only informed a few close acquaintances of his breakthrough to the third realm of the Innate Realm.

Xu Lingyue is one of them.

“Sister Lingyue, please sit down. All the senior brothers and sisters are in the same situation as you,” Shen Ming said.

Hearing Shen Ming change his tune, Xu Lingyue beamed with satisfaction.

"Are you here to celebrate Shen Ming's birthday too?"

She looked at Ma Liang and the others, quite surprised.

When did the disciples of the Xuantian Sect become so loving and affectionate?

"It's over!"

Ma Liang and the others then realized that they had misunderstood!

No wonder it seemed so nonsensical; the Xuan Emperor thought they had come to celebrate!

Everyone was getting impatient. Who was so generous as to send such an expensive congratulatory gift?

"The Emperor Xuan..."

The true disciple who had given away the Vermilion Fruit looked dejected and wanted to take the gift back.

"Xuantian Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a place of great fortune for the human race in the Northern Region. Its disciples all possess the demeanor of disciples from great sects and holy lands."

Li Miaozhen suddenly spoke up.

The grandeur of a sacred religious site?!

Upon hearing this, Ma Liang and the others were invigorated, their eyes shining.

If an ordinary person said this, it wouldn't have the same effect.

The words coming from this Buddhist nun from Little Western Paradise were spoken with heads held high and chests puffed out, faces full of pride.

The true disciple who wanted to take back the Vermilion Fruit looked at Li Miaozhen's heavenly face, and forced himself to change his words, saying, "Congratulations to Xuan Tianzi on breaking through to the third realm of the Innate Realm."

The others were too embarrassed to ask for the treasure back, so they all stood up to offer their congratulations.

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Li Miaozhen's lips, and a sly glint flashed in her eyes.

"Thank you so much, fellow senior brothers and sisters." Shen Ming was deeply moved.

"...Senior Brother Shen, when did you break through to the third realm of the Innate Realm?!"

Nalan Yun came to her senses, her voice revealing shock.

He was the same age as Shen Ming, and his cultivation level was at the fifth level of the Divine Realm.

He was self-aware that his strength was inferior to Shen Ming's, but based on their cultivation levels, he could rightfully address Shen Ming as his junior brother.

Now, it took him quite a while to change his tune.

"I had already broken through on the day of the Xuan Tian Grand Ceremony. It wasn't that I intentionally kept it from you all; it's just that the crisis had just been resolved and the atmosphere wasn't right," Shen Ming said.

"Ahem, Junior Brother Shen, the Potential Ranking is now open, and there will be a restrictive barrier. Those on the list need at least a Golden Yuan Platform to break through it." Ma Liang didn't give up and continued to lay the groundwork.

"How did Senior Brother Ma know that I had already forged the first golden Yuan Platform?!"

Shen Ming was somewhat surprised. Are people all so well-informed these days?

"Didn't Junior Brother Shen just break through to the third realm of the Innate Realm a few days ago?" Ma Liang asked, frowning.

To reach the Golden Platform, one must ascend to the divine realm and cultivate to the pinnacle of each level.

Shen Minggang said that he broke through the first level of the third realm of the Innate Realm that day, and now he says that he has a Golden Yuan Platform.

Which statement is true?!

“Yes, this doesn’t conflict with my forging of the Golden Yuan Platform. I have a martial art that’s perfect for breaking through the restrictions,” Shen Ming said.

"Then, may I show it to my senior brother?"

Ma Liang gritted his teeth; he couldn't keep up the act any longer.