The so-called Dan List is a list published by the Ice and Snow Palace from the world of cultivators. It includes the 800 best Jin Dan realm cultivators under heaven!
Since this list is called the Dan List or Jin Dan List, it naturally includes cultivators who have reached the Jin Dan realm. In truth, there are far more than 800 Jin Dan realm cultivators under heaven. Only the strongest are entered. Of course, this list is ever-changing. If you defeat someone on the list, you might be added to it. Or if someone on the list perishes, their place will be taken by another.
However, many do not fully believe that all the strongest Jin Dan realm cultivators are on the Dan List. After all, there are cultivators who do not seek fame and prefer to remain reclusive. Who knows how strong they truly are? Some fight and win but never speak of their victories. And those who lose certainly don't broadcast their defeats. In short, the veracity of this list is highly questionable.
The Ice and Snow Palace took this into consideration, which is why it only publicly ranked the top ten strongest cultivators. The remaining 790 cultivators could only content themselves with merely being on the list. However, the top ten positions were essentially fixed. Few dared to challenge cultivators from the top ten.
The 800 Jin Dan realm cultivators on the Dan List are famous throughout the entire land. Everyone must respect them, whether they like it or not. No one dares to provoke them without knowing their precise standing. Such cultivators easily find sources of resources. They can readily become important mentors. Especially those who occupy the highest ranks. They undoubtedly command abundant cultivation resources, which is precisely why they are so powerful.
Thus, provoking people on the list is quite common, especially for those who lack cultivation resources. After all, Jin Dan realm cultivators not on the list are not as revered, and the price of their services is significantly lower. It's like buying the same product from a branded store versus a simple stall. The product might be equally good, but the prices can vary wildly.
Of course, ordinary Jin Dan realm cultivators usually don't challenge Jin Dan realm cultivators backed by sects. For even if you defeat such a Jin Dan realm cultivator, that sect might secretly kill you later. And Jin Dan realm cultivators who have access to resources through their sects have no need to challenge other Jin Dan realm cultivators. What could they gain from common Jin Dan realm cultivators? Even less would they provoke Jin Dan realm cultivators from other sects, lest they bring enmity upon their own sect.
Therefore, the Jin Dan List is quite a questionable list. Of course, if you wish to declare that someone is unworthy of this list, you are welcome to go to the Ice and Snow Palace. Only then will you have to prove your capabilities.
However, disgruntled individuals cannot say anything to the Ice and Snow Palace. After all, the head of the Ice and Snow Palace is the granddaughter of the mighty Yuan Ying realm expert, Grandma Xue, whose peers can be counted on one's fingers. And the Jin Dan List was created by Grandma Xue's own disciple.
Even other Yuan Ying realm experts dare not utter a word about the Jin Dan List. What hope do mere ordinary cultivators have?
No one dares to speak ill of anyone affiliated with Grandma Xue. For Grandma Xue stands at the very pinnacle of the cultivation world, possessing abundant fame and power.
Moreover, it is no easy feat to monitor the Jin Dan List. How many battles occur under heaven, and how many must be tracked? Therefore, Grandma Xue's network is vast, far surpassing that of ordinary sects. When two cultivators clash somewhere, many might not even know a battle occurred, yet changes already appear on the Jin Dan List. It is then that countless people learn of someone's victory in combat.
Why is there no list for other cultivation realms? The reason is simple. The Ice and Snow Palace would not dare openly compare the strengths of other Yuan Ying realm experts. As for the Lian Qi and Zhu Ji realms, cultivators at those levels are as numerous as ox hairs. Try keeping track of all of them.
Upon seeing the contents of the report, Lu Sheng Zhong smiled bitterly:
"Master Bai Yao from the Jin Dan List is personally accompanying them. It seems Feng Lin Bo is paying extraordinary attention to the Prince."
An Xiao Man scratched his chin and said mournfully:
"That's also true. This Feng Lin Bo has gone completely overboard. Not only did he marry off his daughter, but he also sent Bai Yao with them. Fine, perhaps Ning Wang influenced Feng Lin Bo back then. But how could Ning Wang have influenced the Heavenly Jade Sect? I don't understand..." He spoke, shaking his head.
"Brother Lu, I suggest you think carefully about this matter!"
Lu Sheng Zhong sighed heavily:
"Our Wuliangshan Sect isn't that large. We can't stand on our own; we can only rely on others. Otherwise, someone could simply remove us. Wang Heng doesn't know about Feng Lin Bo's army. What are we to do? How should we proceed? If we can't deliver Niu You Dao to him, Wang Heng, with his connections, can influence more than just me!"
An Xiao Man fell silent.
Indeed, it was so. Wang Heng and his master, Zhou Shou Xiang, were subordinates of the emperor and closely linked. Therefore, if Lu Sheng Zhong failed, not only might he lose his position, but An Xiao Man could as well. And there were many cultivators eager to take their places.
"This task is simply impossible. Not just you and I, even if our entire Wuliangshan Sect were to attack them, we still couldn't handle one Bai Yao. Bai Yao is a man who can single-handedly deal with a sect," An Xiao Man said with a sigh.
Lu Sheng Zhong sighed: "Success depends on the person. If we cannot defeat the enemy by force, then we must do so with wit and cunning!" He picked up his cup, drained it, and set it down on the table. Then, unable to contain himself, he cursed:
"Damn it! This Niu You Dao is some kind of idiot! Who did he pick to kill?! Why kill Song Yang Qing? He knew perfectly well who was behind him, yet he still dared to kill him."
Yan Kingdom Capital. The Minister of Public Works' Hall.
Song Jiu Ming had just entered and respectfully greeted Tong Mo.
Tong Mo motioned for everyone else to leave. Then, walking past Song Jiu Ming, he stepped out under the eaves.
Song Jiu Ming followed him, patiently awaiting instructions.
Tong Mo remained silent for a long time before finally speaking:
"A decision has come from the palace: Shang Chao Zong must be eliminated. We will gain nothing, but neither should Feng Lin Bo."
Song Jiu Ming froze: "Would Feng Lin Bo agree to this?"
Tong Mo: "His Majesty fears that Feng Lin Bo might reveal secret information. And Feng Lin Bo isn't afraid of the imperial house revealing it. The imperial house doesn't need external enemies knowing about internal turmoil. That's why Feng Lin Bo feels emboldened. But if Shang Chao Zong can be eliminated, Feng Lin Bo will lose nothing, and we will be appeased. If he does lose something, he won't dare to attack again. And if he discloses the information, it won't bring him any benefit."
Song Jiu Ming pondered for a moment and nodded. Feng Lin Bo believed that by acquiring those troops, he could vex the imperial house. And the imperial house wouldn't tolerate that. Once he realized this would intimidate the imperial house, he would continue to be troublesome.
"Therefore, we will only have one chance now!"
Tong Mo nodded and said: "Indeed, only one chance..."
Southern Domain, the Governor's Palace.
In a pavilion by the water, Governor Zhou Shou Xiang stood, clad in a robe with a jade belt. He gazed into the distance, deep in thought.
A robust man rushed over and, cupping his hands, said:
"I wonder why the Governor summoned me?"
Zhou Shou Xiang lowered his hands and, clasping them behind his back, entered the pavilion:
"Yang Duo, there's a matter at hand!"
The man in black immediately followed him and said:
"Governor, speak your mind!"
Zhou Shou Xiang hesitated slightly before continuing:
"His Majesty has issued a decree: Shang Chao Zong cannot be allowed to remain. We must eliminate him!"
Yang Duo pondered for a moment, then continued:
"I hear Shang Chao Zong has become Feng Lin Bo's son-in-law. If we move against him, a large army will be needed. Such actions would cause an uproar, and then all the surrounding kingdoms would eye us covetously. They might even begin to attack us. Is it worth it?"
Zhou Shou Xiang slowly stopped:
"We cannot start a war with Feng Lin Bo. Therefore, this is a secret decree. We must secretly assassinate Shang Chao Zong!"
Yang Duo probed:
"Assassinate?"
Zhou Shou Xiang did not answer, merely continuing:
"I just received news that Shang Chao Zong has reached Qingshan County. He has 1,000 cavalry and 4,000 foot soldiers with him, plus about 30 Heavenly Jade Sect cultivators under the command of Bai Yao!"
"Bai Yao?" Yang Duo froze, then said with a bitter smile:
"Bai Yao... he's one of the outstanding cultivators of the Heavenly Jade Sect. He's on the Jin Dan List. This man once single-handedly crushed a sect. With him are 30 cultivators and several thousand soldiers? It will be difficult to set an ambush for them. Governor, unless we solicit a Yuan Ying realm cultivator or a Jin Dan realm expert from the top ten of the Jin Dan List, it will hardly be possible to fulfill the decree."
Zhou Shou Xiang: "Yuan Ying realm cultivators have long transcended worldly concerns. Even if His Majesty himself were to plead with them, they would hardly pay it any mind. As for Jin Dan realm experts from the top ten, they must be enticed with something truly valuable. And as for the other sects, they fear the Heavenly Jade Sect and wouldn't dare attack."
Yang Duo understood him and immediately said with a sigh:
"Governor, it's not that I don't wish to carry out the decree. It's simply that my capabilities are limited. Not only would I fail, but I might instead impede this great endeavor. I beg the Governor to seek a more enlightened person!"