"Brother, you've really been living the easy life. You finish the New Star Rankings and then vanish without a trace. Not very loyal of you." Ji Third Young Master punched Jiang Chen on the shoulder, half-joking and half-complaining.
Seeing the guy's aggrieved tone paired with that beaming smile, Jiang Chen knew he wasn't genuinely upset.
He smiled in return. "What if I told you I was studying the Pine Crane Pill?"
Ji Third Young Master's face froze for a moment, then split into a dopey grin. "Good, that's wonderful. Brother, you're truly a role model for the younger generation, a monument to the world of alchemy. Terrifying talent, and hardworking on top of that. I'm thoroughly impressed. Well worth the seclusion — you absolutely should have done it."
Jiang Chen laughed aloud. "Actually, I was kidding. I haven't been studying the Pine Crane Pill at all. This entire month, I've been preparing for the Genius Rankings battles."
Ji Third Young Master's smile instantly stiffened, and he pulled a bitter face. "Brother, don't tease me. I know you've already figured out the mysteries of the Pine Crane Pill, haven't you?"
Jiang Chen knew the Pine Crane Pill was a sore spot for Ji Third Young Master, so he adopted a serious tone. "Don't worry. The Pine Crane Pill will happen."
Ji Third Young Master's eyes lit up immediately. "Really?"
"Would I lie to you?"
Ji Third Young Master threw his arms around Jiang Chen and burst out laughing. "Good, good — you really are my true brother."
This display of bro-love startled Jiang Chen. "Let go, let go. If you don't let go right now, the Pine Crane Pill is off the table for good."
Seeing the various strange looks from the people around them, Jiang Chen practically wished he could erase this guy from existence ten times over with his gaze alone.
Ji Third Young Master looked perfectly at ease, utterly without shame, and chuckled. "What are you all looking at? We're brothers for life. Jealous?"
Jiang Chen was completely speechless.
Just then, he spotted someone pushing through the crowd from outside — it was Wei Jie of the Wei family.
Ji Third Young Master also noticed Wei Jie and gave a slight start, looking him up and down. "Wei Jie, you've broken through?"
Wei Jie was still somewhat reserved in front of Ji Third Young Master — after all, the Third Young Master was essentially his Wei family's direct superior.
"Third Young Master, I was fortunate enough to break through to the ninth level of the Saint Realm." Wei Jie was the picture of humility and caution.
Ji Third Young Master grinned. "That's great news. Congratulations. Now, who in the Wei family would still dare question your qualification as the clan successor?"
Hearing this, Wei Jie's spirits soared, and he nodded. "The clan elders of the Wei family were all very happy when they received word of my breakthrough."
At this point, Wei Jie bowed respectfully to Jiang Chen. "I have Pill King Zhen to thank for his guidance."
Jiang Chen waved a hand. "If you want to thank someone, thank Ji Old Third. That pill was a gift from the Panlong Clan Lord to me."
Ji Third Young Master blinked in surprise. "You mean that Holy Smile Pill?"
Wei Jie's eyes widened upon hearing this. He quickly bowed to Ji Third Young Master. "My thanks to the Third Young Master, and my thanks to the Panlong Clan Lord."
Ji Third Young Master was magnanimous about it. "Don't thank me. That pill was the Clan Lord's meeting gift to Pill King Zhen. It was his to give, and Pill King Zhen's to decide how to use. Our favor — Pill King Zhen has already repaid. This has nothing to do with us anymore. I can't very well claim a favor I didn't earn."
Wei Jie still bowed deeply. "My gratitude to the Third Young Master all the same."
Ji Third Young Master waved him off. "You and your rigid manners. Fine, if you want to thank me, go ahead. Now that you've broken through to the ninth level of the Saint Realm, your chances of making it into the Genius Rankings are much better."
"I will give it my all and fight for everything I can. I hope to come away with something."
"Not hope — you *must* make it in. The Wei family has been languishing these past few years. Even with Pill King Zhen backing you, if you don't perform well this time, you'll at best stay exactly where you are. Any further progress would be nearly impossible. But if you can break into the Genius Rankings this time, the Wei family can reclaim its former standing. Combined with Pill King Zhen, there might just be a sliver of hope for the family to advance further."
The Wei family was a ninth-grade clan. One step further, and they would become a great clan.
Though the great clans were themselves ranked in tiers, being designated as one placed them in an entirely different class from the ninth-grade clans.
Even the lowest-ranked great clan was still a great clan.
A spark of anticipation kindled in Wei Jie's eyes, and he nodded firmly. "I will not disappoint the expectations of you two brothers."
The competition for the Genius Rankings would undoubtedly be far more intense.
From this point onward, the pool of competitors expanded to include the disciples of all great clans and noble families. The Great Emperor's own direct-line prodigies had not yet entered, but with so many scions of the great clans flooding in, the difficulty for rogue cultivators to secure a spot among the two hundred names on the Genius Rankings had increased tremendously.
The New Star Rankings had ten thousand participants, and combined with the scions of the powerful families, the total came to exactly twelve thousand eight hundred.
That number was meticulously calculated each time.
Because after six rounds of fierce elimination from that field, two hundred top cultivators would be determined.
Those two hundred remaining geniuses would earn their places on the Genius Rankings.
So the battle for the Genius Rankings was less complex but far more brutal — decided through the most straightforward and ruthless method of elimination.