Ye Qiu had always been curious about where his father, Ye Wushuang, ranked on the Divine List.
He’d once heard Qian Jinglan say that Ye Wushuang was the world’s top martial artist, yet his name wasn’t on the Dragon List. That left only one possibility: the Divine List.
But to his shock, Ye Wudi answered, “Your father isn’t on the Divine List.”
“Not on it?” Ye Qiu was taken aback. “With my father’s strength, he couldn’t make the list?”
Ye Wudi shook his head. “No, it’s not that. With his strength, he could absolutely rank.”
“Then why isn’t he listed?” Ye Qiu pressed, confused.
Ye Wudi grinned. “Because the last Divine List was compiled by him.”
Holy crap!
Ye Qiu was floored.
“The Forbidden City wants your father dead not just for that map,” Ye Wudi explained, “but because his power posed a grave threat. He once fought their Dragon One.”
“Who won?” Ye Qiu asked eagerly.
“Your father narrowly won by half a move.”
Boom!
Ye Qiu’s mind reeled.
The Forbidden City was a den of old monsters—the youngest over seventy, and Dragon One, over a century old, was a peerless master.
Yet he’d lost to Ye Wushuang.
“You never saw your father in his prime, so you can’t fathom his might,” Ye Wudi said. “When he was around, he terrified everyone. The Forbidden City prided itself on its masters, looking down on the world. Dragon One was their god—yet he couldn’t beat your father.”
“Your father was young then, his future limitless. That scared the Forbidden City—they feared he’d grow strong enough to wipe them out. Even the capital’s great families trembled. With your grandfather in power and your father shining like the sun, no one dared challenge the Ye family.”
“His peers felt despair—many believed they’d never surpass him in their lifetime. Including me!”
Ye Wudi chuckled wryly. “I envied and resented his strength. When he was around, every young talent in the capital—myself included—was crushed by his brilliance. If he was the moon in the sky, we were fireflies on the ground. How could fireflies rival the moonlight?”
He fixed his gaze on Ye Qiu. “I see his shadow in you. In a few years, you might shine just as brightly. Keep pushing, Ye Qiu!”
The words struck Ye Qiu deeply. He realised how far he had to go to match Ye Wushuang.
“Is Dragon One number one on the Divine List?” Ye Qiu asked.
Ye Wudi nodded slightly. “Yes. Your father was fair with the rankings. Dragon One’s over a hundred, his cultivation immense.”
“Third Uncle, if you faced Dragon One now, what are your odds?”
Ye Qiu wanted to gauge Dragon One’s true power.
“None,” Ye Wudi said flatly.
“No way!” Ye Qiu’s jaw dropped.
Ye Wudi gave a bitter smile. “The Divine List’s top spot is the pinnacle of martial arts. Against Dragon One, I wouldn’t just lose—I might not even last ten moves.”
Ye Qiu was speechless.
“The Divine List, like the Dragon List, has a huge gap between the top five and the bottom five—and even between first, second, and third,” Ye Wudi continued. “Back in the Dragon List contest, Master Longbrow and the Wudang sect leader together couldn’t block Xiao Jiu’s three moves.”
“So, is there anyone alive who can stop Dragon One?” Ye Qiu asked.
“Of everyone I know, only three,” Ye Wudi replied.
“The first was your father, but he’s gone.”
“The second is Master Kongjian of Dali’s Tianlong Temple.”
Ye Wudi elaborated, “Kongjian’s a monk of profound Buddhist mastery and a martial grandmaster. He’s learned thirty-six of Buddhism’s seventy-two ultimate techniques, including three swords of the Six Meridians Divine Sword. He could absolutely hold off Dragon One. But he’s a transcendent monk, detached from worldly strife—he doesn’t fight unless he must.”
“Years ago, Dragon One and the Forbidden City crew went to Tianlong Temple to force Kongjian to hand over the Six Meridians sword manual. They failed but struck a deal: the Forbidden City leaves Tianlong Temple alone, and Kongjian never sets foot in the capital in his lifetime.”
Great.
Ye Qiu had hoped to visit Tianlong Temple and enlist Kongjian against the Forbidden City. That plan was dead.
“Who’s the third person who can stop Dragon One?” he asked.
Ye Wudi’s face grew unprecedentedly grave. “He vanished fifty years ago—no word since. No one knows if he’s alive. His existence is why the Forbidden City acts so arrogantly, fearing no one.”
“I hope he’s dead. If not, even if we take down the Forbidden City, we’re all doomed.”
Ye Qiu was both stunned and curious. “Who is he?”
“You don’t need to know,” Ye Wudi said sternly. “Just understand he’s an enemy, not a friend.”
He continued, “The War God and I predict the Forbidden City will emerge within three years. When they do, it’ll be a fight to the death. We need to boost our strength fast.”
“Ye Qiu, since you’ve cultivated innate true qi, keep at it—break through again soon. I saw you use the Six Meridians Divine Sword—Master Du’e must’ve taught you. Visit Tianlong Temple when you can. Master the full technique, and with Kongjian’s guidance, you might be the one to stop Dragon One in that final battle.”
Ye Qiu nodded. “Don’t worry, Third Uncle. I’ll train hard.”
“Good. I won’t keep you—I’ve got a flight tonight. Need to pack.”
Ye Wudi stood, hefting his Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, and headed out.
At the door, he paused and turned back. “The old man asked me to pass on a message.”
“What’s that?”
“Find time to meet and chat with Old Tang’s granddaughter.”
Old Tang—the top leader.
Wait, what?
A blind date?
