Transformation Diagram: Starting as a Skinny Dog-Chapter 441 - 288:

"Quick, see how many spots Chen Ku has climbed on the Genius List!"

Under the urging of the old scholars of the Martial Temple.

With a heart full of excitement and urgency, Zhao Shenyang tried to calm himself as he used the Main Sacrificial Token in his hand, sweeping it across the Gold List, soon revealing Chen Ku’s new ranking.

...

Chen Ku also glanced at the rewards flying towards him.

First was the Immortal Weapon, which slid down from mid-air, heavily landed in his hand.

"So heavy!"

To Chen Ku’s surprise, the weight of this Immortal Weapon was far greater than his Willful Weapon, four or five times heavier. He almost couldn’t hold onto the Immortal Blade after releasing the Four Unlikes, nearly being crushed under its weight.

The moment he grasped the Immortal Blade.

He sensed an intent from the Champion Marquis within, sharp yet indifferent, saying:

"Champion Immortal Blade, also known as ’Divine Strategy Horse-Slaying Saber,’ was gifted by my master when I descended the mountain at the age of twenty. With it, I conquered the world, competing with the heroes of Hebei, never once losing.

This blade, although merely a ’Mortal Immortal Artifact,’ possesses spirit and needs acknowledgment from its master for effective use."

"Mortal Immortal Artifact?"

Listening to the imprint voice of the Champion Marquis from this blade, Chen Ku heard a weapon concept that evoked a sense of solitary victory.

"Before officially setting out at twenty, the Champion Marquis debuted at sixteen, with Seventh Realm cultivation, and by twenty-three, reached the Thirteenth Realm, advancing a realm each year. By these calculations, this blade was his weapon until the Tenth Realm."

He paid attention to the hint about the blade needing acknowledgment from its master, thinking:

"This is not an issue. I already have the Evil Qi of the Champion Marquis, if I can transform the Champion Marquis, how would it not recognize me?"

Immediately, he looked at the other rewards.

Each item, when held, carried the Champion Marquis’s voice:

[Champion Pill, bestowed to me by Purple Sun Taoist of Purple Saint Palace when establishing ’Champion Camp,’ a furnace of Seventh Realm spirit pills, used for breakthrough and foundation sharpening, awarded to my subordinate soldiers.]

[Breaking Army Bright Armor, bestowed by court when establishing ’Champion Camp,’ one of a thousand sets of divine armors, tough against Gang Qi, its wear makes one invincible.]

"Divine Weapon Level Armor!"

Looking at the armor in front of him, polished like a Bright Pearl, with a Heart Protecting Mirror on the chest and back, Chen Ku tapped it, his finger tingling with excitement:

"Feels sturdier than the Black Soap Feather Mage Robe!"

It was evident.

The Black Soap Feather Mage Robe was crafted by a Taoist from a folk sect using demon wings, soft yet tough, but after all, from a non-royal faction.

This Bright Armor was rigorously crafted by the Daji royal family for the invincible Champion Marquis’s private guard, how could it not be tough?

"Wonderful, when I repair that Black Soap Feather Mage Robe, cover myself with a Breaking Army Bright Armor underneath, wouldn’t I be a sturdy turtle shell?"

Chen Ku thought quietly:

"I wonder if I stand still, could I withstand Senior Brother Qin’s hammer?"

Probably risky.

That’s Ten Dragons and Ten Elephants’ force.

But against usual Seventh Realm Gang Qi attacks, it should not break through this double layer defense.

He then focused on the familiar Token:

[Champion Hundred Commander Token, worn by Hundred Commanders under ’Champion Camp,’ a grade higher than regular soldiers, crafted from Awakening God Wood and Heart Protecting Gold, resists Seventh Realm Divine Soul attacks three times]

Chen Ku was overjoyed.

"Seventh Realm Spiritual Attack? Upgraded?" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Previously, he received a regular Champion Token, which only resisted Sixth Realm Spiritual Attacks three times.

Even so, it proved crucial.

It helped him surprise the Sixth Realm True Void Ancestor, facilitating a Fifth Realm defeat of a Sixth Realm.

Without that token, victory would’ve been uncertain.

Those three resistances created many opportunities, arguably saving his life once or twice.

Now, another treasure like this appeared.

In a sense, this Champion Hundred Commander Token equates to a spiritual tier Divine Weapon Level defensive armor.

Finally,

Chen Ku looked at the cluster of Martial Destiny left behind after the Champion Marquis imprint disappeared, resembling golden fairy fire, as he aimed his Martial Arts Token at it.

[Scholar Chen Ku, gains seven thousand Martial Destiny]

Chen Ku listened to the income sound from the Martial Arts Gold Order, surprised.

At this moment,

A voice from afar on the Dragon Horse transmitted, the Champion Marquis chuckling:

"The body you defeated was formed from my Martial Arts Mark, merged with the massive Martial Destiny in Martial Arts Heaven and Earth, naturally offering more than other Gatekeepers upon defeat."

"Champion Marquis?"

Chen Ku watched the youthful figure riding across the river, slightly baffled, asking:

"You’re still here?"

"Of course I am. My Martial Arts Mark was entrusted by Qiu Dragon Martial Temple, left in this Martial Arts Heaven and Earth to test future generations of Qiu Dragon Mansion. This imprint, since the day it stayed, is fused with the rules of this Martial Arts Heaven and Earth. The body you defeated was merely a form condensed from Martial Destiny; the imprint itself is indestructible unless you shatter this small world; only then will my imprint dissipate."

The Champion Marquis jokingly spoke from his horse:

"Otherwise, my imprint will continue existing in this heaven and earth, reshaping through Martial Fortune Transformation to welcome the next challenger."

"Continuing to test the next person?" Chen Ku wondered: "What about the rewards?"

"Hehe, being the first in over a hundred and fifty years to clear the Drinking Horse River Secret Realm, half of your rewards are ’First Clearance’ rewards, like the unique Immortal Blade used in my youth, an exclusive prize."

The Champion Marquis softly shared from horseback:

"And those who come later, after passing through, will only receive the rewards of Bright Armor, Champion Pill, and Champion Token, along with a generous amount of Martial Fortune, nothing more."

Chen Ku suddenly understood.

He once again bowed to the Champion Marquis and said, "I thank the Champion Marquis for showing mercy during the trial. You clearly had the opportunity to strike once more with the Immortal Blade after the Sky Gang Thunder exploded, but you merely used an ordinary strike."

The Champion Marquis shook his head and said, "For this, you needn’t be so grateful. Although at that time I did indeed have the strength for one more strike, it had already been validated earlier that your Divine Weapon Clothing and Golden Light Body could withstand most of the power. Giving another strike would at most injure you, but you could recover through your cultivation body..."

At this point,

The young marquis begrudgingly said:

"Someone like you with tough skin, wearing armor, possessing a special cultivation body that can restore vitality, and with a large box of Rejuvenation Pills prepared, is indeed difficult to deal with. Even if I struck you again, it would be of little use, at most destroy one piece of your Divine Weapon Clothing. My imprint could last a bit longer, but ultimately... you’d still defeat me with all your tactics."

Chen Ku, upon hearing this, looked at the Champion Marquis with admiration.

He bowed again:

"Your noble spirit, Marquis, I am grateful."

"No need to say these things. This marquis’s imprint has lasted over one hundred fifty years and only now with you has it finally been defeated, which shows how unremarkable the people of Qiu Dragon Mansion have been for over a century."

The Champion Marquis shook his head and said:

"Truly disappointing."

Chen Ku was somewhat speechless.

He could not help but say: "Men like the Marquis are ultimately rare in this world."

"Rare?"

The Champion Marquis smiled faintly:

"That’s because you haven’t walked beyond this small mansion and haven’t seen the true vastness of heaven and earth. Once your vision expands, you will realize that ’there is always someone better’—these words must run through every person’s life. The so-called extraordinary person is merely a judgment made by those whose vision is limited. The world is vast, time is endlessly long, countless geniuses throughout history, everyone should not regard a certain title and achievement as their ultimate life achievement."

Chen Ku solemnly bowed: "I am enlightened."

"Alright, you’ve cleared this secret realm, and there is nothing more here that can help you."

The young Champion Marquis rode away toward the sunset, his voice slowly fading:

"As for that Immortal Blade, it accompanied me in many battles back then, I hope you treasure it. If you have the chance... perhaps you might see other imprints of mine."

Chen Ku bowed, watching the youth leave.

Turning around, he walked towards the Stone Tablet in the Drinking Horse River Secret Realm, and upon approaching it, he saw his ranking on the Nine Provinces Genius List had been refreshed because he defeated the Champion Marquis.

[Rank 615: Chen Ku, Scholar of Qiu Dragon Mansion — The most lethal of You State Sixth Realm]

...

"Rank 615!!"

All the old scholars in the Martial Temple were incredulous, as if dreaming.

The reason was simple.

Before rank 695, all were Seventh Realm experts.

Chen Ku’s surpassing of the Champion Marquis skyrocketed his rank, surpassing eighty-five Seventh Realm experts across the province!

The most critical point is...

Everyone saw the ten ranks interval on the ranking list, and the five people ranked above Chen Ku were...

...

"Hiss!"

Within the Stone Egg of Big Snow Mountain, Qin Yuxian looked at the rank on his Martial Arts Gold Order, inhaled deeply.

Beside him, Shan Lingguan opened his eyes: "Little Qin? What’s the matter?"

Qin Yuxian stared at the name below him, took a deep breath, and, in a tone mingling complexity and sentiment, said:

"My junior disciple brother, his rank on the Nine Provinces Genius List is just five places short of surpassing me."

Shan Lingguan’s eyes widened: "What?"

The conversation between the uncle and nephew was instinctively spoken aloud, causing Shangguan Yun and Yelev Xuandu next door to hear everything.

In the first instant, both were stupefied?

"Chen Ku? Stepped into Seventh Realm Gang Control?"

No, that’s incorrect; even with Seventh Realm Gang Control, there’s still a vast difference from Qin Yuxian. There are so many Seventh Realm Gang Control practitioners, so why the gap between Qin Yuxian in Seventh Realm, able to achieve first Grandmaster of Qiu Dragon Mansion?

"What exactly happened outside?"

...

Chen Ku sat cross-legged in a deep mountain within the Martial Arts Heaven and Earth.

He did not feel overly ecstatic about his ranking on the Nine Provinces Genius List, knowing his own situation. The reason he nearly caught up to his Senior Brother Qin Yuxian, being only five places behind him, was because he defeated the Champion Marquis’ imprint, which led to such a high appraisal in the Martial Arts Heaven and Earth’s rules...

And the reason he could defeat the Champion Marquis’ imprint was due to the role played by the eighteen thousand Martial Fortune Sky Gang Thunder.

Therefore,

He was very aware that his current ranking contained some exaggeration.

To truly eliminate the exaggeration, he must possess genuinely ’worthy of the name’ strength.

Buzzing.

Chen Ku held the Divine Strategy Horse-Slaying Saber in his hand, feeling its dissatisfaction as it became his breakthrough’s foundation and was thoroughly refined, involuntarily saying:

"Today you press within me, in the future, through my daily nurturing and sacrificial refinement, you may not be without further advancement."

Buzzing.

The Divine Strategy Horse-Slaying Saber continued trembling incessantly.

Seeing this, Chen Ku did not say more, closed his eyes, and said:

"Champion Marquis Transformation!"