novelraw Chapter 111 : The Dragon Ranking’s Layout, and the Cultivation of Wizards
Chapter 111 : The Dragon Ranking’s Layout, and the Cultivation of Wizards
Chapter 111: The Dragon Ranking’s Layout, and the Cultivation of Wizards
【1. Jiang Zhaoding, Imperial Destiny Value: 13,997 points
2. Jiang Zhaoqian, Imperial Destiny Value: 9,922 points
3. Jiang Zhaohua (Prince of Xuanhai), Imperial Destiny Value: 9,352 points
4. Jiang Zhayun (Prince of Tianluo), Imperial Destiny Value: 8,299 points
5. Jiang Zhaoming, Imperial Destiny Value: 8,014 points——】
Jiang Zhaoming’s gaze fell upon the latest Dragon Ranking list before him.
His own name—Jiang Zhaoming—stood conspicuously in fifth place.
It had been less than twenty years since he had first departed for his fiefdom in Anxi.
In the endless span of cultivation years, twenty years was but the blink of an eye.
Yet within such a short time, he had risen with astonishing speed, breaking into the top five on the ranking.
If he pushed just a little further—surpassing the four names before him—he might well ascend to the very top, and even touch that throne which symbolized the supreme authority of Great Zhou.
That thought pressed heavily upon his heart, yet it also sharpened the light in his eyes.
He gathered his thoughts, and began examining the four formidable rivals ahead of him one by one.
The first-ranked Jiang Zhaoding stood as the greatest mountain blocking his path.
This man was himself a powerhouse of the Profound Core Realm, his cultivation fathomless.
More alarming still was the vast power gathered beneath his command.
Especially during the Great Victory of Yanbei that had shaken Great Zhou—Jiang Zhaoding had led his army to crush the main forces of the Jin Army, turning the tide from the brink of collapse.
After that battle, countless noble clans across Great Zhou saw in him the potential to ascend to the supreme throne and began to bet heavily on his rise.
Many families possessing Golden Body Realm experts relocated entirely to Jiang Zhaoding’s fief in Huaijiang Prefecture.
According to reliable sources, following that campaign, at least twenty Golden Body experts had voluntarily pledged allegiance to the Prince of Huaijiang.
Now, under Jiang Zhaoding’s command, mighty generals of the Golden Body Realm were as numerous as clouds—his power the mightiest among all princes.
Next in rank was Jiang Zhaoqian—the Prince of Yan, once hailed as Great Zhou’s brightest rising star.
However, he had suffered a heavy defeat during his southern campaign, losing troops and vitality alike.
As his strength waned and Jiang Zhaoding’s soared, the gap between them widened—where once they had been neck and neck, now Jiang Zhaoqian had fallen behind.
Despite this setback, even a wounded camel was larger than a horse. Having managed his territories for many years, Jiang Zhaoqian’s foundation remained formidable.
Under his command were still at least forty to fifty Golden Body Realm generals—far from a force that could be easily shaken.
Ranked third was Jiang Zhaohua, Prince of Xuanhai—the eldest and most experienced among the four, and the hardest to read.
He was the third son of the current Emperor of Great Zhou, and had been enfeoffed the longest. His experience in governing his fief was unmatched.
His fief, Xuanhai Prefecture, lay in the eastern coastal region of Great Zhou.
It consisted of countless scattered islands, facing across the sea toward the Eastern Isles and many southeastern maritime nations.
Over more than four centuries of careful management, the Prince of Xuanhai had built a powerful navy of unknown scale and strength.
The true combat power of this fleet remained shrouded in mystery, for the Prince of Xuanhai adhered strictly to a defensive doctrine.
For hundreds of years, he had never once taken the initiative to invade any of the weaker southeastern nations—choosing instead to firmly guard the maritime borders.
Yet, even in this seemingly “inaction” state, his Imperial Destiny Value remained among the top three, steadily rising.
That alone testified to the astonishing degree of his control over the intricate situation of the Eastern Seas.
His true reserves and hidden cards likely far exceeded the imagination of the outside world.
Ranked fourth was Jiang Zhayun, Prince of Tianluo, whose fief lay in the southwestern borders of Great Zhou, adjacent to the southern nations.
Unlike the Prince of Xuanhai’s patient conservatism, the Prince of Tianluo had launched fierce and swift campaigns against the southern realms in recent years.
Through territorial expansion, he had gained considerable Imperial Destiny Value, allowing him to break into the top four.
However, in Jiang Zhaoming’s view, this upward momentum was already nearing its limit.
The strength the Prince of Tianluo displayed—fourth place—was likely the peak he could ever reach.
Having finished his evaluation, Jiang Zhaoming had come to a clear conclusion.
With his current momentum and potential, surpassing Jiang Zhayun, the Prince of Tianluo, would not be difficult.
Even catching up to Jiang Zhaoqian, who had slowed due to recent setbacks, was not an unattainable goal.
What truly troubled him were the two mountains before him—
Jiang Zhaoding, whose power grew like an avalanche,
and Jiang Zhaohua, the Prince of Xuanhai, whose silence was as deep and unfathomable as the sea itself.
These two were his strongest contenders on the climb toward the peak of the Dragon Ranking.
Shaosheng Year 415.
Jiang Zhaoming finally set foot once more upon the land of Anxi Prefecture.
It had been exactly four years since he last departed from here to lead his army into battle.
The prefectural city before him had changed greatly from how he remembered it upon his departure.
Most visibly, the outer city had expanded far beyond its former capacity, unable to contain the surging population.
Dense clusters of civilian houses now sprawled outward from the original city walls like vines, stretching in every direction.
They formed scattered, self-built residential districts—somewhat chaotic, yet full of life.
The commoners were working tirelessly in their own ways, striving to take root at the growing edges of this ever-expanding city.
Jiang Zhaoming had returned ahead of schedule—the main army was still on its way home.
Thus, he alerted no one. His figure flickered once, and he silently slipped deep into the royal mansion.
The furnishings and scenery within the mansion were almost unchanged from when he had left, radiating a familiar aura.
Entering the main hall, he saw Xu Guangqi, the Prefect of Anxi, buried beneath a mountain of documents.
Beside him stood a young official, assisting in organizing the scrolls.
「We welcome Your Highness’s triumphant return!」
Xu Guangqi was the first to notice, immediately rising and bowing respectfully.
「Greetings to Your Highness!」
The young official reacted swiftly, following suit with a deep bow.
Jiang Zhaoming waved his hand, signaling them to dispense with formality, and sat down directly upon the main seat.
Since Fan Kang’s passing, Xu Guangqi had succeeded him as the Prefect of Anxi.
Over the years, he had managed the affairs of the prefecture with order and precision.
What was rarer still was that, unlike his predecessor Fan Kang, Xu Guangqi had a markedly different style.
He was deeply devoted to transforming all manner of ingenious ideas into practical inventions that benefited the people’s livelihood.
Even while Jiang Zhaoming campaigned far away, he had often heard tales of Xu Guangqi’s curious new creations being implemented throughout the prefectural city.
For example, Spirit-Driven Waterwheels powered not by man or beast, but by talismans and simple arrays.
Or the small magical artifact networks erected between government offices and key locations, where through the resonance of wind-imbued runes, short signals and brief messages could be transmitted—Wind Chime Transmitters, as they were called.
It was precisely through these seemingly “magical” yet genuinely practical applications of Magical Artifacts that addressed real livelihood problems, that Anxi City radiated a vigorous and unique vitality.
At this moment, the young official standing beside Xu Guangqi was named Huang Fan.
His opportunity to study under Xu Guangqi was thanks to the Register of Eastern Prefecture Talents Jiang Zhaoming had compiled years ago.
After several years of hard work at the grassroots level, and now four more years learning at Xu Guangqi’s side, his experience had become well-honed.
To ensure he had not mistaken the person, Jiang Zhaoming’s gaze flickered toward Huang Fan.
【Huang Fan’s Life Fate: Frontier Governor (Purple Life Fate — When serving as a regional official, local security, economic development, and governance efficiency all receive tremendous enhancement.)
Innate Talent: Far-Sighted Strategist (Purple Talent — Possesses keen insight and an exceptional sense of the bigger picture.)】
Between the Western Prefecture and the Eastern Prefecture, there still lay a perilous expanse—the Sea of Death.
And Jiang Zhaoming’s vision for the future was by no means confined merely to the Western Prefecture. Lake Haoyue, and even broader territories beyond, were already within his consideration.
With the Western Prefecture newly pacified, it required not only the deterrence provided by Sangji Jiacuo, the Great Priest of the Golden Body Realm, but also a capable and reliable administrator to oversee its governance.
In Jiang Zhaoming’s view, Huang Fan—who possessed the Life Fate: Frontier Governor and Innate Talent: Far-Sighted Strategist—was precisely the best candidate for this position.
「Huang Fan,」
Jiang Zhaoming’s gaze settled on the young official, his voice calm and steady.
Hearing his name, Huang Fan, who had been assisting Xu Guangqi in organizing documents, immediately halted his actions, stood up swiftly, and bowed respectfully toward the royal throne.
「Your servant is here.」
「The Western Prefecture is newly settled, its affairs in ruin and awaiting revival. A Vice Prefect to oversee the grand affairs is needed. Would you be willing to take on this heavy responsibility?」
Jiang Zhaoming asked directly.
Huang Fan’s body trembled violently; for a moment, he thought he had misheard.
The position of Vice Prefect carried high authority and immense responsibility—far beyond the reach of a young official of his modest experience.
Instinctively, he glanced sideways toward Xu Guangqi.
There, Xu Guangqi’s face bore a knowing and encouraging smile, and he gave a gentle nod.
That silent affirmation instantly dispelled Huang Fan’s disbelief.
A surge of elation mixed with the weight of responsibility welled in his heart. Without a trace of hesitation, Huang Fan dropped to his knees in deep salute.
His voice, trembling slightly with excitement, yet firm beyond doubt, rang through the hall.
「Your Majesty’s boundless grace! This servant, Huang Fan, shall risk life and death, give his utmost, and by no means fail Your Majesty’s trust. I will govern the Western Prefecture to the best of my ability!」
Jiang Zhaoming couldn’t help but laugh softly.
This Huang Fan was indeed brimming with confidence.
Faced with such a heavy burden of governance thrust upon his shoulders, he showed not even a hint of hesitation or fear—his acceptance was clean and decisive.
That kind of boldness matched perfectly with his Life Fate and Talent.
「Good! There’s no time to waste. Make your preparations immediately and set out for the Western Prefecture as soon as possible. Prefect Xu will provide you with all the necessary documents and personnel.」
「Yes, Your Majesty!」
Huang Fan bowed again, eyes shining with eagerness and resolve.
After Huang Fan’s departure, Jiang Zhaoming handed the Geomantic Map of the Western Prefecture’s Mining Veins he had gathered during his surveys to Xu Guangqi. Xu accepted it solemnly; as for the subsequent organization of mining, regulation of production, and other detailed matters, there was no need for Jiang Zhaoming to trouble himself further.
Sitting quietly upon the main seat for a moment, Jiang Zhaoming watched the shifting lights in the hall.
Soon, Lilian’s figure emerged soundlessly from the air. She had returned together with Jiang Zhaoming but, full of curiosity about Anxi Prefecture, had gone out exploring on her own. Her reappearance signaled that it was time for Jiang Zhaoming to address an important matter long in preparation—the formation of the Wizard Legion.
「Lilian,」 Jiang Zhaoming looked toward the high-ranking wizard from the Cavern Plane. 「In your opinion, given the skill of Anxi’s craftsmen and the stockpile of high-density Spirit Crystals in the prefectural treasury, would it be possible to create a Magical Artifact capable of large-scale spiritual power testing?」
Lilian’s amber eyes shimmered with light as she nodded affirmatively. 「My honored king, the craftsmanship in Anxi Prefecture has reached a remarkable level. Combined with the abundance of high-quality Spirit Crystals as the core drive, it would indeed suffice to produce Spiritual Power Testing Stones.」
Jiang Zhaoming nodded. To form a Wizard Legion, the foremost task was to identify those with innate spiritual power potential. And to do so efficiently and broadly, large-scale testing artifacts were indispensable. With Lilian’s confirmation, Jiang Zhaoming immediately issued an order—to gather Anxi’s finest craftsmen to fully devote themselves to creating the Spiritual Power Testing Stones.
A month later—
Throughout the prefectural city and its surrounding academies, batches of half-human-tall gray-white stone pillars had been quietly installed.
Intricate silver lines were carved across their surfaces, and atop each stood a smooth crystal the size of an egg, faintly glowing.
At first, the commoners thought these were new civic inventions developed by the government—perhaps for measuring water flow or soil strength—and gathered curiously to watch and speculate.
Soon after, at one of the academies’ plazas, an unprecedented test began.
Hundreds of youths of appropriate age lined up in neat rows under their instructors’ guidance.
Following Lilian’s taught method, the supervising instructor directed the students one by one to place their palms upon the crystal at the top of the stone pillar.
Time ticked by.
One, two, ten, thirty—
Dozens of youths in succession pressed their palms onto the crystal stones, yet the pillars remained motionless, the crystals only faintly glowing white.
Among the onlookers, curiosity slowly gave way to confusion. A faint air of disappointment spread through the crowd.
Then came the turn of a slightly chubby boy in worn, washed-out coarse clothes.
Nervously, he pressed his hand upon the crystal.
In that instant—something changed.
Hum!
A subtle vibration sounded from within the stone pillar.
Then, the crystal atop it suddenly shone with a vivid, stable green light.
The glow wasn’t dazzling, but it was vibrant—like the tenderest spring leaves, full of life—and instantly captured everyone’s attention.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The boy himself jumped in fright and hastily withdrew his hand; the green light faded slowly.
Lilian, who had been standing quietly at the side observing, couldn’t suppress the upward curve of her lips. Her eyes sparkled with joy.
She immediately reported to Jiang Zhaoming: 「My honored king, it’s a success! The crystal displayed stable green light—this child possesses excellent spiritual power potential, a rare and precious seedling.」
Lilian went on to explain that the crystal’s response divided spiritual power potential into four tiers, based on the brightness and stability of its glow:
White light—no talent; Green light—good talent; Blue light—outstanding talent; Purple light—peerless talent.
The boy who had triggered the green glow was already one in a hundred—a fine candidate to step upon the Path of the Wizard.
The testing continued until dusk that day.
Of the several thousand students tested in that academy, sixty-four succeeded in eliciting green light, and one even produced a blue glow.
Though not a vast number, the results far exceeded the expectations of both Jiang Zhaoming and Lilian.
Late that night, the study within the royal mansion was still brightly lit.
Jiang Zhaoming reviewed the list Lilian presented—a detailed record of the gifted youths, their families, and the strength of the crystals’ responses.
「Excellent.」
He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, eyes deep and thoughtful.
「Immediately arrange for discreet contact with the parents of these nine most gifted children. Persuade them with reason and sincerity—secure their consent to send their children for advanced study in the Special Arts Academy.
Tell them this is a matter valued by the royal house, that great futures await their children. However, all that they learn must remain strictly confidential—none of it may be leaked beyond these walls.
Also, begin testing across the territories—bring every such Wizard Seed to the prefectural city for formal training.」
After Lilian departed, Jiang Zhaoming’s eyes gleamed.
This Wizard Legion would become a hidden force within Anxi’s shadows—one capable of turning the tides of destiny.
Then another thought surfaced: since there would soon be wizards, perhaps he could also raise some dragon eggs—after all, Lilian knew the methods for hatching them.
Thinking thus, his consciousness gradually sank into the River of Fortune.