Chapter 410: Newcomer List

After listening to Ye Liangyong’s narrative, Ling Chen couldn’t help but be tempted. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master was the most mysterious figure in the Martial Arts world. Even the Secret Society, which claimed to be the biggest intelligence agency globally and spent years trying, failed to uncover the identity of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master.

Moreover, He Ziyun once told him that if he had a chance to have a long talk with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, it would be greatly beneficial to his future.

"Mr. Ye, how much do you know about the Newcomer List?" Ling Chen curiously asked.

"There are ten people on the Newcomer List. The ones ranked in the top five are Song Ge, Han Yu, Qu Jinxian, Yi Shuiyan, and He Haifeng. These five are the outstanding youths of their generation, very strong. It is said that some of them are no less skilled than the experts on the Dragon List. Moreover, these individuals come from major sects and have very powerful backers. The gap between those ranked sixth to tenth and these five is quite significant."

Ling Chen sheepishly asked: "What about me... Mr. Ye, where do I rank on the Newcomer List?"

"You?" Ye Liangyong lifted his lips with a smile, "Take a guess."

"The eighth?" Ling Chen said cautiously. But seeing the smile on Ye Liangyong’s face, he quickly changed his words, "Could it be the ninth?"

Seeing that Ye Liangyong didn’t reply, Ling Chen said with a wry smile: "Don’t tell me it’s the tenth?"

"Alright, stop guessing. I’ll tell you the truth, your name isn’t on the Newcomer List. But you don’t need to feel downhearted; with your strength, ranking seventh or eighth wouldn’t be a problem. The reason your name isn’t listed is because Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has to consider a comprehensive evaluation. They consider not just an individual’s strength, but also their background. There are many young talents like you in the Martial Arts world, but there are only ten spots. It’s difficult for Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to cover everyone. In any case, the list is more questionable for the latter five names; those can be ignored. What you really need to pay attention to are the top five; they are the truly outstanding masters."

Ling Chen touched his nose and said: "Mr. Ye, knowing how strong those people are, why do you still encourage me to participate?"

Ye Liangyong said with a smile, "As a martial artist, you must constantly challenge your limits to make greater progress. For you, winning or losing isn’t the key; the most important thing is to temper yourself. Opportunities come only once; you must cherish it."

"Let’s talk about it when the time comes. By the way, Mr. Ye, when does the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony start?"

"It’s estimated to start in two days. People are still arriving."

After chatting idly for a while, Ye Liangyong then took his leave. They had agreed to have dinner together later, at which time Ye would introduce Ling Chen to the other members of the Eight Eccentrics.

In the evening.

Night fell, and the boundless ocean seemed draped in a layer of mysterious veil.

After dinner, Ling Chen came to the deck alone, leaning on the railing, listening to the surging waves below, looking out at the distant horizon. Far away, a storm cloud was approaching, with lightning flashing, strong gusts of wind, followed by rumbling thunder.

A storm was coming!

Feeling the coolness rushing towards his face and drops of rain mixed with the wind, Ling Chen turned and headed towards his cabin.

However, as Ling Chen approached the cabin door, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention—a flawless white figure. He turned his head and looked at the figure standing beside the railing, his gaze slightly hardening.

The woman was dressed in white, her long hair fluttering and dancing with the wind, seemingly unaffected by the fierce gusts, standing silently, unmoving, listening to the roaring of the ocean.

Although it was just a simple silhouette, Ling Chen couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity.

While he pondered, several drunken youths emerged from the cabin, holding bottles of wine, their faces flushed, already showing signs of intoxication, laughing boisterously.

At this moment, one of the young men noticed the woman in white next to the ship’s railing and immediately signaled his companions with a glance, surrounding her.

"Beauty, are you alone? Why not join us for a few drinks?"

The woman in white turned her head, her beautiful eyes calmly looking at the young men, said nothing, and continued walking toward the ship’s cabin. Seeing the woman in white about to leave, a young man immediately reached out and touched her shoulder, gently pulling her back.

Suddenly, the woman in white lost her balance; her delicate body immediately fell backward, right into the arms of that young man.

"Yo! Senior Brother, you really have charm; this beauty has thrown herself into your embrace. Haha!"

Hearing his companion’s teasing, the young man grinned and laughed, reaching out to wrap his arm around the woman in white’s slender waist. However, the woman in white reacted quickly, struggling to free herself from his embrace and looked at the young man with anger and shame, about to slap him.

But before the slap could land, the silky wrist of the woman in white was grasped by the young man.

"Tsks tsk! Beauty, your skin is really smooth. I wonder if other parts are the same; why not let me have a feel?" the young man said with a sleazy grin.

"Let go of me!" the woman in white shouted angrily, struggling vigorously, but the young man held on tight.

The sea breeze came, blowing the woman’s stray bangs on her forehead, revealing her exquisitely flawless face. Seeing the woman in white’s face, the young men’s eyes widened, their gazes became dazed, their throats rolled continuously, swallowing saliva.

So beautiful!

One of the young men snapped out of it, carefully examined the woman in white, and exclaimed, "I can’t believe there’s such a beautiful woman on this ship; it seems our Senior Brothers are in for some good fortune."

The woman in white glared angrily at the young men and said softly, "Let go of me, I don’t want any trouble."

Despite being astonished by the beauty of the woman in white, one of the young men felt the sea breeze sobering him up significantly and whispered, "Senior Brother, everyone on this ship is invited to attend the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. It’s better to be cautious; let’s not cause trouble for our sect."

The young man holding the woman in white waved his hand, dismissive, "We are from the Qingyang Sect, who dares disrespect us? Besides, we’ve got the Elder Senior Brother backing us up, what’s there to fear?"

After finishing his words, the young man looked at the woman in white with ill intentions and sneered, "Beauty, what era are we living in, why so shy? Aren’t you women very open nowadays? Just play with us Senior Brothers; it’ll be pleasurable for you too. Isn’t it great? Brothers, don’t you agree?"

Hearing this, the eyes of the young men revealed primal desires.

"Junior Brother, stop talking, let’s take her to the room, I can hardly wait."

The young man laughed and scolded, "You’re just too impatient, kiddo. Beauty, come with me." As he spoke, the young man forcefully dragged the woman in white by her wrist towards the ship’s cabin.

The woman in white bit her thin lips, pulling hard on her wrist and said urgently, "Let me go, or I’ll call for help."

"By saying that, you’ve actually reminded me, Fourth Junior Brother, gag her mouth, don’t disturb the others."

"Yes."

"Let her go!"

Right at that moment, a detached voice came with the wind, entering everyone’s ears.