Volume 2 - Chapter 18: The Fifth on the Qian Kun Ranking - Part 2
Outside another city gate of Dayue City, a convoy approached in the distance.
"Look, we’re almost there!"
The curtain of one of the carriages was lifted, revealing several youthful faces full of lively energy.
"Yueyao, this Dayue City is rather impressive," said Lin Feifei, dressed in green robes. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she marveled at the scenery. It was her first time visiting Liangzhou. Because of Liangzhou's geographic conditions, which were unsuitable for agriculture, it often relied on transporting grain from other provinces. In her impression, it was... a poor place.
Indeed, Liangzhou ranked among the lowest in financial and tax revenues across the nineteen provinces.
"Mm," replied Song Yueyao with a slight nod. Her eyes glimmered faintly with anticipation for the grand event ahead.
"Yueyao, isn't Tianmen Pass, where Li Shi is stationed, also in Liangzhou?" Lin Feifei suddenly remembered and asked curiously.
Her knowledge of geography wasn’t great, leaving her somewhat uncertain.
Song Yueyao’s gaze sharpened, and the light in her eyes seemed to dim. Her expression grew somber as she answered, "That’s correct."
"Then after this grand event, shall we visit him?" Lin Feifei suggested impulsively.
Song Yueyao shook her head slightly, familiar with her friend’s impulsive nature, and said, "Tianmen Pass is dangerous and unpredictable. If we go, we’ll only cause him trouble. Grandpa said that Aunt Qiumo has already gone to see him, so he should be fine."
"Oh."
Hearing this, Lin Feifei reluctantly gave up, muttering a few words of dissatisfaction on behalf of Li Hao under her breath. Her voice was so faint it resembled a mosquito's buzz, and after a few sentences, she dared not say more.
This kind of talk was best reserved for whispers behind others' backs. Criticizing a Divine General who guarded an entire province—even if no one heard her—made her a little nervous.
"This time, we’ve come here for advanced training. Focus your mind. Once we reach the Fifteen Li Realm, it won’t be too late to visit him," Song Yueyao advised.
Without reaching the Fifteen Li Realm, one couldn’t even fly through the skies. If they encountered powerful demons, they wouldn’t even be able to flee.
Lin Feifei nodded slightly. She understood the importance of the Grandmaster's Dao Inquiry Assembly, which could lay the foundation for their future breakthroughs into the Heaven and Man Realm.
After all, breaking into the Heaven and Man Realm ultimately depended on their own efforts. Even with ample resources, they could only be pushed to the Fifteen Li Realm.
The curtain fell, and the carriage swayed as it made its way toward the massive bronze city gates.
...
...
One hundred li outside Dayue City, high above the ground.
A few figures streaked through the air, descending onto a desolate wilderness far from the official roads, where no one noticed them.
At the forefront was a tall, imposing young man in a purple-gold robe. His features were handsome, though his jawline was covered with a dense, long beard. His violet-gold eyes gleamed with a mesmerizing, soul-piercing light.
"Young Master, ahead lies Dayue City," said an elderly man in gray robes respectfully.
The elder had coiled dragon horns atop his head and gray scales around his neck. His sharp, angular face carried a sinister air.
"It looks like a decent platter," remarked the youth in the purple-gold robe. His violet eyes focused intently on the city as he licked his lips slightly.
"Once we seize this city and coordinate with my father from the inside, we’ll tear through the northwest. With the cooperation of those others, the Liangzhou garrison won’t have time to react!"
The elder chuckled. "I hear they’re holding a grand event here, drawing Grandmasters from all over the provinces. Such a feast of delicacies will allow the Young Master to indulge to his heart’s content."
"These crawling insects spend decades cultivating to reach the Heaven and Man Realm, yet they reproduce so quickly. It’s truly disgusting and revolting!" the youth sneered coldly, a flicker of violence crossing his face.
The others nearby smiled but remained silent.
"Let’s go play in that city first. Have the army stand by and await our signal. Once we break the city’s formation, we’ll take it down in one fell swoop and minimize casualties," the youth commanded as he began walking forward.
"Young Master, if you wish to enter the city, you’ll need to change your attire, and your divine eyes..." the elder quickly reminded him.
The coiled dragon horns atop the elder's head retracted into his hair, and the gray scales around his neck vanished, leaving him looking like an ordinary old man.
"Such a hassle."
The youth in the purple-gold robe frowned with displeasure.
"The purple-gold robes are exclusive to the Imperial Clan among humans. They’re far too conspicuous," the elder said respectfully.
"Hmph, wretched insects!"
The youth's face twisted with dissatisfaction, but the color of his clothing shifted, transforming into a simple yellow robe. The violet in his eyes faded to black.
"Let’s go."
"Young Master, here’s the token," the elder said, handing over a medallion.
The medallion was stained with traces of blood.
...
...
Two figures streaked toward the official road outside Dayue City and then walked leisurely toward the city. They were none other than Li Hao and Ren Qianqian.
Li Hao casually plucked a blade of grass from the roadside, twirling it idly in his hand as he hopped occasionally over the slushy, rutted snow to avoid muddying his boots.
Ren Qianqian cradled her sword, following closely behind. The two leapt over the muddy patches until they finally reached the city gate.
After paying the silver entry fee, they stepped onto the paved streets within the city.
"Plenty of martial artists here," Li Hao observed, glancing around. Along the way, he sensed the presence of numerous warriors, most at the Spiritual Wandering Realm, with a few at the Soul Fusion Realm. They were likely here to join the excitement.
Shops and restaurants were packed with people, creating a bustling, vibrant atmosphere.
As they walked, Li Hao overheard various conversations about the Grandmaster's Dao Inquiry Assembly, gossip about certain Grandmasters, and even mentions of his own name.
"Have you heard about the fifth on the Qian Kun Ranking? The youngest Grandmaster in history!"
"My father says that record was also set by a Li family genius over a decade ago. And now, another member of the Li family has broken it!"
"The Li family among the Five Divine General Mansions must be the greatest, right?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down. Here’s a secret—my friend says the least famous Wang family among the Five Divine General Mansions is actually the most terrifying..."
The conversation gradually veered off-topic.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised. He was familiar with the Qian Long Ranking, curated by Tianji Tower and updated monthly.
The Tianji Hermit, who had invited Grandmasters from all over the world to the Dao Inquiry Assembly, was one of Tianji Tower’s floor masters.
It was said that Tianji Tower knew everything about the world. Many of the strange and intriguing stories in the Tingyu Pavilion that Li Hao had read came from their records. They could describe in detail even the specifics of a Grandmaster’s revenge, down to the annihilation of an entire clan, as if they had witnessed it firsthand.
They even included tales of Grandmasters keeping young beauties as mistresses, which were published in their "Romantic Chronicles."
However, Li Hao’s second uncle once mentioned that Tianji Tower’s omniscience wasn’t simply due to fabrication. Behind the scenes, it had connections with the Imperial Clan.
This elevated Tianji Tower's prestige in the martial world, functioning as an extension of the court's influence over the Jianghu.
It showed just how terrifying the Great Yu Dynasty's grasp of power truly was.
Was it because of that battle? Li Hao's lips curled slightly. He hadn't expected to end up on the Qian Long Ranking because of it.
But the ranking didn’t matter to him.
Most people competed for the ranking for fame and fortune. Fame brought fortune.
Some, driven by purer motivations, simply wanted their names remembered, to be recognized wherever they went, and even mourned after their deaths.
However, neither fame nor fortune held any interest for Li Hao.
He simply wanted to live longer, enjoy a little freedom, and drift through the world as an ordinary traveler.
Perhaps the most precious thing in life was the ability to live freely.
"Let’s go. I'll take you to the Martial Temple for the Soul Fusion ceremony," Li Hao said to Ren Qianqian.
Ren Qianqian’s eyes sparkled as she nodded and followed closely.
Li Hao grabbed someone nearby to ask for directions. He learned that Dayue City had three Martial Temples, the largest of which was on Chenghuang Street, right in the city center.
Without delay, Li Hao led Ren Qianqian toward the temple.
Along the way, they encountered many martial artists from various provinces. Most moved in small groups led by a senior figure.
Chenghuang Street was bustling. Among its attractions was a Buddhist temple that drew many visitors to burn incense and pray.
This Buddhist temple was one of the monasteries under Boundless Mountain, a subordinate faction of the Boundless Spirit Realm.
Li Hao glanced at it briefly but had no desire to pray. Instead, he led Ren Qianqian straight to the Martial Temple in the middle of the street.
The Martial Temple also had an incense altar outside, but the crowd burning incense here was slightly smaller than at the Buddhist temple.
Li Hao frowned slightly at the sight, then ascended the temple steps with Ren Qianqian. They purchased incense sticks with a few taels of silver and offered prayers to the heroic spirits enshrined in the temple.
After finishing their prayers, Li Hao brought Ren Qianqian to meet the temple's abbot.
The elderly temple keeper verified Ren Qianqian’s credentials, confirmed her identity as a Soul Fusion Realm newcomer, and recorded her in the registry after accepting their payment. She was then granted access to the Martial Temple.
Within the Martial Temple, the heroic spirits remained in a semi-slumbering state. Whether or not one could resonate with them depended entirely on individual ability.
With nothing better to do, Li Hao wandered around the temple’s vicinity. Behind the Martial Temple, he saw two young temple keepers playing chess in an open yard. He squatted nearby to observe their game.
A pair of hopeless amateurs.
After watching for a moment, Li Hao could no longer bear it. He shook his head in disappointment and turned to leave, bored.
The two young temple keepers exchanged a smile at Li Hao’s actions, dismissing him as a youthful onlooker who neither understood chess nor had the patience to play it.