Vile Amusement

A black cloud drifted westward.

It was impossible to tell whether the black cloud had been formed by an artifact or a spell. At its center, the slightly denser black mist had condensed into the shape of a black treasure tree with seven branches. Each branch was lush with black leaves, resembling a natural throne.

Of the two mysterious black-robed cultivators, the female cultivator sat upon a Black Leaf Throne at the center, while the white-haired male cultivator sat on a throne before her, facing her.

"Qing Xu, do you think that female cultivator called Lü Shenliang from the Profound Heaven Sect truly suffered damage to her divine soul, or was she deliberately pretending?"

The female cultivator casually plucked black leaves from beside her. Each time she plucked a leaf, it vanished in her hand like flowing water. Then, a new black leaf would grow somewhere on the throne beneath her, an exceedingly strange sight.

This white-haired male cultivator had not said a single word at Blackwater Market. Now, when he answered her question, he wasted no words either.

"Her divine soul was truly damaged."

His voice was crisp, like the pleasant sound of porcelain shards striking one another. Yet as he spoke, his expression was exceedingly humble. It seemed that his relationship with this female cultivator was not at all like the one Wang Li and Lü Shenliang had imagined: a sect elder bringing an important disciple out for training.

"Then do you think that Purity Returning Spirit Pill can help repair her divine soul?" After considering for a moment, the black-robed female cultivator asked blandly.

The white-haired cultivator she called Qing Xu shook his head. "It should be of little use."

"Even a fifth-grade spirit pill cannot do much. Then her divine soul damage apparently should not merely be the result of failing her Foundation Establishment tribulation?" The black-robed female cultivator smiled without smiling.

"You guessed correctly." Hearing her words, Qing Xu understood her true meaning. "But since you have guessed it, you must be even less inclined to interfere."

"So it really is boring."

The black-robed female cultivator gave a faintly mocking smile. "The Three Sages stand side by side and demarcate the continental borders. Every sect acts according to the Dao Precepts. It may seem to prevent mutual losses, but are wild wolves and milk puppies truly of equal combat strength? Can this really protect cultivators' territory? Besides, with fewer overt conflicts, would the secret scheming and mutual deception truly decrease?"

Qing Xu remained silent in the face of her mockery.

These were matters she could contemplate, but there was no need for him to contemplate or comment upon them.

Though he did not respond, the black-robed female cultivator did not find herself any more bored because of it.

Just as Wang Li had long grown accustomed to getting along with Lü Shenliang, she too was accustomed to conversing with Qing Xu this way.

"What did Lesser Jade Continent call fifth-grade spirit pills again?"

She cocked her foot and assumed a more comfortable posture. "Cosmos Grade or something?"

"Yes."

Qing Xu nodded. "Cultivators of Lesser Jade Continent, Red Mountain Continent, Fire Sparrow Continent, Evil Water Continent, and the surrounding waters all habitually use the words Heaven, Earth, Black, Yellow, Universe, and Desolation to classify the grades of artifacts and such."

The black-robed female cultivator suddenly found it amusing. The mockery on her face deepened, but the chill within it had completely vanished.

"Why have they not changed the names of the seven great realms—Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Nirvana, and Mahayana—as well?"

She laughed. "They might as well call them Heaven Grade stage and Earth Grade stage. Golden Core stage could be called Profound Grade stage."

Qing Xu did not find it amusing. He merely said, "Each continent has inherited different customs. These four eastern fringe continents were still Chaos Lands a thousand years ago. They later came under the Sage Cult's control. At the time, the Sage Cult created the simple and easy-to-cultivate Duren Sutra. The eight words Heaven, Earth, Black, Yellow, Universe, and Desolation come from the opening preface of the Duren Sutra. Cultivation of the Duren Sutra was unrestricted throughout these four eastern fringe continents and spread extremely widely. For cultivators of these four continents, using those eight words to name grades is not unreasonable. Moreover, apart from our Thirteen Central Continents, the various other fringe continental regions all have their own different names."

"I know... but I still find it funny. And the more solemnly you explain it, the funnier I find it." The black-robed female cultivator could not help laughing aloud. "Besides, this naming method is far too long-winded and low-class. How can it compare to naming seven grades after the seven great realms, which is clear at a glance? It seems cultivators of Lesser Jade Continent rarely leave these four continents. If they reached Central Divine Continent and told someone about a Cosmos Grade artifact, would that person not be left utterly at sea?"

Qing Xu knew she was deliberately making fun of it, but out of habit, he still answered seriously. "It is precisely because these four continents do not interact as closely as the central continents that they have retained such customs. However, ordinary cultivators follow local customs. If cultivators from these four continents travel elsewhere, they will also change their wording to follow the names used there."

"Follow local customs? This place truly does count as the countryside." The black-robed female cultivator found it difficult to think too deeply about it. The deeper she thought, the more she could not stop herself from laughing.

In her view, there was naturally a reason why the mainstream terminology had become mainstream.

Cultivators were divided into seven great realms, and each great realm was further divided into nine minor stages.

Artifacts were likewise divided into seven grades. The first grade corresponded to the Qi Refining stage, and that first grade was further divided into nine ranks. To any cultivator, that was naturally clear and straightforward.

For example, a first-grade ninth-rank artifact was suited for a cultivator at the ninth layer of the Qi Refining stage. A second-grade first-rank artifact was suited for a cultivator at the first layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Any cultivator who could not understand such a naming system was truly a pig.

But what about Lesser Jade Continent's terminology?

First-grade artifacts were called Heaven Grade, while second-grade artifacts were instead called Earth Grade.

Which was greater, Heaven or Earth?

Then came Profound Grade and Yellow Grade. They were not hard to remember, of course, but they were simply far too non-mainstream.

Holding back her laughter, she deliberately counted on her fingers. "By Lesser Jade Continent's system, should that Purity Returning Spirit Pill be called a Universe Grade first-rank spirit pill, or a Universe Grade Heaven Grade spirit pill?"

After saying that, she still failed to contain her laughter. With a puff, she burst out laughing and deliberately added, "The seven grades clearly correspond to the seven great realms, so what the hell are those eight words supposed to mean?"

At last, Qing Xu could not help turning back to glance at her.

He knew this was her vile amusement. Since he was already used to it, he still replied seriously, "The eight words also correspond to the seven great realms. Seventh-grade artifacts are called Primordial Artifacts on Lesser Jade Continent, without any additional grade word in the name. As for that Purity Returning Spirit Pill, by Lesser Jade Continent's terminology, it is indeed called a Universe Grade first-rank spirit pill, not a Universe Grade Heaven Grade spirit pill."

"Ahahaha!" The black-robed girl's vile amusement was finally satisfied. She laughed until her body swayed like branches in the wind, both hands unable to stop themselves from wildly slapping the Black Leaf Throne beneath her. "I'm dying of laughter! Such a tongue-twister! Qing Xu, open your mouth and let me see whether your tongue has tied itself into knots!"

This time, Qing Xu chose to keep his mouth shut and remain silent.

He did not share this kind of vile amusement.

He did not voice an opinion, but his thoughts naturally differed from the black-robed girl's.

In his view, everything that existed had its reason for existing.

For instance, Lesser Jade Continent called what Central Divine Continent termed seventh-grade artifacts Primordial Artifacts. In his view, that was entirely reasonable.

Primordial implied ancient times, the birth of Heaven and Earth.

Seventh-grade artifacts were themselves terrifying wondrous treasures nurtured within primordial chaos. Even many of the most powerful beings in cultivation history had become supreme because they obtained such treasures. They could not create laws out of thin air and nurture artifacts of such power; at most, they could carve and improve them.

Furthermore, based purely on the wording, he felt that the words Primordial Artifact carried far more grandeur than a simple seventh-grade.

The black-robed girl laughed for more than a dozen breaths before finally stopping.

"They have finally arrived."

She drew in her smile and suddenly said this.

Qing Xu nodded.

"Leave two alive." She became serious. "I have a feeling something is wrong. Old Ancestor Tong Hui underwent tribulation in a place like that, yet far too many people have come."

Below the black cloud stretched a vast expanse of misty white waters.

Other than this black cloud, no unusual radiance appeared in the sky. Yet when she finished speaking, more than a dozen strange reflections had already appeared upon the water.

At first glance, these dozen or so strange reflections appeared to be merely clusters of deathly pale light. But upon closer inspection, they were more than a dozen deathly pale crying faces.

Some people were born with vile amusement.

For some people, that vile amusement became a mark.

On Lesser Jade Continent, such deathly pale crying faces represented a group of evil cultivators who ignored the Three Sages' Dao Precepts and obtained cultivation resources by ambushing and killing cultivators of various sects.

The overwhelming majority of Lesser Jade Continent's cultivators would be terrified out of their wits upon seeing such a mark.

"Why are you crying? Smile for me." Yet at the sight of those deathly pale crying faces, the black-robed female cultivator sneered and shouted.

Dozens of black leaves flew from her hands.

The black leaves vanished instantly and did not reappear upon the throne beneath her.

Riiiip!

Dozens of enormous black crystal swords crisscrossed through the air. Their violent might instantly forced more than a dozen flight artifacts concealed in the sky into view, then viciously pierced straight through them!