Rumble!
Terrifying lightning drowned everything below, roaring like mountains calling and seas crashing. The entire earth trembled violently.
The rainwater from every direction nearly evaporated away.
Yu Tianli's screams were incomparably shrill. Enveloped by lightning, he seemed to turn into a man of electricity in an instant. Even resisting with all his strength was useless; all his inner force, all his martial arts, were like paper pasted together.
Before the immense might of the thunder, his entire body was torn apart alive.
Splurt!
As streak after streak of lightning faded, an enormous pit appeared where he had stood, seven or eight meters across. It was a soul-stirring sight, suffused with destructive fluctuations.
Lu Chen was still covered from head to toe in brilliant lightning. He panted heavily, his gaze cold, while bolts tangled overhead and crackled without end.
His eyes turned directly toward the damaged inn.
[You have delivered a headstrong Town Suppression Bureau leader from this world. Merit Points +180]
The violent commotion alerted both Zhang Qian and Yin Jiuzhu, who had been clearing out that group of Martial World travelers inside the inn.
They swiftly swept out of the inn. Their hearts jolted as they looked toward Lu Chen.
"Where is Yu Tianli?"
"This is bad. Something is wrong with this kid—his aura is wrong. Retreat!"
The two were extremely quick to read the situation.
With a single glance, they could distinguish the terrifying aura emanating from Lu Chen.
Combined with the ravaged traces on the ground—
It was not hard to imagine Yu Tianli's fate.
The two immediately turned and fled, intending to leave this place.
"Town Suppression Bureau? Do you think you're so impressive?!"
Lu Chen let out a furious roar and charged over almost instantly, carrying terrifying lightning with him.
In this torrential weather—
Not only could he draw lightning down to strengthen himself—
Even his speed had increased by an unknown amount under lightning's blessing!
Boom!
He slashed out viciously once more.
Lightning throughout the sky was drawn down again, erupting with ear-splitting crackles. Rosy light blazed brilliantly, as though the thunder god of the Ninth Heavens had flown into a rage, drowning the two of them beneath it. "Profound Heaven Protective Energy..."
"Heaven and Earth Great Sorrow Palm!"
Boom boom boom...
"Ah!"
Amid wave after wave of deafening explosions, screams quickly rang out.
Beneath the dazzling lightning, even these two sixth-rank experts ultimately failed to escape.
They encountered the same fate as Yu Tianli!
The might of heaven and earth!
Beyond all reckoning!
Boundless lightning struck down, as though the entire area had become a field of thunder. Before long, their bodies were hit by lightning and blasted into pieces.
[You successfully sent them to reunite with Yu Tianli. Merit Points +300] Lu Chen panted heavily, having overexerted his inner force.
Drawing lightning into his body also consumed an immense amount of inner force.
He needed to use inner force to control that lightning.
At that moment, the entire inn was in chaos.
Those who had not been killed earlier looked terrified and all rushed out at top speed.
When they saw such a horrifying scene, they fled into the distance in even greater panic.
"Trying to leave?"
Lu Chen's eyes turned cold. He unleashed his movement technique and shot after them with a whoosh.
He had never refused anything that offered Merit Points.
These people were all proper little bundles of experience!
"Did I say you could leave?"
"Besides the Town Suppression Bureau, the people I hate most are trash like you!"
"All of you, stay right here!"
Splurt splurt splurt!
"Ah!"
Screams rang out.
"Help!"
"Hero, spare my life..."
In the blink of an eye, every remaining person had been killed.
His Merit Points rose by another 400.
Only then did Lu Chen finally stop. The lightning around his body faded, while the perfected Azure Wave Art circulated through him again and again, rapidly restoring his strength.
The innkeeper and waiters inside the inn were all terrified beyond measure.
Especially the innkeeper.
Looking at the battered, ruined inn, he nearly despaired. "What am I supposed to do? I can't live on, I really can't live on..."
He wanted to cry but had no tears.
The man and woman in the corner were also utterly shaken, their minds roaring.
This Heartless Blade Lu Chen... was he righteous or evil?
He had killed people from the Town Suppression Bureau, yet he had also killed that group of vicious Martial World travelers just now.
It was truly impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Could he really be some killing demon king?
Amid the unease and tension on both sides—
Lu Chen's inner force gradually recovered. At last, he opened his eyes, let out a breath, and walked over to search the corpses one by one, finding some scattered silver.
"Innkeeper, I'm truly sorry for wrecking your inn. Take all this silver and use it to repair the place!"
Lu Chen casually tossed several bags of silver over. There were at least several hundred taels.
The innkeeper was instantly overjoyed and could scarcely believe it. He hurriedly knelt on the ground and began kowtowing.
"Thank you, Hero, thank you, Hero! Hero, you are truly a man of benevolence and righteousness."
He was so excited he had never expected anyone to actually give him money!
In all his past experience—
Those Martial World travelers acted as though they were so bold and generous. They fought in his inn, smashed whatever they wished, and never once paid for the damage.
Some Martial World travelers even hurried off without paying for their meals, turning around and running away.
This was the first time he had ever met someone who paid.
And he had given several hundred taels!
It was simply unimaginable!
[You comforted a despondent innkeeper, preventing him from taking his own life. Merit Points +10]
"Prepare some provisions for me. I'm leaving now!"
Lu Chen said.
"Yes, yes."
The innkeeper hurriedly got up and began packing things at once.
"Qingqing, this man is incredibly powerful. Perhaps we can ask him for help."
Liu Jinglan's eyes flickered as he spoke softly from the corner.
Heartless Blade Lu Chen had only recently entered the Kirin Ranking.
The crucial thing was his record!
It was said that, for a friend, he had spared no expense in slaughtering a group of wicked beggars.
For a group of poor people, he had wiped out an entire gang!
He had slain a County Magistrate with one stroke!
He had fought a gang alone! With his own strength, he had uprooted several festering evils from Panshi City!
His actions had been extreme, yet they had truly made people feel deeply satisfied.
"Brother Liu, forget it. This man has killed too many people. I... I'm scared..."
The woman's eyes were full of fear as she spoke quietly.
"All right."
Liu Jinglan sighed softly.
If this man helped them, then relying on himself alone, who knew how many more twists and turns might arise along the way!
But!
Since Miss Qingqing was unwilling, he could not say anything further.
Still, going up to make his acquaintance should not be much of a problem.
With that in mind, Liu Jinglan still walked forward, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Jade-Faced Rainbow Liu Jinglan. Thank you for stepping in so righteously."
"It was nothing. I only did it in passing." Lu Chen shook his head, then suddenly said, "Young Hero Liu, there is something I would like to ask. What exactly is this Kirin Ranking?"
He had finally voiced the doubt in his heart.
"Does Young Hero Lu not know?"
Liu Jinglan was slightly stunned.
This man had risen to ninety-first place on the Kirin Ranking!
Could he possibly not know it himself?
Then Liu Jinglan suddenly recalled the records concerning Lu Chen on the Kirin Ranking.
Lu Chen had once merely been a villager.
He had only studied martial arts for seven days.
It was indeed possible that he did not know.
"The Kirin Ranking is a list that all young people under heaven wish to compete for. Those on the list are all young people below twenty-five. Entering the ranking is both an honor and a challenge."
Liu Jinglan said, "Because once you enter the ranking, who knows how many people will want to replace you. They believe their cultivation is stronger than yours, so why should you enter the ranking while they cannot? Perhaps if they defeat you, they can take your place.
"Thus begins the struggle of the Martial World. Some people grow stronger with every battle after entering the Kirin Ranking, singing triumphantly all the way forward. Others are swiftly replaced after entering the ranking and thereafter vanish into the crowd.
"In short, it is a ranking people both love and hate. It is easy to become famous throughout the world through it, but it will also bring endless trouble."
"Then who arranges it?"
Lu Chen frowned.
"No one knows."
Liu Jinglan shook his head. "All we know is that the power behind it calls itself the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. Aside from the Kirin Ranking, there are also the Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings. Each ranking lists different experts, but no one knows where the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's headquarters lies."
"So that's how it is." Lu Chen's eyes flickered.
He finally understood completely.
Similar rankings had appeared in all kinds of novels in his previous life.
But this might not be a bad thing for him.
Because he could use it to polish his good name.
Every time his good name rose by one stage, he would unlock a talent.
The later the talents were unlocked, the stronger they would become!
Just then, the innkeeper finally finished packing all the provisions and wine. With a face full of gratitude, he walked over and handed them to Lu Chen.
Lu Chen accepted the provisions and wine, then said, "Young Hero Liu, thank you for clearing up my confusion. Farewell!"
"Farewell!"
Liu Jinglan solemnly cupped his hands.
Lu Chen flashed away. Using Grass on Flying, he swiftly disappeared into the lingering rainy night. Liu Jinglan was secretly amazed.
Heartless Blade Lu Chen... truly was an extraordinary man!
He had thought Lu Chen was a born killing demon king.
But after truly coming into contact with him, he found that was far from the case.
Perhaps what Lu Chen had done before truly had been for chivalry and righteousness.
"Miss Qingqing, we should leave as well."
Liu Jinglan said.
He feared that enemies might continue appearing in the rainy night.
"I will follow Brother Liu's arrangements."
The woman said.
Before you continue