Human Ranking

"The Human Ranking was created by a mysterious organization known as the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. The criteria for making the list did not depend on talent, only on individual strength. There were one hundred people on the list."

"Those who could rank on the Human Ranking were absolute powerhouses within the Xiantian Realm. It was said that the top ten all possessed the ability to fight a Vajra Realm expert."

"In our Annan Commandery alone, five people have made the list!"

Chu Jiang was stunned. He had thought the Human Ranking judged people by talent, with requirements such as entering the Xiantian Realm before a certain age.

He had not expected it to be based purely on individual strength.

Whoever was strong made the list—simple and brutal.

At that moment, Ma Han returned from gathering information, allowing Chu Jiang to understand why so many jianghu figures had come to the tiny Qingshan Town.

More than a decade ago, Wang Qifeng, the Blood Saber King who had dominated an entire region, had been a peerless genius. Back then, he had ranked second on the Human Ranking; when his blood saber emerged, even Vajra Realm experts could barely withstand it.

Rumor had it that he had been attacked by a mysterious person, his foundation damaged beyond repair and leaving him unable to break through to the Vajra Realm. In the end, he passed away in meditation. Some said that, to prevent his blood saber from being lost to time, he had left behind a legacy.

That legacy contained his Blood Saber Manual, a Three-Cycle True Essence Pill, and a Marrow Cleansing Pill.

True Essence Pills were medicinal pills that could increase one's accumulation of true qi. Their ingredients were extraordinarily expensive, and the higher the number of cycles, the stronger their effects.

A Three-Cycle True Essence Pill could directly raise a Xiantian martial artist by one level.

As for the Marrow Cleansing Pill, it was an absolute treasure medicine for martial artists at the Tenth Level of Body Refinement. It could strengthen the foundations of martial arts, though it had little effect on Xiantian martial artists.

These people had gathered in Qingshan Town precisely for Wang Qifeng's legacy.

And that legacy was located in Black Tiger Mountain.

Black Tiger Mountain was demon territory, so for the time being, no one dared to venture up the mountain alone in search of treasure. They were all waiting—waiting until enough experts had arrived.

Within the Hundred Flowers Sect, Li Yu, dressed in bright and alluring clothes, said with slight indignation, "Why are these corrupt officials here? The sight of them makes me angry enough that I don't even feel like eating."

Her voice was crisp and pleasant, as though she wanted everyone around her to hear.

She had not the slightest good impression of government runners who did nothing but prey upon the common people.

Especially these Demon Hunters. They bore the duty of hunting demons, yet they allowed demons to run rampant and harm the people, leaving living beings to suffer and the land awash in misery.

The cool and aloof Bai Ruoxue said reproachfully, "Junior Sister, do not be rude!"

Then she turned to Chu Jiang and said softly, "Sir, my junior sister has only just entered the jianghu and does not understand the rules. I hope you will not take offense."

"Junior Sister, come over and apologize at once!"

Though Li Yu was unconvinced, she heard the anger in her senior sister's words and could only say reluctantly:

"I'm sorry!"

Bai Ruoxue nodded.

The two junior sisters had come for Wang Qifeng's legacy. There was no need to clash with people from the authorities.

Chu Jiang gave a slight nod.

Suddenly.

A burst of hoofbeats drew closer from afar.

"Clop-clop..."

Everyone followed the sound and saw a group of riders in brocade robes escorting a magnificent carriage as it slowly approached.

A richly dressed young man leaned out from the carriage. His gaze swept over the crowd before finally stopping on the two women from the Hundred Flowers Sect, a flash of greed passing through his eyes.

With a frivolous smile, he said, "Why don't you two beauties accompany me up the mountain to seek treasure? We can look after one another."

His name was Lu Feiyang, the Eldest Young Master of the Lu Family in Nanyang Prefecture.

His father, Lu Erhe, was the son of the Annan Commandery Chief Clerk.

"Who wants to go with you?" Li Yu snorted coldly and turned her head aside.

Lu Feiyang did not get angry. He gave a light cough and declared domineeringly, "I am from the Lu Family of Annan Commandery. I have come for Wang Qifeng's legacy. I am willing to cooperate with all of you and explore Black Tiger Mountain together. I shall act as the leader, and I am willing to share whatever we obtain with everyone."

The moment his words fell, the crowd stirred.

Yet not a single person responded. What a joke—if they truly found the Blood Saber Legacy, they would certainly keep it for themselves. Who would share it with others?

He wanted to use them as cannon fodder. No one there was a fool.

When Lu Feiyang saw that no one answered, his expression was no longer calm. He had snuck out this time, and there was not even one Xiantian expert by his side.

The old man at home had forbidden him from coming, yet he had insisted on coming.

He wanted to prove to the old man that he was in no way inferior to that bastard.

His gaze turned sharp as an eagle's, sweeping over Chu Jiang and the others as he ordered in an unquestionable tone, "You know who I am, don't you? Now, I order you to protect me on the way to Black Tiger Mountain!"

I may not be able to command these unruly jianghu people, but can't I command you lot of government runners? I am the son of Annan Commandery's Chief Clerk.

"Shut up!"

Chu Jiang took a step forward. Everyone only felt a gust of breeze brush past them before a huge slap landed heavily across Lu Feiyang's face.

"Ah..."

He was sent flying on the spot, nearly losing his teeth as a spray of bright red blood burst from the corner of his mouth.

Lu Feiyang was helped up by the guards beside him. Beside himself with rage, he said:

"You... how dare you..."

"All of you, get him! Since childhood, I have never suffered such humiliation. Kill him!"

The guards secretly knew that Chu Jiang was no ordinary man, but they did not dare disobey Lu Feiyang's orders. They could only steel themselves and charge forward.

Yet before any of them could get close, a cold flash streaked through the air like lightning. The crowd then watched as they fell in unison like stalks of rice cut down by a sickle.

A straight line of blood appeared on every forehead, as though a razor-sharp blade had cleaved downward from the center of the forehead to the chin.

At the wounds, clusters of tiny golden flames twisted like venomous snakes, forming deep crimson ravines. The sight was savage and terrifying, enough to make one's hair stand on end.

It had all happened too quickly.

So quickly that no one had time to react before those men died on the spot.

"Xiantian true qi!"

"What a fast saber!"

The Poisonous Snake Gang, the Yellow Robe Gang, the Hundred Flowers Sect, and all the other factions turned to look, each harboring different thoughts.

Liu Guangwu stood to one side, dumbfounded. He really was a Xiantian expert. Liu Guangwu had already suspected as much during their earlier exchange—someone at the Tenth Level of Body Refinement could never defeat him with a flick of the fingers.

Baishi County truly hid crouching tigers and concealed dragons! He had thought only his foster father concealed unfathomable depths, never expecting there to be others like him.

In the end, he himself had been the clown jumping on the stage.

"You'll get used to it."

Ma Han looked utterly calm, as though none of this surprised him in the least. His lord always brought him surprises; perhaps even the Xiantian Realm was not his lord's limit.

Lu Feiyang had already pissed himself in fright before Chu Jiang.

"Don't kill me! I can give you money. Whatever you want, I can give it to you." Lu Feiyang was truly terrified. On his very first journey away from home, he had encountered this baleful star, someone who did not take the Lu Family seriously at all and had cut down every one of his guards with a single stroke.

This was completely different from what the storybooks said. Weren't noble young masters supposed to be surrounded like the moon by a host of stars wherever they went? Why had everything changed when it came to him?

When I get back, I'll have those authors who made up such nonsense whipped severely to soothe the hatred in my heart.

The corner of Chu Jiang's mouth lifted slightly as he sneered. "I have no interest in your little bit of money. Give me several Xiantian martial arts manuals, and I'll spare your worthless life!"

Now that he had entered the Xiantian Realm, Houtian martial arts could barely increase his strength any further.

"I really don't have any Xiantian martial arts on me! Can't I give you money instead?" Lu Feiyang was horrified. Who would carry Xiantian martial arts manuals around with them?

"Then you have only one road left—the road to death!" Chu Jiang's expression suddenly turned cold, and he looked ready to draw his saber.