The Earth Ranking's Chief Editor

Lu Jingshen quickly slapped his face. "Don't tell the Great Palace Master! I'm planning to present her with a thoughtful gift when I see her in the future. Don't let me end up handing over my head."

"Just kidding, the Great Palace Master isn't that petty," Li Weiyi said.

Lu Jingshen dared not ask any more questions about the Great Palace Master. He grabbed Li Weiyi's wrist and led her upstairs, saying, "Come on, I'll take you to see someone."

The pavilion is hundreds of feet high, with a hipped roof structure at the top, offering a wide view overlooking a large part of the city.

Lu Jingchen resemblance to Lu Jingshen, appearing to be around thirty years old. With a calm and composed demeanor, he stood there with an imposing presence and extraordinary bearing. He sized up Li Weiyi, who had followed Lu Jingshen upstairs, and without a smile, clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Wanli Tower, Lu Jingchen, Jingshen's second brother."

Li Weiyi sensed a very strange aura emanating from this person and returned the greeting, saying, "Li Weiyi."

Lu Jingchen said, "Since Brother Li is my third brother's savior and has entered the Heavenly Pavilion, you can completely let your guard down. Anyone who dares to harm you should think twice."

"Including the Taiyin Sect?" Li Weiyi asked.

Lu Jingchen knew what Li Weiyi was referring to and sighed softly, "It was my opponent at Wanli Tower who hired the Taiyin Sect to capture Jing Shen, hoping to force me to compromise. Now that I'm here, I naturally don't need to worry about this anymore."

Li Weiyi dispelled his Disguise Art and removed his beard.

A line of graceful maids brought out fine wine and delicacies and placed them on the table.

Lu Jingchen's back remained ramrod straight, his natural arrogance evident. "When Jingshen first told me, I didn't believe there was anyone like you in the world, someone who would uphold righteousness for the sake of wealth, return from danger, and risk his life to save others. In my view, this must be yet another scheme, a conspiracy, or a pursuit of even greater gains."

"But after reviewing your deeds, all my doubts have been dispelled, and I am left with only admiration."

"Thousand Mile Mountain's businesses are spread all over the world, and I know everything about your deeds in Lizhou. You may have forgotten that you saved many girls and children at the Changlin Gang's headquarters, some of whom were later recruited into Thousand Mile Mountain. Because of your rescue, you were delayed and were blocked by the Six Desires Dharma King and the Sui Sect, and you almost failed to escape."

"As for your extraordinary sense of responsibility on the Zhizhou River, in Qiuzhou City, and in Lingxiao City, I, Lu, admit that I cannot do it. Because I cannot, I admire you."

"If I keep praising him like this, I'll lose all sense of direction," Li Weiyi said with a laugh.

Lu Jingshen said, "Look at my second brother's aloof and taciturn demeanor. Does he seem like someone who could easily say such things? If he were to say these words against his will, every single word would be as painful as being stabbed with a sword."

Lu Jingchen stared at Li Weiyi for a long time. "Brother Li, if you trust Thousand Mile Mountain, trust the Lu family, and trust us brothers, please invite your friend up for a drink together?"

Li Weiyi asked in surprise, "How did Young Master Lu know that someone was traveling with me?"

Lu Jingchen said, "You have a unique aura on you that hasn't dissipated yet."

"Really? I've been paying close attention to the smell, and it was dealt with when I came in," Li Weiyi said.

"It's not about smell, but about atmosphere, aura, breath, and Divine Charm."

Lu Jingchen showed no modesty whatsoever. "From a young age, I was exceptionally gifted and learned the art of observing spirits and auras. Everyone possesses an aura, mysterious and profound, that can only be sensed, not described."

"What kind of weather do I have?" Li Weiyi asked.

Lu Jingchen said, "Brother Li has returned to simplicity and authenticity, which I cannot fathom. Among the younger generation, I have witnessed countless extraordinary phenomena, some grand and majestic, others bizarre and fantastical, but someone like you is truly a first."

"Now that I've been exposed, there's nothing left to hide," Li Weiyi transmitted his voice to Tang Wanzhou.

Before long, Lu Jingshen personally went down and brought her up.

Li Weiyi and Lu Jingchen sat at the table and happened to be talking about Wanli Tower.

Lu Jingchen said, "Wanli Tower is like the Jiu Li Hidden Gate; only martial artists who have reached a certain level know of our existence."

"Thousand Mile Mountain to make money, Wanli Tower to keep it."

"Thousand Mile Mountain recruits only one in a thousand. Of those who make it into Wanli Tower, only one in ten thousand."

Li Weiyi asked, "May I ask, what are Young Master Lu's opponents at Wanli Tower?"

"I've already dealt with him. I won the competition! He went to the Taiyin Sect and used such underhanded tactics; he was just desperate. Using such methods against his own people deserves to die," Lu Jingchen said.

Tang Wanzhou removed her mask, revealing a beautiful and aloof face. She sat down next to Li Weiyi, facing Lu Jingchen, and asked, "Wanli Tower has three great struggles: the struggle for heaven, the struggle for earth, and the struggle for the pillars. I wonder what you have won?"

Lu Jingchen stared at Tang Wanzhou, his eyes growing brighter and brighter, as if he had discovered a rare treasure. He stood up and said, "I, a mere mortal, only managed to win the title of Chief Writer of the Earthly Ranking."

The second brother actually showed some modesty, which surprised Lu Jingshen, who was standing to the side.

Tang Wanzhou said, "Judging by the time, Wanli Tower should be compiling the <Longevity Heaven Ranking> and <Longevity Earth Ranking> by now. The chief writers of the Heaven Ranking are all competing among the older generation of Earth Ranking writers. As for Liangzhu, that was the last competition before his transcendence. It seems that among the people of Southern Yingzhou, you are the strongest one from Thousand Mile Mountain."

Li Weiyi asked, "What is the Heavenly Ranking? What is the Earthly Ranking?"

Lu Jingshen continued, "The <Longevity Earth Ranking> records the top few Longevity Realm Martial Cultivator under 100 years old from the 172 living realms in Southern Yingzhou. The <Longevity Heaven Ranking>, of course, has no age limit; it's all about cultivation and strength. Both rankings were compiled for the Crossing to the Other Shore six years from now."

Lu Jingchen on Tang Wanzhou: "Please allow me to presume to introduce myself, but I dare to guess that the person sitting opposite me is the young lord of the Northern Lingxiao Shengjing, isn't he?"

Tang Wanzhou said, "As expected of the chief writer of the Earth Ranking, you have some skill. How did you figure that out?"

"Such Divine Charm and bearing are unparalleled among young women; you couldn't find more than three like her in the entire world. This gives me a 70% chance of success!"

Lu Jingchen continued, "You possess a grand and imposing aura, chilling to the bone, and unstoppable, much like the majestic snow-capped mountains of the North. The Immortal Killing God Snow Fourteen Swords have long been on my shortlist. I came to the East Sea 30% of the time to find you. Your progress has been too rapid; I'm unsure of your current strength or where you should rank. I must meet you in person."

Li Weiyi looked at Lu Jingshen: "Didn't you say that Second Brother Lu is aloof and taciturn, and that praising others is like stabbing himself in the back?"

Lu Jingshen felt somewhat embarrassed, thinking that his second brother had really lost his composure today, and laughed, "No matter how many compliments you give, Young Master, you deserve them all."

Lu Jingchen then introduced himself to Tang Wanzhou.

Li Weiyi's heart stirred, recalling Tang Wanzhou's purpose in coming to Longcheng: "Xie Wumian and Luo Pingdan are truly hateful, but I've heard that among the Twelve Taiyin Envoys, they are ranked last. If their strength is that high, how powerful must the strongest Noon Envoy, Qin Zhengyang, be?"

Since Lu Jingchen is the chief writer of the Earth Ranking, all the information about Thousand Mile Mountain and Wanli Tower must have been gathered in his possession.

Only by understanding the enemy thoroughly can we avoid misjudging the situation.

Tang Wanzhou understood immediately and continued, "Qin Zhengyang is probably not inferior to those Son of Heaven's Disciples at the same cultivation level."

She took this very seriously and probed the issue with her words.

Lu Jingchen was indeed drawn into the conversation. "Xie Wumian and Luo Pingdan are not weak, not because they lack talent, but because they are the youngest, both just over sixty years old. Qin Zhengyang, on the other hand, is already eighty-six."

"Young Master's judgment is slightly flawed. Although Qin Zhengyang is known as the Young Son of Heaven in the Dao Seed Realm, he has only cultivated 99% of the Longevity Body, falling short by a single breath. Moreover, because his cultivation method is too masculine, and he has spent many years in the Netherworld of the Departed, he has been affected by the environment and suffered an incurable injury to his cultivation."

Li Weiyi said, "He really deserved it... I wonder where he was injured?"

"Some say it's a soul spirit, others say it's Qi Sea. Once he arrives in Dragon City, I'll personally test his strength and see where he ranks," Lu Jingchen said.

Li Weiyi deliberately exclaimed in surprise, "He's actually coming to Longcheng?"

"Brother Li, there's no need to panic. The Taiyin Sect's mission to deal with Jing Shen has been canceled due to the death of its employer," Lu Jingchen said.

Li Weiyi knew Lu Jingchen shrewd, so she didn't ask any more questions.

After all, Thousand Mile Mountain has always been neutral and avoids trouble. If Lu Jingchen knew that Tang Wanzhou was going to assassinate Qin Zhengyang, he would probably choose to stay away from the two of them. He might even cancel his plan to test Qin Zhengyang.

Only Lu Jingchen probing Qin Zhengyang can they obtain more useful information.

Lu Jingchen was extremely busy. Upon hearing a message from one of his scribes that the banquet was not yet over, he hurriedly left.

Despite Lu Jingshen's repeated urging, Li Weiyi and Tang Wanzhou temporarily stayed at the Heavenly Pavilion.

Li Weiyi held the jade box containing the elixir given to him by Lu Jingshen, and he and Tang Wanzhou communicated telepathically as they walked towards their residence.

Tang Wanzhou's eyes were solemn. Judging from the information he had learned from Lu Jingchen, Qin Zhengyang's strength was not simple. The Longevity Body, which was at 99% of the Dao Seed Realm, was something that ordinary people could not cultivate.

To cross a border and assassinate such a person is an absolute challenge.

Moreover, there might be powerful undead lurking in the shadows, accompanying him.

"Don't worry, if there really is no chance, I will definitely give up. But before that, I will do everything in my power to decide whether to proceed or retreat."

Tang Wanzhou followed Li Weiyi into the room, and then the door closed.

Seeing this from afar, Lu Jingshen stopped in his tracks, completely stunned, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets. He had clearly prepared accommodations for the Northern Territory Young Lord, yet she had entered Li Weiyi's room so naturally, obviously not the first time.

The next morning, Lu Jingshen paid special attention.

They discovered that Tang Wanzhou was wearing a mask as he walked out of Li Weiyi's room and left Heavenly Pavilion alone.

"Good heavens! That's Zuoqiu Hongting's fiancé! Aren't the Zuoqiu Courtyard and the Xue Jian Tang Ting locked in a standoff between the north and south of Lingxiao Shengjing? If this news gets out, what will become of us?"

Lu Jingshen immediately issued a gag order to the Heavenly Pavilion.

For the next three days, Tang Wanzhou was extremely busy, leaving early and returning late, preparing for the upcoming battle. In the evenings, he would go to the Blood Mud Space to cultivate with Li Weiyi in the Time Cocoon.

Every morning, after watching Tang Wanzhou disappear into the street, Lu Jingshen would sigh repeatedly, and then send someone to prepare a highly nourishing dish to be delivered to Li Weiyi's room.

Each time, they ate very cleanly, seemingly licking the bowls and plates clean.

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