Known Throughout the World, a Clash of Blade and Sword (Two-in-One)

The Great Flame Heaven-Human Ranking is different from other martial arts rankings such as the Hidden Dragon Ranking and the Yuan Pill Ranking. It is the only ranking of the strongest people issued by the imperial court, which is highly credible. Being able to be listed on the list means that one's fame will be known throughout the world.

Therefore, the rankings are updated every three years, which is highly anticipated by the entire Great Flame.

The rankings were updated a few days late this time, He Yan rushed back to the True Martial Sect as soon as he received the news.

In the past, the disciples of the True Martial Sect also paid attention to the Celestial Person Ranking, but after all, such a high-ranking list was too far away from them. But now it's different. The True Martial Sect has such an unparalleled powerhouse who looks down on the Great Flame!

Heavenly Sword Real Person!

After He Yan brought back the news of the Celestial Person Ranking, the entire True Martial Sect was in an uproar.

Daoist Longshan was also extremely concerned, and Ning Qi and a few other True Disciple who were still at True Martial Mountain also came upon hearing the news.

Mingwu Pavilion.

He Yan excitedly opened a book with a gold-rimmed border.

"Master, look! Senior Tianjian is on the list!" His face was flushed with excitement. He had traveled all this way back to the mountain just to share this joyous news. He felt honored.

Everyone looked over.

It was written on the last page.

The thirty-sixth on the Celestial Person Ranking Heavenly Sword Real Person.

Then came lines of smaller text, introducing Heavenly Sword Real Person's detailed information and battle record, as well as some speculations.

"Heavenly Sword Real Person, age and past experiences unknown, currently resides on True Martial Mountain. At that time, Lin Old Devil, a powerful Celestial Person from the Demon Sect, attempted to destroy True Martial Mountain. A celestial sword appeared out of nowhere, severely injuring Lin Old Devil..."

"Afterwards, the five great Celestial Person of the Demon Sect gathered at True Martial Mountain, and the Heavenly Sword Real Person once again blocked one of them with his sword..."

"Considering the Heavenly Sword Real Person's two appearances and the fact that Heavenly Sword Real Person has not shown himself, it is highly likely that he has held back his strength, hence he is ranked thirty-sixth on the Celestial Person Ranking."

Besides the eloquent text, there are also paintings by artists with unparalleled skills that depict the divine charm of the Heavenly Sword Real Person's Heavenly Sword Across the Sky. The viewers are filled with longing. Putting aside the strength for the moment, just in terms of sheer coolness, there are few people in the entire Celestial Person Ranking who can surpass the Heavenly Sword Across the Sky.

The True Disciple were all excited.

They occasionally showed expressions of amazement.

Zhuang Chen couldn't help but say:

"If possible, I would truly like to receive some guidance from the venerable Elder Tianjian."

He was passionate about Sword Dao, and having such a peerless swordsman in his own sect naturally made him yearn for him. However, he also knew that the Heavenly Sword Real Person rarely showed himself, and even his own master, Daoist Longshan, was rarely seen. He could only feel regret in his heart.

Upon hearing this, the Daoist Longshan stroked his beard and smiled, giving his young disciple a strange look.

The fact that Heavenly Sword Real Person was able to be Celestial Person Ranking made him somewhat happy. This was enough to greatly enhance the prestige of the True Martial Sect, laying the foundation for future expansion and also paving the way for the ranking of all Daoist sects in the world.

Although I knew there was some hope of making it onto the Celestial Person Ranking, it wasn't a certainty. Now that everything is settled, I'm naturally overjoyed.

But Ning Qi felt somewhat helpless.

To be honest, he would rather not be on this list of Celestial Person.

The martial arts world is a huge arena of fame and fortune, and the Celestial Person Ranking is the focus of that arena, easily attracting trouble. In particular, his ranking is quite awkward, attracting the covetous eyes of many, and even challenges.

It's better to keep a low profile.

But since we've already gone this far, there's no point in saying anything now. We can only try to think of things in a positive light.

"It's definitely more beneficial than harmful to the sect's development, and it also has a certain deterrent effect on the Demon Sect. However, we need to be careful of the Southern Frontier Alliance. If they suspected us before, being on this list might make them pay even more attention."

However, Ning Qi wasn't too worried.

His actual strength far surpasses that of the thirty-sixth on the Celestial Person Ranking. He has made further progress recently, and if he were to use all his methods, he might already be able to hold his own against the Prince of Zhenbei.

Zhuang Chen's curious words caught his attention:

"Senior Tianjian is already so strong, who are the people ranked ahead of him?" His eyes were filled with longing.

Ning Qi also somewhat curious.

Although the Celestial Person Ranking does not include all the masters, it is of great reference value. The more you learn about it now, the better you will be able to deal with it if you encounter it in the future.

With He Yan face, He Yan flipped through the list of Celestial Person and began to introduce it as if he knew it by heart. He could also occasionally tell some rumors and anecdotes that were not recorded in the list of Celestial Person. He has always been interested in all kinds of miscellaneous knowledge.

"Thirty-fifth on the Celestial Person Ranking is a powerful figure from Leizhou. He entered the ranking in the previous year, but hasn't made a move in the past three years, causing him to drop one place..."

"..."

"This is Senior Qingniu. He ranked thirty-third in the previous competition, but now he has moved up one place to thirty-second. This is thanks to his achievement in wiping out the Deathfire Abyss branch. Not only that, the Demon Sect also sent people to cause trouble for Senior Qingniu, but he resolved them all, which indirectly helped him advance further on the Celestial Person Ranking."

Everyone listened, completely captivated.

The stories of these unparalleled powerhouses always hold a special place in people's hearts.

Ning Qi only paid slight attention to them; with his current strength, these top-ranked experts on the Celestial Person Ranking were no longer of any interest to him.

The ranking paused briefly above the Green Ox Swordsman, after all, he was the most familiar with him.

He was somewhat moved.

During the previous Celestial Person Ceremony, the Green Ox Swordsman was extremely powerful, but he was quickly left behind. If the Green Ox Swordsman were to fight him now, he would be easily suppressed.

He Yan continued speaking.

The Celestial Person Ranking, which is updated every three years, doesn't actually change much. This is especially true as you go further up the list; it's mostly composed of regulars. At most, there are slight adjustments based on recent performances, since Celestial Person Realm have very long lifespans. It's said that the imperial court is planning to change the update schedule of the Celestial Person Ranking from the original three-year cycle to a five-year or even ten-year cycle, but this is still under discussion.

Ning Qi gazed intently at each of the powerful figures among them.

I mainly started paying attention to the first twenty.

"Among the top 20 to 10, there are three Daoist experts, two Buddhist experts, and the rest are experts from various major sects. There are no Rogue Person artists. Judging from this, Rogue Person martial artists lack resources and Inheritance, and their lives are very difficult."

Ning Qi was filled with emotion.

In the early stages of martial arts, Rogue Person artists might be able to contend with martial artists from sects and catch up with their progress through some fortuitous encounters. However, it becomes increasingly difficult as one progresses. Someone like Xiaoyao Jun, who was able to reach the Celestial Person Realm on his own, is practically the pinnacle among Rogue Person martial artists.

He Yan continued:

"Among these top ten, there's one we've met before."

Everyone realized what was happening.

Prince Zhenbei!

Ning Qi looked over and immediately showed a look of surprise.

It was astonishing to see that the Prince of Zhenbei was no longer ninth, but seventh, having jumped two places. It should be noted that the Celestial Person Ranking is not rigged and has a high degree of credibility, which means that the Prince of Zhenbei is stronger, or that he had been hiding his strength before.

Ning Qi carefully examined the small print in the description.

"Seventh on the Celestial Person Ranking, the Prince of Zhenbei, whose real name is Li Xuanyang, began his martial arts journey at the age of six, gradually distinguishing himself in the royal family. At eighteen, he joined the army, fighting against the Northern Barbarians. At thirty, he reached the White Mist Realm and was granted the title of Marquis. At fifty, he reached the Yuan Pill Realm, and at sixty, he reached the Celestial Person Realm, and in the same year, he was granted the title of Prince of Zhenbei... He created the Zhentian Fist by integrating all his martial arts, suppressing countless Northern Barbarians, and his fame was illustrious..."

Ning Qi's internal commentary.

"Achieving Celestial Person at sixty? Truly a peerless genius, he's definitely among the fastest cultivators in the world. No wonder he possesses such formidable strength at less than one hundred and fifty years old. So that profound and evocative fist technique is called the Heaven-Suppressing Fist?"

He continued reading and, sure enough, saw the latest match results update.

"Ten powerful Celestial Person from the Northern Barbarians led a large army to besiege the Prince of Zhenbei, intending to march south. However, the Prince of Zhenbei single-handedly defeated them, with three dead and seven escaping, and his army was annihilated..."

"These ten Celestial Person are definitely not ordinary Celestial Person Realm. It seems that the strength of the King of Zhenbei is not so simple." Ning Qi thought to himself. He originally thought that after his progress, he would be able to exchange blows with the King of Zhenbei, but now it seems that there is still a gap. As everyone knows, the higher you are on the Celestial Person Ranking, the greater the gap becomes.

The gap between each of the top ten is likely to be larger than the gap between the bottom five.

He lingered on the top ten experts for a considerable time, and remembered everything He Yan said.

Ultimately, attention settled on the top three.

In any field, the top three are always a topic that cannot be avoided, especially the number one.

"Third on the Celestial Person Ranking, the Blade Demon, appeared out of nowhere twenty years ago. His swordsmanship was as strange and demonic as a demon's; he could cleave mountains in two with a single strike, and he even directly killed the then third-ranked person on the Celestial Person Ranking..."

"Ranked second on the Celestial Person Ranking, General Yanwu, commanding the vast army of Great Flame, has fought countless battles throughout his life and enjoys extremely high prestige within the Great Flame army..."

"The number one on the Celestial Person Ranking, the Old Man Listening to the Wind, is rumored to have been blind in his childhood, but possesses extraordinary talent in martial arts. He appears and disappears without a trace, and for sixty years no one has been able to challenge his position..."

Ning Qi carefully examined the top three strongest individuals.

The third-ranked Blade Demon has always been the idol of most swordsmen. Previously, all swordsmen were superior to swordsmen, but after the Blade Demon appeared out of nowhere, he directly overshadowed all swordsmen. After all, the strongest swordsman was only the fifth-ranked Sun Chasing Sword King.

However, the swordsmen generally ranked higher than the sabers on the Celestial Person Ranking, and their numbers also exceeded those of the knife-wielders by two—originally, the two were on par, but when the Heavenly Sword Real Person ranked thirty-sixth on the Celestial Person Ranking, he squeezed out the Thunderclap Saber Venerable who was originally thirty-sixth.

The second is General Yanwu of the Great Flame Dynasty. The name Yanwu indicates his status. Ning Qi originally thought that since it was a list of Celestial Person issued by the imperial court, the first place would be given to one of his own people. However, he did not expect to be ranked second.

Perhaps this is also a manifestation of the credibility of the Great Flame Heaven-Human Ranking.

"However, it seems that this old man who listens to the wind is quite formidable; despite his physical disability, he can still rank first for sixty years."

He was somewhat surprised.

Without a doubt, these powerful individuals are the true pinnacle of the Great Flame. Without the Great Flame Martial Saint, they are the strongest.

"These people must all be true Celestial Person Perfection. Perhaps their combat power is so strong because their essence, energy, and spirit are all gathered together." Ning Qi carefully read the battle descriptions. Cutting down mountains, shattering the earth, burning rivers and boiling seas are all things that ordinary Celestial Person Realm cannot do.

"I wonder if they have already begun their journey towards the Martial Saint realm?"

There are countless powerful individuals in the world, but Martial Saint are few and far between.

Ning Qi felt that he had gained a great deal from viewing the Celestial Person Ranking.

He was comparing his own combat strength.

He felt that once he reached the Yuan Pill Realm, he would be able to face these people without fear, and even suppress them.

"However, the Great Flame Heaven-Human Ranking does not include all peerless experts. For example, experts from the Demon Sect, the Southern Frontier Alliance, the Northern Barbarians, and Mutant Beast beasts are not included. Some martial arts sects may also have hidden strengths that are not included. It is even 100% certain that the Great Flame Dynasty itself has some experts who are hidden and not on the list."

This is normal.

Some people will strive for fame and fortune, but others will disdain it. The Great Flame Dynasty created this Celestial Person Ranking for better governance, so it is impossible for it to reveal all its strengths. Revealing a portion is enough to serve as a deterrent.

However, Ning Qi felt that even among those hidden experts, there were very few in the world who could rival the top three on the Celestial Person Ranking.

Everyone was amazed after seeing the list of Celestial Person.

He Yan smiled and said:

"With our talent, we probably have no hope of entering the Celestial Person Ranking, but Master will definitely be one in the future. And when Little Nine and Xiao Shi grow up, they will surely be able to enter the Celestial Person Ranking as well. At that time, our True Martial Sect will have four peerless experts on the Celestial Person Ranking, enough to make the world take notice!"

Everyone was filled with anticipation.

Daoist Longshan shook his head and chuckled, then tapped He Yan ruler:

"Don't underestimate yourselves. All of you fellow disciples are quite talented. No one can predict the future. If you get the right fortuitous opportunity and accumulate knowledge and skills, you might just have a chance to soar to great heights. How can you be so sure about the future now?"

He Yan jokingly admitted that he couldn't make it onto the Celestial Person Ranking, but as his master Daoist Longshan naturally had to encourage and exhort him.

All the disciples bowed respectfully and said solemnly:

"Your disciple will remember this!"

The update of the Celestial Person Ranking caused a stir throughout the entire Great Flame; this was a grand event held only once every three years.

Countless people eagerly awaited the outcome, and some even set up betting odds long ago to predict how the rankings of the top players would change.

The top-ranked powerhouses naturally attracted a great deal of attention.

But one person also attracted a lot of attention.

That was the Heavenly Sword Real Person.

This is the only one in this year's competition to have made the list, surpassing the strong contenders from the previous year.

Many people had already started betting on it beforehand, and their level of attention was no less than that of the top twenty strongest players.

also.

His identity is also somewhat special.

Because, Heavenly Sword Real Person is a swordsman.

The rivalry between swords and sabers in the Great Flame Yan Celestial Person Realm has always been fierce. Whether they are swordsmen or saber-wielders, they all want to be the best. From the bottom up, there is nothing that is not compared, from the number of swordsmen and saber-wielders in various places, to the famous Swordsmanship techniques, to the Sword Dao and saber masters in the Yuan Pill Realm and Tian Ren realms.

The Celestial Person Ranking is even more of a focus for swordsmen and knife-wielders.

To some extent, the inclusion of Heavenly Sword Real Person on the list broke the deadlock.

The topic is being hotly debated in every state across the country.

The swordsmen were overjoyed and extremely excited.

"With Heavenly Sword Real Person on the list, and Celestial Person Ranking at number thirty-six, we swordsmen occupy ten seats, while you saber-wielders only have eight. You are far inferior!"

"Swordsmen are revered; at least until the next update to the Celestial Person Ranking, that remains true!"

Their faces were beaming with smiles, as if they were feeling triumphant.

But the swordsmen were equally unwilling to give in.

"Swordsmanship reigns supreme? Do you dare let Senior Blade Demon hear such words? Senior Blade Demon ranks third on the Celestial Person Ranking, enough to look down upon everything."

This is the belief of the swordsmen; the existence of the Sword Demon gives them unparalleled confidence in their words.

"The Sword King of the Sun is ranked fifth, which doesn't necessarily mean he's inferior to the Blade Demon. It's just that the two haven't fought each other. Furthermore, even if the Blade Demon is slightly stronger, it doesn't change the fact that we have more people on the Celestial Person Ranking than the two of you, and our overall ranking is also higher."

These words were spoken.

The swordsmen were speechless, feeling only a bit annoyed; it was a fact that could not be refuted.

But some people immediately spoke up in support:

"Hmph! Heavenly Sword Real Person is indeed strong, but the Celestial Person Ranking isn't without its misjudgments. In my opinion, he might not be stronger than Thunderclap Blade Master. Don't forget, if one can defeat the strongest on the Celestial Person Ranking, one can take their place. That's what Senior Blade Demon did back then!"

The swordsmen were immediately enraged:

"Such sophistry! Why don't you let Thunderclap Blade Master challenge Heavenly Sword Real Person? You won't learn your lesson until you see the coffin!"

In an instant.

The commotion caused by the swordsmen and knife-wielders grew increasingly louder.

Debates and arguments could be heard in every state and region, and in some serious cases, armed clashes had even broken out.

Heavenly Sword Real Person was actually just a catalyst.

Ultimately, the root cause lies in the long-standing conflict over swords and spears.

Everyone hopes that the weapon they use is unparalleled in the world. Although smart people know that their strength comes from themselves and has nothing to do with the weapon, sometimes the masses are irrational and somewhat vain.

Even the strong can be caught up in it.

With the added fuel of the fire from some onlookers who love a good spectacle, the conflict has become increasingly intense, escalating every day.

Some people actually managed to get their hands on the Thunderclap Blade Master.

The Holy Maiden of Southern Xinjiang flipped through the newly released Great Flame Heaven-Human Ranking with great interest, a hint of amazement in her eyes:

"The Great Flame is truly teeming with powerful figures. If all the martial arts sects in the world were of one mind with the Great Flame, I'm afraid the Great Flame would have already pacified the universe and unified the world. In that case, we would probably have no choice but to completely submit and submit, or hide in the deepest part of the Hundred Thousand Mountains."

Grandma Snake was always arrogant, but even she nodded in agreement at this moment.

If she were on this list of Celestial Person, she probably wouldn't rank very well.

"This might be our chance. With the release of the Celestial Person Ranking, all eyes in the world are on us. We've been holding back for so long, but now we can erase all the traces we left behind and regroup. Although we don't necessarily need to continue cultivating the Blood King Gu in Qingzhou, we should at least keep some spies around." Granny Snake's voice was a little hoarse.

The Holy Maiden of Southern Xinjiang nodded slowly:

"That's exactly what I was thinking. After being silent for so long, it's about time we made our move. The Demon Sect has been hiding very well lately, and we've only discovered some of their insignificant strongholds so far, but we'll get our revenge sooner or later."

"That's right, if we don't establish our authority, there's no way to carry out the subsequent operations." Granny Snake hesitated for a moment, "But are you sure you've locked all your targets onto the Demon Sect?"

The Holy Maiden of Southern Xinjiang rose, gazing at the scenery outside the window with a gentle smile. Her veil fluttered, revealing a glimpse of her unparalleled beauty.

"Of course not, Mother-in-law, have you noticed that Heavenly Sword Real Person is on the list?"

"Of course I saw it. Thirty-six just now, but that also means they have the strength to do this. Does the Holy Maiden intend to verify it? As long as I see this Heavenly Sword Real Person make a move, this old woman will be able to judge whether he has been hiding his true power."

Granny Snake was also very cautious. Although Heavenly Sword Real Person had only displayed the power of a swordsman so far, no one knew if he was hiding anything. What if he was actually a "Poison Sword True Person"?

The main reason was that Heavenly Sword Real Person had fought against that powerful Demon Sect cultivator who was skilled in poison, and the connection between the two always made her uneasy.

With just a glance, it was clear that no one's true power could be hidden from her two precious snakes.

The saintess chuckled softly:

"We don't need to do it ourselves; someone else will take care of it for us."

The snake grandmother was puzzled.

The saintess continued:

"The rivalry between the Great Flame swords and sabers has a long history. The fact that Heavenly Sword Real Person Heavenly Sword Real Person was included on the list this time was the trigger. Jinglei Daozun, who was squeezed out by Tianjian Zhenren, was already unwilling. Now, with many swordsmen petitioning, he has a legitimate reason to take action and will definitely challenge Heavenly Sword Real Person."

"At that time, we only need to be there to observe, and we will naturally be able to see the true nature of Heavenly Sword Real Person. If it is confirmed that he has nothing to do with us, then we will no longer need to waste time on the True Martial Sect. We can simply prepare a good gift for the Demon Sect."

A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and her black dress billowed with murderous intent.

As the Holy Maiden of Southern Xinjiang, she naturally wouldn't let the Southern Xinjiang Alliance suffer such a great loss at the hands of the Demon Sect. She came to Qingzhou with a mission, and she couldn't just leave in disgrace without doing anything.

"Then what should we do...?"

"Add fuel to the fire, and let's watch the show." A light laugh, like the tinkling of silver bells.

The conflict over swords and sabers has intensified throughout the world. It's unclear where the tide started, but it suddenly became incredibly fierce.

At first, it was just a few nobody arguing.

Gradually, some well-known experts joined in, and then even some long-established powerhouses. Some people sensed something was wrong, but they had already been drawn in.

In the martial arts world, one is not in control of one's own destiny.

Sometimes, you have to consider your sect and Lineage even if you don't think about yourself. If you're weak, you're easily bullied, and if you keep doing it, people will take advantage of you.

Slowly.

More and more swordsmen are requesting Thunderclap Sword Master to challenge Heavenly Sword Real Person, in order to uphold the honor of swordsmen.

I don't know when it started.

The tide has turned. It's as if the battle between Heavenly Sword Real Person and Thunderclap Blade Master has become the ultimate showdown between swords and blades. Many people know that the situation is getting out of control, but they can't stop it.

However, Thunderclap Blade Master has not yet responded and seems to be wavering.

On True Martial Mountain.

Naturally, they also heard the news.

The disciples of True Martial were filled with righteous indignation.

Whether they use knives or swords, they are first and foremost disciples of True Martial. They are naturally angry when outsiders try to challenge their foundation.

They all firmly believed that if Thunder Blade Master dared to come, Heavenly Sword Real Person Master could easily suppress him.

Having witnessed the power of the Heavenly Sword, they held a deep reverence for the Heavenly Sword Real Person, with many even believing that ranking Celestial Person only thirty-sixth on the Heavenly Sword Real Person Heavenly Sword Real Person was an underestimation of him.

Daoist Longshan smiled wryly, realizing he had been too happy too soon.

Gaining fame is a good thing, but attracting unwarranted challenges is not.

It shouldn't have come to this; it was just a normal change in the rankings of the Celestial Person Ranking.

But just as the conflict between swords and spears began, they were already caught in an invisible vortex.

Daoist Longshan entered the Dao-Seeking Courtyard late at night.

Ning Qi was cultivating, his Gang Qi surging like thunder. The slight noise he emitted made Daoist Longshan tremble with fear. Ning Qi slowly opened his eyes, already knowing his master's purpose.

"Little Nine, what should we do if that Thunderclap Blade Master really comes to challenge us?" Daoist Longshan hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Should we just say that Heavenly Sword Real Person has already descended the mountain and gone to travel the world?"

He wasn't worried that his disciple couldn't handle it, but rather that many eyes would inevitably be drawn to him. If someone were to discover the true identity of the Heavenly Sword Real Person, it would be a case of more harm than good, and might even bring more trouble.

Rather than doing that, it's better to lose face a little and not lose sight of the bigger picture.

Ning Qi felt somewhat helpless. He had been worried that being on the list would cause trouble, and he hadn't expected that trouble would actually come. However, this was not something he could control. Fortunately, he had the foresight to create the Formless Body.

"Master, this is inappropriate."

He stood up, shook his head with a smile, and walked alongside the Daoist Longshan.

"This matter cannot be avoided. The conflict between swords and blades needs an outlet. If Heavenly Sword Real Person is not at True Martial Mountain, then True Martial Mountain will never have a peaceful day. In the future, it will attract many prying eyes, and challengers will come one after another. Since trouble has already come knocking, then we will meet it head-on."

"If the Thunderclap Blade Master really comes, then we must not only win, but win decisively to avoid future troubles."

The Daoist Longshan said with concern:

"But... there will likely be quite a few Celestial Person experts coming to watch the battle. Won't that expose your identity?"

Ning Qi laughed:

"Master, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Ning Qi's voice was somewhat calm.

He simply dislikes trouble, not that he fears it. Since trouble has come knocking, he'll deal with it. However, deep down, he still hopes that Thunderclap Blade Master won't be so superficial as to challenge him for a mere reputation.

The Daoist Longshan's worries were greatly relieved, and a look of relief appeared on his face.

He wanted to stroke Ning Qi's head, but then he realized that Ning Qi was already up to his shoulder.

Unbeknownst to him, his little apprentice had truly become the pillar of the True Martial Sect.