"If we're talking about our foundations, or divine artifacts..."
"How could a little Godwind City possibly compare to the Tang Sect or Spirit Hall?"
In Tang San's eyes, Dai Mubai and Grandmaster's misfortune had mostly come down to underestimating their opponent.
He didn't believe some bard he'd never even heard of could be all that capable.
"Once my divine artifact makes the ranking and I get my reward..."
"I'll settle both old scores and new ones then."
Tang San swore silently to himself.
On the roof of the City Lord Mansion in Godwind City.
Venti lay on the roof tiles, legs crossed, watching Bibi Dong's delirious celebration on the Sky Curtain.
"Bloodthirsty evolution?"
"Pfft—"
Venti couldn't help himself and burst out laughing.
"What kind of reward is that?"
"Turning a perfectly good weapon into a monster that only knows how to drink blood."
"What terrible taste."
He shook his head, his face full of disdain.
To him, weapons were meant to protect, and to perform a melody.
Use them to kill?
How crude.
"But speaking of which..."
Venti pulled the glowing green chess piece from his chest—the Gnosis of Wind.
The piece spun nimbly at his fingertips, giving off pure, gentle Anemo energy.
"If the Sky Curtain upgrades that Rakshasa Demon Scythe..."
"Then all the junk I've got here..."
Venti thought of the Skyward Harp gathering dust in his storeroom, along with the lyre he'd casually given Qian Renxue as a keepsake years ago.
Oh, and those dozens of Visions, too.
"If all of those make the ranking, will the Sky Curtain even have enough rewards to hand out?"
Venti scratched his head, looking troubled.
"Oh dear, what if they give me so many rewards that my storeroom can't fit them all?"
"What a headache."
He muttered smugly to himself, then yawned.
"Never mind. I won't think about it."
"Since Bibi Dong was this happy just to get tenth place..."
"Then I'll just..."
Venti shifted, finding a more comfortable angle, and lay back with his hands behind his head.
"Lie here and watch the show."
A breeze swept past, stirring the hair over his forehead.
A relaxed smile played on the young man's lips. In the face of the storm about to come, he looked exceptionally serene.
"Who'll be next?"
The scene above the sky shifted unpredictably.
Bibi Dong's maniacal laughter still seemed to echo across the heavens. The purple-black pillar of light, symbolizing evil and the Rakshasa, had only just faded when brilliant golden light tore through the clouds.
This golden light was utterly unlike the purple glow before it.
It was warm and sacred, carrying an imposing righteousness that seemed to cleanse every stain in the world.
The sea of clouds churned, as if invisible hands were pushing it aside.
At the heart of the boundless golden light, a longsword slowly materialized.
Its slender blade gleamed translucent gold from end to end. The hilt bore an image of the Six-Winged Angel, every feather so lifelike it seemed ready to take flight at any moment.
Rather than being wreathed in vengeful spirits and black mist like the Rakshasa Demon Scythe, the sword's edge blazed with pure golden flames.
They were the true flames of the sun, holy fire capable of purging all darkness.
[Rare Treasure Ranking, Ninth Place: Angel Holy Sword!] [Type: Divine Artifact] [Holder: Grand Worship of the Spirit Hall Empire / Elder of Judgment—Qian Renxue!]
At the sword's appearance, the temperature across the entire continent seemed to rise by several degrees.
The commoners who had been trembling in terror at the Rakshasa Demon Scythe's freezing aura now bathed in its golden light and felt a peace and tranquility unlike anything they had ever known.
This was the Angel God's sword, a symbol of justice and judgment.
Immediately afterward, a detailed introduction appeared on the Golden Ranking.
[The Angel God's exclusive divine artifact, endowed with the ultimate powers of holiness and flame.] [Property One: Judgment. Deals triple damage to all evil creatures and carries a purification effect.] [Property Two: Solar Domain. The holder can draw upon the true flames of the sun through the sword. Within the domain, Soul Power recovers ten times faster, and the holder is immune to all fire-element attacks.] [Property Three: Divine Protection. The sword contains the Angel God's divine will and can ward off one lethal attack.]
Seeing this dazzling list of properties, the experts of the various factions fell silent once more.
Though it ranked only one place above the Rakshasa Demon Scythe, the Angel Holy Sword's properties were clearly more versatile—and more domineering.
Its immunity to fire-element attacks and ability to ward off a lethal strike were especially impressive. They were practically life-saving divine skills.
However, the Sky Curtain gave the crowd little time to marvel.
Just as it had offered Bibi Dong "compensation," the Heavenly Dao also bestowed a blessing upon this Super Divine Artifact, which likewise ranked near the bottom.
[As the Angel Holy Sword is a divine artifact, it has been ranked only ninth.] [A reward is hereby bestowed—Divine Artifact Ascension!]
Boom!
A golden pillar of light, even thicker than the one before, descended from the heavens and enveloped a spot in the direction of the Worship Hall in Spirit City.
Within the pillar, the Angel Holy Sword's phantom burned and was reforged.
The blade, already flawless, now bore faint crimson-gold markings. They carried a power hotter than the sun and more scorching than molten lava.
[Reward One: The Angel Holy Sword gains the "Godslayer" property!] [Effect: Deals double damage to any god-level being! Ignores divine power defenses!] [Reward Two: The holder receives the Angel Armor External Soul Bone!] [Effect: A winged battle armor perfectly compatible with the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. Greatly increases defense and flight speed, and amplifies Angel Divine Power by fifty percent!]
The moment these two lines appeared, even Bibi Dong, who had still been relatively composed, went rigid.
Godslayer?
Double damage to gods?
This property was practically made to counter god-level powerhouses!
If Bloodthirsty was meant to help her become a god faster, then Godslayer was meant to give Qian Renxue the power to slay gods!
At that moment, above Spirit City.
Qian Renxue hovered in the air, six enormous golden wings beating slowly behind her.
Her stunning face was filled with astonishment.
The Angel Holy Sword in her hand was undergoing a complete transformation. Crimson-gold markings spread across the blade, and the heart-pounding power emanating from it felt both unfamiliar and familiar to her.
At the same time, a resplendent golden suit of armor was slowly taking shape around her.
Feather-shaped plates wrapped tightly around her graceful figure, outlining every curve to perfection. She looked both sacred and untouchable, and possessed a stirring, heroic beauty.
This was the External Soul Bone, Angel Armor.
"Ninth place?"
Qian Renxue tightened her grip on the longsword, feeling the surging divine power within her, vast as the sea. Yet her brows furrowed slightly.
She'd thought the Angel Holy Sword's rank would at least put it in the top five.
After all, it was the divine artifact her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, had spent his entire life guarding—the priceless treasure the Angel God had left to future generations.
And yet it was only ninth?
"So there are eight weapons in this world that surpass the Angel Holy Sword?"
Qian Renxue murmured, a glint of defiance flashing in her eyes.
But soon, her attention was caught by the Godslayer property.
This power...
Qian Renxue looked at the sword in her hand, a smile touching her lips.
With this, even against that woman, she now had the confidence to stand as her equal.
She folded away her wings, transformed into a streak of golden light, and shot straight toward the Pope Palace.