An Opponent from an Entirely Different Dimension

Xu Jin swept his gaze over the crowd. Seeing that no one had any further objections, he withdrew his eyes.

"Wang Lei, tally the spoils, compile the records of merit, and send the battle report by express to the Western Office of the provincial capital. Report it to the Hundred-Household Office at the same time."

"Zhang Yao, take men and guard the breach in the embankment. Do not let the yin baleful intent flood into the village again. Once the provincial cleanup team arrives, assist them in checking each household for lingering poison."

"Shen Ze, your Evil-Refining Seal is sensitive to yin baleful intent. Help inspect the scene. Do not overlook any secret letters or tokens from the Profound Yin Hall."

He issued the assignments in just a few sentences, every detail neatly arranged, as though he had not taken the earlier conflict to heart at all.

Once he had finished giving orders, he tapped the ground with his toes. Golden radiance burst around him as he transformed into a rainbow and headed upriver along the bank.

His black-clad figure became a streak of golden light, piercing through the morning mist and flying several miles away in the blink of an eye.

Everyone on the riverbank stared in stunned silence.

Zhang Yao's mouth hung open for a long while before it finally closed.

"He... he flew away?"

The old patrol captain had only just crawled out of the reeds, limping badly. When he saw the golden rainbow in the sky, even his calves began to tremble.

"Didn't they say only Grandmasters can fly? He's only at the eighth level of the Comprehension Realm..."

Shen Ze stood where he was, his face shifting between pale and green.

Born into an Evil-Refining family, he naturally knew just how difficult flight at the Comprehension Realm was.

Ordinary Comprehension Realm cultivators could only jump higher. Even those who could ride the wind or step through the air over short distances were considered geniuses among Masters.

Long-distance flight?

Even early-stage Grandmasters might not possess such an ability.

Earlier, he had believed Xu Jin had merely relied on techniques that countered yin baleful intent, taking advantage of the situation to kill Hall Master Zhou.

But as he watched the golden rainbow gradually fade into the horizon, the last trace of defiance in his heart completely dispersed.

This was simply an opponent from an entirely different dimension.

Wang Lei had no time to think about any of that. He lowered his head and swiftly tallied the talismans, demon crystals, and shattered armor scattered across the ground, clicking his tongue as he counted.

Twelve yin puppets, eight elite members of the Profound Yin Hall, a black-robed deacon and his nephew, plus a Master-level hall master.

If all of that counted as merit, how many ranks would Brother Xu leap this time?

Half an hour later, the provincial cleanup team arrived.

The old clerk leading them was surnamed Liu. He had handled aftermath work at the Western Office for twenty years and had seen every kind of horrific scene.

Yet when he reached the center of the altar ruins, he still sucked in a sharp breath.

He truly had never seen a sight like this.

Black water seeped into the soil everywhere. Charred reeds lay toppled in every direction, shattered bones and armor from yin puppets were scattered all around, a huge stretch of embankment had collapsed from the impact, and even the river still carried traces of undispersed yin baleful intent.

Most conspicuous of all was the severed head resting on a bluestone.

Zhou Qing of the Profound Yin Hall, hall master of the Green-Mud Ferry branch, early-stage Master.

"Chief Liu, it's been verified. The soul imprint matches. It really is Zhou Qing himself."

A constable came over carrying the verified token, his voice floating somewhat unsteadily.

"There was... there was only one person's battle trace at the scene."

Clerk Liu crouched down and rubbed a pinch of charred dirt between his fingertips.

He remained silent for a long while before speaking in a low voice.

"A probationary patrol captain punched through an entire branch of the Profound Yin Hall and even killed its hall master."

"Green-Mud Ferry has produced quite a ruthless character."

That very day, the battle report and the document verifying the head were stamped with the great seal of the Western Office. They were sent at full gallop by courier toward the provincial capital, then forwarded onward to the Merit Office of the capital's General Headquarters.

The news seemed to grow wings. It first spread through the Western Office compound, then flowed along the postal roads toward the provincial capital and the imperial city.

Inside the Merit Office of the provincial Demon Suppression Bureau, several clerks clustered around the battle report, arguing heatedly.

"First-class merit! Absolutely first-class merit! Killing a Master at the Comprehension Realm—if that doesn't count as first-class merit, what does?"

"What's the rush? Under court regulations, killing an early-stage Master evil cultivator is already a first-class achievement. The local office has no authority to decide it. It must be sent to the Merit Office at General Headquarters for approval."

Someone stroked his beard and sighed. "How many years has it been since our provincial capital produced a first-class achievement? The last time was seven years ago, when Hundred-Household Officer Li killed that Black Mountain Old Demon."

"Tell me, does this Xu Jin have a chance of making a run at the Soaring Cloud Ranking?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

"Difficult." The old clerk shook his head. "The Soaring Cloud Ranking is jointly assessed by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and General Headquarters. There are seventy-two seats for Masters under thirty, all occupied by great families of the capital and direct descendants of Daoist sects. Children from humble families can scarcely even touch the threshold for consideration."

"But he can kill a Master while still in the Comprehension Realm! Once he reaches the Master Realm, wouldn't that be terrifying? How could those aristocratic young masters at the bottom of the ranking, coasting on seniority, possibly be his match?"

"That's true... In past years, everyone our provincial capital sent to the Year-End Martial Trials was just there to make up the numbers. If we send him this year, perhaps he really could make a name for himself."

A young errand runner delivering documents overheard them and innocently cut in.

"Big brothers, what are the Year-End Martial Trials? Are they really that impressive?"

Several older clerks smiled and explained it to him.

"It's a grand ceremony held once every three years in the capital. Every provincial capital and every sect can recommend young disciples to participate."

"The champion can enter General Headquarters directly to receive an official post, and can even cultivate within the royal secret realm. That's an opportunity to soar to the heavens in a single step."

"The people our provincial capital sent in the last few sessions didn't even make it into the second round. Those from the Pei Family in the capital, from Dragon-Tiger Mountain—they were each more formidable than the last."

The young runner's eyes shone as he pressed on, "Then is the Soaring Cloud Ranking even more impressive than the Martial Trials?"

"Of course." The old clerk's tone grew more solemn. "The Soaring Cloud Ranking records the seventy-two strongest cultivators in all Great Yin under the age of thirty. It is determined by a comprehensive evaluation of combat strength, achievements, and potential. It is the court-appointed hierarchy of the younger generation."

"Anyone who makes the ranking will, at worst, become a regional commander in the future. Those great families in the capital would crack their heads open trying to send their own descendants onto it."

"Our provincial capital hasn't had anyone even brush against the edge of the Soaring Cloud Ranking in nearly twenty years."

"If Patrol Captain Xu can make the ranking, our provincial capital will truly gain face!"

"Exactly." The old clerk smiled and patted the battle report on the table. "Just wait. Once this report reaches the capital, the General Headquarters will surely explode as well."

Beside the courtyard wall of the Green-Mud Ferry resettlement site.

Wang Xiaoyi squatted on the ground, helping the constables carry cinnabar talisman paper, while discussions about Patrol Captain Xu filled his ears.

Killing a Master-level hall master, first-class merit, the Soaring Cloud Ranking, the Year-End Martial Trials...

Every one of those terms was unfamiliar to him. They all seemed like things only distant, lofty figures were worthy of.

Unable to resist, he tugged at the sleeve of the constable beside him and asked softly:

"Constable Brother, what is the Soaring Cloud Ranking?"

The constable had been speaking with great enthusiasm. Interrupted, he was not annoyed in the slightest, and instead smiled as he explained:

"It's a ranking compiled by the court. Only the strongest cultivators under thirty in the entire world can make it."

"In the past, people from little places like ours could only hear rumors about it."

He looked up toward the riverbank, his tone carrying a hint of shared pride.

"But things are different now."

"Our Green-Mud Ferry's Patrol Captain Xu might even get the chance to show his face on it."

Wang Xiaoyi raised his head, his eyes sparkling brightly as he listened.

The black-clad figure who had vaulted over the wall that day and split the water puppet apart with one sword grew clearer and clearer in his heart.

So someone that powerful could not only save his life, but could also climb to such great heights.