The Heavenly Ranking fell silent once more.
Because the Aptitude Ranking and Dharma Artifact Ranking had such stringent requirements that only the strongest experts could make the lists, those in the middle and upper ranks could only gaze up endlessly.
But the judging criteria for the third list, the Grace Ranking, had not been fully settled, and seemingly everyone had a chance to rank.
There were still three months before the ranking opened. Within that period, as long as they displayed their distinctive grace and tried to create iconic moments, they stood a good chance of making the list. Many people sprang into action.
At that same moment!
Countless undercurrents were also surging throughout the world!
Jialuo Holy Land.
Inside Jialuo Hall, Empress Jiang Fei wore a crimson-and-gold dragon robe. Her face was radiant yet cold, and an imposing air of indescribable nobility radiated from her.
She was frowning as she leafed through something.
"Your Majesty!"
Suddenly, a woman entered from outside the hall.
Dressed in purple, she was tall, with gently peaked brows and peach-blossom eyes. Though exquisitely beautiful, her face was expressionless, inspiring fear at a glance.
Her personal attendant, Leng Ruoshuang!
She bowed and cupped her hands, her voice just as icy.
Jiang Fei set down the book in her hands. "Well?"
When the Dharma Artifact Ranking opened a few days earlier, sixth place had gone to the Blood Tathagata Beads, belonging to Monk Moren, a monk from a Buddhist temple within Jialuo Holy Land!
The holy land was eradicating Buddhism!
Jiang Fei had ordered Leng Ruoshuang to investigate!
"The temple was destroyed. No one remained!"
"Dead?"
"According to the holy troops present, the young monk was struck by several arrows. As he lay dying, the prayer beads around his neck unleashed terrifying power, inflicting heavy losses on the holy troops. Then a white light flashed, and the young monk vanished without a trace!"
"Those prayer beads... must have been the Blood Tathagata Beads..."
Jiang Fei tapped the tabletop with her slender fingers, her nails painted a scarlet as dazzling as the evening glow. Thoughts turned through her mind, as though she were considering something.
"Ruoshuang."
"At your service!"
"I want you to continue tracking down Mo Ren. An edict to eradicate Buddhism will inevitably make these monks hate me to the extreme, so... I will not spare a single potential threat."
"As you command!"
Leng Ruoshuang cupped her hands again and turned, intending to leave.
Jiang Fei said, "Ah, you truly live up to your name, a woman as cold as frost. We have known each other for decades, yet you never say an extra word, nor anything gentle. The third Heavenly Ranking is about to open. Do you not hope I make the list?"
Leng Ruoshuang stopped. "Prince Xiao is eloquent, Chancellor Fei's tongue blossoms with lotuses, and State Preceptor Lu strings together one brilliant remark after another. I shall invite them here!"
Jiang Fei: "..."
Leng Ruoshuang raised her eyes and glanced at the empress. Seeing her looking back, she seemed unable to escape and could only say somewhat awkwardly, "Your Majesty's grace surpasses all others. You will surely make the list!"
Jiang Fei waved a hand. "Go about your work."
As though granted a pardon, Leng Ruoshuang hastily withdrew from Jialuo Hall.
Watching her almost flee, Jiang Fei murmured, "After standing at the heights for so long, all I hear is flattery as insubstantial as clouds and mist. Only you have kept your genuine nature unchanged for decades.
"Ruoshuang, you are my mirror, allowing me to keep a clear head and correct myself amid all the glittering splendor. I have always cherished you!"
Setting Sun Sect.
Chu Shanjun came to the disciples' courtyard to find Yan Fei. Before he entered, he heard furious shouts of "Even if I fathered a pig, it would be better than you!" and "You're infuriating me to death!" Then a middle-aged man stormed out.
He wore luxurious black robes and a silver crown binding his hair. His weathered face possessed the handsomeness of a mature man. At that moment, he was filled with fury and strode like a shooting star, his imposing presence inspiring fear.
"Sect Master!"
Seeing him, Chu Shanjun hurriedly offered a greeting.
This was none other than the master of the Setting Sun Sect, Yan Hantian!
Yan Hantian glanced at him and wanted to say something, but ultimately swept his sleeve in anger and left.
Chu Shanjun felt helpless. He was long accustomed to such things; after all, this was far from the first time Yan Fei had enraged the sect master until his hair practically stood on end.
"Tch, he's always calling me a pig. Go father one, then! Let's see how much better it is than me!
"He's always this extreme. He never cares what I want!
"Old Chu, you got another free show~"
Yan Fei sauntered out and leaned casually against the doorway, speaking with a grin.
Chu Shanjun asked, "Did you get beaten?"
Yan Fei shrugged. "No. But if he beats me, he beats me. If he beats me to death, then I die! I just want to live freely and easily. I don't want to be sect master. I want to live my own life. Is that wrong?! He insists on tying me to the Setting Sun Sect, making both of us miserable!"
"Maybe... because you're his only son."
"My mother's gone anyway. He can remarry!"
"..."
"I don't want to keep living in his shadow, Yan Hantian's shadow, and the Setting Sun Sect's, carrying so much on my back! All I seek is a beauty by my side and a close friend or two, boating on the river at dawn and sleeping lightly among cloud-veiled mountains at dusk!"
Yan Fei lowered his head and clenched his fists.
For a moment, Chu Shanjun had no answer.
Just then, a white-haired elder approached and said in anguish, "Young Master, have you angered the sect master again?"
"Yeah."
"Alas, the sect master's old battle injuries have flared up, and he still has to manage this enormous sect. He's exhausted in body and mind. Please stop upsetting him."
"If he leaves me alone, we'll get along just fine."
"You are the sect's future heir. You must shoulder great responsibilities! The Setting Sun Sect is one of the world's foremost sects. How can the sect master rest easy when you act like this? He..."
"Grand Elder!"
Yan Fei suddenly interrupted him and shrugged. "Enough. What does it matter how much power you have? In the end, it's all drifting clouds."
The grand elder frowned.
Yan Fei smiled. "If you care so much about power, take it."
The grand elder hurriedly said, "You mustn't speak such nonsense!"
"Hmph."
Yan Fei rolled his eyes and curled his lips to one side.
Xuanji Sect.
In the sect master's courtyard, Xie Feng sat cross-legged, his eyes gently closed as wisps of clear Qi circulated around him.
He manifested an illusory world within his mind. Vast soul power burst forth, and an enormous white ring of light shrouded the sky above that world.
Chaos Primordial Unity!
This was the reward he had received from the Heavenly Ranking!
The ring of light continuously released the purest soul power. That power was so immense that no soul artifact in the world today could compare.
Chaos Primordial Unity was tempering Xie Feng's soul.
He felt his soul, once blank and frail, gradually growing taller and fuller. The sensation of soul power pouring in was like a lake being filled with the towering waters of an ocean!
Such terrifying power would surely have caused anyone else's body to explode, killing them!
But Xie Feng's Chaos Sacred Body was sufficiently heaven-defying, and he also possessed an extraordinarily powerful soul. He could fully contain and absorb the invading power of Chaos Primordial Unity!
His soul realm rose at tremendous speed.
Eighth-grade great perfection!
Early ninth grade!
Middle ninth grade!
Late ninth grade!
Ninth-grade great perfection!
In a brief moment, he advanced five levels, crossing an entire major realm, and this was not even the limit of what Xie Feng could withstand!
The power of Chaos Primordial Unity was so strong that it even stirred the flame within him.
The Northern Nether Illusory Flame surged into the sky.
Outside that realm, Xie Feng was now enveloped in blazing jade-green flames, like a venerable lord of fire!
The heavenly flame was absorbing power too!
Suddenly!
That dreamlike, illusory flame blazed upward.
Xie Feng instantly felt his whole body become clear and luminous, the Dao resonance growing richer. With a casual wave of his hand, jade-green flames filled the sky!
Rumble-
The Northern Nether Illusory Flame was burning heaven and earth!
Boundless annihilating power revealed itself, a might no heavenly flame could possess.
Divine flame!
The Northern Nether Illusory Flame had upgraded!
Amid the surging, overflowing, terrifying power of Chaos Primordial Unity, the heavenly flame sublimated, entering the ranks of the divine!