C1 The Heaven Ranking Descended the Chaos Holy Body.
The breeze whispered through the tips of the green meadow, while people vanished into the depths of the ancient mountain forests.
Chirp chirp...
Clad in verdant robes, Xie Feng's handsome features were relaxed, his eyes half-closed in a lazy squint as he lounged comfortably in a rocking chair, nursing a chipped and worn teacup, from which he leisurely sipped.
Outside, a purple bamboo swayed in the rainy night, and above the doorway, three weathered characters revealed themselves—
Armillary Sphere Sect!
Xie Feng was a traveler from another world.
In his former life, he perished in a car accident, his spirit transplanted into the body of an abandoned infant in this realm. By chance, the master of the Armillary Sphere Sect found him and took him in as his final disciple.
The Armillary Sphere Sect, nestled within an unnamed domain atop the sprawling Armillary Sphere Mountain, was unassuming in appearance. Yet within its gates lay a world unto itself—a library, a cultivation tower, an alchemy chamber, a training ground, and more. Beyond the herbal garden on the rear mountain, there was also a lake, home to an ancient turtle.
Originally, the mountain hosted four souls aside from his master—two senior brothers.
As a teenager, Xie Feng watched them depart one by one.
His master, a man of leisure, was prone to indulging in wine, admiring flowers, and fishing, offering guidance to his disciples only when the mood struck him.
Xie Feng, largely left to his own devices, spent countless hours in the cultivation tower and alchemy chamber, self-teaching an array of skills.
Gifted with innate intelligence and a talent for both martial and alchemical arts, his cultivation progressed swiftly, thanks to his extraordinary nature—
The Chaos Holy Body!
Even mortals with such a Saint Body could ascend to sainthood!
With such a formidable constitution, Xie Feng had ascended to the Third Order of the Deification Stage by the age of twenty!
Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deification, Tribulation, Mahayana, Immortal Ascension—each realm divided into ten stages.
Such was the cultivation system of this world!
In these latter days, with spiritual energy scarce, reaching the Deification Stage typically required millennia of effort!
Xie Feng's thoughts drifted to a decade prior when his unrestrained master unexpectedly introduced a nun.
Grasping the wrinkled old nun with one hand and Xie Feng with the other, his master entrusted him with a smile, "My good disciple, as my energy wanes, I bequeath the sect to you, for I am entering seclusion."
Xie Feng asked, "Master, what need have you for a nun in your seclusion?"
His master retorted, "Silence! Do not pry into the affairs of your elders!"
Xie Feng: "..."
...
"Sigh."
"Ten years have passed since Master secluded himself; his whereabouts remain unknown..."
"It grows tiresome, this ceaseless cultivation upon the mountain."
"Perhaps a sojourn to the lands below is in order?"
Musing to himself, Xie Feng rose from his chair, his form flickering as he stepped forth from Armillary Sphere Mountain.
...
On that day, the cosmos stirred.
Above, amidst the vast expanse of the galaxy, extraordinary phenomena erupted!
A colossal fireball hurtled through the Three Thousand Worlds, unfurling into a vast scroll.
Illuminating the heavens, this ancient and commanding scroll slowly unfurled, spanning the galactic path.
The earth trembled at the disturbance, as seekers of the mysterious aura converged from all directions.
Then, from the heavens, a voice resonated—
"Peoples of the vast world, upon this great earth, the end of an era has come!
"Now, the Heaven Ranking shall open, a new epoch begins, and the Spiritual Qi shall revive!
"The first round commences with the talent list!
"Let the young prodigies of the world be named among the top ten, and to those listed, the Great Dao bestows its rewards!"
The Heaven Ranking scroll cleaved the celestial river, its golden radiance outshining the sun itself.
Golden light pierced the firmament!
The boundless earth erupted in dazzling brilliance, the darkness fleeing from its touch, and even the deepest demon lairs flickered with a faint glow.
With the revelation of the Heaven Ranking, the world stood in awe!
Across the hundred and ten continents, the mightiest converged in the Eastern, Heaven, Spirit, Central, and Holy Continents.
...
In the Central Continent, within the Vast Dragon Clan.
"The Heaven Ranking! It descends upon us!"
"Grandmother, what is this? Your astonishment—what does it mean?"
"The Heaven Ranking, timeless and eternal, signifies the Great Dao's order. Those who grace its list are unparalleled geniuses of their age!"
"Hiss, is it truly so formidable?!"
"The ancient texts recount that when the Heaven Ranking last appeared three million years ago, each of the ten listed achieved feats that shook the world, their legacies etched into history!"
Atop an island floating at the boundary of yin and yang, two figures materialized.
The taller, a young man with a regal bearing and handsome visage, his attire resplendent and two dragon whisker strands lending an air of elegance.
He was Qu Jiangxuan, scion of the Vast Dragon Clan.
The shorter, an elderly woman, her hair as white as snow, her hawkish nose suspended above her upper lip, her gaze as sharp as a blade.
The venerable mother of the Azure Dragon King, Xuan Tugu!
The elderly woman gazed upon her grandson, her eyes weaving a tapestry of admiration and concealed concern.
"The Heaven Ranking has commenced, summoning the mighty. The very winds and clouds are stirred.
"In the realm of talent, among the pure-blooded Dragon Clan, none surpass the lineage of the Azure Dragon. My grandson already soars above his peers.
"Once, the Azure Phoenix Clan contended with our Vast Dragon Clan. Now, their star has waned, absent a talent worthy of the Heaven Ranking for three millennia.
"This time, my grandson is destined to dazzle the world!"
Qu Jiangxuan's heart swelled with uncontainable excitement and pride upon hearing these words.
He was a prodigy among prodigies.
The sole possessor of the Azure Dragon Divine Body, he was the most esteemed of all the Dragon Clan's youth!
Awakened to the most flawless of physiques!
The youngest to reach the Deification Stage!
Decades of life without a single defeat!
Who could forget the time when, with the Azure Dragon blade in hand, he vanquished three thousand prodigies at the Heaven Ranking? His name was known to all, his prowess uncontested.
Qu Jiangxuan declared with unshakable pride, "Should the Heaven Ranking unfold, I shall astonish all under heaven, bringing glory to my grandmother and the Vast Dragon Clan!"
Xuan Tugu nodded repeatedly, her smile brimming with satisfaction. "To have a descendant like my grandson is truly a blessing. Excellent, excellent indeed!"
Qu Jiangxuan's lips curled into a smile as he lifted his gaze to the colossal Golden Ranking above, shimmering with golden light. His chest heaved with surging emotions!
What lay ahead...
was the unveiling of the ranking!
...
On the Spirit Continent, within the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, stood an island aloft in the sky, forged from innumerable towering swords, its presence both enigmatic and majestic, resonating with the hum of blades.
A man, sword in hand, looked up at the Heaven Ranking, his eyes ablaze with a fervent yet restrained fire.
Mu Shuangling!
The youngest Sword Master in the history of the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, a million years in the making!
His birth heralded by a sky ablaze with sword light, he wielded the sword at three, bested the world at ten, vanquished his clan at fifteen, grasped the Dao at twenty, and by twenty-five, he was hailed as Sword Master. Now, at thirty, his swordsmanship reigned supreme, past and present, earning him the esteemed title of "Heavenly Sword."
A prodigy feared by the heavens themselves!
"The Heavenly Ranking heralds the mightiest of our age. In terms of innate talent, your Supreme Mystery Sword Physique is without equal!"
"In the Holy Land's million-year history, only a rare few have possessed the Supreme Mystery Sword Physique!"
"Lord Sword Master will assuredly rank among the elite!"
"What is this talk of the top three? A Sword Master of your caliber is destined for first place!"
Behind Mu Shuangling, a chorus of Sword Masters materialized, their sincere praises turning the quiet air into a cauldron of excitement.
"Nearly thirty years of swordsmanship without defeat, standing as Sword Master is testament to my innate gifts.
"With the Heaven Ranking upon us, I am confident. Let us set a modest goal to start: the top three!"
"Oh, hehehe..."
Mu Shuangling's smile was a study in humility.
...
On Yun Continent, within the Azure Cloud Holy Land, a young man in yellow, as radiant as the clouds, played chess beneath a crimson maple tree, the embodiment of tranquility.
Ye Yuan.
The revered Holy Sovereign of the Azure Cloud Holy Land!
"The Heaven Ranking has been revealed; has it roused the attention of the mighty?
"The Heavenly Sword Holy Land...
"Once a bastion of glory, now only Mu Shuangling remains, a youth still in need of maturation."
He murmured, his slender fingers deftly placing a white chess piece upon the board, as the dying light of day cast a soft glow on his extraordinary eyes.
A mystical gleam, a shadowy haze, and layered pupils...
There it was...
The double pupil!
