The carriage traveled far into the distance, heading toward Yunzhou City.
Li Mo sat inside the cabin, flipping through a booklet in his hands.
To be honest.
He found this investment return utterly ridiculous and seemingly useless.
But he still had to read it.
Mostly out of curiosity.
Massage techniques could actually become a peerless skill?
"First Form: Roaming Mountains and Waters—what mountains? What waters?"
Li Mo leaned back in shock, utterly astonished.
This really was a peerless skill!
If he mastered it, he’d be an absolute legend working as a masseur at the Spring Breeze Pavilion.
Jiang Chulong watched him with curiosity.
What was Big Brother Li reading?
Unfortunately, just as she tried to peek, he wouldn’t let her see...
By the tea table.
Ying Bing rested the Frost Sky Sword across her knees, a cup of tea placed before her, her gaze lowered.
The Yunzhou Martial Arts Summit was no ordinary gathering—many of the fighters here would one day shake the heavens and earth.
Just from the Hidden Dragon Ranking alone, four or five prodigies had arrived, along with numerous long-hidden experts.
Many young talents saw the Crosscloud Sword City as their first grand stage to test their skills against the world.
When masters clashed, it wasn’t just about strength—it was a battle of will and spirit.
She wasn’t worried about whether she could make the top three.
But the Divine Skyheart Sword demanded unwavering forward momentum.
The more she built her momentum, the stronger she became.
And that buildup had to start now.
"The Eighth Form... damn..."
Li Mo’s gasp of amazement cut through the silence.
Ying Bing’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.
Was he... studying another martial art?
"The Twelfth Form... holy hell... this is insane. What a freaking genius."
Li Mo marveled.
No kidding.
Only a genius could turn a massage technique into a peerless skill.
Unable to resist, Ying Bing opened her eyes and glanced at the booklet in his hands. The title read:
‘Flower-Picking Finger.’
Given her knowledge, she could sense profound Zen philosophy woven into the name.
Could it be... an advanced Buddhist martial art?
Otherwise, why would he be so impressed?
Her heart tightened inexplicably.
Strange.
She had never known what it meant to feel nervous before.
But watching the young man alternate between awe and sighs, her mind grew restless.
"Who even came up with this? It’s too good."
"Even divine techniques can’t compare."
Li Mo finished reading Flower-Picking Finger and sighed.
Honestly.
He hadn’t been interested at first.
But now? He couldn’t resist learning a few moves.
"What... are you reading?"
Ying Bing finally spoke up.
Even when studying the peerless Sunwheel Sword Canon, he hadn’t been this amazed.
Better than divine techniques?
According to the system’s judgment, he was already stronger than her. If he mastered Flower-Picking Finger too...
"Oh, this?"
Li Mo waved the booklet.
"A peerless skill."
"Specialized in massage techniques."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
This massage method... wasn’t exactly orthodox.
For the sake of effectiveness, it didn’t shy away from touching certain... sensitive areas.
No wonder the warning said not to use it on the opposite sex—unless you wanted to get arrested.
"A peerless skill..."
Ying Bing’s tension eased slightly—until she processed the rest.
"Massage...?"
She recalled the terms of their next bet:
[Request the winner to caress...]
At first, she hadn’t given it much thought.
But ever since their last sword sparring session...
Every time she remembered that electric sensation, her emotions churned. The initial anger had faded, leaving behind an indescribable restlessness.
"Such martial arts... are a waste of time."
"Don’t worry, I’m just reading for fun."
Li Mo chuckled.
Was she concerned he’d spread himself too thin?
Ice Block here was surprisingly considerate.
Wait.
He noticed a trace of unease in her usually calm expression.
What was wrong?
[Name: Ying Bing]
[Age: 16]
[Physique: Lunar Phoenix Body]
[Cultivation: Insightful Spirit—First Aperture]
[Fate: Crimson (Bearing Emperor’s Bone, Destiny of Frost, Spirit of Autumn Waters, Phoenix Heaven’s Visage)]
[Evaluation: A life of tribulations, yet always escaping calamity. Though her wings are still tender, when the winds of fate shift, she will soar above the nine heavens and ten earths, reigning supreme.]
[Recent Events: Hopes to place in the top three at the Martial Arts Summit to study the Crosscloud Sword Marks and solidify her position as the unrivaled genius of her generation.]
"Huh?"
Li Mo instantly grew alert.
Ice Block was... nervous.
Was there someone among her peers who made her feel inferior?
Another hidden expert?
Immediately, Li Mo’s attitude toward Yunzhou became far more cautious.
---
Before long.
A grand and bustling city came into view, its majesty dwarfing even the rebuilt Ziyang Prefecture City. It stood as if carved from time itself.
And today, Yunzhou City was livelier than ever.
"Wow..."
Jiang Chulong stuck her head out like an eager child, taking in the sights.
Having grown up confined to the imperial palace, then rarely leaving her residence in Ziyang, she had never seen anything like this.
Excited yet timid, she clutched Li Mo’s sleeve tightly.
"Big cities mean more good food."
Li Mo grinned. "I’ll take you to try some later."
"Okay!"
Jiang Chulong smiled shyly. "Big Brother Li is so kind..."
Li Mo: "..."
This silly girl was lucky she met him first. If she ran into a scammer, she’d be counting their money for them.
How had she survived in the palace being this trusting?
Due to the recent influx of martial artists, the city gates were heavily guarded, with strict inspections.
Everyone entering had to be checked and pay a one-tael silver fee.
"One tael per person... damn."
Senior Brother Ouyang was floored.
That much silver in a day would take him years of backbreaking work as an artist!
"Yunzhou’s martial culture is far stronger than the Eastern Wasteland Domain’s."
Xu Zhiqing felt both exhilarated and apprehensive.
In Ziyang, she had been a celebrated swordswoman—but here, she was just a drop in the ocean.
"Lots of swordsmen around."
Li Mo nodded, adjusting the Crimson Sky Sword at his waist.
Hah!
No one could deny he was a swordsman now.
Activating his Heaven’s Eye, he scanned the crowd for potential investment targets.
"Hey, the new Hidden Dragon Ranking is out!"
"Zhong Zhenyue made it! He’s been fighting disaster beasts at the border with his father, the Marquis of the Southern Garrison. Will he come to Yunzhou?"
"He’s 89th? Wasn’t that spot held by Crosscloud Sword City’s Bai Jinghong before?"
"Bai Jinghong moved up to 81st!"
The Hidden Dragon Ranking!
Published by the Yantian Sect, it was the most authoritative ranking of young talents across the land, based on combat achievements.
Since the Martial Arts Summit was where the young proved themselves, no other list drew as big a crowd.
"I’ll probably never make that ranking in this lifetime."
Shen Yunfei sighed. At his age, he could hardly be called a young genius anymore.
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward a nearby figure.
Not just him, but the other disciples of Qingyuan Sect also turned to look.
"Junior Sister Ying Bing, Junior Brother Li Mo..."
"After the Martial Arts Summit, when they rise to prominence, how dazzlingly brilliant will they be?"
"In the grand stage of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, they will be the true protagonists..."
As they were sighing in admiration—
"It's Young Hero Bai!"
"And Young Hero Cao, Young Hero Wu!"
"The Three Heroes of Hengyun have come to witness the rankings!"
Suddenly, someone exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the young man riding a white horse—his demeanor cold and aloof, exuding the aura of a true master.
And he wasn't alone.
Accompanying Bai Jinghong were two other prodigies from the Hidden Dragon Ranking, their ranks even higher than his.
The crowd quickly parted ways, for these were not just geniuses but also true disciples of the Hengyun Sword City.
However—
Just as everyone marveled at their chivalrous bearing and peerless elegance—
Bai Jinghong's gaze suddenly froze.
Thud—
Young Hero Bai reacted as if he had seen some monstrous beast, his pupils contracting in shock.
Then, as if by reflex, his knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground with a plop.
The crowd: "......???"
Li Mo: "......"
He was holding the Star Piercer, just about to store it in his system space.
Awkward.
What do you do when you visit someone else's turf, and they kneel before you in front of everyone?
Asking for a friend. It's urgent.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
