Delightful news often spreads by word of mouth—the simplest yet most efficient way of dissemination. The latest Hidden Dragon Ranking quickly circulated through streets and alleys.
At the Greenwood Barracks.
"This year, our provisions are ample, and the soldiers can enjoy a good New Year."
Qu Sheng and a group of officers were tallying the military supplies in the warehouse, discussing rewards to be distributed and compensation for fallen soldiers.
As they spoke, a messenger rushed in:
"The Hidden Dragon Ranking has just been released! Both Young Hero Li and Fairy Han have made it into the top five!"
The command tent fell silent for a moment.
Wu Lang, his teeth gaping from missing a few, quickly asked:
"What ranks?"
"Fairy Han is fifth, Young Hero Li is fourth—and he's earned the nickname 'Little Overlord of the Divine Hammer'! His fame shakes the world!" the messenger emphasized.
"Not in the top three, huh."
Wu Lang looked disappointed, feeling the Yantian Sect lacked authority and underestimated Li Mo and Ying Bing.
The garrison commander beside him chuckled:
"Old Wu, the top five on the Hidden Dragon Ranking are all prodigies—future figures who could make the heavens and earth tremble with a single stomp. Don’t mistake Young Hero Li for ordinary just because he once made dumplings with us."
Back in his youth, even the prince had ranked fourth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
Thinking of it this way, such lofty figures having no airs—sitting on the ground to roast skewers with them—did feel somewhat surreal.
"I didn’t mean that. It’s just that no one on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, if placed in Greenwood City, could single-handedly turn the tide of battle."
Wu Lang shook his head.
"Youthful ambitions reach for the clouds; one day, they’ll stand as the finest under heaven."
Qu Sheng snapped out of his thoughts, pulling out a fresh sheet of paper and beginning to write:
"They’re still young. On the Hidden Dragon Ranking, who isn’t three to five years older—or even more?"
The officers nodded in agreement, their expressions wistful.
Perhaps in the near future, Young Hero Li or Fairy Ying might claim the first or second spot?
Even more astonishing—these two seemed to be a pair?
This might be an unprecedented first in history.
"This report will be sent to the imperial capital," Qu Sheng said, blowing on the ink to dry it.
"You intend to...?"
"The great victory at Greenwood warrants recognition and rewards for the deserving."
......
At the Tailfin Tavern.
"I just returned from checking the rankings at the city gate. Guess what I saw?"
"Stop dragging it out—how did Young Hero Li rank?"
"What 'Young Hero Li'? It’s the 'Little Overlord of the Divine Hammer'!"
"Fourth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking—and he stayed here?"
"He already left this morning."
"Then I’m leaving too. Got to brag about this over my next meal."
"You’re skipping the skewers? They’re served with the legendary barbecue sauce!"
"Waiter, pack it to go!"
The news had swiftly sparked widespread discussion across all levels of Greenwood society. Even the Tailfin Tavern saw a surge in business today.
The owner boasted that their barbecue sauce was a secret recipe personally taught by Young Hero Li—exclusive and irreplaceable.
During the battle to defend Greenwood City, this very sauce had "intoxicated" tens of thousands of enemy troops, becoming a key part of the famed "Barbecue Stratagem."
The line of customers stretched from one end of the street to the other.
Upstairs.
Fairy Han, clad in an elegant black dress, tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze distant as she stared in the direction someone had departed.
For the first time, he had surpassed her on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
Though in the last system ranking, she had taken first place—but back then, Li Mo’s injuries hadn’t fully healed, so he hadn’t truly participated.
The ice block’s emotions were complicated. She was happy to see him grow ever more astonishing.
Yet, in her past life, once she claimed the top spot on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, no one had ever displaced her—until she ascended to the Human Ranking after entering the Inner Realm.
Ying Bing picked up the big-headed doll hanging at her waist.
Her eyes gleamed faintly as she poked its forehead.
Would there come a day when he would shield her from storms?
No one had ever sheltered her before, nor had anyone ever been qualified to be her reliance...
If that really happened, how could she still call him "little rascal" with a straight face?
The moment this thought crossed her mind, Ying Bing felt unlike herself.
"His additional divine form doesn’t seem capable of reaching perfection through observation alone."
"In the Realm of Divine Observation, my progress should be faster..."
She released the doll, her expression turning focused.
During their dual cultivation, she had sensed it.
Both of them possessed a portion of the Moon Divine Intent, while also harboring another divine form’s intent—hers was the Phoenix of a Hundred Avians, while Li Mo’s was the golden-armored figure that had manifested on the battlefield, defying heaven and earth.
That divine form seemed only capable of perfection through relentless battle.
......
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
A wisp of white cloud drifted away from Greenwood City, heading south—toward the southern wilds, a land rarely tread even by demons, dominated by calamity beasts and steeped in shamanistic winds.
The Somersault Cloud could carry people but couldn’t transport others across thousands of miles in an instant.
Li Mo sat atop the cloud, his expression as cold and aloof as an ice block, the picture of solemnity.
Wu Qing, Guo Chuan, Ling Yuangou, and other martial artists skilled in mimicry techniques maintained stern, serious expressions, as though preparing for a grave mission.
Shang Qinqing crossed her arms over her mouth, her robes fluttering in the wind.
Li Mo, sitting cross-legged, spoke:
"Everyone, a deity is a solemn role, and this act is a solemn one."
"You are all revered figures in the southern wilds. No matter what happens later, no one should crack a smile..."
"Pfft—"
Ling Yuangou couldn’t hold back. He desperately pressed his lips together, tears welling in his eyes:
"Right, Boss Mo... your cloud is... so white. Pfft— cough!"
"......"
Li Mo fell silent for a moment, scanning the group before sighing:
"Fine, laugh if you must. Better now than during the plan..."
The moment he finished—
"Meeeh— HAHAHAHA! 'Little Overlord of the Divine Hammer'— HAHAHAHA!"
"Snrk... hehehe..."
"HAHAHA, then I... I won’t hold back either!"
Shang Qinqing removed her hand from her mouth, rolling on the cloud while slapping it in laughter.
"You’ve been laughing this whole time—you never stopped!"
"Senior Guo, laugh if you want, but stop stomping! If you shake the cloud apart, we’ll all go down together!"
Chaos ensued.
Amid the unrestrained laughter, Li Mo’s face darkened with frustration.
He tried to defend his dignity:
"Actually... I’m a swordsman—"
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
The laughter only grew louder.
Even the Crimson Sky Sword trembled, as if protesting in disagreement.
The "Little Overlord of the Divine Hammer," Li Mo, remained expressionless, grinding his teeth audibly.
Heaven’s whims!
Yantian Sect!
When publishing authoritative rankings like the "Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Wind and Cloud Ranking," you must be responsible, conscientious, and above all—fair!
He had spent so much martial insight, achieved such dazzling results at Horizon Sword City, and even collected straight rods whenever he saw them...
Didn’t he deserve to be called a sword hero?!
To slander him like this—did the Yantian Sect have no conscience?!
Li Mo resolved that one day, he would visit them with his beautiful master in tow and have a proper discussion about principles.
Before long...
On the distant horizon, several towering mountains emerged, along with a small village nestled among them.
The first stop for showcasing one's divine prowess had arrived.
Three Peaks Town.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
