The New Pride List

In the azure blue sky there was a golden round moon. Under the moon there was a quietly flowing brook with shallow grass softly swaying on its banks. On the grass stood a two-story little wooden house, and in front of it grew a tall ancient catalpa tree. Under the catalpa a group of people were drinking and making merry.

In Qin Ran's memory, Dan Peak had never been so lively before. Previously it was just him and his master depending on each other, and later he was alone and desolate.

How did so many people suddenly come here to accompany him in celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival?

When did all this start to change?

He looked towards the laughing girl in the crowd.

She could chat casually with people, discuss classics and principles with them, drink and talk about swords with them. Even in calligraphy and music she seemed well-versed, always easily becoming the focus in a crowd.

Sensing that he was looking at her, she quickly raised her hand and smiled at him. She was so innocent and straightforward, never hiding her fondness for him.

It was her arrival that changed his life.

Was this change for good or ill?

He smiled without giving himself a clear answer, but the answer was actually quite obvious.

Qin Ran took out the jade flute bought by his Foolish Disciple. Leaning on the ancient catalpa, he tried the tone and then slowly played out the tune of "When Will the Bright Moon Come".

At this moment, Li Shiyin was arguing with Lu Junxing over whether soda or fruit wine tasted better.

Long Qiqi was reasoning with Chasing the Wind, insisting that she should get the last piece of braised pork elbow.

Tian Wenjin was telling Tushan Youyou the details of her latest mission.

Dong Zhongyuan was busily fawning over Tushan Youyou.

Yan Yi sat there awkwardly, forcing an embarrassed smile.

Hearing the flute music, they all looked towards Qin Ran. In the moonlight under the hazy ancient catalpa a youth in green played the jade transverse flute.

Everyone in Dan Peak knew that Qin Ran could play the flute. After all he had tortured them during his flute practice. But Lu Junxing didn't know. Seeing Qin Ran play, he smiled and softly asked Li Shiyin, "Little martial uncle can play too?"

"Hehe! Looks nice, doesn't it!" Li Shiyin didn't answer him. Instead she bragged smugly with stars in her eyes as she looked at Qin Ran.

The compliment was about his flute playing, yet she asked if he looked nice. Momentarily lost for words, Lu Junxing just shook his head with a laugh.

As the tune ended, Qin Ran looked up at the bright moon, holding his jade flute and sighing softly: "People have sorrow and joy, partings and reunions. The moon waxes and wanes. Perfection is hard to attain in this world. But may people endure, and the bright moon forever connect thousands of miles."

"Haha, wonderful poem, wonderful poem!" Lu Junxing called out in praise from his seat. He leapt up and away from Li Shiyin, landing on the moonlit grass. Drunkenly he stretched out a hand and grasped a transparent sword qi sword. With this he danced a piece depicting mountains and rivers for the people under the moon.

His sword dance incorporated high level sword principles, comparable to three or four storeys high. An average sword cultivator seeing this could gain a substantial increase in comprehension.

Amongst the audience, Tian Wenjin watched very attentively, much enlightened.

But having just emerged from Lu Junxing's sword qi world, Li Shiyin had no interest in it at all. She moved her stool over to sit beside Dong Zhongyuan, patting his shoulder to stop his fawning behavior as she asked, "Elder Martial Brother Dong, when did you come out of seclusion?"

"I came out of seclusion several days ago," Dong Zhongyuan replied absently, his mind completely focused on Tushan Youyou.

Merely glimpsing her white silhouette had kept him infatuated for many years. Meeting Tushan Youyou properly today for the first time, it showed great fortitude that he hadn't gone completely crazy.

"So the new Peerless Geniuses Ranking has been released?" Li Shiyin continued asking.

"Yes!"

"Then..." Li Shiyin blinked her big eyes at him hintingly.

Unfortunately Dong Zhongyuan only had eyes for Tushan Youyou, totally oblivious to her hint.

"Oh!" Annoyed, Li Shiyin grabbed Dong Zhongyuan and glared as she asked, "What place am I ranked?"

Forced to look away from Tushan Youyou, Dong Zhongyuan recovered some presence of mind. Glancing at Li Shiyin he calmly replied, "Third".

"Third?" Li Shiyin was dumbfounded. "Third! Why?"

Since when could she be ranked third on the Peerless Geniuses Ranking? There were still many stronger than her!

"Why ask so many whys? I randomly ranked it," Dong Zhongyuan impatiently retorted.

"What exactly is the new Peerless Geniuses Ranking?" Li Shiyin persisted stubbornly.

Too pestered to tolerate it, Dong Zhongyuan turned to Li Shiyin and said solemnly, "I've updated the ranking to everyone's current strength levels. Do you want to go in and try?"

He deliberately looked at Lu Junxing.

At Lu Junxing's present level, even with several times Li Shiyin's strength she still couldn't beat him. Going to forcefully fight would definitely lead to abuse. She quickly shook her head.

"There you go then!" Dong Zhongyuan shook his head and went back to ogling Tushan Youyou.

Just then Tushan Youyou asked, "What's your newly ranked Peerless Geniuses like? I find it quite interesting."

Dong Zhongyuan's spirits stirred. His expression extremely serious, he answered, "The new Peerless Geniuses ranking is like this..."

Beside him even the well-behaved Yan Yi pricked up his ears. He heard Dong Zhongyuan say:

"Martial Brother Lu is the undisputed first place, I don't think there's any doubt about that. Second place is Liu Baixuan. Although he didn't beat me before in our sect, he secretly formed his Ying soul, becoming one of only two Ying stage disciples of our generation. He temporarily ranks second."

"Third place goes to Shiyin." Somewhat embarrassed admitting cowardice before his goddess, "Previously I didn't dare drink Shiyin's cup of sword qi wine, so following the earlier rankings she was still fourth place. Fifth place is Martial Sister Tian. I feel she is actually only slightly weaker than Shiyin. I don't think Yao Qingke could beat her."

"Then sixth place is Yao Qingke, seventh place Yan Tianxing, eighth place Ye Qingxuan, ninth place Qi Yuan, and tenth place Ximen Wushang."

"So this is the new ranking of Peerless Geniuses." Having said so, he asked Tushan Youyou, "Are you satisfied?"

Tushan Youyou casually nodded, completely indifferent.

Dong Zhongyuan was thus very happy.

"I'm fifth place?" Tian Wenjin withdrew her attention from Lu Junxing with a frown, questioning Dong Zhongyuan. She knew she would be ranked, but didn't expect to be placed so high at fifth place...

The previous fifth place was Huang Feiyu's spot. She had reason to suspect Dong Zhongyuan had deliberately done so.

"As the only sword cultivator who has comprehended both sword qi and Sword Intent, and also condensed Golden Core, you qualify for fifth place," Dong Zhongyuan gave proper justification.

The three people behind fifth place had all achieved Qi Peak. Since Li Shiyin disliked Qi Peak martial artists, she nodded and said, "Wenjin you're so amazing, of course you're fifth place. Yao Qingke and the rest are very lame..."

Tian Wenjin still looked very skeptical. She didn't believe Yao Qingke was that lame.

"Speaking of which..." A key question occurred to Li Shiyin and she asked Dong Zhongyuan, "Your Peerless Geniuses Ranking is a mystic artifact. My master said it's an incredible artifact. So I'm very curious, what does this artifact do and how incredible is it?"

This time Dong Zhongyuan didn't answer. He shook his head and said, "I hope you'll never know what the function of the Peerless Geniuses Ranking is."

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