The so-called Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Rankings are manifestations of the Heavenly Dao's will.
Those who make it onto the rankings receive gifts from the Heavenly Dao—an immense temptation for cultivators!
However, the three rankings do not open simultaneously.
The first to open is the lowest-tier Mortal Ranking.
Anyone under thirty years of age may participate, competing in cultivation speed, strength, and innate talent.
In essence, the Mortal Ranking serves as a preliminary selection, eliminating the majority who lack the qualifications.
Thus, the Mortal Ranking is also the most fiercely contested, whether through open competition or covert schemes.
Some even resort to hunting down talented individuals to secure a spot for their own factions.
Danger and opportunity go hand in hand!
Mu Yunyao had experienced the previous cycle of the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Rankings and was one of its beneficiaries.
However, Mu Yunyao valued her freedom above all, so she never formed or joined any faction back then.
All these years, she had only taken on one disciple—Chen Chang'an.
"Senior, this time, the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Rankings seem... a little unusual."
Hearing Wang Tianji's words, Mu Yunyao frowned briefly before quickly grasping his meaning.
Indeed, something was amiss.
"You mean the rankings haven't opened directly, correct?"
Last time, the moment the rankings appeared, they opened immediately. The Heavenly Dao's will manifested, announcing their commencement, audible and visible to the entire world.
But this time, Tianji Pavilion had already uncovered the news, and the major factions likely knew as well.
Yet the Mortal Ranking remained unopened, leaving many puzzled.
"Where are the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Rankings now?"
"Still at Cloudsoaring Peak?" Mu Yunyao asked.
Last time, the rankings had appeared atop Cloudsoaring Peak—three scrolls of different colors. As each ranking opened, the corresponding scroll would vanish from the peak and manifest in the sky.
"Correct, they remain at Cloudsoaring Peak."
"However... the peak is now enveloped by an immense energy barrier, making it impossible to approach, let alone ascend."
"At present, one can only see three distinct-colored lights flickering at the summit from afar," Wang Tianji reported truthfully.
After hearing his words, Mu Yunyao merely glanced at him before vanishing without a trace.
Only after she left did Wang Tianji and the others finally exhale in relief.
"How terrifying... Who exactly is she?"
"Pavilion Master, do you know her?"
Wang Tianji gave a helpless smile. He truly didn’t know Mu Yunyao’s identity, but since she was acquainted with his family’s ancestor, she was undoubtedly no ordinary figure.
"Such individuals are not for you to casually inquire about."
"Be careful not to invite disaster."
"Whoever she is, she is far beyond our reach."
"Remember, from today onward, whether it’s Chen Chang'an or Chen Yunxuan, they are friends, not enemies to Tianji Pavilion."
"Keep a close watch on Chen Yunxuan. Offer assistance when appropriate—understood?" Wang Tianji said sternly.
"Yes, Pavilion Master."
"Let’s go. It’s time to return."
"Yes."
Meanwhile, Chen Chang'an and his group did not linger for long, as their destination was the capital, not a leisure trip.
"Yunxuan, our plan is to reach the capital within a month."
"Have you set any goals for yourself during this time?"
Chen Chang'an’s sudden question left Chen Yunxuan momentarily confused. What goals?
"Ancestor, do you mean... cultivation?" Chen Yunxuan asked.
"Precisely. Though you’ve reached the first level of the True Qi Realm, it’s nothing remarkable."
"Among those your age, many surpass you in both cultivation and strength."
"If you don’t push yourself, how will you stand out among them?"
"Your guidance is wise, Ancestor. Yunxuan will remember it well."
"Starting now, here is your task: by the time we reach the capital, your cultivation must not be below the ninth level of the True Qi Realm."
"Can you do it?" Chen Chang'an asked.
Not below the ninth level? That meant at least the peak of the ninth level—or even the Transcendent Realm?
With only a month, was it truly possible?
Chen Yunxuan felt nervous, but even more so, exhilarated.
"Yunxuan will not fail," he declared with unwavering determination.
"Good. Then let this journey be your proving ground."
"Yes, Ancestor."
Ten days later, Swallow Return City
Chen Zhengyuan stood before the assembled Chen family, his voice trembling with emotion.
"After today, our Chen family will no longer be a minor clan in Swallow Return City."
"Our journey to the capital is to reclaim our former glory as the foremost family."
"But remember—the Great Zhou Kingdom is only our starting point."
"We must not disappoint the Ancestor. Do you understand?" Chen Zhengyuan said solemnly.
"Yes, Family Head!"
"Move out!"
Following Chen Chang'an’s instructions, Chen Zhengyuan had delayed their departure by over ten days.
During that time, he and the Chen family had not slacked but continued relentlessly improving their cultivation.
"Hahaha!"
"Good thing we arrived in time—almost let the Chen family slip away!"
The moment Chen Zhengyuan and the others stepped out, they were met by a group of eight.
Hearing their words, Chen Zhengyuan showed no surprise, as if he had anticipated their arrival.
"Just as the Ancestor predicted—they came," he thought coldly.
"What a nuisance. A puny Chen family, and we had to travel all this way."
"Don’t anyone dare steal my kills. I can wipe them all out myself."
"No way. Then the rest of us came for nothing. There are enough Chen members to go around."
"Hahaha, enough arguing. Let’s see who bags the most."
These men were from the Supreme Purity Sect, sent by the Fifth Prince’s uncle to exterminate the Chen family.
In the uncle’s eyes, the Chen family wasn’t even worth his personal attention—such a move would be beneath him.
Did the Chen family deserve his direct action?
So he casually dispatched eight men.
To these eight, the Chen family’s current actions were no different from fleeing.
"You think a handful like you can annihilate my Chen family?"
"Delusional."
"Judging by your attire, you’re from the Supreme Purity Sect, correct?"
"Do you truly believe no one in the Great Zhou Kingdom dares oppose your sect?" Chen Zhengyuan said coldly.
"Hah! Such bold words."
"Indeed, within the Great Zhou Kingdom, none dare oppose the Supreme Purity Sect."
"What? Does the Chen family have the guts?" the leader sneered.
"Why wouldn’t we?"
Chen Zhengyuan let out a cold laugh and wasted no words, striking immediately.
With a swing of his long blade, a massive arc of sword light surged toward the crowd.
Sensing the power behind Chen Zhengyuan’s attack, the onlookers couldn’t help but shudder in fear.
This is bad!
Who said the Chen family had no experts?
Chen Zhengyuan’s strength was clearly at the Transcendent Realm!
"No!"
Amidst the furious roars of the eight opponents, Chen Zhengyuan annihilated them all with a single strike.
"The Supreme Purity Sect truly doesn’t take us seriously," he muttered.
"Fortunately, they arrived late, giving me enough time to break through to the fifth level of the Transcendent Realm."
"I wonder where the old ancestor and Yunxuan have gone by now."
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!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
