Third on the Celestial Ranking: The Skyward Taoist

"Innate Dao Body?"

An Yi raised an eyebrow, lifting his hand in confusion as a wisp of crimson flame coiled around his fingers. "You mean this?"

Two small fireballs, like mischievous sprites, danced nimbly between his fingers, spinning and leaping without pause.

The gathered Daoists gasped in shock.

"It's happening again—another Innate Dao Body!"

"This can't be! These bodies are once-in-a-century rarities, yet two have appeared at once!"

"If we don't eliminate him now, he'll become a future calamity!"

An Yi: "?"

"Who the hell said that last part?!"

"Step forward, you bastard!"

Xiao Xiao stared at An Yi, her beautiful eyes wide with astonishment.

As an Innate Dao Body herself, she could manipulate fire-based spiritual energy without relying on talismans or magical tools.

Because of this, she was hailed as a once-in-a-century genius within the Dao Alliance.

At just ten years old, she had even been taken as a direct disciple by the Cangqiong Daoist, ranked third on the Heavenly Leaderboard!

She had always believed herself to be unique—until now.

A collision of talents!

And Xiao Xiao could clearly sense that An Yi's mastery over flames far surpassed her own.

No, this guy was just giving a small demonstration, revealing only the tip of the iceberg!

Just controlling these two little fireballs was beyond her—perhaps she wasn’t even fit to tie his shoes.

An Yi closed his hand, dispersing the flames.

He had thought an Innate Dao Body would be something extraordinary.

Turns out, it just meant having a spiritual root.

Back in the Ancient Continent, at least half the population would qualify.

But in this world, possessing a spiritual vein was indeed a rare phenomenon.

In the two-plus years he’d spent here, Xiao Xiao was the only one he’d met who had one.

Though spiritual energy was thin in this world, those with spiritual veins held an overwhelming advantage—both in combat and cultivation—over ordinary martial artists.

"An Yi, would you like to join the Dao Alliance’s Cangqiong Manor?" Xiao Xiao asked earnestly.

"Innate Dao Bodies are so rare in the Great Xia’s history that you can count them on one hand.

And without exception, every one of them has ranked on the Heavenly Leaderboard."

An Yi rolled his eyes. "Are you joking? You want the esteemed leader of the Asura Gate to join Cangqiong Manor?"

"Asura Gate?" Xiao Xiao blinked in confusion.

"What the hell is that? Sounds impressive—why haven’t I heard of it?"

"This kid’s ambitions are too big. Your Cangqiong Manor might be too small a temple for a Buddha like him," Jiang Cheng remarked, glancing at An Yi. "Join the Law Enforcement Bureau instead."

"You serious?" An Yi asked curiously.

Jiang Cheng smiled faintly. "Just throwing it out there—don’t take it too seriously. Our leader, Han Bing, has a soft spot for talent. He’d definitely recruit you, so it’s better if you reject him upfront. Saves me the trouble of convincing the bald guy not to bother."

An Yi: "..."

"Just casually revealing your thoughts like that, huh? Real smooth, you squinty-eyed bastard."

"With Gui Snake escaping, we’re in deep trouble now," one Daoist muttered anxiously.

The Hundred Ghosts Sect was elusive. They had gone through hell to track down Gui Snake, one of the Four Great Demon Halls.

Yet in the end, he still got away.

They were so close!

Zhang Qianyu was the most furious.

To infiltrate and gather intel, he’d endured being groped and harassed by a lecherous older woman—only for it all to be for nothing!

The remaining members of the Hundred Ghosts Sect left in the club were just small fry. Capturing them wouldn’t make a difference.

An Yi tilted his head. "What’s your beef with the Hundred Ghosts Sect?"

His own grudge stemmed from killing the Gourd Immortal, which landed him a 500-million bounty.

Then he’d crossed the Thousand Daoist, executed an envoy, and now severely wounded Gui Snake.

At this point, it was a fight to the death between him and the Hundred Ghosts Sect.

Xiao Xiao explained seriously, "To the martial world, the Hundred Ghosts Sect seems like a new faction. But the war between them and the Dao Alliance began three hundred years ago. Back then, they weren’t called the Hundred Ghosts Sect—they were known as the Demonic Cult."

"They lurk in the shadows of the city, hunting humans and feasting on their flesh. Countless innocents die at their hands every year."

"Eradicating evil and upholding justice is the Dao Alliance’s duty. We are natural enemies!"

"A hundred years ago, the Hundred Ghosts Sect was formally established, but they remained hidden, quietly amassing power. Only in recent years have they stepped into the light."

Zhang Qianyu stroked the feathers of his white crane and sighed.

"These demons banded together under the Hundred Ghosts Sect. We thought the Eight Immortals were their strongest force, but then the Four Great Demon Halls appeared. And even they might not be the sect’s true power. To this day, we know nothing about the sect’s leader..."

An Yi fell into thought.

This Hundred Ghosts Sect was no joke.

The pudgy Daoist Zhang Peng paled. "Now that Gui Snake is injured, they’ll definitely retaliate."

The other Daoists’ expressions darkened.

If it were just some small fry, it wouldn’t matter.

But Gui Snake was one of the Four Great Demon Halls!

The Dao Alliance had always been a prime target for the Hundred Ghosts Sect.

Every year, many of their disciples fell victim to them.

"Brothers, fear not!" Zhang Qianyu stopped petting his bird and declared loudly.

His calm demeanor soothed the nervous Daoists.

Xiao Xiao’s eyes brightened with hope. "Junior Brother Zhang, do you have a plan?"

As expected of the Dragon Elephant Mountain’s head disciple—he was reliable after all.

Zhang Qianyu clasped his hands behind his back, wearing a profound smile.

"The one who injured Gui Snake was the Asura Gate. What does that have to do with the Dao Alliance?"

An Yi’s eyebrow twitched. "???"

"What kind of bullshit is that?!"

"Ah! That’s right!"

"We were just defending ourselves—someone else did the attacking!"

The crowd buzzed with agreement.

Jiang Cheng grinned. "And it’s got nothing to do with the Law Enforcement Bureau either. I’m just a passerby who likes jogging at night in a waiter’s uniform."

The Daoists broke into relieved laughter.

For a moment, the atmosphere was light and cheerful.

Then they noticed Xiao Xiao’s icy glare.

Their smiles stiffened, and they suddenly felt ashamed of Zhang Qianyu’s shamelessness.

"Disgusting!"

"Pathetic!"

"A disgrace to Dragon Elephant Mountain!"

"Spit!"

With righteous indignation, they turned to An Yi and pledged their support.

"Brother An saved my life—this is a debt I won’t forget!"

"Same here! I won’t stand by and do nothing!"

Xiao Xiao met An Yi’s gaze firmly. "Don’t worry. I can’t speak for the others, but Cangqiong Manor will always stand with you!"

An Yi was touched. "How many people are in your manor?"

Xiao Xiao answered seriously, "Besides me, there’s my master."

An Yi: "..."

"So the mighty Cangqiong Manor has… two people?"

Damn, even his Asura Gate had more members!

Xiao Xiao huffed. "My master is the Cangqiong Daoist."

An Yi remained unimpressed.

"Cangqiong Daoist… sounds familiar."

"Ranked third on the Heavenly Leaderboard. The Dao Alliance’s strongest," Jiang Cheng supplied helpfully.

An Yi’s eyes widened in realization. "Oh! So your master’s a big deal!"

"Big deal my ass. The old leech is probably off screwing around somewhere right now," Zhang Qianyu muttered.

Xiao Xiao snapped, "Keep running your mouth, and I’ll rip it off!"

Zhang Qianyu grumbled, "Just stating facts..."

Under the cover of night, miles away in the wilderness—

Two naked figures entwined, their heated silhouettes flickering in the darkness.

"Tch. Old man, don’t push yourself. Wouldn’t want you throwing out your back," Zi Xin taunted, her red lips curling in disdain.

Fifty years apart, yet the spark between them burned as fiercely as ever.

Even wounded, she couldn’t resist the challenge.

"Underestimating me?" The Cangqiong Daoist smirked, his grin wicked.

Next, the woman's frantic cries pierced the air, carried farther and farther by the night wind.