Chapter 320: Heavenly Ranking Warrior, Assassin of Snow Pavilion

Black birds swept past the mountains. The peaks, like screens, were black and white, resembling a dark sea covered in white foam, with waves surging backward.

For thousands of miles, no cities or states were seen.

The black sparrow circled over the Heavenly Ranking complex for a moment, like a soaring eagle.

The Evil in the Heavenly Ranking opened his eyes, directing his gaze to the sparrow in the sky. He glanced at it, then withdrew his gaze, gently shaking his head: "The girl who stole the nation."

Ning Changjiu stood in the Command Tower, looking at the sky. He couldn't see the black speck in the sky, nor did he know that his own black speck had been seen by Zhao Xiang'er.

Unaware that the day of their reunion was almost synonymous with his 'death day,' he often missed Zhao Xiang'er. He imagined that a long separation would make their reunion sweeter than a newlywed's bliss, even picturing the proud, black-dressed girl nestling sweetly into his arms, her small hands and cheeks pressed against his chest, calling him 'husband.'

This further fueled his motivation for cultivation, making him think that he absolutely couldn't lose to her in their first battle upon their next meeting.

With the white snow swept away from the terrace, Ning Changjiu sat there, a sword across his knees, refining his sword intent.

The Sword Pavilion's challenge to the ranking had not caused much of a stir.

The Evil was in a poor state and wouldn't dispute it with the Sword Pavilion. The Sword Pavilion also showed respect for the Ranking Spirit; Senior Sister He had specially sent a letter expressing apology, stating that Junior Sister Liu had been severely punished. As for the Sword Pavilion's sword and crown, they were temporarily left there to be retrieved another day, serving as a lesson for the junior sister.

Ning Changjiu always felt that the Sword Pavilion seemed to be plotting something significant.

The name 'Zhang Jiu' thus spread throughout the Central Plains, coming into the notice of many important figures.

It was truly strange for a Violet Court peak cultivator in his twenties to appear out of nowhere in the Central Plains, especially one reportedly from the Ancient Spirit Sect, which had suffered a great disaster. Because of this, other Divine Sects also sent some disciples to challenge the ranking.

The failures of Xiao Qiu and Mr. Fourteen also made them cautious, fearing that their best talents might have their Dao hearts shattered. Thus, the disciples sent to challenge the ranking were merely mediocre, tasked with probing the truth.

Ning Changjiu had recently sparred with them, and no one had lasted more than five moves against him.

And Ning Changjiu used this opportunity to glimpse the broader picture, incorporating the essence of various sects' sword arts and Dao techniques into his own.

Tonight was the day the Heavenly Ranking would announce the top ten cultivators in the Central Plains. With changes in the Central Plains' landscape, many people were filled with anticipation for the Heavenly Ranking's new list.

During the day, after Ning Changjiu finished his cultivation, he went to a teahouse near the Heavenly Ranking. The teahouse owner, who had made a fortune by betting on him, was all smiles and waived all his tea fees.

"You've been studying the Heavenly Ranking for so many years, have you figured anything out?" Ning Changjiu asked, sitting next to an old scholar and chatting with a smile.

The old man replied, "I wouldn't dare claim to have figured anything out. If I can grasp even a superficial understanding of heavenly destiny before I die, I will have no regrets."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Have you been here your entire life?"

The old man shook his head, saying, "I only came in recent years; I regret not meeting you sooner."

Ning Changjiu took a sip of tea, looked at the snow outside, and said, "This is clearly the center of the Central Plains; it should be prosperous, so why are there so few people for thousands of miles?"

The old man frowned, asking, "You've made such a name for yourself, yet you don't even know these ancient, common facts?"

"Please enlighten me, sir," Ning Changjiu said sincerely.

The old man explained, "Because the central part of the Central Plains was once an ancient battlefield five hundred years ago. It was completely destroyed. The ground we stand on now was, many years ago, rock strata deep underground. The underlying ley lines were also largely shattered and fragmented, and earthquakes frequently occur in spring and summer. Earthquakes aren't terrifying; what's terrifying is that evil auras often seep out of the fissures. Even ordinary cultivators who come into contact with these evil auras are likely to die. Ordinary people simply cannot survive here."

Ning Changjiu recalled what he had seen in the Luo Book; the place they were in back then was indeed the center of the Central Plains.

"So that's how it is. It's a shame such a vast area is uninhabited," Ning Changjiu remarked casually.

The old man said, "There's no other way. Apart from the eighty-one united nations, ordinary villages simply cannot survive here."

Ning Changjiu asked, "How were the eighty-one nations built?"

The old man replied, "Some legends say they were built by immortals, while others say they are nations that fell from the sky."

Ning Changjiu narrowed his eyes, immediately recalling the 'Rain of Immortal Cities' in the Luo Book that occurred in the Central Plains. At that time, the sky seemed to crack open, and immortal cities and cave dwellings, carried above, rained down upon the human world. The walls of these cities were made of steel, imperishable by time.

Later, Ning Changjiu had discussed it with Lu Jiajia and Siming; they had met during the disaster of that Rain of Immortal Cities.

Could that Rain of Immortal Cities have been the prototype for the eighty-one cities, or perhaps even the eighty-one cities themselves?

Ning Changjiu collected his thoughts and said, "To be honest, I actually came from Nanzhou."

"From Nanzhou?" the old man exclaimed in surprise. "Such a wild and desolate place like Nanzhou can produce a cultivator like you?"

Ning Changjiu smiled without answering, only asking, "I traveled from Nanzhou, crossed the Sea of Misfortune, and went from the Sea Nations all the way to the Ancient Spirit Sect. All I saw were immortal mountains, cave dwellings, and bustling cities, which contrasts sharply with the desolation here."

The old man thought for a moment and said, "Because the edges of the Central Plains were not affected by the war, and being near the sea, trade is developed, and many cultivation sects are stationed there, so prosperity is inevitable."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Only the center of the Central Plains was an ancient battlefield?"

"Yes, that's what's said," the old man replied. "Ancient records state that five hundred years ago, the Central Plains' center was chosen by the Sages as the site of the Divine War. At that time, the Sages, along with a host of great demons and human cultivators, cleared the battlefield, using their power to move mountains and overturn seas to relocate most ordinary people outside the war zone, saving the common folk of both human and demon races from annihilation. However, the Divine War later spread wider than expected, and many areas still suffered devastating impacts, with rivers of blood and countless casualties."

Ning Changjiu nodded... No wonder, then, that in the world of the Luo Book, he flew for a long time without seeing ordinary people, only scenes where cultivators of the Five Paths were everywhere, and Violet Court cultivators were as common as dogs.

So, it turned out that almost all the strongest individuals in the entire world had gathered there at that time.

Unfortunately, in the end, the Sages and their allies still failed.

The final scene appeared in Ning Changjiu's Sea of Consciousness: the phantom roar of the Azure Dragon echoed in his ears, shaking mountains and seas, and a sky full of fire served as the curtain call, announcing the end of the Divine War.

"What a terrible era," Ning Changjiu sighed, saying, "Back then, the surviving humans were spread across the land, so why did most of the surviving demon race gather in Myriad Demon City, while they are rarely seen in ordinary places? Humans and demons used to work together wholeheartedly against the ancient gods; things shouldn't be like this after the war."

The old man pondered, then said, "Myriad Demon City... alas, it is said that the strongest demons today are all in that city, and even the Heavenly Ranking deliberately avoids listing names from Myriad Demon City. I suppose it has something to do with the Sages, but as for anything more, this old man doesn't know."

"Sages..." Ning Changjiu hummed in acknowledgement.

Back in the Command Tower, before Ning Changjiu could even rest, someone ascended the tower to challenge the ranking.

The challenger was a female disciple.

Ning Changjiu's eyes lit up.

He didn't know the female disciples who came, nor did he care about their family background or appearance, but he enjoyed defeating them.

He usually used several moves to defeat male disciples, but he always defeated female disciples in a single move!

Thus, to his already flourishing reputation, the titles 'Ruthless Destroyer of Flowers' and 'Indifferent to Female Beauty' were added. He knew these titles would reach the Ancient Spirit Sect, and he wanted to use them to please Lu Jiajia and, incidentally, prove how chaste he remained while traveling alone.

The female disciple nervously looked at the famous young man in white. She bowed respectfully, drew her sword, announced her sect, and requested a battle to help her improve.

The naive girl had no idea she was about to become a tool for him to appease his wife.

There was no suspense in this battle.

Sword light pierced through the Command Tower.

In less than one move, the girl suffered a crushing defeat.

She knelt on the ground, tearfully looking at the sword that had fallen to the floor. She was also a 'little fairy' of her own sect; when had she ever been treated this way?

She said tearfully, "Senior, you truly are as the rumors say... I told them earlier that my senior brother should have come... sob."

Ning Changjiu nodded, casually pointed out two flaws in her swordsmanship, and then said in a cold voice, "Stop crying. Zhang is hard-hearted... Since you've already lost, leave the tower quickly, lest people misunderstand."

Hearing this, the girl became even more aggrieved. She covered her face, turned around, and ran downstairs, tears streaming down her face.

After she left, she would surely accuse Zhang Jiu of being heartless.

Ning Changjiu continued to refine his sword intent.

He had already entered the ninth level of the Violet Court, approaching its peak. His Violet Court realm was extraordinary; when holding the Kunlun Sword, he even felt that as long as he could draw it, he could transcend realms and slay Five Paths cultivators.

Time passed quietly and slowly.

The cold night returned.

The Heavenly Ranking barrier, which had been cut open by Junior Sister Liu Junzhuo, had already restored itself. In the night, it shone brilliantly, like a curtain of shimmering glazed silk veiling the four sides of the ancient tower.

Tonight, many people gathered beneath the Heavenly Ranking, awaiting the announcement of the Central Plains' top cultivators.

Having a prime vantage point, Ning Changjiu was the first to see the list.

The first ranked was undoubtedly the Sword Saint. Second was Senior Sister He Yaoqin of the Sword Pavilion. Third was Ji Xuan, the Lord of the Divine Painting Pavilion, and fourth was...

"Ancient Spirit Sect Master, Siming," Ning Changjiu softly read aloud.

He was a little nervous because his rise to fame and Siming's appearance on the list would draw many eyes to the newly established Ancient Spirit Sect. Siming's identity was extremely special, which would undoubtedly bring immense attention and unnecessary trouble. At the same time, he was somewhat relieved that at least the name on this list was Siming and not Xueci.

This indicated that even the Heavenly Ranking had its unknowns.

However, if Siming were to see this list, she would likely be indignant, believing that as a divine official second only to a god, she should transcend all of humanity. Although her current state was far from her past peak, being ranked a mere fourth...

It was undoubtedly a rogue list!

Ning Changjiu continued reading.

After Siming was Yu Qing, the Lord of the Ethereal Pavilion, and sixth was Jing Zhan, the Lord of the Hanging Sea Pavilion. Compared to last year, the names of these two Lords had swapped positions.

Seventh was Liu Junzhuo, the second disciple of the Sword Pavilion, and eighth was Di Huan, the Sect Master of the Withered Star Daoist Gate, one of the Eight Divine Sects.

"This woman is even more formidable than I imagined," Ning Changjiu mused, weighing the sword in his hand and thinking of the impulsive woman.

Ninth was Qiu Xiansheng, the ruler of the Myriad Void Nation, the foremost of the eighty-one nations.

Tenth was Yu Lingtai, the Master of the Profound Elixir Sacred Pavilion.

This completed the list of the top ten from the previous year.

On the list, Luo Cangsu, who had consistently been in the top five, was no longer present, and the Ancient Spirit Sect Master, Huo, who had always been ranked tenth, had also vanished without a trace.

"Siming..." Ning Changjiu looked at her ranking and chuckled softly, "She truly lives up to her name."

Alas, it's just tough on Jiajia and Junior Sister. Having this Heavenly Ranking fourth-ranked expert constantly by their side... must not be easy.

For Ning Changjiu, this list of the Central Plains' top ten didn't spark much interest in understanding more; it merely served to alleviate the boredom of his duty guarding the ranking.

However, below the Heavenly Ranking, a great clamor of voices rose.

These were people from many sects who had specially come to witness the event.

Especially the people from the Profound Elixir Sacred Pavilion, whose Master had appeared on the ranking for the first time; the entire pavilion was celebrating. They could finally emerge from the depression of Xiao Qiu's loss to Zhang Jiu.

Ning Changjiu's gaze lingered on the words 'Divine Painting Pavilion' for a moment, then he subtly shifted it away, continuing to practice his sword.

The news reached the Ancient Spirit Sect in the middle of the night.

The brazier had cooled, but the wine was still warm.

Ning Xiaoling was sprawled by the roadside, curled up and hugging the warm brazier. She opened her mouth, let out a hiccup, and with hazy eyes, looked at her still-sober master and Sister Siming.

Siming's earlier tipsiness had also faded.

She sat leaning against a chair, legs crossed, one hand gently turning the rim of a porcelain cup, the other arm across her chest, resting in the crook of her other elbow. Siming's gaze was fixed coldly on a piece of paper on the table, its edges stained with wine, a bit messy.

Lu Jiajia moved her chair closer to Siming, looking at her nervously and saying carefully, "Sister Xueci, I think this ranking... is unfair!"

"Hmm, it's normal for a mere Heavenly Ranking not to know its place," Siming said indifferently, gently pushing the paper aside.

Lu Jiajia said, "Siming, fourth place... it must be because Sister just came out of seclusion, and the Heavenly Ranking doesn't know her true depth, so they deliberately chose a rank that belies your true power."

Siming had been accustomed to wielding power and authority these past days, feeling virtually invincible, so seeing herself ranked below three others on this list, she was quite displeased.

She said, seemingly nonchalantly, "It's also possible it's just a ranking of realms. Those with higher realms may not necessarily be my match, and besides, I'm far from my peak."

Lu Jiajia nodded, saying, "If it were truly ranked by victories, wouldn't husband be at least third..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lu Jiajia gently covered her lips, realizing she had spoken incorrectly.

Siming slightly turned her head, her gaze falling lightly on Lu Jiajia: "What are you saying, little sister?"

Lu Jiajia quickly tried to salvage the situation, carefully folding the paper along a certain line, then handing it to Siming—the top three names were now folded to the back of the page.

"Sister Xueci, in my heart, you'll always be in this position," Lu Jiajia said with a faint smile.

Only then did Siming reveal a faint, pear-blossom-like smile. She reached out and gently smoothed Lu Jiajia's hair, saying, "I wonder if little sister is being thoughtful, or if you've learned some cunning tricks of flattery."

Lu Jiajia replied, "Of course I'm being thoughtful. I cherish you so much, Sister."

Siming chuckled, saying, "And I wonder how long this cherishing will last."

Lu Jiajia's heart tightened. She blinked and said with a faint smile, "Sister, what nonsense are you talking about? This kind of love will naturally last a lifetime."

Sigh, Master used to be so fierce when teaching in the Sword Hall, but look how she's being bullied now... Ning Xiaoling, listening with perked ears, continued to feign drunkenness. She only hoped her senior brother would return soon.

Siming took her last sip of wine, then set down the cup, saying, "The human world, like this wine, is truly bland and uninteresting."

Lu Jiajia said helplessly, "This is already the strongest wine on the entire Clothes Street. If this has no flavor, then there's nothing in the human world worth drinking."

Siming looked at her, her eyes smiling, and said, "So, when Ning Changjiu returns, little sister, you must hurry and have children."

As she spoke, she leaned closer, one hand subtly stroking Lu Jiajia's flat, taut belly.

Lu Jiajia symbolically pushed her hand away, unable to express her discomfort.

"Oh right, what exactly was that fox tail Xiaoling mentioned earlier?" Siming recalled the matter again.

Lu Jiajia's heart jolted. She lightly raised a fair hand, slowly resting it on her forehead, her eyes hazy: "I... I feel a bit sleepy."

Ning Xiaoling regretted her previous slip of the tongue and continued to feign drunkenness.

Siming grabbed Lu Jiajia's wrist, saying, "Are you going to tell me or not?"

Lu Jiajia directly sealed her Sea of Consciousness with spiritual power, feigning a faint, and collapsed into Siming's arms.

Siming looked at the woman in her arms, sighed, and reached out to gently stroke her beautiful hair, puzzled: "Is it really that important...? Sigh, what on earth is it?"

At the Ancient Spirit Sect, disciples who had gone home for the New Year's Eve reunion gradually began to return.

The ice and snow had not yet melted, and Misty Moon Lake remained frozen for thousands of miles, but human voices gradually grew livelier.

This made the Fish King a little unhappy.

Because of this, it would no longer be the sole deity of Misty Moon Lake.

There was only one lake, and the more deities there were, the more competition there would be for resources. Moreover, it was an anomaly among these 'deities,' so it was forced to give up this fish pond.

But having eaten vegetables for more than half a month straight back then, it cherished fish immensely.

It needed to find a way to eat fish even when not guarding the pond.

So, it dug a conspicuous cave at the edge of the lake, inscribed with 'Fish King's Cave.' Hiding inside, it spoke in an ancient, profound voice: "I am the supreme ruler of Misty Moon Lake. All anglers must offer three large fish daily; otherwise, they will catch nothing and be afflicted with the Fish King's curse."

Initially, people thought it was a prank.

But soon, they found that they genuinely couldn't catch any fish.

It turned out the Fish King had dived underwater and blocked all the openings in the ice holes.

From that day on, some people tried offering tribute to the Fish King, and sure enough, after doing so, they caught many fish. More and more people offered tribute to the Fish King, while others found it eerie and dared not approach Misty Moon Lake again. The Fish King itself never entered the water again; it would simply go to its cave at mealtimes to feast, growing plump and white once more.

Those anglers were even grateful to the so-called Fish King for their abundant catches, offering more and fatter fish. Little did they know, those were originally their rightful catches, merely intentionally restricted beforehand.

Once its interest in pretending to be a deity passed, the Fish King would lie on a rock, basking in the sun.

It stroked its plump belly, recalling the glorious years swept away by wind and rain, always feeling a sense of unreality that those times were gone.

"Buddhist law is boundless..."

The Fish King spoke softly.

Time passed imperceptibly, and in a blink, half a month had gone by.

The ice and snow covering the mortal world gradually faded. Branches laden with snow began to sprout new buds, and vibrant life nourished the vast land in wisps, awaiting the thunder of the Waking of Insects to strike, signaling worms and snakes to emerge from their nests.

Ning Changjiu looked out from the Command Tower, where peaks gathered like screens, standing golden in the sunset. This was almost all that his eyes could see.

More than a month had passed.

He walked out of the Command Tower, slowly closed the door, and departed, carrying Liu Junzhuo's sword and crown.

"Leaving already?"

A voice echoed in his mind; it was the Evil.

Ning Changjiu nodded. "It's about time."

The Evil said, "Hmm, when we meet again, it might well be another scene of the sky tilting northwest and the earth sinking southeast."

Ning Changjiu replied, "The Sages are dying; no one in the world can initiate a divine war of this scale again."

The Evil said, "Perhaps."

Ning Changjiu slowly walked down the steps.

Just as he was about to truly depart, the Evil's final words, light as a dream, echoed in his mind's lake, sending out ripples.

"Be careful of the Sword Pavilion."

said the Evil.

Ning Changjiu seemed to hear nothing, made no response, and walked out of the Heavenly Ranking with an unchanged expression.

The Command Tower was empty, and the Heavenly Ranking, bathed in the evening light, bid him farewell.

The young man had come alone and returned with a sword on his back.

"Are you leaving already?" asked the old scholar who had chatted with him earlier. "One month of cultivation here is equivalent to a year outside. This is a rare holy land for cultivation; it's truly a shame not to stay for a full three months."

Ning Changjiu said, "I don't have time."

The old scholar was a little puzzled. Wasn't guarding this ranking meant to save cultivation time?

"Do you have something more important than cultivating for immortality and achieving enlightenment?" the old scholar asked, very surprised. "Never mind ordinary cultivators, but for a genius like you, cultivating the path to immortality should be the ultimate aspiration."

"I don't cultivate for immortality," Ning Changjiu said. "I cultivate only for an immortal destiny."

His destiny with the Heavenly Ranking concerned the safety of the Evil and Xiaoling. Once these two matters were resolved, the destiny was fulfilled, and there was naturally no reason to linger.

Not to mention that he only had a few years left in his life, even if his lifespan were still long, he wouldn't dedicate himself to arduously seeking immortality.

Though immortality is appealing, it's not worth betting a long, monotonous lifespan on an ethereal ideal, only to potentially turn to dust after ten thousand years of vicissitudes. Such leisure time would be better spent watching snow with Siming, gazing at mountains with Jiajia, or enjoying countless different sceneries with them.

Seeking immortals, searching for elixirs, and asking about immortality are things one does only when old.

He was still young.

Ning Changjiu departed. Afterwards, many disciples who had long been waiting at the Heavenly Ranking began to enter the tower, competing for the next spot guarding the ranking.

They were all young talents, but with Zhang Jiu, Mr. Fourteen, and Xiao Qiu having set such high standards, no one cared about their victories or defeats anymore.

Ning Changjiu controlled his sword, flying along the wheel tracks into the snowy river valley, heading east with a single sword.

A day and night later, he stopped at a pavilion to rest.

It was an ancient pavilion by the water, eroded by years and on the verge of collapse.

Ning Changjiu entered the pavilion, set his sword aside, and regulated his vital energy.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. He raised his eyes and looked at the stone tablet by the pavilion. Three characters were inscribed on it: "Xunjiu Tai" (Platform for Seeking Wine).

"Seeking wine?" Ning Changjiu frowned slightly. "Xun Jiu..."

No sooner had he spoken, still pondering if it was a coincidence, than the last winter plum blossom on a branch by the pavilion suddenly fell.

The vibrant red plum petal was like the last snowflake of winter.

Ning Changjiu felt a premonition of ill omen.

He suddenly reached for his sword, and a streak of sword qi slashed at the plum blossom.

The plum blossom split into two petals, resting quietly in the snow—it was just a diversion.

Suddenly, the sound of wind and the cry of cranes rose simultaneously. Around the ancient pavilion, every blade of grass and tree became a weapon.

Behind Ning Changjiu, the sky dimmed, the spring breeze dispersed, and the snow in the courtyard abruptly gathered, coiling into a sharp point that stabbed towards his back.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

A voice and a crane's shadow emerged simultaneously from the sword light, carrying an unyielding resentment.

It was precisely the Sect Master of the Diánhuán Sect who had escaped that day, True Monarch White Crane.