Chapter 373: Glorious Ranking

In this direction, over seven million cultivators from the Core Circle of Wanmoling had gathered. With numerous formations and spiritual artifacts deployed above and below, the area was tightly sealed, forming an undeniably sturdy defense line.

However, when the Vermilion Bird's figure swept past, this formidable defense was torn open with ease, like paper.

The Wanmoling cultivators, who were pulling spiritual nets to ensnare the Vermilion Bird, bore the brunt of the attack. Before they could even get close, their clothes and hair burst into flames, their protective spiritual energy proving utterly useless.

It was then they finally realized disaster was imminent and tried to turn and flee, but it was already too late.

The Vermilion Bird’s wings quivered slightly, and its slender, elegant form transcended spatial barriers. Orange-red flames enveloped them.

Screams erupted, and figures plummeted downwards like raindrops, expiring on the spot before they even hit the ground.

More Wanmoling cultivators were swept away by the orange-red flames. Even powerful Spirit Creek Realm experts on the Spirit Creek Ranking were as fragile as ants in the face of such a display.

Their dense formation, originally intended to better withstand the Grand Heavens Alliance's assault, now proved to be their greatest downfall.

The Vermilion Bird flew through the most concentrated part of the crowd, its searing power plowing a path of death through the air and ground before crashing into the Myriad Poison Forest.

Its might undiminished, the perennial poisonous mist within the Myriad Poison Forest was cleared, creating a hollow path. Wherever the Vermilion Bird passed, the poisonous mist vanished without a trace.

From a high-altitude perspective, outside the Myriad Poison Forest, the previously dense Wanmoling formation now featured a gap several dozen zhang wide. The gap was empty, and on either side, Wanmoling cultivators stared in terror, their eyes trembling as they gazed at the orange-red figure that had plunged into the Myriad Poison Forest.

Their survival was not due to superior strength, but simply better luck, as they had not been affected by the massive figure.

As for those who were caught in its path, every single one was now charred and lifeless.

In just a dozen breaths, over two hundred Wanmoling cultivators gathered there had been killed or wounded! Several cultivators on the Spirit Creek Ranking also perished, including Wu Beihan, who was ranked thirty-third.

As the ostensible strongest combatant in this operation, he had not chosen to evade or flee the moment the Vermilion Bird appeared. Instead, he ordered cultivators from all directions to attack.

However, he underestimated the might of the Fire Phoenix. By the time the orange-red figure charged towards him, it was too late to escape.

He met a peaceful end.

The clear, resonant cry rang out once more. After penetrating several miles into the Myriad Poison Forest, the Vermilion Bird's form suddenly disintegrated, dissolving into countless specks of glowing light.

Amidst the swirling specks of light, a figure plummeted straight down.

"It's Lu Yiye!" a Wanmoling cultivator exclaimed with a trembling voice.

This Vermilion Bird, one of the Four Divine Beasts, was conjured by Lu Ye. Now that the Vermilion Bird had vanished, Lu Ye's figure naturally reappeared. However, his current condition seemed... not good?

"He's done for!" someone shouted in surprise and delight.

Such a terrifying technique had instantly annihilated over two hundred cultivators from the Wanmoling Core Circle. Specks of red light drifting from the numerous corpses converged into a band of light, flowing towards where Lu Ye had fallen.

But could a Spirit Creek Realm cultivator truly employ such a technique at will?

Anyone cultivated to this level understood that the more powerful a technique, the greater the cost.

Although they didn't know why Lu Yiye could wield such a power, he was undoubtedly at the end of his tether, perhaps even suffering a severe backlash.

This was clearly his most vulnerable moment, as evidenced by his disheveled fall.

The overwhelming terror they had felt was suddenly replaced by immense delight. All the Wanmoling cultivators saw this as an opportunity.

An opportunity to slay Lu Ye!

Lu Yiye of the Blood Pact Sect was a walking treasure trove. Whoever killed him would possess inexhaustible wealth in the future.

Thus, after a brief hesitation, all the surviving Wanmoling cultivators' spirits flared with excitement.

However, before they could rush into the Myriad Poison Forest to search for Lu Ye, the clang of swords suddenly echoed.

Someone cried out, "The Grand Heavens Alliance is attacking!"

The Wanmoling cultivators, whose attention had been drawn by Lu Ye, turned to see over a dozen sword fanatics from the North Mystic Sword Sect forming a sword array. Their flying swords, like dragons, assailed them from this direction, followed by three to four hundred Grand Heavens Alliance cultivators.

The appearance of the Vermilion Bird was indeed startling, but since the Grand Heavens Alliance wasn't the target of the attack, they recovered their wits faster than Wanmoling.

Yu Lianzhou and others immediately realized this was a prime opportunity to attack Wanmoling. As the Vermilion Bird plunged into the Myriad Poison Forest, they launched their assault on the disoriented enemy.

A major battle suddenly erupted.

Thousands of Wanmoling cultivators had gathered both inside and outside the Myriad Poison Forest. Although over seven hundred had been in this particular area before, and some had just died, Wanmoling still held a numerical advantage.

However, sword cultivators excel in combat, and with over a dozen of them forming a formidable sword array, their destructive power greatly increased. A sword dragon formed by a thousand flying swords slammed into the crowd, instantly becoming a meat grinder. Screams echoed continuously, and blood and severed limbs flew everywhere.

Following closely behind this sword array, over three hundred Grand Heavens Alliance cultivators unleashed their various techniques, striking fear into the hearts of the Wanmoling side.

If their previous arrangements were still intact, Wanmoling could have used them to turn the tide. But when the Vermilion Bird swept through the area, all pre-laid formations and tactics had been destroyed.

At this moment, Wanmoling could only rely on its numerical superiority.

Such a slight advantage was no match for the Grand Heavens Alliance's assault. Under relentless pressure, Wanmoling found it difficult to resist for a time, until groups of cultivators from both sides, hearing the commotion, arrived to assist, finally stemming the Grand Heavens Alliance's offensive.

The hundreds of Grand Heavens Alliance cultivators showed no desire to prolong the fight; having gained an advantage, they immediately retreated, with Wanmoling in hot pursuit, creating a chaotic scene...

While the two factions were locked in fierce combat, inside the Myriad Poison Forest, Lu Ye, covered in blood and with weakened aura, sprinted forward.

He felt his consciousness hazy and utterly exhausted, his spiritual power almost completely depleted. If he hadn't consumed a bottle of Quietus Fruit Wine before conjuring the Fire Phoenix, he would undoubtedly be at his last gasp now.

Innumerable wounds had opened on his skin, and even the flesh and blood inside his body were damaged.

He secretly felt fortunate that he had previously stored a significant amount of spiritual power using five Spiritual Reserve Markings; otherwise, he truly wouldn't have been able to conjure the Fire Phoenix this time.

This Spiritual Mark imposed too heavy a burden on his spiritual power and mental state, making it impossible for a cultivator at his level to wield.

Although he succeeded in conjuring it, the Fire Phoenix he created was completely beyond his control. Had it not been so, he wouldn't have crashed headlong into the Myriad Poison Forest; he would have long since wiped out the hundreds of Wanmoling cultivators there.

Shortly after crashing into the Myriad Poison Forest, the Fire Phoenix disintegrated. It wasn't due to expended power, but because he could no longer sustain it. If he had persisted, Lu Ye felt he would surely die.

To effortlessly construct this massive Spiritual Mark and perfectly control it, Lu Ye estimated he would likely need to advance to the Cloud River Realm... and even then, it would only be a possibility.

The Quietus Fruit Wine continued to work, rapidly replenishing his depleted spiritual power, but the after-effects of conjuring the Fire Phoenix were quickly manifesting.

He dared not stay put, as there were also Wanmoling cultivators within the Myriad Poison Forest. His conspicuous fall meant someone must already be searching for him.

If he encountered Wanmoling cultivators now, Lu Ye figured he wouldn't fare well, as his current strength was severely diminished.

Fortunately, he had already sent a message to Yiyi, who was guiding Ju Jia towards him. Moreover, the Myriad Poison Forest was filled with poisonous mist, obstructing vision, so it wouldn't be easy for Wanmoling members to track him in such an environment. As long as he was careful enough, there shouldn't be too big of a problem.

Just as he was thinking this, a mystical heavenly phenomenon suddenly descended. Immediately after, a colossal, semi-transparent ranking list materialized in the sky above him.

Engraved on the list were the names and origins of one hundred individuals; it was none other than the renowned Spirit Creek Ranking.

Lu Ye, who was fleeing, stiffened.

Things seemed... not good!

Lu Ye was naturally familiar with the Spirit Creek Ranking. He had heard from his fourth senior brother that cultivators appearing on the list for the first time could feel this omnipresent heavenly phenomenon. If their performance was outstanding enough, the phenomenon would manifest in a unique way to highlight the individual, serving as a form of divine acknowledgment and reward.

However, throughout history, few individuals had truly received such divine acknowledgment and reward. Proportionally, it was one in ten thousand, with such a person appearing only every few years.

While Lu Ye was still cautiously trying to conceal his tracks, this semi-transparent Spirit Creek Ranking suddenly unfurled above him like a banner. Anyone within a hundred-mile radius, unless blind, would surely see this list.

Could it be...

It shouldn't be...

Why would it be...

Under countless watchful gazes, five names on the Spirit Creek Ranking suddenly dimmed, then dissolved into flickering light and vanished. This signified that these five individuals had either advanced to the Cloud River Realm or had perished.

Then, at rank thirty-three, a line of gilded characters suddenly appeared.

Lu Yiye, Blood Pact Sect, Bing Province, Heavenly-Tier Seventh Level!

Immediately after, everyone ranked thirty-three and below shifted up one position, and at the newly vacant bottom, several more lines of characters appeared, listing the names, origins, and cultivation levels of the newly ranked individuals.

The vast Spirit Creek Ranking hung high in the sky. In that instant, every cultivator within a hundred-mile radius saw it clearly, their gazes fixed on the gilded characters at rank thirty-three, especially the last five words.

Heavenly-Tier Seventh Level!

How dazzling!

Since ancient times, all powerful cultivators on the Spirit Creek Ranking had been at the Heavenly-Tier Ninth Level. Only in the last decade or so had Li Baxian appeared, dominating a top ten position with Heavenly-Tier Eighth Level cultivation. But Li Baxian was different; he had fallen from Heavenly-Tier Ninth Level cultivation, and even with a broken spiritual aperture, his inherent foundation remained. Moreover, he possessed extraordinary talent, capable of controlling a hundred swords, even prompting the Sword Master of the North Mystic Sword Sect to consider taking him as a disciple.

A cultivator at the Heavenly-Tier Seventh Level ascending the Spirit Creek Ranking was unprecedented throughout history!