Chapter 498: Establishing the Martial Evaluation

Northern Plains, Sacred Mountain.

In a palace filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

Ji Lei was originally in seclusion.

He was already considered one of the most active cultivators in the Northern Polar Immortal Sect, but even so, he spent most of his time cultivating.

This was the norm for most cultivators in the world.

Immortal cultivation is inherently a matter of fighting heaven for life.

To put it bluntly.

It is to fight for that sliver of ethereal chance to become an immortal before one's lifespan is exhausted.

Otherwise, one will eventually become a handful of yellow earth.

Since Ji Lei began his cultivation, he had never slackened for countless winters and summers.

Suddenly.

An old and majestic voice rang in his ears.

"Come."

Ji Lei slowly opened his eyes. He recognized that the speaker was the Sect Master of the Northern Polar Immortal Sect.

His eyes narrowed.

That Sect Master of the Northern Polar Immortal Sect was an Elder of the Wan Wan Fadian, whose status was similar to Si Feng's, but belonged to a different lineage. Of course, regardless of which lineage, an Elder of the Dao Body Realm was not someone he could afford to offend.

The next instant.

Ji Lei's figure flashed.

Within a few breaths, he appeared before the most magnificent palace on the summit.

He stepped inside.

He did not see the Sect Master, but instead saw the back of a familiar man in white.

When he saw that back, Ji Lei's expression changed, and a stunning name surfaced in his mind. After a long while, he said in disbelief: "Senior Brother He?!"

The man in white slowly turned around.

It was a perfect face that would make women jealous, without a single flaw.

Handsome and elegant!

Seeing the familiar face, Ji Lei was even more shocked.

The world called them exiled immortals, and he did not feel there was any problem with that.

After all, he was just an ordinary inner disciple in the Wan Wan Fadian.

At most, his talisman skills were considered decent.

But this He He Jiuxuan before him was different; he was one of the top three inner disciples of the Wan Wan Fadian!

Even ordinary Elders did not have his status.

That such a person would also descend to the lower realm.

How could he not be shocked?

He He Jiuxuan smiled faintly: "It is Junior Brother Ji, we haven't seen each other for a long time, have we?"

Ji Lei nodded, appearing somewhat reserved:

"Greetings, Senior Brother He."

Seeming to see through Ji Lei's thoughts, He He Jiuxuan laughed at himself: "I couldn't compete, so I had no choice but to think of coming to try my luck."

Ji Lei's heart stirred.

He recalled a certain rumor.

This Senior Brother He was good at everything, and his cultivation had been smooth sailing all his life; perhaps his only setback was choosing the wrong Great Dao.

The Dao of Refined Gold.

It was a unique Great Dao that combined the Great Dao of Fire and the Great Dao of Metal.

His strength went without saying.

Whether it was the Great Dao of Fire or the Great Dao of Metal, both were existences with extremely powerful killing power.

The Dao of Refined Gold, which combined these two, was even more overbearing.

It was precisely by relying on this unique Great Dao that He He Jiuxuan achieved the terrifying result of third place in the Wan Wan Fadian sect competition, where there were countless prodigies.

You must know.

The top two were both disciples of Dao Lord existences.

But success also comes from the Dao, and failure comes from the Dao.

The Great Dao that had a Great Dao struggle with the Dao of Refined Gold was the Great Dao of Azure Profundity.

He He Jiuxuan was at the Purple Mansion Realm; originally, there should not have been such a terrifying Great Dao struggle.

It was a pity.

A great power who had comprehended the Great Dao of Azure Profundity appeared in the Immortal Cultivation World—the Azure Emperor.

Even though the Azure Emperor had disappeared for unknown thousands of years.

What made countless cultivators despair was that the Great Dao suppression he left behind still pressed the Dao of Refined Gold so hard it could not lift its head.

These years.

Any cultivator of the Dao of Refined Gold had taken the path of descending to the lower realm.

He He Jiuxuan was arrogant.

At first, he insisted on attaining the Dao under the suppression of the Azure Emperor.

But after a full sixty years, his realm had not moved a bit.

Those who were about the same as him, or even worse, had already begun to try to harmonize with the Dao, only one step away from the great cultivator of the Dao Body Realm.

And he was pressed to death by the Azure Emperor's Dao rhyme left in heaven and earth.

Looking at it now, he finally chose to give up and compromise.

Regarding this.

Ji Lei expressed that he understood very well.

After all, he had personally experienced the despair of being suppressed by the Great Dao, which was why he had exhausted his family's assets to come to this Golden Court small cave-heaven.

He also saw.

That the one who called him here was actually He He Jiuxuan.

'As expected of Senior Brother He.'

A Heavenly Phenomenon cultivator who could actually invite a Sect Master to help pass a message; this face was too big.

He He Jiuxuan looked at Ji Lei: "Junior Brother Ji, I have been in seclusion on the mountain all along, and now I finally have some leisure time. You have been in this Golden Court small cave-heaven for a long time, why not walk around with me?"

Ji Lei understood that he had no possibility of refusing.

He had to nod:

"Yes, Senior Brother He."

"Hahahahaha."

In the Li Residence.

He Qiannian's hearty laughter rang out.

"Congratulations, Senior He."

Li Rui looked at He Qiannian with a smile.

He Qiannian had finally made progress in his martial arts after a hundred years.

Stepping into the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.

This step had been waited for a full hundred years.

Those like Li Rui who broke through like drinking water were too few, too few; there were countless prodigies who had fallen on this road.

He Qiannian looked at Li Rui: "Knowing you, kid, is my good fortune in this life."

These days, he had been staying in the capital.

He revisited many places.

Yesterday, he suddenly felt inspired and learned from the way he used to touch fish in the river, not expecting that his state of mind would change, and the bottleneck that had not loosened for many years was finally broken.

Of course, he also understood.

Relying solely on the state of mind was useless.

If it weren't for Li Rui helping him re-gather his Qi form first, and then teaching him the cultivation method.

It would have been impossible to break through so quickly.

Thinking of this.

He could not help but sigh.

'Kid Li has great prospects.'

This was roughly the same principle as his most promising disciple returning one day and telling his master that he could rest in peace.

"By the way, Kid Li, if there is anything I can help with, just say it; this old bone can still withstand being tossed around."

He Qiannian said.

Li Rui smiled slightly: "I am already the Peace-Maintaining Commandant, where would there be so much to be tossed around."

He Qiannian was stunned at first.

Then he laughed again.

"I really didn't misjudge you; you are someone who knows what is important, it was indeed me overthinking."

The Li Rui of today was no longer the small military officer of Qinghe.

The Peace-Maintaining Commandant could mobilize the entire Mountain-Seeking Division!

The actual power in his hands could rank in the top eight of the Great Yu court.

Li Rui was not one of those pedantic scholars who were suddenly promoted and became high officials, knowing very well how to make his job easy.

Officials who did everything themselves were the ones who would mess things up.

Chief Councilor Zhang could become the head of civil officials because he could handle things?

That was only one aspect.

More importantly, it was his ability to recognize and use people, and to push forward his own ideas.

This was the greater ability.

Li Rui suddenly spoke: "Senior He, you have enough experience in the pugilistic world; if you are interested, why not help me consult on the World Martial Evaluation?"

"World Martial Evaluation?"

He Qiannian's eyes lit up.

How could he not hear it.

Li Rui had taken on the job of presiding over the World Martial Evaluation.

The Great Yu World Martial Evaluation was a tradition that had existed since the time of the founding Emperor.

Actually, there had been rumors in the streets recently that the World Martial Evaluation might be canceled.

After all, the trend of immortal cultivation was prevalent now, and coupled with the three thousand cultivators descending to the lower realm, it brought a lot of trouble to establishing the World Martial Evaluation, and the word 'martial' had long been somewhat unworthy of the name.

This World Martial Evaluation was presided over by Chief Councilor Zhang.

But according to convention.

Chief Councilor Zhang would at most be the final gatekeeper, and the specific details would naturally be delegated to a high official to lead the people of the Martial Evaluation Pavilion to be responsible.

That identity used to be Jiang Jiang Linxian.

Now it had changed to Li Rui.

He Qiannian nodded without hesitation: "Good."

Speaking of which.

He, a master of external martial arts famous throughout the world, had a deep connection with that World Martial Evaluation.

Since the martial evaluation began, he had been the last place for unknown how many years.

He had stubbornly earned the title of the world's number one He Qiannian.

It was not easy to get rid of the title of last place.

Now he could even draft the martial evaluation.

He was naturally willing.

Of course, he also had selfish motives.

Now that the martial path was declining day by day, he wanted to restore the confidence of the people in the pugilistic world through the World Martial Evaluation.

Seeing He Qiannian agree.

Li Rui laughed: "I knew Senior would not refuse."

There were still two years left until the World Martial Evaluation was established.

But in fact, the time was not abundant.

Although there were officials from the Martial Evaluation Division who collected and organized information on the Upper Three Rank cultivators and martial artists of the world daily, because there were too many cultivators descending to the lower realm this time, the workload had increased several times over.

Chief Councilor Zhang's meaning was very clear.

At least eighty percent had to be found out.

"The World Martial Evaluation concerns the face of the nation, so it must be rigorous, otherwise wouldn't it make the world laugh?"

This was what Chief Councilor Zhang said.

Li Rui, as the Peace-Maintaining Commandant, saw it more deeply.

He also knew the reason why Chief Councilor Zhang did this.

The World Martial Evaluation was for that mysterious fortune of the pugilistic world; it concerned the struggle for fortune, how could it not be held?

Not only must it be held, but it must be held well.

How to hold it well?

Naturally, it was to make the world convinced.

The two words 'convinced' were too difficult.

Even Li Rui could not help but feel immense pressure.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 499 =====