Chapter 621

The Heavenly Emperor's Edict was issued, and the Great Wasteland trembled.

Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, a purple-gold divine ranking spanned the heavens, slowly emerging from the void.

The ranking was forged from unknown divine gold, its surface entwined with the radiance of countless stars, and the illusory form of the Heavenly Mandate Gold Dragon coiled above it, exuding a vast, awe-inspiring might that suppressed the ages.

The ranking was divided into three scrolls: 【War Merit】, 【Hundred Arts】, and 【Demon-Slaying】; radiant light flowed across it, as names and achievements appeared and shifted, clearly displaying rankings and rewards.

To its left, killing intent surged to the heavens, blood mist filled the air—this was the 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】.

Upon it, crimson divine script clearly listed bounty after bounty.

"Slay one Asura clan soldier, gain one point of Heavenly Court merit."

"Slay one Asura King of the Asura clan, gain one thousand points of Heavenly Court merit."

"... All within the Great Wasteland who commit evil and indiscriminately slaughter the innocent shall be listed upon this ranking."

To its right, treasure light shot into the clouds, auspicious vapors filled the sky—this was the 【Hundred Arts Ranking】.

"Present one post-heaven spirit treasure, gain five thousand merit points."

"Improve one point of the Zhou Tian Star Dou Great Array diagram; reward merit points from one hundred thousand to one million, according to contribution."

"Those who refine the Nine-turn Golden Elixir shall be awarded one hundred million merit points and granted the position of Demon Saint."

And at the very center, the most dazzling of all, was the 【War Merit Ranking】!

This ranking was blank, yet at its very top, golden divine script infused with Heavenly Mandate Qi inscribed a single line of grand characters.

"Those who wage war for the Heavenly Court, expand its borders, and establish unparalleled merit may ascend this ranking!"

Beneath the three great rankings lay a row of exchange tables crafted from the same material.

"Ten thousand merit points: exchange for one inferior innate spirit treasure."

"One hundred thousand merit points: enter the Celestial Stars, receive the position of Star Lord, and enjoy the Heavenly Mandate Blessing."

"One million merit points: exchange for one 【Zhou Tian Star Dou Banner】 (imitation), deploy the formation to shield heavenly secrets and sever cause and effect."

"..."

Countless mighty beings instantly directed their divine sense toward this place.

Xi Kunlun, Yaochi.

The Xi Wang Mu gazed upon the water mirror, where the divine radiance of the Heavenly Ranking shone brightly—especially the 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】, whose dazzling exchange rewards caused a fleeting strange gleam in her icy phoenix eyes.

"Using Heavenly Mandate Qi as bait, innate spirit treasures as hooks, to fish the scattered cultivators of the entire Great Wasteland for his use... what a grand scheme, what hegemonic yang plotting."

Beside her, a servant girl whispered softly: "Your Majesty, we scattered cultivators, are we...?"

"Wait and see." The Xi Wang Mu said calmly, "However, we may send a few disciples down the mountain to wander, slay a few ancient ferocious beasts listed on the ranking, and test the quality of this Heavenly Ranking."

Wuzhuang Guan.

Zhenyuanzi gently stroked the ginseng fruit tree, letting out a long sigh.

He saw the top of the 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】, where several names were marked in crimson divine script—precisely some of his old friends, and also several great demon kings secretly supported by the Witch Clan.

He knew these people would not live long.

"Behind Di Jun must be a master... such methods are no longer mere contention for supremacy, but a redefinition of Heaven and Earth's order. The Witch Clan is in peril."

Zhenyuanzi silently withdrew his divine sense, closed the temple gate, and assumed the air of one unconcerned with worldly affairs.

But no one knew that the fingers in his sleeve were rapidly calculating something.

And many more scattered cultivator mighty beings, after a brief shock and observation, went utterly mad!

On the shore of the East Sea, within a deep-sea cave dwelling.

Three ancestors, each with aura at the mid-stage of Great Luo Golden Immortal, sat together in a hall.

"Big Brother, have you seen the Heavenly Court's Heavenly Ranking? Slaying that Black Flood Dragon that has plagued the East Sea for tens of thousands of years can actually be exchanged directly for an inferior innate spirit treasure!" A short, stout ancestor exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement.

"Not only that!" another tall, thin ancestor added, "One can also gain a thread of Heavenly Mandate Blessing! We scattered cultivators lack what most? Is it not divine protection through mandate? If we obtain this mandate, perhaps we might even glimpse the threshold of Quasi-Sage!"

The white-haired ancestor called Big Brother, his eyes flashing with sharp light, slammed the table fiercely: "Done! Summon the disciples, lay the Covering Sea Great Array, today we shall slay that black loach and go to the Heavenly Court to claim the reward!"

A similar scene unfolded in every corner of the Great Wasteland.

Countless reclusive scattered cultivators, countless solitary mighty beings, under the temptation of the 【Heavenly Ranking】, poured forth from their mountains.

They wielded magical artifacts, formed teams, like men injected with chicken blood, frenziedly began hunting the targets listed on the 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】.

For a time, upon the Great Wasteland's earth, demon winds rolled, killing intent surged to the heavens.

In short months, upon the 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】, hundreds of names had been struck through by golden divine light, signifying they had been slain.

And those cultivators who successfully made the ranking all felt, in the dark, a thread of profound and mysterious mandate qi supporting them, making their originally obscure cultivation path several degrees smoother.

Facts speak louder than arguments!

The Heavenly Ranking is real!

This alone caused the entire Great Wasteland to boil over completely!

Pangu Hall.

The atmosphere was oppressive, as if about to solidify into substance.

Zhu Rong fixed his copper-bell-like giant eyes upon the Great Wasteland map condensed from earthly turbid evil at the hall's center; on the map, the light points representing the Witch Clan's affiliated tribes and forces were extinguishing one after another at a terrifying speed.

"You bully people too much! You bully people too much!!!"

Zhu Rong slammed his fist onto the ground, violent flames burning the indestructible bricks of Pangu Hall into a deep, scorched pit.

"That bald-feathered bird of Di Jun! He intends to dig up our roots!"

Gonggong also gritted his teeth and snarled: "Those scattered cultivators have gone mad! For the sake of ascending that damnable ranking, they dare to move against the tribes under our Witch Clan's protection! Big Brother, we can endure no longer! If we endure further, our Witch Clan shall become mere bare-pole commanders!"

"Tear down that broken ranking!"

"Charge up to the Thirty-Three Heavens!"

Qiangliang, She Bi Shi, and other warlike ancestral witches roared in unison, killing intent filling the hall.

"Shut up, all of you!"

Di Jiang's icy voice, like a basin of bone-chilling cold water, poured over the heads of all the ancestral witches.

He slowly rose to his feet, that face always calm and composed, now only endless exhaustion and coldness remained.

"Tore down the list? And then?"

Di Jiang's gaze swept over each brother, "Then tell the entire Wasteland, those on the list who practice blood sacrifice and slaughter living beings as evil heretics, are all our Wu clan? Are we declaring war on the Heavenly Court, or on the entire Wasteland?"

"This..." Zhu Rong and the others were instantly speechless.

Only then did they realize, this situation is a dead end.

On the Heavenly Ranking, listed are all those with solid evidence of being evil heretics.

If our Wu clan steps forward to protect these evil heretics, it's equivalent to confirming our guilt of colluding with evil heretics.

But if we don't step forward, we can only watch helplessly as our wings are plucked out one by one by those mad scattered cultivators!

"What a Donghuang Taiyi..." Di Jiang gripped his fist tightly, nails digging into his palm, dark gold ancestral witch blood dripping onto the ground.

He can now be absolutely certain, this whole Yang scheme comes from that one who has always lain on the soft couch, weakly Donghuang.

That seemingly harmless sickly weakling is the Yao clan's sharpest, most deadly slaughter knife!

Just as the Wu clan finds itself in a dilemma, the myriad immortals of the Wasteland go mad over the Heavenly Ranking.

Above the Nine Heavens, Sun Star Palace.

A clear, piercing cry, containing supreme nobility and the joy of life, echoed through the Thirty-Three Heavens.

Following closely, the second cry, the third cry... a full ten cries!

Accompanying the cries, ten small suns rose slowly from the palace where Xi He resides, illuminating the entire Heavenly Court into a brilliant golden ocean!

The Heavenly Court's qi fortune golden dragon let out a roar shaking the ages, its already immensely massive body swelling another thirty percent!

Di Jun, has an empress!