Chapter 146: Qiankun List, Fifth

The little white fox lifted its head and licked the edge of Li Hao's palm, gazing at him with a forlorn look.

Li Hao smiled; the little white fox could never enter the Wumiao, or it would be slain the moment it stepped inside.

The path of soul inheritance for demons and monsters is much the same as for humans.

Those with lineage inherit the soul of their ancestral demons.

Those without lineage must beg to become disciples of other great demons and receive transmission.

Thus, demons and monsters also have their own factions and circles.

If they were still living in that Divine General's mansion, Li Hao could have helped the little white fox, sending it to Mount Mount Qingqiu, where fox clans reside.

Mount Mount Qingqiu is also one of the Li family's affiliated forces.

The old Taoist who measured bones there is itself a great fox demon.

Yet, a great war once erupted on Mount Mount Qingqiu a thousand years ago; its fox lord died in battle, and for many years no fox king of the Four Standing Realm has been born, forcing them to submit and ally with the Emperor Da Yu Divine Dynasty.

"Just endure a little longer. When I return, I'll look for the wild graves of demon kings beyond this border."

Li Hao stroked the little white fox and said: "If all else fails, give me time—I'll slay a demon king for you later and let you inherit its soul."

The Soul Inheritance Realm is still extremely crucial; his ability to fight across realms comes primarily from Heavenly Soul Inheritance, allowing him to condense the soul 360 times—far exceeding the normal five to ten times that of his peers.

Combined with enhancements in later realms, this cumulative power grants him this strength.

Upon hearing Li Hao's words, the little white fox nodded obediently, flashing a fox-like smile.

Li Hao borrowed a pouch of silver from Song Song Qiumo and set off with Ren Ren Qianqian.

The little white fox remained at camp, entrusted to Song Song Qiumo for care.

Ren Ren Qianqian carried Li Hao's sword, while Li Hao carried Ren Ren Qianqian…

But this "carrying" was done by levitation; the two flew side by side, one ahead of the other, leaving the camp.

Lao Feng's figure followed at a distance, stepping silently through the snowstorm.

Li He still chose to shadow Li Hao secretly, continuing his duty as bodyguard.

Though he now knew this young master's combat strength was no less than his own, orders were orders.

…

…

Dayue City lies at the northwestern center of Liangzhou.

It is a hub with access in all directions; outside the city, there are no mountains or forests, only vast flat plains—the northwestern axis of Liangzhou.

Every month, countless escort caravans arrive here.

Winter snow blankets the land, turning heaven and earth into one color, yet the wheels of carts have carved deep black streaks across the ground like tears.

On the roads outside the city, carriage after carriage arrive from all directions, continuously streaming along the wide imperial highway into the towering city.

"Miss, ahead lies Dayue City."

Inside a plain carriage, a maid dressed in civilian clothes with soft armor beneath spoke to the young girl beside her.

The girl wore a white robe and carried a sword at her waist, as white as the snow outside; she lifted the carriage curtain and saw the hundred-zhang-high city wall, a massive black mountain standing at the horizon.

"The aura of Dayue City rivals that of Qingzhou City."

The girl gazed intently and murmured.

She was Li Li Wushuang, who had come to Liangzhou with her father.

After barely settling into the military camp, she heard of the Grand Tianren Zongshi Assembly hosted by Huang Tianji Mountain and immediately disguised herself, bringing along the two female guards assigned by her father Li Li Xuanli, departing under cover of night.

"This city is home to one of Liangzhou's Seven Great Families and also the third-wealthiest man in Liangzhou, hence its grandeur."

The maid explained to her.

Li Li Wushuang nodded slightly but paid it no mind.

Any family or wealthy house pales before the glory of the Divine General's Mansion.

Her gaze swept across the imperial road, over the snowy plains and the distant mountains visible only at the horizon, and she whispered: "If we were to fight demons here, this would be an ideal place to assemble a large army—it's deep within our territory, making it hard for demons to hide."

The maid smiled faintly; of course, the daughter of a general thinks differently from ordinary noble girls.

"Coming here to seek the Dao will lay the foundation for my future entry into the Heavenly Human Realm and aid my breakthrough to the Fifteen-Li Realm, increasing my chances of climbing higher on the Qiankun List!"

Li Li Wushuang's eyes gleamed.

The Qiankun List is divided into two: the Kun Feng List excludes those over eighteen.

The Qian Long List excludes those over twenty-two.

The Qiankun List is primarily designed for the young.

The noble scions of great families mainly compete for the Kun Feng List; those who make the Qian Long List are mostly sons of the Divine General's Mansion, or top-tier disciples from elite sects like Qiandao Palace, Mount Wuliang Mountain, or other first-rank sects' direct disciples.

Making the Qiankun List means being among the most outstanding young talents of the Emperor Da Yu Divine Dynasty.

The sole criterion for inclusion is cultivation realm and actual combat achievements!

Thus, many noble youths enter the mortal world, upholding justice, slaying demons and monsters, building reputations—all hoping to be noticed and listed on the Qiankun List.

Once listed, they receive invitations from all factions, gain abundant resources, and their cultivation path becomes smooth; they no longer need to worry about lacking sect techniques, resources, or weapons—only focus on cultivation.

Li Li Wushuang currently ranks outside the top thirty on the Qian Long List.

Ahead of her, within the top twenty-eight, are all geniuses of the Fifteen-Li Realm.

They come from various sects, often direct disciples of top-tier masters like Sword Saints or Knife Saints.

Many of them, Li Li Wushuang knows by name; some are even acquaintances—like the two Shenyou Realm cultivators ranked above her, and the one at twenty-eighth: Li Hao's fiancée, Bian Bian Ruxue.

Though also in Shenyou Realm, she ranks slightly higher.

Her reason for ranking above Li Li Wushuang: three months ago, she descended from Jianlu and entered the world, destroyed a Mo River, and slew two Shenyou Realm demons with a single sword—her achievements were spectacular.

Entering the Qian Long List at age fourteen is nothing short of astonishing.

Even with a renowned master, many factions would still seek to befriend or court her—even just to gain a favor or familiarity is worth it.

The Qiankun List updates monthly; Li Li Wushuang thought of recent changes and felt a complex mix of emotions.

When the latest rankings were announced, young warriors across the nineteen provinces were shaken.

Though the Divine General's Mansion had deliberately suppressed news of the great battle in Qingzhou, too many witnesses existed; the information could not be hidden, especially since Huang Tianji Tower, which compiles the Qiankun List, claims to grasp heavenly fate and perceive all things—even a young hero picking a bird's nest on the border might be known to them, let alone such a massive battle.

With the Qiankun List update, that name naturally appeared on the roster.

Ranked fifth.

The Qian Long List's fifth-ranked cultivator, aged fourteen.

Li Hao.

Upon seeing this news and ranking, every faction monitoring the Qiankun List was stunned, especially when they read the description of the boy's realm—he had reached the Heavenly Human Realm! A fourteen-year-old Heavenly Human Realm cultivator shocked the world.

No wonder he ranked fifth on the Qian Long List.

Remember, the top ten of the Qian Long List have always been reserved for Heavenly Human Realm cultivators.

Like the disciples under the Qiandao Palace True Person, or the Buddha Tianren Zongshi's direct disciples, or the new pupil of some wandering beggar, or other young dragons of the Divine General's Mansion…

There are too many prodigies, too few slots.

These ten spots are chosen from billions of martial cultivators in the Emperor Da Yu Divine Dynasty.

When the rankings were released, someone in the Jianghu Yanyu Pavilion predicted that within two years, this boy would ascend to first place on the Qian Long List and hold it until he aged out at twenty-two.

Dominating the Qian Long List for six years! Though this prediction was bold, against his record-shattering cultivation speed, it didn't seem impossible.

Li Li Wushuang came to Dayue City to improve herself, primarily to catch up to that silhouette.

…

…

At another gate of Dayue City, a caravan arrived.

"Look, we're almost there!"

The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing a dozen youthful faces, brimming with lively energy.

"Song Yueyao, Dayue City is quite impressive."

Inside the carriage, Lin Lin Feifei, dressed in green, blinked her eyes in wonder; this was her first time in Liangzhou. Due to its unsuitability for agriculture, food was often imported from other provinces, and in her mind… this was a poor land.

Indeed, among the nineteen provinces' fiscal revenues, Liangzhou ranked among the lowest.

"Mm."

Song Song Yueyao beside her nodded slightly, her eyes glimmering with anticipation for the coming assembly.

"Song Yueyao, I heard Tianren Zongshi Li's post at Tianmen Pass is in Liangzhou?"

Lin Lin Feifei suddenly remembered something and asked curiously.

Her geography knowledge was poor, and she wasn't sure.

Song Song Yueyao's eyes sharpened; the light within dimmed, her expression turning solemn: "That's right." "Then after this assembly ends, should we go visit him?" Lin Lin Feifei spoke impulsively.

Song Song Yueyao shook her head slightly; she knew her friend's nature well:

"Tianmen Pass is perilous and unpredictable. If we go, we'll only trouble him. Grandfather said Aunt Song Qiumo has already gone to see him—he should be fine."

"Oh."

Seeing this, Lin Lin Feifei could only sigh in disappointment, muttering a few words of protest on Li Hao's behalf—her voice barely above a whisper, and she dared not say more.

These words were only whispered behind his back; criticizing the Divine General who guards an entire province—even if no one heard—still made her heart tighten slightly.

"We came here to cultivate. We must focus. Once we reach the Fifteen-Li Realm, we can go find him without delay."

Song Song Yueyao said.

Without reaching the Fifteen-Li Realm, one cannot even levitate; encountering powerful demons, one couldn't even escape.

Lin Lin Feifei nodded slightly, understanding the immense significance of this Grand Tianren Zongshi Assembly for them—it would lay the foundation for their future entry into the Heavenly Human Realm.

After all, the Heavenly Human Realm barrier must be crossed alone; no matter how many resources one has, they plateau at the Fifteen-Li Realm.

The curtain fell, and the carriage rocked slowly toward the massive bronze city gate.

……

……

Outside Dayue City, high in the air a hundred li away.

Several figures streaked down and landed on the wasteland nearby, far from the official road, unnoticed by anyone.

Leading them was a young man clad in purple-gold robes, his frame imposing, his face handsome yet adorned with thick, long whiskers along his jawline; his eyes glowed violet-gold, radiating a mesmerizing light.

"Young Tianren Zongshi, ahead lies Dayue City."

A gray-robed elder said respectfully.

He had coiled dragon horns atop his head, gray scales along his neck, a long, pointed face, and an air of coldness.

"Looks like a fine plate of food."

The youth in the purple-gold robe narrowed his eyes, lightly licking his lips: "Once we seize this city and coordinate with Father from inside, we'll tear open the northwest directly—those Liangzhou garrison troops won't even have time to react!"

The gray-robed elder smiled faintly: "I hear they're holding a grand gathering here, drawing Masters from every province—these are all succulent feasts. Young Tianren Zongshi can feast to his heart's content."

"These crawling insects—spend decades cultivating just to reach the Heavenly Human realm, and they breed too fast. Truly disgusting."

The purple-gold-robed youth spat coldly, a cruel expression flickering across his face.

The others nearby merely smiled, saying nothing.

"Let's go play in the city first. Keep the army on standby, ready for our signal. Once we break the city's formation, strike all at once—minimize casualties."

The purple-gold-robed youth said, walking forward.

"Young Tianren Zongshi, if you're entering the city, you must change your attire—and your Divine Eyes…" the gray-robed elder hurried to say.

His own dragon horns retracted into his hair, the gray scales on his neck vanished, and he looked like an ordinary old man.

"So troublesome."

The purple-gold-robed youth frowned, displeased.

"The purple-gold robe is reserved exclusively for the imperial family of this race. Too conspicuous."

"Hmph, damn crawling insects!"

The purple-gold-robed youth scowled, but his robes subtly shifted to a plain yellow, and the violet in his eyes faded to black.

"Let's go."

"Young Tianren Zongshi, here is your entry token."

The gray-robed elder handed over a token.

The token was stained with traces of blood.

……

……

Two figures raced in, landing on the official road outside Dayue City, then walked slowly toward the city gates—Li Hao and Ren Ren Qianqian.

Li Hao casually plucked a blade of grass from the roadside, idly swinging it as he leapt over patches of snow-mud crushed by cart wheels, avoiding dirtying his boots.

Ren Ren Qianqian held her sword, following closely; both leapt and skipped over muddy pits until they reached the city gate.

After paying the entry fee in silver, they stepped onto the city's stone-paved road.

"There really are a lot of cultivators here."

Li Hao glanced around; along the way, he sensed many martial cultivators, mostly Spirit Travelers, a few Soul Continuation ones—likely here for the spectacle.

Shops and taverns everywhere were packed, bustling with prosperity.

As they walked, Li Hao overheard chatter: discussions of the Tianren Zongshi Gathering, gossip about certain Masters—and to his surprise, he even heard his own name mentioned.

"Did you hear? The fifth-ranked on the Qianlong List—the youngest Tianren Zongshi in history!"

"My father said a Li family prodigy broke that record over a decade ago—now it's been broken again by someone from the Li family."

"Among the Five Divine Generals' Houses, isn't the Li family number one?"

"Shh, lower your voice. I'll tell you a secret—my friend says the least famous of the Five Divine Generals' Houses, the Wang family, is actually the most terrifying…"

……

The topic gradually veered off.

Li Hao was surprised—he knew the Qianlong List, compiled and updated monthly by the Huang Tianji Tower.

The Huang Tianji Mountain Man, who invited Masters from across the land to discuss the Dao, was one of the tower's directors.

Rumor had it the Huang Tianji Tower knew everything happening in the world. Most of the strange tales Li Hao had read in the Tingyu Tower were penned by them—even the details of a Tianren Zongshi's revenge, wiping out an entire clan, were described as if the writer had been there.

Even a Tianren Zongshi's affair with a young beauty had been recorded in the "Romance Chronicle."

But Li Hao had heard from Second Uncle that the Huang Tianji Tower didn't fabricate these stories—they were backed by the imperial family.

The Huang Tianji Tower's prestige in the martial world was immense, and this was one way the court infiltrated the underworld.

This revealed just how terrifying the actual power controlled by the Emperor Da Yu Dynasty truly was.

Was it because of that battle…? Li Hao's lips twitched slightly—he hadn't expected to make the Qianlong List because of it.

He didn't care much about the list.

Most people chased rankings for fame and profit—fame brought wealth.

A few pure souls sought only fame, wanting to be remembered by all, recognized wherever they went, and mourned after death.

But Li Hao had no interest in either.

He only wanted to live longer, live easier, be an ordinary traveler, wandering freely through this world.

The most precious thing in a person's life might simply be living freely.

"Come on, let's go to the Martial Temple first to continue your Soul Continuation."

Li Hao said to Ren Ren Qianqian.

Ren Ren Qianqian's eyes brightened slightly, and she nodded immediately, following him.

Li Hao casually grabbed a passerby to ask and learned Dayue City had three Martial Temples, the largest located on Chenghuang Street in the city center.

He immediately led Ren Ren Qianqian there.

Along the way, they encountered many martialists from various provinces, mostly traveling in small groups led by elders.

Chenghuang Street was extremely lively; it also housed a Buddhist temple, where many came to burn incense and pray.

This temple was under the Mount Wuliang Mountain, one of its subordinate factions.

Li Hao glanced at it, had no intention to pray, and led Ren Ren Qianqian straight to the Martial Temple at the street's center.

Outside the temple stood incense altars, but fewer people came here to worship than at the Buddhist temple.

Li Hao frowned slightly, then joined Ren Ren Qianqian, bought incense for a few taels of silver, lit it, and bowed to the heroic spirits within the temple.

After bowing, Li Hao brought Ren Ren Qianqian to the temple entrance and found the temple attendant.

The elderly attendant, upon seeing Ren Ren Qianqian's identity papers and learning of her father's status, verified she was indeed newly entered into the Soul Continuation realm, took the silver, recorded her name, and granted her entry into the temple.

The heroic spirits inside the temple were half-asleep; whether one could move them depended entirely on one's own merit.

With nothing else to do, Li Hao wandered around the temple and spotted two attendants playing chess on the open ground behind it, so he squatted nearby to watch.

Two terrible players.

After two glances, Li Hao lost interest, shook his head, and turned away boredly.

The two young attendants exchanged a knowing smile, assuming he was just a boy with no taste for chess or patience for it.

(End of Chapter)