Chapter 9

007-Combat Power Ceiling Rank #18! (Request flowers, request tips)

In the Xianyanggong of the Great Qin.

Long before the Heavenly Dao Golden List trembled, Hearing Ying Zheng, burdened heavily, led his ministers to the palace grounds.

He squinted his eyes and silently gazed at the void.

His mouth still uttered words.

"Zhao Gao, Zhang Han, you must closely monitor the Heavenly Dao Golden List."

"If you discover any cultivators outside sects, recruit them into my Great Qin."

The two men behind him hurriedly responded, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Especially Zhao Gao, whose eyes flashed a sharp gleam.

Yet.

Before he could ponder further,

Hearing Ying Zheng's voice rang out again.

"Zhao Gao, what progress have you made on the records I ordered you to investigate?"

Zhao Gao's heart tightened.

He fell to the ground with a thud.

"Your servant is incompetent! Your servant is guilty! Please, Your Majesty, punish me!"

"Hmph! You truly are incompetent! Go and collect your punishment later!"

He did not receive the answer he wanted.

Hearing Ying Zheng, burdened heavily, let out a heavy sigh.

A flicker of displeasure crossed his face.

Even his tone grew distinctly irritable.

At this,

Zhao Gao lowered his head even further.

He replied cautiously, not daring to utter another word.

Afraid that any misstep might anger Li Longyan and cost him favor.

He clearly understood.

His power, his status, all came from the man before him.

Should he lose favor, all the nobles he'd offended over the years would surely seize the chance to kick him while he was down.

Fortunately,

What relieved him was,

After this reprimand, Hearing Ying Zheng's attention was fully drawn to the Heavenly Dao Golden List.

…………

【Nine Provinces Combat Power Ceiling Rank - #18, Huang Shang, Cultivation: mid-stage Land Immortal.】

【Identity: Imperial Preceptor of the Great Song.】

【He was originally a civil official of the Great Song, assigned by Song Huang to proofread the Ten Thousand Longevity Dao Canon.】

【Fearing errors in printing might anger Li Longyan, he meticulously checked every character, every phrase.】

【Unexpectedly, after years, he internalized countless volumes of Daoist scriptures, transitioned from Dao to martial arts, self-taught, and founded the S-Class martial art: Nine Yin True Scripture.】

【Later, his enemies destroyed his sect; outnumbered, he fled into Shenshan, devoted himself to martial study. Even though he had memorized countless Dao texts, it took him forty full years to perfect the Nine Yin True Scripture to S-Tier Supreme level.】

【Yet when he emerged from Shenshan seeking vengeance, he suddenly realized forty years had passed—his enemies had nearly all died, leaving only one old woman, barely clinging to life, with no more days left. This became his lifelong regret.】

【Afterward, he fell into despair for a time, but eventually rallied, broke through to the Land Immortal Realm. With no attachments left, he was moved by Song Huang and appointed Imperial Preceptor, serving the Great Song.】

【Heavenly Dao Evaluation: Entered martial arts through Dao, returned to Dao through martial arts—the Heavenly Being Realm is within reach!】

【Heavenly Dao Reward: One Breakthrough Pill (increases chance of breakthrough to Heavenly Being Realm by eighty percent)】

Boom!!

As the final character appeared and faded,

Inside the Great Song imperial palace,

Zhao Ji violently swept the teapot and teacups off the table.

His aged face turned as black as a soot-covered pot.

The palace maids and Eunuchs surrounding him immediately bowed their heads and knelt to the ground.

Their faces pale, pupils filled with terror.

Their bodies trembled involuntarily, as if frozen in silence.

Afraid of being implicated or used as a scapegoat.

"How is this possible!"

"How could the Imperial Preceptor be ranked #18!!"

He gasped twice.

Zhao Ji stared in disbelief toward the corner.

To his surprise,

Even the Lotus Ancestor fell silent.

Even he harbored doubts.

Though over the years he had never truly fought Huang Shang to the full extent,

He knew the man's strength clearly.

Even if I can't make the top ten, at least the top thirteen should be secure!

And yet?

I ended up at eighteenth, just one spot above myself.

At this moment, beyond absurdity, he couldn't even think of a second adjective!

"Ancestor? Ancestor?"

Seeing the other offer no response for a long while.

Zhao Ji quickly called out two more times.

"This matter is indeed absurd."

"But the celestial phenomena displayed by the Heaven's Dao Golden List are beyond the capability of ordinary mortals."

"Therefore, my suggestion is to wait and observe."

"See whether the remaining rankings truly deserve their positions."

There was a moment of silence.

Considering the heavenly phenomena revealed by the Heaven's Dao Golden List and the solemn voice that had echoed in his mind earlier.

Though a flicker of doubt lingered in his heart.

Kuihua Ancestor still temporarily chose to believe the list.

Of course.

In truth, there was another thought he hadn't voiced.

That was, even if this ranking had some fraud in it, what could we do?

What else could we do but rage helplessly?

Perhaps he had just realized the same thing.

Zhao Ji nodded, took two deep breaths, and calmed his emotions.

…………

"Damn it, this world is too dangerous!"

In the Great Qing imperial palace.

Wei Xiaobao spat, his mind reeling.

Before this.

He had thought that by joining Chen Jinnan's sect, he'd have a powerful backer.

But through the Heaven's Dao Golden List, he realized.

His horizons had been too narrow.

In the entire Great Qing, let alone beings of the Land Immortal tier.