Moreover, Xu Lai could vaguely sense that the person under his foot was not like a normal Cultivator who could freely utilize Spiritual Energy. The price this man was paying was substantial—so much so that hiding in the shadows for a single minute burned about a year of his lifespan.
Because of this, Tan Chang was on the verge of tears. He had already exhausted much of his lifespan during his early years as an assassin. If Xu Lai kept a foot on him for a few more minutes, he might just die right there in the shadows. This was the drawback of his Hiding Technique; after all, Spiritual Energy could only be sensed by a Martial Ancestor!
Tan Chang bellowed, "If you don’t lift your foot now, don’t blame me for using my ultimate move! My Phantom Shadow Stab can instantly kill those of the same Boundary, and even... kill those in a higher Boundary!"
As he spoke, a terrifying pressure from his Boundary spread out. The pressure was so intense that Fang An, Su Daiyi, and the others paled. They felt as if the air had solidified, making it impossible to breathe. This pressure was even more terrifying and bone-chilling than when Ye Wuxuan had appeared at the Ye Family’s grand banquet.
"Mr. Xu, be careful!" Old Jiang Ba warned.
"Scared?" Tan Chang said arrogantly. "Release me at once, or else—Ouch! Ouch! Don’t step on my face! I told you not to step on my face!"
All the arrogance had vanished from Tan Chang’s voice, replaced by a sobbing tone. His Hiding Technique could allow him to escape from even a Martial Ancestor, albeit at a great cost. So why couldn’t he resist Xu Lai at all? That shoe sole felt like the Five Element Mountain pressing down on him, rendering him completely immobile.
"First, you use your ultimate move. Then I’ll consider letting you go."
The people in the private room were silent.
Tan Chang was silent.
A devil. Is this man a devil?!
Tan Chang gritted his teeth. "Are you sure? Once I unleash my ultimate move, you... you won’t even have a grave to be buried in! Don’t blame me for not warning you!"
"I’m really doing it!"
"Are you sure I should do it?" Tan Chang threatened viciously.
Xu Lai smiled. "If you spout one more word of nonsense, I’ll stomp you to death. Believe it?"
"Fine! Don’t blame me for my ruthlessness on your way to the Netherworld!" Tan Chang roared, "Phantom Shadow Stab!"
A heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the private room. Suddenly, a sharp claw wreathed in black mist stabbed out from the shadow beneath Xu Lai’s foot. The claw was nearly a meter long, dripping with a crimson liquid that exuded a thick, bloody stench.
"GHEGHEGHEGHE! While you were wasting time with idle chat, I successfully summoned the Phantom Shadow Stab!" Tan Chang howled. "Not even a Martial Ancestor could escape unscathed! Prepare to d—Urk! Ugh!"
His words caught abruptly in his throat. Tan Chang’s eyes widened in disbelief. He saw that the claw not only failed to pierce Xu Lai’s body but shattered inch by inch with a light touch from him, as fragile as paper.
A numbing chill surged through his heart. Who on earth is this guy? Why is he so strong? He’s even more troublesome than the Martial Ancestors I encountered a few years ago!
"Are you a Martial Ancestor?" Tan Chang suddenly realized something and exclaimed in horror, "It was you who killed Ye Wuxuan! You destroyed the Ye Family!"
That’s right. Only a Martial Ancestor could intimidate the major families of Hangcheng into absolute silence. For original chapters go to novèlfire.net
Tan Chang seethed with hatred. Every Martial Ancestor was required to inscribe their name on the Sky Ranking at Shushan to announce their status to the world. It was not only a symbol of strength but also a representation of power. In three hundred years of the Martial Dao, everyone who had left their name on the Sky Ranking was a prodigy of their time. However, only about ten of them were still alive today. Among them, none were surnamed Xu.
Tan Chang said angrily, "You didn’t follow the rules of the Martial Dao and inscribe your name on the Sky Ranking!"
"Hm?" Xu Lai raised an eyebrow. "What’s the Sky Ranking?"
Fang An explained, "Mr. Xu, there is a peak in Shushan that is extremely treacherous. Only a Seventh-Grade Martial Ancestor can fly to its summit. Three hundred years ago, the first Martial Arts Grandmaster, Xu Yanyang, left his name at the top. The Martial Dao World reverently refers to this peak as the Sky Ranking. Martial Artists consider it a great honor to leave their names there. It has since become a tradition that every newly-promoted Seventh-Grade Martial Ancestor of the Upper Three Grades must ascend the peak and leave their name!"
"I see," Xu Lai mused.
Although he wasn’t a Martial Ancestor, he believed in following local customs. His Divine Sense spread across Hua Country, quickly locating Shushan in the Central Plains. The presence of that place was so sharp and prominent it was impossible to miss.
Xu Lai saw a mountain. Its peak soared into the clouds like a sword about to be unsheathed. The summit was engraved with numerous names, each written with vigorous, flowing strokes that carried a terrifying aura.
"Interesting," Xu Lai murmured, narrowing his eyes.
This wasn’t just about leaving a name on the Sky Ranking; it was about leaving behind a trace of one’s origin essence. If Hua Country were ever in grave danger, this mountain would become a sword. This sword was an amalgamation of three hundred years of Hua Country’s Martial Dao. It contained the high-spirited momentum of every martial artist at the very moment they broke through to the Seventh-Grade Boundary and became a Martial Ancestor. This momentum, forged into a sword, was enough to shake the heavens.
In times of peace, the Sky Ranking served as a guiding beacon for all Martial Artists, as each Martial Ancestor’s origin essence offered a path to enlightenment.
"This is the backbone of Hua Country’s Martial Dao." A spark of inspiration hit Xu Lai, and he chuckled. "Then I shall add another sword to give future generations another path to follow!"
The moment his words fell, a peak in the Shushan mountain range suddenly shot up a thousand meters, rising to the same height as the Sky Ranking. At the same time, a transcendent Sword Intent surged into the heavens. The sky, which had been covered in dark clouds, cleared in an instant. Myriad rays of brilliant light rained down, illuminating the new summit.
This mountain peak, standing opposite the Sky Ranking, bore a single word: Xu!
Meanwhile, the disturbance was perceived in various places across Hua Country. At a dilapidated Taoist Temple in the Zhongnan Mountains, a middle-aged priest sweeping fallen leaves narrowed his eyes and looked toward the disturbance. On a mist-shrouded island in the North, an old man with a longsword on his back sat cross-legged and murmured, "Such powerful Sword Intent. That location... it’s Shushan!" As the sea breeze blew away the mist, it revealed the Sect Gate behind him, where two characters hung high: Penglai.
A storyteller in a street-side teahouse. A middle-aged man lying inside an active volcano. A female patient in a psychiatric hospital who had been squatting in the courtyard all morning, watching ants move their home. And many, many others.
All of them looked up at the same moment, their faces a mixture of shock, astonishment, and confusion.
On this day, Shushan gained a new Sword Ranking.
Hua Country was shaken.
The world was shaken.
Of course, Xu Lai paid no mind to the turmoil in the Martial Dao World. He hastily retracted his Divine Sense, which was as vast as a sea of stars. If he hadn’t, Earth’s fragile Heavenly Dao might have collapsed again.
What a pity. On Earth, I can’t even use one ten-thousandth of my power. I can only act within the limits the Heavenly Dao can withstand. Xu Lai felt a headache coming on. If the Heavenly Dao accidentally collapses, Earth is done for. How am I supposed to live a peaceful century with my wife and daughter then?
"Lift your foot! Hurry up and lift your foot!"
The frantic voice from below snapped the sighing Xu Lai back to reality.
"Right. I’ve left my name on the Sky Ranking now. Do you have any last words?"
"Oh. Then you can be on your way."