Great Zhou Dynasty,Shengjing City.
This is the center of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty,yet it has a history of less than twenty years.Two decades ago,this place was just a desolate village.However,with a decree from Emperor Wulong,it took only three years for it to transform into the renowned capital,Shengjing City.
As the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty,martial prowess flourishes here.However,most of the martial practitioners are either independent cultivators with no sect affiliation or disciples from small sects,striving to establish a good reputation in Shengjing City.
Disciples from major martial sects are indeed a rare sight in Shengjing City.The court and the martial world are two distinct systems,and for the disciples of major martial sects,the conflicts between these two systems are almost irreconcilable.
At the entrance of the headquarters of the Six Gates in Shengjing City,a large crowd of martial practitioners has gathered.The majority are postnatal martial practitioners,though there are also quite a few innate ones.
The headquarters of the Six Gates is surprisingly understated in its decoration.The walls and buildings,including those inside,are of ancient,pitch-black design.Apart from the imposing pair of metallic eagles replacing stone lions at the entrance,there is nothing particularly remarkable.
Originally,the Six Gates should be the most feared presence for these martial practitioners.However,at this moment,they eagerly wait at the entrance.Some even hold pens and paper,as if waiting for something.
After about fifteen minutes,a constable in a black and red official uniform walks out,holding a list and posting it on the bulletin board outside the headquarters.The martial practitioners immediately clamor and push forward.
"It's out!It's finally out!The ranking list is finally out!"
"Hey,hey,hey,don't push!Have some public decency.If you push again,I'll splash ink on your face!"
"Damn it!If anyone dares to push again,I'll cut him with my sword!"
"A peak postnatal little lackey is acting all high and mighty?Don't be arrogant.After copying the ranking list,let's go out and practice!"
The constable who posted the list stands aside,watching this scene with amusement.It seems that this spectacle happens every month.
The martial ranking list released by the Six Gates is updated monthly and posted on the bulletin board at the entrance for everyone to see.However,with forty-nine roads in the Great Zhou Dynasty and a territory spanning millions of miles,places like the Eastern Jin,the Western Regions with thirty-six countries,and the Northern Grasslands are far away.To see the ranking list,someone needs to spread the news.
These individuals busy copying the ranking list are precisely the ones responsible for this task.Every time the ranking list is released,they compete to copy it first and then send it to various places across the world.
The major sects and schools,in order to promptly learn about changes in the ranking list,are quite generous in rewarding these messengers.Even a bottle of ordinary elixir is considered valuable in the outside world,and it's not something you can easily buy.Moreover,after selling the ranking list to major sects and schools,they can print multiple copies and sell them at ten silver coins per sheet in any town or city.It's guaranteed that those curious and affluent martial practitioners will snatch them up in no time.
However,there are quite a few people engaged in this business,and sometimes,if you're a bit slow in delivering the new ranking list to a sect like Yijianmen,you might find out someone has already beaten you to it,and the deal goes south.
So,these people push forward desperately,wanting to grab the first-hand information and not let others take the lead.
As the crowd looks at the ranking list,they write down the names while murmuring.
"The Dao fanatic Lin Changhe from Taiyi Dao has held the first position on the ranking list for five years,right?This is almost a record-breaking achievement."
"That's right.The Sword Master He Xiu and the Marquis Xiao Huang have also maintained their positions for two or three years.It seems that this generation's ranking list is quite stable,and with the strength of these three,no one can shake their positions."
The crowd reads quickly,skipping the names that haven't changed.They only record the changes in rankings,making the copying process faster.
At this moment,someone suddenly screams,"Wait!There's a big change!Oh my god!Xie Zhiyan,the'Heavenly Maiden'of Yijianmen,has jumped from 78th to 31st on the ranking list!"
The crowd instantly gasps.Moving up even one spot on the ranking list is not an easy feat,but this person has jumped more than thirty places in one go.It's quite astonishing.
Everyone quickly scans the names and looks directly at the 31st position.
"Name:Xie Zhiyan
Alias:Nine Calamities Maiden(formerly'Heavenly Maiden')
Sect:Yijianmen
Martial Arts:Yijian Visionary Art,Supreme Nine Calamities Sword
Strength:Innate Qi Sea Realm
Achievements:Since entering the martial world,single-handedly eliminated the Twelve Bandits of Lake Tai,defeated the Four Villains of Wuluo Mountain.Proficient in Yijian Visionary Art with no flaws,earned the title'Heavenly Maiden.'
Three days ago in Changning Prefecture,displayed the Supreme Nine Calamities Sword supplemented with the sword intent of Sword Master Meng Jingxian,and killed Jiang Ling,the lord of Xia Tan,a martial artist at the Divine Palace Realm.
Ranking:31st."
"Hiss!"
The crowd inhales sharply.Crossing two small realms to kill a martial artist at the Divine Palace Realm is an event that hasn't happened in decades.
As for whether Xie Zhiyan used the sword intent of Meng Jingxian,it's not important at all.
If Xie Zhiyan's own strength is insufficient,even with Meng Jingxian's sword intent,she wouldn't have been able to kill Jiang Ling.Moreover,the ranking list issued by the Six Gates is quite reliable.If we only consider the results,Xie Zhiyan's killing of Jiang Ling would have placed her in the top twenty or even fifteen on the list.
However,she is currently ranked 31st,which indicates the Six Gates'true evaluation of her after removing external factors.The crowd excitedly writes on paper;this is big news that could bring in a substantial reward.
"Hey,hey,hey,there's another change here.A martial artist in the postnatal realm has made it to the ranking list!"
The crowd is momentarily stunned.Postnatal martial artists can make it to the ranking list?How mediocre are the talents of this generation's ranking list elites?
They glance toward the bottom of the ranking list and indeed find a new,unfamiliar name.
"Name:Su Xin
Alias:Swift Sword
Sect:None
Martial Arts:Nameless Swift Sword,cunning and ruthless.Proficient in fist and palm techniques.
Strength:Postnatal Grand Completion
Achievements:Former leader of a small gang in southern Xiang,three days ago killed Fang Dongting,the son of a senior elder in the Qingcheng Sword Sect,ranked 105th on the ranking list.Also,highly rewarded by the Qingcheng Sword Sect,ranked 345th on the black list.
Ranking:105th."
This time,the crowd isn't too surprised.After Xie Zhiyan's explosive performance,and considering that Su Xin was previously an unknown figure,his appearance didn't cause as much shock.
However,even so,Su Xin's achievements are enough to catch their attention.Killing Fang Dongting,who was at the Innate Realm,with a Postnatal Grand Completion strength is an unheard-of feat.It can be said that since the creation of the ranking list,they've never heard of a postnatal martial artist making it onto the list,let alone stepping on the corpse of the previous ranking list elite to do so.This method is quite sensational.
Some people secretly take note of Su Xin's name.However,the description of Su Xin is intentionally vague by the Six Gates,as instructed by Tie Wuqing beforehand.While fairness in the ranking list is crucial,Su Xin is now a member of the Six Gates,and a slight modification is not an issue.For the next six months,Su Xin's name will still be on the black list,so keeping a low profile is advisable.
Even so,starting from today,the name'Swift Sword'Su Xin will be spread throughout the martial world with the release of the ranking list.These ranking list elites are the most outstanding young disciples of this generation in the martial world.Even if ranked at the bottom,it's enough to prove their excellence.
A day later,on the Godly Sword Peak of Yijianmen in the Jian Nan Dao,Xie Zhiyan holds the latest ranking list in her arms,embracing her sister Xiner.She says,"Xiner,don't worry.Your brother is fine now."
Xiner,holding a long sword nearly as tall as herself,nods with teary eyes,"Hmm,Xiner won't cry anymore.When Xiner becomes skilled in swordsmanship,she'll go down the mountain to protect her brother!"
Meanwhile,in southern Xiang,Su Xin has been waiting for three days.Finally,Tie Wuqing,who has settled everything,arrives.
As soon as Tie Wuqing sees Su Xin,he laughs heartily,"Swift Sword Su Xin,your fame outside is not small now."
Su Xin is puzzled,"What fame?"
Tie Wuqing hands Su Xin a token representing his identity and tosses a copied ranking list to him,saying,"This is your identity token,and here's the latest ranking list.You and Xie Zhiyan are among the two biggest news in this period's ranking list."
Su Xin glances at the ranking list and reads the description about himself.Everything else is fine,but the alias'Swift Sword'is a bit perplexing.It sounds like the kind of nickname used for extras or background characters.And luckily,Su Xin uses a sword;if he used a gun,the ranking list might have dubbed him'Swift Gun,'making Su Xin truly speechless.
"I say,Lord Tie,who came up with this alias for me?Do they have a grudge against me?Could it be any worse?"
As the saying goes,without comparison,there is no harm.Looking at Xie Zhiyan's alias,Nine Calamities Maiden,it sounds quite sophisticated.
Nine Calamities refers to Xie Zhiyan's Supreme Nine Calamities Sword,one of the four major sword techniques of Yijianmen—Life,Death,Illusion,Annihilation.Even as a direct disciple of Yijianmen,not everyone has the privilege to learn them.The number of disciples eligible to learn the four major sword techniques in each generation never exceeds ten.
As for Maiden,it is a title for a legendary female sword master in ancient times.In the martial world,where women are already scarce,achieving the peak of swordsmanship like the legendary Maiden is even rarer.
The alias Nine Calamities Maiden is also a recognition of Xie Zhiyan,implying that she may reach the heights of the legendary Maiden in the future.
