Gu Wen took a sip of tea and asked, "Is the purpose of the Three Rankings to encourage fighting? Who established them?"
Bringing together a group of young and fiery geniuses inevitably leads to conflict, and with the rankings in place, fighting is unavoidable.
There's a saying that "in literature, there's no first place; in martial arts, there's no second place," meaning everyone would fight fiercely to be at the top.
"They were established by the Tianji Pavilion, but they merely went along with the trend. If they didn't do it, someone else would have," Ao Tang said, lying nearby.
People around them acted as if they couldn't see or hear the talking donkey, finding nothing strange about it being in the teahouse.
"People love a spectacle. Even without rankings, do you think there wouldn't be any competition? Impossible. Practitioners who sever their emotions and desires are still competing with the world. Those who turn to stone are failures, unable to maintain their true selves without emotions and desires."
"Cultivation thrives on competition. Only by challenging the heavens and earth can one transcend and achieve immortality."
Seeing Gu Wen unmoved, Ao Tang smiled and said, "Second Ancestor, you may not be interested now since you're ranked tenth and have a connection with this fellow. But what if someone in seventh place appears?" Just as he finished speaking, a sound of wind and sword resonated, and a white flash arrived instantly.
The newcomer, dressed in blue, stood with a sword, his face stern, and his hair meticulously combed.
"No commotion is allowed in the city," he declared.
He Huan explained, "I don't provoke unless provoked. These rabble rousers were trying to challenge me, and I got irritated when they claimed Brother Hongchen wasn't as good as you. But now, I see you're indeed superior. It seems your seventh place on the Human List won't last."
Xiao Yunyi replied indifferently, "I don't care much for the rankings. I'm only seventh because the previous seventh challenger lost to me."
"Then let's see today."
He Huan's power surged without restraint.
With a Yin-Yang dual energy foundation of the first level, theoretically, his power was twice that of an ordinary person.
He had three levels of foundation, and one level was perfected.
His strength had increased significantly since the last time he met Gu Wen, but Gu Wen still had a clear advantage, being two perfected levels ahead of him.
The gap in their realms was apparent.
However, this didn't mean He Huan wasn't a genius.
Seeing He Huan's intense fighting spirit, Xiao Yunyi knew this couldn't be settled with words.
He slowly drew a soft sword from his waist, green as bamboo and thin as willow leaves.
As the sword was drawn, a breeze arose.
With a single sword, the wind rose, and the sword light formed a net.
He Huan's spear energy extended five feet long.
As the spear and sword energies clashed, it was a contest of their respective powers and understanding of their martial paths.
This process wouldn't take long.
In an instant, everything seemed to slow down.
Everyone with cultivation present wasn't affected.
Time hadn't stopped; only those with a foundation could perceive the nuances of the duel.
He Huan's power was much more abundant, and his spear energy steadily broke through the sword net, inch by inch, foot by foot.
The once impenetrable net became as thin as threads of sword energy, yet it never broke.
After two breaths, He Huan's spear energy was nearly depleted.
Xiao Yunyi stepped forward, lightly tapping the hanging silk from the restaurant, leaping onto the eaves, and launching another sword strike.
He Huan blocked with his spear, but his figure was blown dozens of feet high by a gust of wind, like a kite continuously struck and sent flying.
Inside the teahouse, Gu Wen put down his tea cup, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he did not take action.
He Huan wouldn’t die, but Gu Wen indeed became interested, estimating the opponent's cultivation level.
The opponent had a fourth-level foundation, three levels perfected, one level higher than his own, and their skills were far from inferior.
The sword was as thin as a cicada's wing, the sword energy as fine as silk, yet extremely resilient, using finesse to overcome force and wielding the wind to control the sword.
This was different from Gu Wen's spear techniques and all his previous opponents, showing the opponent's profound mastery of swordsmanship.
Gu Wen couldn't help but want to test his skills, as he only desired to compete with the stronger ones.
This was his ambition.
Ao Tang smiled and said, "What do you think? Feeling competitive now? The Three Rankings aren’t just reasons for geniuses to fight; it’s because each sees themselves as the best, the cream of the crop."
"Indeed," Gu Wen nodded, "The Three Rankings are just an added factor. Those with talent don't see themselves as weaker than others. Unfortunately, now isn't the time. We need to stay hidden."
"Why hide?" asked Yu Hua, who had been engrossed in a book until now.
Her voice was calm and gentle, "You said they already know we’re coming, so why hide? Above True Lord, I am undefeated; below True Lord, what do you fear?"
Gu Wen was momentarily stunned, then understood her meaning, "These troubles will come sooner or later, but some advantage is still better."
"What’s meant to come will come regardless of our hiding. If we can provoke them, they’re not trouble."
Yu Hua propped her chin with her hand, her gaze for the first time shifted to the competing geniuses outside, smiling, "Go ahead, we are not cowards hiding our heads. They should be the cautious ones."
With that, Gu Wen hesitated no more.
Amid the vast white clouds, a streak of red light soared, as the dark red spear energy dispersed the Qingfeng Sword’s aura.
Xiao Yunyi's expression changed slightly, a hint of seriousness appearing in his eyes.
He shifted from offense to defense.
The other ten or so observing geniuses retreated a step, feeling a chill down their spines.
The sky dimmed slightly, clouds obscuring the sun.
A scarlet dragon stood high in the sky, stretching its dozen-zhang-long body.
The red scales reflected with the clouds, overlooking the city and intimidating millions.
Amidst it, a seemingly ordinary man held He Huan by the collar, gently descending.
His eyes, deep and glowing with a touch of red, simply stared at Xiao Yunyi, making him feel a formidable threat.
He Huan, coming to his senses, saw Gu Wen and slightly opened his mouth, "Brother Hongchen, why did you come out? I was just sparring, not fighting for my life. You’ve put yourself in danger!"
Due to the Dao Emperor's decree, the whole world knew Gu Wen would come to Luoshui because the Immortal Medicine required the convergence of the Five Elements.
The Jianchi Pool represented the pinnacle of Metal, and perhaps the Immortal Medicine was in the pool now, but only the Dao Sect's maiden could detect it.
As her protector, Gu Wen naturally had to come.
But He Huan hadn't expected Gu Wen to boldly reveal himself, fully exposing his location.
He was genuinely moved by the gesture!
Gu Wen said, "Rescuing you was just a side act, don’t misunderstand."
He Huan, with a hint of melancholy, remarked, "Brother Hongchen, you seem to lack female companionship; evidently, you're not favored by women."
"Practicing Dao leaves little time for romance," Gu Wen replied, letting go of He Huan and borrowing his spear, "Lend me your weapon."
Xiao Yunyi, losing his usual calm demeanor, looked at Gu Wen solemnly, "You dare reveal yourself openly?"
"Why wouldn’t I dare? Am I afraid of your encirclement or a True Lord descending?"
Gu Wen countered, standing atop the three-story building, gazing over Luoshui.
Countless gazes, some filled with malice, converged on him.
Do not offend if unoffended, but if offended, repay a thousandfold.
Being pursued didn't mean they had to be fearful.
Since Yu Hua was peerless, Gu Wen naturally was too.
Soaring high, crossing ten thousand miles, flapping wings and dominating the seas.
Once taking flight, there's no fear of falling.
He grinned, revealing the fangs of the Zhaolie Scarlet Dragon, unleashing boundless killing intent, loudly declaring:
"Are you lot even worthy?"
Xiao Yunyi was stunned.
In just an instant, his momentum was suppressed.
The gathered geniuses and strong individuals were all taken aback.
They hadn’t expected him not only to reveal himself but to do so with such arrogance and defiance.
It was as if they were not being hunted but were ascending immortals.
Yu Hua smiled contentedly.
Ao Tang, somewhat helpless, didn't say much.
Compared to the convenience of hiding, boosting Gu Wen's morale was more beneficial.
Cultivation was about competing, and those with high ambition naturally had a smoother path.
Looking at the history of those who reached the pinnacle, all were unparalleled among their peers.
He had thought Gu Wen would be modest, but upon standing up, he displayed an air of defiance towards the world.
Both of these ancestors were not only extremely arrogant but also extraordinary talents.