It is said.
Several thousand years ago, when the Sanqing Immortal Sect was at its peak.
A remarkable prodigy emerged from the Pulse of Sound, cultivating the Immortal Phoenix Nirvana Melody to perfection.
As the strings of the qin vibrated.
An actual Immortal Phoenix descended from beyond the nine heavens, dancing gracefully to the melody, becoming a celebrated tale for a time.
Later.
The Sanqing Immortal Sect purchased this land, building the vast Phoenix Perching Pavilion at the spot where the Immortal Phoenix had rested, serving as a place for disciples from Sanqing and other major immortal sects to interact.
For thousands of years.
The Sanqing Immortal Sect has led the righteous path of the Southern Prefecture, and the Phoenix Perching Pavilion has been a gathering place for hidden talents, often hosting peerless prodigies from the Sanqing Immortal Sect to challenge young masters from all immortal sects.
Those who are ambitious and wish to make a name for themselves can go to the Phoenix Perching Pavilion to challenge disciples of the Sanqing Immortal Sect.
Upon victory, one can become famous throughout the Southern Prefecture!
Over time, numerous rankings such as the Southern Prefecture Golden Core List and Venerable List emerged, becoming the focus of discussion for both the younger and older generations during their leisure time.
However.
Over eight hundred years ago, the catastrophe of the Demon Race severely weakened the Sanqing Immortal Sect.
The quality of disciples in the sect naturally fell far short of its peak period.
A thousand years ago, regardless of the Golden Core List, Venerable List, or Great Expert List, the Sanqing Immortal Sect could occupy more than twenty percent of the spots.
To know.
That was a competition for a mere 100 seats among the prodigies of thirty-six caves and seventy-two blessed lands, yet the Sanqing Immortal Sect, a single sect, could claim over twenty seats.
One can imagine how powerful and prosperous the Sanqing Immortal Sect was back then.
But now.
Among the top hundred seats on the Southern Prefecture Golden Core List, the Sanqing Immortal Sect occupies only two seats, with not even one in the top ten, and this is considered a relatively good performance.
In the past few hundred years.
Most of the time, the Sanqing Immortal Sect could only secure one spot on the Golden Core List, ranking outside the top 20, and during its most barren period, there was even a complete absence of representatives.
The sharp decrease in prodigies has also caused the influence of the Phoenix Perching Pavilion in the Southern Prefecture to decline significantly, never returning to its former glory.
Even.
Many immortal sects have established similar pavilions in the Vermilion Bird City, attempting to replace the Phoenix Perching Pavilion's status in the world and increase their own influence.
However, the Phoenix Perching Pavilion has always had an excellent reputation over the past few thousand years, so most of its regular customers have not yet been lured away.
Walking into the Phoenix Perching Pavilion, rich spiritual energy immediately rushes toward the face.
This pavilion is clearly inscribed with a spirit-gathering formation, causing the spiritual energy concentration inside to be higher than many blessed lands, of course, the corresponding consumption of spirit stones is much greater.
Opposite the main entrance of the pavilion, four plaques are conspicuously erected.
Above them are strings of characters written in a flowing, golden dragon style, emitting a brilliant glow.
[Southern Prefecture Hundred Flowers List]
[Southern Prefecture Golden Core List]
[Southern Prefecture Venerable List]
[Southern Prefecture Great Expert List]
Among them.
The Southern Prefecture Hundred Flowers List records the one hundred most popular and sought-after young women in the entire Southern Prefecture, all under thirty years old and single.
Of course.
This list is extremely controversial because popularity is intangible and cannot be touched, so the beauties on the Hundred Flowers List are not ranked in any particular order.
Moreover.
Since the organizer, the Phoenix Perching Pavilion, belongs to the Sanqing Immortal Sect, female disciples from Sanqing have a considerable advantage when selecting the Southern Prefecture Hundred Flowers List.
At least.
Wang Xiu glanced briefly upward and saw that Shao Qingyu of Dragon Peak and Jie Zidian of Thunder Peak, both fellow disciples, were both on the Southern Prefecture Hundred Flowers List.
High-definition character portraits of them were attached to the list, with flawless appearances, ethereal temperament, and a sacred, otherworldly quality, additionally enhanced with max-level "Celestial Fairy" effects.
Their beauty was enough to intoxicate countless men.
In addition.
It seems that many female disciples from other branches of the Sanqing Immortal Sect have also made the list. Roughly estimating, there should be at least a dozen of them, a quite significant proportion.
Presumably, this is also to promote the Sanqing Immortal Sect and increase its competitiveness in recruiting disciples!
After all, for most hot-blooded young men, sometimes the allure of love is stronger than spirit stones or cultivation techniques.
By joining the Sanqing Immortal Sect, one has the opportunity to encounter beautiful senior sisters, who could resist that?
Who wouldn't rush to sign up?
It is said that this list didn't originally exist. It was because the Sanqing Immortal Sect's recruitment has been sluggish in recent centuries that the Sect Master came up with this idea.
And it's not an exaggeration.
The influence of single young beauties is indeed great.
Since the [Southern Prefecture Hundred Flowers List] was launched, it immediately caused a sensation in the Vermilion Bird City.
Countless scattered cultivators, disciples from small immortal sects, blessed lands, and caves rushed here to watch the drama,eagerly worshipping the fairies of the Southern Prefecture.
Even the business of the Phoenix Perching Pavilion improved significantly because of this, making a fortune daily.
Moreover.
The Sanqing Immortal Sect conducted a survey, and in the years following the launch of the [Hundred Flowers List], the number of new recruits to the Sanqing Immortal Sect showed a clear increase.
Countless young men flocked to the Sanqing Immortal Sect, saying they were going to find their own love.
Regarding this.
One must praise the Sect Master for his foresight; he is truly a management-oriented talent.
However.
Lists like the Hundred Flowers List are similar to gossip magazines, with various interpretations and great controversy, making them quite effective for promotion.
But the overall quality of the fairies on the list is actually not that high.
In other cave-level immortal sects, there are other versions, claiming that their own fairies are the most beautiful!
As for the other three lists, they rely entirely on actual strength for competitive selection.
The strong rise, the weak fall.
The Golden Core List selects the top hundred spots. Looking from the top down, almost all are at the ninth level of the Golden Core realm.
Most come from the thirty-six caves, with only about twenty percent from the seventy-two blessed lands, and only a few scattered individuals from smaller immortal sects and scattered cultivators.
There's no way.
Cultivation emphasizes wealth, companions, methods, and location. Among these four, cave-level immortal sects far surpass blessed-level immortal sects, and completely crush smaller immortal sects and scattered cultivators.
Just like the Sanqing Cave, although it was nearly destroyed by the Demon Race.
But even in its decline, it still controls three blessed-level small worlds. A skinny camel is still bigger than a horse; how can an ordinary blessed land compete with the Sanqing Cave?
The Venerable List.
Also selects the top hundred spots, with over eighty percent taken by the thirty-six caves, far fewer from blessed-level forces, and only a handful of scattered cultivators.
The Great Expert List.
Also selects the top hundred spots, with ninety-two taken by the thirty-six caves, eight by blessed-level forces, and not a single person from smaller immortal sects or scattered cultivators making the list.
However.
The rankings stop there. Those at the Manifestation level and above are absolute high-level existences even among major cave-level forces.
Most leaders and masters of cave-level forces are at this level, truly holding high positions and great power.
Manifestation List?
Ranking lists like this are bound to offend people no matter how you arrange them, so it's better not to rank them at all.
Besides.
For the Golden Core List and the Venerable List, if anyone disagrees, they can just have a fight in the Void Battlefield within Fengqi Tower. Let their strength do the talking and determine who is superior.
Even for the Great Powers List, if someone truly disagrees, there are ways to make them meet their match.
But the Manifestation Sage List.
If someone truly disagrees and starts a fight, the entire Fengqi Tower might get completely demolished.
After all.
Most Manifestation Stage beings greatly value the power of faith from all living beings.
To maintain their "image" and "dignity as a sage," they would truly fight with their lives.
The consequences of a sage's anger are unimaginable.
...
The Venerable List and Great Powers List are far too distant from Wang Xiu.
He turned his gaze to the Golden Core List, only to see that the top position on the Golden Core List was filled with a woman's name.
[Shushan Sage Maiden - Li Xuanying]
[Golden Core Stage, Ninth Layer, Extreme Heaven Realm. Born with a Sacred Body. At sixteen, she gained recognition from the replica of the Sun and Moon Gold Wheel, a Sage artifact of Shushan, excelling in both offense and defense, peerless among her peers.]
[Once independently killed a Nascent Soul, Seventh Layer, Heavenly Dragon Demon, and beheaded ordinary Venerables as if they were nothing, a true heroine who rivals men.]
It's worth mentioning.
This young lady also appears on the Nanzhou Hundred Flowers List, truly possessing both beauty and strength.
Second place on the Golden Core List.
[Dragon and Tiger Sage Son - Zhang Yuge]
[Golden Core Stage, Ninth Layer, Extreme Heaven Realm. Awakened Thunder Spirit Body. Gained recognition from the Sage artifact Five Thunder Heart Seal, capable of summoning the power of the five divine beasts to obliterate all with thunder.]
[Once single-handedly battled a Nascent Soul, Sixth Layer, Demon Cultivator Venerable for a long time, and annihilated him to dust with the Five Thunder Righteous Law.]
Third place on the Golden Core List.
[Mountain and Sea Sage Son - Zhuge Changsheng]
[Golden Core Stage, Ninth Layer, Extreme Heaven Realm. Direct descendant of the reclusive Zhuge family, disciple of Mountain and Sea Cave Heaven. Master of both schools' specialties, possessing the most profound array formation attainments among the younger generation.]
[Improved and created the Eight Trigrams Mountains and Rivers Formation Diagram, with sixty-four forms containing thousands of mysterious changes.]
[Once inside the formation, one is invincible from the start.]
[Once single-handedly protected a city, blocking tens of thousands of demonic beast tides, and cooperating with reinforcements trapped and killed a Nascent Soul, Sixth Layer, Demon Venerable.]
...
One has to admit.
Those who can be listed on the Nanzhou Golden Core List are truly peerless talents.
Those in the top three are simply monstrous.
Especially the Shushan Sage Maiden at the top, who crossed a major realm and seven minor levels to slay a powerful enemy, which is simply unbelievably strong.
Even Wang Xiu doesn't have a hundred percent certainty of doing it easily.
Indeed.
One should never underestimate the heroes of the world. I need to become stronger.
He continued looking down.
Until the twelfth position, Wang Xiu finally saw a disciple of the Sanqing Immortal Gate.
[Pure Yang War Lord - Xiang Tiange]
[Direct disciple of the Sanqing Immortal Gate's lineage, born with a Pure Yang War Body, cultivating the supreme arts "Heavenly Gang Indestructible Body" and "World-Shaking Nine Dragons Fist"!]
[Fearless, once single-handedly faced a Nascent Soul, Fourth Layer, Bull Demon Venerable, fought bloody and broke through on the battlefield.]
[Finally battled for a full day and night, killing the Bull Demon with his bare fists.]
[Comprehensive Assessment: With his Pure Yang War Body, he has unlimited potential to grow stronger in battle. Given time, he has hope of breaking into the top ten of the Golden Core List.]
Hmm.
As expected of a list compiled by our own people.
This comprehensive assessment is quite subtle and full of encouragement!
...
"Look!"
Just as Wang Xiu was enjoying the list, Li Longhao's voice sounded beside him: "I found my cousin, Heavenly Time Sword Lord Li Zuiyue, ranked seventeenth on the Golden Core List."
Wang Xiu looked at the list.
Sure enough, he saw Li Zuiyue's name written in a flamboyant script at the seventeenth position on the Golden Core List.
[Heavenly Time Sword Lord - Li Zuiyue]
[Direct disciple of the Sanqing Immortal Gate's Sword lineage, born with Sword Eyes and Sword Bones, skilled in sword control arts. Gained recognition from the top-grade spiritual artifact Heavenly Time Sword Box, containing twenty-four seasonal divine swords!]
[Once used the Twelve Swords Flying technique to kill a Nascent Stage Silver Moon Wolf Demon across realms, saving tens of thousands of common people.]
[Comprehensive Assessment: Can battle and fight with ordinary Nascent Soul, Third Layer Venerables. If he can cultivate the Heavenly Time Sword Classic to eighteen swords flying or more, he has hope of breaking into the top ten of the Golden Core List.]
Clearly.
The evaluations on the Golden Core List are relatively objective.
Li Zuiyue's "Heavenly Time Sword Classic" is a supreme sword technique with infinite power and significant potential.
If he can cultivate it to eighteen swords flying within the Golden Core Stage, he has hope of breaking into the top ten of the Golden Core List. If he can cultivate it to perfection with twenty-four swords flying.
Then.
Even the top five positions on the Golden Core List might not be beyond his reach.
This is also the enormous advantage that disciples of Cave Heaven-level Immortal Gates have compared to disciples of Blessed Land-level Immortal Gates, small Immortal Gates, and loose cultivators.
After all.
The techniques taught to ordinary loose cultivators, even when cultivated to perfection or completion levels, are far less powerful than Li Zuiyue's initial mastery level "Heavenly Time Sword Classic." What do they have to compete with?
Of course.
The more powerful a technique, the more mysterious and obscure it is. This "Heavenly Time Sword Classic" as a supreme sword technique, over 99.9% of sword lineage disciples can't even get started.
For Li Zuiyue to successfully cultivate it to initial mastery level at the Golden Core Stage is already thanks to his innate Sword Bones, which is quite remarkable.
To comprehend it to perfection before his soul transforms and ascends at the Nascent Soul Stage.
Absolutely not easy.
...
Looking at the ranking on the list, Li Zuiyue curled his lips and said: "Seventeenth place, what's there to be surprised about?"
"Twelve swords flying, that was my achievement last year. It's outdated now."
"I'm not bragging."
"Now, when I give it my all, I can control eighteen flying swords to attack and kill enemies. Ordinary Nascent Soul, Third or Fourth Layer, are like chickens and earthenware dogs in front of my sword,easily defeated."
[Ding!]
[Detected someone bragging, congratulations to the host for obtaining mana +99.]
Looking at Li Zuiyue's face full of arrogance, Wang Xiu sincerely showed admiration: "Senior brother is truly worthy of being the strongest sword lineage prodigy, truly heaven-sent and peerless."
Li Zuiyue: (￣︶￣)
Li Longhao scratched his head and asked curiously: "If that's the case, cousin, why don't you challenge the top ten of the Golden Core List and bring honor to our sect!"
"Why don't you go challenge the top ten now! We can cheer you on!"
Li Zuiyue: (·_·?)...
Looking at his great cousin whose face was written with 'expectation', Li Zuiyue couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
Thanks a lot for that~
I said I can eighteen swords flying, and you actually believe it!
At his current maximum capacity, Li Zuiyue can only control sixteen flying swords at most.
If he really challenges the Golden Core List.
Moving up two or three positions shouldn't be difficult.
But if he directly challenges the top ten, he would most likely be beaten until his own mother wouldn't recognize him.
After all.
The further forward on the Golden Core List, the more monstrous those guys are!
Eighteen swords flying together only gives him a "hope of breaking into the top ten," while sixteen swords is basically just giving away points and humiliating himself.
Feeling the increasingly subtle atmosphere, Wang Xi smiled and said: "As the saying goes, 'three years of silence, then a shocking cry; three years of not flying, then soaring to the heavens.'"
"Senior Zuiyue possesses unparalleled talent in the sword path, and naturally has unparalleled pride in the sword path."
"The top ten of the Golden Core ranking is just an empty title. I'm sure Senior doesn't care about it; what Senior cares about is only honing his own sword path."
"The cultivation of the sword path requires enduring loneliness, precipitating the sword heart in solitude."
"I guess."
"Senior doesn't challenge the top ten of the Golden Core ranking because he's afraid that after entering the top ten, he'll face more challenges and harassment from other prodigies, affecting his own cultivation, right!"
"Furthermore."
"What's so special about the top ten of the Golden Core ranking?"
"With Senior Zuiyue's unparalleled sword talent, it probably won't take long for him to cultivate the 'Timing Sword Classic' to its great perfection, or even to its completion."
"At that time."
"With twenty-four swords flying together and twenty-four swords merging into one, he can directly and forcefully ascend to the top of the Golden Core ranking, achieving greatness in a single step. Wouldn't that be even better for spreading the prestige of our Sword Vein?"
After speaking.
Wang Xi looked at Li Zuiyue with a face full of 'adoration': "Senior Brother, that's what you're thinking, right!"
Li Zuiyue: (embarrassed)
Top of the ranking?
What a joke?
I wouldn't even dare to dream of it!
You must know.
The Timing Sword Classic is mysterious and obscure, secretly corresponding to the infinite changes of the twenty-four solar terms. The more one comprehends it, the more profound and vast it seems.
Even though Li Zuiyue was born with sword eyes and sword bones, his comprehension is extremely difficult.
At the Golden Core stage, cultivating to the point of twenty-four swords flying together?
Don't even think about it, I don't even dare to think about it.
As for the "twenty-four swords merged into one ultimate kill" at the completion stage, "one sword evolving three thousand seasonal changes," "using a sword formation todraw upon the power of seasonal celestial phenomena"...
These various mysteries go without saying.
Li Zuiyue estimated.
Even if his cultivation breaks through to the Out-of-Body stage, it would basically be impossible to comprehend it thoroughly.
Perhaps.
Only by breaking through to the Manifestation Saint stage and using the power of sentient beings' faith incense to comprehend the Way would there be a slight chance of reaching such a realm.
At least.
As far as Li Zuiyue knows, currently among the elders of the Sword Vein, no one can achieve this realm.
However.
Facing Wang Xi's face full of "little fanboy adoration," how could Li Zuiyue bring himself to explain so much?
Wouldn't that be slapping himself in the face?
If this prestige were lost, how disappointed would his junior Wang Xi be!
That's how bragging works.
When one boast is satisfyingly told, it often requires ten more boasts to make up for it.
At least.
Compared to that dumb blockhead Li Longhao, taking up Wang Xi's conversation and bragging for him, the experience was much more comfortable.
Go ahead and brag!
After all, I'm bragging about the Li Zuiyue who has cultivated the Timing Sword Classic to great perfection and completion.
It's the Li Zuiyue who doesn't exist.
What does it have to do with the Li Zuiyue of the small perfection realm?
Thinking of this.
Li Zuiyue's old face turned slightly red as he said: "Cough, well... that's natural!"
"My goal has never been the top ten of the Golden Core ranking, but the top three... wait until I cultivate the Timing Sword Classic to its great perfection."
"With twenty-four swords flying together, who in the same realm can compare with me?"
[Ding!]
[Detected someone frantically bragging, triggering a brag critical hit, reaching the system's high groove, congratulations to the host for obtaining mana +288, mana quality +288.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Timing Sword Classic Completion Experience Card!]
...
Listening to the sound in his mind and feeling the influx of mana heat flow.
Wang Xi's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a happy and intoxicated expression, this is awesome～
Truly worthy, the true heir senior brother of the Sword Vein, an unparalleled genius born with sword bones, his bragging skills are in no way inferior to Senior Jiang.
Earlier he revealed the Heaven and Earth Longevity Demon Slaying Slash, and now he's even revealed his signature move, the Timing Sword Classic.
Righteous and noble!
Senior Brother Zuiyue is simply righteous and noble!
Regretting not meeting sooner!
Senior Brother and I are simply regretting not meeting sooner!
...
Just as the six of them were seated, the food and wine were served, and they were talking happily.
A melodious sound of the qin suddenly echoed in Fengqi Tower, melodious and graceful, lingering for three feet.
In an instant.
All the guests in Fengqi Tower couldn't help but narrow their eyes, showing expressions of enjoyment.
"It's Miss Feiyin!"
A joyful expression appeared on Li Zuiyue's face: "Junior Brother Wang, you're so lucky!"
"It's your first time at Fengqi Tower, and you happen to catch Miss Feiyin playing her signature piece—'Cloudy Mist'!"
[
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