Chapter 344: Earth Ranking Comes Again

Chapter 344: The Earth Ranking Returns Once More

In this world, everyone knows of the previous epoch, knows that the power of gods and demons once existed, and pursues or believes in it.

But those who know that gods and demons still live are few and far between.

Those who do know have often come into true contact with them. Otherwise, if someone tells you out of thin air that a person has survived the destruction of an epoch and remains undying, who would believe it?

And once contact is made, all sorts of relationships naturally arise. To pretend they don’t exist and live one’s own life is basically impossible.

As people cultivate step by step to their current state, how many ancient fates have they encountered along the way? Even if they wanted to sever them, they couldn’t. Most are simply inheritors.

Thus, either they end up at odds, or they become agents of the gods and demons in the mortal world, striving for their full revival.

The former is Xia Longyuan, the latter is Bo’e.

In a sense, Zhao Changhe could also count as the latter, though with a rebellious streak in his heart.

Yuxu looked at Zhao Changhe with a serious expression, judging which category he belonged to.

Logically, with Zhao Changhe’s level of cultivation, he shouldn’t have come into contact with these matters yet... If he had been nurtured by a god or demon since childhood, his inheritance would be scattered here and there, and his foundational technique was something as mediocre as the Blood Fiend Art, barely “adequate.”

What god or demon’s agent would have such a shabby inheritance?

Ah, yes... his auxiliary internal technique must be the Six Harmonies Divine Art, a divine art created by Xia Longyuan after he unified the world at the peak of his power. It was said he was a prince... but why didn’t he know any of Xia Longyuan’s other techniques?

Yuxu said slowly, “Could it be that Xia Longyuan sent you to Kunlun?”

Zhao Changhe paused, then chuckled, “It has nothing to do with him.”

Yuxu was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “What are your views on them?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Actually, I don’t have much of a view on them... Putting myself in their shoes, if I were living my life peacefully, and a calamity struck out of nowhere, leaving me gravely wounded and hiding somewhere to survive, what wrong would there be in wanting to revive?”

These words were sincere. Zhao Changhe was angry at the Blind One for tricking him, but he never thought there was anything wrong with her desire to revive. If it weren’t for her tricking him, he wouldn’t have insulted her with the beauty cream.

Yuxu stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Your words have an unfinished meaning. Continue.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Continuing with myself as an example, suppose I was gravely wounded and hiding somewhere, and someone happened to pass by. I would hope they could help me do something to facilitate my revival. I would certainly ask, and offer ample reward. If they were willing, I would regard them as a benefactor and be forever grateful. If they were unwilling, I couldn’t force them.”

Yuxu gradually showed a smile: “True. But what if such a task was very troublesome and no one was willing?”

“Then I might also use some deceptive means...” Zhao Changhe paused here, then chuckled, “If he found out he was deceived and wanted to beat me up, I would accept it.”

“Beat you up...” Yuxu laughed heartily. “You’re at the ninth level of the Profound Barrier, half a step into the Hidden Treasury. He’s just a beginner. How could he beat you up? Would you be willing to stand still and let him beat you?”

Zhao Changhe was silent.

Yuxu continued, “And the whole world is just a beginner. After you revive and look around, seeing nothing but useless people, would you continue living your own life, or would you spread your teachings widely? Or would you think you could rule over everything?”

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment, then shook his head. “It depends on the person. If it were me, I would probably just continue living my own life and cut down anyone I found displeasing.”

“Exactly, it depends on the person. You can only hope for how they think.” Yuxu’s expression was calm. “Unless there are faithful agents who are already busy with this purpose... Among those who know, how many are willing to entrust the future to how others think?”

Zhao Changhe finally nodded. “Yes. It seems irreconcilable.”

Back at the Sword Emperor’s tomb, why did Tang Wanzhuang, Sisi, and even Zhao Changhe himself, without any discussion, agree to keep it sealed?

Who would dare to entrust the future to how the Sword Emperor might think after revival? At that time, the tomb was thick with baleful energy. If he wanted to slaughter, who could resist?

Better to let him lie there.

The Sword Emperor wanted to revive—he was not wrong. And everyone else didn’t want him to revive—they were not wrong either.

Irreconcilable.

Yuxu looked at him for a long time, then suddenly said, “The fact that you say these things means you are not an agent.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Of course I’m not.”

Yuxu said, “In that case, use their inheritances sparingly.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Because it would create a sense of indebtedness?”

“That’s one reason... Whether one feels indebted also depends on the person.” Yuxu said calmly, “The key point is that using their inheritances carries uncertainty about whether some strange things might happen... If it’s just techniques and skills, it’s fine. But for cultivation methods, use them as little as possible, and create your own if you can...”

At this point, Yuxu laughed heartily. “From this perspective, your Blood God Sect inheritance is quite suitable. This ancient demon god probably wasn’t particularly powerful. If something goes wrong, dealing with it won’t be too troublesome. Besides, this one is most likely truly dead. If he had any awareness of his inheritance existing in the world, the Blood God Sect wouldn’t be so pathetic...”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

“In my early years, I admired the ancient Kunlun Yuxu way and styled myself Yuxu, much like the Cui and Wang families borrowing names. Now I think it was foolish. In fact, the ancient gods and demons had no Yuxu either—that was just ancient texts and legends, hahaha...” Yuxu laughed again as he spoke. “Now I lie drunk on Kunlun, amidst clouds, mountains, wind, and moon. I am Yuxu. Who dares say otherwise?”

Zhao Changhe cupped his hands in respect: “Indeed.”

In his heart, he could roughly piece together a bit: Yuxu had inherited the Daoist tradition. He considered himself to be following the Daoist intent, practicing the Way. But certain beings didn’t see it that way; they thought he was practicing their inheritance.

Wasn’t that where the conflict came from?

Yuxu had probably done some things for them, perhaps to repay a “debt,” but it was very likely that those things went against his own will. Not wanting to do them himself, he tricked villains into doing them.

The villains who entered the mountain might not all be dead. Some were probably doing certain tasks, occasionally leaving the mountain to enter the city. That would explain why everyone thought the villains had gone into the mountains to live in seclusion under protection.

If this reasoning was correct, then it could be further inferred that those villains were likely being driven to search for the Heavenly Book.

The Heavenly Book was probably not on Yuxu himself. Otherwise, the Blind One wouldn’t have sent him here for no reason. A Profound Barrier martial artist seeking the Heavenly Book from the fourth-ranked Earth Ranking? That would be nothing but suicide. Most likely, it was in some secret realm within this peak, and Yuxu hadn’t obtained it either.

Moreover, Yuxu probably didn’t want to obtain it. The one who truly wanted it was another existence. Yuxu sending villains to die had a strong flavor of going through the motions. If he got it himself, it would be a hot potato.

He just wanted to sleep and drink.

Earlier, he had guessed that Xia Longyuan was a rebel, but later realized he wasn’t—that guy was a challenger.

Yuxu was the true rebel, but his temperament, or perhaps his “Way,” made his resistance appear more passive.

When he first arrived, Yuxu’s attitude was now fully explained: What am I doing here? Don’t ask. There’s no benefit. Go where you’re supposed to go.

Zhao Changhe suddenly said, “If I want to make another appointment to drink with you, old sir, when would be convenient?”

Yuxu looked at him for a moment, then smiled. “Second level of the Hidden Treasury, and come back on the Earth Ranking.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Where is the place I’m supposed to go?”

Yuxu bulged his eyes, nearly hitting him with the bowl. “If you want to temper your Blood Fiend Art, where else would you go but Wu Mountain?”

Zhao Changhe stood up and bowed. “Understood. I’ll come find you for a drink another day, and I’ll bring the wine then.”