Chapter 0093

Chapter 93: Taking Charge of the Heavenly Dao Rankings, The Illiterate Can Read

Everyone blinked with blank faces and asked at the same time: “Heavenly Dao Rankings… what is that?”

It wasn’t their fault they didn’t know. The secrets of the Heavenly Dao Rankings wouldn’t be revealed for decades yet. After Zhou Tong explained, the women looked at one another, eyes wide with shock.

Holy Heart tilted her head, eager to try as she asked: “Since the list isn’t ranking people yet, if someone carves a name now, wouldn’t that make them number one?”

Zhou Tong nodded and said: “In theory, yes.”

Mu Rong Ya stepped forward first and said: “Then let us try.”

With a soft hiss, a thread of light flashed from her fingertip and flowed toward the stele. The instant it touched, the Heavenly Dao Ranking burst with bright light, like a barrier, and bounced the glow away.

Zhou Tong smiled and said: “It repelled you. Looks like you aren’t the fated one.”

He didn’t try himself. People said that whoever could master the Sword Dao Heavenly Ranking might become a Sword Emperor, but that was not his path. There were nine lists in all. If the other eight fell into the hands of evildoers, the results could be terrible. He had to collect as many as he could. Among the remaining eight, there was even one list that tempted him.

The little demoness and Zhang Chu Qiao tried next, but neither could resonate with the stone. That left only two likely choices. Since Long Ling Yun and Holy Heart had carried the steles back, it meant they had been acknowledged.

Zhou Tong looked at them and said: “You two, carve your names. This is a great chance. Don’t waste it.”

Both of them lit up with joy. Zhou Tong added, voice steady: “Remember to know your limits. If your strength falls short and you still force it, you’ll pay for it.”

The two answered together, then gathered their sharpest spiritual energy onto their index fingers and touched the Heavenly Dao Ranking. The writing began. It was hard work. With every stroke, sparks and flowing light danced, like a sunrise that briefly lit up the night.

Long Ling Yun finished first. She carved only one character, “Long” (Dragon), then stopped. Her cheeks were a bit red, but her breathing was steady. Holy Heart carved only one character too, “Saint,” but sweat poured from her and she looked weak, clearly drained.

They traded a quick look and shared a knowing smile.

Holy Heart felt relieved and thought: [So her strength isn’t perfect either.]

Long Ling Yun also smiled and thought: [So this little girl can’t read. She acted like she could before.]

Suddenly, the stele blazed. Words drew themselves in light, marks turning into strokes. The list had been activated, and the first ranking appeared:

Sword Dao Heavenly Ranking, Number One: Long.
Number Two: Saint.

Everyone’s hearts jolted at once. Those few words did not just appear on the stone. They also rang out inside their minds.

The little demoness frowned and asked: “What’s going on?”

Holy Heart considered for a moment and said: “This should be a proclamation from the Heavenly Dao.”

Zhou Tong spread his spiritual sense. Within a radius of ten miles, many people wore stunned faces, which meant they had also received the proclamation.

Booms rolled across the night. Wind and thunder rose, and a majestic single eye opened in the sky, casting its gaze on Long Ling Yun and Holy Heart.

Zhou Tong was slightly shocked and said: “It’s the gaze of the Great Dao.”

The Heavenly Dao had locked onto their auras to grant them fortune. Long Ling Yun’s Sword Dao broke through again. Her Sword Momentum reached Great Completion, as natural as water flowing into a channel. Holy Heart was not trained in Sword Dao, but by chance she received a baptism and grew a personal understanding of the sword. On top of that, both women gained huge benefits, their cultivation soaring as they crossed the extraordinary boundary.

The Heavenly Dao’s eye slowly closed and faded. Right on time, the Lightning Tribulation arrived.

Zhou Tong lifted his eyes and spoke the Heaven Dome Divine Words: “Disperse.”

The tribulation was canceled for both of them.

Long Ling Yun bounced on her heels and cried out, thrilled: “Wow, is this the Heaven Slaying Realm? I’ve never seen a jump this scary.”

Zhou Tong gave her a measuring glance and said: “Your combat power rose at least sixfold.”

As for Holy Heart, she was too unusual to measure, but judging by her bright smile, she had improved a lot as well.

Long Ling Yun walked up to the stele and patted it, grinning: “What a surprise. You’re dark and hard, yet so gentle. I’ll remember this favor.”

Zhou Tong smiled and said: “There’s an even bigger surprise. You’re about to learn to read.”

Long Ling Yun’s eyes went wide as she asked: “Really?”

Zhou Tong nodded and said: “Smear your blood on the stele. I’ll help refine it so you become its master.”

She did so at once. Zhou Tong and Mu Rong Ya acted together, saintly power plus an Emperor Grade Spirit pressing down. In no time, the stele submitted to Long Ling Yun.

She stared in amazement and murmured: “This feeling… I’ve never felt anything like it.”

Before her fingers could close around it, the stele shrank into a stone plaque and merged into her palm. In that moment, she became the keeper of the Sword Dao Heavenly Ranking.

Zhou Tong asked in a warm voice: “How does it feel?”

Long Ling Yun blinked and said: “There are words in my mind, and I can read them.”

She was sure the character read “Saint.”

Until now she had been illiterate. Other than her own surname, she didn’t even recognize the character for “one,” but now she could read a much harder word. That meant her illiteracy could be cured. As more names appeared on the Heavenly Dao Ranking, she would learn more characters.

She clenched her fist, certain of one thing: a literate Wordless Root of Wisdom could walk much farther on the road of cultivation.