Chapter 278

Chapter 278: Genius Ranking, Ranking Champion!

Li Shuang felt a little out of place at first, but soon she calmed down: [The strong rule. If these are the rules here, then I will follow them. I just need to stay the strongest.]

She was the first to step into the teleportation array, and the others followed. White light flashed again and again as countless figures crowded the arena.

People looked up with respect. A hazy figure sat high on the clouds. The face could not be seen, yet it made everyone feel respect the moment they saw it.

A stern voice rolled down from above: “Those who did not clear the first level, leave now.”

Over five hundred people vanished at once. They were not angry; they were excited. Someone whispered from a distance: “Being able to see the City Lord even from afar, even if it is only a Phantom Stage, is already enough.” Another pumped his fist: “Next time I have to pass the first level, then I can get Merit Points from the City Lord in person.” A third hurried his friends along: “Move it, let’s go earn Soul Points.”

In the City Lord’s Manor, only a little over five hundred people remained.

The City Lord smiled and announced: “Those who cleared the first level will receive eight thousand Merit Points.”

All five hundred plus received eight thousand Merit Points. In Li Shuang’s Wanfa Eye, eight thousand new Merit Points appeared. Her brows moved slightly as she thought: [To buy the second layer of Rebirth Art, I spent most of my points last time. No one told me clearing the Golden Soul Altar gives Merit Points rewards. This is a lucky surprise.]

Those who only cleared the first level left the City Lord’s Manor. The City Lord’s voice sounded again: “Those who cleared the second level will receive twenty thousand Merit Points.”

Another twenty thousand appeared in Li Shuang’s Wanfa Eye, and another group departed.

Only nine people were left on the field when the City Lord said: “Those who cleared the third level will receive forty thousand Merit Points.”

Li Shuang took another forty thousand, and the rest were sent out by teleportation.

Only Li Shuang and You Lan remained when the City Lord declared: “Those who cleared the fourth level will receive eighty thousand Merit Points.”

Both women received eighty thousand at the same time. Just from the first four levels, Li Shuang earned a total of 148,000. Before this, her saved Merit Points were a little over 110,000. Now she jumped straight to 260,000 Merit Points.

At the same time, her rank smoothly entered the top twenty of the Genius Ranking.

Before the stone list, many onlookers had guessed the Merit Points ranking would undergo a major shakeup, so they waited there. They watched Li’s rank surge all the way up, then pause at 19. At only 35 years old, she had charged to 19. That was already a frightening record.

But everyone knew this was not the main point. The Merit Points rewards were still being given. After taking the fourth level reward, You Lan gave Li Shuang a complicated look, then she too was teleported away.

Only Li Shuang remained on the field.

The City Lord smiled and continued: “The reward for passing the fifth level is one hundred sixty thousand Merit Points. The reward for passing the sixth level is three hundred fifty thousand Merit Points. As for the seventh level, you already claimed that one, so there will be no extra.”

The chain of rewards landed like thunder. In an instant, Li Shuang’s Merit Points soared to a shocking 770,000. Her rank shot up almost in a blink to Ranking Champion. The second place, You Lan, was a full two hundred thousand points behind her. This was after years and years of hard work by You Lan. Yet Li Shuang had cleared the Golden Soul Altar once and gained more than what others saved in a hundred years.

People murmured in awe: “The Genius Ranking has changed for real.” Another laughed in disbelief: “Number one on the Genius Ranking: Li.” Besides that, everyone else mostly dropped one place down the list.

Someone sighed: “You Lan is about to reach a hundred years old. I thought she would rule the list to the very last moment.” Another spread his hands: “Who didn’t think that? Who could guess a monster like this would appear halfway through.” A third clicked his tongue: “This is the City Lord’s skill. With a casual effort, she trained a peerless genius.” A fourth agreed: “The City Lord’s methods reach heaven and earth. Li is a legend, but wasn’t the City Lord’s own path of cultivation also legendary?” Someone added quietly: “Right. The City Lord clearly has a Supreme Spiritual Root, yet she stayed quiet for four to five hundred years, then one day she suddenly advanced like crazy.” Another lowered his voice: “A Supreme Spiritual Root is never simple. Maybe the City Lord trained a special technique.” A different voice argued: “Maybe not a technique. I heard this has to do with the City Lord’s Little Sister…” A friend yanked his sleeve and hissed: “Are you looking to die? You dare talk about that?” The speaker chuckled weakly and shut his mouth at once.

Someone asked the question on many minds: “What spiritual root does Li have?” People nodded, because spiritual root talent matters a lot. It decides how fast a person trains day by day. Later on, if the root is not good enough, your path will almost certainly be blocked. One person shrugged: “No one knows. Li appeared out of nowhere. Besides the City Lord, no one knows her origin, much less her spiritual root.” Another waved a hand: “It will not be bad. With the City Lord around, even if she was born lacking, it would have been fixed long ago.”

In the crowd, Ancestor Xuan Wei’s expression shifted again and again. Now, besides the City Lord and Li herself, she was likely the only one who knew Li was a Supreme Ice Spiritual Root. Oh, and the Skeleton in Gluttony Hell. But that Skeleton was the City Lord’s prisoner. It would never spread such news.

A hint of unwillingness crossed Ancestor Xuan Wei’s face. No one knew Li’s Supreme Spiritual Root had formed not long ago. Xuan Wei still had a chance to strip it from her. But Li belonged to the City Lord. Who dared to touch the City Lord’s person? Even if her heart burned with desire, she did not have the courage.

She thought bitterly: [Must I give up the Supreme Ice Spiritual Root just like this?] Feeling dejected, Ancestor Xuan Wei left Myriad Arts City and returned to reality to enter seclusion. Yet, just like countless times before, her cultivation stuck in place. No matter what she tried, she could not move forward.

If this continued, she feared she would never reach Ascension. The Tribulation Crossing Stage gives a long life, but if she kept wasting time, she would still die in the Mortal Realm. The longer she lived, the more she feared death. Ancestor Xuan Wei opened her eyes, a ribbon of fear flashing through them. [I do not want to die. I do not want my realm to stay stuck.] If she got a Supreme Ice Spiritual Root, she was sure she could make progress. She was sure she could reach Ascension. Greed lit her gaze.

Then she remembered that terrifying figure and shrank back. If she dared touch Li and the City Lord discovered it, the City Lord would never let her go. She struggled for a while, then bit down in frustration. The City Lord had not shown herself for so many years, and no one knew where her true body was. She had absolute control over Myriad Arts City and the Soul Prison, but not necessarily over the real world. If Xuan Wei could find Li in the real world, she might avoid the City Lord’s eyes and quietly steal her root. If she could not find her in reality, then in the Soul Prison she could strike, seize the root, and flee at once to the Boundless Sea. Even the City Lord might not be able to find her.

Many thoughts spun through her mind as her eyes slowly grew firm: [I will not give up the Supreme Ice Spiritual Root.]