Most people are inherently interested in ranking lists because they offer a clear, visual representation of who’s strong and who’s weak.
“Big Sister, what did the complete list for your year look like?”
“The complete list…” Ye Qingyu thought for a moment. “You’ve asked the right person. The versions circulating among the public are often inaccurate. You need it from someone who was actually there to get the reliable one.”
She took Su Mo’s phone and typed the complete list into the memo app, advice advising him, “You need to be aware of all these people. None of them are pushovers, so be careful not to get on their bad side… Well, except for me, of course!”
Su Mo took the phone and looked. She had written it quite formally, even noting the faction or organization each person belonged to beside their name.
【2020 Heavenly Ranking】
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Firth (USA)
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Pope of the Western Church (Western Church)
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Beast God (Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance)
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Satō Mae (Island Nation)
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Long Tianyu (Big Dipper)
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Howard (USA)
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Yatrof (Northern Nation)
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Ye Qingyu (Qingyu Association)
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Francis (Western Church)
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Anya (USA)
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Kirami (Brahman Nation)
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Park Hee (Goryeo Nation)
After reading, Su Mo couldn’t help but feel puzzled: “I can understand Elder Nangong not being on it; he was probably in seclusion then. But why isn’t Elder Qin on the list either?”
Ye Qingyu explained, “Although this ranking has high credibility, many powerful individuals don’t participate. Some are too busy, others prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Elder Qin falls into both categories.”
“If he did participate, where do you think he would rank?”
Ye Qingyu answered without hesitation, “He’d definitely make the top ten, maybe even compete for a spot in the top five.”
Su Mo found this assessment fairly accurate, matching his understanding of Qin Xun’s capabilities.
He also noticed Smith wasn’t on the list—perhaps he had been in seclusion at the time too.
“So, there are still many strong people who are qualified but just aren’t on the list?”
Ye Qingyu nodded hesitantly, seemingly calculating in her mind—if everyone had participated, would she still have made the list?
Her final conclusion was: it was hard to say.
From the current perspective, Nangong Xuan and Smith could definitely break into the top five. This was because, prior to that, there were only three known A-ranks in the world, who occupied the top three spots on the list.
However, this excluded Elder Tianshu, Yin Tianxi, whose whereabouts were unknown. Rumor had it he was also an A-rank, with strength on par with Firth’s.
Su Mo couldn’t help but sigh: Indeed, major nations tend to produce more powerful individuals!
In this regard, Xia Kingdom [China] and the USA clearly held the advantage.
After explaining all this, Ye Qingyu showed him a photo and asked, “Do you know this person?”
Su Mo looked and was immediately stunned. “That’s my friend’s wife! Why? What about her?”
He already had his suspicions, but he wanted to hear what Ye Qingyu would say.
“This person is no simple matter. The stone passage mechanisms didn’t stop her. I had to personally escort her to the Mountain of No Return,” Ye Qingyu said with a tone of admiration.
Li Xiaomou. As I suspected, she’s not simple.
Back in Star City, he and Ye Qingyi had suspected Li Xiaomou’s motives for marrying Luo Xiu couldn’t be pure. Now it seemed it was most likely for the sake of this ancient tomb.
But why choose this method? Did she really have to gamble her entire life?
Did she need to stay near Jing City so badly that this was the only way?
Su Mo couldn’t figure out the reason, but he felt the answer was hovering just out of reach. Perhaps it would come to him in a flash of insight later.
“Big Sister, could you tell what her power level was?”
“Hmm… C-rank.”
“C-rank…” Su Mo murmured to himself. “Someone of that level is no ordinary person.”
He needed to prioritize investigating her background once he got out.
…
Mountain of No Return.
This was the place where sacrifices were made to accompany the tomb’s owner. Due to the relatively dense spiritual energy here, many souls managed to persist, evolving into a special species within the tomb—wraiths.
Unlike the imposing grandeur of the Bronze Hall, there were no treasures here. The damp, almost viscous air was thick with a cloying smell of decay; a single breath would leave your lungs feeling uncomfortable for a long time.
Li Xiaomou opened her eyes to find herself in such a place. She didn’t panic, instead quickly observing her surroundings.
Suddenly, she spotted a figure in her line of sight—a white man who also seemed trapped there.
Li Xiaomou took the initiative to greet him. Although her face was partly covered, the visible part of her eyes was still captivating. The white man was deeply attracted after just one glance.
“Big Brother, I’m lost. Do you know where this is?” Li Xiaomou bit her lower lip, her pitiable appearance enough to stir anyone’s protective instincts.
“A beauty… Come with me, I’ll take you out,” the white man said, his eyes lighting up. He moved to put an arm around her shoulders, but Li Xiaomou dodged, a look of fright in her eyes.
Seeing this, the white man wasn’t angry. Instead, he smiled gentlemanly and said, “Don’t be afraid, I’m a good guy.”
Li Xiaomou stole a glance at him, her cheeks blushing slightly, and whispered, “Okay… I believe you.”
Men often respond better to softness than hardness, especially when faced with a beautiful woman. This white man was no exception, and Li Xiaomou had him wrapped around her little finger with ease.
From then on, the two traveled together. She managed to avoid any actual disadvantage, instead gaining a free bodyguard. When the occasional wraith harassed them, she didn’t need to lift a finger. She just needed to say things like, “Wow, you’re so amazing,” “You’re incredible,” or “Big Brother, you’re so handsome, I really admire you.”
But just as they reached the foot of the Mountain of No Return and were about to change direction, a woman with ordinary features but a tall, slender build blocked their path.
“Hey, who are you? I’ve never seen you around before,” the woman asked arrogantly.
Li Xiaomou shrank back. “Big Brother, she’s so mean!”
The white man’s adrenaline immediately spiked. “Who are you? Why are you scaring my dear little sister?”
The woman didn’t answer. Instead, she frowned and muttered to herself, “He’s asking who I am… and something about sisters… Ugh, so annoying!”
Seeing the woman ignore him, Li Xiaomou tugged at the white man’s sleeve and said weakly, “She seems really threatening. What should we do?”
“Don’t be scared, I’ve got this,” the white man declared, striding forward and without another word, swinging a slap at the woman. “Take th— Aah!”
His swinging hand was caught mid-air as the woman grabbed his wrist. A tremendous force instantly squeezed his bones, producing an alarming creaking sound.
Enraged, the white man was about to counterattack when the woman’s delicate-looking fist suddenly hammered into his chest.
That seemingly soft and boneless fist carried the force of a tidal wave. After just one hit, he saw his dear departed grandmother waving at him from the great beyond. [Idiom: He was knocked nearly senseless/close to death]
Seeing the situation, Li Xiaomou didn’t hesitate. She abandoned her “Big Brother” and sprinted away without looking back.
“Trying to run?” The woman sneered coldly and shot after her like an arrow.
Seeing she was about to be caught, Li Xiaomou’s eyes suddenly turned pink. She turned around and fixed her gaze on the woman.
The effect was startlingly good. The woman’s steps faltered, and she almost stumbled to the ground.
“Eh? She’s a woman, so why is she reacting so strongly to my charm technique?” Li Xiaomou didn’t understand.