Zhao Xian and Kun Shao departed, heading toward the northern district as instructed by Xu Que.
Xu Que stared at the dimensional rift before him, recalling the strange effects he experienced during the fierce battle in the harbor district. Though he was aware of the dark curse that had ensnared him, he hadn't anticipated it would dredge up his deepest, hidden hatreds.
He thought that in that dark moment, the first person to come to mind would have been Shen Mengchu—after all, his past life's misjudgment was all too bitterly clear. But now, Xu Que wasn't certain why his mind had turned elsewhere; perhaps, at his core, there was nothing but vengeance.
Just as he was about to examine the spoils of his latest battle, the heavens above flashed with new names on the Celestial Cultivation Rankings.
Surprised by the steady appearance of names, Xu Que muttered, "So many people ranking up?"
He scanned quickly from the sixth to the forty-second name, watching as more filled the board, extending from the forty-third up to the fifty-fifth place.
This unprecedented surge lit up the internet; no one expected sixty-five new names to fill the ranks in just one day, with names twenty through forty-five almost entirely identical.
"The Chacefield family of this life has monopolized twenty-five places. It seems they've unlocked the hidden trove of powers within their newfound cultivation technique."
In his past life, the Chacefield family had wielded enormous power, securing the bottom half of the Celestial Cultivation Rankings, yet lacking the number-one Territory Master on the Heavenly Territory List. Consequently, they'd been content to act as the hidden rulers of Country Y and Country D.
That so-called trove of powers was indeed extraordinary. Xu Que had once encountered a Chacefield who could not only wield magic but command the very wind itself.
After obtaining more information, he learned that their cultivation method diverged significantly from the techniques of Z-Country's practitioners. Chacefield's arts pursued true supernatural abilities, whereas Z-Country's practices aligned more closely with the path of immortality.
As for which was superior, Xu Que hesitated to judge. Each level seemed equally formidable; only vast disparities in equipment or skill could lead to defeat. Or, perhaps, a coordinated ambush or an assassination.
Xu Que's gaze shifted upwards to the seventh through fifteenth positions.
"Could these be families of martial artists?"
In truth, Xu Que had guessed correctly. When Zhao Xian returned and recounted recent events, the elders had comprehended the situation, leading to an early start in cultivation—one day ahead of the foreign powers.
Xu Que wasn't sure how much he had altered the flow of events, but this list confirmed that he'd stirred up no small amount of trouble. His attention was immediately drawn to the sixty-fifth name—Kunpeng Knight!
"Zhao Pengkun! So, you've emerged!" Xu Que's lips curled into a chilling smile.
If Liu Ruyan and Ji Boda were his most loathed, then this Kunpeng Knight was next, followed by Tang Xue and Xu Sihai.
In his past life, Xu Que and Duan Jiude had nearly fallen to this traitor, Zhao Pengkun. The scars on Xu Que's face and Duan Jiude's crippled leg were Zhao's handiwork!
Whenever rain lashed or winds howled, the scars throbbed with agonizing pain.
"Once, I couldn't kill you; this time, I'll make sure your end is nothing but suffering."
Xu Que closed his eyes, tamping down the flames of vengeance, and turned to inspect his spoils.
**[Name: Serpent's Embrace B-Level (Unique Pendant)]**
**Quality: Superior (Purple)**
**Active: Grants a brief mental power boost (15 seconds duration, 80-minute recharge)**
**Passive: After effect fades, mental power will weaken (60 seconds)**
Xu Que's lips twitched. This pendant was useful, yet dangerously double-edged… If only it were a weapon.
**[Name: Underworld Serpent Bracers C-Level (Unique Equipment)]**
**Quality: Superior (Purple)**
**Passive: Increases wearer's attack speed, with a chance to unleash a whirlwind effect.**
Without hesitation, Xu Que donned both pieces—they were his best options for the moment.
**[Name: Spirit Serpent Crystal C-Level (65/300)]**
**Quality: Superior (Purple)**
**Storage Item: Collects aura within a 300-meter radius.**
Seeing this, Xu Que allowed himself a satisfied smile. This was precisely what he needed, especially with no aura crystals currently at his disposal. With this, he could significantly accelerate his cultivation speed.
Setting the Greed Crystal and the Spirit Serpent Crystal before him, Xu Que sat down, awaiting the appearance of the Ghost Devil Toad.
Though the rift was now relatively stable, he wouldn't miss the chance to slay one of these toads, as it could yield an anchor shard.
In his previous life, Xu Que had hunted countless Ghost Devil Toads, sometimes even venturing abroad for these coveted shards.
His efforts were handsomely rewarded, and if not for Liu Ruyan's interference, he might have reached the Wealth Rankings then.
Time passed swiftly.
In the past two days, Xu Que had only left once to receive commendations from the military, then returned to his place at the rift.
His cultivation level had increased modestly, but his proficiency in Sword Draw and Sword Return had advanced noticeably.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Cultivation Rankings fluctuated wildly, filling the top hundred spots as those vying for rewards entered into fierce competition.
Just as Xu Que was about to check the online forums, a piece of news caught his eye. He glanced up at the rankings, taking note of the now-gray names at the eightieth and eighty-fifth positions.
These two names marked the dead.
After a moment, Xu Que picked up his phone and typed, "Bro, by 'Western Border,' are you referring to the city or the county?"
Expecting a delayed response, he was surprised to receive an instant reply: "Liaojiang City's Western Border County. But dude, I'd advise you to curb your curiosity. I just saw a bunch of military personnel rushing over."
Reading this, Xu Que promptly called Kun Shao.
As the line buzzed, Xu Que's brows knitted. By now, they should have emerged from the dimensional space.
He tried Zhao Xian's number next, only to receive another busy signal…
Strange. Almost seventy-two hours had passed—could they have forgotten?
Just as Xu Que prepared to contact the military, a message from Shen Mengchu appeared.
Reading her caring words, Xu Que swiftly typed a response and sent it off.
He expected a delay in her decision-making, but was pleasantly surprised by her immediate reply: "Alright, see you tomorrow!"
No sooner had he finished texting than Kun Shao's call came through.
"Xu Ge, we just emerged from the dimensional space. Anything urgent?"
"Are you all okay?" Xu Que asked.
"Yeah, aside from me and Qi Shan sustaining minor injuries, everyone's fine," Kun Shao replied nonchalantly.
Sensing something amiss, Xu Que asked, "How many people did you bring in this time?"
"Forty-five. Why?" Kun Shao sounded confused.
The number made Xu Que's eye twitch; he'd expected them to bring twenty at most, not nearly double.
"Next time, keep it to around ten," Xu Que advised.
"What difference does it make?" Kun Shao pressed.
"It matters. More people mean a wider aura range, which attracts more of these creatures," Xu Que explained.
"No wonder… At first, we faced around a hundred green-skinned hunters. Then, upon entering the gorge, we were almost swarmed by shellback beetles," Kun Shao said, recalling with a shiver.
"Glad you all made it back safely. I have plans to take you somewhere next," Xu Que began.
Kun Shao perked up, "Where?"
"Western Border County in Liaojiang City."