The vastness of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths holds wonders beyond imagination.
Yet this is merely the ranking list of the Eastern Wasteland Domain.
It excludes the Great Yu Dynasty, excludes those transcendent sects—it is but a fragment of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
For a moment, Ying Bing's mind was blank.
The system would not pause for her bewilderment or confusion.
[Eastern Wasteland Domain's Top Talent Ranking, First Place: Li Mo.]
The remaining characters silently appeared before her.
These two characters reflected in Ying Bing's eyes, stirring a tempest within.
Unbidden, her mind conjured images of the young man—his gentle demeanor, his busy figure in the kitchen, his words of trust on Qingyuan's peaks...
How could it possibly be him?
True, Li Mo had changed from what she once knew.
His temperament had softened, becoming as comforting as a spring breeze. His talent had soared, now worthy of discussing sword dao with her. He had even obtained some inheritance.
He had just lost to her today!
On the dueling platform, Ying Bing hadn't even fought seriously—she merely wanted to gauge the extent of his strength.
The results had surprised her, yes.
Yet Li Mo's abilities still paled in comparison to hers.
Moreover, ever since they entered Qingyuan Sect, they had been inseparable.
Right under her nose, she had witnessed no further fortuitous encounters for him.
In the same realm, there might exist those who could rival her, but they were all figures of renown.
Now, the image of that young man was shrouded in profound mystery.
The air seemed to freeze.
Ying Bing's emotions were in turmoil—shock, confusion, doubt, resentment...
So this was how it felt to be overshadowed?
[Comparison concluded. Commencing reward distribution.]
[Host ranked second in the standings.]
[Reward One: Three vials of Emperor's Nectar.]
[Reward Two: One True Phoenix Feather.]
[Reward Three: One Jade Bed of Frozen Marrow.]
The system's rewards were all exceedingly rare treasures, perfectly suited to her needs—each invaluable.
Take the Emperor's Nectar, for instance.
This essence of heaven and earth is born from the skies and scatters upon the ground. Plants that absorb it become spirits; beasts that consume it gain wisdom. For humans, it purifies the body, allowing martial arts to advance by leaps and bounds.
Only once every sixty years does Emperor's Nectar descend in certain parts of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
And only Yantian Sect knows the exact locations.
Thus, beyond Yantian Sect, few possess this treasure.
Then there was the True Phoenix Feather.
True Phoenixes, True Vermilion Birds, and True Dragons—once rulers of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—are now exceedingly rare. Each appearance carries immense destiny.
By the unseen laws of heaven and earth, no more than nine of these auspicious beings may exist simultaneously.
Of course, most times, their numbers don't even exceed a handful.
A Phoenix's feather is its lifebound treasure. When fused with one's body, it grants wondrous abilities—akin to a True Dragon's reverse scale.
Compared to dragons, Phoenixes are even rarer, having vanished from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths long ago.
As for the Jade Bed of Frozen Marrow—she had owned one in her past life, within the Moon Palace.
Meditating upon it doubled the efficiency of cultivation.
Without question, these rewards were extraordinary even by the standards of her previous life.
[Detected host has activated the "Punishment of the Defeated."]
[System will temporarily withhold all rewards until host fulfills the penalty conditions.]
[Failure to meet conditions results in system unbinding and destruction of all rewards.]
[Current penalty condition: Share a bed for one month with the one who surpassed you.]
[Challenge begins at dawn tomorrow.]
Complex emotions churned within her.
Ying Bing stared blankly at the rewards and penalty terms.
When she had chosen to increase the stakes and accept the challenge, $2he never imagined she would actually face punishment.
The intensity of her emotions caused the suppressed Lunar Qi within her to run wild.
The room grew colder still—so cold that thoughts froze and minds stilled.
Her frost-laced eyelashes fluttered before her eyes finally closed heavily.
Ying Bing's consciousness faded into darkness, sinking into dreams.
A boundless sea stretched endlessly beneath a sky devoid of sun, moon, or stars.
Only lightning danced wildly, painting the world in monochrome.
Towering waves surged, forming a vortex of unimaginable scale, swallowing all into oblivion.
Hazily, Ying Bing recalled this place.
In her past life, she had searched relentlessly for this—the final sanctuary holding the secret of ascension.
It was also where countless legendary figures, including the Martial Ancestor of the Great Yu Dynasty, had vanished without a trace.
[Those who seek immortality, enter and face tribulation.]
This was the only thing standing upon the sea—
a towering stone stele piercing the heavens.
She had been here before.
The Nine Sovereigns of the Heavens had gathered here.
Together, they slew the guardian of the Abyssal Return and stepped onto the Path of Ascension within.
Now, Ying Bing finally remembered the reason for her defeat in the tribulation.
"A heart... incomplete."
Seated upon a frost-hardened meditation mat, Li Mo exhaled slowly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He focused his mind inward, into his dantian.
Within, the wisp of internal energy—once thin as a strand of hair—had grown tenfold. If dispersed, it could fill the entire dantian.
With a thought, the energy obeyed his will, coalescing and scattering, morphing into various shapes.
Li Mo pushed open the door and stepped outside, walking to the frozen lake.
With a single punch, his internal energy seeped into the thick ice.
Moments later, he tossed a small stone onto the surface.
The frozen stream shattered instantly, its waters flowing once more.
In the past, this would have required considerable effort.
"Is the ice block still not up?"
He glanced curiously at the room upstairs.
Normally, Ying Bing would already be sipping tea at the stone table by this hour.
But seeing the state of the Autumn Water Pavilion, he understood.
After last night's commotion, she probably needed extra rest.
Shang Wu stumbled out, rubbing her sleep-heavy eyes and scratching her flawless shoulder.
Taking in the scene in the courtyard, she blinked in confusion.
"It was the ice block," Li Mo said offhandedly.
Shang Wu nodded lazily, then stomped her foot lightly.
A furnace-like heat radiated outward.
The "Little Sun" effect of her beautiful master was remarkably effective.
Then she turned her gaze to her precious disciple.
"Uh... Master, is something wrong?" Li Mo asked, puzzled.
"Ahem! Starting today, this master will be properly instructing you."
Yesterday, the elders had held a... spirited discussion with her.
Several had become quite emotional, declaring her unfit to be a teacher.
Shang Wu had reflected.
She'd left her disciple to his own devices for nearly a month.
As a master, she really ought to teach him properly. Had she done so earlier, perhaps her precious disciple wouldn't have lost to Ying Bing.
And then she wouldn't have lost so much money.
So, starting today, she decided to diligently instruct her precious disciple, guiding him to step into the Inner Breath realm as soon as possible.
To prepare, she even made a special trip to the Scripture Pavilion to review the texts on how to break through the Qi-Blood realm. After all, she had originally stumbled into her own breakthrough after getting drunk—there was no way she could let her beloved disciple follow such an irresponsible example.
It was rare for Shang Wu to be this serious.
"Today, I will teach you how to condense Inner Breath."
"But Master… I’ve already reached the Inner Breath realm."