Chapter 14

Boom... Boom... Boom...

Just as he was calculating in his heart, the rankings for the Sword God Ranking, which had already been announced, suddenly radiated a brilliant light. From a distance, six characters appeared with an overbearing aura above the Sword God Ranking scroll: "Organizational Rankings."

Soon after, beams of deep green light tore through the night sky, drawing an hourglass pattern at a speed visible to the naked eye. This hourglass was the symbol of Quicksand.

Then, as the crowd looked on in confusion, several lines of text appeared beneath the hourglass: Organization: Quicksand. Ranking: Fourth. Rewards: The leader of Quicksand receives a Heaven-grade low-tier spiritual medicine—Blood Bodhi; all members of Quicksand receive a Profound-grade low-tier pill—True Essence Pill.

The next instant, another emblem appeared beside the Quicksand logo. It was a cross design featuring an iron chain and a blade. This was the mark of the Shadow Secret Guard. Immediately following this, several more lines appeared below: Organization: Shadow Secret Guard. Ranking: Third. Leader: Zhang Han. Rewards: The leader receives a Heaven-grade mid-tier weapon—Shadow Blade; all members of the Shadow Secret Guard receive Heaven-grade mid-tier weapons—Soul-Locking Chains and Bloodthirsty Blades.

"How can this be? Such a thing actually exists?"

"Huh? This is a hidden list. First, it ranks individual assassins, and then it categorizes them by their affiliated powers. The design of this list is truly thoughtful."

"Looking at these organizational rankings, there is no need to guess. The Net must be second, and Dark Night will surely hold the first spot. I just wonder what kind of immense rewards await the one who takes the crown?"

"Why are you all just thinking about rewards? Haven't you noticed that the list also reveals the identities of the organization leaders? The leader of Dark Night will be exposed because of this."

...

At this moment, everyone in the world held their breath, gazing up at the organizational rankings in the night sky. Everyone’s faces showed joy, their emotions running high.

The ranking? Undoubtedly, Dark Night would take the top spot. What they were looking forward to even more was the unveiling of the Dark Night leader's identity. Who could it be? To possess such a terrifying force! And who could occupy the position of the Dark Night leader!

Furthermore, assassins everywhere were falling into a frenzy. Quicksand was ranked fourth, and every member received a Profound-grade pill. The Shadow Secret Guard was ranked third, and their members received Heaven-grade weapons. If one were to join Dark Night? Since Dark Night sat at the top, wouldn't members of "Dark Night" also be entitled to generous benefits?

Remember, this list is updated every half month. Every update comes with rewards. With Dark Night's strength as the top organization, its position is already set. This means that as long as one becomes a member of Dark Night, one can continuously receive benefits. How could such a tempting prospect not set hearts racing?

Whoosh... Whoosh...

A massive spider pattern was etched into the night sky. Below it, lines of text appeared: Organization: The Net Ranking: Second Leader: Zhao Gao Rewards: The leader receives a Heaven-grade high-tier martial arts manual—God-Extinguishing Finger; all members of the Net receive Profound-grade high-tier pills—Earth Essence Pills.

The world was not overly surprised by this ranking and skipped over it quickly, because following right behind was the Dark Night ranking they had been anticipating.

Suddenly, bathed in green light, a skull that was both majestic and sinister appeared in the night sky. In the already pitch-black night, the sudden appearance of this object sent shivers down everyone's spines. Especially those hollow eye sockets—looking into them felt like standing on the edge of life and death, watched by the Reaper itself. This skull was the symbol of Dark Night.

Then, lines of text appeared beneath the skull: Organization: Dark Night Ranking: First Leader: Sword God Rewards: The leader exclusively receives one bottle of a God-grade pill—Luoshen Youth-Preserving Pill, which can heal internal ailments, restore a woman's peak appearance, and ensure eternal youth; all members of Dark Night receive Earth-grade high-tier pills—Taiqing Spiritual Pills.

A thunderous sound erupted... Radiance burst forth, scattering in all directions. Each beam of light represented a member of Dark Night. Looking out, they were packed densely together. A rough calculation placed the number at at least seventy or eighty thousand.

This sight shocked every major power. The strength of Dark Night was truly terrifying—numerous members and extraordinary combat power. What was puzzling was that most of the Dark Night members were scattered among nomadic tribes like the Wolf Tribe, Baiyue, and the Yuezhi.

Could it be that Dark Night was established outside the borders? No! That thought was immediately dismissed. If that were the case, those foreign tribes would have invaded the Qin State long ago. It seemed there was only one possibility: the leader of Dark Night had placed members within the nomadic tribes to secretly plot grand designs, waiting for the right moment to annihilate all hostile forces in one stroke!

They pondered this briefly before letting it go. These were not matters they could delve into. Yet, what lingered in their minds was the mystery of the Dark Night leader's identity. When they learned that the Dark Night leader was actually the Sword God, their hearts were filled with fear and shock.

"This... how is this possible? The leader of Dark Night is actually the elusive Sword God? This is simply inconceivable; it's impossible to believe."

"True. It's a good thing we didn't find the Sword God. Otherwise, trying to take things from him would be pure suicide."

"Damn, this explains why the Sword God's Netherworld Sword could suppress First Emperor Ying Zheng. Such a powerful Dark Night organization makes perfect sense."

"But who exactly is the Sword God? That remains a mystery. And that legendary God-grade pill—the Luoshen Youth-Preserving Pill—can it really keep one's beauty forever? That is the greatest dream for any woman."

"Whoever can become the Sword God's woman would be incredibly blessed. They would have immense power, beauty-preserving elixirs, and even the Nine-Turn Longevity Pill to extend their life."

"The Sword God is truly heaven-defying. Not only does he top the Famous Swords Ranking, but now he exclusively occupies the top of the Sword God Ranking. How are we supposed to go on living? Heavens, how could such a formidable person appear?"

...

In an instant, rumors about the Sword God spread across the lands at a terrifying speed. The top of the Famous Swords Ranking—the Sword God. The top of the Sword God Ranking—his subordinates. The Dark Night organization controlling the Sword God Ranking—its leader is the Sword God. This information was difficult for the world to process. Their minds were a chaotic blank!

And the person behind it all—Qin Lan—was living a life of luxury and dissipation in Dongjun.

Dongjun. The Zuimeng Pavilion, Heaven-grade suite.

Over a dozen enchanting, lithe dancing girls were swaying to the music. The room was filled with the fragrance of wine and medicinal herbs. The combination left men feeling energized and excited.

Qin Lan, a young man with dark hair, star-like eyes, and a cold expression, sat on a cushion. He sipped wine alone while watching the performance. Aside from the dancers, maids were there to serve him, pouring wine and offering him delicacies, occasionally whispering sweet nothings to please him. Naturally, Qin Lan behaved somewhat frivolously during this time, to which the maids responded with enthusiasm.

"Happening upon a peach blossom forest, lining both banks for hundreds of steps, with no other trees in between, the fragrant grass lush and beautiful..." Such a life was truly carefree and leisurely.

Footsteps... Footsteps...

Just then, heavy footsteps and a gruff voice echoed from outside the door. "Where is Young Master Qin's room?" "Ah? General Wang Li? Why are you here?" "Cut the chatter, take me to see Young Master Qin." "Yes, yes, please follow me, General Wang."

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032 Pill? Young Master, you really know how to play!

Outside, the sturdy and resolute-faced Wang Li stood before the door. His dark skin shimmered in the candlelight, and the muscles on his arms looked exceptionally firm as he prepared to knock. However, he ultimately hesitated, his hand hanging in mid-air.

"Sigh, how should I explain this? Should I tell the young master I'm late because of military affairs? It's the truth, but I'm still late. No, I must find a perfect excuse, or the young master will surely be angry."

In fact, he had originally arranged to meet Qin Lan at the Zuimeng Pavilion. But who could have foreseen that just as he was about to leave, a scout would deliver news that someone intended to destroy the Meteorite Golden List tonight. Such an important matter forced him to go and prevent it personally, causing the delay.

Just as he was pondering, Qin Lan's magnetic laughter drifted from inside the room. "General Wang Li, since you're here, come on in."

Eh... Wang Li froze. His expression shifted unpredictably, unsure of how to explain himself. After a moment of contemplation, he sighed softly. "Thank you, Young Master." With that, he summoned his courage and pushed the door open.

Inside, Qin Lan saw Wang Li enter and pointed to the empty seat beside him with a faint smile: "General Wang, please sit."

"Young Master, please listen." Wang Li bowed and saluted. "I am two full hours late for our appointment. I ask for the Young Master's forgiveness."

Qin Lan casually gestured, and three full jugs of wine flew toward Wang Li in an instant. Wang Li instinctively reached out and caught them steadily, looking at Qin Lan with confusion.

Qin Lan raised his cup, sipped, and smiled, "Late? Then I'll punish you with three jugs of wine. Drink up!" He downed his cup in one go and turned it upside down to show he had finished.

Wang Li laughed aloud, "Thank you, Young Master. I happen to be thirsty; I'll treat this as quenching my thirst." As soon as he finished speaking, he unsealed the jugs and drank deeply. In a short while, the three jugs were empty. Wang Li let out a burp, wiped the wine from his lips, and grinned foolishly. "Young Master, don't blame me. Military affairs are pressing; it couldn't be helped." His tone was bold and full of apology.

"General Wang is being too polite." Qin Lan poured a cup of wine and placed it by the empty seat, signaling him to sit. "You are guarding Dongjun and commanding one of the Empire's four elite forces; you must be exceptionally busy. How could I blame you?"

Whew... Wang Li breathed a sigh of relief and bowed in thanks again. "Thank you, Young Master." He sat down beside Qin Lan.

Huh? As he sat, he happened to catch sight of a crystal-clear jade bottle on the table. A rich medicinal scent wafted from the bottle. Glancing further, he saw Qin Lan's hand resting on a maid. His rough face immediately took on a lecherous expression. "Young Master, your methods are truly impressive! Hurry and put that medicine away, or if I get drunk later, I might accidentally smash it, and I can't afford to pay you back!"

Eh? This time it was Qin Lan's turn to be stunned. Impressive? What did he mean? He was filled with confusion. However, upon hearing the latter part of the remark and seeing Wang Li's expression and his gaze fixed on the jade bottle, he immediately understood. Wang Li must have misunderstood.

Qin Lan didn't bother to explain and simply tucked the jade bottle away. Inside the bottle was the God-grade pill he had obtained from the Sword God Ranking—the Luoshen Youth-Preserving Pill. He had been so focused on the dance that he had completely forgotten about this divine item. If people knew, they would go mad. Ordinary people treated God-grade pills as priceless treasures; how could one just leave it sitting on a wine table?

If Wang Li knew that the "pill" in his eyes was actually the world-shaking God-grade elixir, who knew what his expression would be!

After putting the Luoshen Youth-Preserving Pill away, Qin Lan lifted his wine cup, took a light sip, and asked casually, "General Wang, what exactly happened tonight that required you to go out yourself?"

Wang Li raised his cup and finished it in one gulp. "News came from Xianyang that someone intended to destroy the Meteorite Golden List. Upon hearing this, I sent reinforcements to the location of the list. Besides that, I led the Hundred Battles Armor-Piercing Troops to set an ambush on the road. But after waiting for a long time, I didn't see that person appear."

At this point, he paused, his expression turning serious. His eyes narrowed sharply, as if he had seen something terrifying.

Instead, Qin Lan leaned back, crossed his legs, and finished his wine. He asked with narrowed eyes, "And then?"

With this, Wang Li replied with lingering fear, "When I was in the ambush, I waited for a long time, but instead of the person, I received other news."